Interview

This was conducted the night before Brodie Lee’s final match in CHIKARA against Eddie Kingston (3.24.2012). Eddie Kingston also served as the interviewer, which makes for some awesome banter, as Lee just relentlessly gives Kingston crap the entire time.

Brodie speaks about starting out in the Upstate New York independent wrestling scene, burying it to a pretty significant degree. He has some fond memories of fellow wrestlers he befriended and certain matches, but by and large he thinks the scene is mostly filled with “Shindies.”He would travel with his friends to shows, which worked out big for him in 2007 when Reckless Youth missed a CHIKARA booking and he stepped in. That moment led to him being booked as a regular, with a gimmick change that was suggested by Mike Quackenbush and refined by Mitch Ryder. He really enjoyed his feud with Claudio Castagnoli and even mentions that Kingston hated that he wasn’t in CHIKARA’s first ever cage match while Brodie and Claudio were. Kingston owns up to that, but admits he really enjoyed the match. Brodie also appreciated the opportunity to wrestle Daisuke Sekimoto in the Global Gauntlet. Like Kingston, he enjoyed the Roughnecks stable, but felt they never reached their potential, especially because both he and Kingston were not the huge tag team they were somewhat promised to be. That said, he liked teaming with Grizzly Redwood a lot, citing Redwood as one of his favorite people to team with. He was honored to be the only “outsider” in the 12 Large: Summit tournament and hated that he only wrestled one match before forfeiting the rest. He’s very positive about his time in the company overall, and gives a lot of gratitude to Mike Quackenbush for booking him in the first place.

The rest of the topics don’t get as much detail, but are interesting nonetheless. His first day in Ring of Honor was the same day Gabe Sapolsky was fired. In the majority of his ROH matches he wrestled Necro Butcher, which he liked, but you could tell he would have appreciated some variety. The main event of ROH’s fourth episode of television on HDNet was Brodie vs. Jerry Lynn, who Brodie has nothing but positive things to say. Brodie Lee was still the JAPW Champion at the time the interview was recorded, and he was still in possession of the belt (at the time, it had been over a year since JAPW had ran a show.) When Brodie debuted as a member of the Hillbilly Wrecking Crew, he was very worried that their debut promo which involved Jay Briscoe saying “fuck Obama” would somehow find it’s way to his job in the inner city. Thankfully, it did not, and Brodie had fun teaming with Necro as a team in JAPW. Out of order he mentions his run in CZW, where he enjoyed a feud with Greg Excellent, and hated a one-off CZW title match against Jon Moxley. Conversely, he and Moxley had a match in EVOLVE that he dug.

Speaking of EVOLVE, Brodie touches on DGUSA, mostly his match with Akebono, and how a match with Bad Bones in Germany led to him going to Japan (DG talent were on that wXw show.) Of course he touches on the leg injury he suffered in DGUSA, but doesn’t say too much about it aside from how it took him out of the 12 Large: Summit. He does mention that he came back too early to have a tag team match in Ohio with Kevin Nash, an opportunity he was surely not going to miss out on. He had a fun time interacting with Nash and even got a shout-out from him on Twitter after their tag team match.

If you’re expecting tons of in-depth analysis or stories, you won’t find them here. What you will find is a very entertaining perspective of moments in one’s career, which is greatly amusing thanks to the rapport between Brodie and Kingston, plus some comments thrown in by the Smart Mark crew. For a guy who almost never talks on screen, Brodie is incredibly personable and really funny. I had fun watching this, and the fact that a lot of the bigger matches discussed in the interview are included in the DVD adds a lot of value to this set. Speaking of…

Matches

Brodie Lee vs. Equinox
CHIKARA “Aniversario?” – Hellertown, PA – 5.26.2007

This is a rematch from “Time Will Prove Everything.” As soon as Equinox jumps into the ring, Lee gives him a belly-to-back suplex for two. He throws chops and strikes on the floor. Back in the ring he drops a knee for two. As Equinox tries to fight back, Lee kicks him in the face. Equinox escapes a running Liger Bomb. He snaps off an armdrag. Lee does the deal with a Slingshot Falcon Arrow to counter a small package, the same move Equinox used to beat him in March. He lights up Equinox with chops in the corner before tossing him across the ring by his mask. Lee pops him up and Equinox counters with a huracanrana for two. He tries a crossbody. Lee catches him and drops him with a TKO. The running Liger Bomb gets him the win at 3:25. That was fun and spirited while it lasted. You could tell even in his silly gimmick that Lee was destined for bigger things. *½

