Profilin': UltraMantis Black

Hailing from Parts Unknown, UltraMantis Black is part insect, part superhero.  Along with Mike Quackenbush, Hallowicked, and Icarus, UltraMantis is one of just four wrestlers to appear at the inaugural Chikara show who is still active in the company today.  Although Chikara is certainly his primary base of operation, he has also competed in CZW, IWA Mid-South, and JAPW during the course of his career.

UltraMantis began competing in Chikara at the company’s first show in 2002 after being trained in the Wrestle Factory by Quackenbush and Reckless Youth.  Mantis began his career as a tecnico, or babyface, and initially wrestled primarily as a tag team with fellow Wrestle Factory graduate Mr. Zero.  Most of his success, however, came after he turned on his partner and became a rudo, or heel.  With his change in allegiance from the forces of good to those of evil, Mantis took on a more aggressive approach in the ring and added the Black suffix to his name.

When in the ring, UltraMantis Black usually puts his opponents away with a number of piledriver variations, facebusters, and a pumphandle Death Valley Driver.  Due to nagging injuries, however, Mantis spends a lot of his time managing other wrestlers and frequently takes residence at Chikara’s commentary table. 

In the summer of 2006, UltraMantis Black founded The Order of the Neo–Solar Temple, taking Hydra and Crossbones as his first stablemates.  The Order consisted of that trio for over a year before expanding in early 2008.  UltraMantis and his partners kidnapped a concussed Tim Donst and persuaded him to become the fourth member of the Neo-Solar Temple.  As it turns out, Donst was aware of what he was doing all along, and was secretly sent by Mike Quackenbush to infiltrate UltraMantis’ order to uncover information.  After a series of somewhat complicated events, this was all revealed, and it resulted in Donst & Hydra departing the stable and forming their own tag team, leaving just UltraMantis Black & Crossbones as the remaining members of the Order.

In early 2009, it was revealed that most of UltraMantis Black’s actions over the previous year were part of a plan to get his hands on the Eye of Tyr, an ancient artifact that could be used to control minds.  After successfully acquiring the artifact, UltraMantis used it to brainwash Delirious, making him the third member of The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple.  According to legend, once the Eye of Tyr was used, the user had to forfeit possession of the artifact or else face grave consequences.  UltraMantis Black ignored the warning, but soon two men in white masks began showing up to foretell of the great misfortune that would befall him.  As a result, Mantis enlisted the services of Vökoder, a cyborg, to protect the Eye.  Months later, UltraMantis and Delirious became the #1 contenders to the Campeonatos de Parejas, Chikara’s tag team titles.  When they received their title match, the two men in white masks who had been issuing warnings to them removed their masks to reveal themselves as Ares & Tursas.  Vökoder attacked UltraMantis and revealed himself to really be Tim Donst, and Carpenter Ant, a member of the team Mantis & Delirious were facing, unmasked to reveal himself as Pinkie Sanchez.  Ares, Tursas, Donst, & Sanchez were joined by Claudio Castagnoli, Sara Del Rey, & Daizee Haze in beating down everyone else in the ring.  The new group of rudos, known as Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (or the BDK for short), escaped the arena with the Eye of Tyr.

As a result of the BDK’s formation, UltraMantis met with rival Mike Quackenbush and asserted that the only way to defeat the new threat would be for the rudos and tecnicos to join forces against their common enemy.  If this all sounds ridiculous and mildly confusing, it’s because it is.  Chikara has been described as “wrestling from the creators of LOST,” and for good reason.  The storylines are complex, new game-changing revelations are always being made, and the characters that drive the product are completely over-the-top.  It may be slightly hard to follow on paper, but I assure you, it is truly awesome in execution.

Since reuniting the tecnicos and rudos over a year ago, UltraMantis Black’s story has continued to progress.  He’s been turned on by partner Delirious, become a full-fledged tecnico, and waged war on the BDK.  Presently, Mantis is engaged in a feud with Sinn Bodhi and his stable, the Batari.  At the annual King of Trios beginning April 15, UltraMantis will team with Hallowicked & Frightmare in the 6-man tag tournament.  Bodhi & the Batari along with the BDK are scheduled to be part of the tournament as well, so things could get very interesting.