WARNING: The below text is not recommended to be read by the easily offended or squeamish.
Originally Written: April 21, 2002
"ECW Wrestlepalooza '97" Video Review
Copyright Info:
Copyright ECW Home Video. All Rights Reserved.
This is an official ECW Home Video commercial release. It's not distributed by Pioneer Entertainment. This was released in 1997 by ECW itself. Wrestlepalooza 1997 was after ECW's inaugural Pay-Per-View, Barely Legal, but wasn't a PPV, just a sueprcard. It's regarded as one of ECW's greatest events ever, with at least three historic moments: Dreamer/Raven's greatest battle of all, Jerry Lawler's ECW debut, and a battle between Sabu and Taz. This was around ECW's greatest periods. I bought this video from RFVideo, who are very reputable dealers. So, without further ado, let's begin the review of ECW Wrestlepalooza '97...
"ECW Wrestlepalooza '97," Copyright 1997, by ECW Commercial Home Video. All rights reserved.
- ECW Home Video Copyright Info. June 7, 1997: Wrestlepalooza '97. Fade out.
- Joey Styles is in the middle of the ring. "EC-Dub!" chant. "Hello everyone, and welcome to Wrestlepalooza '97! I'm Joey Styles at the world famous ECW Arena in sunny South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and at this time, I would like to introduce the man who has revolutionized wrestling television announcing as we know it - the one, the only, 'Ravishing' Rick Rude! Rude's trademark music hits and outcomes the legend himself, to a huge pop. He climbs into the ring, shakes Joey's hand, and does his trademark taunt. Joey tries to do it, but just doesn't feel right.
Rude: "Cut the music!" Joey: "All kidding aside, Rick, we've got serious business tonight. Stevie Richards is sidelined. We don't know how long - it may be forever - with a series of injuries. So tonight, Terry Funk will defend the ECW World Heavyweight Title against Chris Candido." Rude: "First of all, my prayers go out to Stevie Richards. I hope he has a speedy recovery from a spinal injury. Second of all, Terry Funk has been thrown a curveball, having to defend his title against a man he hasn't had time to prepare for. I think tonight might be Chris Candido's chance of a lifetime."
Joey: "Also, tonight the feud will end. It is the final battle between Raven and Tommy Dreamer!" Rude: "It's put up or shut up time for Tommy Dreamer, but I think tonight he will fullfill his dream and Raven will fly the coop." Joey: "We are also going to see an interesting tag team matchup, as The Dudleyz, the former world tag team champions, take on the combination of The Sandman and Balls Mahoney, and at the end of the night, the winner of that matchup will face The Eliminators for the world tag team title belts." Rude: "Balls Mahoney and The Sandman are my kind of guy - they're two of the most unpredictable and toughest men in this sport, but The Dudleyz are men on a mission. They had a taste of that world title, and you know they want it back."
Joey: "And that not all because we have moved a match from our August 17 Pay-Per-View, Hardcore Heaven '97, and here tonight at Wrestlepalooza, you will see the 'grudge rematch of the century,' as the "Human Highlight Reel,' Sabu," will once again collide with the "Human Suplex Machine,' Taz. "Sabu, the greatest aerial wrestler I've ever seen, and Taz, on the otherhand, is the best mat wrestler in in the world today. Buckle your seat belts - This is gonna' be a hell of a match!" Joey: "Since you've behaved so well and we're speaking of buckling seatbelts, is there anything you'd like to say about Francine, who's in the building?" Rude: "Francine, what can I tell ya'? You must be insane! My crank is ten times bigger than Shane! [does 'the dance']" Rude's music hits, and he urges Joey to do the dance, too, but he just doesn't feel right doing it. The two walk out of the ring, slap some fans hands, and get ready to commentate. Fade out.
- "Perfect Strangers" hits, and out comes "The Head Cheerleader," (not quite "The Queen of Extreme"...yet) Francine, followed by the ECW Television Champion," "The Franchise," Shane Douglas, dressed in his typical yellow tights. Francine, by the way, is looking hot in snakeskin. Francine walks straight toward the camera [Joey: "Hello!"] and signals for the camera to come closer [Joey: "She's not talkin' to me..."]. The ECW Television Title will be on the line. Joey: "Boy, would I like to see her shit...Hey, it's home video. I can say these things." Shane: "Hey, old man. I think it goes like this. Cut the fuckin' music! [music is cut]. Francine's got somethin' she wants to show ya'll. Sorry, not that...ha ha ha ha ha!" A "She's a whore!" chant begins. Shane yells at the fans for disrespecting Francine, who soon pulls a Philadelphia Flyers t-shirt out of a bag. They were swept in four straight games by the Detroit Red Wings. Shane uses a mop and push the shirt out of the ring. Shane holds his title belt high above his head.
Some new music hits, and out comes "The Rookie," Chris Chetti, who at the time was only six months into his career. He's dressed in purple attire and has black hair, unlike his current blonde hair (it's probably died). Joey mentions that he's a former-"New York State high school wrestling champion." Shane offers Chetti an oppurtunity: they can either swing chairs, wrestle hardcore all night, or they can give the poor Philadelphia sports fans some exciting athletecism and actually wrestle. Chetti agrees to a grappling match and they shake hands. Bob Artese introduces Chetti first, then Francine, and then Douglas. Joey says Chetti is 227 lb. The referee checks each participant for foreign objects, and once the ring clears, we're finally ready for our first match, with the ECW Television Title on the line.
1. ECW Television Title Match: CHRIS CHETTI vs. SHANE DOUGLAS (C) (w/ "The Head Cheerleader," Francine)
Tieup. Clean break in the corner. Douglas gives Chetti props and they shake hands. Another tieup. Shane backs him into the corner, but no clean break, as he hammers Chetti a few times. Irish whip. Chetti slides through Shane's legs, and takes him down with a back double-leg takedown. Two dropkicks send Shane out of the ring. Chetti hits a pescado (slingshot bodypress). He kicks Shane and then rolls him back into the ring. 2. Armdrag takedown. Now with an armbar. Shane reverses it into a headscissors. Chetti rolls through. 2. They do a rolling bridge sequence. Chetti hits another armbar takedown, and holds it in place. Armringer. He lifts Shane high in the air twice. 2. Two punches. Whip. Drop toehold. He locks on an armringer. Shane whips him, but Cheti reverses. Shane goes into the corner. And gets back elbowed down. He gets up and is superkicked down. Francine puts Shane's leg on the ropes. Chetti goes and backs her, but gets baseball slide dropkicked into the guardrail by Shane.
Shane whips Chetti into the guardrail, and then scoop slams him on the conrcete. Inverted atomic drop crotches Chetti on the guardrail. Shane chairshots him off. Shane picks him up and brings him back into he ring. He delayed vertical suplexes him off the apron and into the ring. He does Rick Rude's taunt, angering the crowd. He kicks Chetti, and then gets a chair from Francine. He swacks Chetti twice. He then sets it up in the middle of the ring. Francine distracts the referee on the apron. Chetti flips out of a backdrop suplex, and facebusters Shane onto the chair. 2. Some punches. Whips. Dropkick sends Shane down. 2. Scoop slam. Chetti hits a missle dropkick. 2. Chetti whips him into the corner and he (Shane) comes running right back into a back body drop. Chetti then springboard moonsaults off the top (a quebrada would end up becoming his future finisher), but overshoots Shane, who's up. He lands on his feet, though, but charges right into Shane's belly-to-back suplex. 1-2-3 (6:52).
WINNER & STILL ECW Television Champion: Shane Douglas
Shane Douglas retains his ECW Television Title, and Francine gives the belt to him, which he holds high. They celebrate in the ring with a kiss, and "Perfect Strangers" hits. Francine carries the belt out of the ring for him, and then gets into the face of the camera and tells us who ECW's top man is. Fade out.
POST-MATCH NOTES: This was a good opener. I don't know why they had
Shane do the post-match wrestling speech, as he kept his promise
for most of the match, and it kind of hurt his heel standing a
bit. Nonetheless, Chetti was very impressive. That was my first
Chetti match, and I'm rather impressed. I'd probably guess that
Shane actually was impressed with previous matches of Chetti's,
and that's probably why he offered the wrestling match. It
probably was fairly legitimate. Shane knows the business, and he
knows when he sees talent. It's not a definite, but I wouldn't be
surprised if their was legitimacy to his pre-match speech. The
match was entertaining. It had a bit of hardcore brawling, but
most of it was all mat wrestling. Great submission holds and some
nice counters. It was rather fast-paced, so it was very
impressive. I really don't have many complaints about it. I
didn't see any obvious botched moves, which is a rarity, and the
ironic thing is that Shane didn't really carry Chetti to the good
match. Chetti did a great job himself, and got out tons of
offense, even more so than Shane. The finish was good, too, with
Chetti doing the top-rope backflip and running straight into
Shane's belly-to-back suplex. I'd actually like to have seen the
match given more time to develop. However, considering how much
time they had (about seven minutes), they put out a very good
match.
