ECW Taz vs. Samoa Joe

[Guest Macaroni]

Don't know how well (or poorly) impossible booking is treated around here, but I was thinking about this today, and wondering how good a match between these two could / could've been. I know a few people on this board have said that Joe is the perfection of the Taz character (I miss the crazy suplexes, hence I disagree), so in that sense it would be interesting. Also from that I think Joe should be given the win - his offence is much more well - rounded than Taz's, even if I'm a mark for the suplex variants, and Joe's agility and kicks add that extra dimension that Taz never had.

 

So yeah, discuss.

 

PS I haven't posted anything since Eddie passed away, but there's nothing I could add that hasn't already been said. Godspeed good sir.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Joe/Taz would be interesting...but Joe would totally outperform Taz in every manner except for maybe promo's and look. Taz had a perfect look for his gimmick, as he was short, EXTREMELY well-built (but not defined, which, to me, is much more impressive as it shows that the guy's focusing on strength and not looks), and just all-around intense. Joe tends to look very casual until the match starts, with an intense glare, but outside of that? Taz wins in the look department.

 

...and then Joe owns his ass with an Ole Kick, a Muscle Buster, and a Kokina Clutch. A match I'd love to see purely for the stiffness, though.

[Steviekick 0]

Who would be face/heel in this feud?

 

I think the match would be fun.

[Dangerous A 0]

As Laz brought up, they are the same ass kicking persona, but one is a loud and outward personality and the other is more quiet and subtle. Joe's body of work is more solid, but he also had a lot more freedoms and Taz was already working with a repaired broken neck when he started his big ECW push.

 

Would still have been a killer matchup.

[Guest Coffey]

Well, Taz wasn't a good worker and Samoa Joe is. So, if you're looking for a wrestling clinic, that match certainly wouldn't bring it. If you were looking for a brawl, I'm sure it could at least be entertaining. Especially if table spots were abundant. Taz was all about the table spots.

[razazteca 0]

Joe/Taz would be interesting...but Joe would totally outperform Taz in every manner except for maybe promo's and look. Taz had a perfect look for his gimmick, as he was short, EXTREMELY well-built (but not defined, which, to me, is much more impressive as it shows that the guy's focusing on strength and not looks), and just all-around intense. Joe tends to look very casual until the match starts, with an intense glare, but outside of that? Taz wins in the look department.

 

...and then Joe owns his ass with an Ole Kick, a Muscle Buster, and a Kokina Clutch. A match I'd love to see purely for the stiffness, though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Angry Man's Clothesline, Tazmission, and a long list of unusual suplexes makes me think it could be a time limit draw resulting with the fans chanting "5 more minutes".

[Guest Coffey]

Don't forget the Brooklyn Boot~!

[theintensifier 0]

I would like to see this match up. I think it'd be off the charts.

 

Hell, it'd pass Flair / Steamboat by miles.

[theintensifier 0]

Double Post.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I don't know about surpassing Flair/Steamboat, because it would have to have years of build up and emotion behind it that Flair/Steamboat had. I'm sure it would be one of the best matches in years though.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

EDIT: Double Post as well...what's up with the board?

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

I don't know about it being one of the best matches in a long time, but it'd certainly be a very fun match to watch. As long as Taz didn't do his bullshit no-selling constantly (that annoyed the fuck out of me with him when it was against people in ECW that were built as dangerous, ie. Tajiri, RVD, Sabu, Bigelow). I don't mind Taz popping back up after a big move early on and going "fuck you, punk!" before clotheslining somebody down, because that's just a cool spot to do...EARLY in the match. Not 14 minutes in when you should be worn down.

 

That said...I'd expect ***, maybe even ***3/4 for Taz's charisma, Joe's awesomeness, and the stiffness.

[Rendclaw 0]

its slow to load for some reason.

 

Taz circa 95-97 vs. Samoa Joe would be epic. Taz was a pretty decent worker. I just personally think he gets overlooked because of where he was instead of what he was doing. His entire gimmick during those days was that he rarely used weapons, because his hands were his weapons.

 

The matches with Shane Douglas were actually excellent leading up to Taz taking the World title off of him. But for maximum effect, it would have to be Taz during his TV title run. He had pretty much everything going for him from about

 

Taz may have been short (5'8"?), but was at least 240 legit and he packed a wallop in his strikes. Add that to his judo background and his suplexes, and I think it could have been a match for the ages. I could see Joe having a bit of a problem dealing with his low center of gravity and surprising strength, just as I could see Taz getting frustrated by Joe's quickness and ability to counter most of what Taz threw at him.

 

I could see a draw in one match, though in a best of seven series, I think Joe would win 4-3.

[theintensifier 0]

I was joking about being better than Flair and Steamboat. Even though I am not a huge fan of those matches, I am no idiot. I know classic when I see it.

 

But, I do think Taz and Joe would rule all. I'm a mark for insane suplexs and stiff wrestling. That's why I like AJPW pre 2000 so much. I don't care about selling when they're beating the shit out of each other, I just want to see mayhem.

[The Niggardly King 0]

It would be the most overrated match of the year.

[Guest Macaroni]

It would be the most overrated match of the year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Party Pooper! (j/k)

 

I'd mark out if Taz had to use ALL of the Tazplexes we've ever seen to try and put Joe away. That would be awesome, especially if the same was true for Joe (tries Chimera Plex, Muscle Buster, etc, but Taz always kicks out).

 

I don't know what others think, but if it was No DQ I think Taz should bust out a Kitchen Sink Tazplex if everything else fails. I'm sure there's one under the TNA ring at all times.

[theintensifier 0]

It would be the most overrated match of the year.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Why don't you take your opinions elsewhere. I remember you. You're the dude who looks old as hell and says he was born in '87. You friends with Feinstein ?

[Guest hasbeen]

Double-post, please remove.

[Guest hasbeen]

Working stiff is fine if you're watching on television, not to the opponent.

[NoCalMike 0]

I certainly would like to see it. Two guys who have "the look" and can work a stiff match.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Working stiff is fine if you're watching on television, not to the opponent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And if the guys can take it and make it look more devastating than it really is...which Joe can (and I'd presume Taz can also, seeing as how I never heard of too many Taz-related injuries to opponents).

[Guest Zarock]

I think it would be pretty good, probably in the ***-***3/4 range, maybe a full **** at best. I agree that the match would definetly be more overrated then anything just because of who's in it.

[Guest Happy Go Nowhere]

And if the guys can take it and make it look more devastating than it really is...which Joe can (and I'd presume Taz can also, seeing as how I never heard of too many Taz-related injuries to opponents).

 

The only one I remember was Sabu, but then, I'm pretty sure even I've injured Sabu and I've never met him.

[Rendclaw 0]

I still don't know how someone can blow a backdrop spot and break his neck... only Sabu..

[The Buzz 0]

Well Taz may not have been a good hold for hold "technical worker", which sometimes is confused with being a good worker. But I think he was a solid worker with good charisma. Taz vs Joe would have been intense with the fight night feeling in the air. Both men are favorites of mine so picking a winner is hard. So I pick the fans as the winner instead.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

I still don't know how someone can blow a backdrop spot and break his neck... only Sabu..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's called being tossed up too high and not flipping soon enough. I have a feeling he originally tried to take it as a flapjack, but then decided to try to turn it into a backdrop halfway through, and then couldn't flip over all the way.

[Silence 0]

I would like to see this match up. I think it'd be off the charts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Appropriate comment considering that's one of Tazz's lines during Smackdown commentary.