EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING TV
February 15, 1997
1. Terry Funk vs Tommy Rich
Rich entered the crowd to argue with some fans but Funk attacked him. Funk rammed Rich into a chair a fan was holding and Rich began to bleed. They returned to the ring and Funk landed some punches. Funny spot saw Funk sitting in a chair while pelting Rich with punches and slaps. Funk teased a chairshot but threw the chair out of the ring and gave Rich more punches. Rich landed a ton of punches of his own and Funk tumbled through the ropes to the floor. Rich raked Funk�s face and Funk hung upside down in the corner. Rich clotheslined Funk three times and dropped an elbow. Rich landed more punches and took Funk down by his leg. Funk countered a spinning toehold (or figure 4?) and gave Rich a knee to the crotch. Funk then gave Rich a spinning toehold for the submission win. About 3:54 aired of a 10:00 match. You will either hate this because of the repetitive nature of the match with all the punches, or you�ll find it mildly enjoyable as an old-school brawl with blood. Served its purpose of starting Funk�s push to the title. NR
2. Lance Storm vs Balls Mahoney
Storm applied a hammerlock but Balls reached the ropes. Balls punched Storm and raked his face. They had a diagonal criss cross and Balls countered a German suplex with an elbow. Storm clotheslined Balls twice and knocked him off his feet with a spin kick. Storm landed a couple elbows but Balls gave him a short clothesline. Balls missed a spin kick and flew over the top rope to the floor. Storm hit a somersault tope and a springboard elbow strike for a near fall. Storm came off the top rope but Balls met him with a punch to the gut. Balls punched Storm and legdropped him for a near fall. Balls gave Storm a urunage and slammed him. Balls gave Storm a Vader bomb (reverse second rope splash) for a near fall. Storm fought back, jumped to the top rope and gave Balls a springboard back elbow. Storm clotheslined Balls for a near fall. Storm gave Balls a handspring clothesline in the corner and a second rope dropkick for a near fall. Balls gave Storm a low blow and piledrove him. Balls missed a second rope elbowsmash and Storm gave him a top rope spin kick for the pin at 5:29. Good short match. Balls did what he often did, that being showing he was not a good worker while still showing flashes of brilliance. Storm was a breath of fresh air with his athletic spots and stood out so much more than he does in the WWE nowadays. **
3. ECW Tag Team Title: Eliminators (Saturn & Kronus) (c) vs Sabu & Rob Van Dam
RVD pounded Saturn and gave him a spin kick. Saturn dropkicked RVD sharply in the face. Kronus tagged in but RVD attacked him, gave him an armringer and some kicks. RVD gave Kronus a spinning kick. Saturn and Kronus whipped RVD into the corner and gave him a double spin kick. Saturn gained a near fall and gave Sabu a baseball slide kick. Saturn clotheslined RVD for a near fall. RVD fought back and gave Saturn a double arm face front suplex. Sabu gave Saturn a slingshot legdrop and applied a camel clutch. RVD then hit Saturn with a running dropkick. Kronus interfered but RVD maintained the advantage and applied a Romero special on Saturn. Sabu came off the top rope and hit Saturn while he was in the hold. RVD went for a pin but Kronus stomped him. Sabu threw a chair and hit Saturn in the head with it. Saturn clotheslined Sabu and elbowed RVD. Sabu applied a half crab on Saturn and RVD gave him a top rope legdrop for a near fall. Kronus gave RVD a top rope splash for a near fall. Saturn gave RVD a top rope splash and Kronus gained a near fall. RVD fought back and slammed Kronus. Sabu gave Kronus a top rope splash from one corner and RVD hit a top rope legdrop from the opposite corner. Kronus whipped Sabu into the corner, gave him a roundhouse kick to the back of his neck and Saturn added a superkick. Kronus gained a near fall and slammed Sabu. Kronus gave Sabu a second rope corkscrew senton. Kronus charged but Sabu dumped him out of the ring and Kronus took a spectacular fall. RVD pounded Saturn as Sabu hit Kronus with a chair. Sabu placed Kronus on a table propped between the barricade and the apron. Sabu went for a springboard move but Saturn kicked his leg as he reached the top rope. RVD grazed Kronus with a tope. Sabu whipped Saturn into the corner and gave him a springboard leg lariat. RVD mule kicked Kronus at ringside and the table was brought into the ring. RVD placed Kronus on the table but Saturn dumped him out of the ring. Saturn then pushed Sabu off the top rope to the floor and hit a tope. RVD and Kronus traded kicks but RVD got the better of Kronus and pounded him. Saturn brought a ladder into the ring and climbed it as Kronus held RVD. Sabu top rope dropkicked Saturn off the ladder onto Kronus. Sabu and RVD clotheslined the champs with the ladder and legdropped the ladder onto them. Sabu and RVD then hit simultaneous springboard legdrops onto the ladder placed over the Eliminators for a pair of near falls. RVD slammed Saturn. RVD and Sabu climbed the ladder but Saturn and Kronus knocked them to the mat by giving the ladder total elimination in a great spot. Saturn stood the ladder up on a table in the ring and Kronus slammed RVD. Saturn climbed the ladder but Sabu knocked him off the ladder with a springboard kick. RVD gave Saturn a Van Daminator for a near fall. Sabu slammed Kronus but missed a triple jump moonsault. Saturn kicked Sabu and the champs gave RVD total elimination. Saturn pinned RVD to retain the title. 12:04 aired of a 20:00+ match. When I first saw this match in 1997 I gave it ****. This doesn�t age as well as some other vintage ECW matches because standards for great spots gave been raised since, but still seemed like a great match for its type. This was your vintage ECW spotfest with lots of great and innovative spots combined with some sloppy exchanges in between. A couple big spots were off, but none were botched in this match so the overall quality of execution was fine. This looked like a better match than their November to Remember �96 effort because this was 8 minutes shorter. A good show overall. ***1/4
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