Heat Wave Tape Reviews

Heat Wave `98 - Masato Tanaka vs. Mike Awesome
One of FMW's greatest native vs. gaijin feuds comes half the way around the world to ECW, where they put on a helluva match. This match really propelled both to becoming future ECW world champions because it really showed their wares to the mutants.
Awesome comes out and man, I wish his hair looked as cool as his music sounds, but its the "awesome mullet" whatchya gonna do? Awesome controls early with brawling (including his "get off me motherfucker" stuff), a springing back elbow and an unassisted belly-to-belly. The fans take to the action, but it Awesome's tope suicida that really gets them up. Unfortunately he slides down Tanaka's back.
Back inside a lariat gets Awesome a 2 count, but he rebounds with a huge Release German Suplex. Tanaka does a Kobashi-like no-sell, which the crowd likes and powerslams Awesome. The big man is stunned and on the apron, allowing Tanaka to hit his sprinting chair shot. Back inside the Dangan Fighter executes a sweet missile dropkick for another 2 count, but Awesome's still kicking.
They go outside for a dueling chairs sequence, which Tanaka wins. The Gladiator dumps him over the guardrail though and follows up with his Springboard Plancha into the crowd. "ECW! ECW!" Styles puts over Awesome's athleticism and aerial skill, which is good.
Back inside, an Awesome Bomb gets a 2 count and a Spinebuster-Flying Splash combo get a 2 1/2. The big boy goes for chair and Tanaka does his no-selling of chairshots, but a big one drops him, but only for a 2 3/4. The Gladiator sets up a table outside and comes back in with a flying chairshot.
An over-the-top-through-a-table Awesome Bomb is teased, but Tanaka wriggles free, only to be decked with a lariat. Awesome goes for it again, but his time Tanaka stuns him with elbows and sets him up. The Dangan Fighter hoists up the 275 (or somewhere in there) pound guy and launches him over the top and Awesome violently crashes through the table...he's DEAD!
Tanaka catches his breath and then rolls Awesome in for a 1..2..NO! A Roaring Elbow gets a nearfall as well and the fans thought he'd win with it too, which is good. Tanaka sets up a chair and nails his nemisis with a Tornado DDT for the pinfall win at __:__.
I've seen all the one-on-one's between these two and this is a pretty nice sample of what they can do. Tanaka is a tough lil' bastard, who can make Awesome look 3x better than he is. Awesome is an impressive big man, who showed he'll take the bump when he took the biggest one of the night. I recently watched Awesome-Kobashi, which is obviously more Strong Style and probably better, but these guys showed they can provide ECW with a top notch feud.
Rating: ***1/2

Heat Wave `98 - Tommy Dreamer, The Sandman, Spike Dudley vs. Dudleys (Streetfight)
For some reason Paul E. always loved tag team main events, unfortunately I only ever remember one being decent and mostly because it had two of hardcore fans' favorite feuds involved. Though Dreamer is in this match too, so are five other mediocre talents. This ECW streetfight was as bad as most of the matches in this feud.
The Dudley come out first, rant and rave, then out come their three opponents with three different sized ladders. Luckily the nixed the Sandman's entrance because the Dudleys seemed especially long. Dreamer hands out a beer (potential lawsuit alert), everyone has a drink or a few. I know if I was going to wrestle someone, I'd want them to have a beer buzz and be covered with that sticky, nasty, foul-smelling shit.
This feud went on far to long and the promos are the only thing that made it bareable. Dreamer and D-Von do a nice sequence (they trained together, so go figured). Buh-Buh checks in and so does Spike(?). Team Dudley appears to be in firm control, until Buh-Buh stumbles and bumbles allowing Spike to go on a brief offensive flurry. I hit fast foward...
After Spike bumped around for a while, Big Dick and the Sandman faced off. I actually like Sandman's punch hand-selling, but that's about it. After Big Dick goes over the top chaos begins. No one really looks good and this, but it's cool for the live crowd as the wrestlers fight amongst them. Since I'm not there though, I find it trite and boring.
Sandman hits an ugly top rope rana...snore. Spike dives off the giant ladder, which is in the ring onto his three half-brothers. This looked awesome initially, but considering his size and the fact he was pretty much caught by three bigger wrestlers isn't all that insane. Buh-Buh Ray hits a second rope senton tha crushes Dreamer under the ladder, but is quickly caught with the Acid Drop.