RATING: **1/8
- We immediately cut to the next match. The Fully Bloodied Italians (or FBI, for short) are entering to tons of boos. This is a few years before Tony Mamaluke and Big Sal E. Graziano joined the bunch; This version features Little Guido Maritato (sp?), Tracey Smothers, and former-NWA World Heavyweight Champion and Triple H idol Tommy Rich. Rich is wearing a green jacket. They're wearing their trademark green t-shirts. The fans boo the hell out of them, and they do the chin thing (which means "f*ck you" in sign language). Their theme is "Stayin' Alive." They enter the ring and Tommy waves the Italian national flag.
Then some different music hits, and from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Pitbulls! They immediately scare off the FBI Pitbull #1 has returned from his broken neck courtesy of Shane Douglas. They do their barking taunt. The FBI is introduced first. Bob Artese introduces him as "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, but to get more heel heat, Tommy tells him to introduce him as "The Big Don." Guido, and then Smothers, is introduced (both supposedly from Sicily). At a combined 600 lb., The Pitbulls are introduced. Joey: "The Pitbulls are as menacing as the FBI is comedic." Rich clears the ring, and we're ready to start.
2. The FBI (Little Guido Maritato & Tracey Smothers) (w/ "The Big Don" Tommy Rich) vs. The PITBULLS (Pitbull #1 & Pitbull #2)
Guido and #2 start off. The FBI take off their green shirts. He ducks #2's attack and does an obscene gesture toward #1. He again ducks #2. Rich climbs onto the apron, distracting #2, and Guido kicks him in the ass! #2 begins chasing him, so Guido runs out of the ring. He climbs back in, but his path is cut off by #1. He turns around and sees #2. The Pitbulls charge and double sandwhich him down. Smothers comes in and gets double clotheslined. Armringer on Guido by #2. He tags in #1, who locks on the same hold. They each clamp down on it and then enzui lariat Guido down. #1 hammers Guido. Armringer again, and a sidekick to the face (Booker T's Harlem Sidekick). Another armringer. Guido escapes with an eye rake, and in the corner hits three kicks and a chop. He whips #1 to the opposite corner. He charges, but eats an elbow, and is then clotheslined. #1 then drops him with a hangman's neckbreaker. Smothers enters and misses a clothesline. He does an erotic dance towards #2, but turns around and is tossed across the ring with #1's belly-to-belly suplex. They rise and #1 bashes their heads together [Joey: "There's a meeting of the minds...or lack thereof."], but they don't go down, so #2 sends them to the mat with a top-rope flying double clothesline. #1 covers Guido. 2.
Side headlock. Nice headlock takeoever. Grounded side headlock. #2 tries to get in to attack Guido, so the referee must fend him off. Guido quickly rises and whips #1 into the ropes. With the referee distracted, Rich pulls down the top-rope and #1 tumbles over and out. Guido flips off #2, and then gets in a blow to him, further iring him. The ref still fends him off. On the outside, Rich atomic drops #1, crotching him on the guardrail. Guido continues angering #2. Rich tosses #1 in the ring. Guido kicks him and tags in Smtohers, who kicks him four times. He forarems him a few times on the ground ["You jackoff!" chant begins]. He tags in Guido, and they double whip #1, and put him down with double back elbows. They then drop double elbows. Guido covers. 2. He kicks #1 in the back and the dropkicks him down. Snapmare out of the corner. Rear chinlock. #1 quickly rises and is whipped into the ropes. He sunset flips over Guido and eventually brings him down. The ref is distracted by Smothers, and eventually counts. 2.
Guido again hits #2, so he tries to get in, and the ref must fend him off. Meanwhile, the FBI double team #1 with kicks. Smothers is tagged in. #1 fights back with punches, but is eye raked. Smothers hammers him and tags in Guido. Double whip on #1, but he ducks a double clothesline and hits his own. Guido's uip and misses an elbow drop, and so does Smothers. #1 tags in #2, who double clotheslines the each opponent down several times. He tries to bash their heads together, but the FBI fight out of it and double whip him. They bend down for a back drop, but he knees Smothers down and powerbombs Guido. Smothers breaks up the pin at 2 and starts hammering #2. Whip's reversed and #2 swinging powerslams Smothers, and then throws him to the mat with a gorilla press. He clotheslines him out of the ring, and then punches Guido down, while #1 knocks Rich off the apron. #2 climbs up to the second rope and sits on the top, while #1 atomic drops him up to his partner. #2 leaps off and tosses Guido across the ring with a Superbomb! #1 knocks Smothers off the apron, allowing #2 to pin Guido: 1-2-3 (7:34)! The Pitbulls win!
WINNERS: The Pitbulls
- After the match, The Pitbulls immediately roll out of the ring, while Rich attends to the fallen Guido. The referee holds up #2's hand, and The Pitbulls raise their arms in triumph, while the FBI yells at them from in the ring.. #1 says that the viewer is looking at the next tag team champions. Fade out.
POST-MATCH NOTES: The match wasn't bad. It wasn't as good as the
opener, but it was fairly watchable. This was my first FBI match,
and they got significant offense. They played up their heel
personas to perfection, continually angering botht he fans and
their opponents. The Pitbulls played their monster personas well,
too. This was your typical face-heel battle, and each side played
their roles well. Nice finish, with The Pitbulls Superbombing
Guido. Smothers isn't very athletic. I've always heard of him as
being a great wrestler, but he was not very impressive. Guido was
good. He's very athletic, and a great wrestler. He's also in
great shape for his size. This match wasn't bad, but it was
nowhere near great.
RATING: *3/8
- Next up, the Dudley clan enters, consisting of Big Dick, Buh Buh Ray, D-Von, Joel Gertner, and Sign Guy. Sign Guy has a "U Still Suck" sign. Big Dick is huge. They have no music. D-Von is carrying a chair.Buh Buh has an exchange with the original Sign Guy, who's at ringside, and the mentally challenged fan sitting to the right of him. They then enter the ring. The fans despise these guys. A "Fuck You, D-Von!" chant begins. D-Von has the mic, and insults the crowd and the Philadelphia Flyers (man, that team must really suck). He then gives the mic to Joel Gertner, but takes it back and gives it to Buh Buh Ray.
Buh Buh: "B-B-Blow me, [bleep out; I imagine it was "bitch"]! [another five-or-so second bleep out] [to the mentally challenged fan next to the original Sign Guy (the one in the tye-dye shirt)] Where's your signs, boy? Did I scare you, boy? Where'd you get that shirt, boy? Somebody hold you by your ankles and you went in the pool of the people's box (truthfully, that's what it sounded like; I don't know what it's supposed to mean, but it was rather muffled, so I probably misheard it) and pulled that fuckin' thing out? Wow, you're fucking tough. It took Buh Buh Ray fuckin' Dudley to take the fuckin' Sign Guy out. You nothin' but a [bleep]."
After a few more inaudible words, he gives the mic to D-Von, who calls the crowd "ungrateful, imbred pieces of shit." Joel Gertner is given the mic and insults the Detroit Red Wings: "4-2, 4-2, 6-1...Sounds like The Dudley Boyz beating The Eliminators in a game of tennis. You people should all be shot at sunrise." He then insults a "fat slob sitting in the second row," whose name is supposedly Stanley. He praises the Ringley Brothers Circus, but since all the freaks are here at the show, it sure looks like the circus is in town.
He goes on to introduce "'The Quintessential Stud Miffin,' Joel 'Electric Boogaloo' Gertner" (himself). He then introduces his "adopted family": first Sign Guy, then Big Dick, then "the most righteous brother in the building, the holy terror," D-Von (at 257 lb.), and then Buh Buh Ray (no weight given). "And now that you people have had the oppurtunity to clap for us like circus seals, as we prepare to demolish the team of 'Drunk and Drunker,' music man, if you would do me the honor, send in the clowns..."
The familiar tunes of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" hits, and the fans immediately join in by clapping to the beat. Once the melody of "Exit Light! Enter Night!" hits, Balls Mahoney and Sandman come out to a hugepop. Sandman has his cane, a beer, and a cigarette, while Balls has a chair. Sandman raises his cane, and the fans go nuts. They walk towards the ring. Sandman takes out his cigar, raises his beer, and he and Balls toast them. Both then down a can, bash it against their heads, and spit some into the growd. They walk around the ring for awhile as the fans go bananas. Sandman is so damn over, it's incredible.
Sandman tosses some beer at Buh Buh Ray, blows some smoke into the ring. Balls and him again toast the beer on the outside of the ring. Sandman drinks some a whole glass of beer, bashes it against his head, and spits it all into Buh Buh Ray's face, who's on the turnbuckle! Buh Buh tries to attack him, but is restrained by his clan. Balls and Sandman climb ointo the apron, and raise the cane (Sandman) and chair (Balls), as the the tune goes back to it's melody. Buh Buh Ray has a chair. Balls and Sandman enter the ring. Balls takes off his black leather jacket, revealing a white muscle shirt. Talk about being out of shape...
