Random EC F'N W Bullshit

[Big Papa Paegan]

Quick n' dirty GUILTY AS CHARGED 1999 review:

Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks vs. FBI vs. Doring/Roadkill
This is a whatever match, just used to show any potential new viewers what an ECW show could be like. Last minute booking changes, the Three-Way Dance structure, and the emphasis on misfit-looking talents that are more about violence than technical ability. Not much, but par for the course if you're into it. **

Yoshihiro Tajiri vs. Super Crazy
As stated above, this is one of their early encounters in the company, if not the first, and their chemistry is apparent from the onset. Tajiri was on his 5th year as a pro and Crazy on his 11th, and it shows as both men are smooth enough in their execution while also understanding that there needs to be some sort of connective tissue between moves. Both were new to ECW, and this was a fantastic way to get both guys over. I appreciate that the finish came so abruptly, too, as it lets the crowd get a tasye for what's to come later. ***1/2

John Kronus vs. SID
SID's ECW debut was virtually perfect. The only things that could've made this better would be if it was against someone more "there" than Kronus, and if SID had a longer run before heading to WCW. As a match, it's nothing, but as a squash segment it's a beauty. N/R

Dudley Boyz vs. New Jack/Spike Dudley
After how alarmingly good the Dudleys/Balls & Tanaka match was N2R '98, this feels like such a letdown. There's also the fact that the stock music used in place of "Natural Born Killaz" just doesn't do any of this justice. Spike and Buh Buh carry this one, and I love "gangsta" Spike so damn much. Something worth noting is how the 3D to New Jack takes him out much earlier than you would expect, and he sells it like he's dying for about 10 minutes after. THAT is how you keep a finish protected. **

Terry Funk cuts a taped promo discussing why he turned on Tommy, and it's the Funker so it's good.

Rob Van Dam vs. Lance Storm
Throughout the night, Joey Styles has made it clear that Masato Tanaka couldn't make it to the US for this show, so Tanaka/RVD couldn't happen. He also mentions that Jerry Lynn's cracked pelvis hasn't healed yet, so the Lynn/Storm/Whipwreck Three-Way Dance was canceled as well. This was probably all a cover for booking decisions and Whipwreck being WCW-bound anyway, because while I think Tanaka/RVD would've been soooooo damn good? It puts RVD back, because I don't even think that the ECW fans would've bought RVD beating Tanaka.

Instead, we get a hell of a good match between two of ECW's best hands. Storm keeps RVD more grounded and even gets the better of him on multiple occasions, while RVD does his RVD shit and it's great. The end comes out of nowhere and I'm remembering that this was a little before the Five Star Frog Splash was cemented as Van Dam's finish, so we get a few trades and some chain wrestling that leads to a bridging German for the win. The crowd was starting to lose interest by that point, so it was for the best. ***

Tommy Dreamer vs. Justin Credible
This starts fine, but dies down and becomes just like every other ladder match we've seen in the last 10 years. Set up a spot, execute it. Set up a spot, execute it. There's no connective tissue here, just a series of spots and bumps with some ambling around between them. The visual of the Cutter off the ladders is still great, though, but the set up is literally both climbing parallel ladders and then Justin getting himself into position for no reason. Funk comes out and clocks Tommy with a trash can, That's Incredible on the ladder, done. **

Back-to-back pre-tapes from Taz and Shane Douglas, and Taz stumbles over his words. Then we get Douglas, who I still think is the best overall "wrestling promo" guy of the era.

Shane Douglas vs. Taz
It's funny, but I realized about halfway in here that there wasn't the usual walk n' brawl that was often a staple of Dudleys and Dreamer matches. They saved it for the main, all to cover for Shane's injury. Damn shame, too, because the two of them delivered whenever they were actually in the ring, but so much of the 22 minutes bell-to-bell was in the crowd and the match suffered as a result. Luckily, their rematch at the Arena a few weeks later blew this out of the water, and at least the highlights of this match were really damn good. **1/2

OVERALL
A better show than November 2 Remember '98, but not a great show this far removed from being within the ECW zeitgeist.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

Welp, that quick n dirty GAC 99 got me thinking about revisiting every ECW PPV in order, and I'll even include the rare internet-only PPV.

So let's get on with the...
Quick n' Dirty BARELY LEGAL review.

Chris Candido cuts a promo where he puts ECW over the top, and then grovels for affection and opportunity. Candido playing the super coward but being one of the best in-ring performers the company would ever see is something, for sure. RIP.

The Eliminators vs. The Dudley Boyz
This is a great way to introduce any potential new audience to how ECW handled tag team wrestling differently. The Dudleys do their schtick, and then out come the Eliminators to lay waste. There's a brief few moments where the Dudleys are on offense, but this was a way to get the Eliminators over, and also fed into the longer ECW lore of how the Dudleys would lose the belts in quick, decisive fashion before going on long stretches where they held them in an iron grip. **1/2

Rob Van Dam vs. Lance Storm
It's telling of the crowd that the biggest moments of this match are Storm's weak chair shots (which come near the end) and RVD's excellent post-match promo. This is all action, all the time. I prefer their GAC '99 bout, as far as their PPV encounters go, but this ends with Storm receiving a "please come back" chant in spite of the chairshot barely heard across the ring. I cannot stress enough how awkward it is to see RVD matches where the Frog Splash isn't even treated as a potential finish, but this was around the time he strictly used the Split-Legged Moonsault and the Van Daminator to win. And I really do think his post-match promo is excellent. ***

Great Sasuke/Gran Hamada/Yakushiji vs. TAKA Michinoku/Dick Togo/Men's Teioh
There's a reason this match is so highly regarded, and it's far and away the best match on the show. I can't give this the praise others may, because any time where Yakushiji is involved just sorta drags (except for when Teioh is kicking the shit out of him), but it's the perfect example of why the US style evolved into what it is. I really, really need to revisit Sasuke, because the urgency of his movements used to bother me, but now I'm absolutely loving it. It's pretty funny that the one person with the most recent career retirement here is Dick Togo, and he'd be delivering this caliber of work up to his retirement 15 years later. ****

Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull #2
I wanted to say that we've all misremembered this one, that it was a better story-driven match than any of us remembered. However...it's much worse, in no small part because of the length. Who in the motherFUCK thought giving Pitbull #2 20 minutes was a good idea? This match needs to be used to show just how far and away Douglas was from being truly one of the greats in the ring, because it was obvious that he was calling the action the entire time, and the fault has to rest on his shoulders. Even the post-match stuff falters because of how much this killed the crowd. *

Taz vs. Sabu
I'm looking forward to getting back up to '99, because I remembered their ME at Living Dangerously '99 being so much better than this one. This, though, definitely delivered what it needed to. I love the touch early on of Sabu being hyped as the first person to reverse the Tazmission, and the finish coming because Sabu got arrogant and allowed Taz to lock it in was beautiful. The post-match, while it lead to the iconic RVD/Sabu team with both parties managed by Fonzie, still doesn't make a whole lot of sense some 28 years later, though. He regulalry bet money on Taz...but bet on Sabu this time, and Taz winning cost him money? This was something that should have happened on TV after the fact, not immediately after the match. RVD again shines on the mic, and it's still such a shame that he was never allowed to truly cut loose after ECW. Regardless, this was the rightful ME of the show, and the one that was used to sell it. ***1/2

Back to back to back promos from Raven, Stevie Richards, and the Sandman about tonight's ME. Raven definitely sounded like he was tripping over his words here, which is pretty unusual for him (especially in a pre-tape), and Stevie gets the "big match" promo. Interesting choice.

Terry Funk vs. Stevie Richards vs. The Sandman
It's kinda funny how vocal the crowd was for Stevie compared to literally everyone else involved in the match. Tommy Dreamer gets an intro to do guest color with Joey, and barely chimes in except for when he says he promised Terry that he wouldn't help him.

The match is what you'd expect from Sandman and "hardcore" Funk, with the biggest surprise being how many boos the Arena crowd gave Stevie's elimination. In hindsight, Stevie should've been eliminated after the Sandman, because the story of Funk going all the way would trump how much the fans loved Stevie and the bWo, but I understand why Heyman had him out first (just in case the crowd turned on Funk). This is remembered for the two big spots, Funk helicoptering the ladder and his moonsault toward the end, and that's most of what I walked away remembering about this. **1/2

Raven rushes right out to the ring, and we get into the final match right away.

Raven vs. Terry Funk
Most of this is Raven squashing on Funk and then gloating about it to Tommy Dreamer. It told the story it needed to tell, of Funk getting the upset win after Tommy breaks his promise and interferes to fend off what's left of the Nest (and get his shots in on Raven), and the post-match celebration makes it all worthwhile. A bloodied Funk walking through the crowd, Dreamer at his side, holding the title up high. **

OVERALL
This show was just so insanely different from everything else offered on PPV in 1997. I love the legend surrounding it, some of which is caught in Beyond the Mat, of Heyman barking out last minute instructions because they were about to lose the broadcast signal. Of the generator that was running the show dying just minutes after the PPV went off the air. Of pro wrestling's misfits making their mark in one night. This is an important show for ECW, an important show for American pro wrestling as a whole, but the best is certainly yet to come.

ECW PPV RANKINGS (by quality):
Guilty as Charged 1999
Barely Legal (1997)

 

[alkeiper]

Togo, Taka and Sasuke have another decade before they reach Hamada's career length. Guy had matches in 1972 and 2018!

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

After Barely Legal, the next three big shows for ECW were WrestlePalooza, Heat Wave '97, and the infamous Born to be Wired.

WrestlePalooza was held on June 6, 1997, and saw three major events unfold:

• Taz defeating Shane Douglas for the TV title in quick fashion
• Tommy Dreamer finally earning his big win over Raven (a feud that had been ongoing since January 1995), sending the latter out of ECW
• Rob Van Dam, Sabu, and Bill Alphonso attacking Tommy after the match, revealing that they were now working on behalf of the WWF. To hammer this home, JERRY "THE KING" LAWLER made his ECW debut, attacking Dreamer alongside RVD and Sabu, leading to Dreamer requiring emergency surgery to relieve bleeding in his testicles. (Keep this in mind.)

Heat Wave '97 was held on July 19, 1997. Portions of it were aired on the July 22 episode of Hardcore TV, but it seems that the full event was never released on tape. The show is listed in some archives as an early internet-only PPV, but I can't find verification on that. The major takeaway from the show is the main event, which saw Lawler, RVD, and Sabu got to a No Contest in a Steel Cage match against Rick Rude, Tommy Dreamer, and the Sandman when Rude turned on his partners to ally himself with the WWF contingent. (Sidenote: the episode of Hardcore TV that played Rude's turn was the first bit of ECW that I saw, flipping through the channels late on a Saturday night when 11-year-old Laz should've been in bed.)

Born to be Wire was held at the ECW Arena on August 9, 1997, and was main evented by a Barbed Wire match between ECW World champion Terry Funk and Sabu. This match would go on to be considered one of the most violent matches in the company's history, and is seen as turning point to where the company began toning down the more brutal elements. It lives on in infamy due to the finish being changed during the match, after Sabu had sliced his bicep open and taped it shut, when the barbed wire came dangerously close to severing an artery in Funk. Both men were so entangled in the barbed wire that neither could move, and with Sabu on top? A pinfall was counted.

So, if these are quick no dirty, why all the history? Because this PPV may just serve as one of the best overlooked gems in the company's history. So, without any further ado...

The Quick N' Dirty Hardcore Heaven 1997 Review.

Chris Candido again comes out to start the show, welcoming the world to his new manager, Rick Rude. This brings out ECW Commissioner (and founder) Tod Gordon, who informs us that Rude does not have a manager's license, and his continued presence ringside will result in a forfet for Candido unless he vacates the ringside area by the count of 10. Tod doesn't do the dramatic referee 10-count, either, instead speedrunning parts of it until Rude bails.

