November to Remember Tape Reviews
November to Remember `97 - Chris Candido & Lance Storm vs. Tommy Rogers & Jerry Lynn
First, this match starts as Candido-Rogers one-on-one, but Storm and Lynn get involved and
you've got a tag match. Rogers is a damn awesome wrestler, I always enjoyed the Fantastics
work, especially in All Japan. Candido was probably at his best here (though I always thought
he'd get better or something). The other two are just breaking into ECW, strangely they would
be ECW's best go-to-guys in a few years.
They start off slowly and do some pretty basic stuff before things get heated. A "boring"
chant starts during an armbar, but oh well. Rogers sends Candido out and misses a baseball
slide. Back inside he defends against Candido's Flying Double Axe Handle. The crowd just want
to see a highspot. Rogers briefly works over Candido's groin, then dumps him to the floor with
a suplex!
Back inside Rogers works a chinlock and then ranas Candido down. The blonde powerhouse
fights back though with a powerslam and then a textbook vertical suplex for a 2 count. A
New Jersey Jam gets another 2 and Candido starts acting frustrated. The crowd pops huge for
the chop contest, which Rogers wins. "Fantastic" Tommy executes a big superplex for a 2 1/2,
but Candido battles back.
A rana gets another nearfall for Mr. No Gimmicks Needed. He goes for Ray Stevens' old
Bombs Away, but Rogers reverses it into a Lyger Bomb, which leads to a Lance Storm run-in. Lynn
finally comes to the ring and goes crazy on Storm, finally hitting a Asai Moonsault/Body Press.
Candido follows them out with a plancha and then Rogers takes out those three with a plancha
of his own.
Referee John Finnegan makes the match a tag match and the action begins - officially. Lynn
is hit with a powerbomb-falling lariat, but Rogers quickly takes over. He avoids a Lance Storm
missile dropkick that connects with Candido leading to a nearfall. Storm is hit with a
High Cross Body by Lynn off Rogers' shoulders for another nearfall.
Candido hurries back in and takes over for Storm by executing his Blonde Bombshell (top rope
powerbomb), but Rogers' saves his partner from defeat. Storm tries to attack the former
Fantastic, but gets spiked with the Tomakaze, which recieves a huge pop. Candido catches Tommy
from behind and turns it into a Northern Lights Suplex for the win at 16:42.
Damn good opener, a little slow at the beginning, but definately enjoyable. I liked these
four a lot and although I haven't seen much out of anybody in their post-ECW days, I still think
they're solid workers and a definate assest for whomever they work. Rogers and Lynn were no
Fantastics and Candido and Storm weren't the tandem they would become, but these guys put fourth
a nice opener.
Rating: **1/4
November to Remember `97 - Shane Douglas vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (Heavyweight Championship)
Bigelow was a monster in ECW (because the average size is like 5'10" 215 lbs. or somethin')
and really worked hard most of the time. I was glad to see him snag the ECW strap in what would
be the the last good run he'd have in wrestling. Douglas was probably at his peak here, though
he always had the injuries.
Being in Pittsburgh, Douglas has the crowd, which is the only time I ever recall him being a
"good" babyface. Francine's on crutches, showing that even she is extreme. Bigelow has good
heat because he turned on Douglas and all that stuff.
I remember staying up till around midnight with school the next day(!) for this one. I was
a big ECW mark and Douglas especially, so I was pretty excited. Bigelow dominates early on with
some brawling, which the Franchise just can't match. The crowd taunts him, but he does the
uneffected act that doesn't get a lot heat, but I like for certain heels.
You can tell Bigelow was a Bruiser Brody fan because he knows how to work a match well with
brawling. Douglas gets a few shots in here and there, but every comeback is cut off - no
belly-to-belly, no body slam, no offense. Bigelow finally slows it down (probably a lil' too
much) with a reverse chinlock.
Douglas again tries to comeback with a Flying Body Press, but is caught and powerslammed.
The Franchise just sells everything like death, which makes him a remarkable natural babyface.
On the outside, Bigelow hits a baseball slide, takes a few steps at Francine, posts Douglas, and
then takes a breather.
Back inside, Douglas catches the Beast from the East with a low blow, but foolishly goes for
his vertical suplex...Bigelow counters with a brainbuster for a 2 1/2. The big man again goes
for the chinlock, which turns into another comeback tease. After breaking the hold, Douglas is
hoisted up and vicious thrown into the post. Francine is histerical trying to rally her man as
Bigelow brings in a table!
Bigelow shrugs off a few chops and sets up the table. Now is the time for Douglas to do
some damage with a belly-to-belly through the table. Bigelow's been hurt and the Franchise
goes after him with kidney shots. The Champion propels Douglas over the top rope, but is
clearly running low on fuel.
Douglas finally gets back in and lariats Bigelow several times, finally taking him to the
floor. Outside, Bigelow fights right back with a powerbomb through a table! Bigelow's selling
is apt, but he manages to hit another HUGE powerbomb for a 2 3/4. "Franchise! Franchise!"
The champ acts frustrated, but manages to bloody Douglas. The Beast signals for the Press Slam
into the crowd, which brings out Chris Candido and Lance Storm, who are held off by security.
In a predictable, but breathtaking highspot, Bigelow launches the challenger over the post onto
the four men in the entrance way.