Bob Artese first introduces Balls as from Nutley, New Jersey and at 351 lb. He raises his chair into the air and gets a nice pop. A small "Balls!" chant begins. Sandman is then introduced as from South Sandy, Utah and at 264 lb. He gets a huge pop. Remember, the winner of this match gets a shot at The Eliminators ECW World Tag Team Titles later tonight.
3. Winner Gets an ECW World Tag Team Title Shot At The Eliminators Later That Night: The DUDLEY BOYZ (Buh Buh Ray & D-Von Dudley) (w/ Big Dick , Joel Gertner, and Sign Guy Dudley) vs. BALLS MAHONEY & The SANDMAN
The match immediately begins, and Balls attacks D-Von, while Sandman targets BBR. Balls whips D-Von and clotheslines him down. 2. Sandman whips BBR and back elbows him down. Each face hammers his target. "Balls!" chant whenever he connects with a blow. Balls hammers D-Von out through the middle rope. BBR attacks him, but Sandman grabs him and holds him at bay, while Balls twirls his fist around and hits his signature "big" punch, sending BBR crashing forward to the mat. D-Von climbs to the apron, but Sandman kicks him off. Balls exits and targets D-Von, who quickly steals control, while Sandman assaults BBR in the corner with a choke and some chest slaps. "Fuck him up, Sandman! Fuck him up!" chant. D-Von tosses Balls into the rail. Balls fights back, while BBR reverses a corner whip on Sandman, and uses a corner boot choke. Balls sends D-Von to the concrete with a hard chairshot. BBR picks up Sandman's cane and, from the apron, swacks Balls' head with it. Ouch...Sandman hammers him from behind as he does that, so BBR falls to the concrete, too. Sandman leaps over the ropes and hits a "drunken pescado" onto BBR! Terrible form, though.
Balls locks D-Von in a headlock and repeatedly hammers him. Sandman climbs back into the ring, picks up his cane, and sloppily springboards onto the rope and leaps off to the outside. He completely misses D-Von and canes Balls, who sells it and, although he wasn't hit, D-Von sells it, too. Nice aim, Sandman...BBR hits Balls with a hard chairshot. Sandman canes BBR twice, the second time in the head (!). Sandman rolls BBR into the ring, while D-Von throws Balls over the rail. Sandman hammers BBR in the ring, while D-Von hammers Balls in the crowd. "Balls!" chant. D-Von, who's already busted open, hammers Balls near the merchandise area. Sandman lariats BBR and hits a low dropkick, but BBR won't fall. Balls gains control, but D-Von blocks a head smash and rams Balls' head into a merchandise table. Sandman hammers BBR, and then uses a leverage move to throw him out through the middle rope, while D-Von continues punching Balls. He receives a fan's chair and bashes Balls' head with it. Balls hammers D-Von's crotch, which is obviously no joy ride for D-Von, who grabs at it and moans. BBR and Sandman exchange blows and chops on the outside ring area, while Balls chairshots D-Von's back. Sandman catches BBR coming in, kicks him in the gut three times, takes his chair, and bashes him across the head. Balls still assaulting D-Von, heads toward the ring. Balls pushes D-Von over the rail, and then climbs over himself.
Both BBR and D-Von are layed up against the guardrail, and get hammered by their foes. Sandman then horizontally slams BBR onto the concrete. He suplexes a ringside table onto BBR. D-Von gains control on Balls and throws him into the rail. "EC-Dub!" chant. Sandman rolls BBR into the ring. Balls tries fighting back, but is overcome with D-Von's blows. Sandman hammers BBR in the ring. Big Dick gets in some blows on Balls. BBR mounts a comeback, but he's hammered down by Sandman. They exchange blows, and the camera misses BBR's Buh Buh (Diamond) Cutter. Balls escapes Big Dick and D-Von's double-teaming, enters the ring, and breaks up the pin at 2. He repeatedly hammers BBR, prompting a "Balls!" chant. Balls' forehead is slightly bused open. BBR reverses a whip and hits Balls with the Buh Buh Slam (sideslam). No cover. BBR drops an elbow. Big Dick, now in the ring, stomps Sandman off the apron. BBR covers Balls. 2. D-Von enters the ring with a chair, drops it on the mat, and along with BBR, double whips Balls. He flapjacks Balls coming off the ropes right into BBR's front neckbreaker. 3-D (Dudley Death Drop)! Big Dick makes sure Sandman doesn't make any attempt to enter. BBR covers: 1-2-3 (7:24).
WINNERS: The Dudley Boyz (they'll receive a shot at The Eliminators ECW Tag Titles later in the night)
- The Dudleyz will receive a shot at The Eliminators tag titles later in the night. They're announced the winners. Sandman, on the outside of the ring, grabs his cane, enters the ring and gets in a cane shot on BBR's back. D-Von pulls BBR out, and they stumble off, along with their clan. Sandman talks to Balls, who's lying down bloodied. Sandman stands (w/ cane in hand), and Balls eventually is able to stumble to his feet. Sandman swacks the ring mat with his cane. The two hug, and Sandman then raises Ball's arm. Fade out.
POST-MATCH NOTES: A brawl. I've seen much better from all four guys
(including Balls, who is actually a rather good wrestler; Watch
his match with RVD at Anarchy Rulz '99 [RVD didn't carry him;
Balls put out a great effort]). Balls and D-Von spent most of the
match brawling, and so did BBR and Sandman. At least they,
though, got in a few actual wrestling moves (a dropkick, pescado,
springboard plancha, uhhh...and that's about all), but since
there were so few and although I like all four men, I can't in
good mind give this match even one *. It was a big brawl, with
virtually no psychology, and although there wasn't much expected,
the bottom line is that it was all cane shots and punches.
Towards the end of the match, though, there were a few actual
moves. Sandman earned them some points, though, with his
terribly-performed aerial offense. The Dudleyz would have a
somewhat better match later in the night.
RATING: 1/2*
- Chris Candido, dressed just like his opponent, ECW Champion Terry Funk, enters to some pretty cool music. Candido is wearing Funk's red and black headband, a black muscle shirt, Funk's black-and-red striped pants, and even Funk's trademark towel. He enters the ring and climbs from the apron onto the turnbuckle, raising his arms. He slingshots off ther buckle and into the ring, and then does Funk's trademark pre-match routines, pulling the ropes and running around in circles to get the blood flowing. Funk's ECW theme, some quiet, sad-mooded music begins playing, and it sounds like it could be somebody's wedding song (I think the song is called "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of," but I could be wrong). It's actually kinda' good...nevermind...
Funk eventually enters, wearing Candido's attire (all except for the pants; Instead of black-and-red striped, they're black-red-and-white striped). He has the ECW title belt around his waist, and slaps tons of fan's hands on both sides of the aisleway. Funk won the title at ECW's premiere Pay-Per-View, Barely Legal, on April 13, 1997. He first defeated Big Stevie Cool (Stevie Richards) and Sandman in a three-way dance, which gave him a shot at Raven's ECW Title. With Tommy Dreamer's help, he would win Raven's title. Anyway, Funk squeezes the fist of a ringside fan and briefly talks with him, and then enters. A standing ovation is both heard and seen, and a "Terry!" chant sounds, as he climbs onto the apron. Terry grabs the mic from Bob Artese: "Ya' make an old man feel good! Thank you!" [Joey: "Old man, nothin'...] He gives the mic back to Artese, who introduces the challenger - Chris Candido - first, from Spring Lake, New Jersey at 230 lb. He raises his rag, but gets booed.
Stevie Richards, who's injured, is at ringside (I don't know when he came down). He was supposed to get tonight's title shot, but it was given to Candido due to his inability to compete. Stevie is wearing glasses and a black shirt with "KORNY" in white writing (the "R" is backwards). Stevie climbs up onto the apron and Terry shakes his hand. Artese then introduces Funk - hailing from the Double Cross Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, weighing in at 250 lb., Funk is introduced as the "Wrestling Living Legend" and "the current ECW World Heavyweight Champion." He gets a huge pop, and rightfully so. This guy is amazing. He's like 60 years old, and is still going. If he's lucky, his doctor says that he'll live the rest of his life in pain. If he's unlucky, he'll get some disease in his legs or something (I learned that from "Beyond The Mat"). Funk gives the title belt to the referee and takes off his t-shirt.
Stevie enters the ring and gets on the mic: "Tonight, I had a chance to wrestle for the world heavyweight title in my hometown of Philadelphia. [begins crying] Unfortunately...unfortunately, according to doctors at Brigmore Hospital and Dr. Marc Allen, not only am I not gonna' get a shot at the world heavyweight title tonight, but I may never, ever wrestle again. [pauses] I didn't come out here to say any sob story - to pray for me or cry for me, or anything - I came out here to wish Terry Funk all the luck in the world because,Terry, [directed at Funk] I look up to you and as much as I looked forward to wrestling you tonight...[Stevie looks to break down, and he hugs Terry, who does the same]"
Funk says some stuff to Stevie and pats him on the tummy, and Stevie then exits the ring. Funk offers Chris a handshake, but doesn't get one. The ref checks Chris for foreign objects, and the camera cuts to Stevie, so I don't know if he did the same to Funk. On the outside, Steve raises his arm, shakes a fan's hand, and slowly makes his way backstage, accompanied by a security guard.
