THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA

ARTICLE #11
OCTOBER 29, 2001

Masato Tanaka-Mike Awesome: The ECW Classics

Tanaka and Awesome provided some of the greatest hardcore matches ever. They had a unique chemistry against each other that resulted in their matches often going above and beyond their own individual abilities. Tanaka combines strong technical wrestling skills, solid athleticism and a greater ability to piece together a cohesive and compelling match than just about any other hardcore wrestler, while Awesome combined power and intensity with very good agility for a big man. In their early matches one could have made a case for Tanaka, the much better worker, carrying Awesome. However, by the end of their ECW run it was clear that Awesome had dramatically improved as a worker due to his series of matches against Tanaka. As for Tanaka, he came out of the series with thousands of dead brain cells. Indeed, two of the staples of their matches were Awesome bombs through tables and mind-numbing chairshots, most of which Tanaka was on the receiving end of. As their feud progressed, their matches became slightly more spot-oriented in order to maintain their freshness with ECW fans. Their quality didn�t suffer, though, since the pacing was still solid and the fan heat was good. In this article, I take a look at six of their more important ECW battles. Judging by these matches, the Tanaka-Awesome feud ranks with the likes of Guerrero-Malenko & RVD-Lynn as one of the greatest in-ring feuds in ECW history.

Tanaka vs Awesome 7/3/98 Queens, NY

They exchanged chops at the start. Awesome gave Tanaka a lariat but Tanaka fought back and scored with a second rope clothesline over the top rope to the ring apron. Awesome met a charging Tanaka with a slingshot tackle and clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor. Awesome hit an amazing Psicosis-like tope suicida for a huge pop. He hit Tanaka with a chair. They used the barricade as a weapon on each other. Awesome gave Tanaka two hard chairshots. Back in the ring Awesome gave Tanaka a top rope clothesline for a near fall. Awesome scored with more brutal chairshots, but Tanaka shrugged them off. He dropped Tanaka on his head with a released German suplex but Tanaka German suplexed him in return. Tanaka gained a near fall with a couple elbow strikes and another with a tornado DDT. Awesome dropped Tanaka hard with a wheelbarrow-like slam for a near fall. Awesome gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb on a chair for a great near fall. Awesome hit a top rope splash for a near fall. Awesome won a slugfest and gave Tanaka a running Awesome bomb. Awesome attempted to give Tanaka an Awesome bomb over the top rope through a ringside table but Tanaka escaped. Tanaka landed a roaring elbow for a near fall and pinned Awesome at 8:03 after a second roaring elbow. A phenomenal match with them moving seamlessly from one hot move and near fall to another. ****

Tanaka vs Awesome 8/2/98 Heat Wave �98 PPV

Awesome came off the top rope and elbowed Tanaka. They had a slugfest, after which Awesome belly to belly suplexed Tanaka. Awesome hit a slingshot tackle on Tanaka and a big splash for an early near fall. Awesome clotheslined Tanaka over the top rope to the floor and hit a tope suicida over the top rope. Awesome hit a top rope clothesline for a near fall. He gave Tanaka a released German suplex but Tanaka responded with a powerslam. Tanaka gave Awesome a clothesline off the second rope to the ramp. Tanaka did a 50 foot spring on the ramp and hit Awesome in the head with a chair for a pop. Tanaka gave Awesome a top rope dropkick for a near fall. Awesome fought back and dumped Tanaka over the top rope to the floor. Both men grabbed chairs and dueled. Tanaka scored first with a chairshot but Awesome then backdropped a charging Tanaka over the barricade and into the crowd. Awesome then hit a great springboard plancha in the crowd for a pop. Awesome gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb in the ring for a near fall. He gave Tanaka a wheelbarrow slam and a top rope splash for a near fall. Awesome hit Tanaka twice with a chair, but Tanaka fought back. Awesome did score with a third killer chairshot for a heated near fall. Awesome gave Tanaka a running Awesome bomb and set up a table at ringside. Awesome came off the top rope with a chairshot to Tanaka�s head. He twice attempted to give Tanaka an Awesome bomb from the ring to the floor through the table but failed. Tanaka then fought back and gave Awesome a powerbomb over the top rope through the table on the floor for a huge pop. Tanaka dragged Awesome back into the ring and gained a near fall. Tanaka gave Awesome a roaring elbow for a great near fall. Tanaka created a pile of 4 chairs and gave Awesome a tornado DDT head-first onto the chairs for the pin at 11:48. Another match full of amazing spots and very good pacing. Similar to their Queens match, but with four extra minutes of excellent work. ****1/4

