TV 1996/07/16 (matches taped at various dates and locations)
Champions
World: Raven
TV: Shane Douglas
Tag Team: Eliminators
Most of the matches on this episode will be from HeatWave which you can read my full review of for a more detailed report. You can check out the HeatWave Review here.
The show opens with highlights from the wild 4 way tag team brawl at Hardcore Heaven.
Opening Video
– We go to the Samoan Gangsta Party taking on The Gangstas from Heat Wave. The Gangstas beat the holy hell out of the Samoans and the referee calls for the bell. Post match interview from The Gangstas, New Jack suggests that they get it on with the Eliminators, Samoans, and Bruise Brothers all at once. Joey tells us this will be the first ever 4-way dance.
Mikey Whipwreck defeated Paul Lauria and it led right into a tag team title match with Mikey and Sabu taking on the Eliminators. The Eliminators retained their belts after a good match. Joey tells us this match has consequences that are far reaching. Sabu who has not let his neck heal has a stretcher match coming up on August 3rd against Rob Van Dam. Joey recaps their feud and we see some clips.
– World premier House of Pain video for the song “Fed Up” with some Eliminators footage edited in. Saturn is in the actual video.
– Joey tells us that on August 17th in NY, the Sandman takes on Raven for the World Title. We go to Sandman backstage who tells the fans of NYC to be ready to witness his revenge. The Gangstas are outside they are coming to tear up NYC. Raven, Tyler and Lori Fullington are under a bridge and Raven tells Tyler that his parents divorce was Sandman’s fault.
– D-Von Dudley joins Joey and tells him that all he’s trying to do is help his family. He beats them with chairs because he loves them. D-Von talks about Magic Johnson, Michael Jordon and Madonna he gets a little weird but this promo is awesome.
Bill Alfonso vs. Tod Gordon ref Jim Molineaux Reverse Lumberjack Match (1996/07/12 Agricultural Hall in Allentown, PA)
So the way this match works is there are 4 lumberjacks on the outside of the ring to keep Taz out. Axl Rotten with a bat, Sandman with his cane, Mikey Whipwreck with a chair and Pitbull 1 with a chair. The match is joined in progress. Gordon gets in the ring and hits Alfonso with a cookie sheet. Gordon goes for the cover but Taz down the aisle. The ref goes to the corner to tell Taz to leave. Ummm isn’t that what the lumberjacks are for? Gordon goes over to complain and Alfonso picks up Rotten’s bat that was left behind. Gordon gets hit with the bat and Alfonso with the win. 1.05 is shown. Alfonso is busted open pretty badly.
Misirlou promos; Taz is training and Bill Alfonso is talking about training Taz wants Sabu, New Jack makes fun of SMW and Jim Cornette, Joey Styles shills Heatwave home video the Eliminators show up and they talk about the 4 way dance, Steve Richards talks about having a bad childhood and adulthood, Brian Lee says no one that Raven hangs out with matters to him but Raven has his soul, Bluedust checks in on Stevie to make sure he’s ok, Bluedust and Patricia talk about coming out of the closet, Shane Douglas wants the belt back, and the Gangstas get attacked by the Samoan Gangsta Party in the middle of the road. New Jack gets suplexed on the road and they decide after a little arguing not to run over Mustafa’s head.
My thoughts on this show
The tag title match is worth a viewing. If you saw HeatWave this is an easy skip through, unless you REALLY like House of Pain.
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TV 1996/07/23 (matches taped Heatwave 1996-07-13 at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA)
Champions
World: Raven
TV: Shane Douglas
Tag Team: Eliminators
More Heatwave matches so a condensed recap once again. Full HeatWave Review is located here .
Joey Styles opens the show telling the Samoan Gangsta Party to turn themselves in to the authorities and that they have been assured fair treatment.
Opening Video
Joey talks about how disgusted he is by what’s going on with Raven. Raven, Lori and Tyler Fullington are still under a bridge. Raven Is transferring all his pain to Tyler. Interesting.
Joey throws it to the 4 corners TV Title Match.
