WCW Houston, Round 1, Match 4: #18 Taz vs. #47 Rikishi

[Shocky]

The following match takes place in the WCW Region under WCW Rules, from Houston, TX. The ring entrance and ring are equal height.

#18. "The Human Suplex Machine" Taz

vs.

#47. Rikishi "And My Ass is" Phatu

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

I'm a big fan of Taz. He was great fun to watch. It's a shame that he hurt his neck. That being said, I have to vote for Rikishi. Taz is known for being The Human Suplex Machine, but he wouldn't be able to get the big man up. Rikishi is just too big for Taz to handle. I understand that the Tazmission can be applied on anyone, but I don't think Taz could bring Keesh down with it. Taz is big for a small guy, but Rikishi is big for anyone. He's stronger than Taz and nearly as quick. He's probably smarter to. Rikishi wins this match.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Taz may be known as being the Human Suplex Machine, but that wasn't entirely what he was about. And even if it was, he's thrown people a similar size to Rikishi. He's all about judo and that shit, isn't he? Hence why he was also so good at using his opponents weight and momentum against them. The Tazmission is also a move that could take anyone out, big or small.

My vote goes to Taz.

 

[Tastycles]

This could be a close one. Rikishi was suprisingly agile for such a fat bastard, and as one of the headshrinkers had a more traditional Samoan build, and I thouth he was much better then. (For more traditional, read not a fatty)

Tazz never managed to take off in WWE, but he was the first man to beat Kurt Angle, and although Taz was a suplex machine, his main weapon was the tasmission which would still work on Rikishi. But as Sam said, suplexes aren't as difficult to carry out on large wrestlers than some other moves, and hewould be able to suplex Rikishi enough to wear him down for a tazmission and the win.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'll go with Taz as well. He easily handled himself against Bam Bam who was just as big and far better than Rikishi. Taz didn't win, but he's against a weaker opponent here. The key to the Bigelow match was that Taz got the Tazmission on him. If he can get it on him he can get it on Rikishi. The fat man goes down.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Rikishi was quick for his size and dangerous in the ring but Tazz has beaten Bigelow so I don't see him having any trouble beating Rikishi. Tazz makes Rikishi submit.

 

[jmt225]

Lol, in his prime, Taz would've fucking DESTROYED Rikishi, no matter what company it was in. Taz was that fucking bad ass and dominant. Rikishi wouldn't stand a chance.

And as a worker, Taz was far superior. Taz has the better match résumé, could cut way better promos, and had a way better, more entertaining character. The only thing Rikishi ever had to offer was a little charisma and a fat ass for people to laugh at. That was it.

Taz definitely deserves to get past here.

 

[butsecks]

people seem to underestimate rikishi...he was quick and pretty agile....taz just had suplexes and submissions....he was never quick...short bugger is overrated in my opinion....it would be a good fight between the two, but rikishi would win this...

 

[2012isbs]

I say tazz Rikishi wqas fat which means he has less stamina which is key to surviving the tazzmission plus Tazz in his prime is kick ass. He fell through a ring and an entrance ramp two of ECW's many big spots.

 

[SavageTaker]

i think that taz will take the win here.like it was said before he beat Bigelow so i think he can also beat kishi.Also i think taz would be smart enough to modify his style a little bit so that he has a greater chance.Overall taz takes the win here but kishi will put up a good fight only to tap out to the human suplex machine.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

If I recall, Taz lost to Bigelow, but he did hold his own. Rikishi really is under rated here. Big Keesh went two to two with The Rock and others. He was a force in matches like The Rumble and HIAC. He's stronger than Taz and just as fast. Rikishi should win here.

 

[Hacksaw Highway]

This is a tough one. Taz has beaten bigger oponents than himself before, most obviously Bam Bam, but Rikishi is a big, strong, fast beats with a good offence. I think this one would go on for quite a while with the two being almost evenly matched, but after a while it would come down to stamina and I thin kTaz definately wins in that department. If Rikishi hit a big power move early he could take it, but I still vote Taz.

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

So, Taz has beaten big men before.. Does that mean if I say that Rikishi has beaten short, fat men, he'll automatically win? NO! Rikishi's power would ultimately be too much for Taz in this match up. Remember, Rikishi was main-eventing with the likes of HHH, Stone Cold, and The Rock. What did Taz ever do outside of a hardcore enviroment? Oh yeah, he broke his neck.

 

[jmt225]

So, Taz has beaten big men before.. Does that mean if I say that Rikishi has beaten short, fat men, he'll automatically win? NO! Rikishi's power would ultimately be too much for Taz in this match up. Remember, Rikishi was main-eventing with the likes of HHH, Stone Cold, and The Rock. What did Taz ever do outside of a hardcore enviroment? Oh yeah, he broke his neck.

Taz had HHH beat one time before Stephanie McMahon interfered and Tommy Dreamer nailed Taz with a chair, and Taz has victories over Kurt Angle, Bam Bam Bigelow, Mike Awesome, and Rob Van Dam. Who exactly has Rikishi ever beaten?

 

[DhA]

I'm pretty sure Taz would own, he looekd legit tough wit hthe Tazmission, whilst Rikishi's claim to fame is being a pawn in Triple H's Game.

 

[Theo Mays]

I'm going Rikishi here. Taz has thrown in down with big men before, but I think Rikishi could take him. I'm not confident Taz would be able to toss Rikishi around with all those suplexes. Rikishi will hit a big samoan drop and then the Rump Shaker (bonzai drop) and Rikishi pulls the upset.

 

[NSL]

Taz will win this with a Tazmission. He wouldn't have any problems Tazplexing Rikishi, as he has massive upper body strength, and that's all he needs to pull it off. The way he has the Tazmission locked in would help him with the suplex too.

To anyone that doubts Taz's talents, he was basically Samoa Joe, when Samoa Joe was still feeling up titties in his high school gym. He can suplex, he can make anyone tap out, and he can take a beating.

 

[Shocky]

Tazmission, choke out and done. Rikishi was nothing but a gimmick, and a bad gimmick. A fat man in a thong, whoopy. The guy was terrible all around, and was only memorable for falling of the cell and getting his ass kicked by Steve Austin, oh, and shoving his ass in someones face. I think this feud happened, and Taz won could be wrong. However, Taz made Bam Bam tap out, and he damn sure could make Phatu tap.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

As jmt225 already pointed out, Tazz, in his prime, would have destroyed Rikishi. And, as Shockmaster already pointed out, Rikishi was nothing more than his gimmick. Seriously, what else did Rikishi have to his (dis)credit besides breaking out in dance from time to time and giving people stink faces? Ultimately, Rikishi was nothing more than a gimmick that people can justifiably use to argue that The Attitude Era was done in extremely poor taste (although, Rikishi and some other things aside, I loved The Attitude Era).

Pick: Tazz