Hardcore History Episode 3: 04-20-1993 ECW Review

ECW Hardcore History: Episode 3 – April 20th, 1993

Introduction:
Hello and welcome to episode 3 of a Hardcore History. Last week we saw the two more matches in the ECW TV Title tournament. Eddie Gilbert and Glen Osbourne moved on to the semi-finals. We also saw Larry Winters and Tony Stetson in a tag match. We get our fist peek at the ECW Heavyweight Champion in action when the Sandman took on the Kodiak Bear. There was some decent matches last week so I am interested to see what we get this week. Lets get to the ring….

Show Opening:

The show opens up with Jay Sulli and Stevie Wonderful ringside. They run down the shows card. Wonderful lets us know the Rockin Rebel will be in action. The Super Destroyers are here as well. We will also get the semi-finals and the finals of the ECW TV Title Tournament. Stevie Wonderful introduces a former World Heavyweight champion to be in the booth with Sulli and Wonderful and its Eddie Gilbert again. 

Terry Funk then comes out and Gilbert is glad that he did. Eddie Gilbert says he was in the wrong and that like Funk they come from a wrestling family and he hasn’t been showing Funk the respect he deserves. Gilbert says he knows for a fact that Funk won’t shake his hand. Gilbert says that what he wants to say is that he is sorry for the way he has acted then he walks off. Stevie Wonderful then hands his mic to Funk as Wonderful walks off.

Match 1: ECW Tag Team Title Match: The Super Destroyers vs. Super Ninja/Wolf Man

Right when the bell rings the Super Destroyers attack the Ninja and the Wolf Man with their tag team title belts. One Destroyer takes the Wolf Man’s head and rams into the elbow of the other Destroyer. They make a tag then the Destroyer this the Wolf Man with an enziguri to the back of the head. The Destroyer then drops a head butt to the lower back of the Wolf Man. The Destroyer hits the Wolf with a back elbow then lays in a few right hands.

The Destroyer throws the Wolf Man into the ropes and hits him with a terrible looking body slam. The Destroyer could barely get him up for the slam. It looked like Luger’s slam on Yokozuna thats how bad it looked. The Destroyer makes the tag and he pokes the Wolf Man in the eye. Meanwhile, the crowd is chanting asshole to Hunter Q. Robbins on the third. The Destroyer drops 3-4 elbows while the Wolf Man lays on the mat. They make a tag and the Destroyer comes in and lays in some right hands.

Destroyer whips the Wolf Man into the ropes and he levels him with a clothesline. The Destroyer picks up the Wolf Man and drags him over to the Super Ninja and makes the tag. The Destroyer makes the tag and he comes in and picks up the Super Ninja and drapes him over the top rope. The Destroyer bounces off the rope and does a head butt to the groin area. We get a few more moves before they tag in the other Super Destroyer. He comes in and hits a side slam on the Super Ninja. The Destroyer then makes a tag and he nails the Super Ninja with a senton. He goes for the cover and gets the 3 count. Your winners and still ECW Tag Team Champions….The Super Destroyers!

After the match Terry Funk tries to get an interview with Hunter Q. Robbins and the Super Destroyers. Funk calls Hunter the turd instead of the third. Hunter Q. Robbins tells Funk that he is sick and tired of the disrespect that Terry Funk shows him. Funk is then looking right at the camera as Eddie Gilbert comes charging in and nails Terry Funk in the back with a vicious steel chair shot. Funk gets laid out and Gilbert starts choking him out with the chair. Gilbert then hits Funk in the back with the chair 2 more times. Gilbert is choking out Funk with the chair as the show heads to commercial break.

Recap:
This was your typical squash match and really nothing to write home about. The Super Destroyers were terrible and the two jobbers they were going against didn’t do them any favors. These guys can’t leave the promotion soon enough. The best part of this whole segment was Gilbert attacking Funk with the chair. The camera was in an awkward spot so when Funk got hit with the chair it felt up close and personal and you can hear the thud. It was pretty well done and Gilbert, so far, is getting the last laugh on Terry Funk. I am interested to see where this one goes.

Match 2: ECW TV Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Jimmy Snuka vs. Tommy Cairo

Eddie Gilbert comes out to the ring wearing a cowboy hat and mocking Terry Funk. It’s hilarious looking. We start with a collar and elbow tie up and Snuka pushes Cairo into the ropes. Snuka pats him on the chest then Cairo pushes him in anger. Cairo gets Snuka in a head lock but Snuka pushes him off and Cairo hits Snuka with a shoulder block. Cairo goes back to the head lock and he cranks it in a few times. Snuka pushes off again and gets up extremely slow and Cairo gets him in another head lock.

