Match 1 – Taz Vs Rob Van Dam (10/27/1997) – http://dai.ly/k6hRiza2t1R61CkzdTL
For some reason I was in a TAZ mood the other day, so it felt like a good idea to use him for 5 Matches With 
. I’ve seen pretty much everything he did in WWE, so naturally I had to go back to his ECW days to find matches I haven’t seen before. And considering its the original ECW… I haven’t seen many of his matches 
.
I’ve always liked the idea of TAZ in ECW with his Ultimate Fighter gimmick and how he was killing people twice his size with suplexes and shit. Hopefully he can live up to the HYPE I’ve created for him in my head lol.
Awesome start to this match, with the referee checking Taz’s boots and RVD using him as a launch pad to kick Taz RIGHT IN THE FACE.
Taz gets his own back though with a fucking TIGER SUPLEX, or Tiger TAZPLEX as all suplexes have to be referred to as “Tazplexes” apparently .
In a lot of ways old school Taz is kinda what WWE have been trying to do with Brock Lesnar, only Taz did more than JUST suplexes and wasn’t afraid to take some punishment in matches.
RVD with a model pose as he tries to pin Taz. Arrogant bastard!
This match seems to be SUPLEXES VS KICKS, and right now KICKS have the upper…foot?
FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH~!
And Taz kicks out. Guessing that isn’t his finish yet since there isn’t a big deal made out of the move or the kickout lol.
GERMAN RELEASE SUPLEX~!
Sabu shows up in the ugliest outfit ever and immediately gets dumped over the ropes like a jobber . Dreamer shows up to deal with Sabu while Taz continues to murder RVD with another epic Suplex.
The Pitbuls show up in… white suits with some dude called Lance Wright (?) in a neckbrace. Not sure this would make sense even if I was watching ECW ever week at the time lol.
the bell rings to end the match when the Pitbulls simply GET IN THE RING. At least wait until the beatdown begins!
Seems this is happening during the WWF angle, and RVD is all for the WWF, calling the ECW Arena the “WWF Arena”, until Taz goes crazy again and suplexes some bitches, and even Bam Bam Bigelow shows up to back up Taz!
This prompts Taz to cut a promo on the Beast from the East, apparently he ain’t happy about Bigelow getting involved in his business.
Match was tons of fun, both guys got to show off what they are best at, and it didn’t go long enough to show how bad RVD can get, which is always a positive.
Match 2 – Taz Vs Lance Storm (07/11/1998) – http://dai.ly/k4kyUHDitdXPTbkzdOZ
TAZ with the overhead belly to belly suplex, and his version is pretty fucking SWEET. My second favourite suplex of all time. Points for who can name my number 1 fav suplex .
HIGH CRADLE SUPLEX~!
Storm keeps trying to hit Taz with shit, but keeps getting caught in suplexes lol.
T-BONE SUPLEX~!
TAZMISSION~!
This is short and sweeeeet. Storm tries, but he’s just a jobber compared to TAZ in 1998 lol. I could probably watch 100 sub-5 minute Taz matches like this one.
Match 3 – Taz Vs Bam Bam Bigelow (08/02/1998) – http://dai.ly/k8EXvM2IDuS3PXkzdK5
Already seen one Taz/Bigelow match, the one on the Rise + Fall of ECW set, where they go through the ring. This match is new to me, and its a DEATHMATCH 
. These two guys gonna KILL EACH OTHER .
Bigelow calling himself the TAZ KILLER.
Match starts with a POWERBOMB, and Taz no sells the fuck out of it . Definitely an early version of current BROCK LESNAR .
Taz is absolutely destroying Bigelow early on! He legit looks like an ULTIMATE FIGHTER, which I gues is what they were going for .
Match goes into the crowd and its kinda hard to keep track of what’s going on, between the camera not knowing where to point, and the shitty lighting.
Bigelow taking essentially a back body drop ON THE CONCRETE. Ouch!
ARMBAR~!
Eventually they get back into the ring, and Taz is hit with another Powerbomb, but he ain’t no selling this time!
Bigelow sets up a table in the corner and… just rams him head first through it! Not often you see that happen lol!
The table is only broken at one end, so Bigelow sets the rest of the table up in the other corner! Bigelow getting the most of out of WOOD!
T-BONE THROUGH THE TABLE~! Taz got a second wind and used it to the best of his ability!
DDT THROUGH THE STAGE~! I mean, I guess it looked impressive, but the flooring looks like it was made out of paper . Nowhere near as good as the ring bump tbh.
Bigelow is the one that got DDT’d through the stage, yet is the first man out .
Taz also gets out and looks PISSED AS FUCK, going straight after the Beast from the East, locking in the Tazmission and picking up the win!!!
Overall a great match, though the stage bump was kinda meh if I’m being honest. Rest of the match was one hell of a fight though!!!
Match 4 – Taz Vs Chris Candido (04/10/1999) – http://dai.ly/k3IgBtluVH1cTjkzdNx
Falls count anywhere match!!! World Title on the line! Candido’s first match back in ECW! Sunny still looking HOT!
Bah, match goes straight to the outside. At least the camera and lighting doesn’t seem nearly as bad here as it did in the Bigelow match.
T-BONE ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR~!
Commercial break, and when they come back they are finally in the ring again. PLEASE STAY THERE .
Stalling suplex by Candido! The Human Suplex Machine getting a taste of his own medicine!
Slingshot back suplex by Candido! Taz getting out-suplexed!!!
Since Taz can’t seem to hit any suplexes himself, what should he do? POWERBOMB~!
With Candido down from the Powerbomb, its time for SUPLEXES!!! Overhead belly to belly!!!
Candido responds with a Powerbomb of his own!
Candido attempts a SUPER POWERBOMB, but ends up taking a SUPER OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY!!!
Sunny hands Candido a chain! Punch to the face! Almost a new Bingo Hall Heavyweight Champion!
TAZMISSION~! Into a suplex! Through the table! Candido lands hard on his neck and the match is called off!!!
They waste about 5 minutes seeing to Candido and putting him on a stretcher, then Taz attacks him, brings him back in the ring and locks in the Tazmission.
Aside from the no finish, another good match.
Match 5 – Taz Vs Rhino (08/27/1999) – http://dai.ly/k2Pfqr1xk3MvoukzdR1
One of the most famous ECW Champions Vs the last (original) ECW Champion!
Of course, in this match, Rhino isn’t on that level yet, and Taz is still the champion.
Match starts off the same as the Bigelow match lol, with Taz taking a Powerbomb and no selling it! Middle finger to Rhino and a clothesline that nearly kills him!
HEAD AND ARM SUPLEX. Apparently that’s the technical name for it . Looks awesome regardless!!!
SUPER OVERHEAD BELLY TO BELLY~! I will never get tired of seeing that.
Rhino is getting destroyed by the champ, and looks like he’s going through a table too!
HALF NELSON SUPLEX THROUGH THE TABLE!!! HALF FUCKING NELSON SUPLEX!!!
TAZMISSION~!
Taz looks like the baddest man ont he fucking PLANET.
Another super fun sub-5 minute match from Taz. Very glad I picked him for this month’s 5 Matches With!
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