Interview

The interview is from late 2002 and runs roughly an hour. Topics in the interview include:

Backyard wrestling and how his views of it have changed over time.
Transitioning from backyard wrestling to more organized events.
What his parents thought of him wrestling.
Almost becoming a cowboy.
Tales of the Black T-Shirt Squad, where I was surprised to learn Christian York was a very short lived member of the team.
Wrestling Tracy Smothers
Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling potentially becoming a WWF developmental territory (and subsequently not) and how it affected him.
Wrestling El Hijo del Santo and how important that was for his career.
The origin of CHIKARA and the desire to stand apart.
The off-beat characters of the CHIKARA students.
His book “Headquarters”, what inspired him to write it, and the decision to self-publish.

The interview itself is of some interest, as it includes some stories and tidbits I had not heard elsewhere, but it is most certainly dated. You either have to be very interested in Mike Quackenbush’s earlier career or very interested in the Pennsylvania independent scene circa late 90’s/early 00’s to make this worth your while. If you’re really only aware of him because of CHIKARA or what he’s done in the latter years, there isn’t much here for you. Quackenbush also has a very deadpan tone throughout the entirety of the interview which can be somewhat off putting at times, and has you question whether certain responses are in jest or truthful. The interview on the second volume is much more interesting, as we’ll discuss next week.

Matches

Mike Quackenbush vs. The Amazing Red
Jersey Championship Wrestling “Jersey J-Cup 2001” – Lodi, NJ – 6.21.2001

A wristlock exchange leads to Red putting Quackenbush in a straightjacket choke over his knees. Quackenbush turns Red into the Cerebral Lock. Red escapes. He trips Quackenbush into a front facelock. Quackenbush maneuvers out and puts Red in the Romero Special, dropping him out and onto his face. He sends Red outside, then clears the top rope with a plancha. Back in the ring, Red catches Quackenbush off guard with a huracanrana. Quackenbush kicks out and drops Red with a running tombstone piledriver. Red kicks out. Quackenbush goes for the Liger Bomb. Red counters mid-air with an X-Factor. A Red Star Press only gets Red a two count. In the corner, Quackenbush stops Red with a palm strike, leading to a sit-out facebuster and a wheelbarrow suplex. He then lifts Red up into a German suplex for two. Red ducks a palm strike and headscissors into a tornado DDT. Red tries a Dragon Sleeper. Quackenbush counters with the Quackendriver I for the pin at 5:06. That was an outstanding, fun, five minutes of wrestling. Quackenbush essentially played the rare role of aggressor which added to the overall enjoyment level. In 2001, this was state of the art wrestling, and it still holds up today. **½

Mike Quackenbush vs. “Ice Pick” Vic Capri
IWA Mid-South – Indianapolis, IN – 2.8.2002

After trading waistlocks, Capri takes Quackenbush down in a Fujiwara armbar. Quackenbush grabs the ropes to escape. Quackenbush trips Capri into a modified spinning toe hold. He holds onto ankle while grapevining the leg, and Capri also gets the ropes to escape. Quackenbush trips him back to the mat. He kicks the inside of Capri’s leg before tying up all of his limbs and sitting on him. Capri rolls forward to unravel. They trade holds on their feet. Quackenbush flips over Capri’s backdrop attempt and dropkicks him to the floor. Quackenbush follows with a tope con hilo. In the ring Quackenbush hits a front flip splash. Capri takes him over with two leg-capture belly-to-belly suplexes. He pummels Quackenbush on the mat. Capri chokes him in the ropes while also applying a chinlock. Capri lands some chops. Quackenbush drives him to the corner and gives him windmill chops. Quackenbush snapmares him into a back kick. Capri kicks out of the pin and forearms Quackenbush in the face. He bodyslams Quackenbush while applying a hammerlock. Quackenbush’s left arm is now hurt and Capri makes that the focus of his offense. Capri gets a two count with a pumphandle slam. Capri slingshots into a knee drop, rolls up into a tumbleweed senton, then rolls back up for a moonsault. Capri comes off the second rope. Quackenbush cuts him off with an atomic drop and a fisherman’s suplex for two. Quackenbush tries a sunset flip. Capri sits down on him and throws some punches to the face. Quackenbush comes up with an overhand chop. Capri ducks his lariat and goes for a Fujiwara armbar. Quackenbush knees him in the head. Capri hooks Quackenbush’s legs and stretches out his left arm. Capri releases the hold when Quackenbush resists submitting. Capri suplexes him and heads to the top turnbuckle. He misses an elbow drop. Quackenbush delivers some punches and kicks before using his good arm in a rolling lariat. Quackenbush hits the Black Tornado Slam. Capri blocks a tornado DDT and takes him over in a Northern Lights suplex. He rolls through and hits it again. Capri follows up with a Death Valley Driver for two. He places Quackenbush on the top rope. He throws Quackenbush off. Quackenbush rolls through. He kicks out Capri’s leg and hits a Tiger Bomb. Capri kicks out. Capri fights off a second Tiger Bomb and delivers a Shiranui. Quackenbush gets his foot on the ropes to stop the pin. Capri picks him up in a dragon sleeper position. Quackenbush reverses it up into the Quackendriver I for the pin in 14:13. I had not seen much of Vic Capri before this, but I really enjoyed what I saw in this match. It was a fun back-and-forth match that the crowd was into and ended at the right time. Not much more to ask for than that. ***

Elimination Match
Mike Quackenbush, UltraMantis & Mister ZERO vs. Reckless Youth, Ichabod Slayne & Hallowicked
KAPOW – Philadelphia, PA – 7.28.2002

Youth’s team attacks Quackenbush’s team at the bell. Youth back elbows Mantis and sends him to the floor. Slayne dropkicks ZERO as Hallowicked disposes of Quackenbush. Quackenbush ducks Hallowicked and Slayne’s double clothesline and dropkicks them both. Quackenbush and Mantis attack them in the corner. Quackenbush palm strikes Hallowicked, ZERO gives Slayne a backbreaker, and Mantis hip attacks Youth. Mantis then slingshot sentons onto Slayne and Hallowicked on the floor. Quackenbush tope con hilo’s onto Youth. Youth and his team threaten to leave but decide against it. Hallowicked shoulder blocks ZERO. ZERO hip tosses him and takes him over with a Japanese armdrag. Mantis punches Hallowicked to the corner. Youth tags in. He and Mantis exchange forearms and chops. Mantis armdrags Youth to the floor. Slayne and Quackenbush armdrag one another. Quackenbush puts him in the Cerebro Lock. Youth knees Quackenbush from the ring apron, allowing Slayne to hit him with a dropkick from the second rope. Youth’s team wears down Quackenbush until he reverses an abdominal stretch from Slayne and gets the crowd and fans to help stretch him out. Slayne however keeps Quackenbush isolated after the fact. Youth’s team misses a triple headbutt, allowing Quackenbush time to finally tag out. Both Mantis and ZERO come in and clean house. Mantis puts Hallowicked in a headscissors, which leads to Slayne putting Mantis in a headscissors. Quackenbush turns them all over in a Boston Crab while ZERO has Slayne in a crossface. Youth puts a Dragon Clutch on Quackenbush. The submission chain breaks. A headlock chain is then formed. Mantis DDT’s everybody out of it. He hits the Praying Mantis Bomb on Hallowicked for two. Hallowicked gives him a Rydeen Bomb. He then drops on Slayne on Mantis Burning Hammer style, eliminating Mantis at 17:38. Slayne knees ZERO in the face and drops him with a Blockbuster for two. Slayne goes for it again. Quackenbush instead palm strikes him into ZERO’s Last Shaven Unicorn for the elimination at 18:36. Youth gives ZERO the Hamachan Cutter. Hallowicked puts him away with a neckbreaker in 19:13. Quackenbush sends Hallowicked feet first into Youth. He gives Hallowicked the Quackendriver I to eliminate him at 19:53. Quackenbush and Youth get in a pinfall exchange. Quackenbush blocks a clothesline and calls for a Tiger Driver. When Youth drops to a knee, Quackenbush kicks him in the head a few times. He drops Youth with the Black Tornado Slam for two. Quackenbush tries a top rope Frankensteiner. Youth holds the ropes. He Graham Crackers Quackenbush for the pin and the win at 21:20. Not sure why this was under elimination rules, but this followed the formula most every CHIKARA match during this time had. Seeing Youth and Quackenbush in the ring together is always a treat, though. **½

