THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA
ARTICLE #58
NOVEMBER 5, 2002
ECW Memorable Matches III
To kick off my "November to Dismember" series, I decided to look at some of the most memorable matches from the promotion that set new standards for breathtaking athleticism and hardcore action in the U.S. in the 1990s. Like last week, the only commonality to the matches included is their outstanding quality in some form. Besides being the first major U.S. promotion to feature top workers like Chris Benoit, hot rising stars like Al Snow, and the major group to showcase the greatness of stars like Masato Tanaka to American fans, while in ECW wrestlers such as Justin Credible and Yoshihiro Tajiri produced matches far better than anything they've shown in the WWF/WWE.
2/4/95: Chris Benoit vs Al Snow
Benoit applied a wristlock but Snow countered with a wristlock of his own. Benoit flipped out of it and wristlocked Snow again, but Snow did a flip counter of his own. Benoit gave Snow a fireman's carry takedown of sorts. Benoit won a test of strength but Snow bridged up and overpowered Benoit. Benoit bridged up and maneuvered Snow into a pin position for a near fall. They had somewhat of a pre-Malenko-Guerrero exchange of near falls. Benoit gave Snow a dragon screw. They shoved each other. Benoit pounded Snow. They had a criss cross and Snow superkicked Benoit. They traded hammerlocks and other counters before Benoit elbowed Snow. Benoit chopped Snow and headbutted him. Benoit kicked Snow and whipped him into the corner. Snow landed on the apron but Benoit knocked him off the apron with a clothesline. Benoit knocked Snow into the barricade with a baseball slide kick. Snow got right back up and hit Benoit with a great springboard missile dropkick for a huge pop. Snow missed a baseball slide kick and Benoit rolled into the ring. Benoit kicked Snow but missed a clothesline and Snow landed a couple roundhouse kicks. Snow then gave Benoit a cool spinning enzuguiri (spin kick to the hack of the head) and Benoit left the ring. Snow teased a plancha but Benoit walked away. Benoit kicked Snow twice and dropped him across the top rope. Snow elbowed Benoit from the apron but missed a top rope dropkick. Benoit German suplexed Snow for a near fall. Benoit clotheslined Snow and slammed him. Benoit elbowed Snow and kicked him. Benoit landed some elbows, Snow punched him but Benoit responded with a kick. Benoit whipped Snow hard into the corner and back suplexed him for a near fall. Benoit went for a back suplex but Snow landed on top of him for a near fall. Benoit stomped Snow and slammed him. Benoit hit his top rope headbutt for a near fall. He elbowed Snow and powerbombed him for a near fall. They exchanged punches but Benoit then kicked Snow and snap suplexed him. Benoit elbowed Snow and German suplexed him for a near fall. Both men countered German suplex attempts. Snow gave Benoit a wheelbarrow suplex but Benoit got up first. Benoit went for a German suplex but Snow countered and gave Benoit a released German suplex. Benoit missed a clothesline and Snow clotheslined him. Snow repeatedly kicked Benoit in the corner and choked him in the corner. Snow backdropped Benoit and superkicked him for a near fall. Snow gave Benoit a cross between a T-bone and a cradle suplex for a near fall. Snow went for a German suplex but Benoit countered and folded up Snow with a German suplex of his own. Snow recovered and kicked Benoit. Benoit caught Snow and gave him a dragon suplex for the pin at 14:36. Overrated in hindsight (many people gave it ****-****1/4 when it happened), but still a terrific match. Not as strong a sense of pacing down the stretch as I seemed to remember, with some comebacks by Snow not making much sense in their suddenness. Benoit was great, though in taking the match to Snow with his sharp, stiff offense and suplexes. Snow stood out with his athleticism, showing some spots he's never used in the WWF/WWE. If you've only seen Snow in his WWF/E tenure, this is a must-see match that shows just how much of a hot commodity he was before he became a star. When it took place, this was one of the better pure wrestling matches in ECW history, although Malenko and Guerrero would really set the standard two months later. ***1/2
1/10/98 Stairway to Hell Match: Sandman vs Sabu (w/Bill Alfonso)
