THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA
ARTICLE #23
JANUARY 21, 2002
ECW Memorable Matches II
7/1/95: Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) vs Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa)
TPE attacked the Gangstas at the bell and the fight immediately left the ring. Mustafa whipped Rocco into the barricade but Rocco then hit him with a cookie sheet. Jack got the better of Grunge and hit him with a fan�s metal crutch. Mustafa hit Rocco with a chair in the crowd. A bloody Grunge hit Jack with a chair at ringside as Mustafa took his fight with Rocco to the stage area. Back in the ring Grunge clotheslined Jack with an umbrella and then hit him in the crotch with the umbrella. Rocco got up on the balcony above the stage and dove down about 8 feet and gave Mustafa a drive by through a table on the stage. Mustafa fought back against Rocco on the balcony and suplexed him onto a table that dented but didn�t quite break. Jack gave Grunge a stun gun back in the ring as Mustafa dominated a bloody Rocco on the stage. Grunge repeatedly hit New Jack with a mailbox. Rocco hit Mustafa with a chair on the balcony. Jack got the better of Grunge in the ring as Mustafa whipped Rocco into a standing fan on the balcony. Grunge fought back and drove Jack through a table with a top rope something (hard to tell if it was a legdrop or splash as he appeared to lose his footing a bit). Jack gave Grunge a low blow and whipped him into the corner. The Gangstas dominated the action after Mustafa and Rocco finally returned to ringside. Grunge pounded Mustafa with a frying pan and threw him into the crowd. Grunge hit Mustafa with a mini baseball bat and a keyboard. Jack dove off the apron to the floor onto Rocco. In the ring Mustafa powerslammed Grunge for a near fall but Rocco hit him with a frying pan. Rocco hit Mustafa in the crotch with the mailbox and Grunge attacked Jack with a croquet mallet. Rocco brought a table into the ring. Rocco placed Jack on the table and drove him through it with a top rope moonsault. Grunge then gained a near fall on Jack. The Gangstas fought back and double teamed Grunge. Rocco came off the top rope and hit Mustafa with the mallet and pinned him at 11:31. This was an excellent match, especially in 1995 when the ECW hardcore product was still growing. All four worked hard and looked good at various stages. What made the match worked was that they relied on their fair share of weapons, but also chipped in a number of athletic spots and kept the match moving at a good pace. In other words between the action in and out of the ring something was always happening. ****
8/5/95: Cactus Jack, Too Cold Scorpio & Dean Malenko vs Eddy Guerrero, Rick & Scott Steiner
Malenko and Scott exchanged offense on the mat early, and Scott held his own. Malenko charged off the ropes but ran into a Steinerline. Scott press slammed Malenko. He attempted to suplex Malenko back into the ring but Malenko countered and suplexed Scott to the floor. Malenko knocked Scott into the barricade with a baseball slide kick and whipped him into the barricade. Malenko tried a kip-up, Scott caught him and attempted a powerslam but Malenko escaped his grip and dropkicked Scott hard into the corner. Scott whipped Malenko into the corner and belly to belly suplexed him for a pop. Guerrero then faced off against Scorpio. After a series of counters Guerrero gave Scorpio a lucha style armdrag, a cool swinging armdrag and a dropkick after which Scorpio bailed out of the ring. Guerrero immediately hit a tope on Scorpio and gave him a brainbuster back in the ring. Rick also got the better of Scorpio. Scorpio dropkicked Rick and gave him a sloppy flying headscissors of sorts. Rick caught Scorpio on the top rope and slammed him to the mat. Scorpio fought back with a superkick but missed a top rope flying bodypress. Scorpio tried to catch Rick on the top rope but Rick gave him a bulldog to the mat for a pop and a near fall. Rick gave Scorpio a released German suplex and Scorpio tagged Cactus. Cactus immediately took the fight with Rick out of the ring and rammed Rick into the barricade. Cactus whipped Rick into the barricade but attempted that move again and Rick countered by sending Cactus into the barricade. Rick then belly to belly suplexed Cactus on the floor for another pop. Scorpio attempted a leapfrog but Rick caught him and powerslammed him. Guerrero got the better of Cactus and tried a victory roll but Cactus dropped him backwards to the mat. Guerrero fought back against Malenko but missed a frog splash. Malenko back suplexed Guerrero for a near fall. He gave Guerrero a running lariat in the corner and a tiger driver. Malenko tried a press but Guerrero countered with a victory roll for a near fall. Cactus legdropped Guerrero for a near fall and backdropped him for another near fall. Guerrero fought back against Cactus with a dropkick but Cactus recovered. Scorpio slammed Guerrero on the floor and Cactus gave him an elbowsmash off the apron. Back in the ring Scorpio gave Guerrero a tumbleweed