Kingston is Old School Like Bambaataa, No Man's Hotter

Eddie Kingston vs. Shane Storm Chikara 1/27/08 - EPIC

ER: I don't typically think of Chikara when I think of stiff brawls, but when I do they always involve Eddie Kingston. And I typically don't go too far out of my way to scope Sloppy Shane Storm matches, but you know? Storm matches get a lot more interesting when someone is punching and kicking him in the face. This match starts innocently enough, a nice twisting armdrag from Storm, engaging enough headscissors on the mat. But soon in Kingston leaps from the middle rope towards Storm (on the apron) and just punches him right in the face. Just leaps at him and punches him in the nose. Storm gets busted open, some blood soaking through his mask mustache, and King starts hammering the nose, tugging on his nostrils, grabbing him by the mask mullet and kicking him. Storm takes quite a beating, and he's all squishy and heavy and doesn't really come off as very athletic, and after awhile I just wanted him to fight back a bit. King would throw hard chops, a big backdrop driver, a big half nelson suplex, and Storm does fight back. It never really looks impressive; Storm is slower, doesn't hit as hard, doesn't sell anywhere near as interesting as Kingston does (few do, really). Storm hits a cool slap combo that ends in a DDT, and Kingston takes it hard, neck bent, selling a stinger with his arms. This gives Storm some openings. Standing up after suplexes is almost always dumb, and it was dumb here because it was then followed by a terrible Shining Wizard. Storm was known for his genuinely terrible Shining Wizard, and he throws three clunkers here that thankfully don't finish the match. The actual finish is great, as Storm keeps fighting to his feet, Kingston whiffs on his backfist...and then swings again and hits Storm with one of the best spinning backfists I've seen, one that would open Aja Kong's eyes.

PAS: Eddie Kingston as Tenryu style matches are some of my favorites, and this is maybe the pinnacle. Kingston does this crazy springboard punch and just smushes Storms nose, and the blood flowing over his goofy mask mustache is actually an awesome visual. I think Storm's awkwardness actually works in the story of the match, he is kind of a sloppy goof who has found himself in a fight to the death, and steps up to the challenge. Kingston is mauling him, busting up his nose, making him leak all over the ring, and Storm keeps moving forward. The slaps into the DDT looked awesome, and King, being the greatest seller in modern wrestling, sold it like he had nerve damage. Storm also hit some great fired up headbutts and a german suplex which dumped Kingston right on the crown of his head. Storm has remarkable bad looking Shining Wizards for a guy who has Shining Wizard themed merch, but again I thought the awkwardness of it kind of worked for a guy who was swallowing a bunch of his own blood. Finish was great, Storm standing up after the suplexes was fine, people who get legit KO'd often wobble to their feet, and it wasn't like Storm was hitting offense or anything, that final backfist was Aja Kong murdering Chapparita Asari on RAW level violent, and jamming this bit of gore in the middle of a Chikara card which I am sure had Ants and Hypnosis and other dumb shit really clarified it.


COMPLETE AND ACCURATE EDDIE KINGSTON