ECW on TNN
Date: March 17, 2000
Location: Asbury Park Convention Center, Asbury Park, New Jersey
Attendance: 2,300
Commentators: Joel Gertner, Joey Styles

It’s the show after Living Dangerously and a few things have changed. First and foremost, Super Crazy of all people won the TV Title, beating Rhyno in the finals. We also have new tag team champions with the Impact Players getting the belts back, putting us right back where we were before the fast title changes happened. The next PPV isn’t until May so we’ve got time to build to the next bad show. Let’s get to it.

We open with a brawl from some undetermined show with the Impact Players beating Nova and Chris Chetti to retain the titles. We only saw the last 75 seconds or so.

Opening sequence, but instead of the usual stuff we get a recap of the PPV.

RVD and Super Crazy are in the back with Rob saying Crazy is nice for carrying his belt. Crazy should get all the perks: limousine rides, champagne, green cards, all that good stuff. Just remember that Rob is coming back to get his title back.

Angel vs. Sandman

After about four minutes of intros and a break we have all of Da Baldies laying out Sandman so Angel can talk trash while beating on him. A cane shots from Skull gets two for Angel but Sandman throws him out to the floor. Sandman beats all of Da Baldies down and heads to the back for a piece of guardrail.

Angel gets crushed and we head back inside for more left hands from Sandman. The rail is set up in the corner but Angel comes back with more right hands, only to be sent into the rail in the corner. Sandman gets crotched on the rail but Vito accidentally hits Angel with the cane. Sandy pounds away on all of them and pins Angle after breaking the cane over his head.

Rating: D-. This was your usual ECW hardcore mess. The match wasn’t any good and to even call it a match is a big stretch. Sandman was popular though so the fans were into him which is the right idea. It doesn’t do New Jack any favors though as he’s fought Da Baldies for months now with no success.

Cyrus is sitting next to Rhyno and says this started as business but has become personal. He wants to kill off the ECW phenomenon and Rhyno says no one is safe.

Joel implies Cyrus and Rhyno are lovers.

Steve Corino is in the ring with Jack Victory and wants to know when he got heat with the office. He just wanted to be on TV once in awhile and doesn’t want his match tonight.

Steve Corino vs. New Jack

New Jack’s song begins and the beating is quickly on. This is one of those “matches” which involves nothing but weapons shots because New Jack doesn’t seem to know how to wrestle. Joel: “He’s beating Corino like a lapdancing midget at a funeral.” Joey: “What he said.” A guitar shot puts Corino down and draws in Jack Victory to try to save his buddy.

They head to the floor with New Jack taking over as they head towards the balcony. We take a break and come back with Victory strapped to a table as New Jack dives from the balcony to destroy everyone in sight. Back in and Rhyno runs in to Gore New Jack, giving Steve the pin.

Rating: N/A. Considering this was a four minute “match” which was mostly spent on a big balcony dive before someone not even involved in the match caused the end, what kind of a rating do you think I’m going to give it? I can’t stand New Jack as he’s completely against what wrestling is supposed to be. When you make Sandman look like a skilled grappler, something isn’t right.

Spike Dudley is out 9 months for knee surgery.

House show ads.

Raven talks about having his woman taken from him and tells Tommy to pretend life is a game of cards. The cards are finely blown glass and as they build trust, they turn over more and more cards. Then one day the cards are swept away and shattered, leaving both guys wanting the cards intact again. Didn’t they just want to play a game? The camera pan up to show Francine dressed like Raven and doing his pose and catchphrase.

ECW World Title: Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka

Awesome is defending. The referee does a weapons check but as soon as the bell rings Judge Jeff Jones throws in a chair. Tanaka grabs one of his own and we get the dueling chair spots until they cave each others’ heads in with chair shots. Tanaka hits a running forearm in the corner and a dropkick sends Awesome to the floor. Mike gets a boot up to knock a chair into Tanaka’s face and drops him ribs first over the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Tanaka dropping Awesome with a tornado DDT and getting two off a missile dropkick. Awesome grabs a quick chokebomb for a near fall of his own and a Batista Bomb gets the same. The Awesome Splash gets the third straight two count and it’s table time. Surprisingly enough Tanaka is put through it with no reversal before being rammed into the corner for two again.

Here’s another table because just one isn’t a title match in ECW. Tanaka breaks up an Awesome Splash through the table and superplexes the champion through the wood to put both guys down. There’s the Roaring Elbow to knock Awesome out but Jones has the referee. Cue Raven to lay out Tanaka and the referee with DDTs for no explained reasons. Tanaka is powerbombed through a table on the floor and here’s Tommy Dreamer for the save, only to get caught in a DDT as well. Dreamer is powerbombed through a table as well and the match is thrown out.

Rating: C. The match was fun as usual but we get the idea already: Tanaka and Awesome can beat the tar out of each other. The idea here is that Raven and Awesome are the latest evil partnership but we kind of got that idea when they won the tag titles. I’m just over this match already and I have no need to ever see it again.

Overall Rating: D. I can’t remember a company with a bigger divide between the main event and everything else. The main event stories take up the last third of the show and the rest of the episode was just random brawling with no stories to be seen anywhere. Nothing to see here, but this just felt like a wasted episode.

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ECW on TNN
Date: March 10, 2000
Location: ECW Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,500
Commentators: Joel Gertner, Joey Styles

It’s the go home show for Living Dangerously and the main story….is up for debate actually. It could be Dreamer and Tanaka winning the tag titles on a fluke last week. It could be (and likely is) Heyman and company going to war with the Network. It could be Dusty vs. Corino. Either way, none of these feuds have had matches announced for the PPV, but maybe we’ll get something tonight. Let’s get to it.

Joey and Joel are in the ring for the intro for the first time in a few weeks. Joel actually gets to finish him limerick this week by saying that after tonight’s show in Philly, he’ll be riding Cyrus’ mom silly. This of course draws out Cyrus but even Joey goes off on him this time, saying he won’t interview a jerk like Cyrus.

Opening sequence.

Cyrus is still in the ring as the fans chant for RVD. We FINALLY get some matches announced for the PPV as tonight we’ll start a TV Title tournament which will end at the PPV. Bill Alfonzo comes out but Cyrus keeps ranting, saying he’s canceling ECW on TNN to be replaced by Extreme Championship Shuffleboard. This brings out RVD with the title and his ankle wrapped up. Before we get to that though, here’s a PPV ad so we can pay the talent.

Also a hotline ad.

Back in the arena with Scotty Anton (Riggs) standing by RVD’s side. Cyrus makes fun of Riggs but Rob shoves him away and praises Riggs for his loyalty. Yeah the screwjob is coming a mile away. Anyway Rob says his leg is getting better and he’s still in the gym to stay in shape. Rob talks about watching ECW grow for years now and about how he’s never left for greener pastures. He isn’t going to let Cyrus screw up everything ECW has done no matter how badly he’s hurt.

Rob throws down the belt and vows to take the title back from whomever Cyrus gets it on and he’ll do it here on TNN. Cyrus and Fonzie are about to get into it but Rhyno gores Fonzie down. Rob and Rhyno get into it but Anton pulls RVD away before he’s injured even worse. Cyrus wants to start this tournament right now.