Mike Quackenbush & Luna Vachon vs. Crowbar & Serena
PXW – Tylersport, PA – 6.23.2002

This starts out with just Quackenbush vs. Crowbar. Crowbar elbows out of a waistlock. He shoulder blocks Quackenbush when he comes off of the ropes. Quackenbush ducks a clothesline and takes down Crowbar with a satellite headscissors. He gets a two count with a huracanrana. Serena trips Quackenbush as he hits the ropes, allowing Crowbar to attack him from behind.Serena helps Crowbor stomp Quackenbush in the corner. She snapmares him into a neck snap. Quackenbush goes to the back and recruits Luna Vachon as his partner! The bell re-rings to make this tag bout official.

Crowbar gets out of a hammerlock with a scoop slam. Quackenbush kicks him from the mat. He takes down Crowbar with a spin kick for two. He takes over Crowbar with a monkey flip. He holds onto the knuckles for a Northern Lights suplex. Crowbar pulls him into a modified reverse Complete Shot. Crowbar then throws him out of a gutwrench suplex. Quackenbush stops a backdrop and Liger bomb. He gives Crowbar a basement dropkick and tags in Luna. Crowbar tags out, but gets in a few shots before leaving the ring. Serena chokes Luna on the top rope and hits a clothesline. Luna comes back with her own clothesline. Crowbar tags in. Luna drop toe holds him and tags in Quackenbush. Quackenbush and Luna double suplex Crowbar and give him tandem elbow drops. Crowbar hot shots Quackenbush on the top rope. Crowbar legdrops Quackenbush’s arm and twists on his wrist. Serena water pumps Quackenbush’s arm across her shoulder. Crowbar then hyper extends Quackenbush’s arm on the top rope. Serena pumps his arm again. He throws Quackenbush to the floor. Crowbar goes to feed Serena Luna’s arm for a water pump, but unbeknownst to her, Luna feeds her Crowbar’s arm instead. Quackenbush schoolboys Crowbar for two. Serena spinwheel kicks Quackenbush into a legdrop for two. Crowbar lands a slingshot splash and lionsault for two. Crowbar assists Serena with a moonsault. They work over Quackenbush’s left arm some more. Quackenbush fights out of a German suplex and wheelbarrows up into a bulldog on Crowbar. Luna takes out both Crowbar and Serena. Quackenbush and Luna whip Crowbar and Serena into one another. They double clothesline Crowbar to the floor. Quackenbush follows with a plancha. Luna drops Serena with a neckbreaker and polishes her off with a Vader Bomb for the pin at 10:15. What a disaster. Serena and Crowbar looked really sloppy and like deers in headlights the entire time. The other team made this watchable, but just barely. ¼*

Mike Quackenbush & Nick Berk vs. The Backseat Boyz (Trent Acid & Johnny Kashmere)
New Era Pro Wrestling – Painesville, OH – 4.6.2002

Berk insists he start for his team, Quackenbush acquiesces. Kashmere asks for a test of strength. Berk punches him in the face. This happens a second time. On the third time, Kashmere grabs Berk’s hand and punches him twice before tossing him down and stomping on his hand. Kashmere follows up with a Manhattan drop and stomps on his foot. He tags in Quackenbush. Acid accepts his handshake, only for Quackenbush to sweep out his legs. A back and forth sequence ends with two boots and rolling forearm from Acid. Kashmere stops the charging Berk and the Backseat Boyz deliver stereo punches in opposite corners. Berk accidentally clotheslines Quackenbush causing them to have a shoving match. Kashmere and Acid send them to the floor with stereo satellite headscissors. Kashmere sends them head first into one another, then backdrops Avid onto them. Berk doesn’t care for the audience’s reaction to them, so Berk tells the crowd they’re leaving and shoves Quackenbush backstage. Acid brings Berk back out in a wedgie while Kashmere carries Quackenbush out in a fireman’s carry. He drops Quackenbush face first on the ring rope while Acid punches Berk back in the ring. The Boyz nail him with various double team offense. Quackenbush comes in and is caught with the Backseat Driver for two. Acid climbs to the second rope. Quackenbush kicks his legs and holds onto him so that Berk can drop him down stomach first to the mat. Acid hurt his knee on the landing, giving Quackenbush and Berk the opportunity to isolate Acid in their corner. A headscissors chain is formed with the Backseat Boyz and Berk, which Quackenbush turns over in a Boston Crab. Kashmere gets the ropes to break. More miscommunication causes Quackenbush to knock down Berk. Acid yakuza kicks Quackenbush and tags in Kashmere. After some boots, Kashmere bulldogs Quackenbush and monkey flips Berk into Quackenbush. Berk falls face first into Quackenbush’s crotch. Acid lands a moonsault on Quackenbush but Berk breaks the cover. Berk dumps Acid to the floor and Quackenbush gives Kashmere a brainbuster. He comes off the top with a frogsplash. Instead of allowing Quackenbush to cover, Berk hits his own frogsplash. The two of them argue. Acid missile dropkicks Quackenbush. The Boyz drop Berk with the T-Gimmick for the pin at 14:58. After the match, Quackenbush palm strikes Berk and throws him to the floor. This was your formulaic “formidable tag team vs. strange bedfellows” match. The action was solid and the Boyz looked strong, but this type of match is better suited for a live audience than for home video. Nothing wrong with that, just how it goes sometimes. **¼

IWA-MS Light Heavyweight Championship
Ace Steel (Champion) vs. Mike Quackenbush
IWA Mid-South “House of Hardcore 2nd Anniversary Show” – Charlestown, IN – 2.9.2002