Brodie Lee vs. Passion Hasegawa
CHIKARA “The Battle of Who Could Care Less” – Reading, PA – 11.16.2007

Hasegawa does a little salsa dancing. He ducks Lee’s clothesline and hits the floor to dance some more. He comes back into the ring when Lee hopes out. Lee catches Hasegawa with a boot to the back of the head! He gives Hasegawa a big chop as well as a falling clothesline. Lee hits a brainbuster. He tosses Hasegawa out of the corner with a neck-hanging suplex. He follows up with a pump-handle suplex. Hasegawa drop toe holds him onto the second rope and hits a tiger feint kick. He comes off the top rope with a headscissors. Lee mows him down with a lariat. He nails a Big Boot in the corner. The running Liger Bomb gets him the pin in 3:53. I’ll never, ever tire of Lee destroying people. **

IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship Tournament; Quarter-Final Round
Brodie Lee vs. Chris Hero
IWA Mid-South “A Night of Champions” – Joliet, IL – 5.3.2008

As Lee makes his entrance, Hero blind sides him with an attack. They trade blows around the building as the introductions are made. They fight their way up on a stage behind the commentary table. Hero shoves Lee down to the floor and follows with a diving punch. Lee sends Hero into multiple rows of chairs. Despite Hero getting in a few shots, Lee keeps control with his own punches and forearms. He brings Hero into the ring, but Hero boots Lee off the apron when Lee tries getting in. Hero sends Lee shoulder first into a ring post and gives him a Big Boot. He gives Lee a senton splash while Lee is sitting on a folding chair! Hero peppers Lee with kicks to the head as Lee makes his way back to his feet. Finally they make it back into the ring where Hero continues to throw shots at Lee’s head. When Lee throws a desperation punch, Hero uses the ropes to deliver a dropkick out of the corner. He gets a two count with a running kick to the side of the head, then again with a senton splash. Although dazed, Lee stays on his feet as Hero throws more blows. A chop to the face takes him to his knees. Hero takes him down with a headbutt for two. A vertical suplex starts a comeback for Lee, who throws repeated thrusts to Hero’s throat. Hero throws a sole butt kick, but Lee splashes him against the ropes and clotheslines him in the corner. He knocks down Hero with a running shoulder block for two. Lee misses the Big Boot. Hero gives him a modified neckbreaker and a diving neckbreaker for two. Lee cuts off Hero with a Rydeen Bomb for two. Hero ducks the Big Boot. He nails his own kick, but Lee takes him down with a lariat, leaving both men laying. When they come to, Hero delivers two rolling elbows to end Lee’s undefeated streak in IWA-MS at 6:43 (official). If you like slugfests, this is for you. Sadly the crowd wasn’t terribly engaged and commentary didn’t sound terribly interested. A better atmosphere would have made this better, but it was still solid. **½

Brodie Lee vs. Drake Younger
CHIKARA “Young Lions Cup VI, Night 3” – Hellertown, PA – 6.15.2008

Younger and Lee start pummeling each other outside of the ring. Lee gets in some throat thrusts and a slap to the face. Younger slaps him back and delivers a headbutt. He comes off the apron with a Swanton to a standing Lee. They trade strikes again. Younger sends Lee shoulder first into the ring post. Back in the ring Younger delivers a running knee strike and a splash for two. Lee misses a corner splash. Younger backdrops him. He goes to the apron and tries to suplex Lee to the floor. Lee instead chokeslams Younger onto the ring apron in which Younger lands face and shoulder first! Younger finds a way to kick out. Lee stomps on him. Younger tries fighting back. Lee throws him out of a pump-handle suplex. Younger fires up. He dumps Lee on his head with a Regalplex. Lee fights up. Younger headbutts Lee sending both men down. They exchange forearms. Younger blocks a Big Boot and Dragon suplexes Lee for two. Lee blocks an Irish whip with the Truck Stop. The Liger Bomb is only good for two. Lee misses the Big Boot. Younger throws some elbows to the neck before attempting Drake’s Landing. Lee slides out. He shoves Younger away. He cracks him with the Big Boot for the pin at 5:24 (official). Easily one of the most hard hitting matches in CHIKARA history. I could have watched this for hours. So fun. ***

Steel Cage Match
Brodie Lee vs. Claudio Castagnoli
CHIKARA “Style & Substance” – Philadelphia, PA – 9.7.2008

(Note: You can watch this match in its entirety here.)