ECW World Television championship
Taz (c) vs. Chris Candido
Candido gets in Taz's face in the corner and mocks him, but Taz keeps his cool...until he doesn't, and then goes on a tear. Candido fires off a comeback and takes control of the latter half of the match, but he positions Taz up top and then turns his back to mock him once more. There's an amazing visual of Candido throwing up the Triple Threat sign and dragging his thumb across his throat as Taz raises a fist and does the same behind him, before leaving onto Candido's back and locking on the Tazmission for the win. This is a solid opener and shows Taz as the ring general judoka he was originally hyped as post-neck injury, before he became the world conqueror that he'd be in ECW just about a year later. A hell of an opener, but there's some drag when Candido is in control, and the excellent finish brings it back up for me. ***

Joey Styles informs us that the Insane Clown Posse performed an impromptu concert in the middle of the ring as fans were filing in, but were then attacked (and, quite frankly, pretty viciously) by Rob Van Dam and Sabu. I'll always love the visual of Sabu in a suit while wearing his keffiyeh.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Spike Dudley
This is a rematch from Hardcore TV, the match where Bigelow tossed Spike into the crowd before Spike rallied and hit the Acid Drop to be dubbed the "Giant Killer" for the remainder of ECW's existence. That said, this isn't anything close to a technical contest, or even a compelling David vs. Goliath encounter. No, this is, without a doubt, one of the all-time great squash matches. Spike never stands a chance, despite some comeback spots, and Bigelow just mauls him out the gate. My rating may be odd, but I had so much fun watching this that I can't rate it lower. ***3/4

Joey plays more of the ICP beatdown, which reveals that the Sandman made the save before the numbers caught up to him. Sandman was then taken out to the hospital in an ambulance...but wait, he hijacked it?!

Rob Van Dam vs. Al Snow
This is very similar to the Furnas/RVD match from the year before, with Snow bringing a much more methodical and technical approach that RVD struggles to counter, but Van Dam's speed and agility (and Fonzie) make the difference for him. It's kind of a shame that Snow stuck to the States instead of pursuing a career as a gaijin, because that environment would've been much more beneficial to his talents. This is not long before the Head gimmick, so be on the lookout for Snow randomly grabbing his ears to block out the noise. ***

Joey catches up with Lance Wright in the Extreme Chopper as he follows the ambulance that Sandman hijacked, getting all turned around as he heads back to the War Memorial.

ECW World Tag Team championship
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. PG-13
It's announced off the bat that the Gangstas have forfeited the Tag Team titles they won at Heat Wave '97 due to being unable to appear. This is because Mustafa Saed, the tag partner of New Jack, left the company shortly after that show. As a result, the Dudleys are now 3-time ECW World Tag Team champions. Also of note? Jenna Jameson, in her prime, is accompanying the Dudley entourage.

The match itself feels like a house show bout. It isn't bad, it isn't particularly good, but it doesn't feel like an ECW match. There's a fun spot where D-Von and Bubba work over Wolfie D's arm before JC and Wolfie turn the tables and trick D-Von into giving Bubba a few armbreakers on the apron, but outside of that there isn't much to write about. 3D, Dudleys retain. **

A pre-tape of Jerry Lawler rolls talking about how the Undertaker, Bret Hart, and Steve Austin have all given him their blessing to take Tommy Dreamer out, and personally requested he use their moves.

Jerry Lawler vs. Tommy Dreamer
Lawler enters first and cuts the same promo, then out comes Dreamer and he's not taking any more of Lawler's shit. Jerry gets color early, and we get arguably the best of the walk n' brawls in Tommy's career. Lawler gets a comeback where he keeps hitting Tommy low (see above notes on WrestlePalooza). It's no surprise that Lawler gives Dreamer arguably his career best match, since so much of ECW was just an updated Gen X take on what worked for Memphis during Lawler's prime. Lights out, Rude's here to attack Dreamer, but Tommy rallies. Lights out, now JAKE "THE SNAKE" ROBERTS is in, and he attacks both men. There's a great spot where Tommy's shirt is pulled off to reveal the singlet underneath, and after Lawler trashes the ECW logo on the shirt is when Tommy goes into classic babyface no-selling mode, even pulling down the straps. Lawler does the same...but then face flops because he's taken too much damage. Dreamer gets the win after a testicular claw (see notes on WrestlePalooza) and a DDT, and holy shit this shouldn't have been as great as it was. This is also the match with the epic shot of Dreamer in the crowd with the "LAWLER MUST DIE" sign behind him, to be used in the ECW intro video until the company closed. ****

The Extreme Chopper catches up to the ambulance again, and it's in the parking lot of the War Memorial! Sandman hops out and fends off security, and then we cut to a vignette hyping the main event, which is a rematch from February 5, 1994, the Night the Line Was Crossed.

ECW World Heavyweight championship
Sabu (c) vs. Terry Funk vs. Shane Douglas
The original plan was for this to be Funk/Douglas, but the Born to be Wire impromptu finish necessitated turning this into a Three-Way Dance. It just so happens that Heyman lucked out into a rematch of the show that made the wrestling world start taking notice.

THIS is the Shane Douglas that could've been a big star in either of the major companies. THIS is a Three-Way Dance, Triple Threat, etc. match should be worked. Douglas and Francine offer cash early on to Funk to team up on Sabu but he tosses it, then Sabu and Douglas pair off on Funk...until Douglas does his usual thing of turning on temporary allies. This is bell-to-bell action, with nary a period where all three aren't active in some form. Sandman makes his return and gets his revenge on Sabu, allowing Funk to eliminate him, and then Sabu does a triple jump dive to take Sandman and security out. The locker room empties to watch Funk/Douglas (HACK MEYERS sighting!), and the finish comes when Douglas chains multiple Belly-to-Belly suplexes together to finally keep Funk down. Normally I'd have a criticism about devaluing a finish like this ending sequence does, but it not only puts Funk over in defeat (having eaten about 5 of them), but it's also a fucking Belly-to-Belly suplex. As a finish. In a company where a gimmick of one of its talents is being able to throw dozens of different kinds of suplexes. Douglas never really had a truly great finish, in hindsight. ****

Post-match, the Dudleys stick around, with Gertner pointing out that Douglas has the gold, but so do the Dudleys. He offers the Dudleys to replace Bigelow and Candido in the Triple Threat, and this brings them out (Candido with a neckbrace on), and leads to a brawl. The locker room gets involved and is laid waste by the Dudleys, but then here comes AXL ROTTEN and BALLS MAHONEY. They get neutralized, so here's JOHN KRONUS. He, too, is taken down...BUT FUCK THAT SHIT, HERE COMES NEW JACK. Total weapon-filled schmozz, but it's a hell of a fun one to watch.

OVERALL
This show used to catch heat for the Sandman throughline, but I really don't understand why. It provided an episodic feel to the event as a whole, and it's something that more shows should, honestly, aim for. Whether it's weekly TV or a PPV/PLE or just another supercard.

