Ophidian (wrestler)

Ophidian
Ophidian in a 2010 promo photo
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Ophidian
Billed height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
Billed weight	165 lb (75 kg)[1]
Billed from	The Nile River Bed[1]
Trained by	Mike Quackenbush[2] Chris Hero[2]
Debut	May 6, 2007[2]

Ophidian is a professional wrestler best known for performing with Chikara. He was previously a member of The Osirian Portal stable along with his former partners Amasis and Hieracon. His gimmick is an anthropomorphic Egyptian cobra, which is reflected in his in-ring gear and cobra head mask as well as his mannerisms and speech. Ophidian currently serves as an assistant trainer at The Wrestle Factory, operated by Chikara founder Mike Quackenbush.^[3]

Professional wrestling career

Ophidian trained at the Chikara Wrestle Factory wrestling school. Upon graduation he began teaming with Amasis and the pair adopted their gimmick and their masks to become The Osirian Portal, a team inspired by ancient Egyptian culture. Ophidian became an anthropomorphic King Cobra while Amasis became a break dancing pharaoh. Part of their gimmick involved hypnosis, wherein Amasis would hold Ophidian in a wheelbarrow hold, while the latter places his hands together and waves them in front of their opponents, hypnotizing them.^[4]

Chikara

The Osirian Portal (2007-2011)

Amasis and Ophidian made their debut as a tag team on September 22, 2007 at the Chikara show Cibernetico and Robin, defeating ShaneSaw (Shane Storm and Jigsaw) in their first match together.^[5] Ophidian had made his debut on June 5 at an XCW Wrestling Mid-West event and had wrestled two matches on his own in Chikara, on July 4 and 21, while for Amasis this was his professional wrestling debut.^[6] In early 2008 Amasis and Ophidian entered the King of Trios tournament along with Mecha Mummy forming Team Egypt. since that time they tag temed through 2007 until Amasis retired in September 2011 due to a non-wrestling injury, Ophidian turned on Amasis thus ending the Osirian Portal and turning Ophidian into a Rudo(heel).

Rudo turn and singles competition (2011-present)

Ophidian began using a new look at Chikara shows for the eleventh season, switching to a red snake mask instead of a cobra's head at Chikarasaurus Rex: How to Hatch a Dinosaur. Throughout the eleventh season he also began allying himself with The Batiri and Delirious.

On October 31, Ophidian released a hip-hop song, Death To Amasis, about the breakup and "death" of former partner Amasis. Also included were various instrumentals.

Amasis returned to Chikara on December 2, 2012, at Under the Hood, starting a rivalry with Ophidian. The two faced off on June 2, 2013, at Aniversario: Never Compromise, where Amasis defeated Ophidian in a Sarcophagus match. Afterwards, Ophidian and Amasis reunited at a Wrestling is Cool event and once again began teaming together.^[7]

Training

Ophidian is currently a trainer at the Chikara Wrestle Factory and also has run training seminars in Japan, England, Wales, Canada, Jersey (The Channel Islands) and the United States of America.

In wrestling

• Finishing moves

• Cobra Clutch Death Grip (Cobra clutch with bodyscissors)^[1][6][8]
• Egyptian Destroyer (Front flip piledriver, sometimes from the second rope)^[6][8][9]
• Snake Trap (Reverse rolling prawn hold)^[6][8]

• Signature moves

Amasis and Ophidian performing the Osirian Sacrament on Ares

• Bridging evasion^[6][8]
• Cobra clutch suplex^[10]
• Corner backflip kick^[6][8]
• Cradle suplex^[6][8]
• Diving leg drop^[6]
• Double knee strike,^[1][8] sometimes from the top rope^[6][8]
• Duat Driver (Victory roll flipped forward into a modified wheelbarrow facebuster, as a wheelbarrow bodyscissors counter)^[1][8]
• Enzuigiri^[1]
• Full nelson with bodyscissors^[6]
• Gannosuke clutch^[6][8]
• Moonsault^[6]
• Octopus stretch^[6]
• Reverse roundhouse kick^[6][8]
• Skin the Snake (Skin the cat transitioned into a headscissors takedown)^[6][8]

• Nicknames

• "The (Venomous and Vile) Serpent from the Nile"^[1][11]
• "The Master of Snake Style Lucha"

• Signature quotess

• "All chain chains into chain."

• Entrance themes

• "Walk Like an Egyptian" by Linea 77^[12] (Chikara)
• "Walk Like an Egyptian" by Wilman de Jesus^[12] (Chikara)
• "Walk Like an Egyptian" by Hakim featuring Cleopatra^[12] (ROH, Chikara)
• "Do You Call My Name" by Ra^[6]
• "Ophidian's Charm" by The Deadities^[13]
• "Snake Style" by Paul Danjer^[14]
• "The Return of The Osirian Portal" by David vs Everything^[1]

Championships and accomplishments

• Chikara

• Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas (1 time) – with Amasis^[15]
• Rey de Voladores (2010)^[16]

• Chilanga Mask

• Torneo de Parejas (2015) – with Silver Ant^[17]

• NWA Force One Pro Wrestling
  • NWA Force One Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Amasis^[18]
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked Ophidian #346 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011^[19]
• Real Championship Wrestling
  • RCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Amasis^[20]
• Vicious Outcast Wrestling
  • VOW Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with Amasis
• Channel Island World Wrestling
  • United States Champion of the World (1 time)^[21]

External links

• Official website
• Ophidian at the official Chikara website
• Cagematch profile

References