4. ECW World Heavyweight Title Match: CHRIS CANDIDO vs. TERRY FUNK (C)
In the ring, Chris and Funk squareoff. Tieup. They grapple on their knees. On the mat, Funk locks on a waistlock. Chris escapes. Another square off. Tieup. Funk with a standing waistlock. Waistlock takedown. They scramble around and eventually squareoff again. Handshake. Tieup. Funk with a side headlock. Headlock takeover. Grounded reverse headlock. Whip. Funk with a shoulderblockl. He tosses Chris outside, but Chris lands on his feet. Chris takes a breather, and then climbs back onto the apron and back itnot he ring. Squareoff. Tieup. Chris backs Funk into the ropes and measures him with tons of chest slaps, chops, and punches. Funk eventually climbs through the ropes and down onto the concrete. Chris follows, but soon backs off, and they again squareoff in the ring. Chris first enters, and then Funk. Funk slaps Candido. Chris walks toward him and they lock up. On the ropes, Funk chops Chris three times, and punches him out. Chris enters, and then Funk. Another squareoff. Tieup. Chris backs Funk into the ropes and tosses him out the opposite end. Chris throws him over the rail.
Candido hops it and repeatedly stomps on Funk. Some punches. Funk goes to punch a fan. More punches by Chris. Funk retreats away. Funk is on the concrete, and Chris hammers him a few times. Chris tosses him over the rail, climbs onto it, and hits Funk with a single axehandle. He throws Funk onto the timekeeper's table. Chris assaults him with punches and an elbow smash. He brings him off the table, and Funk tries to crawl back into the ring, but Chris doesn't let him. Chris then weakly piledrives him onto a set up chair (Chris falls into a sitting position on it). He tosses the chair into the ring, and then three more. He rams Funk's head into the table again, and then climbs up onto it himself. He goes for a piledriver, but the table breaks and both crash through! Funk lands head-first on the the broken wood. Chris throws Funk into the ring, and follows himself. He sets up the chairs. Piledriver (on the mat). 2. Three more piledrivers. 2 1/2. Three straight hangman's neckbreakers. 2 1/2. He tosses Funk out of the ring, through the middle rope.
He sets up two chairs, facing eachother, in the middle of the ring, and then bridges one across the space between them. Funk climbs in himself, and Chris drags him to the structure in the middle of the ring. He hangman's neckbreakers him onto the chair structure! Ouch! Funk rolls around, catches his legs in some chairs, and flings them around the ring. "EC-Dub!" chant. Chris covers. 2. He grabs a chair and lays it on the mat, folded up. Powerbomb on the mat. He rolls him up. 2 1/2. He tauntingly slaps him a few times, and punches him. He tries a german suplex, but Funk escapes and hits a hangman's neckbreaker. "Terry!" chant. Funk attempts a piledriver, but Chris reverses it into a hurricanrana. He follows with a clothesline. He hammers Funk into the corner and sits him up on the top-rope. Frankensteiner, which Funk badly sells. Funk rolls into the middle of the ring. 2 1/2. Chris stands over him and tauntingly slaps him. Funk fights back with his own and eventually stands up. He goes for a headlock, but gets backdrop suplexed. Funk hits six weak headbutts, and they eventually back into eachother. Funk misses a clothesline, but wraps Chris up in a La Magistral-like cradle. 1-2-3 (12:57)!
WINNER and STILL ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Terry Funk
- Shane Douglas and Francine appear and climb onto the apron, just as Candido rises. They say some stuff to him. The referee goes to give Funk his belt, but Candido pushes him away and pushes Funk into the corner. "Bullshit!" chant. Funk's music hits. He rolls him out of the ring, and Funk does an "Ahhh...screw it!" kinda' motion and walks away. The referee climbs out of the ring to award Funk his title belt. Funk slaps the hand of some fans. Fade out.
POST-MATCH NOTES: Nice match. I question some of the
repetitiveness of the moves, but by using them so many times, it
gave the match some psychology. Candido would continually focus
on Funk's neck. The slow start was annoying. There was a nice
crowd brawl, and they eventually did some nice ringwork in the
ring. The repetiveness, while it did give it some psychology,
hurt the flow a bit. That will lightly cost them. The finish was
also far too abrupt. I get the point that it was supposed to help
let Candido keep his credibility, as he was controlling most of
the match and lost on a fluke. However, Funk's credibility was
hurt a bit by the abrupt win, as it once again was seen as a bit
of a fluke. Nonetheless, there was a nice ring exchange, and that
sequence did help add some good psychology to the match. There
was average selling, as some of Funk's reactions could've used
some work. A lot of it was a spotfest, but the matwork created an
acceptable flow and some good psychology.
RATING: **3/4
- Raven is entering the ring, accompanied by Chastity and Loofus (sp?), who comprise his nest. He immediately gets up otno the apron and does his crucifix taunt. Chasity climbs through the bottom rope and Loofus through the middle one. Raven sits down in the corner and waits for his opponent. Tommy Dreamer's music hits and out comes Beulah McGillicutty (skimmmpy...), followed by "The Innovator of Violence" himself. Dreamer is wearing an "Extreme ECW" t-shirt. Dreamer looks into the ring at Raven. He climbs up onto the apron, enters the ring, and begins stretching on the ropes. Beulah stands outside of the ring. Bob Artese introduces Raven first as hailing from "The Bowery" and weighing in at 243 lb. He does his crucifix taunt, as a "You sold out!" chant begins. Artese then introduces the "stunning and vivacious Beulah McGillicutty." Dreamer is then introduced as hailing from Yonkers, New York and weighing in at 252 lb. He gets a huge pop, but does nothing. The bell rings and we're ready to start.
6. Loser Leaves ECW Match: RAVEN (w/ Chastity & Loofus) vs. TOMMY DREAMER (w/ Beulah McGillicutty)
The two rivals step into the middle of the ring, face-to-face. Raven backs up and they squareoff. Loofus enters the ring with a mic and tells Raven that he doesn't even have to bother with this bout. He should just leave now. Raven obliges and exits the ring. Dreamer pushes Loofus down and hops out of the ring and chases Raven. He climbs over the guardrail and eventually finds Raven in the back, where he's now ramming his head into a steel garage door. He hammers Raven a few times and drags him back towards the ring. He stops midway and swacks Raven's back with a chair. He then drags him deeper into the crowd and hammers him with a half-full bottle of some red drink (Gatorade?). He drinks it and then spits it in Raven's face. He continues dragging him higher into the stands. Raven gets in a blow near the edge of the balcony, and both quickly fly off of the balcony and crash to the concrete below, in Dreamer's case crash through a merchandise table. "EC-Dub!" chant. Both struggle to their feet. Raven rises first and tosses Dreamer into the broken table. They climb up onto another table, and Raven sloppily piledrives Dreamer through it head-first onto the concrete. Dreamer's forehead is busted open. Raven, on the ground, kicks Dreamer in the face. He gets up and drags Dreamer towards the announcing booth. He hammers him a few times before tossing him up onto a balcony. He suplexes a table onto Dreamer, who's on the ground. He lays the table up against a higher balcony, and tosses Dreamer through it. Raven sets up another table and brings Dreamer onto it. A piledriver is reversed into a backdrop, but the table doesn't break. Dreamer snapmares Raven and lays him on it. Dreamer backs up, charges it, and attempts a splash, but Raven moves and Dreamer crashes through it. Shane Douglas and Francine, who are sitting up by Joey, are shown laughing at Dreamer's agony.
Raven drags Dreamer off the balcony and whips him into a rail, but a second whip is countered and Raven is sent into the rail. They're back in the main aisleway now. Dreamer atomic drops Raven, crotching him on the rail. He climbs over and drags Raven off and toward the ring. Raven tries to counter a whip, but he's eventually sent into a ringside rail. Dreamer then sneaks up behind him and bulldogs Raven on the concrete. He measures him with two blows. He tosses Raven over a rail. "EC-Dub!" chant. A fan gives him a chair, whcih he happily swacks Raven's head with. He drags Raven down into a lower level of the building, and he throws Raven into a cast iron vending machine. They climb up a ladder and Raven pushes Dreamer onto the top of the vending machine. Dreamer actually tumbles off the top of it and crashes about six feet down onto the cold, hard concrete. Raven climbs down and drags Dreamer back towards the main entryway. He tosses him over the guardrail, and Raven's forehead is seen, and it's busted open. He gets a chair from a fan and swacks Dreamer's back with it, and then throws him abck into the ring. He tosses the chair in, too, and climbs in. He sets up the chair in the middle of the ring, whips Dreamer into the ropes, and drop toeholds him face-first onto the chair. Raven hammers Dreamer's crotch, and then calls for another chair. He kicks Dreamer in the face and then gets a chair from someone outside the camera view. He sets up the chair and inverted atomic drops Dreamer up onto the top-rope in a sitting position. He locks Dreamer's legs on the outside of the ropes and then climbs up himself. Dreamer eventually fights him off and knocks him off the buckle, but Dreamer quickly gets up and press slams Dreamer off the top-rope and onto the set-up chair!!! What a sight! Dreamer's middle body area came down on the chair hard and he absolutely squashed it back into a folded position!!! Damn, that must've been so painful!!! That clip would be shown in highlight videos on ECW Home Videos for years to come. Sick bump. Dreamer sells it well and Raven immediately covers him: 1-2-No!