This is a hell of a show, with nothing bad, and two of the all-time great ECW matches back to back.

ECW PPV RANKINGS (by quality):
Hardcore Heaven 1997
Guilty as Charged 1999
Barely Legal (1997)

 

[strummer]

The Hardcore TV episode with Dreamer finally beating Raven is probably a top 10 wrestling tv show for me all time. I had that on tape for probably close to 10 years. I watched it endlessly over the summer of 97.

 

[Valeyard]

Rude calling the catfight and Joey's reaction are fantastic

 

[JHawk]

The Hardcore TV episode with Dreamer finally beating Raven is probably a top 10 wrestling tv show for me all time. I had that on tape for probably close to 10 years. I watched it endlessly over the summer of 97.

I think that's my favorite hour of wrestling TV ever.

 

[strummer]

I remember reading the spoilers for Rude's heel turn at Heat Wave 97. That was probably the first set of spoilers I ever read for a wrestling show online. I think it aired a week or so later on Hardcore TV. Obviously .Rude was never going to wrestle due to the LoL policy but it was a still a great Heyman-esque swerve.

Too bad the WWF-ECW feud never had a proper payoff. It sort of just sputters off in fall of 97 as the WWF obviously didn't care about it anymore and Heyman was simply trying to keep the spark alive.

 

[Valeyard]

So I restarted ECW from the beginning after watching some of the indies of the time, and I think I appreciate ECW so much more in context. Just notes on nothing:


--The production on these shows is so cheap that it hurts. Which is perfectly fine and one of the things I love. That said, a few shows in, they begin to show what I assume are attempts at "recaps" that are replaying segments from the previous week without context so it looks like they just are playing the same episode twice. As someone not in love with Tony Stetson and Larry Winters vs Super Destroyers matches, this fucking sucks.

--Jay Sulli is the most awkward fucking guy to announce a show. I don't like him much as an announcer, but I love him for the sheer fact he's 100% just a fan or a friend or something that was probably the only one who could fit into the suit. Every intro, he's kinda wobbling side to side like a little kid and just kinda waits for whoever is around to dominate the segment so he can make the Aghast Announcer Face.

--Stevie Wonderful just sucks. To be a bush league DDP in 1993 is to be a stain on a program. Has no chemistry with Sulli, but then that says nothing. They get better together as it goes, however by the time they get a flow going, Wonderful is gone.

--This roster is so goddamn bare bones that it's amazing this company became what it was looking back. That being said, the small roster of literal nobodies makes it so much fun. Like, it suddenly becomes kinda cool when someone like Tommy Cairo all of a sudden is hanging with Eddie Gilbert because Tommy Cairo is a nobody from Philly. The opposite is true when it's, say, Glenn Osbourne hanging with Snuka because at this point both such. It makes me wish I'd been able to grow up with a territory instead of a machine.

--Guys like Candido, Bellomo, Johnny Hotbody, and Tommy Cairo don't get enough credit for being bright spots. It's funny seeing Candido get his role immediately and kill the assignment. Cairo was a hard worker. Even guys like JT Smith and Max Thrasher are kinda fun, even though Smith is ungodly bad. Winters and Stetson are the opposite of star power but solid enough in the ring. Super Ds are fine. And Hunter Q. Robbins is all you ever want from a goofy indie manager.

--Gilbert/Funk is super fun work from both guys and a great planting of the seed for what ECW becomes, but man does it it feel so...regional, I guess, because it is. Funk elevates the entire promotion by just being there, but is also such a star it makes the already limited roster look that much more bush league. Gilbert is great, but it's clear they were just kinda booking with no actual end, and Heyman's arrival confirms a lot of it. Snuka is worthless but has value, but Muraco is always welcome even if it's old roid gut Muraco.

--Heyman's arrival is when the change starts. Like suddenly everything is much smoother in front of the camera, but it's very clear they don't know where the Gilbert stuff is meant to go once he comes up. But the show just completely finds footing after he comes in, and as soon as he's in the booth the shows become a fucking blast where things matter.

--Sandman is a fucking dork and knows it but that's great. Too bad he's stuck with Rockin' Rebel so much because that guy is scum.

Now I need Laz to watch the Super Summer Sizzler.

 

[alkeiper]

Episode three has the Super Destroyers in a squash match. One of those guys, Wolfman, is still wrestling in Pennsylvania. Guy must be in his 60s.

 

[Valeyard]

That guy stuck around a while too. He's on a bunch of these shows and hasn't done anything Canadian or wolfman once.

 

[Valeyard]

So I'm getting through these and it's so interesting. Once the show ends with the roster-clearing brawl and Tod is forced to be a boss, it's a new world. Production shifts a little and we start getting a little more inside. The next few shows are just in studio recaps of the major happenings the last few months and the vibe just feels more familiar.

Eddie Gilbert started hitting his stride like right before he left. The King Of Philadelphia shit with Heyman and randos on the street is hilarious and seeing a visibly fucked up Gilbert try to make Heyman break is great. I miss that kinda stuff.

I'm digging the Dark Patriot/JT Smith stuff, too. JT sucked but he also deserves a million times more credit for his contributions.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

After how incredible Hardcore Heaven was, it was inevitable that we'd get a little bit of a downgrade with the next PPV. The ECW vs. WWF feud had runs its course and was on its last legs, devolving entirely into Dreamer and Sandman against RVD and Sabu. Rude was gone not long before this show, but the ramifications of his deal with Shane Douglas were still being felt. There was a general aimlessness setting in that starts to shift with this show, but not necessarily at this show.

So here we go.
The Quick n' Dirty November 2 Remember 1997 Review

Joey Styles welcomes us to the 5th annual November 2 Remember at the Golden Dome in Monaca, PA (just up the road from Pittsburgh), and puts over this being the largest crowd in ECW history.

Tommy Rogers vs. Chris Candido
We're 3 for 3 on Candido opening a PPV. This match feels like a throwback in many ways, as both work a more Southern-style than what we'd get not long after from the same company. Rogers is such an underrated talent, and his pedigree is insane, having worked for most of the major territories throughout the 80s, many at their peak of relevance. It's not a wonder that he would double as an agent backstage over the next two years, given the incredible surge in quality in-ring action that we'd get in that timeframe.

