Torch Newsletter back issues from five years ago and ten years ago are republished at the Torch VIP website (www.pwtorch.com/members) every week featuring full reviews of Raw, Nitro, other TV shows, and PPVs, plus the Torch cover story, WWF Newswire, WCW Newswire, ECW Newswire, ETC Newswire, "Torch Talk" interviews, columns, and more. The following is an excerpt of that feature with a full review of WWF Raw from five years ago this week.

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Torch Newsletter Archive
By Jason Powell, Torch assistant editor
December 24, 1999 - ECW on TNN TV review
Originally published: Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly newsletter #582
Cover dated: January 1, 2000

1.1 rating

(Taped Dec. 17 in Nashville, Tenn.)… [Q1]… Joey Styles and Joel Gertner introduced the show from mid–ring. Cyrus walked to the ring and interrupted them. Cyrus told the announcers that the office hated the intro and asked them to re–shoot the scene. Cyrus said Styles did a nice job, but the office isn’t happy with Gertner. Gertner got angry and said he knows that there isn’t an office. Cyrus told him that while ECW may not have an office, he works for TNN. Cyrus took the mic and introduced Masato Tanaka who was sitting at ringside in the crowd. Judge Jeff Jones came to the ring and said Mike Awesome could beat Tanaka or Spike Dudley. Spike came to the ring and hit Jones with the Acid Drop. Awesome came to the ring and attacked Spike. Spike came back and went for the Acid Drop, but Awesome pushed him off and hit him with a stiff clothesline. Awesome press slammed Spike and threw him at Tanaka in the front row. Tanaka broke Spike’s fall and then ran in and brawled with Awesome. A short time later, security ran in and pulled Awesome and Tanaka apart. Paul Heyman came out and Cyrus told him, “You and I didn’t build this company from the bottom up by not giving the people what they want. Let them go. Have some balls.” After Cyrus’s baiting, Heyman gave in… The opening montage aired… (1) Masato Tanaka beat Mike Awesome (w/Judge Jeff Jones) to win the ECW Title in 10:00. The match was joined in progress. [C]

[Q2]… Awesome pulled a table out from under the ring and placed it in the ring. Later, Tanaka hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Awesome fired back with three stiff chairshots which Tanaka no–sold. Awesome drilled Tanaka with another chairshot and knocked him down to the mat. Awesome hit a running powerbomb for a nearfall. [C] Awesome set up Tanaka for a superplex, but Tanaka fought his way out of it and hit a tornado DDT off of the top rope and through a table. Awesome came back and tried to kick Tanaka, but Tanaka blocked the kick and fired back with the Roaring Elbow and scored the pin. After the match, Awesome shook Tanaka’s hand and then placed the belt around his waist. Awesome raised Tanaka’s hand and then clotheslined him. Awesome followed up with the Awesome Bomb through a table at ringside. A very good match. So many ECW Title matches have concluded with a handshake that Awesome’s attack came as a nice surprise… [C]

[Q3]… Backstage, Cyrus tried to congratulate Awesome on a nice match. Awesome grabbed Cyrus, shoved him into the wall, and yelled at him… Backstage, Rhino, Steve Corino, and Jack Victory walked out of a locker room. After the threesome cut a brief promo about beating someone up, a bloody Balls Mahoney crawled out of the locker room saying, “I’ll kill them.”… [C] (2) Super Crazy beat Ikuto Hidaka at 8:04. A lot of nice highspots and nice crowd heat. In the end, Crazy hit a great looking powerbomb for the pin. A very good match… [C]

[Q4]… Backstage, Awesome and Jones barged into what they thought was Heyman’s office, but found Lou E. Dangerously talking on the phone. Lou E. begged off and told Awesome he isn’t Heyman. Awesome walked to the bathroom. Jones bragged to Lou E. about being responsible for Awesome’s success. Awesome overheard, grabbed Jones, and threatened him… [C] (3) Raven & Tommy Dreamer (w/Francine) fought Angel & DeVito to a no–contest. The match was joined in progress. Seconds into the match, the Impact Players ran in and attacked Raven while the Baldies beat up Dreamer. The Players took Raven to ringside and walked him up to the TNN symbol. Jason handcuffed Raven’s hands in a crucifix pose to the TNN symbol. Justin hit Raven with a cane shot and then cut a brief promo. Dreamer crawled up the aisle with Francine to check on Raven. Gertner noted that Francine seemed more concerned with Raven than Dreamer… The announcers hyped next week’s show and the Awesome vs. Tanaka rematch… A good show with the exception of the final angle which came off looking rushed… [JP]

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