ECW BIG ASS EXTREME BASH 3/8/96 & 3/9/96

Running Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

This was a two day event that was ECW’s biggest weekend to date. Its first show came from Queens, NY (same place as Holiday Hell ’95) and the 3/9 show took place in the ECW Arena. The first show is heavily edited, with highlights of several but not all matches from 3/8. The last two hours or so cover the 3/9 show. Several of the undercard matches are edited, some heavily, although all the big and best matches air in their entirety. This was another one of those shows that epitomized the ECW product on many level and thus is one of my most recommended ECW tapes. While this isn’t ECW’s best tape in terms of match quality (although probably in the top 10), its very enjoyable from start to finish as almost every clip has some entertainment value.

-Queens, NY 3/8/96-

Sandman interrupted an opening match and caned everyone in sight.

Shane Douglas came out to be interviewed by Joey Styles. Douglas spotted Brian Pillman at ringside. Douglas was going to punch Pillman but Pillman placed a woman and her baby in front of him. Douglas and Pillman had to be restrained by a ton of people.

Bill Alfonso picked a fight with Tod Gordon but Taz intervened and Alfonso attacked Gordon with a chair. Bam Bam Bigelow confronted Taz and cleaned house.

1. Cactus Jack vs Chris Jericho

Cactus piledrove Jericho for a near fall. Jericho countered a powerbomb and pinned Cactus at 13:57 with a German suplex. Only the last minute aired. NR

2. Taz vs Mikey Whipwreck

Whipwreck countered a T-bone Tazplex with a rollup for a near fall. Whipwreck missed a flying bodypress and Taz dropped him hard with his head-and-arm Tazplex. Taz won at 4:08 with a Tazmission. Again, only the last minute aired. Bigelow ran in and fought with Taz but Taz choked him out with the Tazmission. NR

Footage aired of Buh Buh Ray & D.W. Dudley upsetting the Headhunters and the Headhunters fighting the Gangstas afterwards.

3. Best of 3 Falls: Rey Misterio Jr. vs Juventud Guerrera

Misterio hit a great tilt-a-whirl headscissors and then a springboard spinning huracanrana. Misterio hit a somersault tope into a huracanrana on the floor. Guerrera missed a top rope legdrop and Misterio gave him a doctor bomb for a near fall. Misterio pinned Guerrera with an ocean cyclone suplex to win the first fall. Guerrera countered a top rope huracanrana with a powerbomb for a near fall. Guerrera hit a top rope somersault legdrop for a near fall. He gave Misterio a dragon suplex and pinned him to win the second fall. Guerrera kicked Misterio off the apron to the floor with a second rope dropkick and hit a somersault plancha. Misterio countered a springboard huracanrana attempt with a powerbomb for a near fall. Misterio hit a great springboard somersault plancha on Guerrera in the crowd. Guerrera gave Misterio a top rope brainbuster and pinned him to win the third fall and match. About 3:50 aired, and what aired was as great as you could expect from these two at the top of their game. NR

4. ECW World Title: Raven (c) vs Sandman

Raven busted a chair over Sandman’s head and gained a near fall. Sandman caned Raven and DDTd him. Sandman attacked Raven with a chair in the aisle. Cactus Jack punched Sandman as he carried Raven on his shoulders back to the ring. Raven DDTd Sandman on a chair for a near fall. Sandman DDTd Raven on the chair twice for a near fall. Raven hit Sandman with a chair but Douglas ran in and hit Raven with a chair as the ref was distracted. Blue Meanie came in and hit Sandman with a chair as Douglas attacked Stevie Richards. Sandman threw a segment of the ringside barricade into the ring. He whipped Raven into the barricade and went to suplex Raven onto the barricade but Raven pushed Sandman onto it. Raven DDTd Sandman on the barricade and pinned him to retain the title. 7:56 aired, and it looked like a really fun match with all the chaos. NR

-ECW Arena (Philadelphia, PA) 3/9/96-

5. J.T. Smith vs Axl Rotten

Smith gained a near fall with a moonsault. Smith botched a DDT off the second rope but powerbombed Rotten for a near fall. Rotten hit a lariat but J.T. low blowed Rotten and pinned him with his feet on the ropes (1:15 aired). NR