TV Title Tournament Quarter-Finals: Rhyno vs. Spike Dudley

Spike scores with a quick neckbreaker and gets two off a small package. A sunset flip gets the same and Spike low bridges a charging Rhyno out to the floor. Back from a break with Spike being thrown off a balcony onto but not through some tables. Back to ringside with Rhyno being sent into the barricade and a bulldog gets two for Spike.

Spike takes a chair to the top but dives into a left hand to the ribs to put him down. A TKO gets two for Rhyno and he sets up a table in the corner. Spike comes back with the Acid Drop but here come all the heels to break it up. The distraction lets Rhyno Gore him through the table, injuring Spike’s knee in the process. A piledriver sends Rhyno to the semi-finals at the PPV, apparently against Sandman who beat Tajiri in a non-televised match.

Rating: D. I’m over this Spike the Giant Killer schtick. We get it: you have ONE MOVE that can stop big guys but people are going to interfere in case it’s a top level monster. It’s the same idea of X-Pac being able to hit the X-Factor and win matches against guys he has no business being in the ring against. In other words, COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE.

Spike is being taken to the hospital.

Jado/Gedo vs. Impact Players

This is also from the same show but it’s being shown out of order for some reason. I think Gedo is starting against Credible with the Players in early control. Off to Storm for a dropkick and a bunch of trash talking (yes from Lance Storm) before it’s back to Credible for a chinlock. Gedo tries to fight up but gets taken down by a clothesline and it’s back to Storm for right hands. Gedo flips out of a German suplex and clotheslines Storm down, allowing for the tag off to Jado.

Storm gets crotched on the top and belly to back superplexed down. Everything breaks down and both teams score some hot near falls. Back to Justin as the chair is thrown out of the ring, only to be replaced by a table. Jado reverses a hiptoss to send Credible through the table before catching Storm in a tiger driver. A top rope splash from Gedo gets two and Justin is dropkicked to the floor. Jado gets two off a middle rope powerbomb but Gedo walks into a superkick and gets caught in a spike piledriver for the pin.

Rating: C+. This was a fun match for the most part when they ignored the violent nonsense. I can usually overlook insanity and rules breaking down in tag matches because it makes for the most interesting stuff. Also, how nice was it to see actual TAGS in a tag team match? Fun stuff here.

We’re FINALLY given more PPV matches with Dreamer/Tanaka defending against the Impact Players and Mike Awesome/Raven (never been on screen together that I remember) and Corino vs. Dusty Rhoes in a bullrope match.

Tag Titles: Raven/Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka/Tommy Dreamer

Sure why not. Awesome throws Dreamer around to start before it’s off to Raven for some cheap shots. Dreamer gets up and Raven runs off to bring Mike back in. Tanaka gets the tag as well to give us the same match we’ve been watching for three months. Awesome wins a slugout and gets two off a quick splash. Tanaka sends him face first into the middle buckle and scores with a missile dropkick for no cover. Awesome counters the tornado DDT into a sitout spinebuster but he tags Raven instead of covering.

We get our first chair but Tanaka channels his inner Samoan and no sells the shot to the head. Tanaka elbows him in the head for two and Raven is sent into the chair in the corner. Dreamer pounds away and puts Raven in the Tree of Woe for the standing on the crotch spot. Awesome uses the distraction to powerbomb Dreamer out of the corner to give Raven two. Back to Mike for a middle rope back elbow, getting another near fall.

A choke bomb gets two more on Dreamer so it’s back to Raven. Bird Boy grabs a mic and pounds it into Dreamer’s head as Raven talks trash to Tommy. Dreamer does the smart thing by kicking Raven low but the back is too hurt to tag. A bulldog gets two on Dreamer and it’s table time. Awesome misses the splash through the table and Dreamer makes the tag off to Tanaka. He cleans house on both challenges but Awesome takes him down with a release German suplex.

Everything breaks down and Judge Jeff Jones sends in two more tables. Masato loads up a superplex through the table but gets crotched on the top instead. Dreamer loads up a Death Valley Driver off the top, only to be pulled down by Raven and sent face first into the edge of the table with the drop toehold. That looked SICK.

The Awesome Splash is only good for two and the Awesome Bomb through the table gets the same thanks to a save by Tanaka. The Roaring (discus) elbow gets two on Raven and the Dreamer DDT gets the same. Awesome hits the running Awesome Bomb through the table on Dreamer, allowing Raven to get the pin and the titles.

Rating: D+. This was actually something almost kind of resembling the tag team formula. It’s certainly not a good match but at least there was some kind of a flow to it. The booking on the other hand continues to be stupid as there’s no real reason to change the titles around like this other than to set up the three way dance. Raven vs. Dreamer and Tanaka vs. Awesome are played out, but Heyman, the GENIUS, can’t come up with anything new so this is what we’re stuck with.

Sinister Minister does his recap of the show and laughs a lot. Is there a point to this guy?

Overall Rating: D+. Well it wasn’t as bad as last week’s show but that isn’t saying much. We do at least have something set up for Sunday which is more than I was expecting to have by the end of the show. Some of the wrestling here wasn’t terrible and the less Sandman nonsense I have to sit through the better.

Here’s Living Dangerously if you’re interested:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2013/03/12/on-this-day-march-12-2000-living-dangerously-2000-two-ecw-shows-in-a-month-is-dangerous-enough/

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews, and pick up my new book of Complete 2001 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $4 at:

And check out my Amazon author page with wrestling books for just $4 at:

First ECW on TNN
Date: August 27, 1999
Commentator: Joey Styles

From the title I think you get the idea here. This show is weird as it’s a lot like the old WWF TV shows as it’s a collection of previously aired matches thrown together here. The first show they taped was awful so they turned it into this. The main thing is Lynn vs. Van Dam from Hardcore Heaven 99 which I’ll re-review and see how it matches up with the original rating I gave it, which is something I don’t think I’ve done before. Let’s get to it.

We open with a clip of the Dudleys (who would leave for WWF in like a week) powerbombing someone through a flaming table as Joey says this isn’t WCW or WWF but ECW.

Cue theme song. The main focus is Tazz who would leave in like 2-3 months and everyone knew that was going to happen.

Joey lists off a bunch of people to have held the TV Title but says RVD might be better than all of them.

TV Title: Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn

I think this is new commentary here but I’m not sure. This is really just a way to introduce Van Dam and give us what they know is an exciting match. You can’t hear a word the ring announcer is saying. They start with a nice sequence where neither can get any real advantage but the fans love it. We actually get highlights of both guys in the middle of the match. I get that you want to showcase two of your top guys but dude, do it when there’s not a match on.

Van Dam gets knocked to the floor and Lynn takes over. Lynn gets a top rope bulldog for two. RVD is bleeding from…..something. I think at this point we go to a commercial as we get an ad for Anarchy Rulz. Joey suggests the Warrior could be coming to ECW. Oh dear. Yeah the commentary here is new. Lynn is bleeding too now after botching a fall to the floor and hitting his foot on the ropes. The replay has a rap song with it. Really?