Then in ridiculous sequence, the three heel Dudley are tied to the Tree of Woe...for over a minute!!! Dreamer beats on Sign Guy Dudley and Jeff Jones, then puts Joel Gertner in the fourth corner and the three faces and the ref do four dropkicks. The chaos continues as Big Dick counters Spike's Acid Drop by throwing him over the top through a table! Dreamer catches Buh-Buh Ray with a DDT on a ladder for merciful 1,2,3 win at 14:26.
It's not over yet though as Jack Victory comes to the ring, soon followed by New Jack. The original gangsta does his typical stuff including the crotch weapon shot which is a grotesque cane hitting a stop sign?? Would that do anything to a man's groin? The four celebrate and everyone leaves happy...I guess.
Serious clusterf*ck in this one. This was one of the few instances in which the undercard was much better than the uppercard. My friend and I actually opted to go play the new WWF Warzone instead of watching the later matches live. I honestly couldn't tell you anything about this match on memory, except for Spike's dive. This was better suited for the live crowd, but they don't make up the majority of the audience, so I can't say it's a smart move. Then again I'm not a booker and never could be :P
Rating: *1/4

Heat Wave `99 - Super Crazy vs. Little Guido
Guido Maritato is one of my favorite technicians and Crazy is a highspot master, so you got to think this one'll be a goodie. Guido rides down on Big Sal E. Graziano's shoulders and Crazy comes down and hits a backflip into the ring.
Maritato starts by drawing some heat, but they quickly hook it up. They do a spot sequence, but things don't get good, until Guido reverses a Springboard Body Press into a Fujiwara Armbar. Crazy gets the ropebreak and starts using his quickness and agility, snapping Guido's neck on the top rope and coming back in with a Springing Moonsault. He misses his next moonsault though and Maritato nails him with a Swinging Neckbreaker.
They exchange shots in the corner and Crazy does his 10 punch in Spanish thing. Guido tries to mount some offense, but is hit with a big powerbomb and a stanfing moonsault for a 2 1/2. Super Crazy takes outside and into the crowd, hitting an insane moonsault off the upper deck onto Guido and Big Sal.
Guido amubushes Crazy back inside with another neckbreaker. Crazy comes back strong with chops, a head scissors, and a springboard spin wheel kick for a nearfall. His next springboard is foiled and Maritato pulls himself up for his Sicilian Slice. Then Graziano has his way with the Insane Luchador hitting a powerslam on the floor and throwing him back in.
Guido goes right after the back and hits a powerbomb for a two. Sal gets his licks in again with a Sicilian Slice of his own, but again no dice for Guido. Maritato locks on a kimura, but gives up on it and quickly finds himself having the tables turned.
Little Guido recovers and starts brawling out of frustration. The Italian finds things turning around again as Crazy hits Michinoku Driver II and 2/3 of his Three-Story Moonsault, the third being a Plancha onto Sal. Back inside, Guido hits his Kiss of Death for 2 9/10. Crazy will not be stopped and nails a Release Azteca Bomb for the win at __:__.
Short, but good. This was a nice undercard match, but definately beneath what these two can do. Guido didn't use much science and Crazy's endless comebacks were annoying. Take out about three, add around five minutes of Maritato working on an arm or the back and this thing would go up at least a flake.
Rating: **3/4

Heat Wave `99 - Rob Van Dam & Jerry Lynn vs. Impact Players
Two of ECW's best workers, ECW's most popular and athletic star, and Justin Credible. No disrespect to Credible though, he's decent and can hold his own in a match. I'm always skeptical of tag team main events, but after a mediocre ECW pay-per-view, I have high hopes that this one can make up for some of the previous shortcomings.
It starts with Lynn and Credible, who tries to draw off his poor heat. They exchange chops in the corner and tease their respective piledrivers, but Jerry finally hits a big bulldog. He cuts off Lance Storm with a dropkick, then slingshots Credible on to him on the floor. Justin climbs back in and calls out RVD, but like his buddy Scott Hall, immediately tags out.
The two go right to the mat and RVD gets a one count for a big pop(?). Then they do rush spots, ending when RVD hits a monkey flip. Storm jumps right on the arrogant Van Dam, who continues to escape Storm's offense with flips and rolls. The Canadian finally ends it all by rolling up RVD into a half crab. Rob escapes and goes for an enzugiri, but Storm ducks, unfortunately getting a back kick in the end.
