The ELIMINATORS vs. The GANGSTAS

Back to Spotlight Feuds
Home

From 1995 - 1997, along with The Dudley Boyz, these two duos were Extreme Championship Wrestling's (ECW) premier tag teams. They dominated the ranks. The Eliminators, comprised of John Kronus & Perry Saturn, continually amazed onlookers with their far above average mat wrestling skills and spectacular high-flying tactics. Both weighed over 220 lb., but they always insisted upon hitting a high spot or two each match. Not only that, but they did the moves with such spectacular grace that, for most other men their size, is not only unheardof, but damn near impossible! Kronus never bored fans with his high-flying antics, most notably his Space Flying Kronus Drop (Handspring Backflip Plancha), Second-Rope Twisting Somersault Senton Splash, Top-Rope Corkscrew Bodysplash, and, among others, his finisher, the 450 Splash (Top-Rope Flying Somersault Bodysplash).

Saturn was an incredible technical wrestler, which is evident by his trademark manuevers, such as Northern Lights Suplex, Release German Suplex, and, his finishers, the Death Valley Driver, Rings of Saturn (Armbar/Armscissors combo), Rings of Saturn II (Neck/Stepover Armbar Submission combo), and the Three-Wheeled Moss-Covered Family Crudunza (Swinging Fisherman Cradle). His high-flying expertise are matched by very few (including Kronus), and include the Double-Jump Saturnsault (Double-Jump Quebrada), Saturnsault (Top-Rope Moonsault), Saturnsault Quebrada (Arabian Press), and Top-Rope Frankensteiner. He also has a solid repertoire of other various manuevers, including the Belly-To-Belly Overhead Suplex, Brainbuster, Saturn Bomb (Falcon Arrow), Sidekick (his trademark while as an Eliminator), T-Bone Suplex, Top-Rope Flying Elbow Drop, and others.

The Gangstas, meanwhile, were...well...street thugs. Mustafa and New Jack let their fists, along with various dangerous appliances (such as cheesegraters, forks, staple guns, steel chairs, and writing utensils) do their talking. Jack's finishing move is the 1-8-7- Chairshot, a flying chairshot off of the top-rope. Mustafa, meanwhile, doesn't really have a finisher. He just brawls. However, while The Gangstas can't wrestle very well, the fans love them for their seemingly unending desire to hurt people. While that may sound cruel and unusual, your on a professional wrestling site, so zip it! The Elimators vs. Gangstas feud is one of ECW's greatest tag team sagas ever.

On May 11, 1996, at A Matter of Respect, The Eliminators teamed with Brian Lee to take on The Gangstas' and Tommy Dreamer. The Gangstas' team eventually won when Jack pinned Saturn at 20:46. On June 1, at the "Fight the Power" supercard, the main event saw The Eliminators successfully defend their ECW World Tag Team Titles (which they had won on February 3, 1996, from Cactus Jack & Mikey Whipwreck) against The Gangstas. At Hardcore Heaven, on June 22, 1996, the teams faced off in a rematch, and, once again, The Eliminators retained their titles.

Their streak had to end sometime, though, and it did. On August 3, 1996, at The Doctor is In supercard, a Four-Way Tag Team Title bout featured The Eliminators defending their titles against The Bruise Brothers (Don & Ron Harris), The Samoan Gangsta Party, and The Gangstas. First, The Samoan Gangsta Party was eliminated, followed by The Bruise Brothers. It was no down to defending champs, The Eliminators, and The Gangstas. In the end, New Jack gained the pinfall and the titles, making The Gangstas the new ECW World Tag Team Champions.

At Natural Born Killaz (named after The Gangstas), on August 24, 1996, the main event featured a "Steel Cage Weapons Tag Team Title Match," pitting the defending champs, The Gangstas, against The Eliminators." The steel cage is about 5/6 as tall as the usual WWF steel cage (not a Hell in the Cell cage). Jack and Saturn focused on eachother, while Mustafa took it to Kronus. Saturn leaped off the top of the cage several times (including once on the concrete floor), catching his opponents with clotheslines, elbow drops, splashes, etc. Midway through the match, a guy with a mask (and carrying a guitar) appears and climbs up to the top of the cage. New Jack meets him up there, only to get the guitar smashed over his head. The suspect unmasks, and it's "The Franchise," SHANE DOUGLAS, making his return to ECW!!!

Douglas appears to be rooting for The Eliminators. Mustafa digs Kronus's forehead open with a fork, causing him to bleed really bad. Since it was a weapons match, a fork (as I said before), computer keyboard, radio, and a few other tools came into use. The teams used the steel as a weapon several times, throwing their opponents into it or raking their faces on it. In the end, Jack came off one of the top rungs of the cage and connected with the 1-8-7, allowing The Gangstas to retain their titles. After the match, The Eliminators were blaming eachother for the loss, but Douglas calms them down and flashes the Triple Threat symbol, which quiets them. The Eliminators became official members of Triple Threat, along with Douglas, after this match.

At November to Remember '96 (November 16, 1996), The Eliminators wrestled twice. In their first match, they took on Rob Van Dam & Sabu. It was undoubtedly a classic, and most who've seen it rate it about ****1/2 (stars) (out of a possible *****), so it was absolutely spectacular. The winners will get a shot at The Gangstas'' World Tag Team Titles later on in the night. Sabu and Saturn start, but it's not long before all four members are brawling. When order's finally restored, Sabu is able to hit a Springboard Top-Rope Flying Leg Drop, followed by an Arabian Facebuster (chair-assisted leg drop) on Kronus. When RVD enters, he's quickly hit with some of The Eliminators' trademark sidekicks.

Sabu tosses a chair into the ring that hits Saturn, which prompts all four superstars to begin brawling outside of the ring. Back in the ring, Sabu hits his Air Sabu manuever on Kronus (running chair-assisted heelkick). Saturn eventually hits a flying clothesline that sends both opponents out of the ring. Kronus hits a nice-looking Moonsault onto Sabu, who's standing on the concrete floor. RVD then catches both opponents on the outside with a spectacular Flying Somersault Senton Splash. Sabu climbs into the ring and flies out with a Springboard Plancha.

A table's set up, forming a bridge between the guardrail and ring apron. After several reversals, Sabu DDT's Saturn through the table and onto the concrete floor!!! After several more high-flying manuevers from both teams, the bell rings signaling for a time limit draw. Todd Gordon sets up what looks to be a spectacle: a three-way dance pitting The Eliminators against RVD & Sabu against The Gangstas' for the TAG Titles is set up for later in the night. This prompts the ECW Arena fans to go nuts.

The match begins with RVD and Mustafa taking it to eachother in the crowd, Saturn and Sabu brawling at the top of the entrance ramp, and Jack and Kronus attacking eachother with various weapons. Kronus is bleeding pretty badly only a few minutes in. RVD hits a somersault senton to the outside, while Saturn follows with a plancha. A table is once again set up to form a bridge, and it's not long before someone crashes through it, that being when Sabu misses a somersault senton, and lands on his back on the concrete!

Taz comes running out and locks on the Tazmission on RVD. This distracts Sabu long enough for The Eliminators to sneak up behind him and ground him with their Total Elimination for the 1-2-3, eliminating his team. Jack coems off the top-rope and catches Saturn with his 1-8-7 Chairshot, which is enough for the 1-2-3, allowing The Gangstas' to retain their titles.

Tag Team Match Results:

One-On-One Match Results:

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1