The match can be won by pinfall, submission, or escaping the cage. Lee strikes Claudio as he tries to enter the ring. He sends Claudio shoulder first into the ring steps. Claudio knocks Lee off the apron as he tries to enter the cage and suicide dives after him. The match proper starts with Claudio’s clotheslines not budging Lee. Lee belly-to-belly suplexes him into the cage! He chokes Claudio with his shirt and shoulder blocks him into the cage. Lee throws some thrusts at Claudio’s throat. He whips Claudio into the cage and boots him in the chest for two. Lee goes back to the throat when Claudio avoids being whipped into the cage. Claudio gets his boot up to stop Lee’s corner charge. Lee however manages to butterfly superplex Claudio for two. Claudio uses his boot to fend off Lee in the corner. Lee smacks him in the face and stands right on his throat. He throws some chops. He mocks Claudio by throwing a European uppercut. Fired up, Claudio dishes out some uppercuts of his own. Lee gets his hands up to avoid being sent face first into the cage. Claudio whips him head first into the opposite side of the cage. He Giant Swings Lee head first into the cage. Claudio pins a now bloody Lee for two. He punches Lee in the corner until Lee drops Claudio face first onto the top rope. He drops Claudio out of a torture rack into a neckbreaker. Lee goes to climb the cage. Claudio pulls him down. He gorilla press slams Lee into the side of the cage! After recovering, Lee reverses an Irish whip to the corner and lands a Big Boot. He gets two with a running Liger Bomb. Once again Lee climbs the cage but the blood loss makes escaping difficult. He and Claudio fight on the top rope. They end up both crotching themselves on the top rope. They trade slaps and punches on their knees and back up to their feet. Claudio ducks a clothesline and hits Swiss Death for two. He calls for the Ricola Bomb. Lee shoves Claudio into the corner which knocks down Bryce Remsburg. Lee backdrops Claudio. Claudio however lands on his feet and hits Swiss Chin Music. Derek Sabato can’t get in the ring as the door is chained shut. Claudio revives Bryce. Claudio blocks Lee’s boot with an uppercut. He hits the Ricola Bomb for two. Lee blocks a couple uppercuts. He turns Claudio inside out with a rolling clothesline. He powerbombs Claudio into the cage and then onto the canvas. Claudio kicks out! Lee nails the Big Boot, but Claudio once again kicks out. Lee calls out Buck Hawke who tries to give Lee a chain, but Larry Sweeney cuts Hawke off! Lee is nearly on the other side of the cage wall. He and Claudio once again battle on the top rope. Claudio uppercuts Lee back to the mat. Claudio then dives off the top off the cage with a huge European Uppercut! A big Ricola Bomb gets him the win at 15:48. This was an appropriate war for this feud to conclude on. Both guys threw all their big guns out, Lee bled to add to the drama, Claudio’s diving uppercut was a sight to behold, and even the short inclusion of Sweeney and Hawke made sense as did a throwback to all the referee nonsense that went on. It was a good way to encapsulate all the work put in prior to this match and made for a very satisfying watch. ****

CHIKARA vs. Big Japan Wrestling Best of 5 Series – Match 4Brodie Lee vs. Daisuke Sekimoto
CHIKARA “The Global Gauntlet, Night 1” – Easton, PA – 10.18.2008

Lee powers Sekimoto to the corner. Lee shoves him to the mat in a test of strength. He slams Sekimoto when he gets back to his feet. Lee shoulder blocks him down. Sekimoto catches him with a hip toss. Lee rolls out and Sekimoto follows with a suicide dive. They pummel each other with chops until Lee shoves Sekimoto back first into a ring post. In the ring he pulls Sekimoto’s hair. Lee and Sekimoto again trade chops. Lee rakes the eyes to stop the exchange. He butterfly suplexes Sekimoto for two. Claudio Castagnoli is seated ringside watching the match. Lee snapmares Sekimoto into a back kick. Forearms are thrown by both parties. It takes three lariats for Sekimoto to knock Lee down. Sekimoto fights for a suplex and gets it. Lee elbows out of a German suplex. Sekimoto puts him in a torture rack. Lee slips off and Big Boots Sekimoto in the corner. A thrust kick and the Truck Stop lead to a two count. Dumbfounded, Lee powerbombs him for two. Lee calls for another boot. Sekimoto ducks it. He lariats Lee in the corner twice. A third lariat gets a two count. He deadlifts Lee into a German suplex for the pin at 8:09. This was exactly what you would want from these two: hard hitting action and a cool power move to end it. I wonder what a match between them these days would look like. ***

