The “OH MY GOD!” Review of ECW’s “The Doctor Is In” 8/3/96

ECW Presents “The Doctor is In” 1996-08-03 at ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA

Champions
World: Raven
TV: Shane Douglas
Tag Team: Eliminators

JT Smith comes out to the ring to open the show and tells us there is a great band in the arena tonight. Smith calls KISS to the ring. Out come Stevie Richards, Blue Meanie, Super Nova and Don E. Allen in KISS face paint. They come out to “I Wanna Rock and Roll”. They strut, dance, sing, and pretend to play their instruments until the Sandman comes out and canes everyone. Raven comes out with Lori and Tyler Fullington. Stevie with a steviekick from behind and Raven hits him with the cane right in the eye.

European Jr Heavyweight Champion Mikey Whipwreck vs. “Dangerous” Devon Storm (w/ Damien Kane & Lady Alexandra), ref Paul Richards
Chain and wrestling to start Mikey head scissors Storm out to the floor. Mikey with a somersault plancha to the floor. Back in the ring Storm with an electric chair drop. Reverse figure four by Storm. Strom with a head scissor off the middle turnbuckle and a gory stretch. Storm puts Mikey on the buckle but Mikey comes off it with a clothesline. Storm back in control as they go to the floor. Storm puts Mikey in chair and hits a somersault dive onto him. Back in the ring Storm goes for a pin but Kane tells him not to pin him. You see Kane hates Mikey for some reason that I still haven’t been able to figure out so he wants him hurt. Moonsault by Storm again Kane tells him not to pin. Storm goes for a super belly to back but Mikey rolls over and gets a 2. Frankensteiner by Mikey for 2. Top rope cross body Kane comes in to break up the pin but misses and elbow drop and hits Storm. Mkey off the top rope with a drop kick to Kane and then he comes off the top with a frankensteiner to Storm and gets the win in 12.24

Louie Spicolli vs. Johnny Smith, ref John Finnegan
Mat wrestling back and forth for the first minute and then Spicolli back drops Smith to floor. Back in the ring Spicolli ducks a clothesline and hits a german suplex with a bridge for 2. Spicolli goes for a splash but Smith gets the knees up. Smith with a missle dropkick and clothesline for 2. Powerslam for 2 by Smith. Spicolli comes back with a spin buster that gets him a 2 count. Smith fights back and comes off the top with an elbow drop that gets 2. Smith with a sitout powerbomb for the win in 5.39. They shake hands after this short but exciting match.

Axl Rotten vs. D-Von Dudley, ref John “Pee Wee” Moore
D-Von refuses to give up his chair before the match starts. Axl steps outside and gets a chair from a fan. Dueling chairs and Axl wins. D-Von with a low blow and now he uses the char. Buh Buh Ray, Sign Guy and Chubby Dudley sneak into the ring and as D-Von turns around Buh Buh FINALLY nails B-Von with a chair. Not only does he hit him but he absolutely DESTROYS him putting a huge dent in the chair. D-Von with a low blow he hits Sign Guy and Chubby with chairs. Buh Buh back up and the two men brawl. Buh Buh kills D-Von with a chair again. Chubby and Sign guy now try to break up the fight. D-Von again with a chair and he gets the advantage. Big Dick comes out and asks D-Von to hit him but just like last night D-Von leaves. Axl talks to D-Von at ringside and they appear to make a bond. Buh Buh lands a running plancha on D-Von. Axl and D-Von run to the back. The match never officially started.

– In the next segment, Raven comes out now with Lori and Tyler Fullington and “Kiss”. Raven says that even though Sandman is saying he has a hurt eye he doesn’t believe it. It’s the same thing Sandman did two years agi when he pretended to be blind. Raven says that he however is injured for real and cannot defend the title anyway. Stevie Richards and Tod Gordon get into the ring. Richards tells Gordon to tell Raven the great news. Gordon wants Stevie to tell him. Stevie tells Raven the great news is Raven will not have to defend the title because he’s going to do it for him. Raven gets super pissed and DDTs Stevie. Gordon tells Raven that was a mistake and Sandman’s music hits. He comes out with his eye wrapped up.

Stevie Richards (defending the World Title for Raven) vs. Sandman, ref Jim Molineaux
Sandman canes a bunch of people, but Raven pulls Tyler in front of him. Stevie with a steviekick to the back of the head of Sandman for 2. Richards takes off the wrap from around the head of Sandman and goes after the eye. Sandman fights back using the cane and hits a DDT for 2. On the outside Sandman hangs Richards on the guardrail and jumps of the apron with a legdrop. Sandman’s cuts from early are broken back open. Somersault legdrop back into the ring gets 2. Richards with a low blow and Raven throws him the title and he hits Sandman with it. Meanie comes in for a moonsault but Sandman gets up and changes spots with Richards. Meaniesault hits Richards for 2. Richards fights back with the steviekick. Sandman pokes Meanie in the eye and pushes Stevie into him. Meanie thinks its Sandman and tigerbombs him. Sandman gets 2. Nova comes off the top rope but Sandman ducks and Nova lands on Richards. The ref gets nailed. Raven gets in the ring but Missy Hyatt who has just come to ringside jumps on his back. Lori gets in the ring and hits Missy with the belt. Raven goes to hit Sandman with his boot but Sandman ducks and hits a DDT. Fans are sensing a title change here. Sandman goes after Raven in the corner but Tyler is now in front of Raven. Sandman turns and Stevie nails him with the boot. Richards goes for the cover but Raven pulls him off and gets the pin himself in 7.32.