6. Bad Crew vs El Puerto Ricano & Damien Stone

Ricano missed a tope at the start. Crew double teamed Stone but Ricano hit them with a double clothesline off the top rope. Crew gave Stone a Hart attack-like clothesline with one of them coming off the second rope. A Bad Crew member gave Stone a tiger driver. Brian Pillman attacked everyone at 1:50 to end the match. NR

Pillman told Joey Styles to come into the ring for an interview. Pillman ripped on Shane Douglas who responded from the balcony. Douglas ran towards the ring and Pillman bailed out of the arena. Douglas challenged Pillman and had to be restrained by several officials.

7. ECW World Tag Team Title: Eliminators (Saturn & Kronus) (c) vs Buh Buh Ray Dudley (w/several Dudleys) & Hack Myers

Buh Buh Ray went for a Buh Buh bomb but Saturn countered with a mule kick and a huracanrana. Saturn dumped Buh Buh Ray into the crowd. Saturn pinned Myers after he & Kronus gave him a total elimination (only 1:12 aired). NR

8. Taz (w/Bill Alfonso) vs Chris Jericho

Taz applied a cross armbreaker early. Jericho countered a German suplex with one of his own for a near fall. Jericho knocked Taz off the apron to the floor with a running top rope dropkick and hit a plancha on Taz. He suplexed Taz back into the ring and hit a top rope splash for a near fall. Jericho hit a lionsault for a near fall. Taz gained a near fall with a northern lights suplex. Jericho superkicked Taz but Taz crotched him on the top rope. Jericho hit a lariat but Taz then gave him a head-and-arm Tazplex. Jericho fought back with a mule kick. Taz dropped Jericho on his head with a German suplex and made him submit at 6:12 with a Tazmission. A good match while it lasted. **1/2

9. Best of 3 Falls: Rey Misterio Jr. vs Juventud Guerrera

This was perhaps one of the greatest highspot fests ever. Both men did so much in so little time, but still put together a very smooth match. The first fall began with fluid mat wrestling exchanges. However, the highspots and near falls soon followed. Misterio really shined in the first fall with moves such as a springboard superquebrada. Juventud came back with a springboard somersault dropkick and used a Dragon suplex to pin Misterio at 5:31 to win the first fall. Misterio was agin breathtaking in the second fall, including a spinning huracanrana off the apron and a somersault plancha over the referee's body. Misterio hit a lionsault for a near fall. He gave Juventud a doctor bomb and pinned him to win the second fall at 3:06. Juventud started the third fall in spectacular fashion with a dropkick that sent Misterio to the floor and an Asai moonsault into the crowd. Juventud scored a near fall with a springboard spin kick. Lots of cool near falls back and forth took place in between great spots. Misterio hit a springboard somersault plancha on Juventud. The two brawled their way out the building, where Misterio gave Juventud a spinning huracanrana off the hood of a car in the spot of the match. Back in the ring Juventud went for a top rope splash mountain but Misterio countered with a huracanrana for the pin at 6:11. Misterio powerbombed Juventud through a table after the match. Incredible breathtaking match that in some ways was like an extended version of the Misterio-Psicosis classic from 12/13/95. *****