Raven whips Dreamer into the ropes and attempts a hiptoss, but Dreamer counters with a hard swinging DDT! Tommy crawls to the ropes and gets a "Do Not Enter The DreamerLand" sign from the original Sign Guy Dudley. He tries to hit Raven with it, but it's blocked and Raven knocks it away into the face of the referee, who falls to the mat. Dreamer quickly retrieves it and bashes Raven down to the mat with it. Dreamer pulls off the paper from one side of it, revealing a stop sign. He picks Raven up and drops him hard on his neck with a picture perfect Piledriver on the stop sign. The referee is still recovering, and doesn't get to Dreamer's pin immediately. 1...2...Loofus comes in and breaks up the pin! He continually hammers on Dreamer, but to no effect, as he's grabbed by the hair and kicked in the gut. Beulah comes in and DDT's him. Dreamer (behind Beulah) and Beulah do a crucifix pose, but Raven sneaks up from behind and low blows Dreamer. Beulah quickly retreats to the corner, and Raven rolls up Dreamer from behind. 2 1/2. Raven gets up, goes over to the corner, takes Beulah's hand, and begins pleading with her for something. Dreamer sneaks up from behind and low blows him hard. He rolls Raven up from behind: 1-2-No! Chastity enters the ring and sprays Dreamer in the eyes with hairspray, allowing Raven to dropkick him down. 1-2-No! Beulah attacks Chastity and they begin rolling around on the mat. Catfight! Rick Rude: "Hey, Styles, wouldn't if be great if [<three-or-so second bleep>]." I can't imagine what he said, but it sure must have been bad. Raven pulls Beulah off Chastity and starts pleading with her again. Beulah was his valet for awhile before turning on him and joining Dreamer. It looks like he wants a reconcilliation. As he's helping her up, she low blows him and he turns right into a Dreamer DDT on the stop sign! 1-2-No!!! Raven kicks out! He picks Raven up and locks him in a facelock, looking for another DDT, but Raven pushes him towards the corner, squashing the referee into it as well. Dreamer keeps the hold on and drills Raven with another Dreamer DDT! Dreamer counts to three, but the referee is down.
The late, great Louie Spicolli rolls into the ring and breaks up the pin. He stomps on Dreamer twice, punches him, and then drills him with a stiff DDT! He drags Raven's seemingly lifeless body over that of Dreamer, and shakes the referee until he's awake. 1...2...NO! Dreamer kicks out! Louie is fuming! The referee folls back away from the action, and Louie hammers Dreamer twice, and picks him up on his shoulders, looking for a Spicolli Driver (Death Valley Driver), but Dreamer drops out and drills him with a Dreamer DDT! Raven immediately runs over and Evenflow DDT's Dreamer. He covers him, just as the referee is waking up. 1...2...NO!!! Dreamer kicks out!!! Raven picks him up and locks him in a facelock, looking for another Evenflow DDT, but Dreamer counters by lifting him up on his shoulders and eventually flipping him off, dropping him to the mat with a Spicolli Driver! Louie is still in the ring, but is still lying on the mat. Dreamer stands over Raven and taunts him to get back up. Raven eventually struggles to his feet, and Dreamer locks him in a facelock. Just to make sure the viewer knows what promotion they're watching, he shouts, "EC Fuckin' W!!!" at the top of his lungs, and then plants Raven onto the stop sign with another Dreamer DDT!!! He covers and hooks the leg, just as the referee is coming back to his senses. Louie tries to break up the pin, but Beulah holds his feet, not allowing him to get close enough. 1...2...3 (15:06)!!!!!!!!! Tommy Dreamer has finally pinned Raven!!!
WINNER: Tommy Dreamer (Raven must now leave ECW)
- The fans erupt in cheers, as Bob Artese announces Dreamer as the winner. Tommy Dreamer has accomplished his "lifelong dream": he's finally pinned Raven to the mat. Dreamer, still on the mat, has his hand raised by the ref. "EC-Dub!" chant.
POST-MATCH NOTES: A good match, but not what was expected for such
a high-profile match. Dreamer and Raven had been feuding ever
since ECW's very first days. They undoubtedly had the greatest
feud in ECW history (even better than Raven/Sandman and
Sabu/Taz), and their rivalry helped carry ECW during the mid-late
'90's. Every occurence of this feud was booked to perfection.
Raven would always get the backhand on Dreamer and assault him.
Raven had pinned Dreamer several times in one-on-one bouts, but
Dreamer had never, ever pinned him. Of course, he came close on
several occasions, but interference always made sure that he
didn't accomplish his dream. Raven debuted in ECW in 1995 as
Dreamer's childhood enemy. From then on, their feud was
incredibly over with fans. Raven was so hated, while Dreamer was
so adored by ECW's hardcore fans. This match really didn't live
up to expectations. It started with a huge brawl, which was
expected, but one that was relatively boring. Once they entered
the ring, the action picked up, and each man took some nice bumps
(especially Dreamer). It got more exciting during the in-ring
action, but even then it was somewhat of a
"clusterfuck." The whole thing at the end with
everybody hitting their finishers was very confusing, and
probably made the average mark clueless. In all, Beulah hit one
DDT, Dreamer hit four DDT's and two Spicolli Drivers, Louie hit a
DDT and Spicolli Driver, and Raven hit a DDT. In all, that's
seven DDT's and three Spicolli Drivers. That, even for me, was
rather confusing. Nonetheless, since I like to focus on the
positive, there was some good bumps, some nicely performed DDT's,
and a good finish, albeit one that was badly overbooked. I think
what ECW wanted to do was put an end to everything relating to
the feud between these two, so they had Louie Spicolli come in
and aid Raven. If they didn't so overbook the finish, the match
would have been much better. There was little psychology. A lot
of the finishing sequences were rather predictable. The match
really should've been better for such a high-profile match. It
should've been at least ***. However, it was better than the
immensely overhyped Sabu/Taz match at Barely Legal '97. Maybe I'm
being too hard on it. I would have trouble giving it ***, though,
because I just don't think it earned that. All the interference
(by Loofus, Chastity, and Louie Spicollie) was just so bunched
together. If they spread the whole match out more, I'd give it a
better rating, but since they didn't, it's not gonna' be called a
great match by me. It was good, possibly very good, but not great
(at least in my mind).
RATING: **3/4
Dreamer is still in the ring, celebrating his victory, when...the lights go out! It's pitch black. The lights come back on to reveal...Rob Van Dam, wearing a WWF Monday Night RAW t-shirt!!! RVD tosses a chair to Dreamer, who catches it, and leaps up and hits the Van Daminator! Bill Alfonso, who's wearing a Monday Night RAW hat, is also in the ring, and he's blowing his whistle repeatedly. RVD repeadedly stomps on Dreamer, and then whips him into the ropes. He attempts a leapfrog, but Dreamer puts the breaks on his run and RVD falls right into Dreamer's inverted atomic drop. He hammers RVD and begins choking him, when...the lights go off again! When they come back on, Sabu, RVD's tag team partner, is in the ring and tosses a chair straight at Dreamer's head. Dreamer goes down, and RVD and Sabu double-team him with stomps. Raven is on the apron, and climbs into the ring, but decides to avoid a confrontation and leaves, going backstage. RVD and Sabu double whip Dreamer, and he comes off the ropes and counters their move with a double DDT! A "We Want Taz!" chant begins. Then, it happens again: the lights go off, and when they eventually come back on...
It's JERRY LAWLER!!!!!! Jerry "The King" Lawler is standing in an ECW ring! He's got his crown on and everything! Dreamer immediately charges him, but RVD and Sabu leap onto him and take him down to the mat. Lawler has a microphone that he's speaking into, but the fans are going so nuts that his words are inaudible. RVD and Sabu repeatedly stomp on Dreamer. Louie Spicolli is in a sitting position in the corner and is choking Beulah, not letting her get to Dreamer. Axl Rotten and Chris Chetti hit the ring, but their quickly attacked by RVD and Sabu. RVD dropkicks a chair into Chetti's face, while Sabu bashes Axl with a chair. A bWo (blue World order) member hits the ring (I think it's Thomas "The Inchworm" Rodman, but I could be wrong), but is chairshotted. He crawls into the ring and is assaulted. Someone in an FBI shirt who I think is Little Guido climbs onto the apron, but Sabu throws a chair into his face, knocking him down to the concrete.