ECW Title: Taz (c) vs Tanaka vs Awesome 9/19/99 Anarchy Rulz PPV

Tanaka hit a tope on Awesome at the bell. They had a slugfest as Taz looked on. Taz gave Tanaka a T-bone and a German suplex to Awesome. Both challengers attacked Taz. Taz gave Awesome a lariat and Tanaka a head and arm Tazplex. Awesome gave Taz a lariat from behind and an Awesome bomb to Tanaka. Taz gave Awesome a head and arm superplex. Tanaka flattened Taz with a roaring elbow and Awesome gave Taz a top rope splash to pin and eliminate him just two minutes into the match. Awesome and Tanaka remained and many wrestlers and ECW staff started watching the match from the entrance. Awesome clotheslined Tanaka over the top rope to the floor and hit an over the top rope tope suicida. Awesome twice whipped Tanaka into the barricade. Awesome gave Tanaka a top rope clothesline for an early near fall and gained a more heated near fall after an Awesome bomb. Awesome set up a table outside the ring but failed in an attempt to Awesome bomb Tanaka over the top through the table. Tanaka gave Awesome a second rope clothesline to the apron. Tanaka did a 50 foot sprint past the wrestlers on the ramp and hit Awesome with a loud chairshot. Tanaka stood on the chair and gave Awesome a tornado DDT on the ramp. Tanaka hit a top rope missile dropkick and gave Awesome a tornado DDT onto a bunch of chairs for a great near fall. Tanaka placed a chair on Awesome�s face and came off the top rope with a brutal chairshot for double the brutality and a near fall. Tanaka powerbombed Awesome for a near fall but Awesome fought back and gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb from the ring through a table on the floor. Fans popped huge as Tanaka took an incredible bump. Awesome gave Tanaka a wheelbarrow slam and a top rope splash for a heated near fall. Awesome nailed Tanaka with three loud chairshots but Tanaka didn�t leave his feet and gave Awesome a diamond dust for a near fall. Tanaka missed a roaring elbow, Awesome gave him a released German suplex, Tanaka got up and Awesome speared him in a great sequence for a near fall. Awesome killed more of Tanaka�s brain cells with a top rope chairshot and set up a table. Awesome went to splash Tanaka through the table but Tanaka caught him. Tanaka attempted a superplex but Awesome blocked it and gave Tanaka a top rope superbomb through the table for the pin at 13:49 to win the title. Just as amazing as the first two Tanaka-Awesome classics, but just a hair weaker in execution. Taz came in after the match and handed the belt to Awesome. ****

ECW Title: Awesome (c) vs Tanaka 11/7/99 November To Remember PPV

Awesome got the better of Tanaka early with moves such as an elbow strike off the second rope. Tanaka gave Awesome his second rope clothesline to the apron and followed that with a plancha. Tanaka whipped Awesome into the barricade and hit him with a running chairshot. Awesome whipped Tanaka into the barricade. Back in the ring Awesome caught a charging Tanaka and belly to belly suplexed him. Awesome clotheslined Tanaka over the top rope to the floor and hit his over the top rope tope suicida. Awesome whipped Tanaka over the barricade and into the crowd, then hit a springboard plancha for a pop. Awesome jumped off the top rope with a brutal chairshot but Tanaka got up. Tanaka hit a roaring elbow with Awesome holding the chair in front of his face for a near fall. Tanaka placed a chair on Awesome�s head and came off the top rope with a chairshot for a near fall. Tanaka gave Awesome a tornado DDT onto a bunch of chairs for a near fall. Tanaka went for another tornado DDT but Awesome countered with a sit-out powerbomb on the chairs. Awesome gave Tanaka a lariat and a wheelbarrow slam. He set up a table at ringside and attempted to give Tanaka the Awesome bomb from the ring through the table. Tanaka escaped and back suplexed Awesome. Awesome won a slugfest on the apron and then gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb from the apron through the table for a huge pop. Awesome gained a near fall back in the ring. Awesome went to splash Tanaka from the top rope through a table. Tanaka fought back and superplexed Awesome off the top rope through the table for a pop and a great near fall. Tanaka gave Awesome a diamond dust. Tanaka missed a roaring elbow, Awesome gave him a released German suplex, Tanaka went for a roaring elbow but Awesome gave him a lariat. Awesome hit a top rope splash for a heated near fall. Awesome hit a top rope Awesome bomb and pinned Tanaka at 12:28 to retain the title. Another exhilarating match with tons of great spots and drama. The pacing wasn�t as logical as some of their previous matches, but this contained more big moves than any of their previous matches. ****1/4