Steel looks for a wristlock out of the opening lock-up. Quackenbush takes him over with a side headlock. Steel turns it into a headscissors. Quackenbush reverses it back. Steel brings him over in a front facelock. Quackenbush applies a modified Octopus Stretch. Steel hip tosses his way free and puts on a chinlock. Quackenbush stretches Steel over his shoulders in a torture rack with a Cobra Clutch. Steel slides off and trades overhand chops with Quackenbush. He then snapmares him into a back kick. Quackenbush responds in kind. Steel takes Quackenbush to the corner with knees to stomach and nails him with a rolling elbow. Steel gets in some shots in the corner, but Quackenbush whips him across and hits the Kangaroo Blaster. Quackenbush gets Steel on the apron and bulldogs him onto it. Quackenbush follows with a corkscrew plancha off the top rope and to the floor. This gets him a two count back in the ring. Quackenbush slams him into a legdrop and somersault senton for two. Steel blocks a hip toss and picks up Quackenbush in a modified Gory Special. He sits out down with it, jamming up Quackenbush’s body. Steel goes for a headscissors. When Quackenbush blocks it, Steel puts on a full body stretch before rolling Quackenbush onto his shoulders for a two count. Quackenbush fights Steel from the second rope. He tries a tornado Steel. Steel blocks and crotches Quackenbush onto the middle turnbuckle. He blasts Quackenbush with a running dropkick. He enzuigiri’s Quackenbush to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. Back in the ring Steel gives Quackenbush a waterwheel slam. Steel lands a top rope elbow smash for two. Steel goes for a clothesline. Quackenbush blocks it with a running STO. Quackenbush hits a springboard Swanton for two. Steel knees Quackenbush in the stomach as he comes off the ropes. He pummels Quackenbush’s back. Quackenbush kicks him in the side of the head and uses the ropes for a Frankensteiner. He rolls Steel up and pounds on his back before delivering the Tiger Driver for two. Quackenbush and Steel switch waistlocks. Steel places Quackenbush on the top turnbuckle. Steel brings him down with a superplex. Steel comes off the top with a leaping spike DDT for the pin at 14:02. This was a very fun. Steel controlled most of the match while still giving Quackenbush’s nearfalls some credibility. They ended just as they peaked and didn’t waste any time. Good stuff. ***

Hardway Wrestling Light Heavyweight Championship
Mike Quackenbush (Champion) vs. The Amazing Red vs. Quiet Storm
Hardway Wrestling TV Episode 40 – Northampton, PA – 1.18.2002

A three way lock-up and three way knuckle lock go nowhere. Red and Storm engage in a Lucha sequence. When it ends, Quackenbush knocks them down with stereo clotheslines. He drops Red with a spinebuster and puts him in a keylock pendulum stretch. Storm knocks down Quackenbush and puts him in a figure four. Storm trips Red and puts him in a crossface at the same time. Both men free themselves and kick Storm in the side of the head. Quackenbush kicks Red down and takes him down with a suplex. Storm lands a frogsplash on Red and Quackenbush breaks up the pin. Storm sends Quackenbush to the apron. Quackenbush comes back in as Storm tries a dive, then Quackenbush suicide dives onto Storm. Red tope con hilo’s onto both of them. In the ring, Red knees Storm in the face. He spikes Storm on his head with a reverse Jig N’ Tonic for two. Red delivers a step-up face kick in the corner. Quackenbush kicks Red in the head and tosses him outside. He snapmares Storm into a back kick. He puts on a standing armbar. Red kicks Quackenbush in the head to free Storm. Storm gets tossed out. Quackenbush puts Red in the Cerebro Lock. Storm breaks that hold. Quackenbush German suplexes Red and Storm at the same time. Storm strings together three Northern Lights suplexes on Red. Quackenbush drops Storm with the Black Tornado Slam. Red comes off the top with a stomp to Quackenbush’s stomach. He takes over Quackenbush with a huracanrana but Storm breaks the pin. Storm gives him a bridging exploder suplex for two. Quackenbush palm strikes Storm. Red cascades onto Quackenbush’s shoulders, but Quackenbush brings him down in a Dominator. Once again Storm stops the pin. Red kicks Quackenbush in the shoulder as Quackenbush sits on the rope rope. Storm dropkicks Red into a super sit-out powerbomb from Quackenbush. Again, Storm breaks the pin. Red sweeps out Storm’s legs and lands a standing shooting star press. Quackenbush gives Red a wheelbarrow suplex and a Dragon suplex. Storm breaks the pin. Strom enzuigiri’s Quackenbush to the floor. Red takes down Storm with two spinning enzuigiri’s. He misses a corkscrew moonsault. The Spinal Shock gets Storm the pin and the title at 12:16. I never like it when three ways go the “one guy out, two guys in” formula, but in this case it worked somewhat, as Storm was persistent in breaking up nearfalls which paid off in his favor. Good wrestling in general, but a little sloppiness here and there. **¾

FWA Heavyweight Championship
Low Ki (Champion) vs. Mike Quackenbush
FWA “Apocalypse” – Palo Alto, PA – 11.20.1999

This is a rematch from last month where Ki defeated Quackenbush for the championship. Quackenbush peppers Ki with palm strikes to start. Some Lucha rolls then lead to both men going for a hip toss with neither getting it. Ki brings down Quackenbush in a Fujiwara armbar. Quackenbush reaches the bottom rope but Ki brings him back into the middle of the ring. Quackenbush gets to his feet and fights free. He drops down Ki face first into the canvas and puts him in a Dragon Sleeper. Ki rakes Quackenbush’s eyes to escape. Ki trips Quackenbush and twists his knee. He knees Quackenbush in the face before lifting him up into a shoulder breaker. Ki goes up top. He takes too long and Quackenbush avoids a 450. Ki rolls through however, and both men are taken out with simultaneous clotheslines. Ki tries a tornado DDT. Quackenbush Hot Shots Ki on the top rope and gets two with a Dragon suplex. Ki leapfrogs over Quackenbush and kicks him low. He puts Quackenbush in a high angle cloverleaf. Quackenbush leverages out. Ki comes in with a springboard, only to be caught with an atomic drop. He drops Ki with a brainbuster. Quackenbush lands a springboard splash for two. Ki takes him over with a butterfly suplex and holds on for a butterfly stretch. Quackenbush picks up Ki and places him on the top turnbuckle. Ki tries fighting but gets crotched. Quackenbush brings him down with a reverse spike super Frankensteiner! He calls for the Quackendriver when ”Hot Shot” Drew Lozario interferes. Fly Daddy kicks Quackenbush in the groin and delivers a DDT. Ki hits at 8:20.

But wait! Another referee lets referee Paul Turner know that Mike Quackenbush’s foot was on the ropes and therefore the match will continue. Quackenbush once again peppers Ki with palm strikes to the face. After a backdrop he hits a running palm strike. The Quackendriver I has the pin, but Lozario distracts Referee Turner again. Fly Daddy runs in but Quackenbush tosses him to the floor. Ki climbs the ropes. Quackenbush meets him with a kick to the head. He brings Ki down with a super Tiger Driver for the pin at 10:15. I admit ignorance regarding the men who ran into the match, but because the re-start was done well and Ki and Quackenbush had excellent chemistry. ***

