[1999-08-07-ECW-TV] Taijiri vs Little Guido

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Tajiri's face is still bandaged from Heat Wave. Guido is the aggressor here in the early going and looks great doing it, since his usual role is as an enhancement guy. Tajiri makes a comeback. This is a unique match with more of a wrestling theme than usual ECW action, where Guido's ankle gets injured and he can't support any weight on it. Tajiri won't let up in spite of it, and this is all about showing his aggressive side. Guido ends up tapping to a Texas cloverleaf. This was pretty great.

 

The post-match angle is fun too, with Tony Devito turning on the FBI to side with Corino and Jack Victory. Corino does the mother of all promos, decrying hardcore wrestling and calling Tommy Dreamer a mark and goading him into the ring. Dreamer is injured and can't come in the ring so Corino is having lots of fun. Dreamer finally takes him up on the offer and unloads on all of Corino's group. Dreamer puts the injured Victory in a figure four and won't let go, and Francine does the same to Corino. Tajiri breaks up the party by SPRAYING THE MIST for the first time, getting Francine right in the face. Then, he goes after Dreamer and now Taz is out. Corino's group bails, but Dreamer holds Tony Devito and he can't leave the ring. Taz ends up throwing him through a table. Corino spoofs on Taz's catchphrase.

 

I even liked the post-match angle quite a bit.

[tim]

The main event and post-match angle combine to make a really great TV segment. The match was a lot of fun with them working a different match than we've seen from them, with Guido getting more heat in the beginning and the end being worked around a knee injury to a submission win. Post-match angle is really hot and Taz is crazy over right now.

[Tim Evans]

Nothing says hardcore than purple ECW shorts that Dreamer is wearing. Real good match and post match. Nice to see Guido treated seriously and Taijiri was a bad ass. Also liked Corino in the post match.The anti hardcore schtick had been done before but I think Corino did it the best.

[soup23]

Match actually disappointed me. Maybe I am just looking for more depth in these matches, but they seem like exaggerated sprints in the sense of great matches with a developing storyline. Tajiri is someone I really like given his charisma and move set but so far his offerings on the yearbook haven't convinced me he is one of the best wrestlers of the world in 1999, maybe a deep dive into the fancams helps build that case. Anyway, the match was fun while it lasted. **1/2

 

The post match however was great in my mind with good swerves, some legit creepy moments after Tajiri sprays Francine and Taz saving the day to a monster pop. One of the freshest, engaging ECW angles in a while.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Tajiri vs Little Guido - ECW 8/7/99

 

Some big changes since Hardcore Heaven 99. Tajiri has adopted his popular look with longer hair, beard and long pants. He is a heel now with Steve Corino. Corino looked young and skinny. Very reminiscent of Stevie Richards. Taz/Tajiri is the big feud right now. Taz choked Tajiri out with barbed wire. Fucking sick, tons of blood, real nasty shit. Tajiri's face is all taped up. Little Guido says he made Tajiri tap so he should be the number one contender. I did not know Paul E. was promoting Midget Championship Wrestling.

 

Guido attacks Tajiri's injured jaw and is very aggressive to start. Good combination of mat work and open handed slaps. Guido goes for Tajiri's dropkick to the head in the tree of woe, but Tajiri moves, Guido posts himself and Tajiri flips him off and kicks him in the head. The big problem with this match is Guido gets back on offense too easily. After some more Guido offense, Corino yanks him out, throws a beer in his face, chucks him back in Tajiri hits a roundhouse kick, but Guido is back up hitting a Russian Legsweep. These are solid transitions to heel heat but we are getting nothing. Guido blows out his knee on a legdrop and Tajiri pounces. This section saves the match. Guido's selling is awesome and Tajiri is sadistic and remorseless. They work some really good spots around this, Guido bumps big on dropkick to leg, then collapsing on Irish whips, all the great kicks and finally succumbing to the Texas Cloverleaf. Awesome finish sequence that put Tajiri over as a killer. I really like Tajiri, Guido and Crazy, but still have not knocked my socks off. ***1/4

 

After the match, some Italian jabroni turns on Sal E and then Corino, Jack Victory who looks like a giant compared to all these midgets and Tajiri jump the FBI. Corino cuts an anti-hardcore promo and then calls Tommy Dreamer a mark. Dreamer has some sort of injury. He attacks. Puts Jack Victory in a figure-4 and then Francine, she was a toothpick, puts Corino in a figure-4. Tajiri spews the green mist in Francine's face!!! Awesome. They beatdown Dreamer. HERE COMES TAZ!!! HUGE POP! Corino & Co leave the Italian jobber to die. Taz throws him down through a table. Taz is ready to kill Tajiri and Corino. Taz spouting off his catchphrase with the entire crowd in unison was badass. Great post-match angle

[PeteF3]

Everything's been summed up here--the match and post-match were both good, with Guido and Tajiri really beating the piss out of each other but keeping a strong psychological thread. Corino continues to be the best thing about ECW and continues to be booked as an actual threat, which is good. I wish they'd pulled the trigger and put the title on him, at least for a little bit.