King of Trios 2015

Chikara Pro returned from the ashes last year after a year-long hiatus from producing shows, and this year marks a new start to things. They've revamped their website, they've got a new digital distribution system through said website (virtually every show is now available for download or streaming through it), and while the majority of the year is centering around the "Challenge of the Immortals" round-robin tournament, they are still going to bring wrestling fans their flagship weekend tournament extravaganza, King of Trios.

Every year, Chikara brings in talent from around the world and fans flock to Pennsylvania to be a part of the magic. Previous years have seen the tournament hosted in the former ECW Arena in South Philly, but the last few years have been in the Lehigh Valley in Easton, at the Palmer Center, aka the Easton Funplex.

Tickets are on sale now at Chikara Tix.

The Trios

• The Bullet Club: AJ Styles, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson
  Indie wrestling fans know and love the Bullet Club. Arguably New Japan Pro Wrestling's top heel stable, the gaijin-heavy group has been on a roll in NJPW, and now three of their premier performers are coming to Chikara's King of Trios. Matt & Nick Jackson, the Young Bucks, are one of the top tag teams in the world, and don't they know it. Anytime the Young Bucks are in the house, it's a superkick party. Leading the Bullet Club is none other than "The Phenomenal One" AJ Styles, formerly of TNA, and now the IWGP Heavyweight Champion and tearing up the indie scene at long last. One thing's for sure, King of Trios is gonna be "too sweet."
• Team AAA: Drago, Fenix, Aerostar
  Lucha libre has long had influence on Chikara Pro, and luchadores have visited it in the past. But this marks the first time that AAA has fielded a King of Trios team.  American fans might know the members of the team better thanks to their appearances in Lucha Underground on El Rey Network. Aerostar is a high-flyer extraordinaire, Fenix has set the world on fire with his matches in Lucha Underground, and Drago is a motherfucking dragon in human form. Already, fans are saying that this year's King of Trios is going to be better than last year's, just from these two teams alone.
• Team Fight Club: PRO: MK McKinnan, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate
  Hailing from the UK, this trio represents the Fight Club: PRO promotion. MK McKinnan has been in Chikara before, being a former Young Lions Cup contender in 2012. Trent Seven & Tyler Bate, collectively known as Mustache Mountain, are a tag-team that impressed during the pre-shows during Chikara's recent UK tour in April, and who very quickly got fans clamoring for them to be brought over for King of Trios. The fans asked for it, and Chikara has obliged.
• Team ATTACK!: "Flash" Morgan Webster, Mark Andrews, Pete Dunne
  Another UK team coming to Chikara, representing ATTACK! Wrestling, will see Pete Dunne, who was a part of last year's KOT tournament alongside his brother, as well as fellow KOT vet and former Young Lions Cup contender, the high-flying Mark Andrews (whom you may have seen on Impact Wrestling recently-- or not, given Impact's ratings). Joining them is "Flash" Morgan Webster, of whom I know little.
• Blue World Order: The Blue Meanie, Stevie Richards, Nova
  Fans have been asking for this trio to come to KOT for years. And at long last, Chikara Pro has listened. Originally formed in ECW, these three men did parodies of other groups and teams in other promotions before hitting on the bWo-- the Blue World Order-- and striking gold. Da Blue Guy (Blue Meanie), Big Stevie Cool (Stevie Richards), and "Hollywood" Nova became instant fan favorites. And now they come to King of Trios, and they're takin' over!
  
• The Devastation Corporation: Max Smashmaster, Blaster McMassive, Flex Rumblecrunch
  The first of ten Challenge of the Immortals teams to be included in the KOT field, the Wrecking Crew has as its advocate the "King of Manager" Sidney Bakabella, and the team itself is captained by Max Smashmaster, one-third of last year's King of Trios champions and one-half of the Campeones de Parejas. The Wrecking Crew includes his Devastation Corporation teammates (and the remaining two-thirds of last year's KOT champions) Blaster McMassive and Flex Rumblecrunch, as well as the savage wildman Jaka. The Wrecking Crew have been a dominant force in the COTI thus far this year and will be a team to watch in the tournament.
  
• Dasher's Dugout: Dasher Hatfield, Mr. Touchdown, Icarus
  Captained by the 'Old Timey King of Swing' Dasher Hatfield, Dasher's Dugout has at its core last year's "Golden Trio" from King of Trios-- the Throwbacks tandem of himself and Mr. Touchdown, and Chikara's 'Winged Ring Warrior' Icarus. All three of these men have since dropped their titles-- the Throwbacks losing the Campeonatos de Parejas to the Devastation Corporation, and Icarus losing the Grand Championship to Hallowicked-- but they have on their team the Young Lions Cup XI Champion Heidi Lovelace, who has returned from a tour in Japan and is looking to establish her YLC legacy.
• Snake Pit: Ophidian, Eddie Kingston, Shynron
  Captained by the 'Serpent from the Nile' Ophidian, the Snake Pit has gathered the reptilian members of the Chikara roster under one banner. Alongside Ophidian soars the 'Spirit Dragon' Shynron and the cold-blooded former Grand Champion of Chikara, Eddie Kingston. Eddie Kingston is no stranger to KOT action, having made the finals in 2007 and semi-finals last year, and Shynron is the current Rey de Voladores champion. If necessary, Ophidian may call for assistance from his COTI team's fourth man, the rookie "Gecko-Roman" grappler Argus.
  