Brodie Lee vs. Hallowicked
CHIKARA “Cibernetico Begins” – Framingham, MA – 11.15.2008

Lee goes for an early Liger Bomb. Hallowicked then tries the Graveyard Smash. Lee escapes and gets in a couple shots to the throat and stomach. Hallowicked dishes out some chops and forearms. Lee grabs at his mask. He gets in some punches. Hallowicked backdrops Lee to the floor. He misses a pescado. Lee shoves Hallowicked out through the back door! He brings him back into the ring for a two count. After some uppercuts he chokes Hallowicked with his boot. Lee fights off the step-up Frankensteiner and tosses Hallowicked overhead in a belly-to-belly suplex. They exchange strikes on the floor. Back in the ring Lee gets two with a butterfly suplex. Same goes for a slingshot suplex. He blasts Hallowicked with chops in the corner. Hallowicked misses a charging elbow. Lee Big Boots him and throws a thrust kick. The Truck Stop only gets him two. Hallowicked slips out of the Liger Bomb and yakuza kicks Lee. Hallowicked wins a strike exchange by chopping Lee down. He backdrops Lee and small packages him for two. He successfully pulls off the step-up Frankensteiner and Rydeen Bomb for two. Lee comes back with a rolling clothesline. Hallowicked gamengiri’s Lee as he ascends the ropes. He nails Go 2 Sleepy Hollow. Lee ducks Hallowicked’s boot. Lee Big Boots Hallowicked twice, picking up the win at 9:25. These guys had a slug fest and boy was it a pleasure to watch. Hallowicked being shoved through the door was one of those moments I still remember to this day because it was so unexpected and unique. Fun stuff. ***

Brodie Lee vs. Green Phantom
IWS “Season Beatings 2009” – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – 1.10.09

There’s a Christmas tree set up in a corner. Lee smashes a cookie tin into Phantom’s head to start. Phantom takes some shots in the corner, but comes back with a back elbow. Lee digs his giners into his eyes and chops him in the corner. Phantom responds with his own chops and Hogan poses. He Cactus clotheslines Lee to the floor and sends him face first into the post. They fight behind closed doors, then Phantom sends Lee onto the entrance steps. Lee stops Phantom from powerbombing him onto the entrance stage and gives him a clothesline. Lee then gives Phantom a fallaway slam onto two chairs. In the ring, Lee breaks a keyboard over Phantom’s head for a two count.He breaks another object over Phantom’s head only to get the same result. Phantom calls for the Phantom Menace (a half-nelson suplex). Lee fights out. Phantom hits Lee over the head with a cookie tin and drops him with a spinning DDT for two. Lee hits a rolling lariat. Lee goes to whip Phantom into the Christmas tree, but Phantom reverses and sends Lee into it! Phantom tosses the tree at Lee and dropkicks the point of the tree into Lee’s groin. Phantom sets up some light tubes in the corner. Lee reverses Phantom’s whip and sends Phantom head first into the tubes. Lee hits the Truck Stop for two. Lee goes to the top rope, looking for a super powerbomb to Phantom. Phantom chops Lee, then brings him down with the Phantasm (Quackendriver I) onto the Christmas Tree of the pin at 8:24. This was surreal to watch. The atmosphere of the match taking place in a bar with music playing, drunk commentary, and Christmas paraphernalia certainly makes it memorable. There’s definitely some merit to watching this, but it’s certainly no classic. **

King of Trios 2009 Qualifying Match
The Roughnecks (Brodie Lee, Eddie Kingston & Grizzly Redwood) vs. The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple (UltraMantis Black & Crossbones) & Sami Callihan
CHIKARA “Motive, Means, Opportunity” – Easton, PA – 2.21.2009