Lynn gets a sunset powerbomb for two. What would an ECW match be without tables? Van Dam’s eye is messed up and made of pretty colors. Van Daminator in the stands as this match is kind of hard to follow. Another commercial doesn’t help as they don’t stop the match for it, which is either a good idea or a bad idea and I’m not sure which. Lynn gets another sunset powerbomb through the table on the floor.

CUE THE RAP SONG REPLAY! After a clip or a commercial, Fonzie takes a chair pelted at his head. Lynn goes for a top rope belly to belly but he just falls off. You know the chant we get from that. Cradle Piledriver is blocked and both guys are down. Split Legged Moonsault hits Lynn. PAY ATTENTION MORRISON. THAT IS HOW YOU DO THE FREAKING MOVE. And there’s the Five Star out of more or less nowhere but Lynn rolls through for two. Van Daminator and a HUGE Five Star ends it.

Rating: B-. The clipping hurts this a lot. It makes this look like far less of an ultra competitive match and more like RVD just breaking a sweat. It’s still good but at the same time it really makes Lynn look weak. At the same time though this was about RVD and that worked very well. This was still good but a different kind of good. I gave the PPV version a B as I still find these matches to be overrated by most ECW fans.

We plug Rollerjam (which as a kid I thought was a cool show. The women were hot if nothing else) and then talk about the ECW World Title, listing off guys that didn’t win it but tried to, such as Konnan, Benoit, Austin and Foley. I’m not entirely sold on talking about guys that USED to be here, but you could look at it like this: We had these guys before they were superstars. Imagine what kind of buried treasures we have here now. That makes sense.

Shane threw down the NWA Title, which meant nothing to most fans watching this show but whatever. That was 5 years before the debut of the TV show. Didn’t know that.

ECW World Title: Taz vs. Rhyno

This is from Hardcore TV or a house show. Rhyno hits a powerbomb 3 seconds in and Taz just pops up. Rhyno means nothing at this point which you can probably guess. Well we’re in Chicago if nothing else. Taz is massacring him here with Rhyno looking like a freaking  jobber. He’s hit two punches to the ribs and a no sold powerbomb. Tazz sets up a table and Rhyno hits new levels of offense with THREE punches to the ribs. Suplex through the table sets up the Tazmission. Total squash if there ever has been one.

Rating: N/A. This was DOMINANCE which is the idea I guess, but Rhyno looks like a joke here. The problem is that these matches are just random defenses with no meaning to them. We keep hearing about Steve Corino and how he’s Taz’s archenemy, but we never even see him.

Video on Sabu who is apparently awesome. No match or anything but just highlights.

Ad for Anarchy Rulz again.

Spike Dudley vs. Big Sal

Low blow and Acid Drop end it. Literally that’s the whole thing. Who is Spike? Who is Sal? “Spike has done it again!” What does he do? Apparently that’s not important. Ah ok they call him the Giant Killer.

The Impact Players introduce themselves and we have no idea if they mean anything or not. Cyrus pops up for no apparent reason as Jason makes gay jokes about Joey. We see clips of the Impact Players beating people up which helps a bit as we know they’re dominant.

House show ads.

We get a BUNCH of clips of guys and a brief description (as in their nickname) of them. It’s set to a Kid Rock song so what do you expect here?

Taz talks about how TNN and ECW are together now and how cool that is I guess. We get clips of famous people he’s made tap out. He talks for like three minutes and that ends this mess.

Overall Rating: D. This was a total mess. Considering this is the first show, this was just awful as you learn nothing about the guys other than Taz being a tough guy and RVD is awesome. Other than that though you get nothing at all here though and other than a single good match to start, this gave us nothing. We have no idea about any feuds or angles or anything like that as it was just a few squashes and one big match from months earlier. This just didn’t work as Heyman clearly didn’t know what he was doing, which became a theme here. Bad show and just a car wreck of an hour.

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ECW on TNN
Date: February 25, 2000
Location: The Rave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Attendance: 2,250
Commentators: Joey Styles, Joel Gertner

We’re getting closer to the Living Dangerously PPV and I don’t think anything has been announced for the show. There’s also no announcement made yet on the future of the TV Title other than there will be a new champion. We’ve got three episodes left before the show so maybe we’ll hear some matches announced tonight. Let’s get to it.

We open with Cyrus in the ring and the fans chanting RVD. He talks about how the network can’t have the TV Title on the shelf for twelve weeks, and here are Corino, Rhyno and Jack Victory. Tonight Cyrus gets to appoint a new TV Champion which will be…..Rhyno, the last man to be in the ring with Van Dam. Cyrus tells Paul Heyman to bring out the title and a cup of coffee but we need to get the way too long intro out of the way as Heyman comes to the ring.

Heyman is in the ring but Cyrus wants his coffee. Paul is clutching the TV Title belt to his chest as Cyrus berates him for not wanting to sell RVD out. He says Heyman is going to bend over for the network here on TNN but Heyman doesn’t seem interested. Heyman yells at Cyrus and finally hits him in the head with the belt. Rhyno Gores Heyman down and the beating is on until Sandman’s music hits. Naturally it takes forever for him to get to the ring and just as naturally the heels don’t do anything else to Heyman in the meantime.

PPV ad.

Post break and Sandman is STILL in the crowd. After about three minutes (literally) he’s in the ring and we’re ready for our first match.

Sandman vs. Rhyno

Oh wait we have to have Corino and Victory get in cheap shots so Sandman can swing his cane. Sandman and Rhyno head to the aisle and up by the stage with Sandy in control. Here’s a ladder into the ring but Sandman stops to get a table, allowing Rhyno to get in a cheap shot. Sandman sends him into the ladder, allowing him to bring in the table. A slingshot hilo onto the ladder crushes Rhyno and a top rope rana (the Heinekenrana) puts Rhyno down again. Cue Tajiri to spray green mist, allowing Rhyno to hit the Gore through the table for a pin.

Rating: N/A. This wasn’t wrestling and that’s all I’ll say about this nonsense.

Post whatever that was, Super Crazy comes out for the save.

We get a highlight package of that whole thing which has taken up nearly half the show.

Gertner starts his limerick but Joey cuts him off to talk about Rhyno claiming to break Rob’s leg. He doesn’t have much to say about it but at least he cut off the funny stuff.

Doring and Roadkill run into the Dupps in the back. Somehow we get a loser leaves town match booked in about 20 seconds.

Dupps vs. Roadkill/Danny Doring

The Dupps (Bo and Jack) are as low brow “comedy” as you can get with the duo playing REALLY stupid country stereotypes. The Dupps run Doring over to start but Roadkill comes in with a springboard double clothesline followed by a double splash in the corner. A wheelbarrow slam/top rope legdrop combination end Jack Dupp to get rid of this stupid team in about a minute and a half.

Website and house show ads. Apparently Tommy Dreamer and Francine will be at some mall. No city or anything is given, but they will be there.

