12 WWE Rematches That Are Better Than The Original Classic

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

ECW had many famous rivalries. Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn, Raven vs Tommy Dreamer and Taz vs Sabu are but a few examples of compelling feuds to come out of the Phladelphia group. ECW also had a fantastic import rivalry in Masato Tanaka vs Mike Awesome. The two brought a level of Japanese-style brutality never before seen in a North American wrestling promotion. The two hit each other with full on suplexes, strikes and chair shots. Their most famous match was at the Heat Wave 1998 pay-per-view, frequently cited by fans as the best PPV that ECW ever produced. Tanaka and Awesome completely stole the show that night, as they did any time they were in the ring together. Fast forward seven years later and the WWE-produced ECW One Night Stand offered another Tanaka vs Awesome encountered which would steal the show once more. Many people who doubted that the broken-down Awesome could still go were left red-faced after he put everything on the line in an incredibly gutsy performance (which earned him yet another knee surgery). Very much an abbreviated version of their feud, the match at One Night Stand managed to cram in the best bits into a breezy ten minutes. Even JBL, who hated ECW and everything it stood for, gave the men a standing ovation afterwards.