EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING TV
October 25, 1997
Joey Styles opened the program from the ring. He brought out Shane Douglas for an interview. Douglas announced that Rick Rude had brought in another challenger to fight him for the ECW title and then brought out Rude. After a few minutes Rude introduced Douglas’s challenger. Fans popped huge when Bam Bam Bigelow came out. Chris Candido and even Tammy Sytch tried to intervene but to no avail, the championship match had been set…
1. ECW World Title: Shane Douglas (c) w/Francine vs Bam Bam Bigelow
Bigelow landed some punches and hit a corner splash early. Bigelow hiptossed Douglas twice. He whipped Douglas into the corner and Douglas took a flip bump to the apron. Bigelow then threw Douglas back into the ring. Douglas fought back with punches but Bigelow responded with some punches of his own. Bieglow pressed Douglas and dropped him crotch first onto the top rope and out of the ring. Bieglow then press slammed Douglas out of the ring on the other side. Bigelow lifted Douglas by the hair up to the apron and tossed him back into the ring again. Bigelow landed some punches but Douglas fought back with a couple clotheslines. Douglas dropkicked Bigelow and hit a flying bodypress for a near fall. Douglas headbutted Bigelow’s crotch, landed more punches and suplexed Bigelow, but hurt his back in the process. Bigelow then gained a near fall. Douglas landed a couple chops but Bigelow no-sold them. Bigelow gave Douglas a rude awakening neckbreaker for a pop and a near fall. Bigelow hit a diving headbutt but then missed a top rope headbutt. Bigelow recovered and DDTd Douglas. He powerbombed Douglas and pinned him at 6:53 to win the title. Fans came absolutely unglued for the result. Not a great match, but just solid, which was exactly what it had to be to work. **1/4
A hilarious monologue from Chris Candido aired. He was bent out of shape over Bigelow winning the title and vowed revenge on Bam Bam on behalf of himself and Douglas.
2. Sabu (w/Bill Alfonso) vs Mikey Whipwreck
Mikey took Sabu down early. Sabu landed some punches and took Mikey down by the leg. Sabu clotheslined Mikey for a near fall and applied an armbar. Sabu got the better of Mikey on the mat and worked on his left leg. Mikey fought back and applied an armbar. Mikey went for a backdrop but Sabu landed on his feet and hit a second rope dive of some sort for a near fall. Mikey went for a hiptoss, Sabu blocked it, but Mikey then gave Sabu a huracanrana. Alfonso slid a chair into the ring and Sabu hit Mikey with it. Sabu launched off the chair and gave Mikey a top rope huracanrana for a near fall. Sabu then launched off a chair and hit a springboard plancha onto Mikey in the crowd. Sabu set up a table between the apron and the barricade and placed Mikey on it. Sabu launched off a chair with an intended dive but Mikey hit him with a chair in mid-air. Sabu caught Mikey on the top rope but Mikey recovered and gave Sabu a top rope bulldog for a near fall. Sabu landed some punches but Mikey gave him a tornado DDT out of the corner for a near fall. Mikey hit a sloppy top rope spinning huracanrana for a near fall. Mikey went for a second rope corkscrew senton but missed. Sabu then hit a triple jump moonsault and gained a near fall. Mikey caught Sabu on the top rope. Rob Van Dam intervened but Mikey dove onto him and drove him through the table. Sabu then took out both Mikey and Van Dam with an Orihara moonsault. Sabu hit a moonsault/legdrop as Mikey was reentering the ring and pinned him at 9:59. Not their best match, but a fine effort with both men working hard. **1/2
A Shane Douglas interview aired where Douglas admitted defeat to Bigelow but vowed revenge at upcoming events.
3. Justin Credible (w/Jason) vs Great Sasuke
Sasuke took down Credible early with a headlock but Credible countered with a headscissors. Sasuke regained the headlock and gained a near fall. Credible actually overpowered Sasuke with a wristlock and Sasuke bridged to avoid the pin. Sasuke took down Credible and applied a leglock. Sasuke then applied a half crab. Sasuke landed a spinning mule kick, took down Credible and applied another leglock. Sasuke started to turn for a half crab but then grabbed Credible’s ankle and applied a leg grapevine while holding the ankle. Sasuke hiptossed Credible and kicked him in the corner but Credible scored with a low blow. Credible landed some body shots and gave a sitting Sasuke a dropkick to the head. Credible kicked Sasuke and gave him a somewhat botched spinning DDT/bulldog. Credible landed a chop and a kneedrop on Sasuke. He used an armbar and flipped Sasuke into the corner. Sasuke whipped Credible into the corner but missed a jumping knee. Credible clotheslined Sasuke for a near fall and gave him a top rope huracanrana for another near fall. Credible went to the top rope but Sasuke caught him with a dropkick. Sasuke went for a superplex but Credible countered and hit a top rope sunset flip/powerbomb for a near fall. Sasuke fought back with a second rope cross bodyblock and hit an in-ring quebrada for a near fall. Sasuke attempted a piledriver but Credible countered with a backdrop. Sasuke dropkicked Credible out of the ring and hit a tope con hilo for a pop. Sasuke went for a moonsault but Jason kicked him off the top rope. Credible then gave Sasuke that’s incredible and pinned him at 10:00. Another good match, but slightly disappointing. Credible didn’t get the chance to showcase his skills fully and Sasuke wasn’t as sharp as usual. However, like the previous matches this was a good enough effort that showcased both men’s strengths in moderation. **1/2
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