Here’s Tommy Dreamer with something to say. He does a Scott Hall survey with ECW winning the poll. Dreamer cuts out the nonsense and asks Raven to come out here to finish things. Instead he gets Francine who understands that Dreamer is trying to protect her. She’s seen the tape though and Raven DDT’ed her by mistake. Naturally the fans want puppies. Francine rants about what she’s done in ECW, including guiding Dreamer to a tag title. This is supposed to be a burning line for some reason.

We get a clip of Raven accidentally knocking Francine out cold and here are the Impact Players. Dreamer insults Dawn Marie and suggests she just take her top off before challenging the Players to a handicap match. Storm says they’ll put up the titles if Dreamer can find a partner. Why he’d do that is anyone’s guess but somehow it turns into Francine naming Raven as Dreamer’s partner.

Tag Titles: Impact Players vs. Tommy Dreamer/Raven

Tommy gets beaten down for a bit until Raven comes out in dress pants and a turtleneck of all things. Storm accidentally superkicks Credible but Justin makes the save off the Even Flow. Dreamer breaks up a pin off That’s Incredible to Raven as it’s already broken down. It’s one of those brawls in the crowd where you can’t see any of the brawling between Dreamer and Credible as we have Storm and Raven slugging it out in the ring.

A low blow stops Raven as the other two are way at the other end of the building. Raven does the drop toehold onto the chair and here’s Dreamer at ringside to break the barricade apart. Actually it’s a row of seats in the ring and a double drop toehold sends the champions into the chairs. The Players are sent to the floor but Storm gets back in to set up a table. Justin and Raven head to the floor and Dreamer hits a Death Valley Driver on Storm through the table for two with Dawn Marie making the save.

Cue the girl fight as the freaking Sinister Minister comes out because we aren’t overbooking this nonsense enough. Raven accidentally throws powder in Dreamer’s eyes, causing Tommy to DDT Francine (the chick with long hair, as opposed to the champions who have one head of short hair between them). Dreamer loads up a DDT on Storm but gets blasted by a title belt for two. A top rope spinwheel kick from Storm and a spike tombstone on a chair is enough to finish Tommy.

Rating: D. And most of that is because of Dawn’s outfit. I’m tempted to start calling these the two man titles because there’s no tagging at all in these matches. Also, can we PLEASE find a story other than Dreamer hates Raven? It’s literally been the SAME IDEA since this show debuted.

The Sinister Minister sits in a bunch of trash and talks about fire before laughing a lot to end the show.

Overall Rating: Trombone. You think I’m wasting a regular rating on something like this? This show had nothing to do with wrestling and I don’t think they have any idea what it’s supposed to be. The Heyman/Network stuff makes sense, but what is it supposed to lead to? The Sandman standing up for ECW? More non-wrestling, as Sandman is embarrassing in the ring. It says a lot when this is making Nitro in 2000 look great by comparison. Again, not a wrestling show at all.

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ECW on TNN
Date: February 18, 2000
Location: Tallahassee Civic Center, Tallahassee, Florida
Attendance: 2,000
Commentators: Joel Gertner, Joey Styles

The main story coming out of last week’s show was Rhyno and Corino going after Dusty Rhodes with Sandman making the save. Odds are we won’t hear about that tonight due to it being the second half of a double taping, but the story wasn’t very good other than Dusty’s parts anyway. We also might get an update on the TV Title situation. Let’s get to it.

We open with Cyrus in the back, talking about how we only have 59:45 to go until ROLLERJAM! ECW is in trouble after Dusty Rhodes attacked him last week and they have heat with the network now. RVD is officially stripped of the TV Title and ECW will do what Cyrus says to do. NOW ONLY 57:19 UNTIL ROLLERJAM! I remember watching this when it first aired and it was awesome due to Cyrus being so over the top. Also Rollerjam was awesome.

Opening video.

Joey and Joel do their intro from the booth instead of the ring with Styles talking about the new video game, which was a clone of WWF Attitude.

Tanaka says he’s winning the title back tonight.

Nova/Chris Chetti vs. Roadkill/Danny Doring

Chetti takes Doring into the corner to start and we actually get a clean break. A quick kick puts Danny down and it’s off to Nova for a double elbow and hip toss. Roadkill comes in sans tag to clean house but takes out Doring by mistake. Nova comes back with a kick to Roadie and a spinebuster to Doring before diving to the floor to take out Roadkill. Nice sequence there.

Back in and Roadie blocks a tornado DDT and Doring takes Nova down with a clothesline. This is pretty fast paced stuff but it’s not falling apart at all. A pair of slams (sidewalk and power style) put Nova down and a top rope elbow from Doring gets two. Nova comes back with a reverse DDT and it’s off to Roadie vs. Chetti.

Chris cleans house on both guys and hits a tornado DDT on the big fat guy (Roadkill). Nova and Chetti load up the Tidal Wave (top rope splash and legdrop from the same corner) but only Nova launches with Chetti getting crotched. Doring makes the save and Roadkill pops up to set up a table on the floor. The big fat splash misses Nova entirely, but Doring hits a jumping double arm DDT on Nova for the pin.

Rating: C. Not bad here but it falls into the same ECW trap that most matches do: there’s not enough time spent building to the frantic (yet good) finish. Both of these teams were good in the roles they played, but Nova and Chetti never won the titles and Roadkill and Doring only won the belts after the TV show was off the air.

Post match the Impact Players, the reigning tag champions, come out to destroy all four guys.

Mike Awesome says he’ll keep the title.

Super Crazy vs. C.W. Anderson

I never cared for C.W. Anderson. He’s supposed to be a throwback to Arn Anderson but it never quite worked. Crazy hooks a quick headscissors to put Anderson on the floor before hitting a BIG springboard moonsault to take out Anderson and Bilvis Wesley. Crazy picks up a chair for no apparent reason, allowing C.W. to superkick it into his face. It’s already table time but Anderson goes to the top rope after setting it up. Crazy is all like ESTOY EL LUCHADOR and hurricanranas Anderson down for two.

Not that it matters though as Anderson comes back with a spinebuster through the table. Arn Anderson should smack him around for that kind of no selling. A half nelson suplex gets another two count for C.W. but a springboard tornado DDT gets the same for Crazy. Super throws in two more tables and chairs for something resembling a Conchairto because why not use one of those in a meaningless TV match? A springboard legdrop through the table gets two for Crazy as Lou E. Dangerously makes the save. Bilvis accidentally hits Lou with a chair, allowing Crazy to hit two moonsaults through the table for the pin.

Rating: D. Again, this was a six and a half minute TV match with no story to it, so we had three tables, a Conchairto, two people interfering and chair shots. The reason stuff like this worked in the Austin vs. Foley main events was there was a solid foundation under the matches to get us to that point. Just having it all happen in a few minutes between guys with no story doesn’t work at all unless you’re some kind of bloody thirsty sociopath.

Chetti and Nova want a piece of the Impact Players. They didn’t need to wear a jock strap on the face or to carry Shawn Michaels’ bags (Justin) to get over.

ECW World Title: Masato Tanaka vs. Mike Awesome

Awesome is defending. The fans chant RVD at Awesome during the weapons check. You know, because we wouldn’t want weapons getting involved in an ECW match or anything. Awesome runs the challenger over to start and catches a Thesz Press attempt in a belly to belly suplex. Tanaka comes right back with a powerslam of his own, only to have Awesome run the corner and hit a back elbow to the jaw. Nice move.