Lawler is finally audible: "So this is it, huh? This is a big-time ECW, huh? Huh? Look at this look at this! Hey, this bingo hall oughta be built out of toilet paper 'cuz there's nothing in it but shit!" Balls Mahoney enters the ring, but is superkicked by RVD. "Hey, what about ECW?! Alfonso: "Hey, let me say somethin' to the Franchise. Hey Franchise, how about comin' down and gettin a piece of this?" Douglas, who's at the broadcasting booth, responds: "I ain't any part of this bullshit, brother. Go ahead and kick all the asses you want. I don't got no part of it." Lawler: "Yeah! I don't think the ECW - Extremely Crappy Wrestling's - got anybody tough. I don't think anybody wants [inaudible] war with me." Lawler says some more stuff, and calls the fans "crap," just as Ice Cube's "Natural Born Killaz" hits and outcomes The Gangstas (Mustafa Saed & New Jack). RVD and Sabu exit the ring and attack them with chairs, though, and while Mustafa especially puts up a good fight, the heels eventually subdue them and re-enter the ring.
Lawler taunts Dreamer and stomps on him. "Kill 'em! Kill the crap! Hey, Paul E.! Where's Paul E.? Ha! Look at the slut! Look at the slut right here!" He's referring to Beulah, who's struggling in Louie's chokehold. "Is there anybody in ECW that's got any guts? Is there anybody that can back up..." RVD repeatedly chairshots Dreamer. Sabu throws a chair at New Jack, who's climbed up on the apron. A "We want Taz!" chant begins. Alfonso repeatedly blows his whistle. Alfonso repeatedly hammers Dreamer in the corner. Everybody has their backs turned and doesn't see The Sandman enter the ring, beer and cane in hand. Sabu attacks him, but Sandman fights back with eight sick cane shots to his bare back. RVD eventually kicks Sandman down, and once he rises, RVD delivers the Van Daminator! Balls and a few others try to re-enter the ring, but they're all quickly knocked off the apron. RVD running dropkicks a chair into Dreamer's face. RVD and Sabu then hit Rolling Thunder on Sandman (rolling bodysplash/slingshot leg drop combo). RVD kicks Balls off the apron and hits him with a stop sign. Lawler: "Is that all you got? What does that tell you low-life scumbags?"
To quote J.R., "business is about to pick up!" Taz's music hits and Alfonso warns Lawler. Tazz comes out through the aisleway with the trademark black towel on his head. He walks around the ring. Sabu wants to fight him, but RVD restrains him. The heels quickly climb out of the ring as Taz enters. He takes off the towel and raises his arms in triumph, while the heels make their way backstage. He grabs a mic, and I must warn anybody who is offended by curse words to either press the back button on your browser or scroll down a few paragraphs. If you don't care, then scroll down several lines.
Taz: "Shut the music! Hey Fonzie, why don't you bring your three pussies out here and fight me? Why don't you bring that old man - that decrepid piece of Memphis scum - that piece of shit. Hey, Lawler! Suck my cock! Shane: "Hey Taz - calm down there Human Suplex Machine. You did your job and ran the fuckers off. Calm the fuck down." Taz tells Shane not to ever interrupt him again. "Just mind your P's and Q's and go fuck that little rat (refering to Francine!)" Chris Candido is also by Shane's side, by now. "Come on out, Sabu! Why don't you come get some! Come on Van Dam...Sabu. [inaudible]You layed everybody out. Come lay out me. Get these fucking bodies out of my ring. (refering to the laid out wrestlers)." EMT's have come out by now and are tending to the fallen grapplers. "Taz!" chant. "I ain't leavin'. I ain't leavin' until Sabu shows his fuckin' miserable face. Paul E., I ain't leavin', brotha'. I don't give a fuck. Fine me. Stop my pay. I ain't goin' nowhere. I'm sick of this shit that's been goin' on with this company. I'm sick of it! I'm sick of dealin' with Paul E. I'm sick of this shit. I'm tellin' you. This stuff with WWF - Fuck them! [big pop] Jerry Lawler...Jerry Lawler...you want to show face in my house? Come get me, motherfucka'! [lays down on his back] Come on! Come get me! Lawler, I'm on my back for you, you piece of shit!
"Get somebody to clean my ring. I ain't leavin'. I ain't fuckin' leavin'. I don't give a fuck. I ain't leavin'." After some more inaudeible stuff..."Come on, Sabu! Come on, Van Dam! Fonzie...bring your scrawny ass out, brotha'! Come on and talk with Taz. I'm gonna' need a fight. Sabu and I are the main event tonight. I don't wanna' wait until the end of the night. Alright..." Fonzie comes out through the aisleway blowing his whistle. Taz tells him that once he enters this ring, he has fifteen seconds to talk his case and live. Fonzie says that Taz "missed his boat." RVD and Sabu are on Monday Night (RAW), so there's no reason they need to come out here. Fonzie doesn't get many more words out than that, as Taz grabs him by the neck and picks him up in a T-Bone Tazplex position. Sabu quickly comes out and taps Taz on the back. Taz releases Fonzie and he gets the hell out of the ring. Sabu and Taz square off as a referee enters the ring and signals for the bell to ring.
7. TAZ vs. SABU (w/ Bill Alfonso)
Squareoff. We're set for the "grudge rematch of the century!" They begin by trading several blows. Taz hits a drop toehold, but Sabu rises right up and leaps onto the ropes, and leaps back off, catching Taz in the face with a double-jump heelkick. 2. He hammers Taz some more times and then stomps on him. Sky point. More stomps and punches. Corner whip. Taz hits the buckle and stumbles backwards. Sabu charges and nails another double-jump heelkick, sending Taz down. 2. He stomps on him some more and chokes him by his neck. "Asshole Fonzie!" chant. Taz, though, grabs Sabu's face and eye rakes him. Fonzie is right by the action, leaning into the ring and shouting to Sabu and at Taz. Sabu releases the hold, but quickly stomps and punches at him again. Corner whip's reversed. Sabu tips up, but Taz catches him by the legs with his back to him. Double-leg spinebuster. Stomps. Forearms to the back. Taz uses three of his signature crossface punches. Stomp. He locks on an really cool submission with a bridge that Joey calls the "Red Hook Ringer." Damn is Taz flexible! Stomp. Punch. Sabu punches back at Taz's stomach. Taz eyerakes him. Taz taunts Sabu. Stomp. Whip. An attempted backbody drop is countered by Sabu, who somersaults over Taz's back in cool fashion, lands on his feet, and dropkicks a knee. Taz rolls out. Taz stumbles around the ring, grabbing at his knee, and is soon hit with baseball-slide dropkicked into the rail. Sabu then hits an Asai Moonsault from the apron onto Taz! Sabu evenutally rises, rolls Taz into the ring, and hits a slingshot somersault leg drop. Cover. 2. Another cover. 2.
Sabu sets up a chair, and attempts a triple-jump moonsault, but slips on the rope and crotches himself. "You fucked up!" chant. Taz gets up, moves the chair, picks Sabu up off the rope in a suplex position, and tosses him with a T-Bone Tazplex. Whistle-blowing. Forearm. Taz goes for another T-Bone, but Taz hits some forearns and escapes. He locks on a waistlock. Sabu misses a spinning clothesline, and gets Northern Lights Tazplexed. 2. Taz heads to the second-rope, and Sabu quickly rises, climbs up, and does his leaping Frankensteiner. Taz holds on to the ropes, though, and doesn't go off. WOW! Taz climbs up to the top-rope and flies off with a nice senton bomb, but Sabu moves away! Sabu recovers, quickly climbs to the top, leaps off, and connects with a nice Flying Leg Drop. Cover. Taz gets a shoulder up at 2. Fonzie slides a table into the ring, and Sabu starts to pick it up, but Taz hammers him, attempts a whip, but Sabu reverses. Sabu leapfrogs. Taz locks on a waistlock, but Sabu low blow kicks him. Sabu runs off the ropes, punches Taz, and hits a sloppy DDT. Damn whistle...Fonzie's up on the apron. Sabu rises and sets up the table near a corner. He stomps on Taz, and then rams his head into the table. He clotheslines Taz onto it. Sabu goes up top and hits a direction-switching bodysplash (he switches directions in midair), putting Taz through the table. Sky points. Sabu is sitting on the mat, and Taz sneaks up from behind and brings him down with the Katahajame! Tazmission! Sabu, though, rolls completely over and, even with his head being forced into the mat, musters the strength to pin Taz's shoulders to the mat. 1...2...3! Sabu pins Taz!