legdrop for a near fall. Scorpio powerbombed Guerrero for a near fall. Scorpio went for a top rope splash but crashed onto Guerrero�s outstretched knees. Scorpio clotheslined Guerrero but Guerrero fought back with a huracanrana. Rick gave all three opponents a Steinerline and belly to belly superplexed Scorpio for a near fall. Cactus intervened but Scott gave him a modifies tiger driver. The Steiners lifted Scorpio on their shoulders and Guerrero came off the top rope with a clothesline. The Steiners then lifted Cactus and Guerrero gave him a top rope dropkick. Rick and Scott then lifted Malenko and Guerrero came off the top rope with a badly botched huracanrana (Malenko didn�t flip over but really couldn�t from where he was sitting) for a near fall. Malenko countered a brainbuster attempt, Guerrero went for a German suplex but Malenko rolled him up for the pin after about 21 minutes of action, of which 17 minutes aired. The botched spot near the end prevented this from being ****, but overall a great and really fun match. The match played to each man�s strengths while generally not exposing anyone�s weaknesses. Mainly a spotfest with good pacing, but the fans really ate it up. ***3/4
8/26/95 Best of 3 Falls: Eddy Guerrero vs Dean Malenko
They started with a smooth exchange on the mat with neither man holding an advantage. Guerrero maneuvered Malenko into a pinning position and gained a near fall. Malenko fought back by applying a leglock. Guerrero countered and applied a cross armbreaker. Guerrero hiptossed Malenko and flipped him over but Malenko responded in kind. Guerrero took down Malenko�s legs but Malenko flipped Guerrero over. Malenko missed a dropkick and Guerrero flipped him over and applied a chinlock. Guerrero came off the top rope with a lucha style armdrag. Guerrero gave Malenko a Rock bottom and a cradle suplex for a near fall. Guerrero applied a headscissors but Malenko countered with a leglock and then grabbed Guerrero�s arms and flipped him over into a pinning position with a modified bow and arrow. Malenko then applied an STF. Guerrero sidestepped Malenko during a criss-cross and Malenko sailed out of the ring to the floor. Back in the ring Guerrero belly to belly suplexed Malenko for a near fall. Guerrero hit a unique enzuguiri that was almost delivered like a standard dropkick only Guerrero caught the back of Malenko�s head for a near fall. Guerrero gave Malenko a top rope superplex for a near fall. Guerrero scored with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Malenko maneuvered Guerrero into a pinning position for a near fall. Guerrero caught Malenko with a small package and pinned him at 10:30 to win the first fall. Malenko dropkicked Guerrero�s leg but Guerrero fought back. Guerrero German suplexed Malenko for a near fall. Malenko dropkicked Guerrero�s knee and applied a leg grapevine. Malenko gave Guerrero a Hardcore Holly-like whiplash slam and applied a Texas cloverleaf for the submission win at 2:28 to win the second fall. Malenko hit a running lariat in the corner early in the third fall. He gave Guerrero a brainbuster for a near fall and hit a flying leg lariat. Malenko whipped Guerrero into the barricade and gave him a running forearm back in the ring. Malenko gave Guerrero a tiger driver for a near fall. Guerrero fought back and gave Malenko a tornado DDT out of the corner for a near fall. Guerrero hit a brainbuster and then a frog splash for a near fall. Guerrero hit a huracanrana for a near fall. Malenko caught Guerrero on the top rope but Guerrero managed to sunset flip him for a near fall. Guerrero attempted a tornado DDT but Malenko threw him to the mat. Malenko threw Guerrero into the air and dropped him ribs-first onto his knee for a pop and a near fall. Malenko attempted a hiptoss but Guerrero countered with a great rollup for a near fall. Malenko rolled up Guerrero but Guerrero grabbed and held down Malenko�s arms, and both were pinned at the same time at 5:32. The referee declared the match a draw and the fans gave both wrestlers, after their final ECW showdown, a standing ovation. Make no mistake this was far from their best match technically, but the emotion and drama surrounding the match (which the cameras could not do justice) were significant and elevated the match a notch. Just about everything they did was sharply executed and the mat exchanges were fun to watch. Excellent match. ****
4/13/97 3-Way Dance; Winner Gets ECW Title Shot: Terry Funk vs Sandman vs Big Stevie Cool
