This event took place June 2, 2013 and you can watch it in its entirety on IndependentWrestling.TV.

Welcome once again to another edition of the At Odds with Wrestling homework assignments. Each and every week without a major wrestling event we all get together at At Odds headquarters, order some pizza (gluten free crust for me) and watch a classic wrestling show together. This week was the Chikara IPPV, Never Compromise. On last week’s show, Joe said to skip three matches and so I did. I also recorded all of the wrestling shows last Thursday and Friday and burned through them all in about an hour and a half Saturday morning. Efficiency! 

Let’s head down to ringside. 

The Colony Extreme Force (Missile Assault Ant, Arctic Adventure Ant, Orbit Explorer Ant) vs the Spectral Envoy (Ultramantis Black, Hallowicked, Frightmare).

I switched from doing play by play for these shows to color commentary. I’m watching along, enjoying the action, and throwing in comments where needed. I’ve seen this group of Ants, I’ve seen the devious ones, and I know what to expect. Yet there is always something new to catch my eye. The Colony does this awesome turnbuckle steps spot that I would love to see stolen for some other modern day promotion that might have a belt three people can hold. One member stretches across the bottom buckle, another on the middle, thus creating steps for the third member to run up and execute a top rope move. They do it again but I believe it was Mantis who put a stop to it. Real fun spot. All six men are giving 200% to this match. The Spectral Envoy gets a tap out win and as this is the first match of the show that I’m watching I’ll call it a great opener. 

Devastation Corporation (with Sidney Bakaballa) vs The Colony. 

All six men fight outside of the ring immediately. Max press slams Fire Ant from the stage onto everyone on the floor. Taking extended arms, Max’s height, and the stage height into consideration this is near 20 feet down. The Colony gets in a big move here and there but to no avail, this is destruction by the Corporation. However, somehow Fire Ant kicks out?! I was shocked and jumped out of my seat. AssailAnt splashes all three members of Devastation on the floor. Green Ant comes flying off the balcony onto all three! We have a top rope Ant Hill attempt but DC and Sidney break it up. Green Ant superkicks Sidney. Green Ant then chops down Blaster. Green Ant locks on the Cloverleaf and Blaster taps out! There is a huge ovation from the crowd. The Ants have done it! 

Icarus cuts a really, really good promo. 

Tim Donst (with Veronica, Jakob, and Turtle) vs Gavin Loudspeaker in a Hair vs Hair match.

Gavin is skinny, but is he fit? Does he have some muscle? Can he hang against Donst? These questions are about to be answered. Donst pushes Jakob off the ring and he crashes hard. Gavin hits a head scissors?! What was that? Donst comes back and destroys Gavin with one clothesline. Gavin against the ropes as Donst chops away at him is disturbing. Veronica hands Donst the baton but Donst snaps it in two and throws it at her. Steve the Turtle checks on Veronica but Donst throws Turtle into Gavin. Donst grabs scissors and begins to cut some of Gavin’s hair, then eats it! I’m going to be sick. Gavin keeps surprising everyone with his resilience. Donst has the match won but pulls up Gavin at the count of two. Jakob comes in and picks up Gavin. Jakob turns out of nowhere (well not nowhere, it’s been building for months but I didn’t expect it at that particular moment) and punches Donst. Gavin slowly, slowly, gets to the corner and super-plexes Donst off the top. Gavin gets the pin! Veronica slaps Donst and leaves. Bryce comes in to cut Donst’s hair because Gavin is still out and can’t move. Donst shoves Bryce away and emotionlessly cuts his own hair. I mean he’s done it before, yet he is disturbingly accepting of all of this. Everyone rushes in to check on Gavin. Great showing here.

A former referee comes in with revelations about Wink but other referees and Chikara staff run in to stop him. I’m very confused but this also plays into the ending of the show. 

Pieces of Hate vs 3Point0 (tag champs) in a two out of three falls match. 

We know how a Chikara ⅔ tag match goes by now. Warm up action. Superkick, roll up, and Shard gets the first fall so the heels are up 1-0. Jigsaw flips Shane out of the ring but he falls off of the apron too. Nasty spot that I don’t think was planned that way. 3.0 are great babyfaces here. 3.0 hits the sweet smell of professionalism or something like that for the pin and we’re now 1-1. Shard with a double stomp to Jagged, Jigsaw with the Coast to Coast and Shane breaks up the pin! That was a close one. Shard hits an Alabama Slam into the buckle, Jig and Tonic, and still Jagged is out at two! Shane’s knee goes out, Shard locks on an ankle lock, Jigsaw hits a superkick. Shane won’t give up but his hand drops three times. Pieces of Hate are 2-1 and now the new tag team champions. Wow. What an emotional match. 3 Point 0 are amazing here and all I would want is for them to reclaim these titles. Part of me feels this should have ended the show. I understand why it didn’t, but, well, let’s just get to the main event. 

Icarus vs Eddie Kingston (Chikara grand champion).

Icarus is in Marty Jannety inspired tights, but despite an invitation Marty is not there. This is crushing me already. There’s even a seat reserved for him that the camera keeps showing! The commentary is amazing for this match, hitting all the big spots and really bringing the emotion forward. Eddie is a much more dominant champion as a heel. Icarus hits a Pedigree out of nowhere but he’s so beat up he can’t make the pin. Icarus continues to fight back. He is so over in this match. Bryce crashes to the floor! Icarus keeps kicking out! I’m losing it. I do not know my Chikara title lineage. Am I about to see Icarus become the man? Icarus has Eddie locked into the Chikara special! Wink’s security rushes out and grabs Eddie, Icarus, and Bryce. Wink shuts everything down. “Show’s over.” The set is destroyed. What the hell is happening?! 

As a longtime fan of wrestling and comics I’m of two minds for this main event. As a chapter of a longer story, it’s a hell of a cliffhanger. As an ending, which I thought it was because this is an IPPV, it sucks as an ending. Too many unanswered questions. And that was a hell of a main event before the ending. One of the best I’ve seen throughout these Chikara assignments. 

Let’s see what the next homework will bring and if things become a bit more clear.