WINNER: Sabu
- Taz quickly rolls Sabu back into position and tightens the hold, suffocating Sabu! He even grapevines the leg. The ref tries to tell him to release the hold, but he won't. Some more referees enter the ring and try to convince Taz to release the hold, which he eventually does. Bob Artese announces Sabu as the winner, but Taz then locks a referee in the Tazmission! Taz grapevines the leg, and soon releases. He grabs another referee in a waistlock and throws him onto the back of his neck with a brutal release german suplex! He then locks him in a standing Tazmission, and quickly pushes him to the mat. Fonzie is in the ring and leaning through the ropes, talking to someone outside of camera range. He doesn't see Taz sneak up on him! Taz grabs him by the hat and head and pulls him up to a standing position. He locks on the Tazmission (Fonzie's hat falls off), and quickly brings the hold down to the mat and grapevines the leg. After about 10 seconds, he releasses. He gets to his knees on the mat, and the fans go nuts. He eventually rises and grabs a mic from someone outside of camera range. He stomps on Fonzie, and then gets down on his knees.
POST-MATCH NOTES: An acceptable match, but again, not good enough
for such a hyped match. This was even worse than their Barely
Legal crapfest, which was the epitamy (sp?) of overhype. There
were some nice moves and nice exchanges, but for such a
high-profile match, it wasn't enough. These two had probably the
second greatest feud in ECW history, and this was hyped as the
"grudge rematch of the century," so it wasn't nearly
enough. Sabu didn't get out all of his high-risk moves, and Taz
had some more suplexes up his boot that he should've used. If it
wasn't such a high-profile bout, it would have been an acceptable
match, but due to it's hype, it was under expectations. A good
match, but an overhyped one
RATING: **
Once again, if you're offended by obscene language, please either exit this page or scroll down a few paragraphs. If not, then just scroll down a few lines.
Shane Douglas, though, talks into his own mic: "Hey brother, take it easy. You've already stretched everybody in the ring. your job is done for the night. Take a walk and let the next fuckin' match get in there. get the fuck out and let the next fuckin' match - I'm sittin' up here and enjoying myself. I've seen enough of your ass. Get the fuck out!" Taz: "Well, well, well, Shane. Obviously, for such an intelligent man with a little penis - just pay attention too well, brother. This is a very simple gimmick. If you would like me to leave my ring, then why don't you get up and make me leave it." Shane tells him that he'd love to come down there and teach him how to throw a suplex properly, there's nothing for him to get out of it. "So, you wanna' play? Let's make a deal. That sounds cool. I got a deal for you, Shane. If you come in this ring and face me face-to-face, I guarantee you - I guarantee you - I can make you tap out within five minutes." Shane says that Taz must have confidence "the size of that building." Hell, he'll even put his ECW Television Title on the line, but he wants to sweeten it even further...
Taz interrupts, though, and asks if he heard Shane right - He's gonna' put "that belt that that rat (refering to Francine) is holding on the line?" Shane says that's right, but there's two sides to this. If he survives the five minutes - "which is a fuckin' foregone conclusion" - then Taz must leave ECW for "thiirty fuckin' days," and have his family survive. Taz, wants to even sweeten further, though - "Well, I'll tell you what, brotha' - let's make it sixty days! Sixty days, brotha." Shane says Taz is "dumber than he fuckin' looks." Taz: "Yeah, I'm Shane: "Brother, sack 'em up tight. You got yourself a fuckin' deal!" Taz: "Bring it!" Shane walks off and begins his journey to the ring. Candido eggs him on: "Go get 'em! Go get 'em, Shane! Go!" Taz walks back and forth in the ring, as a referee enters the ring. Shane is shown walking down the aisleway, accompanied by Francine. He enters the ring. He takes his belt from Francine (who's on the outside and lifting it up to him) and lays it down in the middle of the ring. He starts taunting Taz...
8. ECW Television Title Match (Three Minutes Or Less): TAZ vs. SHANE DOUGLAS (C) (w/ Francine)
Taz kicks him in the gut [bell rings], hammers him with three blows, and then attempts a whip. Shane reverses with an armringer and an eye rake. Double axehandle. Bionic elbow. Stomp. He picks up his belt and bashes Taz, who's on his hands and knees, on the back of the neck. Now he bashes Taz's head. He chokes him. Corner whip's reversed. Artese announces that 30 seconds have passed. Shane bounces off the buckle, Taz bends down for a backbody drop, but Shane has it scouted and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Facelock. DDT. Bob Artese announces that we're one minute into the match. Two more minutes. Shane hits two of his signature rolling reverse neck snaps. Bionic elbow. Artese announces that we're "90 seconds (halfway) into the match." Back punch. Full Nelson hold. Taz reverses it by ducking under Shane's left arm and locking on the Tazmission! About three seconds after it's locked on, Shane low blow kicks him, escaping the hold. In the corner, Shane nails two punches, just as a "Taz!" chant begins.
Whip's reversed. Shane attempts a tipup, but Taz puts the breaks on his run, and Shane lands on his feet in front of Taz. Taz immediately locks on the Tazmission! Shane struggles around, eventually falling to his knees [Francine climbs up on the apron, but the referee does nothing, and instead stays near the action for a possible submission], [Artese announces we're two minutes through, meaning that there's a minute left, at most], and then to the mat, where Taz keeps the hold on and grapevines the leg. Shane wiggles his legs and arms, trying to reach for the ropes, but he's too far. Artese announces we're two minutes and 30 seconds through, meaning that there's only 30 seconds remaining! Francine, on the apron, is shouting at Shane, rooting him on. Shane rolls over to Taz's other side, but Taz keeps the hold locked on. Shane is eventually able to manuever himself to his feet. Even with the hold still locked on, he walks up the turnbuckle to the top, and springs himself back onto Taz, but Taz keeps the hold locked on! Taz again grapevines Shane's leg. Shane struggles but soon must tap out repeatedly with the back of his hand (2:50)!
WINNER and NEW ECW Television Champion: Taz
Taz releases the hold, and the fans are going nuts! Taz is the new ECW Television Champion! Francine, who's on the apron with the belt, eventually has it muscled away by the referee, who holds it high in the air and then awards it to the new champion, Taz. Taz holds it in one arm and raises both in triumph. Francine is in the ring looking at Taz, and is furious. She stomps her feet and yells in his direction. All the while, Shane Douglas is still laying Taz puts the title belt over his shoulder, gets down on one knee and grabs at his head, and then gets back up and celebrates. He rolls out of the ring. Francine is furious. She gets down on her knees and covers herself up, faking crying. Candido hits the ring, gets down on his knees, and says some stuff to Shane, who's on his knees in the middle of the ring. Fade out.
POST-MATCH NOTES: This was a nice addition to the show. It wasn't
expected, and while it was somewhat predictable that Taz would
win the match and the title, the match was well-worked. Shane did
a good job of trying to keep Taz down. Taz got in some offense,
but Shane always seemed to get back control. The end sequence was
exciting, and the part where Shane climbed up the buckle with the
hold still on and springed backward onto Taz was creative. It was
a short match, so it's not gonna' get a great rating, but for the
time given, it was good. I don't have any real problems with it,
considering the time given. There was good selling and good
emotion. The pre-match setup with all the swearing wasn't a
necessity, but it worked well in creating some heat between the
two.
RATING: 7/8*
- The Dudley clan is in the ring, comprised of Big Dick, Buh Buh Ray, D-Von, and Joel Gertner. D-Von has a mic: "You see, [inaudible] is going in the way of the Dudleyz. So without further ado, brother Gertner, testify." He passes the mic to Gertner: "First the good news. Two-nothing. Red Wings. Third period. Better luck next year. Now, now is the better news. The moment of truth has arrived. Tod Gordon, ECW's first owner, comes out, enters the ring, and takes the mic: "As most of you already know, Perry Saturn has a very severe leg injury. He has a torn ACL, [BBR: "Awww!"] a broken tibia, [BBR: "Awwww!"] and he has surgery scheduled for Tuesday. [BBR: "Awwwww!"] The prognosis is that he'll be out for one year. [BBR cracks up] Unfortunately, at this time, it is not my pleasure to ask The Eliminators to please come out and surrender the tag team belts." The Dudleyz celebrate.
The Eliminator's music hits and out comes John Kronus, followed by Perry Saturn, who's on crutches and has a white cast on his left lower leg. Kronus is carrying his tag team belt and in black and pink ring tights. Saturn has his belt around his waist. Kronus climbs up onto the apron, while Saturn takes off his belt, throws it into the ring, slides his crutches into the ring, and slowly climbs up onto the apron, careful to not hit his leg on the apron. The fans clap for him. He carefully stands and picks up his crutches, and with Kronus' help (who holds the top-rope open for him), enters the ring. Kronus slingshots into the ring. Gordon: "Gentleman, if you'll turn over the belts, please..." A referee (Jim Mollineaux) is in the ring, which may be of note.