• The Arcane Horde: ?, ?, ? (Exact Configuration TBA)
  Led by the great and devious UltraMantis Black, his COTI team has been mired in controversy from day one. Mantis had been warned against recruiting new followers by his new nemesis Hallowicked, and during the draft, Mantis locked horns with the Wrecking Crew. Eventually Mantis managed to recruit the Batiri, Obariyon & Kodama, and the barbarian warlord Oleg the Usurper. However, Mantis struggles to tell the Batiri apart, and Oleg is under contract to Sidney Bakabella of the Wrecking Crew. As a result, their team has been struggling to pick up wins.
  
• The Gentleman's Club: ?, ?, ? (Exact Configuration TBA)
  'The Kentucky Gentleman' Chuck Taylor does things his own way and doesn't give a damn what you think about it. Known for his unique style and humor, Chuckie T has brought in three of his fellows from his Gentleman's Club web series-- the 'legal eagle' mat grappler Drew Gulak, the perpetually indolent Orange Cassidy, and the swamp monster known only as... The Swamp Monster. These four had a fan-favorite atomicos match at last year's KOT tournament against the Submission Squad, and fans have been grateful to have them around again this year.
• The Nightmare Warriors: ?, ?, ? (Exact Configuration TBA)
  Easily the most ominous of the COTI teams this year, the Nightmare Warriors are led by Chikara's new Grand Champion, Hallowicked, now turned to evil due to the effects of the mystical Eye of Tyr. 'Wicked, now serving an enigmatic master called Nazmaldun, 'The Lord of Rot,' has dark plans for Chikara, and is collecting weapons to his master's arsenal, starting with himself as the 'Broadsword of Nazmaldun.' Along with him is his compatriot, Frightmare ('The Spear'), and the resurrected zombie Blind Rage ('The War Hammer'), but Hallowicked has also recruited to the Nightmare Warriors, Silver Ant of the Colony, dubbing him 'The Dagger.' While Silver Ant has been disapproving of his teammates' tactics and beliefs, he does want to win matches, and he has been getting more aggressive as part of their team.
• Bruderschaft des Kreuzes: ?, ?, ? (Exact Configuration TBA)
  Now under the leadership of the increasingly deranged Jakob Hammermeier, the BDK once dominated the Chikara landscape, and now seeks to reclaim its previous glory. Ably assisted by the Norwegian giant Nøkken and erratically assisted by the unstable Pinkie Sanchez, Jakob possesses some artifact that grants him "power," and also commands the repurposed might of a seemingly brainwashed Soldier Ant. The BDK may also have some nebulous link to Hallowicked's master Nazmaldun, but it remains unclear.
• Battle Hive: ?, ?, ? (Exact Configuration TBA)
  Led by the Egyptian Madjai Amasis, the Battle Hive has at its core the remaining two members of the Colony, Fire Ant and Worker Ant. Those three alone make the team formidable, but it's the fourth member of this COTI team that makes them beloved-- and that is the smooth stylings of "Smooth Sailin'" Ashley Remington, yacht enthusiast and all-around swell guy.
• United Nations: ?, ?, ? (Exact Configuration TBA)
  Commanded by the 'Ecuadorian Aristocracy' Juan Francisco de Coronado, this COTI team is one of the most hated. The arrogant Coronado has brought the former members of the Bloc Party under his leadership, with the porcine power of The Proletariat Boar of Moldova, the mustachioed might of Azerbaijan's Sexiest Guy Mr. Azerbaijan, and the tongue-waggling irreverence of the Ex-Pakistani Outlaw Prakash Sabar. Despite the fans' mutual disdain for Coronado and his cronies, the United Nations have been proving tricky opponents.
• Crown & Court: ?, ?, ? (Exact Configuration TBA)
  Championed by Chikara's royalty Princess Kimber Lee, the Crown & Court's most loyal member is the British gentleman Jervis Cottonbelly, with whom the princess has got along with quite well. However, the other two members of this COTI team, Los Ice Creams of El Hijo de Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr., were a poor choice, something which Kimber Lee has been dismayed to discover. Their team has been struggling to win points in the COTI competition.
• 1 More Team To Be Announced