This was a Block A match in the 12 Large Summit to determine CHIKARA’s inaugural Grand Champion.
It’s another one of these little 12 Large Summit matches that keeps things incredibly simple and excels for it. Like the Quackenbush/Ophidian match earlier in the tournament, Ophidian is so much better than usual because it’s a match that gives him both a role and something to do. This is less him trying to get one over on his trainer, and much more about him being a slithery little creep against someone who’s now become beloved overnight after abandoning the BDK post-Claudio, a role that’s far more natural.
Del Rey beats his ass until he lucks out for a moment and grabs onto the arm. Being that it’s the only thing in five to ten minutes that’s worked for him at all, Ophidian stays on it. He manages to make it feel like a lucky break, but then has to hold onto it through hard work, which is cool as hell. He gains something, but just enough so that it doesn’t ever feel like a put on. Del Rey is again perfect in what’s likely her career year, walking perfectly across the line between eating up someone beneath her and giving him enough to make this an actual accomplishment. The arm selling is immaculate, and walks along the same line too. She’s not dying or anything, but it is a real hindrance and she has a hard time with lifts and has a hard time working her holds with one arm.
Thankfully, Ophidian is not as smart as she is and winds up getting himself in a position where Sara doesn’t have to do quite as much. Her body has failed, but she still knows the science well enough to turn a standing Ophidian Death Grip around into the Royal Butterfly Suplex. Ophidian got himself in the air so she didn’t have to use the bad arm to get him up, only over, and it’s enough for the win.
The sort of match that’s made this such a great tournament. Super tight, all incredibly logical, and it absolutely flew by. A great match where one might not expect a great match, through one tremendous performance and the careful application of exactly the right amount of focus.
***1/4
HANDWERK 