Kronus picks his up, and Saturn asks for the mic, which he receives [BBR: "Give me my fuckin' belt!"]: "[to BBR] Shut up, fat boy, before I bust one of these crutches across your head. [to everyone]. Listen Tod, we came here tonight knowing we were gonna' lose them belts. No disrespect intended to you or ECW - Nothing means more to Kronus and me than being ECW World Tag Team Champions. [BBR: "Ahhh!"] [Kronus: "Shut up, bitch!"] Tod, you being the founder of ECW, you should understand ECW tradition. OK, we gotta lose the belts, but let us lose 'em in a fight. They want 'em, let 'em beat us. [Kronus: "Yeah!"]
Gordon: "Perry Saturn, the doctors - you know you can't wrestle..." Kronus interrupts him: "I'm gonna' wrestle!" BBR speaks into the mic: "[inaudible] ...stipulation. Tag team - If they can't wrestle tag team, we get the belts! Do your fuckin' job ya' little bald fuck!" Gordon: "With all due respect...ring the bell - start the match!" He signals for the bell to be rung [bell rings]...
9. ECW World Tag Team Title Match: The DUDLEY BOYZ (Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) vs. The ELIMINATORS (John Kronus & Perry Saturn) (C)
and climbs out of the ring. The Dudleyz complain, but it's no use. The referee takes the belts from the champs, holds them up, and gives them to the timekeeper. Saturn climbs out of the ring, leaving Kronus alone in the ring with The Dudleyz. He stretches on the ropes with his back to his opponents, which is a bad move, as BBR runs at him and attacks from behind. D-Von joins in. They beat him down with several punches. On the ropes, they measure him with punches. Joey mentions how Shawn Michaels turned over a belt (his WWF Intercontinental Title to Shane Douglas) due to being "injured." The Dudleyz then chop Kronus, but he hits a double punch and starts mounting a comeback, but he's soon overcome by his two foes. Double whip. Kronus ducks a double clothesline, comes off the ropes, and hits his own. He sidekicks BBR, and then D-Von, down, but Big Dick comes in from behind and Chokeslams him to the mat. [Rude: "That is one big dick." Yup, Rick...couldn't have said it better myself.] Big Dick climbs out as BBR covers. 1-2-no! BBR punches. They assault him in the corner with more punches. BBR brings him out, and Kronus fights back with a punch to the stomach, but BBR punches him down. D-Von goes up top. BBR scoop slams Kronus, allowing D-Von to fly off and hit the diving headbutt. D-Von picks him up. "You jackoff!" chant. Saturn is shown cheering on Kronus on the outside.
In the corner, The Dudleyz assault Kronus with more punches. Big Dick enters. Kronus falls to a sitting position in the corner. Big Dick hammers him several times, and then hits some kicks. Saturn rolls in, though, and swacks Big Dick across the back with a crutch. Dick flies into D-Von, and both go flying out. [Rude: "It's about time someone got rid of that Big Dick."] The crutch is on the ground, and Saturn eggs BBR to come at him. BBR charges, but Saturn ducks a clothesline and hits a Buh Buh (Diamond) Cutter, being careful to not hit his casted leg on the mat. He still grabs at it, and quickly rolls out of the ring, where he attends to his injury while laying on the concrete. Kronus covers. 2. Kronus hits some punches and a sidekick, but D-Von soon re-enters the ring and forearms him from behind. He stomps on Kronus, and BBR headbutts his crotch. Kronus rolls around, grabbing at his crotch. BBR picks him up and pushes him into the corner. Chop. Corner whip's reversed. BBR runs into the opposite turnbuckle, which D-Von had been climbing up. D-Von therefore falls and is crotched on it. Kronus attempts Hurricane Kronus (handspring corner back elbow), but BBR moves and he hits D-Von only, sending him (D-Von off the buckle, to the apron, and eventually to the concrete below. BBR hits Kronus with a Buh Buh Cutter. 2.
BBR picks up Kronus as a "Kronus!" chant begins. He throws him into the corner and hammers him twice. D-Von's slowly crawling onto the apron. Corner whip's reversed, but Kronus reverses BBR back, sending him into Molinneaux, who's in the corner and knocked silly. BBR turns around and is Superkicked down to the mat. Both Big Dick and D-Von are standing on the apron by now. Kronus moves toward the space between them, pushes the rope toward them, and then pulls it back hard, effectively slingshotting them into the ring. Kronus picks Big Dick up, whips him into the ropes, and spinning heelkicks him down and out of the ring. He picks D-Von up, whips him, and spinning heelkicks him down. BBR enters the ring, and Kronus roundhouse sidekicks his back, sending him out of the ring. [Joey: "You can hear Joel Gertner screaming like a little girl or a castrated rooster on the outside." LOL!!!!!] Kronus scoop slams D-Von. He heads toward the turnbuckle, but changes his mind. He instead hammers D-Von into the corner, but decides to take him back out and scoop slam him again. Now he heads up top. He flies off onto D-Von with his signature 450 Splash! What form! D-Von sells it well. Kronus eventually covers, but there's no referee, and BBR come sin and drops an elbow onto Kronus, breaking up the pin.
BBR brings Kronus into the corner and chest slaps him. Saturn is slowly slimbing up onto the apron, crutches in hand. BBR sees him, but continues hammering Kronus with punches, eventually until he's in a sitting position in the corner. D-Von is still down. Big Dick goes over to Saturn, but gets swacked with the crutch. He then gets swacked again, this time much harder. He's down. BBR is still hammering Kronus in the corner. D-Von is still down, and Saturn has finally reached the top-rope. He stands up, leaps off, and...flying elbow drop!!! He tries to keep his left leg from hitting the mat, but he's pretty unsuccessful. He immediately begins gripping at his leg for a few seconds. However, he soon finds the strength to cover D-Von! Referee Jim Molinneaux is up, and begins counting: 1...2..[BBR leaps toward Saturn to try to break it up, but Kronus grabs his foot and he doesn't get close enough].3 (7:31)!!!
WINNER and STILL ECW World Tag Team Champions: The Eliminators
The Eliminators retain their ECW World Tag Team Titles! Artese announces The Eliminators as the still tag team champions. The Dudley clan on the outside (Big Dick and Gertner) look they've just been shot, and are furious that their men have lost their shot at the titles. Saturn lays there in the ring while Kronus says some stuff to him. The Dudleyz soon leave the ring. Molinneaux gives them their title belts. Saturn is gripping at his leg. EMT's come out and check on him. Saturn grips at his title belt. Kronus rises and goes back into the middle of the ring, where he holds his title belt up for all to see. The Eliminators were so damn over back then. He then rolls out of the ring and helps Saturn to a stretcher, which is being wheeled out, and eventually reaches Saturn. Joey hypes ECW's next Pay-Per-View, Hardcore Heaven, which would occur on Sunday, August, 17, 1997, which would feature the infamous Sabu/Sandman clusterfuck match. Joey's last words of the telecast were "Perry Saturn is from another world." The EMT's wheel Saturn away from the ring and up the main aisleway as the picture fades out.
POST-MATCH NOTES: This was a good match, especially considering
Kronus was "partnerless" for most of the match. I don't
know how Perry was allowed to pin D-Von, as I didn't think he was
part of the match. Either way, it was still a good match. Saturn
played his injury role well, but I think it was a bit "over
the top" how he was able to drop a flying elbow on D-Von,
let alone pin him, considering that he was supposed to be
"injured." Nonetheless, wrestling is virtual reality in
many ways, so the finish was acceptable, and actually pretty
entertaining. Kronus got in a good amount of offense, and played
his role well, considering he was the one being knocked around
for most of the match. This was a good match. I don't know if it
should've capped off the telecast, but it was an entertaining
match. Kronus is extremely athletic. He's very underrated, and
the WWF would be smart to take a look at him. Saturn would leave
ECW about one month later, making his last appearance at the
infamous "Born To Be Wired" supercard in mid-'97. The
Dudleyz played their heel roles well, too. Good match. All of the
guys involved did a nice job.
RATING: **3/8
FINAL THOUGHTS: While some of the higher-profile matches didn't live up to their expectations, this was a good card. The undercard was solid, and considerably above average. There were several historic occurences (Dreamer/Raven's last dance, Jerry Lawler's debut, Sabu/Taz, a new TV Champion being crowned in Taz, etc.) and the overall card had something for everyone. Chetti/Douglas was a solid opener. The FBI/Pitbulls was a good tag team match. Balls & Sandman/The Dudleyz was a rather boring match, but for hardcore fans, it was fun. Candido/Funk was a very solid match. Dreamer/Raven was somewhat of a clusterfuck, but it was still a good match. Sabu/Taz probably should've been better, but it was good. Douglas/Taz was an exciting edition to the event, and was well done for the time alotted. Finally, The Dudleyz/Kronus was a solid match, albeit with a questionable finish. So, overall, while many of the matches were below expectations, the historical significance of this match really makes it a relatively highly recommended buy.