They did a three-way headlock early. Funk and Sandman double teamed Stevie early. All three exchanged chops. Stevie gained a near fall on Sandman. Funk applied a spinning toehold on Sandman but Stevie gave Funk a clothesline. Stevie and Sandman each elbowsmashed Funk twice after which Sandman lifted Stevie who came down with a legdrop on Funk for a near fall. Sandman lifted Stevie for the same spot but this time back suplexed him instead. Funk gave Stevie four neckbreakers for a near fall. Sandman had left the ring but returned with a ladder. He threw it into the ring and hit Funk in the head in the process. Sandman dropped the ladder on Stevie and clocked Funk with the ladder again for a near fall. Sandman set up the ladder in the corner and DDTd Stevie. Funk won an exchange of blows with Sandman on the ladder, then hit a moonsault bodyblock off the ladder onto Stevie for a pop. Sandman came off the top rope and slammed the ladder onto Stevie. Sandman dominated Funk, who collapsed head first onto the ladder. Sandman slammed Stevie onto Funk and gained a near fall on Stevie. Sandman grabbed the ladder but Stevie recovered and superkicked the ladder into Sandman for a near fall. Funk covered Stevie for a near fall. Sandman propped up the ladder in the corner and went to whip Stevie into it but Stevie reversed the whip and Sandman took a flip bump into the ladder. Stevie then gained a near fall. Stevie covered Funk for a near fall. Stevie and Sandman climbed the ladder in the middle of the ring and fought, but Funk staggered into the ladder causing both men to crash into the ropes and onto the canvas. Funk grabbed the ladder, hoisted it onto his shoulders, and acted like an out of control propeller in taking out both of his opponents in typical entertaining Funker fashion. Sandman and Funk took turns ramming each other into the ladder. Stevie came off the top rope and drove the ladder into both opponents in another neat spot. Stevie gave Sandman a Steviekick for a near fall. He also gave Funk a Steviekick for a near fall. Sandman took the ladder and threw it onto Stevie on the floor. Sandman dumped Stevie into the crowd and propped up the ladder between Stevie in the front row, the barricade, and Funk who was at ringside. Sandman dove over the top rope and catapulted the ladder right up into Stevie�s face. Funk hit Sandman with a chair and also hit Stevie. Back in the ring Funk vertical suplexed Stevie, but Sandman then threw a metal trash container or something similar into the ring and right onto Funk�s head, making a sick sound in the process. Sandman hit Stevie with the container and then suplexed Stevie onto the container. Funk then covered Stevie for a near fall. Funk gave Stevie a spike piledriver with Sandman�s help. Sandman placed the ladder on Stevie�s carcass and gave him a less-than-Guerrero-like slingshot senton after which Funk gained a near fall. Funk placed Stevie�s upper body over the ladder, which was propped against the ropes. Sandman then jumped off the top rope and the ladder bounced up into Stevie again and then out of the ring. Funk gained another near fall on Stevie. Funk and Sandman pinned Stevie at 15:45 after a double team powerbomb to eliminate him. Funk backdropped Sandman over the top rope to the floor. Sandman brought a strand of barbed wire into the ring. Funk got the better of Sandman and whipped him with the barbed wire. Sandman fought back by hitting Funk with a sheet of metal and wrapped himself in the barbed wire after which he repeatedly tacked Funk. Sandman gained a near fall but Funk fought back and wrapped his head in a trash can. Stevie came in and Steviekicked Sandman with the trash can on his head. Funk then moonsaulted Sandman and pinned him at 19:11. The last three minutes after Stevie was eliminated dragged the match down a tad, but this was an ECW classic in terms of hardcore spots and big bumps. Funk�s work was a bit quirky at times, but he worked his butt off and was fun to watch. Sandman wasn�t all that great, but worked hard and did a good variety of spots. Stevie had perhaps the best match of his career, playing the underdog role so well in taking lots of big bumps and punishment. I don�t think one could have asked for a better match from these three. ****
6/7/97: Raven vs Tommy Dreamer
Raven ran out the front door of the arena but Dreamer caught up with him and rammed him into a garage-like door. Dreamer hit Raven with a chair as the fight moved through the crowd. Dreamer also hit Raven with a Powerade bottle. Raven fought back and threw Dreamer off the top of the bleachers through a table. Raven went to piledrive Dreamer through a table but the table slipped out from under them and it became more or less a piledriver on the floor (so the spot wasn�t really botched). Raven took the fight to the stage and dropped a table onto Dreamer. Raven propped the table against a wall and rammed Dreamer through the table. Raven tried to piledrive Dreamer through another table on the stage but Dreamer countered with a backdrop. Dreamer placed Raven on the table but missed a big splash and just crashed through the table. Raven whipped Dreamer into the barricade near the entrance but Dreamer then whipped Raven into the barricade and Raven took a flip bump. Dreamer atomic dropped Raven onto the barricade and took the fight to ringside. He whipped Raven into the barricade and bulldogged him on the floor. Both men were bleeding as Dreamer threw Raven back into the crowd. Dreamer hit Raven with a chair and rammed him into a vending machine. Raven fought back and threw Dreamer onto the machine, and Dreamer