early in 1997, the antagonism between sabu and taz was growing, as taz attacked sabu's partner, rob van dam, costing the team matches with the eliminators and other teams. in the months leading to ecw's first pay-per-view, taz would choke out low-level wrestlers with the "tazmission" due to viewing his matches as secondary to his rivalry with sabu. he then dominated another series of matches with van dam before meeting sabu at barely legal, where taz defeated him with the "tazmission", only to have his manager bill alfonso turn on him and join sabu and his partner rob van dam. in response, taz began teaming with chris candido to face sabu and van dam.