10. Cactus Jack (last ECW match) vs Mikey Whipwreck

Cactus overpowered Whipwreck early on and deluged him with punches in the corner. Cactus took the fight to ringside and tried to hit Whipwreck with a chair but Mikey moved with each attempt. Cactus rammed Whipwreck into the barricade as fans offered him weapons that were too harmless for Cactus’s taste. Whipwreck gave Cactus his own Cactus clothesline over the top rope to the floor. Whipwreck back suplexed Cactus on the floor. He gave Cactus a Russian legsweep on a chair in the ring. Whipwreck jumped on Cactus but Cactus dumped him over the top rope onto a ringside table. Cactus set up a table at ringside and back suplexed Mikey head-first into the upright table. Cactus came off the second rope to the floor with an elbowsmash on Mikey and hit him with a metal crutch. Cactus held a chair but Mikey superkicked the chair into his face. Mikey beat up Cactus in the crowd and hit a great springboard somersault plancha into the crowd. Cactus recovered and gave Mikey a Cactus clothesline over the barricade to ringside. Cactus suplexed Mikey on the floor and dominated him as the fight reentered the ring. He piledrove Mikey for a near fall. Cactus tore Mikey’s neckbrace off and DDTd him for a near fall. Cactus draped Mikey’s neck on the bottom rope and legdropped him. He attempted to piledrive Mikey on the floor but Mikey backdropped him into the crowd, only for Cactus to give him a neckbreaker on the barricade. Cactus launched himself off the barricade at Mikey but Mikey moved and Cactus took a mini-Nestea plunge head first into the barricade. Mikey hit Cactus 5 times in the head with a chair and gained a near fall. Mikey continued to assault Cactus with a chair. They again fought into the crowd and Mikey suplexed Cactus near the stage. Mikey hit a plancha/tope/dive onto Cactus from the third level above the stage (about an 8 foot drop). Mikey went for a top rope move but jumped into an elbow from Cactus. Cactus hit Mikey with a chair three times, piledrove him on the chair and pinned him at 17:19. An excellent match, devoid of much of the lengthy hype or over the top nature of ECW extreme spots, but everything was paced very well and Mick Foley gave ECW fans a significant reason to miss Cactus Jack. ****

After the match, Cactus received a loud standing ovation. He embraced Mikey and they shook hands for a pop. “New York, New York” was played in the background to signify his departure to the WWF. Cactus then spoke for a lengthy time. He recognized “John”, a long-time fan at ringside at the Arena who appeared to have Down’s Syndrome, and gave him the (Cactus Jack) shirt off his back and embraced him. Cactus then asked to bring out two guys he called the driving creative forces and the “lifeblood” of ECW. He then brought out Stevie Richards and Blue Meanie. All three danced and strutted out of the Arena as some fans popped, others laughed, and some like me didn’t know how to react. A really well-done, classy farewell segment appropriate for the uniqueness of someone like the Cactus Jack persona.

11. Bruise Brothers (Ron & Don Harris) vs Pitbulls (w/Francine)

Pitbull 2 was dominated early but recovered and backdropped both opponents. Ron and Don gave Pitbull 2 a double boot and clotheslined Pitbull 1 over the top rope to the floor. Pitbull 2 clotheslined both Bruise Brothers over the top rope to the floor. All four brawled at ringside and into the crowd. Pitbull 1 laid in some kicks on Ron Harris. Ron hit Pitbull 2 with a chair and then hit Pitbull 1 with a chair as well. Pitbull 2 hit Ron with a chair and Pitbull 1 hit both opponents with a chair. Pitbull 2 superbombed Ron Harris but Meanie and Richards attacked the Pitbulls. Francine attacked Meanie but Richards superkicked her. Dreamer ran in and attacked everyone with a prosthetic arm. Dreamer dumped Meanie and Richards into the crowd and hit then with a chair and a clock. The match appeared to be a no-contest. About 6 minutes aired, and the match appeared to be **1/2-***.

12. Sabu vs Big Titan

Titan overpowered Sabu early and placed him on a table between the ring apron and the barricade. Titan attempted an over the top rope splash but Sabu moved and Titan crashed through the table. Sabu hit a top rope huracanrana for a near fall. Sabu went for a second rope kick but Titan caught him and slammed him to the mat. Titan went to drop Sabu in some form but Sabu countered with a pretty good off-balance DDT. Sabu gave Titan an Arabian facebuster and pinned him. 2:12 aired, and it looked like an average at best match.

Raven and company tried to make everyone believe he could not wrestle and defend his title due to a leg injury.