Sabu dropkicked Sandman's knee and hit him with the ladder repeatedly. Sabu propped the ladder on its side and placed Sandman over it. Alfonso held a chair over Sandman and Sabu hit a top rope legdrop onto the chair for a near fall. Sabu placed the ladder over Sandman and hit a top rope Arabian facebuster onto the ladder and Sandman for a near fall. Sandman rolled out of the ring but Sabu knocked him over the barricade with a baseball slide kick. Sabu launched off a chair and hit a springboard plancha onto Sandman in the crowd for a pop. Sabu landed some punches and hit Sandman with a chair. Sabu kicked and punched Sandman in the crowd as they brawled towards the aisle. Sabu dominated Sandman as they fought in the bleachers and towards the stage. Sabu rammed Sandman into a wall and set up a table. Sabu placed Sandman on the table and legdropped him through the table from the upper level of the arena. Sabu kicked Sandman and punched him but Sandman fought back with an elbow. Sandman slammed Sabu on the stage and elbowsmashed him. Sandman rammed Sabu into the barricade in the aisle. Sabu landed some punches as they returned to ringside. Sandman rammed Sabu into the barricade and Sabu fell into the crowd. Sandman punched Sabu and suplexed the ladder over the top rope onto Sabu in the crowd. He then jumped off the apron and catapulted the end of the ladder into Sabu's face. Sandman suplexed Sabu over the barricade onto a table at ringside and legdropped him off the apron. Sandman placed a table between the barricade and the apron but Sabu attacked him from behind. Sabu punched and kicked Sandman but Sandman hit him with a table. Sandman punched Sabu and placed the ladder between the apron and the barricade. Sabu tried to fight back and Sandman dropped him across the ladder. Sandman then hit a slingshot legdrop from in the ring over the top rope to the ladder onto Sabu for a huge pop. Back in the ring Sandman elbowsmashed Sabu and went to climb the ladder to retrieve the barbed wire but Sabu cut him off. Sandman kicked Sabu away and grabbed the barbed wire. Sabu tipped over the ladder and Sandman took a spectacular bump over the top rope to the floor through a table or two. Sabu launched off a chair and went to hit Sandman with the barbed wire but dove into the barricade when Sandman moved. Sabu sold his jaw being injured (I witnessed a match in person one month earlier when Sabu moonsaulted jaw first onto the end of a table leg that was sticking upwards, which was a VERY scary moment before Sabu shocked everyone by continuing the match). Sabu bled from the mouth. Sandman entangled the barbed wire in the corner and elbowsmashed Sabu. Sandman punched Sabu but Sabu fought back and shoved Sandman into the barbed wire in the corner. Sabu hit Sandman with a chair and wrapped his head with the wire. Sabu stabbed Sandman with a pair of scissors. He placed the barbed wire on Sandman's head, gave him some punches and hung him upside down in the corner. Sabu placed a chair over Sandman's face in the corner, launched off a chair and dropkicked the other chair (and barbed wire) into Sandman's face. Sabu launched off a chair but missed a corner splash and crashed into some barbed wire. Sandman caned Sabu in the face and drew more blood. Sandman elbowsmashed Sabu and Alfonso taped Sabu's jaw. Sabu whipped Sandman into the barbed wire corner and Sandman took a flip bump into the corner. Sabu hit a triple jump moonsault, wrapped some barbed wire around Sandman's face and stomped him. Sabu hit a top rope legdrop onto Sandman's barbed wire wrapped face. Sabu kinda hit a top rope Arabian facebuster as Sandman moved but Sabu still connected a little. Sandman stood up, barbed wire wrapped around his face, and caned Sabu in the face for the pin at 17:23. Great visual afterwards with Sandman being a bloody mess, not quite Muta-scale, but still profuse. I'll start with the flaws, which were noticeable. Their sense of pacing was fairly weak, with the match losing steam late. Sure they were selling the damage of the spots towards the middle and early portions, but this selling didn't really tell much of a story. They also started a bit too soon with the extreme highspots, with Sabu doing his first huge spot less than 2:00 in. Some of the brawling wasn't that crisp either, and Sandman's movements late were especially sluggish and took away from the match's momentum. But this wasn't designed to be a technical masterpiece, as the goal was to give fans a hardcore match, full of spectacular spots and violence, that would get them talking. In that regard, they succeeded with flying colors. Although Sandman's weaknesses were apparent, I'd say he had a very good day of work, contributing to some spectacular highspots along with his usual effectiveness in spilling blood. Sabu was the star, because in terms of execution he had the kind of day he did in his 1994-1996 peak, hitting almost every spot and hitting them very well. The pacing took away from the match, but this was a great ECW style match in terms of spots and violence. ***1/4
7/29/98: Masato Tanaka & Jerry Lynn vs Justin Credible (w/Jason & Chastity) & Mike Awesome
