ECW Other Misc. Tape Reviews

Double Tables - Chris Benoit vs. Al Snow
On what I'd say is one of ECW's worst cards, Chris Benoit made his big ECW Arena debut and met a youthful and still highly promising Al Snow. Funny how both guys tried their hands in WCW and WWF respectively, but never really got the breaks they deserved. It wasn't until Benoit was on the outs and Snow returned to ECW that these guys careers started somewhat living up to the potential.
The Snowman's knee is taped up for whatever reason, which logic says will play into the match, but who knows. Good feeling out early on with wristlock roll outs, bridging deals, and finally a pinning sequence. Benoit snatches Snow's leg and Dragon Screw Legwhips it and taunts wonderfully. The guy may not have mic skills, but he's quite charismatic in the ring. They start moving fast and Snow outwits Benoit this time and nails a superkick. Benoit takes a timeout.
Some more wristlock stuff, but Benoit starts with the brawling. Snow tries to outfox him again, but his knocked off the apron with a lariat and then sent into the steel with a baseball slide. The Canadian is pretty proud of himself, so proud he doesn't notice Snow, who climbs back up and takes him out with a Springboard Dropkick...Otani-style!
Benoit recovers nicely, but Snow's on fire with hard kicks that send "The Crippler" to the floor. Another Benoit timeout...Styles craps on WCW pay-per-views...the crowd takes a breather. Back inside, Benoit goes on the offense with more hard shots and a suplex onto the ropes. Snow misses a missile dropkick and is folded up with a German Suplex for a 2 1/2. Benoit stiffs him with a hard lariat and Snow's in trouble.
Benoit slows things down and plays the heel just beating down the Snowman. A hard falling back suplex gets a two and Snow looks totally out of it. He reverses a second though for like a one count, which just annoys the Canadian wrestling machine. Benoit hits a big Flying Headbutt for a 2 1/2. A hard powerbomb gets a 2 3/4. Snow finally shows a little life, but is Snap Suplexed down...did I just hear "we want blood"?
More Benoit stalling. He hits another German for a 2 7/8 according to Joey Styles. The Snowman finally comes back with a Snowplex/Snow Plow/Wheelbarrel Suplex. Benoit beats him to his feet though and goes for another suplex. Snow leaps over, stumbles around and hits a Release German Suplex that causes another stalemate. Snow ducks a lariat and hits one of his own then goes to work on Benoit in the corner. A backdrop and a superkick get a 2 1/2. Snow hits a cool Pinning Exploder for another nearfall.
Again the German Suplex is attempted, but Benoit ducks behind and hits his third of the match. The Snowman beats him up, but Benoit ducks behind him again and nails the Dragon Suplex for the win at 14:36. A post-match powerbomb adds insult-er-injury to injury and Benoit is the man.
I have to wonder if Snow took that first German Suplex wrong because he appeared to be overselling a lot and didn't look as good as he could. Obviously he's never been as good as Benoit, but he's had his days. I don't know if Paul E. wanted to get over Benoit's Japanese style or what, but Snow didn't appear to be the ideal opponent in this excellent squash match.
Rating: ***

Hostile City Showdown `95 - Eddy Guerraro vs. Dean Malenko
Many, including myself, would argue this was the greatest feud of ECW. Though it lacked the interesting story of Dreamer-Raven, these two consistantly had the US MOTY candidates everytime they stepped in the ring. I believe I've seen all their matches and this first one was an appropriote way to kick it off. Oddly enough it was the last one I saw.
As always, these two start with excellent matwork. I hate to describe word-by-word chain wrestling because it come across as boring, so I'll just say you've got to see this stuff. The beginning part has Eddy getting the best of Dean. Back in they do some criss-cross work and pinfall attempts, but Malenko stops it with a short lariat. Eddy hits a lucha armdrag, Dean answers with a head scissors, Eddy comes back with one of his own, then they both try dropkicks for a stalemate. Cool sequences and the crowd enjoys it. Styles' challenge to every promotion in the world to do stuff like this is asinine, but typical of him.
The mutants and smarks argue (I assume) and everyone seems distracted by a near-fight I can assume. They do nice submission matwork now with Eddy working a Cross Armbreaker. Eddy uses a Uranage and his Slingshot Somersault Splash for a two. Then Guerraro clamps on a chinlock and Malenko comes back with an arm attack, but switches to the knee after dropkicking it. He uses everything: strikes, crazy lucha holds, realistic holds, the post. Dean is just relentless and Guerraro sells it all very well. Beautiful work as Dean methodically works away.