Mike Quackenbush vs. Chris Hamrick
NEW – 4.26.2002

Hamrick throws Quackenbush to the mat out of the opening lock-up. Quackenbush monkey flips Hamrick while holding onto a double knuckle lock. He brings Hamrick up and suplexes Hamrick while keeping on the knuckle lock. He uses a neck-tie headscissors to bring him down for two. Hamrick knees Quackenbush in the stomach. He shoulder blocks Quackenbush, then takes the “Hamrick Bump” through the middle rope! That is never not brutal. Quackenbush follows with a tope con hilo. Hamrick responds with an Arabian Press to the floor! In the ring, Hamrick kicks Quackenbush in the chin twice. Quackenbush ducks a boot and gets in some shots. Hamrick whips Quackenbush chest first into the turnbuckles and catches him with a big boot. He puts Quackenbush in a pendulum stretch. He then puts on a reverse variation of the hold. Hamrick drops an elbow across Quackenbush’s leg before applying a seated pendulum stretch. Quackenbush escapes and gives Hamrick an atomic drop. He delivers nine punches in the corner before bringing down Hamrick with a facebuster bulldog. Quackenbush misses a corner tackle, sending himself shoulder first into the corner. Hamrick hits a springboard dropkick for two. He misses a top rope elbow drop. Quackenbush backdrops Hamrick and gives him a back kick. The Black Tornado Slam earns a two count. He comes off the middle rope with a sunset flip, leading to a series of pin reversals. When it ends, Quackenbush goes for the Quackendriver I. Hamrick reverses into the Dixie Drop. A running big boot gets Hamrick the win at 7:56. That match blew away my expectations, and that’s in large part to how great Hamrick was. Quackenbush seemed like a backdrop for Hamrick’s cool offense, which is so odd to say since I expected the exact opposite, on top of a much slower match. I love when you get fun surprises like this. ***

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship; Elimination Match
CM Punk (Champion) vs. Mike Quackenbush vs. Colt Cabana
IWA Mid-South “April Bloodshowers 2002” – Indianapolis, IN – 4.5.2002

After a three way lock-up, Punk decides to take a powder while Quackenbush and Cabana fight for a headlock. Cabana shoulder blocks him down. All three men armdrag one another. We get a three way criss-cross which wears out Cabana. Punk and Quackenbush double superkick him out. Punk controls Quackenbush on the mat. Back on their feet Quackenbush rolls him into a standing armbar, which Cabana breaks by giving Quackenbush a bulldog. Cabana blocks a boot from Punk and takes him down with a lariat. Punk misses a second rope crossbody. Cabana holds a double knuckle lock, headbutting Punk in the process. He monkey flips Punk and pushes his shoulders to the mat in a double knuckle lock. Punk steps on Cabana’s shoulders in the knuckle lock. Quackenbush takes him down with a Doomsday Device. Cabana Giant Swings Punk into a dropkick from Quackenbush. Punk chops both of them in the corner as Quackenbush and Cabana reverse a wristlock on one another. Cabana and Quackenbush double chop Punk after a sequence of holds between the two of them yields no results. A triple waistlock leads to Quackenbush hip tossing Punk and palm striking Cabana to the floor. Punk cuts off Quackenbush’s dive with Welcome to Chicago. Punk slides to the floor and gives Cabana a side Russian legsweep. Punk then hits a slingshot senton from inside the ring to the floor! Quackenbush comes off the apron with a tornado DDT to Punk. In the ring, Quackenbush slams Cabana and delivers a running double stomp for two. He snapmares Cabana into a back kick and applies a standing armbar. Punk breaks it and puts Cabana in a figure four headscissors. Quackenbush turns them both over in a Boston Crab. Punk gets the ropes. Quackenbush whips Cabana to the corner and chops him. Punk kicks out Quackenbush’s knee and hits him with the Shining Wizard. Cabana grabs Punk afterwards and gives him a cradle DDT. He puts Punk in a pendulum. Quackenbush kicks Punk in the head, then Cabana in the chest, causing Cabana to fall back. Quackenbush locks both men in a double Dragon sleeper. Punk and Cabana pick up Quackenbush for a tandem reverse brainbuster. Punk and Quackenbush end up on the ropes after Cabana is ducked to the floor. Punk wants the Pepsi Plunge but Quackenbush escapes and palm strikes Punk off the top and onto Cabana. Quackenbush dives onto both of them with a springboard somersault senton. In the ring he gives both Punk and Cabana separate Michinoku Drivers. He heads up top but Punk crotches him. Cabana joins and brings down Punk and Quackenbush at the same time with a German suplex! Cabana calls for a Doomsday Device with Quackenbush. Quackenbush ends up missile dropkicking Punk, who gives Cabana a spike reverse Frankensteiner! Quackenbush kicks Punk to the floor and drops Cabana with the Black Tornado Slam. The Alligator Clutch eliminates Cabana at 17:15. Punk suplexes Quackenbush before giving him a brainbuster. Quackenbush drops him with an STO. He comes off top with a frog splash for two. Punk drops Quackenbush stomach first on the top rope and delivers a springboard knee drop to Quackenbush’s neck. Quackenbush grabs the bottom rope to stop the pinfall. Punk looks for a super Razor’s Edge. Quackenbush counters mid-move with a super Frankensteiner! Punk kicks out! Quackenbush places Punk up top. Punk brings him down with a super tombstone piledriver for the pin at 20:37. The fans really got into this match and the nearfalls were both believable and well timed. Some of the stuff was a little contrived and at times a little too fast to digest, but overall this was very fun. ***¼

Mike Quackenbush vs. Reckless Youth
LAW – 7.10.1999

They trade arm holds until Quackenbush snapmares Youth into a back kick. Youth takes a break on the floor, then takes Quackenbush down in an overhead wristlock when he re-enters the ring. Youth comes off the ropes with an armdrag. A Mich Kick leads to Quackenbush landing on his feet out of a monkey flip. He takes down Youth with a toreador and a leg sweep. Youth avoids another leg sweep and Magistral cradles Quackenbush for two. They switch arm holds once again. Youth punches Quackenbush with a pair of closed fists. Quackenbush gets whipped to the corner, but comes back with a crossbody off the second rope. He punches Youth four times in the corner. Youth brings him out, but Quackenbush gives him a spin kick to the stomach. Quackenbush rams Youth’s head into all three turnbuckles in one of the corners. Quackenbush avoids a lariat. He jumps to the second rope and Youth dropkicks him to the floor. Youth follows with a plancha over the top rope. Youth chokes Quackenbush back inside the ring. He gives Quackenbush a running neck snap for two. Quackenbush avoids an atomic drop. He sole butt kicks Youth and gives him a bridging fisherman’s suplex for two. Youth kicks Quackenbush low allowing him to pull off a satellite headscissors.Youth wears down Quackenbush in a chinlock. He does a little showboating before dropping an elbow and walking across Quackenbush’s chest. Youth attempts a superplex. Quackenbush fights off, knocks Youth to the mat and comes down with a dropkick. He palm strikes Youth to the floor and follows with a tope con hilo. In the ring he nails a top rope headbutt for two. Youth huracanrana’s Quackenbush. Quackenbush rolls through. Youth enzuigiri’s Quackenbush as they get to their feet for two. A top rope splash has the same result. Quackenbush goes for a Tiger Driver. Youth resists, so Quackenbush throws some Kawada kicks, then successfully delivers the Tiger Driver for two. He brings Quackenbush up top. Youth brings Quackenbush down with an atomic drop off the second rope. He folds up Quackenbush in a powerbomb but Quackenbush is able to kick out. Youth sets up for a tombstone. Quackenbush reverses into the Quackendriver I for the pin at 15:36. This was a pretty basic match all things considered, but had a strong foundation in the characters. I really enjoyed the finish but nothing else really stands out. **½