Awesome and Tanaka traded stiff chops in their usual great exchange. Awesome kicked Tanaka and headlocked him. Awesome tackled Tanaka. Tanaka clotheslined Awesome and Awesome rolled out of the ring. Tanaka jumped off the second rope and clotheslined Awesome off the apron to the floor. Tanaka hit Awesome with a chair, ran all the way down the aisle, and hit Awesome with a running chairshot near the ringpost. Lynn gave Awesome a second rope axhandle. Lynn dropkicked Awesome twice but Awesome shrugged him off. Awesome caught Lynn going for a cross bodyblock but Tanaka dropkicked Lynn onto Awesome. Awesome caught Lynn and threw him up and down to the mat. Awesome legdropped Lynn and tagged Credible. Credible chopped Lynn repeatedly but Lynn responded with chops of his own. Lynn whipped Credible into the corner and dropkicked him in the corner. Lynn gave Credible a forearm, whipped him into the corner and Credible took a flip bump. Lynn kicked Credible and gave him a flying elbow for a near fall. Lynn missed a flying body attack in the corner. Credible went for a suplex but Lynn countered with a Fujiwara armbar. Lynn stomped Credible and tagged Tanaka. Credible tagged Awesome in response. Awesome pounded Tanaka but Tanaka fought back. Awesome countered a German suplex and launched Tanaka with a great released German suplex. Awesome charged but Tanaka dumped him to the apron. Tanaka punched Awesome and charged but Awesome gave him a slingshot shoulderblock for a near fall. Awesome sat Tanaka on the top rope and German suplexed him. Awesome gave Tanaka a short clothesline and set up a table at ringside. Awesome went to powerbomb Tanaka through the table but Tanaka countered. Tanaka kicked Awesome and went to powerbomb him out of the ring through the table but Awesome countered with a whiplash (Alabama) slam for a near fall. Awesome punched Tanaka and clotheslined him out of the ring. Credible attacked Lynn but Lynn gave him a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Lynn knocked Credible over the barricade into the crowd with a baseball slide kick and hit a springboard plancha off the second rope. Awesome then took out Tanaka with a springboard plancha of his own for a pop. Lynn whipped Credible into the barricade. Awesome slammed Tanaka and hit a top rope splash for a near fall. Awesome hit Tanaka with a sick chairshot, then a second but Tanaka got up. Awesome took out Tanaka with a third chairshot and tagged Credible, who gained a near fall. Tanaka no-sold punched from Credible and powerslammed him. Lynn stomped Credible and back suplexed him. Lynn gave Credible a top rope legdrop for a near fall. He kicked Credible and went for a German suplex but Credible countered with a low mule kick. Awesome clotheslined Lynn and gave him a big splash for a near fall. Awesome gave Lynn an overhead throw for a near fall. Credible punched Lynn, snapmared him and applied a chinlock. Lynn elbowed Credible and went for a sunset flip but Credible held on for a near fall. Lynn reversed the rollup for a near fall of his own, then Credible gained a near fall. Lynn bridged up and gave Credible a backslide for a near fall. Credible caught Lynn and gave him a rock bottom of sorts. Awesome stomped Lynn and punched him. He whipped Lynn into the corner and gave him a clothesline in the corner for a near fall. Awesome threw Lynn into the air but Lynn gave him a huracanrana. Credible attacked Lynn and chopped him. Credible jumped up in the corner but Lynn kicked him in the crotch in mid-air. Tanaka clotheslined both opponents and gave Credible an elbow and a clothesline for a near fall. Tanaka superplexed Credible as Lynn dropkicked Awesome and Tanaka gained a near fall. Tanaka set up two chairs in the corner and gave Credible a tornado DDT onto the chairs for a near fall. Awesome grabbed a chair but Lynn dropkicked the chair into his face. Tanaka charged but Awesome gave him a stun gun. Awesome then gave Tanaka an Awesome bomb over the top rope through the table at ringside. Awesome punched Lynn. Credible went for That's Incredible on Lynn but Lynn countered with a tombstone of his own for the pin at 15:08. I'd call this a great match, and a near-perfect intro to these four wrestlers and two feuds circa 1998. The unfamiliar opponents worked pretty well together, particularly Tanaka with Credible. Of course Tanaka-Awesome stole the show while Lynn-Credible produced some great action as well. Good pacing, without a mind-numbing array of spots like these four could have busted out in 15 minutes. Very good final few minutes with the near falls and such. ***3/4
4/4/99: Shane Douglas (w/Francine) vs Justin Credible (w/Jason & Jazz)
