ECW HEAT WAVE 7/13/94

Running Time: 2 hours

Compared to most later noteworthy ECW events, this was a pretty drab show. While it wasn’t short of noteworthy events and angles, the match quality was pretty lackluster, and the atmosphere was much blander than future shows at the ECW Arena. If you’re going to get this tape, and I don’t recommend doing so unless you’re a diehard tape collector, you’ll probably get the tape for two matches. Shane Douglas and Sabu put forth an effort that did their reps justice and which holds up nicely viewing it today. And while the barbed wire main event didn’t feature particularly great work, it was chaotic and memorable, with a near-legendary scene where fans threw dozens of chairs into the ring.

1. Bad Breed (Axl & Ian Rotten) vs Rockin Rebel & Hack Myers

Myers and Axl basically did standing brawling early without taking any bumps. Axl got the better of Myers and Ian gave him a big splash. Ian dropkicked Myers in the corner for a near fall. Ian hit Rebel with a lariat. Rebel fought back against Axl with a kneelift. Rebel gained a near fall on Axl with a legdrop and another with a swinging neckbreaker. Axl hit a second rope clothesline on Rebel and tagged in. Ian gained a near fall on Rebel with a northern lights suplex. Ian caught Myers and gave him a double arm DDT. Ian pinned Myers at 9:44 after a top rope bulldog. Just a standard tag team match, and a lackluster opener. *

2. ECW TV Title: Mikey Whipwreck (c) vs Chad Austin (w/Jason)

Chad scored early when he caught Mikey and powerbombed him. Austin also hit a lariat but Mikey fought back. Mikey dropkicked Austin out of the ring. Austin charged towards the corner but Mikey moved and Austin crashed to the floor. Austin gave Mikey a brainbuster for a near fall. Mikey gained a near fall with a sunset flip. Mikey did a backdrop and Austin took a full flip bump. Austin fought back with a powerbomb for a near fall. Mikey countered a powerbomb with a huracanrana for a near fall. Mikey gained a near fall with a legdrop. Austin threw Mikey out of the ring and Mikey took a loud bump on the floor. Jason kicked Mikey and hit him with a chair at ringside. Mikey gained a near fall after a neck snap. Mikey countered a huracanrana and powerbombed Austin for a near fall. Mikey also gained a near fall with a flying bodypress. Jason gave Mikey a face front suplex onto the ringside table. Austin gave Mikey a slingshot suplex and pinned him at 9:12 after a top rope legdrop to apparently win the title. After fans popped for the title change, Austin told the ref he used brass knuckles and the ref reversed the decision, giving the title back to Mikey. Afterwards Jason and Austin attacked Mikey. A pretty good match with a weird but clever turn of events at the end. **1/4

3. Tommy Dreamer vs Steve Richards (w/Angel)

Richards attacked Dreamer early but Dreamer quickly fought back. Dreamer gained a near fall with a cross bodyblock. Dreamer dominated Richards until he missed an elbowsmash. Dreamer countered a sunset flip and gained a near fall of his own. Dreamer knocked Richards out of the ring with an elbow. Richards whipped Dreamer into the barricade. Richards ran towards Dreamer but Dreamer caught him and gave him a stun gun on the barricade. Dreamer ran into a Steviekick after which Richards hit a dropkick. Dreamer fought back with a belly to belly suplex and a legdrop for a near fall. Richards hit a top rope fistdrop for a near fall. Dreamer applied a sleeper and won via submission at 7:47. A standard match, nothing special. *1/2

After the match Dreamer addressed the upcoming Douglas-Sabu match and challenged Douglas. Douglas came out with Mr. Hughes. Hughes and Dreamer then fought each other in an unscheduled “match”. They fought for about three minutes ending when Hughes pinned Dreamer with a sidewalk slam after Douglas hit Dreamer with a chair. Douglas called Angel into the ring and asked her to be his head cheerleader for the match later on and to take care of Paul E. Dangerously.

4. Pitbulls (1 & 2) w/Jason vs Tazmaniac & ???

Taz came out alone. Tod Gordon tried to postpone the match because Taz’s partner had not yet arrived but the Pitbulls attacked Taz and the match began. Pitbull 1 whipped Taz with a chain early. Mr. Hughes attacked someone in the aisle as the Pitbulls dominated Taz in the ring. 911 came out and confronted both Mr. Hughes and Rockin Rebel. 911 went to chokeslam Rebel and Austin but Hughes hit him with a chair. Taz was completely dominated until Sabu came out to be his partner as fans popped huge. Taz belly to belly suplexed Pitbull 2 over the top rope for a pop and Sabu followed with a tope into a frankensteiner on Pitbull 2. Taz gave Pitbull 1 a half nelson German suplex and pinned him at 5:21. Entertaining end and out of ring action, but the match itself wasn’t much. *1/2