Mike Quackenbush vs. El Hijo del Santo
FWA – Palo Alto, PA – 4.15.2000

Quackenbush was considering retiring shortly before this match, but the opportunity to wrestle Hijo del Santo convinced him to return for at least one more match. Quackenbush is the current FWA Champion. They trade hiponesa’s Santo goes for the arm, but Quackenbush instead goes for a cross armbreaker himself. Santo escapes and stretches Quackenbush’s back out across his knees. Quackenbush flips over into a lateral press for two. Santo puts on the Haas of Pain. Quackenbush gets to the ropes to escape. Quackenbush grabs a full nelson out of a mount. Santo armdrags out of it. They fight over a top wristlock. From the mat, Santo takes over Quackenbush in a neck-tie headscissors. He holds onto the scissors until Quackenbush grabs the middle rope. Santo rolls Quackenbush into a seated pendulum stretch, rocking him back and forth. Quackenbush grabs the rope again. Santo successfully pulls off one of two headscissor attempts. When Quackenbush resists the second, Santo sends him to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. In the ring, Santo gets two with a sunset flip and an O’Connor roll. Quackenbush gets in a few shots to the chest and snapmares Santo into a somersault senton. He misses a corkscrew quebrada, but he figure fours Santo’s leg and falls back to add pressure. Santo gets the bottom rope. Quackenbush takes him to the top and brings him down with a Frankensteiner for two. A springboard splash also gets two. He misses a falling headbutt. Santo puts on the Romero Special. From that he rolls Quackenbush onto his shoulders for two. He then keeps the legs locked and stretches out Quackenbush’s back across his knees while applying a chinlock. Santo puts on a Boston Crab. Quackenbush gets the ropes. Santo puts on a stretch, but Quackenbush grounds Santo and puts on a grounded Octopus Stretch. When Santo is freed, he comes off Quackenbush’s shoulders with an armdrag. He gets two with a huracanrana. He goes for it again, but Quackenbush counters with a spinning sitout powerbomb. He gets two with a Magistral cradle. Quackenbush dropkicks Santo to the floor. He misses a suicide dive, smacking the ground hard on his back and potentially back of his head. Santo brings Quackenbush back in the ring, and instead of going for the pin, out of respect he let’s Quackenbush get to his feet. He suplexes Quackenbush when the 15:00 time limit expires (I had 15:28). The match is declared a draw. Just the novelty of Quackenbush in the ring with Santo made this a worthwhile inclusion, especially when you consider this is the match that had Quackenbush re-consider retirement. Santo got to do a good amount of his signature offense and Quackenbush got to go toe-to-toe with a Lucha legend of sorts. Even 16 years later it’s a cool match to revisit. ***

Pittsburgh Freeweight Championship; Elimination Match
Mike Quackenbush vs. Reckless Youth vs. Don Montoya
FNW – 10.25.2000

The winner of this match will be the inaugural Pittsburgh Freeweight Champion. The match starts with just Quackenbush and Montoya. Youth will join the match 5 minutes in. We start with some chain wrestling with each man looking for control of the others’ arm. Montoya brings Quackenbush down in a side headlock, which Quackenbush turns into a headscissors. Quackenbush goes back to the arm, driving his knee into it. He looks for a standing Fujiwara armbar. Montoya schoolboys him to counter. Montoya brings Quackenbush down in a waistlock. Quackenbush goes to the arm, then back kicks Montoya twice. Montoya front trips Quackenbush and delivers his own back kick. Quackenbush fires up, so Montoya kicks him again. Quackenbush overhand chops Montoya before snapmaring him into a dropkick to the back of the head. Montoya side steps Quackenbush and applies a chinlock on the mat. Quackenbush escapes and gives Montoya two spinning toe holds, grapevining the leg after the second one. Montoya grabs his own spinning toe hold and snaps Quackenbush’s leg. Quackenbush headscissors Montoya to the floor. Youth enters at about 8 minutes in. All three men armdrag one another many times before the Mich Kick. Youth and Quackenbush double clothesline Montoya afterwards. They double hip toss him into sentons. Neither guy can get a pinfall. Quackenbush rolls Montoya into Youth’s camel clutch. Quackenbush dropkicks Montoya in the face. Youth kicks Quackenbush low. He gets two with a snap suplex and leg drop. He clotheslines Quackenbush repeatedly in the corner before giving him a rolling basement Blockbuster. Montoya clobbers Youth in the neck with a forearm before driving his legs into his groin. He slams Youth into a corkscrew legdrop. Quackenbush foolishly interrupts the count. Montoya hits him with a spinwheel kick and cranks on his neck and arms. Youth uses the second rope for a dropkick to break the hold. He slingshot sentons onto Montoya’s back. Youth huracanrana’s Montoya. Quackenbush breaks that, then gives Montoya his own huracanrana. Youth breaks that pin with a dropkick. He comes off the top with a legdrop to Montoya. Quackenbush jackknife pins Montoya which Youth stops. Quackenbush fisherman’s suplexes Youth and Montoya breaks the bridge. He somersault sentons onto Quackenbush for two. A three way sleeper hold is applied when Adam Flash and Romeo Valentino come to the ring. They apparently attacked Youth earlier in the night and Montoya and Quackenbush saved him. Youth uses a jawbreaker to break the sleeper. He comes off the top with a Fame-Asser to Montoya. Quackenbush does the deal with a Falcon Arrow on Youth for two. Montoya gives Quackenbush an exploder suplex. Youth lariats Quackenbush. Quackenbush comes back with a tornado reverse DDT to Youth. He DDT’s Montoya. He looks for a super Frankensteiner on Youth. Youth brings him down with a Manhattan Drop and powerbombs him. Montoya breaks the cover and chokeslams Youth. Youth rolls to the apron and is able to give Montoya a DDT onto it. Quackenbush springboard plancha’s onto both men. Flash and Valentino attack Quackenbush back in the ring, giving him a tandem spinebuster. Flash and Valentino then attack Youth as back in the ring Montoya gives Quackenbush a Doctor Bomb for the pin and elimination at 20:49. Flash and Valentino come back in the ring with Youth who is able to send them face first into one another. Montoya clotheslines them out. An unnamed female low blows and DDT’s Youth behind the referee’s back, unbeknownst to Montoya as well. Montoya gives Youth a Tiger Driver for the pin and the victory at 21:34. There were a lot of things to dislike about this match: everybody looking stupid breaking up one another’s pinfalls in an elimination match, how there was no real cohesive story, and the interference at the end directly dictating the two falls, in a title match no less. All three guys gave a good effort but as a whole it was an exercise in frustration. *

Mike Quackenbush vs. Tarek the Great
IWA Mid-South “Wrestling in Hades – Night 1” – Clarksville, IN – 8.2.2002