Guerraro starts a comeback though with a Fisherman Suplex, a Powerbomb, and Tornado DDT getting three nearfalls. Eddy picks it up with a top rope rana, but his knee is hurt when he comes down and he can't get a pinfall. Eddy applies a deathlock crab thing, then an STF.
They start to fight back and fourth, until Malenko body scissors Eddy over-the-top taking both men to the floor. Eddy beats the Shooter in and grabs him for a suplex, but is suplexed to the outside himself. Malenko misses a pescado and sells his knee, then Guerraro comes out onto him with a dangerously overshot plancha.
Back inside, Malenko nails a brainbuster. Then Guerraro hits one of his own and follows up with a Frog Splash for a 2 3/4. Malenko bounces back with a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall of his own. Two Texas Cloverleaf teases, Eddy fighting free and getting a small package. Guerraro attempts his rope-springing rana, but can't get to the top rope, so he hops like a mother and makes the move work anyways! A pumphandle backbreaker gets two twos, so Eddy locks on the Gory Special, which leads to a series of nearfalls. Guerraro goes to the top, Dean catches him, but Eddy reverses into a Sunset Flip for a two. Then the bell goes for a thirty minute draw.
A lot of intricate work that was very well done. The fans were kind of torn because this was the first Guerraro-Malenko classic, but they caught on in time. I have all the matches on tape and oddly enough, I saw this one last, but it may be the best of the series. The selling was lasting and therefore way above average. Only complaint can be it seemed spread out over to long a period, so things got slow in a few spots, but nothing major. This is one of those things you just have to see and is probably one of ECW's top five matches in their history.
Rating: ****

November to Remember `95 - Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Psicosis
Two of AAA's top stars, whose work there was revolutionary to say the least. Anyone whose anyone has seen at least one Misterio-Psicosis match and this one is a favorite of many. Styles does a good job at explaining that lucha libre is Mexican wrestling at it is quite different from what we see in the States. That was pretty true in `95, but a few years down the road lil' highspot artist would be all over the place and these two got that started.
Misterio quickly armdrags Psic, who goes out and almost over the railing. Back in, Psicosis takes Rey down with the hammerlock, but they do the obvious 3/4 headlock takeover spot. Then the Segodora spot with Psicosis bouncing off the ropes and landing on his feet. Rey does a quebrada tease and is tripped down. Psic grabs him, but Rey comes back with a body scissors into an armdrag that sends the rudo out again.
Back in, the beatdown begins. Psicosis hits a big powerbomb and the highest gullotine drop ever (seriously Rey was at least 8 feet off the mat). The assault continues with a Steiner-like corner gutbuster, then a Kevin Nash-like Snake Eyes. Psicosis finally goes into his own bag of tricks with his dropkick in the corner. A Spinning Slam thing brings Rey out into the center and a high-high legdrop has Jr. in trouble.
Going into rudo mode, Psic beats down Rey in the corner then crushes him with a "split-legged splash," according to Joey. A second misses and it's time for Super Nino to fly! Misterio hits the most gorgeous Springboard Huracanrana EVER, but it only gets a 2 1/2. The fans love it. Rey does a handspring onto Psicosis' shoulder and spins out with a head scissors and the fans go even more beserk. A weak-looking head scissors calms them, but a chopfest on the apron builds them back up for...a Misterio monkey flip-type spring that sends Psic into the post.
Back inside, Jr. gets some shots in, but misses a crazy-looking avalanche. Psicosis capitalizes with a spinebuster and awesome Flying Legdrop for a 2 1/2. Another big powerbomb gets the same result. A Spin Wheel Kick sends Rey out and its time for some big highspots. Psicosis goes for your basic suicide dive, but Misterio gets a chair up and bats his brains into his ass! Never seen that on Galavision. Styles tells a funny anecdote about a young Super Nino doing his homework before matches in Tijuana.