Oddly, on the DVD box this is listed as “vs. Sami Callihan.” The winning team is entered into the 2009 King of Trios tournament. Mantis and Kingston surprise the audience and themselves by engaging in some Lucha. They decide to tag in Lee and Callihan who aggressively lock up. Lee runs through a chop and shoulder tackles Callihan. They trade forearms and chops. Callihan ducks a boot and forearms Lee to the floor. He knocks down Redwood with a forearm. Crossbones body blocks Redwood. Redwood knocks out his leg and double axe handles him in the back. Redwood slams Mantis and Callihan as they run in. He fails to get Crossbones up for a slam. Crossbones slams him into an elbow drop for two. He lands a Vader senton splash. The Order and Callihan continue to beat down Redwood until he chops out Mantis’ legs and tags in Lee. He chops up Mantis in the corner, leading to the Roughnecks beating Mantis down for awhile. Redwood misses a falling headbutt. Callihan tags in. He avoids Lee’s Big Boot and gives him an exploder suplex. He blocks Kingston’s lariat and hits one of his own. Mantis and Crossbones double flapjack Redwood into a lungblower from Callihan. Lee breaks up the pin and pitches Crossbones and Callihan to the floor. He and Kingston toss Redwood into Mantis. Kingston yakuza kicks him and Lee Big Boots him. They double chokeslam Mantis. Redwood gets rocket launched onto Mantis. Crossbones breaks the pin. Callihan and Kingston trade slaps to the face. Kingston Backfists Callihan into Lee’s Big Boot. Lee pins Callihan at 13:53. This was a nice debut for the Roughnecks as a trio. They got to show how formidable they could be as a team, but Callihan meshed really well with the Order too. It was a unique match-up. Like I said with last night’s Trios qualifier, it’s a shame both teams couldn’t be in the tournament. Mantis punches Callihan and says he’s not worthy enough to be in the Order afterwards. ***

The Roughnecks (Brodie Lee, Eddie Kingston & Grizzly Redwood) vs. Incoherence (Hallowicked, Frightmare & Delirious
CHIKARA “The Bobliographon” – Philadelphia, PA – 4.26.2009

Delirious freaks out at the bell. He and Redwood trade wristlocks. Delirious steps on Redwood’s barefoot and pumps his arm over his shoulder. Redwood twists on Delirious’ arm before taking him down in a side headlock. Delirious reverses into a headscissors. They armdrag one another. Delirious chases Redwood to the floor. Back in the ring, Delirious nails a leg lariat and tags in Frightmare. Redwood throws him to the mat and tags in Kingston. Kingston aggressively throws Frightmare to the mat. Frightmare takes him down with a headscissors and a neckmare. Hallowicked and Lee trade strikes. Lee turns Hallowicked inside out with a rolling larit. He rubs the mask he stole from Hallowicked into his face. Redwood chokes Hallowicked with one of his suspender straps. Hallowicked fights out of his headlock. Frightmare suplexes Redwood to the corner. Lee tries to Big Boot him. Frightmare ducks but eats a boot from Redwood. Kingston peppers strikes to Frightmare’s kidney’s and chokes him on the ropes. The Roughnecks bully Frightmare until he catches Lee with a tornado DDT. Delirious comes in with strikes to Redwood. He drop toe holds Lee into the corner. He catches Redwood coming off the top with a headbutt to the stomach. He hits the Panic Attack on both of them. Kingston takes the Here It Is Driver. Lee shoves Redwood onto Delirious to stop the pin. Lee takes down Hallowicked with a step-up Frankensteiner! Hallowicked Big Boots him into a Frankensteiner from Frightmare. Frightmare follows Lee to the floor with a tope con hilo. Redwood Polish hammers. Delirious. Hallowicked boots Redwood to the floor. Hallowicked and Kingston trade slaps. Kingston gives him a brainbuster and the Sliding D. Delirious breaks the pin. He gives him the Neverending Story clothesline. Hallowicked hits Go 2 Sleepy Hollow. Delirious hits Shadows Over Heck. Frightmare comes off the top with Kneecolepsy. Lee breaks the pin. Lee takes corner attacks from Delirious and Hallowicked, then gets pinned with a huracanrana from Frightmare at 12:52. This was so much better than I think most people expected. It was chaotic in all the right ways and everybody looked great. It was a perfect feud ending bout, and one that the crowd was really into. One of my favorite non-King of Trios trios matches in CHIKARA history. Frightmare retrieves Hallowicked’s stolen mask from Brodie Lee’s pocket. ***½

Brodie Lee vs. Grizzly Redwood
CHIKARA “King of Trios 2010, Night 2” – Philadelphia, PA – 4.24.2010

