Chikara is not like most of the other promotions on the indie pro wrestling circuit.

Based in Philadelphia and firmly entrenched in the wrestling hotbed that is Pennsylvania, founder Mike Quackenbush said the federation needs to stand out.

To do so, Quackenbush does not focus on the same "melodramatic, overly testosteronized machismo" on which so many other promotions hang their hats. Instead, he said, Chikara's emphasis is more lighthearted.

"The entire show is just more fun," Quackenbush said.

He also said Chikara combines a lot of different wrestling styles, infusing American approaches with techniques from the wrestling cultures of places like Mexico, England and Japan. Chikara also offers a free podcast download on Mondays, which helps fans who cannot get to every show -- typically held in Philadelphia and Hellertown -- stay current on all the storylines.

Because of Chikara's general uniqueness, Quackenbush said it appeals to a much broader audience.

"We draw a really diverse cross-section of people," he said. "Our events tend to attract the non-stereotypical wrestling fans, including people who don't know anything about wrestling."

Sunday's show in Alumni Hall was organized by the Penn State Pro-Wrestling Club, a student organization whose seeds were sown more than a decade ago by Quackenbush, then a student at the University at Pittsburgh, and a few of his friends at Penn State. Quackenbush and his friends wanted to put something together to allow them to wrestle in front of a large group of people. Quackenbush, who has wrestled all over the world since his debut in 1991, said it was particularly satisfying to come back to Penn State.

And the club is still going strong. Current president Kyle Allhiser (senior-media studies) said the club has about 20 to 25 active members who organize events and meet at least monthly to watch WWE pay-per-view events. Allhiser said even though pro wrestling is often pigeonholed as a niche sport, it can have a broad appeal.

"I love wrestling because it's a universal concept of entertainment," he said. "It's understood all over the world. Everyone can relate to the concept of the good guy fighting the bad guy."

Club member Mike Calingo (senior-computer science) said pro wrestling "blends creativity, athleticism, action and showmanship all together into one package."

And Chikara in particular, Calingo said, is one of the best there is.

"When most people think wrestling, they think WWE," he said, "but we want to show Penn State that there's more than just Vince McMahon. The characters [in Chikara] are fan-friendly and cartoony, but they make it work somehow. It's ridiculous, but still fun."

While the event will be attractive to the casual and even closeted wrestling fan, it will have something for the hardcore follower as well: The main event will pit Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli, two of the biggest names on the indie circuit, against each other.

"They were tag champions together in a number of federations, including Chikara," Quackenbush said. "But the team dissolved during Claudio's brief stint in the WWE, and they've been at odds since his return. This match is the culmination of a lot of all the dramatic tensions from throughout the year."