Blog: Travis Huckabee (5.24.18)
As I watched back my match from this past Hour of Power I noticed something strange. The man who has been so critical of my in-ring work and my mentality, Icarus, wasn't even on commentary. He has made a point of calling me "soft" yet he apparently couldn't be bothered to watch my match. Maybe he still considers my kind, my generation of graduates from the Wrestle Factory, a "waste of time" as he put it a few weeks ago. Yet Icarus heaped boundless praise on...Tony Deppen? It's a shame though, I did get the win over a capable Blanche Babish. Razerhawk caught Icarus's attention at the Hour of Power, however. Maybe I need to call Icarus out as well? Icarus, I know you will be at the Wrestle Factory this Saturday for Aniversario - Heroes Shed No Tears, you should keep an eye on me.
Bryce himself chose the teams, deciding that I'd be alongside the likes of Dasher, Touchdown, Thief Ant and Solo Darling against Hallowicked, Frightmare, Whisper, Cajun Crawdad and Rory Gulak. To be honest, It doesn't matter how many opponents I have because there is only one that I am focused on: Rory Gulak. He may be "Amazing" but he has also been the start of what feels like all my problems. He was the first one to call me "soft" and he has been hazing me in class, and over social media since. I hope Icarus and every one of my doubters plans to watch Saturday. You will not see the "soft" Huckabee that you like to call out. I will make an example of Rory Gulak, I will show you what happens when you start something with CHIKARA's Golden Grappler. Rory started something, but I am going to finish it. If that's what it takes to earn the respect of a Gen-1 Original, that's what I'm going to do.
-TH
Blog: Proletariat Boar of Moldova (5.18.18)
On May 26th, at the Wrestle Factory, both Oleg and I have earned the opportunity to face the current Campeones de Parejas, Sloan Caprice and Rick Roland. While this bout is scheduled to be a non-title contest, the Beast Warriors are prepared to make the most of this opportunity against the reigning champs.
While the Beast Warriors have been impressive, our success has not come without failure. If Oleg and I would have won the 4-Corner Tag Match at the Infinite Gauntlet, our match with The Closers could be for those two shiny belts. Instead, The Beast Warriors were outnumbered by three other tag teams with more experience, three tag teams who came together to use their numbers to their advantage, three tag teams who proved on that day that Oleg and I are not yet better than the six of them united. As we brew in the frustration of losing a match with such heavy implications, the Beast Warriors are choosing the path of higher recovery. We learn from our inexperience and from our mistakes in previous challenges. As powerful and determined as we are, we are still a relatively new tag team.
At Aniversario, a new challenge awaits. A new challenge, not just for the Beast Warriors, but for The Closers as well. To this point, The Closers have been able to power their way through all of CHIKARA. The Closers have been able to defeat teams that are quicker than them. The Closers have been able to defeat teams with more experience as a unit. However, The Closers have never been challenged by a team that is just as large and powerful as they are.
On May 26th at the Wrestle Factory, a new challenge awaits The Closers. At Aniversario, the Beast Warriors will match The Closers in every physical metric. At Aniversario, the Beast Warriors will push the champions past their limits. At Aniversario, the Beast Warriors cannot leave the Wrestle Factory with the titles...but we will leave with the experience, intellect, and most importantly, a win over the men who call themselves Campeones.
-BOAR
Blog: Razerhawk (5.11.18)
It seems like ages ago—Sylverhawk & I were standing across the ring from Oceanea & Merlok, ready to do battle with them for what we thought would be the last time. How right we were, but for all the wrong reasons. Fast-forward three weeks and we'd undergone so many changes—Sylverhawk was sent back to Xybertron for repairs, Danjerhawk arrived from Xyberspace, and Nytehawk & I had been showing that we're more cohesive of a team than anyone would've thought.
But then this past weekend happened.
Nytehawk & I were nearly destroyed by the brute strength of The Closers—two men who've become more powerful, and more dangerous than they've ever been, especially since winning Los Campeonatos de Parejas. And later that night there was the upset... in what can only be described as "the flyest victory of the new millennium", Danjerhawk defied the odds and won the Infinite Gauntlet, earning himself a Golden Opportunity toward any championship of his choosing!
All this chaos in the X2K universe, and for some reason my mind keeps circling back to one word:
Disappointment.
This is how Icarus described us after our bout with Oceanea & Merlok—me, as I writhed on the floor, having been driven headfirst into the ring apron, and Sylverhawk, as he lie twitching, unable to feel his legs after falling victim to the Tidal Wave and THREE disgusting Emerald Flowsions. For a while afterward, I blamed myself, but I eventually realized that this is exactly why we were sent here—we're here to risk our wellbeing for the security and safety of the entire universe. I can think of no greater duty, and I will gladly serve without regret.
And yet, Icarus calls us "soft," as if we've got warnings on us to "handle with care."
I take great issue with Icarus' comments. He wants to say we don't have intensity, or that we lack the "killer instinct" he wants to see. Well I think Goldilocks should take a look in the mirror. After all, he helped shape the new crop of Wrestle Factory graduates. If we're such a disappointment, what does that say about him, hmm?
What's that? No smart answer coming from under that mustache?
I've got four words for you: Blu-Ray to the floor. Yes, you read correctly.
At Keystone Championship Wrestling's "Crossing the Border" event last June, I wrestled Icarus and my career nearly came to an end. The entire match I managed to escape his famous Blu-Ray finisher, but after an exhaustive bout, I could no longer fight him off. We crashed into the bottom turnbuckle, but instead of being knocked out and thrown back into the center of the ring, we flew out of the ring and landed on the hardwood floor of the George Washington Carver Rec Center. You see, the ropes had come loose during the event and by the time our match had begun, it was too late to fix it. And I paid for it.
My left shoulder still doesn't work quite right, but do you hear me complain? Did I complain when Merlok threw me into steel chairs? Did Sylverhawk complain when Hermit Crab nearly broke his back? Did I complain when Hermit Crab dislocated my ribs with an apron powerbomb? Did I complain when I cracked my skull on the concrete floor of the Starworks Warehouse in Wolverhampton? Did Nytehawk complain when Merlok took him out of action in Connecticut? Nytehawk hasn't even complained about Sloan Caprice dropping him on his head and neck.
Is this less about true grit, and more about accolades? We have worked incredibly hard and sacrificed so much to be where we are, and we are very proud of our accomplishments. And yeah, we also understand that there's still much more we need to do, and every day is a step toward those goals. We're not resting on the laurels of past Young Lions Cup wins, or a current Golden Opportunity.
But to hear someone whom we admire tear us down for no good reason?
That ain't fly at all. CawCaw.
-R