ECW on TNN – April 28, 2000: The Titles They Are A Changing
ECW on TNN
Date: April 28, 2000
Location: ECW Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,600
Commentators: Joey Styles, Joel Gertner
Good night I have to stop taking so much time off between these shows. When we last left these guys a ridiculous nine months ago, the Network is starting to take over the world but Tajiri has won the TV Title and been ordered to hand over the title tonight. We’ll also get the fallout from the World Title situation. Let’s get to it.
As you may remember, Taz has returned and won the World Title when Mike Awesome bailed on the company. Taz would defend the title at Cyberslam 1999 against Tommy Dreamer which will be shown later tonight.
Joel and Joey welcome us to the show and rip on TNN a bit because they haven’t been treating ECW all that well lately. Since this is Cyberslam, Joel’s limerick is full of computer sex puns.
Opening sequence.
Here’s the Network to make Tajiri hand the title over to Rhino. Cyrus tells Tajiri that the time has come for him to hold up his end of the deal and give the title to his rightful owner. Tajiri doesn’t want to do it so Cyrus gets racial on him before implying that he gave Tajiri some, shall we say, sexual favors after winning the title. Tajiri says screw you and we’ve got a title match.
TV Title: Rhino vs. Tajiri
The champ kicks away to start and ties Rhino in the Tree of Woe before standing on his crotch. A baseball slide kick to the face stuns Rhino but he grabs a spinebuster. Tajiri backdrops him out to the floor and uses the handspring to kick a chain into Rhino’s face. We take a break and come back with the handspring elbow dropping Rhino again. Tajiri throws in a table but has to escape a powerbomb. There’s the Octopus Hold but Tajiri has to Mist Corino. The Gore and a piledriver get two on Tajiri but a second piledriver gives Rhino the title.
Rating: C-. Well so much for Tajiri turning face because we need to give Rhino the super push. This was another nothing match because it didn’t have the time to get anywhere, but at least we can have a two minute opening video and a long limerick from Gertner. To be fair though it’s not like it matters for ECW at this point.
Cyrus calls out anyone that wants to face Rhino right now so here’s Van Dam for the showdown. Scotty Anton comes out with him to help fight the minions and Rob kicks Rhino down to the floor. Rob dives onto the Network after they stand there for ten seconds waiting on him. Cyrus offers Rhino a spot on the team and makes Rhino vs. Sandman for the TV Title at Hardcore Heaven. Rob won’t be left out though as he gets another match with Jerry Lynn, because we haven’t seen that enough.
Jerry comes out for a showdown of his own but says he isn’t Network. He talks about his ankle injury and wants to know why all the talk has been about Rob. Could it be because Jerry didn’t win any of the matches? Rob offers a handshake but gets flipped off. Anton gets forearmed in the face because no one cares about him.
Sinister Minister talks about WCW calling him and Whipwreck, but even his soul wouldn’t sink that low. He gets in a casket because he wouldn’t be caught dead in that promotion.
During the break, Rhino Gored Sandman’s wife through a table.
Sinister Minister is using an Ouija Board and says ECW is hot. The table lights on fire and Whipwreck dives through it. Maniacal laughter ensues.
We get a recap of Cyberslam, including Corino busting Dusty Rhodes open and dropping a Bionic Elbow wrapped in a bullrope for the pin.
We also see a longer version of Sandman’s wife going through the table.
Next up is Nova falling on Lance Storm and injuring the Canadian in the process. Partner Justin Credible, who kicked Nova and caused him to fall on Storm, doesn’t seem to care.
House show ads.
Hardcore Heaven ad.
Call the hotline!
Joel and Joey tell us about Dreamer beating Taz for the title and we see the post match segment with Taz making his final exit from ECW and Dreamer getting to make a very emotional speech about how all the effort and work over the years was worth it. Even Raven comes out to shake Dreamer’s hand to officially end the feud. Justin Credible runs in and attacks both guys before demanding a title shot RIGHT NOW. He even throws down the Tag Team Titles to get the shot. Dreamer says ring the bell.
ECW World Title: Justin Credible vs. Tommy Dreamer
Tommy starts fast with a Cactus Clothesline to put both guys down on the floor. They quickly head into the crowd for more brawling (meaning walking around) before coming back to ringside for a bell to Justin’s crotch. Back in and Dreamer gets reversed DDTed onto a chair, allowing Justin to stomp away in the corner. Dreamer’s bloody eye goes into the chair for two and the running not-DDT gets the same. The champion comes back with a Tommyhawk (reverse Razor’s Edge into a cutter, though it was a Stunner here because Credible is horrible) but heads outside to set up a table.
What was supposed to be a Death Valley Driver through the table winds up being more of a TKO. Back in and a Jason distraction lets Justin hit That’s Incredible for two. Jason shouts PLAN B so Justin goes after Francine but Tommy breaks it up with a DDT for two. He loads up another Death Valley Driver but Francine turns on Dreamer (for the second time this year I believe), setting up another That’s Incredible to give Justin the belt.
Rating: D. The fact that Justin screwed up the two big moves he was supposed to take during this match should tell you everything you need to know about him. I really don’t see the appeal in the guy as his entire style comes down to flipping off the audience, kicks and a tombstone. Dreamer could have been a long term champion but this is ECW where it’s all about shock instead of substance.
Overall Rating: D. I was actually shocked that we didn’t see the Dreamer vs. Taz match. As in the five and a half minute Dreamer vs. Taz match. Yeah we didn’t have time for that, but we could fit in two Sinister Minister videos, recaps of stuff that doesn’t matter, and a long intro that was basically there for the live audience. This show and promotion seems to have given up, though I can’t say I blame them. At least we actually got some stuff set up for the PPV though.
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