Tanaka quickly knocks him to the floor and hits a plancha off the top rope to the floor. Mike goes into the barricade but gets a boot up to stop a charging challenger. A big dive over the barricade into the crowd takes Tanaka down as we hit the brawling stage. Mike hits a HARD chair shot to the head (what was that about weapons?) but Tanaka no sells it. A German suplex is no sold and a chokebomb gets two for Awesome.

It’s table time but Tanaka escapes an Awesome Bomb and sends Mike to the apron for a DDT, sending Awesome through the table. A running chair shot to the head has Awesome in trouble and a missile dropkick to the back of the head gets two. Tanaka hits the top rope chair shot to a grounded Awesome but Mike counters the tornado DDT into a kind of spinebuster on the chair.

The second attempt at the DDT connects but Awesome gets up at two. Diamond Dust (flipping Stunner off the middle rope) is countered into an Alabama Slam for two and Mike gets two off a sitout Awesome Bomb. The Awesome Splash gets the same and here’s another table. Tanaka escapes another Awesome Bomb and hits the Roaring Elbow, only to have Mike deck him on the top and hit a top rope Awesome Bomb through the table to retain.

Rating: C+. Yeah these matches are hard hitting and fun, but when you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. There is NOTHING between the big moves and it takes away from any value the match has. It’s a car crash match with nothing but spots and that makes for a match that is fun for a bit but has zero staying power at all. There’s no story or anything here and that holds matches WAY back.

Overall Rating: C-. The main event was fun in a car crash sense, but other than that there’s nothing on here worth seeing. One of ECW’s biggest problems is the complete lack of an upper midcard. There’s a tag team division, a middle of the card and a main event scene, but nothing between them. This becomes a problem because there’s nothing for the guys in between so you get a bunch of random matches from week to week. This was decent enough but it didn’t do much for me.

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ECW on TNN
Date: February 4, 2000
Location: War Memorial Auditorium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Attendance: 2,000
Commentators: Joey Styles, Joel Gertner

Here’s another series that I haven’t done anything with in a long time. The main story is going to be Mike Awesome vs. Rob Van Dam, meaning tonight’s stories aren’t going to mean much by next week. RVD would break his ankle the night after this was taped, ending the story which could have prolonged ECW for a few more months. Let’s get to it.

Joey and Joel open things up in the ring as is their custom. Joel’s limerick of the week includes a very dated Elian Gonzalez joke which prompts a LOUD “send him back!” chant. Cyrus cuts him off before the profane punch line though and rants from his desk but Van Dam and Fonzie walk by in the back. RVD goes into Awesome’s dressing room and dives over a table to start the brawl.

Opening sequence followed by Joey running down the card.

Living Dangerously ad.

Raven is talking to the Sinister Minister in the back when Heyman comes in and tells Raven to snap out of it already.

Steve Corino/Rhyno vs. Tommy Dreamer/Dusty Rhodes

This is Dusty’s first match in six years and the idea is Dusty is the hardcore pioneer here in Florida. Corino wants to start with Dusty and threatens Dreamer with Rhyno violence if he doesn’t get his wish. Dusty comes in and offers Corino a free shot but runs away from a teased Bionic Elbow. Rhyno tags himself in and is immediately caught in Dusty’s horrible figure four. Jack Victory tries to come in but gets caught in a figure four as well. Even Francine puts one on Corino to complete the obvious joke.

Everything breaks down and they head into the set and crowd. Corino is busted open at Dusty’s hands and Dusty pounds on the cut even more in the ring. Off to Dreamer for a Bionic Elbow of his own but he heads to the floor where Rhyno crotches him on the barricade. Rhyno pounds on Dreamer back inside and hits a Gore in the corner for no cover.

A top rope splash gets two on Dreamer but Rhyno takes too much time going up a second time and Dreamer superplexes him down. Hot tag brings in Dusty and the good guys rain down right hands in opposite corners. Rhyno fights out and Gores Dreamer before clotheslining Dusty down. Dreamer comes back in with a chair to lay out Rhyno and the Bionic Elbow is enough to pin Corino.

Rating: C+. This was about as good as you’re going to get for a structured ECW match. They worked the tag team formula quite well here with Dreamer getting beaten down until he could make the hot tag to Dusty. The idea of Dusty getting his revenge on Corino was fine as well, making for an entertaining match.

The Impact Players are in a hot tub and say they need better competition. This is an excuse for Dawn Marie to be in a bikini and there’s not a thing wrong with that.

Danny Doring and Roadkill want to be tag team champions. Elektra gets annoyed when Doring mentions getting more women. She grabs him low and threatens far worse if he strays and threatens Dawn Marie a bit.

Joel makes fun of TNN because he can.

House show ads.

Mikey Whipwreck talks about how awesome he is and how he’s going to win the TV Title tonight.

TV Title: Mikey Whipwreck vs. Rob Van Dam

Mikey dives on Rob during the extended entrance to get things going. He sends Van Dam’s head into the railing and then into the post before hitting a bad looking rana to take Van Dam down. They head inside and Whipwreck gets two off a slingshot elbow followed by a top rope clothesline for the same. Van Dam hits a spin kick to the face for his first offense and adds the surfboard dropkick into a chair into Mikey’s face for good measure.

Back to the floor and Rob superkicks him over the barricade before hitting the spin kick off the apron into Mikey’s back. They head back inside for the cartwheel moonsault followed by Rolling Thunder onto a chair from the champion. Mikey comes back with a German suplex and a Pedigree onto the chair for two each. Another chair is thrown in for the Van Daminator and the Five Star retains the title.

Rating: D+. This wasn’t bad but it was little more than a spotfest. Mikey was there as a jobber to the stars and nothing more at this point so the match wasn’t going to be much more than a glorified squash. Van Dam could pop a crowd doing anything, which is why the injury really was the final straw for the company.

Mike Awesome is in the parking lot and wants to hurt both Spike and RVD.

Van Dam says his belt means more than Awesome’s.

House show ads.

We close the show with breaking news about Rob Van Dam breaking his leg in Orlando. More details next week.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a pretty decent show with some fun matches and story development, but as I said the whole promotion would be turned upside down by Van Dam’s injury. It completely derailed the main story the company had been building to for weeks and crippled everything they had going. That’s a shame too as this show was pretty entertaining stuff.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my book on the History of Starrcade from Amazon for just $4 at:

ECW on TNN
Date: January 28, 2000
Location: Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
Attendance: 3,000
Commentators: Joey Styles, Joel Gertner

We’re getting closer to Living Dangerously and the showdown between Mike Awesome and Rob Van Dam. You might not have heard about that match and we’ll get to the reason why at the end of this. Other than that the Impact Players are still feuding with Raven and Dreamer who still have problems of course. Other than that it’s hard to say where you’re going to get from ECW. Let’s get to it.

Francine marches into Raven’s locker room but he’s sitting on the floor. He doesn’t want to be in his match tonight because it’s not for him. Raven complains about losing everything when he does stuff for other people. Dreamer comes in and calls him Scotty but Raven won’t go.