Candido does his usual chickenshit routine, complaining about pulled hair and playing the pinball for Rogers. One down side is that the crowd isn't all that interested until Rogers suplexes Candido out of the ring, but then start to lose interest again, despite some great ringwork going on. It picks up, though, when Lance Storm interferes and forces the tempo to increase. To counter, out comes Jerry Lynn (sporting that awesome yellow and black gear), and we get the best version I've ever seen of the "everybody does a dive" spot as Lynn hits a springboard corkscrew crossbody to Storm, Candido hits a top rope crossbody to Lynn, and then Rogers hits a top rope dive onto all of them...all within about 10 seconds. This leads us, in typical ECW fashion, to...

Tommy Rogers/Jerry Lynn vs. Chris Candido/Lance Storm
I wish this was the match from the very beginning, because the few minutes of this officially being a tag match is the highlight of the entire segment. I know Rogers and Lynn were tagging for a short while around this time, and I can't help but wonder if they could have been pushed for a title run. Regardless, Candido prevents Storm from getting the pin, hits Lynn with the Blonde Bombshell, Rogers drills Storm with the Tomakaze (STILL the best version of that move by a country mile), and then Candido finishes it off with a bridging Northern Lights suplex to Rogers. **3/4

Mikey Whipwreck vs. Justin Credible
This is such a weird show, in hindsight, because so many of the matches feel like what you'd see on Monday night with a couple of extra spots. Compare this to even a year later and the "ECW style" becomes much flashier compared to what you'd get on prime time television. This isn’t half bad, but it doesn't stand out much beyond the continued push of Whipwreck less as a pint-sized jobber that accidentally wins big matches and more as a competent wrestler. He hits a really fun huracanrana on the floor after swinging on the ring post, and an avalanche Whippersnapper seals the deal. This isn't anything to write home about, but it's interesting how promising Credible was early on and how bland he'd become once he actually hit the ME. **1/2

ECW World Television championship
Taz (c) vs. Pitbull #2
Anthony Durante, better known as Pitbull #2, was another perfect example of a worker who Heyman could make look incredible in the right manner. He was fine in tag matches and had a few fun spots, including a surprisingly great spinning heel kick, but infamously floundered whenever he was working a singles match. Lucky for him, this is your standard "Taz is a dominant motherfucker" match instead of the legendarily awful storyline-driven match at Barely Legal. You can find around this time is when Taz starts being treated as a dominant force that comes in, fucks people up, and leaves rather than being booked as the tough-as-nails shooter that he'd been since returning from his neck injury in 1996. **

Post-match, Taz clears house with suplexes, and wisely gives Pitbull #1 a safe(r) but effective Pumphandle Tazplex where he's clearly protecting his neck. Good show, Taz. He calls out Brakkus, which would lead to the Cyberslam '98 squash a little over a month later, and the ECW vs. WWF feud would finally be done and over with.

ECW World Tag Team championship
The FBI (c) vs. the Dudley Boyz vs. the Hardcore Chair-Swingin' Freaks vs. the Gangstanators
Oooof...that name for Balls and Axl is such a mouthful to say and an eyesore to read. This is a Four-Way Dance, but the Gangstanators (New Jack/Kronus) don't show up until about 5-6 minutes in, hit their shit, and then get eliminated. I do love how Jack's music is cut off right after they're gone, but there also goes the real draw of the match, I suppose.

Tommy Rich at ringside is the MVP here, but a close runner-up has to be Bubba. That man could fucking work, and I'm realizing just how talented he really was around this time doing the re-watch. I wonder how well his failed singles push in 2002/2003 WWE would have fared if they'd let him be a shit-talking brawling bastard instead of trying to make him be a New York version of Dusty Rhodes. As we saw during his ME run in TNA, he was more than capable of rocking it solo, but it took D-Von literally bordering on immobility to get him to run with it.

Bubba does a siiiiiick plancha that doesn't get much air but looks violent as hell because of his size. The FBI win it at the end. **

Fuuuuuuck this show is kind of a drag. It's still entertaining in the way that ECW shows were always entertaining, but after Hardcore Heaven I expected a bit more.

Al Snow cuts a promo in the locker room with Head while Nova and the Blue Meanie cheer him on, but Snow starts getting aggressive and yelling at Head that HE'S the star of the team and not Head.

Taz cuts a quick promo about how he's coming for Bam Bam Bigelow at the next PPV, Living Dangerously.

Flag vs. Flag Match
Tommy Dreamer (ECW) vs. Rob Van Dam (WWF)
Dreamer is working with a steel boot on his right foot from a broken heel, but this doesn't actually hurt this match at all. It's a hell of a styles clash that's worked alarmingly smart, with RVD getting the advantage and then having his arrogance open him up to Dreamer's violence. Dreamer is no slouch here, either, keeping up with Van Dam on a few occasions where you wouldn't think he'd be able to.

Van Dam gets crotched on the top, kicked in the nuts, and then DDT'd off the top. Dreamer hits a solid Frog Splash. There's a killer hangman's neckbreaker spot to Van Dam. This is the match with the piledriver from Dreamer to RVD that sees RVD launch himself about a mile into the air after taking the bump. It's crazy how the highlights actually come from Dreamer, but even crazier is that THERE'S NO FUCKING FINISH. Sabu runs out and they dish it out to Dreamer, even going after Beulah before Dreamer covers her to protect her from the attacks. **, because at least the action was good.

Like, I get it. You want to keep the feud going a little bit longer, and Van Dam's the hottest heel in the company. You want that big Dreamer victory to happen in Philly. At least let Van Dam pin Dreamer, for fuck's sake.

Tables & Ladders Match
Sabu vs. the Sandman
"Here, lizard lizard lizard." Yes, this is THAT match. Sandman dropped some acid not long before having to hit the ring, and it took hold during his entrance. It's clear that Sabu sees Sandman is fucked out of his gourd, even more than usual, and this is basically Sabu doing all kinds of Sabu shit as Sandman just sorta flops around and can't even do his standard stuff. Sabu clearly doesn't trust Sandman to do anything safely, and I can't blame him one bit.

I wish I got that Budweiser-inspired Sandman shirt back in the day. It's so fun looking. This is one of Sandman's best looks, as far as ring attire goes, but I've always thought the Zubasz pants and white sneakers was trashy even for ECW.