Eddie Gilbert gets up on the apron and distracts the ref but Snuka is unable to take advantage. Gilbert hops on commentary and mocks Terry Funk. Cairo gets Snuka in another head lock but this time Snuka reverses it with a suplex. Snuka picks up Cairo and nails him in the throat with his thumb. Snuka whips Cairo into the ropes and he just jumps over the top rope and goes to the floor. Eddie Gilbert then decks him with a right hand on Tommy Cairo. Gilbert throws Cairo back into the ring and Snuka dumps him with a brutal looking pile driver. He starts laughing after he nails him with it which is awesome.

Cairo gets right up after a near fall and hits Snuka with some right hands then a shoulder block off the ropes. Cairo goes after Gilbert who is standing on the apron. Snuka charges at Cairo but ends up hitting Gilbert instead. Cairo then rams the head of Snuka and Gilbert together. Snuka falls back into the ref. Cairo goes for a pin but there is no referee to make the pin. Johnny Hotbody comes into the ring out of no where and attacks Cairo. Cairo gets rid of him but Snuka decks Cairo with a loaded right hand. Snuka hits a back breaker on Cairo and then goes up to the top and nails Cairo with the superfly splash. He goes for the cover and gets the 1-2-3. Your winner and moving on to the finals of the ECW Television Title Tournament….Superfly Jimmy Snuka.

After the match Gilbert calls for Jay Sulli to come in and interview Snuka and Gilbert. Sulli tells Gilbert that he is despicable. Sulli tells Eddie that it is disgusting what he did to Terry Funk before the match and what he did to help Snuka during his match. Eddie Gilbert starts talking and says that his name is not Eddie Gilbert but it’s Terry Funk. He mocks Funk and says that Gilbert just rattled his brains a little bit ago. He also says that Eddie Gilbert is one of the best wrestlers he has ever seen. Gilbert says he wants to go on record and show the ECW what they have in store for them going forward. Gilbert says its a man who hasn’t been seen in a while. It’s a man who will become the next ECW Television Champion and its Superfly Jimmy Snuka.

Gilbert says that all the doubters and disbelievers will remember one thing and thats Terry Funk. Gilbert says Funk is out grazing in the pasture somewhere. What ECW has to look forward to is Jimmy Snuka, Eddie Gilbert, and Hot Stuff International. 

Recap:
There wasn’t much to this match which is kind of surprising. They were building Cairo up as this undefeated guy but he hardly got any offense in during this match. It was just a squash match for the most part which is what is surprising to me. I figured they would at least let Cairo get some of his offense in and make this a little closer if they were going to be showcasing him going forward. The match itself was nothing to write home about but it was pretty awesome how Snuka laughed after he dumped Cairo with the pile driver. Little things like that to get just enough heat to keep the match interesting.

Match 3: ECW TV Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Eddie Gilbert vs. Glen Osbourne

Before the match starts Eddie Gilbert gives Glen the opportunity to walk out of the match now and get a chance to leave early. Gilbert says he’s going to make sure Snuka wins the ECW TV Title. Gilbert says that Glen’s career is done and over with after tonight so it’s best he just leaves. Glen just stands there then Gilbert tells him again he needs to take his 20 kids and 2-3 ex wives and leave right now. Gilbert tells Glen that it’s his career not his.

The match finally starts and they circle around each other. Glen gets Eddie in a side head lock then hits him with a shoulder block off the ropes. On commentary Wonderful lets us know that Funk is more mad than hurt at this point but we will get an update later on. Gilbert backs Osbourne into the ropes and nails him with a right hand. Osbourne then hits Eddie with right hands of his own. He drives Eddie into the opposite rope and then goes outside to stall.

Gilbert gets back in the ring and offers to shake the hand of Glen Osbourne. Osbourne just ignores him as they get in a collar and elbow tie up. Gilbert hits him with a right hand then snap mares him over. Gilbert throws Osbourne to the floor then rams Osbourne into a table. Gilbert then sets up a table on the apron and the floor and he rams Glen’s head right into it. Gilbert then lays the table on top of Osbourne then he stands on it to add some pressure. Osbourne gets back up to his feet and rolls back in to the ring. Eddie greets him with a boot to the throat and chokes him until a 4 count. Eddie then snap mares Glen over and gets him in a reverse chin lock.

Glen gets up to his feet but Eddie grabs Glen by the hair and gets him back down to the mat in the rear chin lock. They both get back to their feet and Eddie gets Glen in a head lock. Glen pushes him off but Eddie nails him with a shoulder block. Both men are struggling to get up to their feet but they get up at the same time. Glen then hits Eddie with a big time head butt and he follows that up with a right hand. Osbourne then hits Eddie with a flying clothesline. Glen then hits Eddie with a back drop out of the corner. Eddie gets in the corner as Glen goes up to the middle rope and lays in the right hands as the fans count to 10. 