TV Champion Chris Jericho vs. “The Franchise” Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull 2 (w/ Francine) vs. 2 Cold Scorpio ref John Finnegan Four Corners Elimination Match
This match really has no chance of being anything but awesome. I also kind of expect it to be the longest match I’ve ever reviewed hope I can hold up. God I hope they put the belt back on Shane tonight. Shane blindsides Pitbull with a chair in the aisle. Scorpio and Jericho start. They do a bunch of misses and ducks off the ropes. Jericho ends it by hitting a spin kick and Scorpio bails to the floor. Some chain wrestling ends with Scorpio drop kicking Jericho. Somersault leg drop gets 2. Tiger bomb from Jericho for 2. Jericho with a submission. Scorpio reverses it a locks on a camel clutch. Pitbull gets on the apron and is bleeding. Scorpio with a spin kick and in comes Douglas. Jericho reverses a suplex and gets 2. Headlock takeover by Jericho. He goes for a slingshot splash and barely connects. Douglas goes face first into the turnbuckles a few times. Jericho walks over to both the men on the apron but doesn’t tag out. Chop fight between Jericho and Douglas ends with a spin kick and lionsault for 2. Jericho tags in Pitbull and Shane scurries to tag Scorpio. Press slam into a powerslam by Pitbull. Scorpio goes for a victory roll but gets power bombed. Scorpio pulls Pitbull out of the ring. Scorpio rams Pitbull into a chair. Scorpio with a few blows back in the ring and Shane tags in. Belly to back gets 2. Shane tags Jericho. Jericho goes for a leap frog and gets caught and powerslammed for 2. Jericho with a German release for 2. Frankensteiner reversed into a powerbomb. Pitbull tags Scorpio. Scorpio goes up but Jericho cuts him off. Both men are standing on the top rope now. Jericho with a SUPER RANA from standing! Douglas tags himself in and tries to pin Scorpio. Jericho favoring his knee as he gets out of the ring. Scorpio comes off an Irish whip with a spin kick. He punches Douglas out of the ring and then follows him. They brawl out there. Back in the ring Douglas gets bulldogged on a chair. Pitbull tags in and Shane again runs away. Shane tags Jericho. Jericho goes for a slam but his knee buckles. Jericho gets thrown into a corner, Jericho tries for an up and over but Pitbull never charged and Jericho just plants face first on the mat. Pitbull powerbombs him for 2. Scorpio tags back in. Butterfly suplex, Jericho fights back with a DDT. Douglas refuses to tag back in. Pitbull comes in a puts Scorpio up top. Super fallaway slam. Pitbull goes for the tag and Shane tags out Scorpio. Shane goes after Pitbull and gets hip tossed out of the ring. They brawl on the floor and Jericho hits a plancha on them. Scorpio does the same onto all three. Jericho sent to the rail and the he back drops Scorpio into the crowd and they brawl. Douglas with a bulldog onto a chair for 2. Douglas tries to tag Scorpio but he is down on the apron and rolls to the floor. Same thing with Jericho. Pitbull beats on Douglas in the corner now. Press slam Douglas wiggles out but Jericho immediately comes flying into the screen with a missile drop kick. Jericho and Pitbull fight over who gets the pin and Douglas is able to roll away. Dropkick, spinning toe hold and figure four by Jericho. Douglas’ shoulders are down during the submission but he keeps kicking out. Douglas able to tag in Scorpio. Jericho with a fishermen for 2. Jericho goes for a lionsault and gets dropkicked while he’s upside down and lands on his head!!! Jericho is maybe dead but Scorpio doesn’t tag. Powerbomb by Scorpio no pin again. Jericho drop kicks Scorpio in the back and hits a tiger suplex. Jericho tags Douglas. Douglas tags Jericho right back in. Scorpio with a tombstone and tumbleweed and eliminates the champion at 26.50. New champ tonight! Douglas in now and he extends a hand and wants to form an alliance against Pitbull but Scorpio doesn’t take it. Back drop, drop kick and abdominal stretch by Scorpio. Shane with a belly to belly but he’s to tired to cover. Douglas goes to the second rope but Scorpio sunset flips him. Pitbull comes in and gets superkicked. Shane stacked on top of Pitbull. Scorpio goes for a moonsault but they both move. Shane works out a superbomb with Pitbull. Pitbull begrudgingly agrees and Scorpios gone at 31.25. Douglas and Pitbull go to the floor. Shane goes into the rail and ring post. Pitbull slides 2 chairs into the ring and powerbombs Shane onto them! Pitbull puts a table in the corner. Douglas reverses a whip a pulls Pitbull into a belly to belly. Francine jumps up on the apron and Shane pulls her into the ring. Douglas picks her up and kisses her. Pitbull charges and Shane moves, throws Francine to the ground and the ref gets hit. Pitbull press slams Shane and Francine throws powder into the Pitbull’s eyes!!!!! Shane kicks him low and Francine slaps him. WHAT!!! She pulls down her dress and her undies say Franchise on the butt. Pitbull 1 comes down and is freaking out. He wakes up Pitbull 2 by slapping him and telling him to get them. Pitbull 2 is up and pissed. Clothesline, another and a third takes them both over the ropes. Pitbull 1 has Francine. SUPER BOMB THROUGH A TABLE!!!!!! They killed her!!! Shane DDTs Pitbull 1 onto the belt and hits Pitbull 2 with it. Pitbull 2 kicks out though. Shane charges with a piece of table in his hand and smashes it over Pitbull 2’s head but again only a 2 count. Brass knucks to the face but its still not enough! Chain to the face Pitbull 2 kicks out AGAIN and fires back. Pitbull 2 misses a spin kick in the corner and bounces off the top rope and lands outside of the ring with a thud. Belly to belly back in and that’s it! Shane Douglas is the TV Champion in 39.26. AWESOME! Shane carries Francine to the back.
My thoughts on the show
Well this match is pretty awesome. If you can’t see HeatWave and can only pick 1 TV episode that recaps it, pick this one. Everything is there.
