Elliptical Wrestling Project - Disk 1

I just bought an elliptical machine recently.  The idea is to work out at home. I have the chance to watch TV while I work out.  The problem if my garage has spotty WiFi and no cable signal.  That means my best source of TV is my Blu-Ray player.  I have decided I am going to work my way through my wrestling DVD collection.  Wrestling matches is the right combo of something I can pay attention to, but it won't bother me if my mind wonders. 

The first disk up is:


ECW Extreme Evolution.  I have all the Pioneer ECW DVDs.  It has been a long time since I've watched any of them. It will be a good chance to watch them all. 

Day 1: Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn - Hardcore Heaven – 5/16/99

Here are the key things I noticed.

• Rob Van Dam stalls so much at the start of this match.  The crowd seemed to ate this up. I remember people saying this would never work in the WWE.
• I know Fonzy was a heel manager, but neither Van Dam or Lynn really was a heel in the match.  The crowd treated this match like a pure sports match.
• They were sloppy at times and missed spots, but it seemed to worked.  They seemed to miss spots because fatigue in the match.

Day 2: Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka - November to Remember – 11/7/99

• Both Awesome and Tanaka are treated as faces by the crowd.  No one likes the heel manager, but he does not impact the match.  It does not hurt the match that neither of them are heels.
• Much of this match looks like a current WWE match.  Watching this match it looks like both Awesome and Tanaka could get over in the modern WWE.

 Sandman vs. Raven - Barb Wire Rope Match - 12/7/98

• This match proves all wrestling physics is wrong.
• The violence between Raven and Sandman seems right for the end of this Feud
• Why is Raven wearing a what looks like a sponge in his armpit.
• The WWE owns this match now, but they will never have one of these matches now.

Day 3: Taz  vs. Sabu - Barely Legal – 4/13/97

• Taz is a lot sloppier than I remember
• Sabu is not as sloppy in this match than I remember.
• This match was a little disappointing at the time, but it aged well.
• I don't think either of them are really heels.
• There is one huge plot hole in the beat down.  Team Taz is just standing there the whole time.  They should be joining in or defend Taz.  They just stand there.  

Day 4:  Mixed Tag Team Match: Shane Douglas and Francine vs. Tommy Dreamer and Beulah (12/7/96)

• This match has not aged well.
• Francine and Beulah are the only two wrestlers in ECW who ever waited for a tag
• Beulah eats the pin.