I have a 10-year history with CHIKARA, but most of those years were spent as a fan, then as a trainee and referee, and only just recently, as a professional wrestler. During our holiday break, I fired up CHIKARAtopia and revisited some of the older events that made me a fan, way back when. If I wasn’t feeling nostalgic already, it was during one of these viewings when I first heard news about my opponent for the Season 19 Premiere; the upcoming “Beware the Snowman” card. I’m scheduled to face Gran Akuma.

I still remember the stories that I had heard about Gran Akuma. There were two that I always remember for whatever reason. The first was that Akuma was forced to wear two pairs of kickpads, because his kicks delivered so much force. When he didn’t double up, the other trainees in class would drop like flies. I’m not sure if that story is true or not, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. The second is that it took him less than a year, from the day he began training to make his in-ring debut. He’s a natural. That story I KNOW to be true.

To hear a story is one thing, but to SEE something is very different. When I first became of F.I.S.T., they were already los Campeones de Parejas. Having fought for the Campeonatos before, I can speak to what that means. I know how hard the journey can be, and how seemingly impossible it can feel to stay atop the mountain once you conquer it. If this wasn’t enough, I was there in March of 2009 as Akuma, Icarus, and Chuck Taylor defeated none other than Claudio Castagnoli, Dave Taylor, and Bryan Danielson to win King of Trios.

I am no Akuma. I’m just Travis Huckabee. I am the Golden Grappler and I am the one who chased his dream for a decade to get the chance to step into the ring with some of those greats that came before me. Akuma hits hard, but so did Silver Ant, and so did Rory Gulak, and I took what they had and came back for more. Akuma is a natural in the ring and he’s always training, always making himself better, but no one logs more hours at the Wrestle Factory than I do. It took me less than a year to earn a spot aside Zack Sabre, Jr., Hallowicked and Mike Quackenbush in the Johnny Kidd Invitational.

The fan in me couldn’t be more excited for January 28th and the wrestler I’ve become will give 110% between the bells. My opponent hasn’t had much of a challenge since returning to CHIKARA. I’m going to change that, at #BewareTheSnowman.

Akuma, let’s rumble.

-TH