They traded punches and chops at the start, and Douglas ultimately won the exchange. Douglas suplexed Credible, then rolled through and did two more suplexes for a near fall. Credible telegraphed a backdrop and Douglas gave him a face front suplex. Douglas gave Credible an inverted rolling necksnap and an elbow. Douglas chopped Credible twice but Credible responded with chops of his own. Douglas landed more chops and whipped Credible into the corner, with Credible taking a flip bump. Douglas slingshot Credible onto the top rope and knocked him to the floor with a chop. Douglas rammed Credible into the barricade and raked his face. Douglas rammed Credible into the barricade again and brought a table into the ring. Douglas whipped Credible into the barricade. Douglas kicked Credible and placed him on the table. Douglas went to the top rope but Jazz grabbed his foot and Credible slammed him though the table for a near fall. Credible pounded Douglas and chopped him. Credible landed a couple punches and choked him in the corner. Jazz choked Douglas and Credible rammed him into the corner. Credible chopped Douglas twice, kicked him and chopped him again. Douglas with some chops but Credible gave him a superkick for a near fall. Credible slammed Douglas and hit a top rope elbow for a near fall. Credible applied a chinlock on Douglas. Douglas fought back with punches and sunset flipped Credible for a near fall. Credible clotheslined Douglas and threw him out of the ring. Credible rammed Douglas repeatedly into the apron and rammed him into the barricade. Credible rammed Douglas head first into a steel pillar, busting him open. Credible chopped Douglas repeatedly. Douglas landed some chops and punches but Credible won the exchange by raking his eyes. Credible punched Douglas repeatedly but Douglas fought back with punches. Credible gave Douglas a low blow and gained a near fall. Credible applied a chinlock and kneedropped him. Credible stomped Douglas and Jason brought a table into the ring. Credible propped the table against the corner and chopped Douglas repeatedly. Both men reversed attempted whips into the table. Douglas then press slammed Credible through the table for a pop and a near fall. Douglas applied a figure 4 leglock on Credible and gained a near fall with the hold. Jazz raked Douglas's eyes to break the hold but Francine went after her. Credible went to cane Francine but Douglas then caned Credible twice. Douglas missed a shot and Credible caned him several times. Credible missed and Douglas gave him a leg lariat. Douglas caned Credible but Jason then confronted Douglas. Jason went to cane Douglas but Francine speared him. Francine went to cane Jason but Douglas stopped her, then applied a full nelson. Douglas gave Jason a full nelson slam but Credible superkicked Douglas. Francine caned Jason and Credible gained a near fall. Douglas then gained a near fall on Credible. Douglas gave Credible a Thesz press and attacked him with punches for a near fall. Douglas missed a clothesline and Credible rolled him up for a near fall. Credible kicked Douglas and gave him a stunner. Credible jumped off the top rope but Douglas atomic dropped him and gave him a Pittsburgh plunge for the pin at 14:52. Given Douglas's work around this time period, this was literally twice as good as it should have been and much better than it had any right to be. An excellent match, with both men clicking on all cylinders. Credible was his usual great self with his crisp work and bumps, but it was Douglas's performance that stood out. He seemed really up for this match, and worked much harder than usual, not going through the motions or "by-the-numbers", like he often did, at all. Great intensity and pacing, with the match building really well after Douglas was rammed into the pillar. Some typical ECW hardcore spots, but they weren't excessive and added well to the buildup of the match. This was being hardcore because they hated each other, not because they had a quota of blood to spill. You know, this might have been Credible's best singles match, and probably rates pretty high on Douglas's career as well. Aside from the couple chinlocks by Credible that added nothing, very few flaws. Maybe Credible could have gone for "That's Incredible" or Douglas could've used his belly to belly suplex, but those are minor if not moot complaints. Great match, a real joy to watch because of how much it exceeded expectations. ****
8/20/00: Yoshihiro Tajiri vs Psicosis