Bigelow continues the methodical assault, until Francine hobbles in and hits a weak crutch
shot. Bigelow tries to decapitate her with the crutch, but she escapes. He uses it to hit a
bizarre jawbreaker on Douglas though. Then he blasts Douglas' right arm really f'n hard!
Bammer goes right after the arm, but decides he'd rather beel the challenger.
Then in a nice sequence, Douglas goes for a backslide, but is flipped over, which allows him
to hit a belly-to-belly (his second move of the match?). Bigelow is only briefly stunned and
brings in a chair. He makes a crude table/chair prop and looks to put Douglas for it with a
powerbomb. The Franchise fights it off and hits a belly-to-belly for the 1,2,3 at 25:02.
Big hometown win for Douglas and certain one of his best matches (though he had virtually
one move he used three times for his offense). I think the one-sided nature was WAY overdone,
especially because the final spot was not as big as it should've been. I think if Bigelow had
missed a moonsault, then been belly-to-belly'd it would've helped the finish's believability.
Bigelow looked really good though and Douglas sold excellently. This match ain't perfect, but
doesn't get the credit it deserves.
Rating: ***1/2
November to Remember `98 - Jerry Lynn vs. Lance Storm
November to Remember `98 - Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Taz vs. Shane Douglas, Bam Bam Bigelow, Chris Candido
November to Remember `99 - Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka (World Championship)
One of FMW's greatest feuds, which ECW used time and time continued at ECW's biggest event
of the year - November to Remember. Awesome had beaten Tanaka for the ECW World title and this
was one of their many rematches. Though not the best these two have to offer, their average
matches are better than the majority of ECW's.
Bob Ortiz introduces both men and they quickly go at it with bigger Awesome controlling.
He hits a nice rope-walk back elbow, but Tanaka fight back with a Springing Clothesline that
sends to the floor and follows that with a plancha. He continues with his running chairshot,
Awesome mounts a comeback and throws the Dangan Fighter into the ring.
Awesome shows off first his power with a belly-to-belly and then his aerial skill with as
good a Tope Suicida as you'll ever see. They continue to brawl on the floor and the former
Gladiator continues his attack with a Springboard Plancha into the crowd. He throws the
challenger back in and grabs a chair.
Tanaka's ability to take chairshots is shown off as he seems to absorb them and return fire
with a Roaring Elbow. He grabs the chair and uses it to add to his Flying Elbowdrop, which
gives him a nearfall. Tanaka continues with a Swinging DDT onto two chairs, but that isn't
enough either. He goes for another, but the Champion turns it into a Rydeen Bomb on the chairs.
Awesome continues with a huge lariat, a hard spinebuster, and then he goes to set up the
table. His first over-the-top Awesome Bomb is foiled, but his second off the apron is not. The
crowd erupts into a "holy shit" chant as the combatants struggle to get up and in the ring.
Awesome covers Tanaka, but can only get a 2 3/4. He gets another table and sets Tanaka up on
it, unfortunately for him the Dangan Fighter catches him with a huge superplex through the
table.
Tanaka is slow to cover and Awesome manages to get his right shoulder up. The challenger is
hungry and hits Diamond Dust and gives the sign for his signature Roaring Elbow. Awesome
evades it and hits a Release German Suplex and a big lariat. The Champion rushes to the top
rope for a high-impact Flying Splash that Tanaka just barely escapes. The challenger is rocked
though and Awesome manages to drag him up to the top rope for the Awesome Bomb off the top
rope and gets the 1,2,3 at 12:26. This was kind of short, but hardly boring. These two used a
lot of big moves to keep the fans hot. This was a solid pay-per-view match and title match to
boot.
Rating: **3/4
November to Remember `99 - Rhino, Justin Credible, Lance Storm vs. The Sandman, Raven, Tommy Dreamer
What a poor main event! N2R `99 stands as one of ECW's better pay-per-views, even though a
lot of the matches fell short for one reason or another. Storm is the best of the six, but
seems to be less than stellar in tag matches. Credible, Rhino, Raven, and Dreamer are all okay,
but still limited. The Sandman is just the Sandman, love him or hate him.
Everyone comes out separately, so the Sandman's long entrance (just under five minutes) is a
killer for viewers. The intros are always cool, but I'm kind of tuning out by now. It starts
slow to with Sandman and Rhino. Storm and Dreamer pick it up and Justin continues with it.
Sandman and Rhino is not much better the second time around, except the Rookie Monster (what's
he a 5 year veteran at this point?) beats on his drunken rival. Storm and Justin looks good,
Rhino does the majority of the damage including a Superbomb.
Raven finally checks in and looks sloppy as he botches a backdrop that almost breaks
Credible's neck! Then the clusterf**k begins. Raven DDTs Justin for a nearfall, then drop
toeholds Dreamer into a chair(?), then puts himself through a table(?), I knew the guy was
having drug problems, but c'mon.
The Sandman grabs his cane and assaults Rhino, then the ladies get involved. "Catfight!"
A nearly topless Dawn Marie gets a kiss from the Sandman (poor girl). Then Raven clobbers him
with the cane. Storm drags Raven out, while Justin hits That's Incredible for the three at
9:19. The Raven turning on Sandman thing was kind of stupid, but so is Raven trying to be a
face. Very bad match, a total mess with too many guys and no real since of order except the
beginning. The face comeback turned things into mass confusion and then it was abruptly over.
Rating: *1/2