Psicosis rebounds with a knee dropkick and then a drops a lot of weight on the knee (inadvertantly) with a Flying Twisting Senton and gets a two count. Psic misses a knee in the corner and tumbles out. Misterio appears to be going for a dive, so he leaps into the crowd for protection and Rey answers with Tiger Mask rope spin taunt. Just when Psic thinks he's safe, Jr. pounces with a Springboard Body Press Suicida into the crowd! The fans love it, some even has an "Oh My Dios" sign (note: it should say "Deus," but we all get the idea). Back in again, Misterio barely hits a springing top rope rana, but it gets the win for him at __:__.
Pretty standard match for these two. A few very awesome spots: the guillotine drop that was crazy high, Rey's Springboard Huracanrana that so smooth it was unbelievable, the chair-counter to Psicosis' suicide dive and finally Misterio's Springboard Body Press Suicida. I haven't watched their AAA stuff in some time, but I've watched everything else in the past few months. Only negatives I can see is the length was kind of too bad and Psicosis didn't bump like a freak (which is really his thing).
Rating: ***1/2

- The Sandman vs. Mikey Whipwreck (Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match)
Often considered one of The Sandman's better feuds content-wise as he's been mostly limited to stunt-filled spotfus that are sloppily organized. This match is particularly interesting because the ladder is just "in play" and the match is still pinfall or submission, not first to the belt wins.
Both men come to the ring, Mikey is "all business" in his tie-dyed wizard shirt? Then "Superstar" Steve Austin comes out, cuts an awesome Stone Cold-esque promo, challenging the winner and steals Woman as he heads to the back.
The Sandman jumps Mikey, but finds himself on the receiving end of ladder shots soon enough. The champion comes back, crushing Mikey under the ladder with a slingshot somersault splash and then throws it at him. Outside Mikey is dropped on the ladder (which is set up between the guardrail and apron) then legdropped.
They brawl around, then Mikey hits a rana off the apron. More fighting, then Whipwreck is violently backdropped over the guardrail. The Sandman sets up the ladder and does his classic (though new then) teeter-totter ladder deal. He comes back inside with a Slingshot Elbowdrop with Sandman under the ladder again. Mikey comes back though with violent laddershots to The Sandman's head that have to be seen. The Upset Kid goes to the top and hits a Flying Splash and gets the 1,2,3. Everyone comes in and raises Mikey on their shoulders for the big babyface celebration.
Definately not one of ECW's very best matches, but a classic one just the same. The action was pretty grueling with lots of innovative (at the time) ladder stuff and some mediocre transitional brawling at least. Mikey can have decent matches with good wrestlers, but it is this stuff that people remember best.
Rating: **

November to Remember `95 - Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Psicosis (Mexican Death Match)
Misterio and Psicosis were outstanding innovators and the cornerstone of AAA at its height, they took their act to the US and became popular for their watered down lucha libre (which I usually don't care much for). Here they continued their evolution with a "extreme lucha" hybrid that AAA ripped off for years to come.
These guys look pretty bad ass, Rey has a cool EC-F'N-W/AAA poncho and Psicosis has an EC-F'N-W shirt and a super cool leather jacket (I'm a mark for black leather). Gertner shows he was a pretty versitile ring announcer doing Spanish (and it sounds pretty decent) and English. He explains how a death match works - pin or submit, 10 count to answer, yatayatayata. Rey flips off Psicosis and this thing is jump started.
Psic misses a dropkick and Jr. follows that up with a tricky-looking rana. Rey's backdropped to the apron, but Psic misses another dropkick and does a segudora-like bump. Misterio flies quickly with a Flying Huracanrana (that barely catches) and gets a three. Psicosis answers the count at 5 though.
The rudo does his segadora bump (technico kicks out legs spot) beautifully and gets up to send Rey to the apron again. This time Psicosis chops him and goes for a suplex, but Rey flips over and hits a super-cool rolling up rana over the top rope...let's just say its a sweet spot. Misterio moves the guardrails and tries to set up an RVD-like something, but slips and bumps on the concrete! Psicosis quickly goes on the offense with a missile dropkick back inside, some nice taunting and then a moonsault for the pinfall. Misterio just barely answers the count, luckily the ropes were there.
Jr. is finally nailed with Psic's dropkick and then press slammed ribs-first onto the connecter between the post and buckle. The rudo hits a guillotine drop and then a second is turned into a powerbomb for the 1,2,3. Again Rey can barely answer the ten count, but pulls himself to his feet.