“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. 2 Cold Scorpio, ref John Finnegan
“You sold out” chant directed at Jericho as had been made public at this point that he was going to WCW. They go nose to nose. Some fans chant “Lionheart” but once he acknowledges them they go back to “you sold out”. Some really good chain wrestling and submission attempts fill the first few minutes of this match. We are at the six minute mark and things get moving when Jericho hits a drop kick and three arm drags and Scorpio bails. Back in low blow and clothesline by Scorpio. Jericho gets a suplex and slingshot splash from the apron back in for 2. Scorpio again with two low blows. T-bone suplex gets 2. Pump kick and Jericho goes to the floor. Back in Scorpio with a bulldog. Superkick by Scorpio. Jericho back drops Scorpio but he lands on his feet on the apron. Jericho goes to jump at him but Scorpio ducks and Jericho crashes to the floor. Back in the ring Scorpio with a big power bomb. He then comes off the top with a leg drop for 2. Jericho fights back and throws Scorpio to the apron and then drop kicks him to the floor. Missile dropkick to the floor by Jericho. Suplex back into the ring gets Jericho 2. Double under hook power bomb for 2. Scoprio gets a somersault powerbomb off the turnbuckles. Jericho with a DDT he goes for the lionsault. Scorpio moves but Jericho lands on his feet and gets frankensteiner. Jericho attempts the double under hook again but Scorpio counters with a head scissor. Moonsault by Scorpio misses. Jericho with a top rope splash for 2. Jericho goes for a superrana but Scorpio pushes him to the floor. Scoprio jumps outside to Jericho but gets superkicked. Scorpio goes to suplex Jericho back in but Jericho flips out and knocks down Scorpio. Lionsault gets 2. Suplex is countered by Scorpio into a DDT for 2. Scorpio goes up but Jericho cuts him off and hits a superpower slam for 2. Senton by Jericho and he goes up top. Corkscrew splash misses. Scorpio with a tombstone and then he goes up top. Scorpio busts out a shooting star press and gets the pin in 19.58.

– The Pitbulls make their way to the ring. Pitbull 1 is in a neck halo. Joey Styles is in the ring and asks Pitbull 1 to tell us the extent of his injuries. Pitbull says he has a broken neck and has lost some movement in his left arm and has been told he will never wrestle again. The injury happened when “The Franchise” Shane Douglas DDTed him onto the TV Title belt at Heatwave.

TV Champion “Franchise” Shane Douglas (w/ Francine) vs. Pitbull 2 (w/ Pitbull 1) ref John “Pee Wee” Moore
Joel Getner handles Shane and Francine’s introduction. After a while of jawing back and forth between the two men we finally get the bell. Francine mocks Pitbull 1 who is sitting in a chair at ringside. Douglas attacks Pitbull 2 but he no sells the offense. Pitbull slams Douglas’ head into the turn buckle. Douglas goes low but ducks his head on an irish whip and gets brainbustered. Pitbull with a neck breaker. A big “break his neck” chant starts. Pile driver by Pitbull and he goes into a standing front chinlock that he really twists. Shane fights out but again ducks his head to early and gets DDTed. They go to the floor where Shane is able to take over the match with a chair. Pitbull fights back also using a chair but Douglas quickly stops him by hitting him with a crutch. Back in the ring Shane comes off the top but gets caught and pushed into the turnbuckle. Pitbull whips Shane to the other buckle and charges. He goes for a spin kick but Shane moves and he flies over the rope and crash through a table on the floor. Francine and Joel Gertner mock Pitbull 1 on the floor. Douglas goes to the floor. Pitbull 2 leaps off the top rope to the floor but Shane moves and he hits the guardrail. Pitbull 2 is busted open now and Shane sends him into the ring post. Shane with a suplex back in the ring for only a 1 count. Pitbull pounds on his chest. Francine throws Shane her metal arm band and Shane hits Pitbull and gets a 2. Douglas takes a chain out of his boot and uses it for another 2 count. Chair to the face for 2 as Pitbull’s face is just covered in blood. Piledriver on the chair gets 2. Pitbull is up and fighting back. Press slam followed by a clothesline for 2. Another press slam gets 2. He goes for a third but Shane pokes him in the eye. Pitbull pushes Shane back into the corner and pounds on him. The ref pushes Pitbull back to check his cut. Francine wraps a chain around Shane’s hand. Shane hits Pitbull and bunch of times and puts Pitbull on the top rope. Shane climbs up with him and Pitbull goes for the superbomb but can’t hold Shane up. Back on the mat Shane hits 2 belly to belly suplexes for the win in 15.26. After the match Getner comes into the ring and steps on Pitbull to announce Shane as the winner. Pitbull gets up and superbombs both the ref and Getner.