Joel and Joey do their in ring intro. Joel goes into his poetry about Cyrus and various sexual acts but we cut to Cyrus in the control room. He says that there are five wrestlers who will walk if Gertner doesn’t step down as commentator.

We cut to the end of last week’s show with Awesome and RVD which was interrupted by Sabu and resulted in a beatdown of Van Dam and Spike Dudley who tried to save. We get the whole segment because there’s nothing new to air instead.

Opening sequence. We’re over ten minutes in so far and that’s all we’ve seen.

Living Dangerously ad.

Buy our action figures! Including Taz who has already debuted in WWF!

Little Guido comes out for a match but first let’s have more non wrestling with Judge Jeff Jones and Mike Awesome talking about Spike Dudley.

Little Guido vs. Tajiri

Before the bell we take ANOTHER commercial, putting us about twenty minutes into an hour long show before the first bell. They speed things up to start with Tajiri escaping a sleeper and firing a kick to the ribs. Tajiri loads up a powerbomb…..AND WE TAKE ANOTHER BREAK??? Are you kidding me? Either way we come back with Guido getting slammed down before he heads to the floor.

A big moonsault takes out both Guido and Big Sal and we head back inside. There’s the Tarantula to Guido and the Buzzsaw Kick for no cover. Little tries a Fujiwara Armbar but Tajiri makes it to the rope. The handspring elbow takes Guido down and the double feet to the face.

Guido immediately comes back with a top rope Fameasser for two. Apparently a starting tight end for the Saints is replacing Raven as Dreamer’s partner. There’s a random pairing for you. A baseball slide into a chair crushes Guido’s face and a dropkick puts Sal on the floor. Tajiri kicks Guido in the face and hits a brainbuster for the pin.

Rating: C. Decent stuff here but it was basically a squash by Tajiri. Luckily for me Tajiri is one of my favorite ECW guys so I was hardly bored by this. Guido barely got in anything here and Tajiri beat up both him and his lackey with ease. As usual, neither guy is going anywhere though.

RVD is ready for Mike Awesome but wants Sabu first. Rob looks more stoned than usual here. This goes on for like two and a half minutes.

Rhyno/Steve Corino vs. Tommy Dreamer/Josh Wilcox

We start with Corino and Wilcox in three point stances but Corino gets called for offsides. Off to Rhyno who charges into the corner and it’s off to Dreamer. Dreamer gets beaten down immediately and pounded on the floor for a bit. A spinebuster and spear in the corner from Rhyno get two and it’s back to Corino. Tommy punches him in the ribs so it’s right back to Rhyno for more power stuff. A top rope splash misses and Dreamer Gores Rhyno down. There’s the tag to Wilcox who immediately turns on Dreamer, allowing Rhyno to piledrive him for the pin.

Rating: D. So we have a handicap match with a football player making a one off appearance and turning on his partner so the comedy heel’s team can win. This is after we spent twenty minutes on recaps and a feud involving an announcer. Yet people wonder why this show fell apart.

Wilcox rips into his hometown fans because of reasons that I don’t care enough about to remember. Something about fans booing the team or something. Corino calls out Dusty Rhodes who sneaks up on them and pounds away.

ECW World Title: Mike Awesome vs. Little Spike Dudley

Spike jumps Awesome to start and is immediately slammed down to the floor. Spike fires back but gets whipped into the barricade to keep the champion in control. After a quick brawl in the crowd we head back inside for Awesome to charge into a boot to the face. The champion hits a release German suplex for two and a lifting powerbomb for the same. A table is set up on the floor but Spike manages to bulldog Awesome through it instead.

Spike hits a top rope chair shot to Awesome but the champion is down on the floor. The Acid Drop is countered so Spike hits Awesome in the head with a chair instead. The fourth chair shot to the head in a row gets two but Awesome gets his foot up in the corner to block a charge. A BIG Awesome Bomb puts Spike down but the Awesome Splash gets two. Another table is set up in the corner and a running Awesome Bomb through said table retains the title.

Rating: D+. There was some drama here with the near falls but man alive could you have Spike do ONE SINGLE WRESTLING MOVE? I know he can do them because I’ve seen them use them before, but instead it was nothing but chair shots here. That’s a major reason I don’t like ECW: they thought swinging a chair in a wrestling ring meant wrestling.

Awesome calls out RVD but before he can get to the ring, Sabu jumps him from behind. Mike dives on both guys but only hits Sabu. Van Dam hits a big flip dive to take them both out to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. Terrible opening third aside, the main event stuff is really taking off at the moment. The match at Living Dangerously looks to be great….and then the next night RVD broke his leg and would be out for three and a half months. That was pretty much the final straw for ECW as they were counting on RVD vs. Awesome to bring in some cash but it never happened due to the injury.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews

ECW on TNN
Date: January 21, 2000
Location: ECW Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 1,850
Commentators: Joel Gertner, Joey Styles

It’s been so long since I did one of these that I had to look up the stories that were going on. Apparently there are no stories because the previous episode was taped before the PPV so nothing new was added after that. We’re less than two months away from Living Dangerously now which focused on something we haven’t gotten to yet. Let’s get to it.

Joel and Joey do their entrance with Joel mocking Cyrus. This brings out Cyrus to talk about how the office is mad about the fans for some reason but they’re far madder about Joel and Joey. Cyrus goes off on Joel for having heat with the boys and having a stupid name joke to start the show. The next time Gertner defies Cyrus, it won’t end well for Joel. Joey has to hold Joel back as we go to the opening theme.

That opening theme lasts WAY too long.

Here are the Impact Players to open things up as Joel and Joey are still in the ring. Justin says they told us they would win the titles and that’s what they did. The higher ups want them to defend the titles tonight but that’s not happening. This brings out Danny Doring and Roadkill apparently to protest. They demand a title shot tonight but Storm calls them a couple of midcard jobbers. If they can beat a midcard team, they can get the title shot. The team in question is Dreamer/Raven who immediately charge the ring and the match is on.

Raven/Tommy Dreamer vs. Danny Doring/Roadkill

The match is joined in progress after a break with Roadkill getting crotched when taking too long on the top rope. A superplex puts Roadie down and there’s the tag to Raven. Bird Boy cleans house with knee lifts and covers Doring’s face with the snot rag. The drop toehold onto the chair gets two on Roadkill and the Evenflow gets the same on Doring. Everything breaks down and Roadkill is sent out to the floor. Dreamer and Francine set up a table which Dreamer pescados Roadkill through moments later.

Elektra and Francine tease a catfight but Dawn Marie blasts Francine instead. Raven carries Francine to the back, making this a handicap match. Dreamer steps on Doring’s crotch and hits a Death Valley Driver for two. There are a lot of saves in this match so far. A Roadkill powerslam gets two on Dreamer but Tommy hits a Russian legsweep on Doring and a DDT on Roadie at the same time. This brings out Corino, Victory and Rhyno who lay out Dreamer, allowing Doring to hit a top rope elbow drop for the pin.