Well, at least we got a funny-in-hindsight story out of it. *1/2, but I gotta give Sabu himself about **** for putting in ALLLLL of the work here.

So...let's think right quick about the main event. Bigelow comes to ECW in May 1997 and joins the Triple Threat. Over the summer, Douglas seeks the aid of Rick Rude, who promises to coach him into becoming the greatest World champion ever. Part of this test is getting Bigelow to challenge Douglas for the belt on October 20, 1997, where Bigelow wins and leaves the Triple Threat. He goes on a dominant tear over the next month, including breaking Francine's pelvis, and we get the main event just outside of Shane Douglas's hometown.

ECW World Heavyweight championship
Bam Bam Bigelow (c) vs. Shane Douglas
It is always so damn weird to see Douglas work as a face, even moreso when he's working from underneath. While I wouldn't call the match particularly great, I can say that it's a very smartly worked match, and features some sound psychology on top of a very hot finishing stretch. I may even argue that if this match happened, move-for-move, in this day and age at, say, WrestleMania? It could be potentially be considered great.

Bigelow has the better of Douglas every step of the way, playing the WWF monster role. Douglas gets cut off at every opportunity until he finally gets a glimpse of hope and targets Bigelow's kidneys. There's a great moment where Bammer sends Shane out to the floor and Francine checks on him, and he drops the "he's too big, I can't get him" line and Francine tells him to shut up and get to his feet after she notices that Bigelow is hurt and favoring his back. It needs to be said how great Francine could play the supportive valet/girlfriend with Douglas, and later Dreamer.

Candido and Storm, who were barred from ringside, try to come out after Bigelow takes a swing at Francine, but security (NOT Atlas, just local talent wearing matching ECW shirts) stop them. For their troubles? Bigelow picks Douglas up over his head and launches him at them, knocking all four down. This is the third time Bigelow has picked Douglas up over his head in the match, with the previous two being to throw him from the ring to the ringpost on the outside (just like he did with Spike). I love that spot so, so much.

Bigelow nails a powerbomb on Douglas, the same move he used to win the belt back in October, but Shane kicks out at 2. Bammer sets up a table and lays Douglas out on it, setting up for a moonsault, but Douglas surprises him with a powerbomb off the top through the table for the win. ***1/2

It's easy to see why Douglas worked heel the majority of his career, and right around here is when he leans more into tweener territory, even more than where the ECW heels usually did due to their audience. He doesn't work as a full-on face again until early 1999, when he allies with Dreamer against Credible and Storm. He does a solid enough job then, too, but he's so much better as a heel than a face it isn't even funny.

...which is another thing HHH stole from him.

CW PPV RANKINGS (by quality):
Hardcore Heaven 1997
Guilty as Charged 1999
Barely Legal (1997)
November 2 Remember 1997

 

[Valeyard]

Always, and especially after seeing her again in these old ECW shows, wished we'd gotten some Sherri vs Francine interaction later.

 

[Valeyard]

Once Gilbert leaves it's like a new promotion. They rebook Ultraclash pretty much immediately (Kevin Sullivan for Gilbert is an upgrade imo) and Hotstuff International doesn't get mentioned again. Opening is re-edited. Show immediately after Ultraclash has Styles, Public Enemy, Heyman in a ballcap talking up some guy named Sabu, and Rebel breaking Bellomo's face. Man.

I wonder, if Eddie lived, whether Heyman would have him back once Tod left.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Once Gilbert leaves it's like a new promotion. They rebook Ultraclash pretty much immediately (Kevin Sullivan for Gilbert is an upgrade imo) and Hotstuff International doesn't get mentioned again. Opening is re-edited. Show immediately after Ultraclash has Styles, Public Enemy, Heyman in a ballcap talking up some guy named Sabu, and Rebel breaking Bellomo's face. Man.

I wonder, if Eddie lived, whether Heyman would have him back once Tod left.

I remember in watching this stuff that Public Enemy comes in around Ultraclash (maybe even debuting?) and they were a very early highlight for me because they were such a distinct team with a roster that was still somewhat "thin" but you could see the quick evolution into ECW's 1994/1995 roster. I'll also say they were really underrated in their contributions to ECW's vibe/attitude and the tag team roster as other teams like The Eliminators, Gangstas, and Dudley Boys kind of eclipsed them later on and their issues in WCW/WWF kind of tarnished their ECW history.

 

[snuffbox]

I thought Public Enemy was a much-needed breath of fresh air in WCW amid that slog of Nasty Boys-Harlem Heat matches.

 

[Valeyard]

Honestly their promos are a blast and a highlight. I've softened a ton on them over the years but I still don't know if I'd say I'm a fan, you know? I just kinda wish we got more solo Ted Petty.

Now Bad Breed, they're awful.

 

[Valeyard]

BTW these immediate shows after Gilbert leaves are jarring. They're great fun and it's awesome seeing the changes but man. Hotstuff International with Snuka and Muraco prominent, kids in the crowd, acts like the Suicide Blondes and Super Destroyers, that doofus Jay Sulli in the booth. Like two weeks later we're in the NWA, Douglas has the belt, the Public Enemy is all over the show, Sabu, Hat Guy, saying the ass word...it's a totally different thing and I'm in.

 

[Big Papa Paegan]

In the aftermath of November 2 Remember '97, and a few things happened.

First, Douglas and Candido officially went to war with Bigelow, each side claiming they wanted to put the other out of the business entirely. Bigelow came to Taz for aid, knowing how much Taz hated both of his former Triple Threat comrades, but Taz wanted nothing to do with it. Eventually, Taz relents, and he gets Stingered: it was all a ruse, every second of it, set in motion by Douglas to get revenge for dropping the TV title to Taz.

Second, Dreamer and Van Dam finally had their blowoff. Kinda. Sorta. Not really. In true ECW fashion, Tommy's ongoing feud with the WWF faction crossed over with different stories, culminating in an 8-man tag on Hardcore TV: Taz/Snow/Sandman/Dreamer vs. Sabu/RVD/Furnas/LaFon. This didn't exactly finish the entire feud, but it was Dreamer's last involvement in it before moving on to Justin Credible.

Third, Candido and Storm have officially parted ways, but are still the champions. This was before the "tag partners who hate each other" trope was abused to all hell by Russo shortly thereafter, but it worked very well here, and was set up from the word go in summer '97. It's weird seeing Lance Storm as a face, honestly, but he's such a great white meat babyface for this audience.