then fell to the floor. Raven landed a chairshot in the aisle. Raven gave Dreamer a drop toehold onto a chair in the ring. Raven tried to superplex Dreamer onto an unfolded chair but Dreamer landed a low blow. Raven recovered ad threw Dreamer off the top rope onto the chair for a near fall. Raven tried a hiptoss but Dreamer countered with a DDT. Dreamer grabbed a sign, Raven tried to take it, but they both clocked the ref with it by accident. Dreamer flattened Raven with the �do not enter� sign and piledrove him on the sign for a near fall but Lupus interfered. Beulah came in and DDTd Lupus. Raven gave Dreamer a low blow and gained a near fall. Raven was distracted by Beulah and Dreamer gave him a low blow for a near fall. Chastity sprayed something in Dreamer�s face and Raven dropkicked him for a near fall. Beulah and Chastity fought, and Raven grabbed Beulah and embraced her, but Beulah responded with a low blow. Dreamer DDTd Raven on the �do not enter� sign for a near fall. Dreamer attempted a DDT but Raven backed him into the ref in the corner. Dreamer landed the DDT but the ref could not make a count. Louie Spicolli attacked Dreamer and DDTd him. Raven then gained a near fall. Dreamer countered a Death Valley driver and DDTd Spicolli but Raven then DDTd Dreamer for a near fall. Dreamer fought back and gave Raven a Death Valley driver. Dreamer DDTd Raven on the sign and finally pinned him at 15:06, of which all but 30 seconds aired. Somewhat of a tough match to rate. Technically this was probably not their best match and maybe weaker than both their 4/15/95 and 12/30/95 matches, but this had more going for it. The heat was great towards the end and there was much more of a major league feel/sense of urgency to this one. They did pace the match well both in terms of action and interference, which they used well to make Dreamer�s win mean something big. I�ll call this a borderline great match, but I could almost justify any rating between ** and ****. Very enjoyable match. ***1/2
4/4/98 ECW TV Title: Bam Bam Bigelow (c) vs Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso)
Bigelow blocked a kick and pummeled Van Dam early. Van Dam spin kicked Bigelow. Van Dam attempted a huracanrana but Bigelow dropped him with a powerbomb. Van Dam missed an enzuguiri and Bigelow gave him three headbutts. Bigelow ran into a superkick in the corner and Van Dam hit a spectacular flying bodypress. Van Dam then hit a top rope superkick and a rolling thunder splash. Bigelow ducked and Van Dam sailed over the top rope to the floor. Bigelow rammed Van Dam back first into the ringpost and then head first into the barricade. Van Dam fought back and hit a superkick of sorts off the barricade. Van Dam landed another kick but Bigelow rammed him into the ringpost. Van Dam kicked Bigelow and went for a headscissors but Bigelow dumped him into the crowd. Bigelow dominated Van Dam in the crowd until Van Dam rammed Bigelow into the barricade. Van Dam dove off the barricade onto Bigelow but Bigelow caught him and went for a powerbomb but Van Dam countered with a huracanrana that almost took a couple fans out. Van Dam hit Bigelow with a chair and then hit a spectacular plancha onto Bigelow in the crowd. Van Dam went to the top rope again and this time hit one of the greatest somersault planchas, especially in terms of distance, onto Bigelow in the crowd. Van Dam gave Bigelow a legdrop off the apron as Bigelow stumbled over the barricade to ringside. Bigelow fought back with a clothesline and powerbombed Van Dam onto a table at ringside. Bigelow then elbowsmashed Van Dam through the table. Van Dam fought back and hit Bigelow with a chair. Bigelow quickly aborted Van Dam�s comeback and hit him with a chair. Bigelow went to suplex Van Dam back into the ring but Van Dam countered so Bigelow dropped him onto the floor. Van Dam came off the top rope but Bigelow caught him and powerbombed him. Bigelow missed a moonsault and Van Dam hit a five star frog splash for a near fall. Bigelow fought back with a Samoan drop of sorts for a near fall. Bigelow gave Van Dam a brainbuster for a near fall. Bigelow went for a corner splash, Van Dam held up a chair but Bigelow put on the brakes. He attempted a greetings from Asbury Park but Sabu ran in and threw a chair that hit Bigelow in the head. Sabo launched off van Dam into Bigelow but Bigelow caught him and threw him onto Van Dam. Van Dam recovered and gave Bigelow a Van Daminator. Bigelow tripped over Sabu taking the bump and Van Dam rolled up Bigelow for the pin at 14:35 to win the title. Bigelow didn�t work hard enough to make this excellent, but did a good job carrying the quirky Van Dam in between spots. Van Dam�s two dives, especially the second one, were among his most memorable. Although Van Dam had some better matches against Sabu, this was the match that really launched his career to eventual superstardom. In other words, RVD had finally arrived. A great match. ***3/4
NEXT ISSUE: Ultimo Dragon: A Case For The Hall Of Fame
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