Quackenbush brings down Tarek in an armdrag and and digs his knee into the side of his head. He tries pushing Tarek’s shoulders to the mat, but Tarek rolls up and brings Quackenbush back down in a side headlock. Quackenbush turns it into a headscissors. Tarek rolls forward and gets two with a jackknife pin. He trips Quackenbush into a front facelock. Quackenbush grabs a Fujiwara armbar. Tarek goes up and over in the corner, leading to the Mich Kick. Tarek sends Quackenbush out with a kick to the face. Tarek tries a pescado but lands on the concrete floor. Quackenbush recovers and comes back out with a tope con hilo. He invites Tarek back into the ring, only to pull the middle rope up into Tarek’s crotch! He mocks Tarek’s pain and drops a leg on Tarek’s crotch. He applies pressure to Tarek’s neck before kicking him in the back. After a palm strike, Quackenbush goes for a huracanrana. Tarek counters with a powerbomb and then puts Quackenbush in the Pendulum Stretch. He picks up Quackenbush and drives his head into the bottom turnbuckle multiple times. Quackenbush crotches Tarek on the top rope and straddles him on it. He gamengiri’s Tarek in the face from the floor for two. He puts on a Rings of Saturn without the chinlock, then gets annoyed at the fans for trying to fire up Tarek. Tarek gets in a couple shots from his knees, but Quackenbush gives a swift kick to the head to stop that. After a snapmare he goes up top. He misses a Swanton bomb. Tarek gives Quackenbush a delayed brainbuster. A fisherman’s buster gets him a two count. Quackenbush almost fires up, but then collapses. Tarek spinwheel kicks him for two. Tarek misses a moonsault. Quackenbush palm strikes Tarek. Tarek counters a full nelson with an O’Connor Roll for the pin at 13:28. Seeing Quackenbush as the bad guy is such a rarity that I always get a kick out of it. It’s easy to see that a large part of that persona for him is based on Reckless Youth, or at least that’s the conclusion I came to after watching other matches on this collection. Tarek was great and CM Punk on commentary had some fun lines, so as a whole I was entertained. **¾

wXw Championship; Elimination Match
Chris Hero (Champion) vs. Mike Quackenbush vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ares
wXw “Got Eggs? Night 1” – Essen, Nordhein-Westfalen, DE – 4.18.2003

Quackenbush controls Claudio by his arm, taking him over with an overhead throw out of a wristlock. Claudio uses his height to mock Quackenbush by asking for a test of strength. Hero puts Quackenbush on his shoulder to assist, but Ares then puts Claudio on his. We get some goofy nearfalls between Hero and Quackenbush after that. Hero controls Ares on the mat, aggravating him with some clever maneuvering and a dropkick. Claudio and Quackenbush use some Lucha to pick up the pace with Quackenbush dominating the exchange. He sends Claudio to the floor and suicide dives after him. Hero gets a nearfall on Ares with a sitout hip toss and another with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Quackenbush and Hero take turns wearing down Claudio, with Hero focusing mostly on his neck. Quackenbush saves Hero from Claudio and Ares, but takes a Boss Man Slam from Claudio. Ares and Claudio isolate Quackenbush away from Hero. He gets a tag when he’s on Ares shoulders but Claudio had the referee distracted, so it doesn’t count. Quackenbush backdrops Claudio into a back kick. Hero pulls Ares off the apron, gives him a few strikes, then tosses him into the ring. Quackenbush and Hero try whipping them together but Quackenbush and Claudio end up hitting one another. Ares and Hero deliver stereo huracanrana’s and both earn two counts. Hero blocks a lariat and gives Ares a Cravate Suplex. The Hangman’s Clutch on Ares is broken by Claudio. Claudio drops Hero with the Match Killer for two. Quackenbush brings down Claudio in a dragonscrew leg whip and puts ties up his limbs. Ares saves Claudio before giving Quackenbush a Michinoku Driver. Hero stops the pin. Claudio picks up Ares in a wheelbarrow and drives him into Hero in one corner. They try with Quackenbush, but he flips over and sunset bombs Ares who in turn German suplexes Claudio. Quackenbush gives Claudio the Black Tornado Slam and a springboard Swanton, leading to the Alligator Clutch and Claudio’s elimination at 23:33. Quackenbush throws some kicks to Ares and drop toe holds him in the corner. He gives him a DDT for two. Ares gets two with a pair of butterfly suplexes. Quackenbush takes him down with a palm strike but the referee is distracted by Hero who is recovering. Claudio sneaks in and assists Ares with a spinebuster/neckbreaker combo. Ares eliminates Quackenbush at 25:57. Hero gives Ares a piledriver for two. He misses a moonsault. Ares chokes Hero with his tie. Hero sneaks in a schoolboy, but Ares brings him down with the Golden Gate Swing for two. A butterfly suplex gives him another. Ares puts on a figure four headscissors. Hero picks up Ares on his shoulders and drops him down in an electric chair drop. After a backdrop and big boot he smacks Ares on his bald head. Hero tries a powerslam but doesn’t hook Ares quite right. He spikes Ares on a Regalplex for two. He looks for the Hangman’s Clutch. Ares crawls to the ropes before it’s fully applied. Hero throws some strikes, but Ares pulls the referee in the way so that Hero hits him with a forearm strike by accident. Ares gives Hero the Cradle Shock. He grabs the title and clobbers Hero with it. Hero manages to kick out right in the nick of time. Hero blocks a closed chain-assisted punch. He goes for the Hero’s Welcome. Ares swings out and clobbers Hero with the chain. He puts on a head vice. Hero’s arm drops twice before he fires up. He maneuvers Ares into the Hero’s Welcome for two. Hero throws some kicks to the head and powerbombs Ares into a folding press for two. Hero locks on the Hangman’s Clutch. Ares taps out at 36:35 for the win. I have no idea why this went so long. The action was brisk and done well, but when it came down to Hero and Ares it felt like the match dragged. I also question why this was included in the compilation when you consider Quackenbush wasn’t even involved in the final fall. It was good, but could have been much better with some time shaved off. ***

AULL/IPW Mexican Middleweight Championship; 2 out of 3 Falls
Skayde (Champion) vs. Mike Quackenbush
CHIKARA “The International Invasion of International Invaders” – Allentown, PA – 10.18.2003

American Gigolo is in Skayde’s corner and Sumie Sakai is in Quackenbush’s corner. They shake hands to start. Skayde waistlocks Quackenbush. Quackenbush escapes into a wristlock. Skayde trips Quackenbush and cranks on his ankle. Quackenbush rolls into a wristlock. Skayde throws Quackenbush over to the mat. Quackenbush and Skayde lock fingers. Quackenbush applies a hammerlock and rolls Skayde onto the mat and applies a headscissors. Skayde wrenches on Quackenbush’s wrist with both his hands. Quackenbush flips up and armdrags Skayde to the mat. Skayde wraps his legs around Quackenbush’s right leg and applies and crossface. Quackenbush grabs the ropes, forcing Skayde to release the hold. Skayde rolls up Quackenbush for two. Quackenbush applies a stretch muffler variation. Skayde gets the ropes. Skayde gets a headlock. They trade some Lucha maneuvers with Skayde hitting a backbreaker. Skayde dropkicks Quackenbush causing Quackenbush to roll to the floor. Quackenbush and Skayde go back and forth off the ropes. Skayde kicks Quackenbush in the face and chops him in the corner. Quackenbush flips over Skayde and into an armdrag. Skayde goes to the floor and Quackenbush dives through the middle rope onto Skayde. In the ring, Skayde drops a leg on Quackenbush. Skayde applies La Escalera to submit Quackenbush in 5:11 to win the first fall.