Rating: C. This was your usual overdone ECW match but at least it was entertaining at some points. This was a combination of wrestling and storyline with Raven walking out on his partner which is similar to Hogan leaving with Liz at Main Event II in 1989. Then again though it wasn’t quite the same level of quality but you get the idea. As usual, this was overbooked though.

The post match beatdown continues with Victory and Corino working over Dreamer. Dusty Rhodes finally comes out (I don’t think this is his debut) and it’s elbows all around. Rhyno comes in and beats Dusty down until Sandman comes through the entrance for the final save. Sandman pours beer into Dreamer’s mouth to revive him.

Super Crazy vs. Tajiri

This is a Mexican death match and we go to a break about 15 seconds in. Back with Tajiri throwing in two more chairs to go with one that was already in the ring. Apparently Crazy is busted open as Tajiri throws in a table. Tajiri tries to slide the chairs along the table to hit Crazy in the head but Crazy keeps ducking to avoid death. With Crazy on the table, Tajiri hits a double stomp onto Crazy but the table doesn’t break. A second attempt finally works and Tajiri follows it up with a HARD kick to the face.

Since this is ECW, Crazy is back up in roughly 8 seconds and hits a top rope Lionsault. We head to the floor and into the crowd for a chair shot to the Japanese head. A moonsault off the bleachers puts Tajiri through another table and we head back to the ring. Tajiri is busted open but comes back with the handspring elbow. Crazy of course no sells it and hits a clothesline to take over again.

Tajiri gets put on the top rope (as in on the rope itself, not in the corner) where Crazy hits a springboard spinwheel kick to knock him down for two. Tajiri pops back up and hits a German suplex for two before going back to the floor. Crazy is sent into the crowd for an Asai moonsault. Back in and Super throws in two tables again, because goodness knows he isn’t going to stay on the mat. Tajiri hits the Mist but FIVE SECONDS LATER Crazy is fine enough to catch a rana attempt out of the corner into a powerbomb through the table for the pin.

Rating: C. This was fun again but MAN ALIVE Crazy brought it down. He pops up from an Asai Moonsault, two top rope double stomps AND Mist to the face? That’s another ECW problem in a nutshell: the wrestling going on isn’t of a very high quality. The no selling was really distracting here and makes Tajiri’s solid offense look lame.

Call the Hotline and hear about the Radicalz leaving ECW. That actually happened.

Living Dangerously is coming!

Here’s Awesome to talk about how he’s going to crush Spike Dudley again. The fans chant for RVD but Awesome says that only his world title matters in ECW. Since he’s the world champion, he’s the Whole F’N Show. This brings out TV Champion RVD who praises Awesome but says that Mike is still just part of the show, but Van Dam IS the show.

Awesome issues a challenge and we get a bell! We also get a blackout and here’s Sabu. Since he’s supposed to help Van Dam, he turns on RVD and it’s a double beatdown. RVD’s manager Fonzie gets put through a table. Spike Dudley tries to come in and gets laid out as well. A top rope splash/legdrop combination puts RVD through a table to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was one of the better shows they’ve had yet. We had major stories advanced and a BIG match set up at the end. That’s how a TV show after a PPV should work but ECW doesn’t often get that right. The wrestling wasn’t much at all but that goes without saying most of the time in ECW. Good stuff here though.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews

ECW on TNN
Date: January 14, 2000
Location: Center Stage Theater, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 780
Commentator: Joey Styles, Joel Gertner

We’re past Guilty as Charged and it’s another two months before the next PPV with Living Dangerously. The major change is that the Impact Players finally won the titles which they should have gotten months ago. Other than that, it’s your usual ECW PPV: it’s hit or miss and if you missed it, you’re probably going to be fine. This was taped before the PPV though so don’t expect any results to be revealed to the live crowd. Let’s get to it.

Joel and Joey are in the ring to open things up. Joel does his usual filthy intro but Cyrus cuts him off of course. Cyrus talks about how unfair it is for Gertner to use this time to “get himself over” and how there’s an executive decree that says he can’t do so anymore. Also there is to be NO sexual innuendo or smart remarks towards country/western music. This includes Dukes of Hazard jokes, inbreeding or negative remarks about Rollerjam. I actually liked that show. Cyrus announces a new TNN show called Rock-N-Bowl and the fans literally groan.

Opening sequence.

We get some clips of Awesome vs. Spike on Sunday.

Joel rants about Cyrus a bit.

Super Crazy vs. Little Guido

Guido immediately takes it to the mat and pounds on Crazy’s ears a bit. The fans want pizza. Big Sal distracts Crazy and Guido takes over again. There’s a Fujiwara Armbar which doesn’t last long at all. Guido sends him to the floor for a dive but hits Sal instead. Since Sal weighs about 600lbs, that doesn’t make much of a difference. Crazy dives on both of them and we take a break.

Back with Guido in control via a top rope clothesline. Crazy is sent into the barricade by Sal which gets two and it’s back to the armbar. The problem here is that between these two and Tajiri, there’s almost nothing they haven’t shown us yet. Crazy grabs a quick rollup for two and a baseball slide takes Crazy out. There are ten punches in the corner but Guido counters with a reverse powerbomb out of the corner. Crazy DDT’s Crazy on a chair (see how little selling you get here?) for two. Sal misses a splash which gets the same on Guido, but a spinning DDT gets the pin for Crazy.

Rating: D+. You know, for as much praise as you hear these matches get, they’re really pure spot fests. Even the WCW cruiserweight matches are better wrestling matches than this. The chair stuff was actually annoying because it goes completely against what the match was supposed to be and doesn’t add anything because it didn’t even get the pin. Nothing to see here as usual but it’s still likely going to be the best match of the night.

House show/website ads.

On Sunday, Fonzie said that Sabu would walk out if he lost to RVD. That happened, but we’re not sure what walk out means apparently.

We get a minute long version of what I just said.

RVD brags about winning.

From what I can find, Sabu actually did leave soon after this because he didn’t want to put over Super Crazy.

We get another recap of Steve Corino’s crew beating up Jerry Lynn and then Dusty Rhodes when the Dream made the save. I don’t remember Dusty being advertised or being in ECW before this so that’s quite a surprise. The locker room then saved the fat man. Rhyno did most of the beating and said he wanted the world title.

Apparently Dusty is going to be at the TV Tapings for the January 28^th show where he can pick whoever he wants as a partner to face Corino.

Da Baldies want to fight New Jack. Again.

Call the hotline!

Buy these tapes!

We get another clip from Awesome Spike.

Jerry Lynn vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri

Tajiri jumps Jerry during the entrance and we start fast. Jerry comes back with a headscissors to send Tajiri to the floor and adds a plancha. Tajiri rams Jerry into various objects on the floor as Joel goes into a weird rant about how evil people from Minnesota are. Back in and Tajiri stomps away in the corner and hooks the Tarantula. Jerry gets put in the Tree of Woe and there’s the baseball slide before Tajiri stands on Jerry’s balls.

Tajiri misses a big spin kick and Lynn hooks a rana followed by a sitout powerbomb to counter Tajiri’s attempt at a rana of his own. A German suplex gets two on Lynn and a tornado DDT gets the same on Tajiri. Joel: “Lynn is being culturally insensitive. They don’t have tornadoes in Japan.” A BIG kick to the head puts Lynn down and a second does the same for two. In a lame ending, Lynn goes low before hitting the cradle piledriver for the pin.