Lynn is tagged back in and the two real workers face off. Storm goes right to brawling and Jerry answers him back. Lynn then springs over the top and hits a stunner on the apron. Back inside Storm is rolled up for a nearfall, but Lynn is sent into the ropes, where Justin is waiting with a cane.
Credible is tagged back in and beats Jerry down. One comeback is cut off and Storm comes back in with a beautiful dropkick. Lynn comes back and they do a nice cradle sequence, but Storm stops it all. Justin is back in, but Storm works Jerry over on the floor. Back inside, Credible hits an Outsider Edge for a nearfall, but immediately tags out. Storm does a cool jump to the top rope, where there is a chair waiting, but Lynn hits a Van Dam-style dropkick with chair.
Lance makes the tag though and Justin cuts off Lynn's tag. Jerry fights back with a DDT on the chair. Both men make tags, but RVD comes in strong with a facebuster, a spin wheel kick, and a flying sidekick. Fonzie rolls through the ring and drops a chair, which RVD does his backflip, chair-assisted dropkick. Storm rolls out, but is hit with a baseball slide. Then all hell breaks loose.
RVD hits his legdrop off the apron, while Jerry hits a flying bulldog on the ramp. The Impact Players come back strong though, Lance evades a body press and Justin hits a Reverse DDT on the rampway. Back inside, RVD-Storm go back and fourth with various kicks, but Rob's Rolling Thunder is stopped by Credible. Van Dam propells Justin over the top and Fonzie set him up on a table. Storm tries to cuts RVD off, but Rob comes back as Sabu comes in and puts Justin through the table.
The fans are going nuts and Van Dam accidently hits Lynn with the 5-Star Frog Splash. Jerry recovers though as RVD hits the Van Daminator on Storm, who is put right into a Cradle Piledriver for the win at __:__. In the end, Lynn flips off and says "fuck you" to Rob and Sabu shoves him into Lynn, starting a three-way melee.
This was a decent main event, but there could have been taken the previous one, Taz-Tajiri, and offered something much better. Lynn and Storm were really good, Van Dam was exceptional, and Justin did his part. The finish was okay, but could've been more creative and got Jerry over more. Otherwise, a lot of good work and nice spots.
Rating: ***

Heat Wave `00 - Mikey Whipwreck vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri vs. Psicosis vs. Little Guido
This started as a three-way dance. First came Guido to a nice cheer, then Psicosis to a better one and finally Tajiri with the biggest of the three. Psic has a black armband (dunno why), and flips off Maritato starting cool heat between the two. Before they all can be announced, music starts on the PA and out comes the Sinister Minister and Mikey Whipbreak. He interjects himself, thus making this a four-way!
Mikey comes in by rolling over Guido and Powerbombs Psicosis. Tajiri catches with a kick, but Maritato kicks him away, leaving it the "Sicilian Shooter" and the crazy man. Mikey hits a rana and Guido rolls out, Tajiri tries to him to ambush him, but he's nailed with the Whippersnapper and sent out. Mikey flies out with a Tope Con Hilo. "ECW! ECW!"
Mikey brings Psic back in, but then Tony Mamaluke tries to jump him. He gets a big Flapjack and rolls out, then Mikey tries to take out Big Sal with a pescado. The giant effortlessly catches him, post him and throws him back into the ring. Psicosis gets his first bit of offense, hitting his guillotine legdrop on a prone Mikey. Guido tosses him aside and pins Whipwreck, leaving the original three.
Tajiri catches Guido with his kick, Psic gets him with a knee dropkick. They do some lucha stuff, Tajiri coming back with a rana and a head scissors. Guido pulls Psicosis off the apron, allowing Tajiri to take them both out with his picture-perfect Asai Moonsault. "ECW! ECW!" Tajiri is so over its uncanny.
He continues his offensive flurry blasting Guido with a high kick and then bringing him in with a superplex. Psic follows in with a Flying Corkscrew Legdrop, that misses pretty bad and gets only a 2 1/2 as a result. Tajiri and Psicosis go back at it lucha style, until Guido grabs Psic from behind and drops him with the Kiss of Death. Tajiri kicks him away, German Suplexes Psic and eliminates him.