And, of course, the Dudley Boyz have been running wild. And Justin Credible is getting a solid push on the undercard. And Sabu and the Sandman are nowhere near done with each other.

So without further ado, let's travel back to the Asbury Park Convention Hall on March 1, 1998.

The Quick n' Dirty Review of...
LIVING DANGEROUSLY 1998

The show starts with a cold open of Taz arriving at the Convention Hall and standing tall as the crew builds the ring. This footage would later be used in the (great) Rise and Fall of ECW doc that WWE would put out in 2005 as Taz spoke about being "a big fish in a small pond." There's no words from the TV champ, just the look that this house, in his challenger's hometown, is his house.

Worth noting? This is the first time ECW used the elevated entrance ramp for a PPV. I always loved the elevated ramp, no matter who used it, but ECW made it feel even more special.

Jerry Lynn/Chris Chetti vs. The FBI
There's a considerable bump in undercard quality once Lynn joins the roster, and it only increases as the company rushes toward its bitter end in a few short years. I'm not saying it's because of Lynn, per se, but it is pretty damn funny how the timing works out.

This is a fun match that plays to everyone's strengths. Chetti gets to shine and show off his athleticism, Lynn and Smothers are clearly leading the match, and Guido sells his ass off before Lynn ducks a flag shot by Tommy Rich to Smothers and rolls him up in a jack knife pin. **1/2, this is a perfectly acceptable opener that did everything it needed to do.

We get a video package of W*ING Kanemura and Masato Tanaka, with most of Tanaka's clips from matches he and "The Gladiator" Mike Awesome. They're supposed to be squaring off tonight, but Lance Wright brings Doug Furnas to the ring instead, and gloats about how he and "Vinnie Mac" bought Kanemura's contract.

Doug Furnas vs. Masato Tanaka
This is one hell of a sprint when it gets going, but I've noticed that Furnas has some really bad botches and mis-timings, at least in ECW. He nearly Ganso Bombs Tanaka in the latter's ECW debut!

This fun and quick, despite the botches, and the finish comes when Furnas is told by Wright to break a few pin attempts in a row, ones where there's a good chance that he'd have got the W, only for Tanaka to drill him with the Rolling Elbow for the win. **1/2

After the match, Wright chews Furnas out for the loss, threatening that he'll get Jim Ross to make it so Furnas will never work on Monday nights again, and Furnas knocks him out cold before stealing the ECW tee off the timekeeper's back and putting it on himself.

Joey Styles apologizes for not being able to show the Dueling Canes match between Sabu and the Sandman due to the PPV provider threatening to kill the broadcast over how graphic it was, but he promises that they taped it earlier and will show it on home video. Jason and Nicole Bass interrupt Joey and force him to roll footage of Dreamer arriving alone to the arena, Beulah having been injured in the weeks prior at the hands of Justin Credible and his entourage.

Rob Van Dam vs. 2 Cold Scorpio
This had to have been such a wet dream match at the time for the Mutants. Scorpio was one of the most innovative wrestlers of the early and mid 90s, and him pairing off with the most innovative wrestler since him? It's easy to see why this was booked and given the longest runtime of any match on the card.

In truth, this is a solid, solid match, hampered only by the fact that Scorpio's crack usage must have been at its worst around here. (Yeah, look it up.)

When they're actively going at it? This is a real banger. The only issues, really, are from how often they stall during the first half, which kills the flow for longer than I'd like. Once they knock it off and get going for real, though, is when this really starts to deliver...but then it just kinda keeps going, so maybe we can point to this as the blueprint for modern wrestling. I still enjoyed it, though, because few wrestlers have as perfect a powerbomb as Scorpio, and RVD has an incredible 450 Splash that I wish he did more, and I'll always have love for a top rope spinning heel kick. The finish was great, with Van Dam surpising Scorpio with a running victory roll. **3/4

After the match, Scorpio offers to shake Van Dam's hand, and RVD obliges (but has to mock him as he does it). Out comes Sabu to attack Scorpio, but here comes Scorpio's former championship tag partner, the Sandman, to even the odds! After Sabu, Fonzie, and Van Dam run off, we get Sandman and Scorpio sharing some beers...and then Sandman gets funky with some hilarious "drunk dad at a wedding" moves.

Paul E voices over a package hyping the main event, emphasizing that Storm was hand-picked by Sunny (Candido's vixen girlfriend), but the two can't stand each other.

Out next are the Dudley Boyz, and Gertner does his usual schtick. I can't lie, I'm sitting here nearly 30 years removed from when this show went live and Gertner still gets me chuckling.

The Dudley Boyz vs. Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks vs. New Jack/Spike Dudley
I really, really hate the team name for Balls and Axl. Things get to a brawl right away with just the Dudleys and Balls/Axl, and then Axl shows off some actual wrestling with D-Von. He was no technical virtuoso, but his arm drag looked nice and tight.

Out comes New Jack and Spike, and we get the traditional garbagefest walk n' brawl, capped off with stereo balcony dives by New Jack and Spike onto Bubba and D-Von that would make the ECW intro video for the next good while. In a funny moment, Axl helps Jack up, only to immediately start wailing on him. They get back to the ring, and 3D takes Balls/Axl out of the equation. Jack and Spike get beaten on a little before they hit stereo El Kabongs, Spike hits a tornado DDT through a table, and New Jack connects with the 187 Diving Chair Shot for the win.

This was your typical ECW multi-man garbage brawl, and while there wasn't anything spectacular in it besides the balcony dives? It still felt fresh and remained interesting. One thing that no other company, maybe no other team besides the Dudleys, has managed to recreate since has been the constant motion and action going on at all times. If one man went down, there was always another bout of violence happening elsewhere, which enhanced the feeling that this was an actual brawl. Too often we get matches like this where everyone not actively hitting the scripted highspots are lying around in wait, but the chaos here made it seems like anything could happen at any given moment. ***

A video package hypes Justin Credible and Tommy Dreamer, and then we cut to Joey Styles hammering home something that I'd forgotten. Credible was pushed from the word go because of his pedigree and his connections, Paul E saw something in him, but Credible found himself on the losing end early on. To turn it around and live up to his hype, Credible began intentionally injuring his opponents, breaking the legs of both the Great Sasuke and Mikey Whipwreck. He took a step too far, though, when he and his entourage targeted Beulah McGillicutty, injuring her neck in the process. And if there's one thing that had been proven time and again over the last two years?

