Posted September 27, 201015 yr comment_5456334 I really loved this match. FBI essentially work as faces here, though they still engage in some heel antics with Rich suckering Storm on the floor and the like. Candido/Storm were working an early version of "tag partners that don't get along" so there was a lot of teased dissension but nothing that hindered the work. In fact it enhanced the match as you bought the FBI as a threat which normally you might not have. Storm clearly looked the worst out of everyone in this but no one looked bad. Really loved Guido busting out a frankensteiner of all things early, and man were the Smothers/Candido exchanges good. They busted out a lot of the stuff from the SMW playbook, including some great rope running spots, a really cool series with Candido hitting his tope rope rana, but missing his diving headbutt, a great chop exchange in the corner with Smothers lighting him up and spitting in Chris face after getting the same treatment a second earlier, and a cool spot on the floor built around Candido avoiding his staple through the ropes double boot. Build to the finish was really cool as well, with a teased superbomb from Storm, a cool double leapfrog spot from the heels, et. Finish itself was fairly weak, but this was still a very strong match.
December 1, 201014 yr comment_5458946 ECW World Tag Titles: "No Gimmicks Needed" Chris Candido & Lance Storm © vs. The Full Blooded Italians (Little Guido & Tracy Smothers) (3/6/98) Here are the partners that hate each other gimmick that Russo would steal and use to death but they would actually keep it civil by working as a team. FBI were the faces here although they didn't change their style. Jesus, Candido was jacked to the fucking gills here, he looked like he was about to explode. The Candido/Smothers exchanges were the best part of this match by far as they had good chemistry against each other going back to the SMW days. Guido was fun here as well and Storm was good taking punishment leading to a fun stretch run and finish making this a nomination.
December 6, 201014 yr comment_5459842 Chris Candido & Lance Storm vs. FBI (ECW TV 1998 5) - The early section with Storm was real pretty. Great execution. Smothers takes a nasty jump to the guardrail that looked pretty sick. Still Candido and Storm end up as the team in peril. Man, that stretch run with Candido and Sotrm fighting and simultaneously getting the better of FBI was sweet. I’ll have to rewatch this but this may be the most flawlessly executed match on the set. Easy nomination… and the commercial break came at the very beginning of the match.
