ECW TV 1996-06-18 (matches taped at multiple dates and locations)
Champions
World: Raven
TV: Pitbull 2
Tag Team: Eliminators
The show opens with a highlight package of what’s been going on in ECW lately. We see footage of the Taz Paul Varelans feud. Tommy Dreamer and “Primetime” Brian Lee, the troubles that the Dudley family have been having, Pitbull 2 is the new ECW TV Champion, and Rob Van Dam doesn’t respect Sabu.
Joey Styles welcomes us to the show and runs down the Hardcore Heaven card. Sabu takes on Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer versus Brian Lee in a weapons match, Pitbull 2 defends the TV title against Christ Jericho, “The Franchise” Shane Douglas goes up against Mikey Whipwreck, the Samoan Gangsta Party makes their in ring debut, the Gangstas get their last chance at the Eliminators Tag Team Championship and Taz fights Paul Varelans. Brain Pillman has signed with the WWF but has said that he will continue to show up in ECW.
Joey sends us to our first match of the night;
“Primetime” Brian Lee vs. Tommy Dreamer (w/ Beulah & Kimona Wanalaya) ref John Finnegan Falls Count Anywhere (1996-06-08 from Bodyslam Arena in Reading, PA)
Dreamer hits the ring and Lee attacks right away and they go to the floor and into the crowd. Dreamer gets thrown down some bleachers. Dreamer fights back and hits Lee with a crutch. Back to the ringside area and Dreamer uses chairs and cookie trays. Into the crowd again someone hands Dreamer a motorcycle helmet. Dreamer puts it on and headbutts Lee. They fight outside and into the middle of the street as cars try to drive by. Dreamer hits a DDT on the sidewalk. The Bruise Brothers show up and hold a wooden palate in front of his head and give it a big boot. Lee climbs into a loading dock and chokeslams Dreamer through the top of a dumpster and gets the pin at 5.03. About two minutes was edited out of the match.
Stevie Richards (w/ The Blue Meanie) vs. Sandman (w/ Missy Hyatt) ref Paul Richards (1996-06-01 Fight the Power ECW Arena Philadelphia, PA)
Richards and Meanie are dress like the Blue Bloods. Richards serves Missy with for sexual harassment while speaking in an English accent. Raven’s doctor gets in the ring and says that he is the one that did the surgery on the Sandman. He yells at Sandman for still competing and not taking time off because he doesn’t want his professional reputation to be ruined. Missy makes out with the doctor and he faints into Stevie. Sandman nails Stevie with the cane and we get the bell. Steviekick to the Sandman’s knee and a figure four. Sandman gets the cane and hits Stevie with it but the hold is not broken. Stevie gets hit a few more times until Meanie comes in the ring but he gets nailed also. We skip ahead in the match and Sandman canes Stevie again but Stevie comes back with a Steviekick and goes for the figure four again but Sandman rolls him up in a small package for the win. 1.52 of the match is shown. Raven shows up and takes out the Sandman’s knee and puts on the figure four. Raven is covered in blood which confuses me since he wasn’t bleeding during his match with Pitbull 2. Raven canes Sandman while holding onto the figure four. Sandman is left laying in the ring.
Sabu vs. Mikey Whipwreck ref Jim Molinueax (1996-05-18 from Agricultural Hall in Allentown, PA)
This is Sabu’s first match back after being taken out by Rob Van Dam. Sabu takes down Mikey and puts on a leg lock but Mikey turns it into an arm bar. Sabu hits a clothesline and gets a front face lock. Mikey takes a corner whip chest first and Sabu goes to clothesline him but Mikey hits a dropkick. Mikey goes up top but Sabu cuts him off and hits a super hurricanrana. Sabu brings a chair in the ring and goes for air Sabu but Mikey rolls out of the ring. Sabu follows him out and thorws him into the crowd. Sabu jumps off the chair onto the top rope and onto Mikey. Back in the ring Sabu it’s a slam and a springboard moonsault. Camel clutch by Sabu but Mikey is in the ropes. Corner whip Mikey gets to boot up on the charge and goes to the top rope but again Sabu stops him. Sabu goes for a superplex but Mikey pushes him off and hits a swinging DDT. Sabu rolls to the floor and collapses. Mikey follows him out but Sabu whips him to the guardrail and hits air Sabu on the floor. Mikey slams Sabu into the guardrail and throws him into the crowd. Mikey jumps off the top rope onto Sabu in the crowd. Mikey sets up a table on the rail and apron and puts Sabu on it. Mikey goes to the top turnbuckle but for a third time gets stopped. Sabu runs up a chair and jumps to the top rope by Mikey but slips and crotches himself. Mikey hits him with a chair and puts him back on the table. Mikey goes back up the buckle and elbow drops Sabu through the table. Back in the ring Mikey gets a two count. Irish whip reversed by Sabu and it’s a double clothesline. Sabu throws a chair at Mikey. Mikey hits an enziguri and goes up top and hits a splash that gets 2. Mikey goes up again but misses a somersault senton. Sabu throws Mikey onto the top rope and then sits him on the second rope and sits a chair under him. Sabu goes up top and leg drops Mikey sandwiching him between the chair and leg. Mikey kicks out of a pin attempt at 2. Sabu irish whips Mikey and throws him in the air and power bombs him. Sabu goes up top but Mikey stops him this time and arm drags him off the turnbuckle. Sabu throws Mikey in the air again off an irish whip but Mikey hits a frankensteiner this time. Mikey goes up top but Sabu throws a chair and him and drop kicks him off the turnbuckle to the floor as we go to commercial. Back from commercial and Sabu puts Mikey on a table goes back in the ring jumps off a chair onto the rope and DDTs Mikey through the table! Mikey gets back in the ring but Sabu just covers him for the win. 14.44 of the match is shown its announced as being 15.45 so we only missed 1 minute during the commercial. We see a replay of the finish and go back to live action where Sabu and Mikey shake hands.
Hype Central for Hardcore Heaven this Saturday.
Raven sits in the playground of his youth and talks to Stevie Richards about all the girls he brought to him. None of them were dirty enough. So Stevie introduces Raven to Bluedust. It’s the Blue Meanie in nothing but a thong and covered in blue icing. Meanie quotes porno movies and makes fun of Dusty Rhodes.
“Misrilou” promo has D-Von Dudley proclaiming to be the leader of the family, Tommy Dreamer tells Brian Lee he’s taking him to hell, Shane Douglas wants the TV Title back, Gangstas and the Eliminators are each going to kick the others ass, Paul Varelans and Taz are ready for their fight, Stevie hoses down Meanie to get the blue icing off while Meanie does his rendition of the ‘Maniac’ dance, Raven is going to show Sandman pain, Sandman toasts to Dick Murdoch who passed away this week.
My thoughts on the show
Only one full match tonight but it was good one. Lots of good storylines heading into Hardcore Heaven. Not as excited for Hardcore Heaven as I was for the last supershow Matter of Respect but definitely still looking forward to it. The Sabu Mikey match is worth checking out but the rest of the show can be skipped.
