[2000-01-21-ECW-Baton Rouge, LA] Spike Dudley vs Sabu

[soup23]

These two meshed well together and actually had some good stiffness mixed in. I also liked the build to the table spot and Spike is someone that didn’t feel like he should be completely bullied by Sabu which does hurt my perception of Spike in some of his matches. The ending of this again got too back and forth for my tastes but as an overall upper mid card match, this was a pairing I hope to see more of in last days ECW. ***1/4

[Loss]

This Baton Rouge crowd is my least favorite crowd of 2000 so far, sitting on their hands for Storm-Tanaka and treating this match with contempt until the tables started breaking. That's a shame, because they were giving the people a really well-worked match. I appreciated how Sabu and Spike didn't get frazzled and still made them wait for it. They were building to use of the tables and just kept their patience. I loved the chain wrestling at the beginning for a nice change of pace and even the garbage stuff was structured well in a wrestling match sense. Much better than I would have expected. My favorite thing so far this year from either guy. ***1/2

[Migs]

We have to be getting towards the end of Sabu's ECW run here. Pretty sure he doesn't make it to the next PPV.

 

Don't recall seeing this matchup before, which is odd because it's a pretty logical pairing. This ended up being pretty fun, mixing some surprisingly good brawling with a couple of big spots. It's a relatively restrained match for these two - not sure if I'd prefer a more balls out spottiest from them, but I liked this.

[Kronos]

One interesting effect of these fancams is that the wrestlers sometimes end up having all-too-human moments (in a good way). Here, for instance, during his entrance Spike comes across like a pretty-cool-seeming dude instead of the cartoon character we get from "proper" camera work.

 

I like the opening matwork sequences a lot, and it was great when Sabu just goes "fuck this chain rasslin" and slaps the hell out of Spike.

 

Looks like Sabu legit didn't realize the table had fallen when he tries to put Spike through it. They recover nicely with a Sabu signature leap off the chair. Love it when Spike grabs Sabu's foot in mid jump, causing him to smash headfirst into the chair he was about to use for a stunt.

 

When Alfonso appears, I am tempted to turn off the tape. I can't stand that guy. At least he kept the whistling to a minimum.

 

This is good stuff.

[GSR]

They actually start with some wrestling and Spike gets the better of his opponent. Sabu can’t outwrestle Spike so resorts to punching him instead. He kicks him to the floor and goes to whip him into the guard rail however he reverses it. Spike sets up a table on the outside but Sabu is back to his feet, and this time it’s his turn to hurl Spike into the guard rails. Cannonball off the apron to the floor from Spike. He unloads with forearms and the crowd start a ‘use the table’ chant. Irish whip to the corner, Spike comes charging in, Sabu moves and Spike goes shoulder first into the ringpost. Sabu brings a table into the ring and clotheslines Spike onto it. He heads up the turnbuckles but isn’t quite quick enough and Spike snapmares him to the canvas. Acid Drop attempt, Sabu blocks it and slams Spike hard on the table. The table had collapsed on one of its legs at this point so was only half up, and Sabu slammed Spike on the section of table above the upright leg. The table therefore doesn’t break and it’s an awful looking bump that Spike takes. As he’s writhing in agony the caring audience start chanting ‘you fucked up!’ at them both! Sabu props up a table in the corner and levels Spike with a chair. He lies him on the table and a running jumping legdrop off the chair puts Spike through it. Triple jump moonsault for two. Sabu goes for it again, but Spike hooks his leg tripping him, and he crashes head first into the chair. A whistle blowing Bill Alfonso is out and he throws a chair to Spike who launches it into Sabu’s face. A chair shot off the top to the grounded Sabu only brings a one as he’s able to get his foot over the bottom rop. Irish whip reversal, Spike goes chest first into the turnbuckle and Sabu with a springboard leg lariat. Arabian moonsault for two. As Sabu is setting up another table Spike schoolboys him for a near fall. He blocks the Acid Drop and Spike with a neckbreaker. Spike telegraphs a backdrop and Sabu clothesline him onto the table again. Legdrop off the top and Sabu gets the three.

 

Not enjoying the Sabu rewatch at all, and I’m finding this dated and to have aged badly (compared say to the Tajiri/Guido/Crazy stuff which I’m liking a hell of a lot). Another dreadful ECW crowd who only wanted to see chair shots and tables being broken. Seriously, ‘use the table’ and ‘you fucked up’ (after Spike looked to be in absolute agony)? How disrespectful can you be? The most interesting part of the match for me was the opening when they actually did some wrestling. What happened to Bill Alfonso too? He makes his entrance down the aisle, throws Spike a chair and then is gone?

[Stiva]

Really good match that was, sadly, in front of a terrible crowd. Between his build to the big spots and the reversals to keep himself alive, I was really impressed with Spike here, to the point where I'm wondering if it's really so strange that I like him so much. A nice change from constant bomb throwing and big weapon spots but it was clear, at this point, this fanbase just wanted that and had no patience for what they were going for here. Shame as it was a good little match-up that could have made some good TV had Sabu not left shortly after.