5. Dueling Singapore Canes: Sandman (w/Woman) vs Tommy Cairo (w/Peaches)

Sandman kept stalling early. Cairo hit Sandman with several cane shots early on. Sandman developed welts on his back from Cairo’s shots. Sandman tried to fight back but Cairo maintained his dominance. Cairo missed a top rope spin kick and Sandman finally scored with several cane shots, even though he himself had been busted open on his arm and gut. Cairo was busted open but fought back. Peaches took one of the canes and threatened Woman with it. Cairo threatened Woman but Sandman then caned him repeatedly. Sandman then pinned Cairo at 7:25. Pure fast-forward material 1/4*

6. ECW Title: Shane Douglas (c) w/Mr. Hughes & Angel vs Sabu (w/911 & Paul E. Dangerously)

Douglas got the better of Sabu on the mat early. Douglas dove onto Sabu off the apron at ringside. Douglas gained an early near fall. Sabu countered a German suplex attempt and rolled up Douglas for a near fall. Douglas hit a vertical suplex and locked on a headscissors. Douglas gave Sabu a lariat for a near fall. Douglas gave Sabu a backbreaker and applied a camel clutch. Sabu fought back and powerbombed Douglas for a near fall. Sabu hit Douglas with a chair at ringside and placed Douglas on the chair. Sabu then hit a tope suicida onto Douglas as he sat in the chair. Sabu hit Douglas with a chair several times in the ring and launched off the chair towards Douglas in the corner but Douglas moved. Douglas atomic dropped Sabu onto the chair. Douglas gained a near fall with a slingshot splash and another with a piledriver. Sabu fought back with a kick off the second rope. Sabu missed a slingshot somersault splash and Douglas rolled him up for a near fall. Sabu went for a huracanrana but Douglas dropped him with a powerbomb. Douglas hit a top rope elbow and applied a half crab on Sabu. Douglas then turned and applied an STF as Hughes and 911 argued on the apron. Sabu knocked Douglas out of the ring with a top rope spin kick. Sabu hit a somersault dive off the apron onto Douglas. Sabu threw Douglas into the crowd and dove off the barricade onto Douglas. Douglas fought back and hit Sabu with a chair in the crowd. Douglas whipped Sabu into the barricade. Sabu fought back and dumped Douglas crotch first on the barricade. Sabu set up a table against the barricade and the lights in the ECW Arena went out for no explicable reason. Douglas charged at Sabu but Sabu moved and Douglas crashed over the top turnbuckle to the floor. Sabu placed Douglas against the table and hit an Asai moonsault but Douglas moved. Sabu crashed against the table and fell head-first to the concrete floor. Douglas demanded the ref to count out Sabu and the ref did so Douglas won via countout at 19:33. Paul E. hit Hughes with his phone but Hughes then punched him out. 911 then chokeslammed Douglas and then Hughes for a pop. Angel tried to intervene but 911 chokeslammed her as well for a huge pop. A very good match with good post-match chaos. ***1/4

Barbed Wire Match: Public Enemy (Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge) vs Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr.

The Funks threw chairs at Public Enemy as they were in the eagle’s nest. They did the usual teasing of barbed wire spots as they traded offense early. The Funks tried to whip Rocco into the wire but he slid underneath and out of the ring. Rock and Grunge pounded Dory at ringside but Terry turned the tables. Rock pushed Terry into the barbed wire. Rock charged at Terry but Terry moved and Rock crashed into the barbed wire. All four men brawled at ringside and the Funks dominated their opponents during this time. Dory and Rocco fought into the crowd as a bloody Grunge fought with Terry and pushed him into the barbed wire. Rocco slammed Dory onto the barbed wire, yet Dory was already bleeding from the head. Rocco got tied up in the barbed wire thanks to Terry, and Dory also tied up Grunge in the barbed wire. Dory double arm suplexed Rocco as Terry piledrove Grunge. Terry piledrove Grunge again and asked fans to give him some chairs. In one of the all-time classic scenes in ECW history, fans threw nearly 100 chairs into the ring as Terry piledrove Grunge on the sea of chairs. All four men brawled out of the ring, into the crowd, and out of the ECW arena for a while. Rocco returned to the ring as Dory hit him with a trash can several times. Dory even hit the ref with the trash can in a spot more reminiscent of his brother Terry. Dory assaulted Grunge with a chair but Grunge attacked Dory with wire cutters. Rocco hit Funk repeatedly with a trash can. Rocco and Grunge wrapped Terry in barbed wire and a trash can. Rocco finally pinned Terry at 12:55. The Funks gained a measure of revenge in a post-match brawl as fans threw more chairs into the ring. The Funks buried Public Enemy in a sea of chairs. Dory then used the wire cutters to get the barbed wire off Funk’s body. Not a masterpiece of a match, but a violent and crazy spectacle, especially the chair throwing. This match established ECW as the king of hardcore wrestling in the States. **3/4

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