You should be careful what you ask for. Because sometimes the reality doesn't live up to the expectations you have set. Case in point: The Sandman and Sabu are two extreme wrestling legends. They are both known for their ability to take pain and work through it regardless of the situation. So, obviously, you would think that once the bell rang, these two legends would create instant classics in hardcore wrestling. Well...
As we're about to find out, these two didn't exactly mesh well every night. So, let's go to another ECW match taking place this time in Tokyo, Japan in the legendary Korakuen Hall between two of ECW's biggest legends.
Let's do this.
ECW Hardcore TV
December 30, 1997 (Match Took Place on 12/22/1997)
Tokyo, Japan- Korakuen Hall
Sabu (w/Bill Alfonso) vs. The Sandman (w/ a Singapore Cane, cigarettes and beer)
And here comes The Sandman through the famous Korakuen Hall with his trademark entrance, complete with cigarette smoking, beer drinking, and Singapore Cane in hand. And he's already bleeding. Does he care? No. He's literally walking the chairs around the building and chugging beers.
When we come back from commercial break, Sabu is already in the ring. Joey puts over the fact that Sabu has a history of working in Japan whereas Sandman's time in Japan has been limited compared to Sabu.
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| Credit: WWE Network |
The bell rings. Sabu dropkicks the Sandman in the knee and attacks him with his own cane. Clothesline by Sandman. Springboard leg lariat by Sabu to Sandman. (Note: How crazy is Sabu? His mouth is taped shut. Joey tells us that Sabu had a table leg break up into this mouth which caused Sabu to miss several teeth. Sabu "crazy glued" the wound shut and finished the match. Tonight, he's working with tape over his mouth. This is the type of stuff that even makes Mick Foley marvel at Sabu.)
Sabu dives over the top rope onto Sandman on the outside. "ECW" chant from the crowd. Alfonso gets a table ( a thin table compared to American standards). Sabu climbs the top rope with the table?! HE JUMPS OFF AND HITS SANDMAN WITH THE TABLE ON THE FLOOR! You read that correctly! Triple Jump Moonsault gets botched (the chair gives way) sending Sabu into the ropes. To their credit, Sandman takes advantage and baseball slides Sabu to the outside. (That's a great cover for a botch, folks. Points for that one.) Sandman and Alfonso fight over the cane. Sabu dives through the ropes onto Sandman! A ladder is in the ring now and around Sandman's throat?! He rams the ladder into the turnbuckle, crushing Sandman's throat in the process. Legdrop on Sandman still with his head in the ladder. 2 count. Sabu gets whipped into the ladder in the corner. Cannonball Splash into Sabu into the ladder. Geez. SABU GETS SUPLEXED INTO THE LADDER for a 2 count.
Sabu pulls the ladder onto Sandman to buy him a few seconds. Alfonso continues to be the annoying heel manager at ringside, blowing his whistle every 5 seconds. Sandman slams the ladder on Sabu and hits a slingshot somersault legdrop on Sabu for a 2 count. Sabu gets hit again with the ladder. SENTON into the ladder, crushing Sabu underneath. Sabu now gets placed on top of the corner. FRANKENSTEINER OFF THE TOP ROPE! 1-2-Kickout! Uh-oh. Sandman has the cane. Smack to Sabu between the eyes. 1-2-kickout.
Sandman grabs a ladder on the outside. Alfonso distracts Sandman while Sabu baseball slides the ladder into Sandman's face. He throws the ladder on top of Sandman. He botches another Triple Jump Moonsault (the edit here is bad as they switch to Alfonso in order to hide the fact that Sabu botched another triple jump). Sabu does an Asai moonsault off the middle rope onto Sandman. Sandman kicks out at 2. Alfonso goes nuts on the apron about the count. Triple Jump Springboard Leg Drop (using a laying ladder to jump off) of by Sabu. That actually works this time. Sandman throws a ladder into the face of Sabu to buy himself some time.
Sandman puts a ladder in the corner. Both men continue to brawl in the ring. Sandman nails a slingshot somersault legdrop onto Sabu (who was dangling off the top rope). Top rope legdrop misses by Sandman. Triple Jump Springboard LegDrop by Sabu for a 2 count. 10 minutes have passed. Sabu puts Sandman on the corner. Top rope dropkick by Sabu sends Sandman upside down onto the apron. Sabu puts Sandman on a table on the outside. Sabu hits a triple jump senton splash on Sandman onto the table, but the table does not break. Sandman is in the ring and gets waffled with a chair. Sabu hits an Arabian Facebuster off the top rope (legdrop chair shot) for a 2 count. Now, Sabu drops both a ladder and his legs onto Sandman off the top rope for the 3 count.
Winner: Sabu
Match Rating: D. This just did not work. There were so many missed spots and botches on this match that it almost became comical. Both men just did not click well in this, even by ECW standards. Sabu, in particular, had a lot of slip-ups in this match including his missed triple jumps. The only thing that keeps this from Failure or being a dud is the fact that you have two guys hitting each other hard with some of these weapons.
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I may try to review the Stairway to Hell match later between these two. But it's going to be a while before I review a Sandman vs. Sabu match again. If you want a better match between ECW wrestlers in Japan, check out my review of Tommy Dreamer vs. Raven from Tokyo, Japan.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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