Tommy Dreamer & “Dr. Death” Steve Williams (w/ Beulah) vs. “Primetime” Brian Lee & Taz (w/ Bill Alfonso & Team Taz), ref John Finnegan
Alfonso on the mic before the match and he rants about Sabu. Lee attacks Dreamer and we get the bell. Dreamer blocks a hip toss and lands a neck breaker. Taz tags in. Northern lights with a bridge for 2. Williams tags in and Lee jumps in and attacks him from behind. Dreamer comes in and goes to the floor with Taz. Lee and Dr. Death in the ring. Lee with a big boot to Williams and now they go to the floor. Dreamer sets up three tables next to each other on the stage and then they go up to the Eagle’s Nest. Taz gets thrown through the wall as Lee makes his way up. Dreamer goes after Lee Taz hits a tbone suplex through the table on the bottom stage. In the ring Alfonso clotheslines Beulah. She gets up and low blows him. Williams press him above his head and throws him onto Team Taz. Taz comes in and he and Williams mat wrestle a bit. Williams hits a nasty looking doctor bomb but Lee breaks up the pin at 2. Williams is getting the better of the two. Dreamer makes his way into the ring with a garbage can but gets chokeslamed onto it. Lee makes the cover and gets the win in 6.55

Tag Team Champions Eliminators vs. Gangstas vs. Bruise Brothers vs. Samoan Gangsta Party, ref Jim Molineaux
The Eliminators and Bruise Brothers are in the ring first and they don’t wait for the other two teams to come from the locker room. Saturn comes off the top with a head butt. The Samoans come down to the ring in handcuffs. They were apparently arrested earlier tonight? The Gangstas hit the ring with weapons and everyone is going at it now. This is of course just a giant brawl. New Jack comes off the top rope with a chair to the head of a standing Sammy the Silk and pins him at 4.46 eliminating the Gangsta Party. The remaining teams brawl into the parking lot. A Harris brother hits a big boot on Mustafa and then he gets nailed with total elimination. The Bruise Brothers are gone at 8.44. Down to the Eliminators and the Gangstas. New Jack is bleeding like crazy. The Eliminators set up total elimination on New Jack. Jack however pulls Saturn into the way of the spin kick by Kronus. Mustafa powerslams Kronus as Jack comes off the top with the 187 and the Gangstas are the new Tag Team Champions in 10.58. The Eliminators argue in the ring until the Gangstas throw them out to celebrate their win.

Sabu vs. Rob Van Dam, ref John Finnegan Stretcher Match
They feel each other out for a few minutes with not much happening. Van Dam hits a double underhook flap jack. He goes to spring board off the ropes but gets drop kicked and flips over to the floor. Sabu with a somersault plancha and he sets up a table on the apron and guardrail. Back in the ring Sabu throws a chair at Van Dam. Sabu goes to run up the chair and superrana Van Dam but Van Dam knocks him off. Sabu now hanging with his head off the apron and Van Dam puts a chair on his face and leg drops it off the top rope to the floor. Van Dam calls for the stretcher. Sabu gets right off but Van Dam stays in control of the match. He hits a power bomb in the ring and then mocks Sabu by putting out his hand for a shake while Sabu is on the mat. Van Dam tries to suplex Sabu out of the ring but Sabu counters and puts Van Dam on the second rope and drops a leg. Sabu is about to go for a triple jump but Van Dam tries to springboard into the ring but slips and falls. Sabu goes for a somersault Arabian facebuster but doesn’t get the full somersault and lands awkwardly. So he just does a regular one off the top rope. The stretcher comes out but Van Dam gets off it. A stiff clothesline floors Van Dam followed by a triple jump moonsault. Sabu goes for a pin but we all know you can’t win that way in a stretcher match. Sabu puts Van Dam on the stretcher and springboard moonsaults him. Both men are put on stretchers but Sabu gets off his and hits a leg drop off the guardrail onto Van Dam on his stretcher. In the ring Sabu again throws a chair at Van Dam. Sabu with a superrana. Van Dam rolls out onto the table. Sabu goes for the triple jump DDT but Van Dam stops him on the ropes and fishermen busters him through the table!! I beat Joey to the “oh my god” because it looks awesome. Somehow Sabu is able to get up. Back in the ring Van Dam slams a chair down on Sabu. They both go for springboards and Van Dam lands a drop kick mid air. Sabu with a fishermens buster on the chair. He goes for the triple jump again but Van Dam picks up the chair and they all crash together. Spin kick by Van Dam and they both crash to the floor. They are carting Sabu to the back when Van Dam comes off the top rope with a somersault senton but Sabu moves and Van Dam lands on the stretcher ending the match in 23.08.

My thoughts on the show…
There was nothing on this show that I was personally all that into. The Spicolli versus Smith and the TV Title match were really the only matches I enjoyed more than the average match. Scorpio vs. Jericho was good and the main event had some cool spots for viewing pleasure. The Dr. Death match was a huge letdown though. Thumbs down for me overall.