Quackenbush and Skayde circle to start the next fall. Skayde wrenches on Quackenbush’s arm with a wristlock. Skayde grabs Quackenbush’s forearm before taking him over with an arm drag. Quackenbush hip tosses Skayde. Quackenbush and Skayde go back and forth to a stand-off. Quackenbush takes Skayde over with a headlock. Quackenbush locks Skayde’s arm between his legs. Quackenbush presses Skayde’s other arm to the mat, looking for a pin. Skayde gets his shoulders up and wheelbarrows into an armdrag. Quackenbush applies an arm capture headlock. Skayde fights out, whipping Quackenbush to the corner. Skayde spins Quackenbush out into a facebuster and follows with a dropkick to the top of Quackenbush’s head. Quackenbush comes off the ropes and is met with a slam. Skayde rolls him up in the Skayde Especial pin for two. Quackenbush catches Skayde with the Manhattan Drop. Quackenbush rolls Skayde into a Lucha stretch. Skayde escapes. Quackenbush drops Skayde with the Quackendriver I for the pin in 8:48. Things are tied up at one fall a piece.

Quackenbush hops over Skayde’s shoulders. Skayde wheelbarrows into a forward roll pin. Skayde dropkicks Quackenbush to the floor and follows with a tope con heilo. Back in the ring, Quackenbush stretches Skayde. Skayde blocks a palm strike. Quackenbush rolls into a prawn hold for two. Quackenbush sets up for the Black Tornado Slam. Skayde rolls through into a stretch. Quackenbush gets his foot on the bottom rope. Quackenbush gets sent off the ropes. He sole butts Skayde to the floor. Quackenbush goes for a dive, and Gigolo pushes Skayde out of the way. Sakai checks on Quackenbush as his dive looked nasty. Quackenbush comes back in and Skayde brings him up top. Skayde gets pushed off. Quackenbush rolls through a slam from Skayde. Quackenbush lands the Dragonrana to win the match two falls to three in 12:27. Quackenbush is the new champion. This was dull. The crowd was silent because all this match offered were reversals and armdrags with nothing tying them together. Quite frankly, I wrote too much and I am mad at myself for it. **

Mike Quackenbush vs. B-Boy
Jersey Championship Wrestling “Jersey J-Cup 2004” – Garfield, NJ – 6.24.2004

Quackenbush holds onto a front facelock after bringing down B-Boy in an armdrag. He looks for a half crab but B-Boy grabs the ropes before it is applied. He twists on B-Boy’s ankle, but again B-Boy gets the ropes. Quackenbush digs his elbow into B-Boy’s right leg before giving it a spinning toe hold and putting on the Trailer Hitch. Once again B-Boy gets the ropes, but this time he slips to the floor. Quackenbush baseball slide dropkicks him, then comes out with a springboard somersault senton. In the ring he goes for Lightning Lock Beta but B-Boy gets the ropes again. Quackenbush throws some forearms until B-Boy cuts him off with a German suplex. He snaps Quackenbush’s neck and applies a short arm scissor. Quackenbush rolls B-BOy onto his shoulders, but when B-Boy kicks out he holds onto the scissors. Quackenbush gets his foot on the bottom rope to break. B-Boy brings him back down in a crossface, then converts to a Rings of Saturn. Quackenbush stacks up B-Boy on his shoulders. B-Boy puts on an Anaconda Vise. Quackenbush fights free and palm strikes him. After a corner seated senton, he places B-Boy up top and brings him down with a Frankensteiner. A top rope double stomp gets him a two count. Quackenbush stops from being whipped across the ring and hits the Black Tornado Slam for two. B-Boy tries swinging Quackenbush into a slam. Quackenbush turns that into a crucifix pin. B-Boy muscles up Quackenbush for a Death Valley Driver. On their knees they trade shots, allowing B-Boy to get a nearfall. B-Boy gives Quackenbush a modified Spinebuster out of the corner. Three Shining Wizards get B-Boy the pin at 12:16. The wrestling here was very good. I loved the finish too, as B-Boy’s assault of Shining Wizards was a great crescendo to all of the sympathy he garnered in the early going. ***

2004 Ted Petty Invitational; Semi-Final Round
Mike Quackenbush vs. Bryan Danielson
IWA Mid-South “2004 Ted Petty Invitational -Night 2” – Highland, IN – 9.18.2004

Danielson works on Quackenbush’s arm that has been targeted for most of the weekend. Danielson goes for a reverse Muta lock and Quackenbush grabs the ropes. Danielson fiercely hooks Quackenbush’s leg and wrenches back on his neck and spine. Quackenbush escapes the Romero Special and Danielson goes to the floor. Danielson comes back in and grabs a knuckle lock with Quackenbush. Quackenbush trips Danielson and picks his ankle. Danielson misses an enzuigiri and Quackenbush puts Danielson in the Romero Special into a chinlock. Danielson goes back to Quackenbush’s arm after a dropkick. Danielson slingshots Quackenbush into a suplex. Quackenbush moves out of the way of a diving headbutt. Quackenbush gives Danielson the windmill chops. He then bulldogs Danielson out of the corner before dropping Danielson with a Black Tornado Slam for two. Quackenbush misses a top rope senton, but rolls through to his feet. Danielson ducks a palm strike and gives Quackenbush an airplane spin in both directions. Danielson drops Quackenbush and then gives him a giant swing. Danielson locks in the Cattle Mutilation. Danielson rolls Quackenbush into a crucifix pin for the win at 11:28. This wasn’t as good as you’d expect, but still pretty good stuff from both guys. They would go on to have much better matches years later, but for the time this fell just a little short of what you’d expect from them. ***

IPW Mexican Lightweight Championship
Mike Quackenbush (Champion) vs. El Oriental
CHIKARA “More Songs About Buildings and Food” – Reading, PA – 10.29.2004

Oriental waistlocks Quackenbush and schoolboys him. Quackenbush crawls around the ring and pops up putting Oriental into a wristlock. Oriental takes Quackenbush to the mat with a headscissors, which Quackenbush turns into a headlock. Oriental goes back to the headscissors. Oriental goes back to Quackenbush’s wrist. Quackenbush trips Oriental and applies pressure to his knees. Oriental goes back to the wrist. Quackenbush reverses a front chancery, and Oriental rolls into an armdrag. Quackenbush and Oriental go back and forth reaching a stand off. Oriental and Quackenbush exchange slaps to the chest. Quackenbush dropkicks Oriental’s legs out and picks on Oriental’s right ankle. Oriental kicks Quackenbush in the side of the head and wheelbarrows to his feet. Quackenbush clotheslines Oriental for two. Oriental responds with a clothesline of his own. Oriental kicks away at Quackenbush before chopping him on the ropes. Quackenbush and Oriental sike each other out with Lucha rolls and dives, with Oriental sending Quackenbush to the floor. Oriental slingshots to the floor and gives Quackenbush a hurricanrana. Oriental sends Quackenbush to the ropes and follows with a clothesline. Oriental hits a bulldog for two. Oriental stretches Quackenbush on the mat in a variety of ways. Oriental rubs his forearm across Quackenbush’s nose. Quackenbush looks to escape the headlock, and Oriental bonks him on the head. Oriental hits a sole butt and powerbombs Quackenbush. He hits a senton for two. Oriental looks for another powerbomb, and Quackenbush armdrags him down. Quackenbush dropkicks Oriental to the floor and hits a tope con hilo. In the ring, Quackenbush fires up Oriental with strikes. Oriental gets in a flurry of strikes before Quackenbush palm strikes him. Quackenbush lands a cabradora. Quackenbush gives Oriental the Black Tornado Slam for two. Quackenbush rolls Oriental into the Lightning Lock Beta. Oriental escapes and snapmares Quackenbush. Oriental rams his side into Quackenbush’s face for two. Oriental trips Quackenbush and hits a senton legdrop. Quackenbush blocks a German suplex. Oriental turns a palm strike into a bridging Tiger Suplex for the win in 11:15. Pretty dull all things considered, with the crowd size being part of the problem. Oriental was fine, but certainly not as special an attraction as you would have hoped. Perhaps they were the wrong opponents for one another. **¼