Redwood immediately throws a flurry of forearms. He applies a sleeper hold with a bodyscissors. Lee backs him in the corner. Redwood evades a splash and lays in some punches. Lee whips Redwood into the corner and chops him hard across the chest. Lee cracks Redwood with some boots and strikes before choking him on the rope. Redwood chops away at Lee’s legs, and pounds on his back. Lee picks up Redwood on his shoulders. Redwood slips off and chop blocks Lee to the floor. Redwood suicide dives after him, sending Lee into the guardrail. Lee catches Redwood coming off the top rope with the Truck Stop. Redwood ducks the rolling lariat, but Lee catches him with a Big Boot for the pin at 3:09. This was so much fun, and a match that does not get enough love. This was a nice way to put the duo of Redwood and Lee to rest temporarily. *½

Brodie Lee vs. Bad Bones
wXw/Dragon Gate “Open the German Gate 2010” – Oberhausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE – 9.12.2010

Lee clobbers Bones right at the bell. Bones avoids a corner attack and lights up Lee with forearms and chops. He sends Lee to the floor with a flying forearm. Bones baseball slide dropkicks him and keeps control as he pummels Lee around ringside. Back in the ring he gives Lee a headbutt. Lee reverses a whip, sending Bones back first with a flip to the corner. Bones hits the floor, but Lee brings him back in the ring. He toys with Bones before getting two with a knife edge chop. Lee throws some uppercuts. Bones sneaks in a quick roll-up, but Lee kicks out and knocks him right back down with a short-arm lariat. Lee and Bones engage in a strike exchange. Bones throws multiple thrusts at Lee’s throat and gives him a corner spear. He ducks Lee’s clothesline and dumps him with a belly-to-back suplex. A running chest kick leads to another spear attempt. Lee counters into a powerbomb for two. Lee snaps off a running Frankensteiner. Bones quickly recovers and comes off the second rope with a spear for two. Lee responds with a superkick and half-nelson suplex, dumping Bones right on his head and neck. Bones kicks out just before the three count. Lee looks for the Big Boot. Bones cuts him off with a bicycle kick for two. Bones comes off the top with a dropkick to a seated Lee. Lee shoves Bones to the corner when Bones tries to pick him up. Despite hitting a Big Boot in the corner and the Truck Stop, Bones kicks out! Frustrated, Lee sets up in the corner. Bones blocks another Big Boot and drops Lee with an Ace Crusher for the pin at 11:37. Bones fighting back valiantly worked really well, due to both the fact that the match was in front of his home promotions crowd, but also because Lee’s offense is so convincingly rough. A good story and hot action makes for a fun encounter. ***

Brodie Lee vs. Nick Gage
Force-1 “It’s Always Sunny in Egg Harbor” – Egg Harbor Township, NJ – 5.21.2010

The match starts with Gage kicking out Lee’s legs as Lee stands on the ring apron. Gage goes to send Lee into a couple rows of chairs, but Lee reverses and sends Gage in instead. In the ring, Gage trips Lee and drags him back out. Lee ducks a punch and Hot Shots Gage onto the ring apron. In the ring Lee chops up Gage in the corner. He knocks him down with a shot to the throat for two. He gives Gage a delayed vertical suplex. Gage escapes a chinlock and throws a flurry of punches. Lee stops him coming off the ropes with a dropkick for two. Gage weaves under a whip and throws Lee to the corner in a fallaway slam. Gage grabs Lee’s legs, but before he can get a submission on, Lee grabs the ropes. Lee tries a clothesline. Gage ducks and looks for a backslide. Lee fights free and blasts Gage with a Big Boot. Gage kicks out just in time. Lee misses a running corner elbow. Gage kicks out Lee’s legs. He looks for a facewash kick. Lee moves and hits two Big Boots. Again, Gage kicks out. Lee brings in a chair. He swings and misses. Gage kicks the chair into his face and drops him onto the chair with a DDT. Gage misses a diving headbutt. Another Big Boot gets Lee the win at 7:57. The crowd is what made this, as they loved Gage and loved when he kicked out. I thought this should have ended a few minutes earlier on the first Big Boot, but the crowd dug the kick outs, so it was fine. **

Brodie Lee vs. Sugar Dunkerton
CHIKARA “Caught in a Cauldron of Hate” – Reading, PA – 2.19.2011