Psicosis took Tajiri down with a waistlock and applied an armbar while bending Tajiri's neck with his legs. Tajiri countered with a modified half crab. Psicosis crossed Tajiri's legs and gave him a bow and arrow. Fans popped huge for the opening work, and fans seemed really up for this match in general. Psicosis won a test of strength but Tajiri countered. Tajiri armdragged Psicosis and gained a one count to end quite a cool exchange. Fans gave them a standing ovation. Psicosis gave Tajiri some kicks but Tajiri responded with a stiff kick of his own. Tajiri headlocked Psicosis. They had a criss cross and Psicosis armdragged Tajiri. Psicosis started with a backdrop but Tajiri held on, floated around and armdragged Psicosis. They had another fast exchange with neither man gaining an advantage and fans gave them a second standing ovation. Psicosis took Tajiri down and landed some roundhouse kicks. Psicosis chopped Tajiri and whipped him into the corner but ran into a superkick. Tajiri went for a tornado DDT but Psicosis countered and gave him a kneelift. Psicosis gave Tajiri a face front suplex. Psicosis sunset flipped Tajiri but Tajiri turned the hold over and maneuvered him into a pin position for a couple near falls. Tajiri then headbutted Psicosis in the crotch and gave him a brutal roundhouse kick to the head for a pop. Tajiri landed another roundhouse kick to the head. Tajiri chopped Psicosis repeatedly and kicked him hard again. Psicosis chopped and kicked Tajiri but missed a shoulderblock in the corner and crashed out of the ring to the floor. Tajiri hit a somersault plancha in the corner for a pop. Tajiri rammed Psicosis into the barricade but Psicosis whipped him into the barricade. Psicosis dropped Tajiri ribs first on the barricade, then hit his amazing running over the top rope tope suicida, over the barricade, for a huge pop. Psicosis hit Tajiri with a chair. Psicosis jumped off the top rope but Tajiri slammed him to the mat like a short powerbomb. Tajiri hit his handspring elbow on Psicosis for a near fall. Psicosis flipped out of a powerbomb attempt but Tajiri landed a couple chops. Tajiri went for a bodyscissors into something but Psicosis countered and gave him a wheelbarrow suplex for a near fall. Psicosis hit a sliding kick to Tajiri's head. Psicosis whipped Tajiri into the corner but missed a flying body attack and landed on the top rope. Tajiri kicked Psicosis and hung him upside down in the corner. Tajiri stomped Psicosis's crotch and hit a sliding kick to his head for a pop. Tajiri landed a roundhouse kick and gained a near fall. Tajiri chopped Psicosis twice and gave him a huracanrana but Psicosis rolled through and gained a near fall. Psicosis rolled up Tajiri for a near fall and fans stood again. Both men clotheslined each other. Psicosis countered a brainbuster but Tajiri gave him a stunner and a kick to the head from a sitting position for a near fall. Tajiri went for a top rope huracanrana but Psicosis countered and gave him a top rope face front suplex. Psicosis then hit his top rope legdrop for a great near fall. Psicosis went for a flying move of some sort but Tajiri kicked him in the crotch in mid-air. Tajiri then gave Psicosis a kick of death and a superkick. Tajiri then hit a sharp dropkick to Psicosis's face for the pin at 14:50. Fans gave them another and bigger standing ovation after the match. A beautiful match that never felt rushed. Both men were given enough time to hit all their signature spots and did so in a well-paced manner. The fan heat also added greatly to the match, as they popped in a manner reminiscent of the first Guerrero-Malenko classic. Part of that was out of respect, but it became more genuine and spontaneous as the match progressed, as fans knew they were witnessing something special. This was vintage Tajiri in his prime, and is one of the matches you must see if you've only seen Tajiri in WWE. His work in ECW was every bit as great as the work Edge, Misterio, Benoit, Angle and Guerrero have delivered over the past 6 months. Psicosis had been past his prime for a while, and with a couple exceptions largely a shadow of his peak self since 1997-1998. He showed in this match that he had lots of talent left and could still produce a great match with the right opponent. Part of the success of this match was actually the failure of their match the night before. That match was sloppy and lacked flow, and overall so disappointing that Tajiri sorta panicked and stayed up almost all night plotting this ECW Arena match move-for-move. It was worth the effort, as he led Psicosis through a better match than anything Psicosis has done since. One of the last great ECW matches. ****1/4
8/26/00 ECW Tag Team Title: Yoshihiro Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck (c) w/Sinister Minister vs F.B.I. (Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke) w/Sal E. Graziano