Tajiri starts on Guido with kicks and chops, before the "Japanese Buzzsaw" hits a Reverse Powerbomb-type move and then goes into a cool cradle. Guido comes back with a Sunset Flip for a nearfall, but its only a tease. Tajiri locks on the Tarantula for a big pop and has the crowd in the palm of his hand. He continues with his Frontflip Back Elbow, then grabs a chair. He uses it for his Tree of Woe Dropkick that gets another "ECW!" chant.
Guido makes a brief comeback with the Sicilian Slice, which sends Tajiri out. Maritato waits for him and pounces with stomps and chops, then hits a Reverse Powerbomb-type move again for a nearfall. Tajiri finally returns fire with the Green Mist and a Brainbuster on the chair for the win at __:__. Green-faced Guido still gets an applause after, but maintains his heel persona.
Yet another exciting and convincing win by the way-too-over Yoshihiro Tajiri. Mikey got the biggest entrance pop and his early dominance was very good for setting this spotfu into motion. Psicosis, who may or may not have been rusty, didn't do much, but was over and looked pretty good. Tajiri was definately the man though, bringing unbelievable charisma and energy to what was an average ECW "international three-way dance," which made it better than many. Too short though and the others were kind of under-utilized.
Rating: **3/4

Heat Wave `00 - Justin Credible vs. Tommy Dreamer ("Stairway to Hell" World Championship)
A long -er- for ECW, history between these two, even though the video package doesn't fully cover it. JC was fighting with Dreamer back in the Beulah days, even trying to steal her from Tommy. When the "Innovator of Violence" won the World title, JC was there to snatch it away from him along with his real-life girlfriend Francine, though that was only a work folks. Tommy recruited Jazz and (Gorgeous) George to counteract Francine. JC's been ducking Dreamer and finally has to meet him in the first barbed wire match on PPV!
After the intros, they go face-to-face. ECW is in SoCal, XPW territory, and several of their boys are in the crowd. You don't see what happens, but something involving Francine. The only XPW guys I recognize are Supreme, Kid Kaos and Homeless Jimmy, though there are more. Tommy breaks kayfabe and goes out to calm the situation with security as ECW boys including: Chilly Willy, Roadkill, Sal E. Graziano, C.W. Anderson head the charge. From what I've heard, a fight broke out in the parking lot, during this match. The fans erupt into the "ECW! ECW!" chant and Dreamer goes back into character feeding off it.
Slow and obviously uncomfortable action as the champion controls early. Tommy comes back and takes it to the floor and then into the crowd. Nothing too exciting, just lots of mutant faces on camera. JC is bloodied and laid out in front of the announcers table. Dreamer returns with a ladder and they climbs up on it for who knows what. The champ hops down though and capsizes it, sending Dreamer onto the concrete between two merchandise tables (accident maybe?) a level below.
He recovers though and both men brawl back to ringside with the ladder as well. Tommy sustains more punishment, finally mounting his first comeback. He sets up the ladder and heads up to get the barbed wire. Francine rushes in and low blows him, Dreamer collapsing right on top of her! Jazz and George follow, but before they do anything, George turns on Jazz and hugs Francine. The "Head Cheerleader" goes for her Bronco Buster and is met by foot. George is taken down by Jazz and Francine's top is ripped off (revealing taped up breasts). Justin grabs up his former managers' girlfriend (I guess that was their relationship) and delivers That's Incredible.
Tommy comes back as well and debuts the Tommyhawk (Inverted Crucifix into a Stunner), which gets a big pop and a nearfall. However it allows Dreamer the time to climb the ladder and get the barbed wire. The challenger pulls apart the spool and tries to spider web a piece on the top rope. Justin is crotched on it and Dreamer sets up for a Inverted Tornado DDT. Justin jerks him forward and hits his trademark Tombstone on the remaining barbed wire for a hot 1..2.. Kickout! Dreamer comes back with a DDT that gets another nearfall. He goes for the Tommyhawk again, but JC escapes, hits another Tombstone on the barbed wire for the win at __:__.
Very short main event and not a particularly good one. Both of these guys are decent enough, but I just think JC was not a main event player. Dreamer had awesome heat and was a "talented," but couldn't really carry the champion to a top notch street fight. The fans were really into this though and the XPW part made them even hotter. Boring beginning as they were probably still flustered by that interuption, Dreamer did his stuff well, JC wasn't carried and seemed average along with this whole match and this pay-per-view as well.
Rating: **1/2