ECW Title: Awesome (c) vs Tanaka 12/17/99 Nashville, TN

Tanaka hit a running tope on Awesome early. Tanaka whipped Awesome into the barricade and nailed him with a running chairshot. Awesome whipped Tanaka into the barricade and Tanaka sailed over it and into the crowd. Awesome dove at Tanaka over the barricade at ringside. Awesome hit a top rope clothesline back in the ring for an early near fall. Awesome gave Tanaka a lariat and an elbow for a near fall. He gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb for a near fall and set up a table at ringside. Tanaka hit a second rope clothesline to the apron on Awesome. Awesome fought back and gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb off the apron through the table for a huge pop. Back in the ring Awesome gained a near fall on Tanaka after a top rope splash. Awesome brought a table into the ring as many wrestlers and officials came out to watch the match. Awesome attempted to give Tanaka an Awesome bomb through the upright table in the corner but Tanaka escaped. Tanaka then German suplexed Awesome through the table for a pop. Tanaka gave Awesome a tornado DDT onto a pair of chairs for a near fall. Tanaka placed a chair on Awesome�s head and dove off the top rope with a chairshot using another chair for another heated near fall. Tanaka landed an elbow but ran into a loud chairshot. Tanaka quickly recovered and didn�t even leave his feet after two more chairshots. Awesome finally flattened Tanaka with a fourth chairshot. He gave Tanaka a running Awesome bomb for a near fall. Awesome attempted to superplex Tanaka through a table but Tanaka countered and gave Awesome a tornado DDT through the table in a neat spot for a near fall. Tanaka gave Awesome a roaring elbow and pinned him after about 10 minutes to win the title. Another masterpiece though just a notch weaker than their November to Remember match. Awesome gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb from the ring to the floor through a table after the match. ****

ECW Title: Tanaka (c) vs Awesome 12/23/99 White Plains, NY

Awesome attacked Tanaka at the bell and scored with a short lariat. Awesome caught Tanaka in mid-air and belly to belly suplexed him. Awesome clotheslined Tanaka over the top rope to the floor and hit a tope suicida. Awesome set up a table at ringside and attempted to give Tanaka an Awesome bomb off the apron through the table but Tanaka backdropped him on the apron. Tanaka hit a plancha, whipped Awesome into the barricade and hit him with a running chairshot. Awesome whipped Tanaka into the barricade and clotheslined him over the barricade and into the crowd. Awesome gave Tanaka a slingshot splash for an early near fall. Awesome hit Tanaka with a barrage of chairshots. He came off the top rope with an attempted chairshot but Tanaka dropkicked the chair into his face. Tanaka landed a chairshot and gave Awesome a tornado DDT onto a couple chairs for a near fall. Tanaka placed a chair on Awesome�s face and came off the top rope with a chairshot using another chair for a heated near fall. Tanaka gave Awesome a diamond dust for a near fall. Awesome fought back, gave Tanaka a released German suplex, Tanaka got up, but Awesome caught him with a choke into a sit-out powerbomb. Awesome hit a running Awesome bomb for a near fall. Awesome set up a table upright in the corner. He attempted to give Tanaka an Awesome bomb through the table but Tanaka escaped. Awesome fought back and succeeded in giving Tanaka the Awesome bomb through the table for a near fall. Awesome set up another table and went to splash Tanaka off the top rope through the table. Tanaka recovered and gave Awesome a top rope DDT through the table for a huge pop and a near fall. Tanaka gave Awesome a roaring elbow for a near fall. Tanaka attempted a diamond dust but Awesome countered with a wheelbarrow slam. Awesome hit a top rope splash for a heated near fall. Awesome won a slugfest and attempted to superplex Tanaka but Tanaka fought it. Awesome then gave Tanaka an incredible to rope Awesome bomb in the ring facing the corner and pinned Tanaka at 11:49 to regain the title. Maybe slightly weaker pacing than their previous match but they created more fresh spots for this match. Another excellent effort. ****

NEXT ISSUE: ECW�s Memorable Matches Vol. 1

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