IWA Mid-South Tag Team Championship
The Wild Cards (Eddie Kingston & Black Jack Marciano) (Champions) vs. Mike Quackenbush & Chris Hero
CHIKARA “Fear of Music” – Reading, PA – 11.19.2004

The Blackjacks resent the love Chris Hero is getting from the fans. Kingston and Hero lock up. Hero takes Kingston to his back and wrenches on Kingston’s arm. Hero applies a chinlock with Kingston’s arm locked in Hero’s legs. Hero rolls Kingston over for two. Hero applies a Cravate STF and then locks Kingston’s leg. Hero applies pressure to one leg. Kingston kips up and uses a two-armed armdrag to escape. Kingston gloats as the fans cheer for Hero. They lock fingers and Hero tries for a cravate. Kingston immediately retreats to his corner and tags in Marciano. Marciano wristlocks Hero. Hero does a series of kip ups to escape. Marciano gets the wristlock reapplied. Hero runs around Marciano to reverse, and bring Marciano to the mat on his back. Hero tries the cravate on him, but Marciano goes to the floor to be consulted by Kingston. Quackenbush gets tagged in. Quackenbush takes Marciano to the mat with a waitlock. He applies headlock while locking Marciano’s legs. Marciano grabs the bottom rope to escape. Quackenbush armdrags Marciano into a crucifix pin for two. Quackenbush wrenches on Marciano’s arm. Quackenbush crosses his arm and pulls up on Marciano’s left arm. Quackenbush slaps Marciano in the belly while keeping his arms locked. Marciano gets his foot on the rope to escape. Quackenbush and Marciano lock wrists. Quackenbush bridges Marciano for two. Kingston comes and both he and Marciano lock wrists. Hero slaps Kingston and all four men are locking wrists. Quackenbush and Hero kick the Wildcards legs, throw them into each other, then schoolboy them for two. Kingston knocks Quackenbush down with a shoulder tackle, and then the Wildcards miss a tandem elbow drop. Hero puts Quackenbush on his shoulders, and walks across Marciano and Kingston. Quackenbush armdrags Hero so that he sentons on Kingston. Quackenbush then hits a flip senton on Marciano. The Superfriends send the Blackjacks to the ropes. They grab the ropes and bail to the outside. Quackenbush and Hero tease diving, causing the Blackjacks to run into each other. Hero and Quackenbush then dive onto Kingston as he’s distracted. Marciano gets up and attacks both Hero and Quackenbush. He slams Quackenbush face first on the apron and sends him back in the ring. Marciano beats on Hero, sending him to Kingston to hit a uranage sidewalk slam, then to toss Hero into the ring post. The Wildcards isolate Quackenbush from Hero. Kingston goes back to the floor to throw Hero into the ring post again. Quackenbush escapes form a double slam attempt, landing a double DDT on both Blackjacks. Quackenbush goes to his corner, but Marciano jumps on Hero so that he can’t make the tag. Quackenbush gets beat down some more, until he rana’s Kingston face first into the corner. He tags in Hero, who takes down the Blackjacks by himself. Hero lands a backdrop driver on Kingston and Marciano breaks up the pin. Hero applies the cravate to Marciano and Kingston back rakes Hero to break. Hero however gets the cravate on Kingston! Marciano breaks it. Hero slams the Wildcards into each other. He applies a cravate to both of them. He drops Marciano, then hits a diamond cutter on Kingston while landing a senton on Kingston. Hero powerbombs Marciano onto Kingston. Quackenbush comes off the top with a doublestomp on the Wildcards for two. Hero applies the Cravate-O-Clasm on Kington while Quackenbush applies a leg lock to Marciano. Marciano sends Quackenbush to the floor hard. Marciano leg sweeps Hero after Kingston hits him with a big boot. Quackenbush comes back in and give Kingston the windmill chops. Larry Sweeney gets on the apron, and Quackenbush gives him and the Wildcards palm strikes. Quackenbush puts Kingston up top. Sweeney waistlocks Kingston so that when Quackenbush huracanrana’s him, Kingston stays up top. Quackenbush splats on the mat. Marciano hits a belly-to-back powerslam on Quackenbush to get the win and to retain the titles in 21:16. This was a fun match, and it’s cool to see the infancy of the Kingston/Hero feud. The Wildcards were so over and Hero and Quackenbush meshed well together as a unit. ***¼

Mike Quackenbush vs. Arik Cannon
CHIKARA “The Grape American Bash” – Pittston, PA – 4.17.2005

Quackenbush and Cannon aggressively look for the advantage. Cannon rolls to the floor after escaping an armbar. Quackenbush transitions from a courting hold into a headlock takedown. Quackenbush escapes a headscissors on the mat and palm strikes Cannon. He goes back to the headlock, which Cannon turns into a hammerlock. Cannon grapevines Quackenbush’s legs on the mat. Quackenbush twists out of it and again applies a headlock. He mares Cannon down and takes him over with a suplex. Quackenbush sends Cannon down hard with a hiponesa. Quackenbush comes in from the apron with a hand-clutch armdrag. He hits a Manhattan Drop and chops Cannon in the corner. He flies in with a Thesz Press and lands yet another palm strike. Quackenbush hits a Kangaroo Blaster and dropkicks Cannon to the floor. Quackenbush follows him out with a springboard tope con hilo. Quackenbush snapmares him into a somersault senton for two. Cannon pokes Quackenbush in the eyes. He bites him on the forehead. Cannon gives him a headbutt and chokes Quackenbush on the middle rope. Quackenbush takes him down in a crossface. Cannon headbutts Quackenbush and lays in knee strikes in the corner. Quackenbush brings Cannon to the opposite corner and lays in some windmill chops. Quackenbush ducks a forearm and palm strikes Cannon down. Quackenbush avoids an attack in the corner and goes right back to the windmill chops. He drops Cannon with the Black Tornado Slam. He goes for the Hangman’s Clutch, but Cannon breaks away. Cannon sends Quackenbush overhead with a German suplex. Cannon hits the Total Anarchy for two. Quackenbush ducks the Glimmering Warlock and applies the Hangman’s Clutch. Cannon escapes, but Quackenbush catches him with a Michinoku Driver. Like he always does in Pittston, Quackenbush runs off the stage and somersault sentons back into the ring. Unfortunately, it only gets him a two count. Cannon catches Quackenbush off the ropes, but Quackenbush rolls him up in a crucifix pin at 13:40. Even back then Cannon was great, and to this day I feel is severely underrated. Both guys did a nice job teasing Quackenbush’s eventual match with Hero while also putting on an excellent bout themselves. ***