Rating: B-. For ECW, this was a near masterpiece. The ending was the right idea if they’re going for a Lynn heel turn which may have been where this was going. Anyway, this is one of those good matches you hear about in ECW with selling and everything. That’s all you can ask for out of shows like these so this was fine.

Same ads as earlier.

A clip of a catfight ends the show. Seriously that’s all they’ve got. Oh and the tag titles changed. The Impact Players brag a bit too. Storm: “Do you know how hard it is to get a strap off a guy from Calgary? Just ask Vince McMahon.”

Overall Rating: D. I get that they taped this before the PPV so they couldn’t give stuff away, but man this show sucked even with that being factored in. There are about eight and a half months of this show and you can see why it was canceled: it’s just not that good no matter how you look at it. The second match wasn’t bad at all though.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews

ECW on TNN
Date: January 7, 2000
Location: Westchester Country Center, White Plains, New York
Attendance: 2,800
Commentators: Joey Styles, Joel Gertner

It’s the go home show for Guilty As Charged with the real main event being the tag title match with the Impact Players challenging Raven and Dreamer. Unless I missed it, the world title match hasn’t been announced at this point but it’s nothing that you’re going to want to see in the first place. The next year’s edition of this PPV would be the final ECW PPV, so you can tell things are starting to fall apart for these guys. Let’s get to it.

We open with clips from last week with Awesome taking the title back from Tanaka. By clips I mean they air the last few minutes of the match. Spike Dudley came out post match and his female groupie got run over. Spike himself got thrown through a table.

Theme song.

We run down the PPV card.

We get a video on Shane Douglas making the ECW World Title in the famous moment after the NWA Title Tournament. He then lost it to Sandman, who lost it to Mikey Whipwreck, who lost it back to Sandman and I think you get what we’ve got here. For some reason we’re getting a history of the ECW World Title. We’re getting clips of every title change with Heyman doing commentary. This leads up (after nearly five minutes) to Spike saying that he’ll be serious against Awesome on Sunday.

It should be noted that this show has forty five minutes of footage on it and after nearly fifteen of those, we haven’t had a new match yet. The title video was cool but did we really need to see it?

PPV ad.

Hardcore Hotline ad.

Awesome and Judge Jeff Jones say they’ll crush Spike on Sunday.

Lance Storm says Justin Credible is going to beat Dreamer tonight in Dreamer’s home town.

Dupps vs. Kid Kash/Nova vs. Danny Doring/Roadkill

If the Dupps don’t talk, I’ll upgrade this match by a full letter. They would dominate the beginning months of TNA and THEY’RE FREAKING HORRIBLE. This is under elimination rules as well. The Dupps get sent into each other and Nova bulldogs both of them down. Kash headscissors Roadkill down and dives on the other four guys on the floor. Roadkill, who weighs over 300lbs, gets up on top and everyone runs. Smart guys.

Everyone comes back in and Roadkill is dumped over the top through what sounded like a table. After Doring and Kash go to the floor, Roadkill comes back with a double clothesline on the Dupps off the top rope (not out of the corner but on the middle of the ropes). One of the Dupps kicks Nova’s head off but the Dupps have some heel (I think) miscommunication and a double dropkick from Kash and Nova eliminate the Dupps.

Roadkill powerslams Nova down and Doring hits a top rope guillotine legdrop for two. Kash shoves Roadkill off the top as Doring gets another two. Kash hits a top rope rana on Doring but stops to dive on Roadkill. Nova hits a frog splash on Danny but here are Jazz and Elektra for a cat fight. Chris Chetti comes in to help Elektra up and gets slapped in the face. Roadkill holds Kash up in a wheelbarrow slam and Doring adds a guillotine legdrop to drive Kash’s face into the mat at the same time for the pin.

Rating: B. That’s the bumped up version. This was fine but I have no idea if it’s going to mean anything, as the tag titles would float around the main events for a few more months. Doring and Roadkill were a team that came out of almost nowhere and got insanely over by the end of the promotion’s run. Fun match here but the Chetti/girls stuff didn’t need to happen.

We run down the PPV card again.

House show ads. This is getting ridiculous.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Justin Credible

This is a Stairway to Hell match, which means there’s a Singapore cane above the ring and you can climb a ladder to get to it. Dreamer is crying because of his dad not being able to be here. Justin walks out before the bell so Dreamer goes out to get him. Dreamer catches him and beats up both Justin and Jason…and there’s no scheme? Was Justin really just that stupid?

We head back to ringside with Dreamer in control, only to get crotched on the barricade. A ladder is brought in with Dreamer whipping Justin back first into said ladder. Dreamer pounds away on the forehead and we head inside for the first time. Justin’s superkick is caught and Tommy puts him down with a spinebuster. Dreamer kicks Justin in the balls which seems to be shrugged off. That really is in credible.

Dreamer blocks a superplex and throws Justin onto the ladder to take over again. The ladder is placed on the bottom rope and a slingshot drives Justin face first into the rungs. Dreamer puts the ladder on the middle rope but a superplex attempt is countered by a good old fashioned crotching. Justin drop toeholds Dreamer face first on a chair for two. Credible puts the ladder in the corner and rides it down onto Dreamer for another two.

Dreamer counters a whip to send Justin into a ladder in the corner and out to the floor. Back in and ANOTHER low blow puts Dreamer down. Justin goes up on the corner for no apparent reason and gets dropped from Tommy’s shoulders onto the ladder in the other corner. Dreamer puts him down in the corner and drives a ladder into Justin’s balls with a chair shot.

Tommy goes up and gets the cane (yeah remember this is a kind of ladder match) but Jason kicks Tommy in the head. Francine takes Jason out and there’s a Bronco Buster for the annoying manager. Dreamer saves Francine from a tombstone (called That’s Incredible) but Lance Storm comes in to break up the piledriver on Justin. Raven crotches (what is up with that spot being in this match so much?) Storm and now it’s a cat fight between Dawn and Francine. Dreamer loads up a piledriver on Dawn but Justin hits him with the cane a few times and tombstones him for the pin.

Rating: D. You hear the term “a spot fest” thrown around a lot but that’s exactly what this was. There was nothing between all of the spots in here and most of them weren’t even that good in the first place. On top of that, the match was WAY too overbooked. Then again, that’s ECW in a nutshell for you.

Rhyno is ready to destroy Sandman.

We run down the PPV card again to end the show.

Overall Rating: D-. Between taking FOREVER to get to the wrestling, the constant talk about the PPV without explaining why we should care about most of those matches and the bad wrestling, this show pretty much sucked. They’ve had worse episodes of this series, but man this just wasn’t that good at all, even by ECW standards. They pushed the main events decently I guess, but they didn’t do a good job at all with anything else.

Here’s Guilty As Charged if you’re interested:

www.kbwrestlingreviews.com/2012/10/29/guilty-as-charged-2000-spike-dudleys-shot-at-glory/

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