Psicosis again pounces on him in the corner and does a Rick Steiner Running Over-the- Shoulder-Backbreaker into the opposite corner. Psic sets him up and crushes his head with a Twisting Senton Splash for another three count. Rey pulls himself up yet again, what's this guy made of?
Being the rudo, Psicosis hits his dazed opponent with a quick dropkick. Then he DDTs him on a chair then sandwichs him underneath it with a moonsault. Another quick pinfall and Rey is selling it all very well. He manages to get up yet again though and the fans are digging it.
Psicosis is unrelenting as he beats on Rey so more, but his Misterio gets the knees and a chair up to block a moonsault. Jr. catches him with a Springing Lariat that sends Psicosis to the floor. Then he hits a High Cross Body off the apron that sends both men over the guardrail. Rey's on fire though, hitting a Springboard Moonsault Suicida into the crowd! Then they brawl into the crowd, but quickly make their way back to ringside. Misterio uses a chair and they go into the audience yet again. They wind up below the staging and Rey hits an excellent rana from the stage for the 1,2,3. Misterio rushes back into the ring and Psicosis is totally out of it giving Rey the win at 14:47.
Misterio looked excellent here only blowing one spot, which wasn't a major loss. Psicosis played the rudo beautifully as well and had a good-looking offense. I still think any of their AAA matches or even their Bash at the Beach `96 are as good, if not better than their ECW battles, but that's just me. This had better psychology then many lucha attempts in the US. Misterio being pinned a few times was a postive because that aspect of lucha has never been used in the States. The brawling was kind of unnecessary, but it was a death match, so whatever.
Rating: ***

November to Remember `95 - Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer vs. Cactus Jack & Raven
Funk and Dreamer get in the ring first and Terry gets on the mic in repition mode, saying "forever" several times like so much All Japan retirement match. Jack has a hilarious Dungeon of Doom with Zodiac, Shark, and Kamala on the front and a big heart on the back.
They do a heels won't let the faces in the ring deal, but they finally fight their way in. Dreamer disappears as Funk is double-teamed. Funk bounces back with a speed limit sign taking out both men. Stevie Richards tries to come and help, but is thrown in a shopping cart and sent into post (I guess it was supposed to hurt his crotch) and then tipped over.
Garbage is strewn all over the ring. Funk wears out Cactus with a snow shovel. Then Tommy blasts Raven in the head with a VCR!! Total anarchy! Funk uses a dustpan and Dreamer uses the VCR are some more, then Funk attacks the ref?! Then Dreamer DDTs him...why??
A golf club to Raven's crotch care of Funk, then Dreamer attacks with a cheese grater. Cactus rebounds from the snow shovel beatdown and takes out both of the faces. Raven chokes out Funk with a toilet seat and the EC-fuckin-W chant starts. Dreamer is double clotheslined with a chain and Raven shows he's the first bloodied man in this "match." Jack works over Funk's taped up bicep. Then things spill out to the floor, where they get very less exciting.
Cactus wears out the Funker with a fork and sends him out. Dreamer counters another chain clothesline, which is actually a unique-looking spot. Raven is DDT'd, but Jack catches Dreamer with the road sign. Then reveals a hideous "Forgive Me Uncle Eric" shirt with Bischoff's picture on the front for great cheap heat.
A bloody Dreamer comes back with and pulls the shirt up over Jack's face, so he's punching Bischoff. A hard chairshot to Jack, Funk drops a shopping cart on Raven, a rubbermaid garbage can shot (oh no!), then Funk is Double-Arm DDT'd on a chair, but there's no ref. Everyone's bloody by now. Raven does a pescado-type deal onto Dreamer. Then gets an unoffical three count on Funk.
Finally Bill Alfonso comes out and Jack gets a 2 1/2, prompting the crooked ref to stomp away on the veteran. Then Taz joins the fray with a striped shirt on and goes for a pin on Funk with himself counting, but Dreamer cuts him off. Raven ambushes Tommy as Fonzie and Taz leave and Cactus and Funk go to the floor. Dreamer hits two DDTs and a piledriver, but has to fend off Cactus allowing Funk to get the pinfall at 14:35. Post-match action sees Cactus, Raven and Stevie get the better of the faces to end the show.