Tommy Dreamer is going to fucking kill you if you hurt his Beulah.

Before the match, Joey Styles introduces adult film legend JENNA JAMESON as the newest ECW interviewer. She tries to interview Credible but he blows her off, and then Dreamer plants a big one on her during his entrance.

Justin Credible vs. Tommy Dreamer
THIS is the Justin Credible that made heads turn for a brief moment. Their chemistry here is solid enough that I can understand why Paul E kept booking them together, and can see why he wanted to put Credible in the ME. While the match isn't anything particularly great, both men having better, it serves its purpose.

They walk n' brawl, which is the first time we've seen this back-to-back on an ECW PPV, and then get back to the ring. Credible manages to hit a Tombstone, but out comes Beulah in her neckbrace. She acts like the rumors are true and that she's sided with Justin, but it's all a ruse! Nicole Bass goes after her, but here comes the leg-braced Mikey Whipwreck to even the odds. Credible goes after him, which allows Dreamer to hit a DDT for the win.

Nothing special here, like I said, but it wasn't a bad match. **3/4

A video package plays hyping the TV title match, going over how Bigelow begged Taz to help him go against Douglas and Candido, only to betray the Human Suplex Machine and show that he was with the Triple Threat all along.

ECW World Television championship
Taz (c) vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
These two have such insane chemistry it hurts. They are go-go-go the entire time, just laying into each other at every opportunity.

Taz hits a T-Bone suplex off of the ramp and into the crowd, clocking himself on the guardrail in the process. Walk n' brawl time, but with these two there's no room for a breath, and they're back at ringside. I'm almost positive a few of these shots are shoots and receipts, both ways, but neither guy seems to take it too personal.

Back in the ring and they continue to go at it, but Taz locks him in. Bigelow taps but the ref can't see it, and we have maybe the most replayed moment in ECW's history as Bigelow drops Taz THROUGH THE RING. It's elementary from there, as Bigelow drags Taz back up from the hole and covers for the 3.

Bigelow was MADE for a company like ECW. He excelled in this environment, whether he was doing more traditional matches (like N2R '97), insane squashes (HH '97), or the series of intense and stiff brawls with Taz. I'm torn on whether this is better than their rematch later in the year, but it's the clear Match of the Night. ***3/4

After the match, Heyman and Joey argue about needing to buy time so they can fix the ring, with Joey threatening to quit if the PPV censors hound him over rolling the Sabu/Sandman footage that was "too violent" for Pay-Per-View. Styles gives in, but tells Paul that it's his ass on the line, not Joey's. Kronus vs. Snow has been cancelled due to the damage, but nobody on Earth gives a damn.

Dueling Canes
The Sandman vs. Sabu
"EARLIER TONIGHT" (because they knew they'd need time to fix the ring) we see Sandman waiting for Sabu, and out he comes...but Sandman's on him right away. Whack, whack, whack...but wait...SABU makes the save?! The first "Sabu" is quickly revealed to be RVD wearing Sabu's gear, and the match is off for real.

This is what you'd expect from these two, but after the bullshit that was Sandman tripping balls at N2R you know they needed a make-good. The highlights honestly come from RVD's involvement, as he looks even more like a ninja with the baggy pants than he does in the singlet. It's almost a shame he didn't wear those more often, even if the airbrushed singlet is iconic.

Sabu wins when he and Van Dam put Sandman through a table on the ramp, and then Sabu drags Sandy's fucking carcass into the ring for the pin. An alright match, nothing special, but it has a few cool highspots that stand out. **

Back to Styles, and he lets us all know that the ring couldn't be fixed. He hypes the main event Dream Partner tag match, and how Sunny hand-picked Lance Storm to be Chris Candido's partner. Candido's already called his shot of his Triple Threat teammate, the ECW World Heavyweight champion Shane Douglas, being his partner, but Storm hasn't said who he's bringing in yet.

Dream Partner
Chris Candido/Shane Douglas vs. Lance Storm/???
The hole in the ring is sectioned off with caution tape, like it was a crime scene, and I won't lie, it's a great visual. Candido and Douglas enter first, and then out comes Storm...with Sunny?!

Joey puts over the choice, emphasizing again and again in short order that Candido would never hit Sunny, and he wouldn't allow Douglas to hit Sunny. Joey likes Sunny, she's smart, she has good taste, she's wholesome...and then she obviously turns on Storm, because she's Cuck Candido's vixen, and Joey lets us all know that he never trusted her.

So this brings out AL SNOW, who becomes Storm's partner. I've said it before that seeing Lance Storm be a babyface is unusual to me, but he's legitimately great at it, and he's blowing the three others out of the water in terms of what he does in this brief match. A few moves in, and Douglas gets thrown into the hole, then dragged out and dumped with the Snow Plow for the win.

This more of an angle than a match, and it's one that follows the golden rule of pro wrestling booking: send the fans home happy. We get the rave lighting going for Snow as he and Storm celebrate, and the fans in Asbury Park are having a blast with all the styrofoam heads galore. **

On paper, this is such a bland show, with only one match really delivering, but it's clear that the overall feel of ECW, what separates it from the WWF and from WCW, is starting to change. While only Taz/Bigelow really delivered, nearly everything else had at least one memorable moment, even the dreck like Sabu/Sandman had a great angle to start it and a killer finale. It's nowhere near the best ECW PPV, but it's a step toward what ECW on PPV would become.

ECW PPV RANKINGS (by quality):
Hardcore Heaven 1997
Guilty as Charged 1999
Barely Legal (1997)
Living Dangerously 1998
November 2 Remember 1997

 

[Valeyard]

I'm very curious what you think of the major 1993 shows. The spirit is there but the charm isn't quite what it would be, but the weird hybrid of booking style and match quality is fascinating.

Max Thrasher 4 life.

 

[strummer]

MSG Network dropped ECW in early 98 so a lot this stuff doesn't stick out to me. 95-97 is ingrained.

 

[Valeyard]

I know I might be blinded by his really being a piece of shit, but Rockin' Rebel is the kind of guy that makes this embarrassing.