Before the match we see Masato Tanaka running on a treadmill. He cuts a promo in Japanese then says he'll win the ECW title in English. Mike Awesome is backstage with Judge Jeff Jones, Jones says tonight marks the first time that Awesome beats Tanaka twice in a row, no Japanese challenger will beat an American champion in New York. Awesome puts over his finisher whilst he works out and we go back to Joey Styles and Cyrus on commentary. Joey Styles says Masato Tanaka not only has the most victories over Awesome out of all of his opponents but also has more wins between the two. The only time Awesome beat Tanaka in America was a three way dance including Taz at Anarchy Rulz, where Awesome won the belt. Cyrus takes shots at the Montreal Screwjob because it's November (at least at this point it has been two years, not two decades). We see Lou E. Dangerously arriving earlier tonight, a segment which leaves me with more questions than answers. Masato Tanaka comes out first. The champion follows, his theme always hypes me up! Judge Jeff Jones' appearance helps bring me down a bit though. The introductions are done in the ring, with this match being part of a series spread across ECW and FMW, Tanaka's home promotion in Japan.
MIKE AWESOME © VS. MASATO TANAKA (ECW Championship)
ECW November to Remember (7th November 1999)
They circle and Awesome kicks Tanaka in the gut. Right hands back Tanaka into the corner and Awesome sends him across the ring, charging to squash Tanaka in the corner. Masato Tanaka eats overhand chops and reverses an irish whip but Awesome climbs the ropes, falling back into Tanaka with a back elbow. THAT MAN'S NEARLY 300 POUNDS! Masato Tanaka sends Awesome over to the apron and stuns him with a right hand. Tanaka hits a springboard clothesline from the middle rope knocking Awesome to the floor. Masato Tanaka knocks Awesome down with a crossbody from the top turnbuckle to the floor. Masato Tanaka makes a path for Awesome before sending him into the barricade. Masato Tanaka gets a chair and a run-up to dent said chair across Mike Awesome's skull. Masato Tanaka high fives a fan and I think they broke a wooden chair at ringside. Mike Awesome reverses an irish whip sending Tanaka into the guardrail as Styles mentions there is already a scheduled rematch in Japan.
Mike Awesome brings it back to the ring but gets sent into the ropes. Masato Tanaka gets caught on a leapfrog attempt and Awesome just throws him overhead. Masato Tanaka gets to his feet and gets sent over to the floor. Mike Awesome gets a run-up and clears the top rope diving onto Tanaka giving Styles a chance to take a shot at Hulk Hogan for not leaving his feet. Mike Awesome sends Tanaka into the crowd and repositions the guardrail before getting back into the ring. The fans get to their feet as Mike Awesome hits a springboard clothesline onto Tanaka in the crowd! Masato Tanaka is sent back over to ringside, hitting the side of the ring before Awesome rolls him in. Jones has two chairs. Awesome places one on the apron and climbs up before taking the second one from Jones. Mike Awesome hits Tanaka with a chairshot from the top rope! Masato Tanaka gets to his feet and eats a second chairshot, but rises again! Mike Awesome hits Tanaka in the ribs with the chair and sends him across the ring but Tanaka slides under the third attempt. Tanaka kicks Awesome in the gut and hits a discus forearm knocking the chair into Awesome, Masato Tanaka covers but only gets 2 as Joey Styles screams that it's the Roaring Elbow!!
Masato Tanaka places the chair over Awesome and gets the second one from the corner as Judge Jeff Jones screams at him. Masato Tanaka dives from the top rope onto Awesome for another nearfall Masato Tanaka places the chairs near the corner and hits a Tornado DDT onto them for another nearfall. Mike Awesome has kicked out of 2 of 3 finishers from Masato Tanaka already in this match. The fans chant for another tornado DDT and Tanaka chants with them as he sets it up but Mike Awesome counters into a sitout spinebuster on the chairs. Mike Awesome flips Tanaka all the way over with a running lariat and he flattens him with an Alabama Slam. Mike Awesome signals to the table at ringside and Judge Jeff Jones helps him position it. Masato Tanaka slides out the back of an Awesome Bomb attempt and ducks a clothesline. Masato Tanaka hits a back suplex and Awesome rolls out to the apron, Masato Tanaka follows but Awesome sends him through the table with a sitout powerbomb!
The fans chant holy shit and Joey Styles apologizes to his mother before repeating the sentiment. Mike Awesome rolls Tanaka back in the ring and covers. 1, 2, Masato Tanaka kicks out at 2 ½! Jones slides another table into the ring for Mike Awesome to set up. Mike Awesome lays Tanaka on the table with a standing clothesline and climbs to the top rope. Masato Tanaka cuts Awesome off and moves the table further back. Masato Tanaka tries to superplex Awesome through the table but Awesome blocks it. Masato Tanaka fights off a powerbomb attempt and superplexes Mike Awesome from the top rope and through the table, resulting in a chorus of “EC-Dub” from the fans. Masato Tanaka is slow to cover and Awesome is even slower to kick out, getting there just before 3. Masato Tanaka hits the Diamond Dust on Awesome, his third finisher, signaling for another roaring elbow. Mike Awesome ducks and drops Tanaka on his head with a german suplex. TANAKA IS VERTICAL! Awesome and Tanaka meet in the middle, with Awesome hitting a clothesline before getting a close nearfall from the Awesome Splash. Mike Awesome brings Masato Tanaka back to the top rope. This time Tanaka can't fight off the sitout powerbomb from the top rope and Mike Awesome finally wins 2 in a row.
WINNER: MIKE AWESOME (STILL ECW CHAMPION)
I went into this expecting to find it inferior to their 2005 match (which I reviewed here) but the match still defied expectations. Mike Awesome is someone who's ECW run I really enjoyed and who I think should have gotten a better shake during the Invasion. I will never not be shocked by Tanaka's scarred body or his pain threshold/pure insanity level and this was a fun sprint if this is your kind of match. However compared to the tame mainstream wrestling of today this is not for the faint of heart, when these two lay in chair shots you don't know if it's the metal or bone making the noise.– WORKRATE: 2.5/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 4/5 OVERALL 6.5/10
This match is available to watch on the WWE Release “ECW Unreleased: Volume 3”
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