As good as ECW street fights get. Dreamer-Raven had a great feud that was driven by good fights and the fact Dreamer had never pinned Raven. This match had a nice finish with Dreamer allowing his mentor to get the win, while he did the work. Cactus-Funk was good as they were veterans and awesome brawlers. This had the crazy weapons that ECW became famous, or infamous depending on who you ask, for using. This is much better than the New Jack/Balls Mahoney/ Dudleys/whoever fights that would follow as it had four guys who knew how to tell a story with brawling.
Rating: **3/4

Extreme Warfare - Volume 2 - Chris Jericho vs. Sabu
The first and only meeting between two of ECW's favorites, I've heard good things about this match and was excited to get my hands on a copy. Both are veterans of Japan, and though they both competed in FMW they never encountered one another. The fans throw in streamers upon Sabu's entrance which is cool and adds a little something to a relatively plain introduction.
Sabu does a few missed legdives, then they lock it up a do some matwork. Jericho controls by attacking Sabu's leg and then a brawl breaks out briefly. Sabu tries to take it back to the mat unsuccessfully. Jericho hits a big vertical suplex and follows it up with a slingshot splash for a 2 count.
Sabu turns it around quickly though sending Lionheart to the floor. An awesome follow- through baseball slide sends Jericho over the guardrail. Sabu follows it up with a Triple Jump Springboard Plancha and it may very well be the best one ever.
The crazy Arabian sets up and table between the guardrail and apron and lays out Jericho. He goes for a Triple Jump Legdrop, but Jericho rolls back in the ring and the crowd lets go a collective sigh. Sabu struggles to stop and finds himself on the apron, allowing Jericho to hit his Springing Dropkick. After a quick breather, he follows it up with a Springing Body Press Suicida that looks pretty good. They go back inside and Jericho hits a mean looking senton for a 2 count.
Lionheart misses a splash in the corner and spills out to the floor and is pissed off. He grabs a chair, but Sabu cuts him and hits his Flying Legdrop with Jericho caught in the ropes. He follows it up with a picture-perfect Air Sabu in the corner. Then starts working over Jericho's arm and sneaks in a few pinfall attempts. Frustrated Sabu chucks a chair at his Canadian opponent and executes an Arabian Press for a nearfall.
Jericho tries to fight back, but is cut off with a dropkick to the ankle. Sabu continues to do mat wrestling(?) and squeezes in his spots with a Springing Forearm and a Slingshot Somersault Legdrop for another nearfall. He goes for Springing Leg Lariat, but Jericho turns it into a powerslam.
A comeback begins with a German Suplex for a nearfall, but a monkey flip is turned around and Sabu hits his unique top rope rana. Jericho battles back though with a powerbomb for a 2 1/2 and then a superplex that wipes out both men. Sabu escapes to the floor and Lionheart tries to pull himself together. Sabu sets him up on the top, but is caught in mid-spring with a missile dropkick.
Jericho's nose is bloodied and he takes it out on Sabu with a few chairshots. A Lionsault sandwichs Sabu under the chair and though his nose may be broken, Lionheart looks pumped. They brawl out into the audience and Sabu sets up Jericho and hits the awesome Springboard DDT through the table (from the commercials).
Jericho sells it like death and his nose is really bloody. Sabu waits in the ring and goes for a Triple Jump Top Rope Rana, but Jericho holds onto the ropes. Jericho nails another missile dropkick for a 2 3/4. They jock for position in the center and Jericho hits a Fisherman Suplex for a 2 7/8 (according to Styles).
Sabu is crotched and they slowly ascend for what ends up a Super Butterfly Suplex...another nearfall. Jericho sets up the chair and slams Sabu's face into it for a 2 count. "Are you ready?" Lionheart is looking for something, but is hit with a gorgeous (especially for Sabu) Super Quebrada, then the Triple Jump Moonsault for the win at __:__.
I can't believe I just saw that. Although I've never seen any of the Kanemoto-Sabu matches, I'll go out on a limb and say that's Sabu's greatest match. He didn't botch any of his spots and several of them looked the best I've ever seen them (and trust me that's like half a million times). As bad as Extreme Warfare 2 was, this match was worth the fistful of ones I paid for it. Jericho was probably at his in-ring peak at this point in time and Sabu was exceptionally well-rounded and dead-on in this match. For ECW matches, this is one of the very best.
