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[2000-01-22-ECW-New Orleans, LA] Mike Awesome vs Spike Dudley


soup23

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I liked the Awesome vs. Spike section more than the PPV because it really got over the bully aspect of Awesome and didn’t rely on multiple table bumps to keep the match going. Welp, just as I say that Awesome goes flying through a table. Spike then legit just bounces a chair right off his head that surely lead to a concussion. Awesome gets his boot up on a running charge and takes over with a nasty clothesline and huge Awesome bomb. Awesome splash from the top leads to the referee botching the finish as Spike kicks out but he calls for the bell. Everyone is perplexed and this is a complete mess now. Judge Jeff sets up the table in the corner and sends Spike through with a running Awesome Bomb. That is enough for the finish. Awesome calls out RVD. RVD makes his way out and gets jumped by Sabu in the entranceway. Awesome does a senton on “both” on the outside that RVD completely bailed on making Mike hit the concrete in an awkward position. RVD does a big dive onto both and we end the scene confused at what just happened. **3/4

 

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This feud was settled pretty decisively at the PPV, so I'm not sure I needed to see it again. That said, I too liked it better than the PPV. More compact and more focus on the in-ring action as opposed to building so much to the table spots. They were there but there was more wrestling to go with it. I also liked how Spike got in more offense this time around. If he's going to be billed as The Giant Killer, he should make a really strong showing, even against the champ. We end up with the closest thing to a money altercation ECW had that never came to be -- RVD and Mike Awesome -- which is intercepted by Sabu attacking RVD. (This aired on the 1/28 TNN show but these comments are from the fancam version.)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I really like Spike, and the match is fun, but what exactly was this supposed to do in establishing Awesome? He can beat the guy he's twice the size of - terrific.

 

Spike is never presented as a real threat, which was a recurring theme for ECW with it's champions for a while. Taz had PPV matches with Tajiri, Candido, and Bubba Dudley that were never in doubt. Most of RVD's TV title defenses completely lacked drama. Not sure what the deal was there. Fixing this might have been the only thing improved by Justin Credible's title reign.

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  • 2 months later...

Spike nails Awesome with a forearm before he gets in the ring and comes off the top with a crossbody to the floor. The two of them fight on the outside and Awesome whips Spike into the barricade. Suplex, but he drops him chest first onto the guard rail. Back in the ring and Awesome stops Spike in his tracks with a clothesline. Huge release German suplex, Awesome Bomb, but Spike reverses it into a huracanrana. He goes for a second, but Awesome plants him with a sit out slam for two. Awesome and Jeff Jones set up a table on the arena floor, Spike blocks the powerbomb and bulldogs Awesome from the apron through the table. Spike with a chair shot to the head and another across the back. Awesome counters the Acid Drop, but Spike then brains him with the chair for two. Chair shot off the top turnbuckle and Awesome is only just able to kick out. A clothesline takes Spike’s head off, Awesome Bomb and a splash off the top. Awesome with the cover and the match goes to pot from here. I don’t think the ref actually counted the three, but he signals for the bell and Spike lifts his shoulder up at the last second. Someone screwed up big time! Awesome and the ref have words and the bell rings again. Yup, no idea! Jones hands Awesome a table which he leans up in the corner and a running powerbomb on Spike through the table for the win. Awesome Bomb for the referee post-match (fully deserved after screwing up so badly!) and he calls out Rob Van Dam. RVD’s music plays and here he comes. He doesn’t make it to the ring as Sabu jumps him from behind. Awesome with a tope which RVD seems to avoid and Sabu takes the brunt of, whilst Awesome appears to crash head first into the concrete. Van Dam with a flip dive off the top onto both, and Fonzie and he return to the dressing toom leaving Awesome and Sabu laying in the aisle.

 

When Awesome has decisively beaten Spike on PPV, why is he then defending his title against him just a couple of weeks later? Middle of the road match, and I thought the effort that the two put in on the ‘Guilty As Charged’ match ranks that one above this for me. Christ knows what Spike’s back must be like if he was taking these bumps on a nightly basis, although at least he was only limited to going through the one table here. Awesome was lucky he didn’t knock himself out with that suicide dive at the end.

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  • 6 months later...
  • GSR changed the title to [2000-01-22-ECW-New Orleans, LA] Mike Awesome vs Spike Dudley

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