10 Wrestling Matches That Were Difficult To Watch Live

9. Mike Awesome Vs. Masato Tanaka (ECW One Night Stand 2005)

Eddie Guerrero Judgement Day 2004
WWE.com

Any of Mike Awesome and Masato Tanaka's big ECW matches could've occupied this spot, as each one is carried by sheer recklessness and a mutual disregard for each other's wellbeing. November To Remember 1999 was probably their most memorable, action-packed scrap, but One Night Stand 2005 beats it in terms of pure brutality.

It was peppered with the usual nutty spots, and enhanced by Joey Styles' unfiltered hatred for Awesome (who'd "sold out" by trading ECW for WCW in 2000) on commentary. Mike put Tanaka through hell, and the Japanese scrapper responded with trademark fire, popping straight up from a number of huge moves throughout, though he almost certainly lost a few dozen braincells along the way.

A particularly nasty Awesome Bomb saw Masato dropped straight onto his head, with his cranium taking further damage through several unprotected chairshots. These were gut-wrenching. Not only did Tanaka absorb each blow with his skull, but, in a ghoulish tribute to their older bouts, he no-sold several, roaring at Awesome for more.

The shots are even tougher to watch today than 13 years ago, but there was nothing fun about them at the time either.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.