13. ECW World Title: Raven (c) vs Shane Douglas

Douglas attacked Raven but Richards then superkicked Douglas and Raven DDTd him for a near fall. Raven was legitimately injured, but did overexaggerate his true condition for the sake of the storyline. Raven whipped Douglas into the barricade twice and hit him with a chair. Raven DDTd Douglas on the chair at ringside. He hit Douglas, who fell off the apron into the barricade. Raven went to suplex Douglas back into the ring but Douglas countered and suplexed Raven onto the top turnbuckle. Douglas knocked Raven to the floor with a knee to the head and took out everyone with a second rope tope from inside the ring. Douglas hit Raven with a chair and DDTd him on the chair for a near fall. Kimona Wanalaya attacked Douglas but Douglas then spanked her and she appeared to like it. Raven fought back with a low blow. Raven charged at Douglas in the corner with a chair but Douglas put the ref in front of him and the ref got hit with the chair instead. Douglas hit Raven with one of Raven’s crutches. Meanie missed a moonsault on Douglas and Douglas belly to belly suplexed both Meanie and Richards. Douglas belly to belly suplexed Raven and pinned him but the ref was still out of it. The Bruise Brothers attacked Douglas and both gave him a boot to the face. Raven then gained a heated near fall on Douglas. Raven charged at Douglas in the corner with a chair but Douglas kicked the chair into Raven’s face. Douglas hit a second rope kick, again knocking the chair into Raven’s face. Douglas gave Raven a stun gun for a near fall. Douglas atomic dropped Raven onto an unfolded chair and knocked Raven off the chair with a clothesline for a near fall. Douglas attempted to ram Raven’s head into a chair in the corner but Raven pushed him backwards into the chair. Raven pinned Douglas at 8:42 after a DDT on a chair. A very good, chaotic match and one of Douglas’s best for pure content. There was a wild post-match brawl involving Dreamer, Sandman and the Bruise Brothers. ***1/2

14. Three-Way Dance: Sandman (w/Missy Hyatt) & Too Cold Scorpio vs Headhunters (A & B) (w/Damien Kane & Lady Alexander) vs Gangstas (New Jack & Mustafa)

Scorpio and Sandman caned the Headhunters before the bell. Scorpio gained a near fall on Headhunter (HH) A with a top rope splash. Sandman gave HHA a top rope legdrop as Scorpio and Damien Kane fought. Even Missy and Alexander fought. Scorpio superkicked HHB as HHA caned Sandman. HHB moonsaulted Scorpio and HHA gave Sandman a top rope splash. The Gangstas entered the match at 3:10 and attacked the Headhunters. New Jack hit HHA with a nightstick as Mustafa put HHB through a table at ringside. Sandman flew over the top rope and hit New Jack with a cane. HHB attacked Mustafa with a chair. Scorpio hit New Jack with a chair as HHA destroyed a cane over Sandman. Scorpio wrapped his legs around New Jack and took him over the top rope to the floor. Mustafa whipped HHB over the barricade into the crowd. Mustafa hit HHB with a chair but Scorpio flew onto both of them with a plancha into the crowd for a pop. Both Scorpio and HHB hit New Jack repeatedly with chairs. New Jack attacked Scorpio as HHB and Mustafa took turns hitting Sandman with chairshots. Sandman hit HHB and Kane with a chair as well as New Jack. Sandman hit HHA and Mustafa with a chair as well. Sandman whipped Mustafa over the barricade into the crowd. Scorpio hit both Headhunters with a chair and Sandman went for a tope on HHB but HHB pretty much shrugged it off. New Jack hit Sandman and HHA with a chair at ringside. HHB (thankfully) missed a top rope legdrop on Scorpio. Scorpio hit a 450 splash and pinned HHB at 10:00 to eliminate the Headhunters. The Headhunters would not go quietly, but Sandman caned then and the Gangstas. HHA hit a second rope splash on Scorpio as HHB caned Sandman near the entrance. Both Gangstas dominated Scorpio as Sandman and HHB fought to the back. New Jack caned Scorpio and suplexed him with Mustafa giving Scorpio a dropkick as well. New Jack gained a near fall on Scorpio. New Jack went to give Scorpio a stun gun and Mustafa elbowed Scorpio for a near fall. Mustafa powerslammed Scorpio and New Jack pinned him at 14:21 after a top rope splash. A really good brawl, but some parts could have had hotter pacing. ***

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