Dunkerton immediately throws a flurry of strikes. Lee pushes him down twice, but Dunkerton won’t let up. Dunkerton goes to the floor after Lee knees him in the mid-section. Lee target Dunkerton’s ribs with strikes. Lee forearms Dunkerton in the lower back in the ring. He hits a suplex for two. He chokes Dunkerton on the middle rope. Lee slams Dunkerton on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Dunkerton fires back with a running chop in the corner. Lee responds with a running chop of his own. Dunkerton ducks a Big Boot and trips Lee. Dunkerton slams Lee’s legs against the ring post. He grapevines his legs around the ring post and torques them. Dunkerton stays on Lee’s legs, applying a figure four while applying additional pressure to one Lee’s legs. Lee gives Dunkerton two overhand chops to break the hold. Lee gives him the Truck Stop for two. Dunkerton applies an inverted figure four and applies more pressure with his hands. Lee grabs the ropes to escape. He hits a superkick and a half-nelson suplex. Dunkerton trips Lee and rolls him up for two. Dunkerton and Lee trade strikes on their feet. Dunkerton punches out his legs and nails him with a lariat for two. Lee gets his knees up to block a top rope senton. Dunkerton rolls to the floor and Lee follows him out. Dunkerton slides out of a powerbomb and gives Lee a flurry of punches and chops. Lee nails Dunkerton with the Big Boot and heads back in the ring. Dunkerton gets counted out, giving Lee the win at 10:10. Dunkerton’s drive to beat Brodie and his refusal to stay down made this match. This was a more aggressive, resilient side that Dunkerton hasn’t had the chance to show until now. The fact that he gave Lee a run for his money and got the crowd behind him really adds more interest into the Throwbacks/Roughnecks feud. ***

Brodie Lee vs. Johnny Gargano
PRIME Wrestling “Powder Keg 2011” – Cleveland, OH – 8.6.2011

Marion Fontaine is in Brodie Lee’s corner. Lee poses after easily shoving Gargano to the ground. Gargano gets in a flurry of offense, ending with a belly to back suplex from Lee. He charges in with a back elbow in the corner and gets two with a pump-handle suplex. Gargano fights out of a wristlock, but is taken right back down with a dropkick. Gargano fights out of a Liger Bomb attempt. He tries a sunset flip but gets punched in the face. Gargano avoids a corner attack. He charges, and Lee drops him with the Truck Stop for two. Lee goes for a Big Boot in the corner. Gargano evades it, sending Lee to the floor. Gargano suicide dives onto Lee, then onto Fontaine, then onto Lee for a second time. He sends him back in the ring and delivers a trifecta of superkicks. A person dressed in all black runs in. Gargano cuts him off with a superkick. Josh Prohibition runs in to attack Gargano, resulting in a DQ at 7:45. Gargano was on when he was on offense and Lee did a good job playing the bully, but all of this was building up to the big “Wrestlelution” iPPV the next day, so it was a lame duck match. *½

Brodie Lee & Marion Fontaine vs. Kevin Nash & Aaron Draven
PRIME Wrestling “Wrestlelution 4: Overdrive” – Cleveland, OH – 8.7.2011

Lee belittles Draven after cleanly breaking a lock-up in the corner. Fontaine tags in. He snapmares Draven and straightens out his own mustache. They shove one another, leading to Draven controlling Fontaine in a side headlock. He puts Fontaine back in it the few times Fontaine is able to escape. Draven hits a diving clothesline for two. Lee pulls Draven by the tights into his corner and taunts Nash on the apron. Draven then drags Fontaine to his corner and tags in Nash. Nash gives Fontaine an elbow to the back and multiple knee strikes in the corner. He then dishes out a barrage of elbow smashes before choking Fontaine with his boot. Lee goes to Nash’s eyes to stop his onslaught and chokes Nash with his boot. Fontaine and Lee take turns wearing down Nash with a lot of choking involved. Lee takes down Fontaine with a Big Boot. He tags in Draven who takes down Lee on the apron with an enzuigiri. He clotheslines Fontaine twice before hitting a springboard crossbody for two. Lee comes in and is taken out with a tornado DDT. Nash chokeslams Lee. Fontaine tries a double axe handle. Nash catches him by the throat and places him up top. Draven brings him down with a Spanish Fly. Nash pulls referee Jake Clemons out of the ring. Draven dives after him. Nash gives Fontaine the Jackknife Powerbomb. Draven then lands a Superfly Splash off of Nash’s shoulders for the pin at 8:45.