Mamaluke headlocked Mikey early. Mikey kicked Mamaluke but Mamaluke blocked a whippersnapper. Mikey hiptossed Mamaluke but Mamaluke kicked him away. Mamaluke hiptossed Mikey and applied an armscissors of sorts. Mikey countered and lifted Mamaluke, then dropped him neck first across the top rope. Mamaluke flipped out of a back suplex attempt and German suplexed Mikey for a near fall. Whipwreck gave Mamaluke a fireman's carry, spun him around and slammed him front first to the mat. Guido and Tajiri tagged in. Guido slapped Tajiri and they had an exchange. Tajiri scored with a hard slap and took down Guido with a headlock but Guido countered with a headscissors. Guido flipped out of a suplex attempt and rolled up Tajiri. Tajiri kicked Guido, snapmared him and did a cool rollup for a near fall and fans gave them a standing ovation. Guido pounded Tajiri and gave him an armringer. Mamaluke also attacked Tajiri's arm with an armringer and a wristlock but Tajiri fought back with a stiff kick and Mamaluke took a really neat fall. Tajiri gave Mamaluke a second brutal roundhouse kick to the head. The champs gave Mamaluke a double whiplash slam, hooked his legs, and did a somersault into a slam of Mamaluke using their legs for leverage. They then dumped Mamaluke across the top rope and Mikey dove onto him jumping over Tajiri's body. Mikey held Mamaluke in a piledriver position as Tajiri gave him a brutal dropkick to the face. Guido came in but Tajiri dropkicked his legs. Tajiri and Mikey gave their opponents simultaneous dropkicks to the head and applied simultaneous STFs. Tajiri applied a bow and arrow on Mamaluke as Mikey applied an inverted Mutolock on Guido (with Mikey under Guido). Mikey and Tajiri dumped their opponents out of the ring. Tajiri took out both challengers and Graziano with an Asai moonsault and Mikey brought a table into the ring for a pop. Guido got up on the apron but Tajiri dropkicked the end of the table into Guido, knocking him off the apron in about the 80th neat spot of the match (it felt that way!). Mikey then slid a chair across the table and it missed Graziano barely, but he did it again and the chair hit Graziano's ample gut. Mikey then jumped off Graziano's back (as Graziano stood on the apron and took out both opponents with a plancha. Tajiri dropkicked a chair Graziano held up into his face. Mikey whipped Mamaluke into the barricade. Tajiri kicked Guido hard and hung him upside down in a corner. Tajiri then gave Guido a brutal, again, sliding kick to the face and whipped Guido into the opposite corner, where Mikey jumped off the top rope and nailed him with a chairshot. Mikey punched Guido, snapmared him and placed a chair on his face. Mikey then hit the chair with another chair. Mikey missed a chairshot and Guido knocked Mikey's chair into his face with a chair of his own. Guido stomped Mikey and Mamaluke pounded and kicked him. Mamaluke knocked Tajiri off the apron with a dropkick and DDTd Mikey for a near fall. Guido and Mamaluke gave Mikey a double back superplex for a near fall. Guido stomped Mikey and Mamaluke punched him. Mikey gave Mamaluke a tilt-a-whirl into a stun gun of sorts. Tajiri missed a roundhouse kick and Guido chopped him. Tajiri gave Guido his handspring elbow and a bunch of roundhouse kicks to the head and body. Tajiri knocked Guido into a table in the corner with a dropkick. Mamaluke went after Tajiri but Tajiri gave him a kneelift and crotched him on the top rope. Tajiri hit Mamaluke with a chair and Mikey gave Mamaluke a whippersnapper off the apron through a table at ringside. Graziano went to chokeslam Tajiri but Tajiri blew the green mist in his eyes. Graziano superkicked Tajiri and Guido hit him with a chair. Guido gave Tajiri the kiss of death (tomokaze) on a chair and pinned him at 11:09 to win the title. This kinda ended suddenly, but they couldn't have gone much longer at the pace they went for much of this. Just an amazing, exhausting match with one innovative spot and sequence after another. Tajiri and Mikey were just incredible as a team, with some great double-team spots. Guido and Mamaluke were the perfect opponents for Tajiri and Mikey because they could keep up and take lots of punishment and bumps in such a way as to make their opponents' offense look all the more spectacular. In particular, Mamaluke further cemented his rep as one of the cooler bump-takers in the business. Tajiri was easily the best worker of the match, although his partner Mikey complemented and kept up with him very well. Guido and Mamaluke were far less spectacular on offense, but they contributed enough to make this match great that their winning didn't leave a bad taste. Not much real psychology or logical pacing, but a white hot crowd, white hot spots, and overall a white hot match. ****1/4
Next Article: Tables, Ladders and Chairs..OH MY!!!
BACK TO THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA MENU
HOME