Rating: ****

ECW Arena (10/96) - Sabu & Rob Van Dam vs. Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat
This is a weird angle that I never really dug, but the matches were some of ECW's best at that point. Van Dam never shaking Sabu's hand was kind of stupid, but whatever. Then after Furnas kicked RVD's ass, they had this dream partner tag match. Furnas predictably picked Kroffat and Van Dam picked his rival Sabu. This began a partnership that lasted until Sabu left in `99 and it always had the element of Sabu respecting Van Dam, but Van Dam thinking he was better than Sabu. Kind of weird, but it made their bad promos hilarious.
Van Dam and Furnas start this predictably. The more powerful Furnas looks at the top of his game with one his awesome dropkicks and a stiff shoulder block. RVD makes a un-partnerly-like tag and Kroffat check in as well. Sabu sends him out and hits his Triple Jump Plancha and Styles makes a big deal because Rob gave Sabu the chair.
The Can-Am boys come right back though. Sabu is beat on, but bounces back with a hard lariat and makes a tag. Van Dam controls, but his arrogance gets the better of him. Sabu acts all agitated on the apron, so RVD tags him (slaps him in the chest). Kroffat does a Front Roll into a Legbar and works it into an STF of sorts. Furnas is tagged in and Sabu immediately mounts a comeback with a Triple Jump Legdrop and an Arabian Facebuster for a 2 1/2.
Furnas stiff arms him and tags out. RVD does a "you're not close enough for me to extend my hand" thing and Kroffat beats on Sabu some more. The tag is finally made and things go to hell. A monkey flip is botched, both corners run in and the ECW boys try to clear out the ex-All Japaners, but Sabu forgets to backdrop Furnas. Sabu extends his hand to RVD (why now?), slaps him when he thinks about it, then throws him over-the-top onto their opponents when he finally shakes it. So are they friends now or what? Who knows. Sabu comes out with another Triple Jump Plancha, though he hits more guardrail than man. And we go to commercial.
Back, Kroffat gets three two counts after three Snap Suplexes. Then he locks on one of my favorite submission holds, a Bridging Butterfly Hold. Furnas gets back in and gets a few nearfalls, but is backdropped out of a Butterfly Suplex. Kroffat is tagged back in, but Sabu catches him on the top with his Springing Rana. His offense is short lived as the Canadian comes back with his Cobra Clutch Suplex for a 2 3/4. And another commercial...argh!
Back just in time for the hot tag. Van Dam does lots of sloppy kicks and stuff as this was before Van Dam's strikes were passable-looking. Sabu botches a Triple Jump Legdrop Suicida to Furnas on a table and crotches himself, which looks just horrid. RVD covers up with a Tope Con Hilo to put the Oklahoman through the table. Styles tries to say Van Dam kicked the ropes (though he was on the opposite side of the ring). Back inside, Sabu gets 2 1/2.
Van Dam gets in and he does a head fake out of the corner leading to a painful looking Split-Legged Moonsault, then follows up with a Reverse Tiger Driver. RVD's arrogance leads to him getting nailed with Furnas' Power Hoist. Kroffat comes in and hits a Tiger Driver on a chair. Sabu hits Kroffat with his Triple Jump Moonsault. Furnas ranas Sabu, then Kroffat hits his Super Front Suplex on Sabu and from this Joey deducts Taz hired the Can-Am Express because it was a "tazplex"...WHAT?
Kroffat locks on a Scissored Sleeper, until Furnas is back up. Sabu is wiped out with a Doomsday Device. Things turn into a chaotic melee, like an All Japan tag finish on drugs. Sabu gets two nearfalls on both Kroffat and Furnas. Van Dam gets one, Kroffat gets one, then two, then RVD hits his moonsault on Furnas again with a chair this time, then a Frog Splash as Kroffat tries to put Sabu to sleep. The Can-Ams come back, Furnas with his Power Hoist again and Kroffat with his Super Front Suplex. Then the bell rings because time is up. After a "five more minutes" chant, the Can-Ams slap Sabu and leave.
If one has never seen All Japan tag matches before viewing this, it looks pretty good. Back when I first saw it on TV I thoroughly enjoyed, especially because it was free! I still wonder if these were the best matches Sabu & RVD had as a team, though I'd say the Eliminators ones were more exciting spotfests. The ending of this tried to use an All Japan psychology, but it comes across as really spotfu and not particular good, though exciting nonetheless. I think the rematch was a little better organized, but I've never seen anything, but the highly clipped TV version.
Rating: **3/4