Brodie Lee vs. Jigsaw
CHIKARA “A Death Worse Than Fate” – Reading, PA – 2.25.2012

Brodie is still repping the Blood Warriors even though it’s been three months since he had any Dragon Gate involvement. Jigsaw throws some forearms to try and offset Lee’s early offense. They go to the floor to continue their strike battle. Jigsaw sole butts Lee back in the ring. Jigsaw huracanrana’s Lee back to the floor. Lee blocks Jigsaw’s pescado and chokeslams Jigsaw onto the ring apron. Lee then backdrops Jigsaw on the ring apron. Lee busts out a slingshot senton which impresses everyone. Lee stands on Jigsaw’s throat in the corner. Jigsaw snaps Lee’s neck across the top rope. Lee clotheslines Jigsaw to stop his momentum. Jigsaw ducks a boot and a suplex. Lee does however deliver a dropkick for two. Lee picks up Jigsaw by his mask and slams him on his neck for two. Jigsaw hops over Lee but eats a forearm. He drops the top rope to send Lee outside. Jigsaw suicide dives out after him. Jigsaw elbows and enzuigiri’s Lee back in the ring. Jigsaw slingshots in with a double stomp in the corner. Lee doesn’t even let Jigsaw get a one count. Jigsaw blocks a suplex but eats a lariat. Lee dumps Jigsaw on his neck in a half-nelson suplex for two. Jigsaw prawn holds Lee to block a chokeslam for two. Jigsaw superkicks and German suplexes him for two. Jigsaw double stomps Lee’s back. Jigsaw comes off the top again but Lee catches him with a boot to the chest for two. Lee hits the Truck Stop. A Big Boot in the corner leads to a Running Powerbomb for the pin at 8:36. Lee destroyed Jigsaw in grand fashion, which as previously mentioned, I will never tire of. ***

CHIKARA Grand Championship
Eddie Kingston (Champion) vs. Brodie Lee
CHIKARA “It’s How You Play The Game” – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – 3.25.2012

Kingston has been champion since 11.13.2011 and this is his second defense. Brodie boots Gavin Loudspeaker in the side after his ring announcements. Kingston brings Lee to the corner with punches. He overhead suplexes Lee who rolls to the floor. Kingston suicide dives after him. Back in the ring Kingston suplexes Lee for a one count. Lee gets referee Bryce Remsburg in the way so he can deliver a cheap shot. Lee’s dropkick and rolling clothesline send Kingston out. Lee gets some payback with a suicide dive of his own. Kingston and Lee trade blows. Lee goes to the eyes. Kingston headbutts Lee in the stomach. Lee responds with a shot to the face. He stomps on Kingston’s wrist. Lee chokes him on the second rope. Lee tries suplexing Kingston in from the apron. Kingston slips out. He gives Lee a German suplex but can’t hold a bridge because his head hit the mat as well. Kingston smacks Lee in response to his chops. They begin to slap each other and again Lee goes to the eyes. Kingston calls Lee an entertainer as he is getting kicked on the mat. Lee finally slaps Kingston so hard that he gets a two count from it. Lee slams Kingston chest first into the mat. Lee chops him in the corner. Kingston comes back with a headbutt. Kingston back elbows Lee and hits an enzuigiri. Kingston comes off the second rope with a bulldog for two. Kingston goes for a headscissors, but it brings down Lee in such a manner that Lee’s jaw hits Kingston’s knee. Lee smacks Kingston as Kingston climbs the ropes. Lee butterfly superplexes him off the top for two. Lee sets up for a Big Boot. Kingston moves but is met with the Truck Stop for two. Lee tells Kingston that someday he will buy a ticket to see him. Kingston counters the powerbomb with a huracana. He hits an American D for two. It’s like the Sliding D, but not Sliding. Lee blocks the Backfist and dumps Kingston in a half-nelson suplex for another two count. Kingston uranage suplexes Lee. Lee has his foot on the ropes to prevent being pinned. Kingston and Lee smack each other as they get back to their feet. Kingston lays in some elbows and chops. Lee kicks Kingston to the corner. He hits the Big Boot and sets Kingston on the top rope. Kingston manages to powerbomb Lee off the top rope for two. Lee moves Bryce in the way to avoid a kick. Kingston avoids it but accidentally kicks Lee into Bryce. Behind Bryce’s back, Lee kicks Kingston in the groin. Lee hits the Liger Bomb. Kingston manages to kick out. Lee looks for a second powerbomb. Kingston counters with a Saito suplex. Kingston hits the Backfist to the Future. He knocks Lee to the mat. Kingston delivers the Sliding D to the back of Lee’s head for the pin at 15:04. These two beat the snot out of each other, just like I hoped they would. This match was a long time coming and did not disappoint. This is pretty much exactly what you want from these two. I love that this is way Lee is leaving CHIKARA; fulfilling his 12 Large: Summit obligations and losing to the Grand Champion. ***¾