Eddie goes down in his trunks and pulls out some brass knuckles. Glen comes at Gilbert and Gilbert levels him with the brass knuckles. Eddie goes for the cover and gets the 1-2-3. However, Jay Sulli gets up and tells the referee that Eddie Gilbert used a foreign object to win the match. Eddie says he has nothing but the evidence falls to the ring and the ref sees it. The referee then reverses the decision and gives Glen Osbourne  the victory. The Winner of the match and moving on to the finals of the ECW TV Title Tournament…..Glen Osbourne!

After the match Eddie Gilbert confronts Jay Sulli and tells him that he cost him the match. Before he could get another word in Terry Funk shows up out of no where and levels Gilbert in the back with a chair. Funk winds up and decks Gilbert in the back with the chair again. Funk then picks Eddie up and nails him with a right hand. Funk then holds up a chair and rams Eddies head right into it. Funk attacks and brawls with Eddie Gilbert all the way to the back. Eddie runs off as Funk throws a chair at him. Funk then confronts Stevie Wonderful and tells him he better not be popping off about him anymore. Funk says he is an individual and an athlete and he is someone that no one is going to tell him what to do. Funk says if he wants to come out here and kick ass he will do it. 

Funk then says that Gilbert thinks he is a fool and an idiot. Funk says Gilbert can call him an old man but he doesn’t care. Funk says he is an old man and he’s an endangered species. Funk says he’s the baddest son of a bitch in town and that he wants to get in the ring with Eddie Gilbert. 

Recap:
This was a pretty boring match to say the least. Osbourne got about 30 seconds of offense before they went to the finish. The action outside the ring wasn’t bad but it wasn’t very good either. One thing that stood out during this match was how terrible Jay Sulli and Stevie Wonderful were. I can’t wait for the days when Joey Styles is calling all of the action.

Ringside Interview w/ The Rockin’ Rebel

Rockin Rebel calls over Peaches who is standing ringside. The Rebel wants to know what the hell the Sandman has that he doesn’t. Rebel says he has the better body, the looks, the hair and he has it all. He says the Sandman is a fat slob who uses a belt to hold his gut up. The Rebel then grabs Peaches by the hand and demands that she plants a kiss on him. Peaches tries to get away and the Rebel says he’s not letting go. Peaches then slaps the Rebel right in the face. The Rebel becomes enraged as he rolls in the ring and attacks his opponent.

Match 4: Rockin’ Rebel vs. Frank Tony

The Rebel hits his opponent with a kick to the stomach then a vicious chop to the chest. He whips Tony into the ropes and nails him with a clothesline. He then picks up Frank again and throws him into the ropes and hits him with a spine buster. The Rebel then puts his boot on his chest and gets the three count. Your winner via pinfall…..the Rockin’ Rebel!

After the match the Rebel rolls out of the ring and chases down Peaches, who is trying to exit out the back. The Rebel catches up with Peaches and he drags her back into the ring by her hair. The Rebel is holding onto her hair and the Sandman comes out of no where and attacks the Rockin’ Rebel. The Rebel lays in the right hands. Tigra then comes in and claws the eyes of the Sandman. The Sandman is blinded by the claws as Rockin’ Rebel grabs the surf board and breaks it over the head of the Sandman and lays him out cold. Wrestlers come running out to break up the fight as Sandman is laid out in the ring.

Recap:
This was a pretty good segment and it got the Rebel over as pretty nice heel. It also helped his status of being the number 1 contender for the Heavyweight Title. The show with the surf board was pretty damn awesome even though it was styrofoam. This segment as a whole really got over the feud between the Sandman and the Rebel as well as Peaches and Tigra. Very nicely done here and worth the watch if you ask me.

Match 5: ECW TV Title Tournament Finals: Jimmy Snuka vs. Glen Osbourne

They start the match with a collar and elbow tie up. Osbourne backs off but Snuka pushes him out of the wave. They get in a collar and elbow tie up again and this time Osbourne gets Snuka in a head lock. Snuka pushes Osbourne off as they do a criss cross. Osbourne ends up getting Snuka into an arm drag and he follows it up with a second one. Osbourne gets Snuka in an arm bar and starts working the left arm.

Snuka gets out of the head lock and pushes Osbourne into the ropes. Snuka goes for a clotheslines but Osbourne ducks and ends up hitting Snuka with a clothesline that sends him to the outside. Gilbert distracts Osbourne from the outside as Snuka attacks him from behind. Snuka goes for a body slam but Osbourne blocks it and hits Snuka with his own body slam. He hits Snuka with an elbow drop and goes for the cover and only gets a 2 count. Gilbert gets up on the apron and Snuka throws Glen Osbourne into the ropes and he ends up hitting the referee who then knocks down Gilbert. Osbourne rolls up Snuka and goes for the pin with no ref but Gilbert comes in and attacks Osbourne. Snuka then hits Osbourne with the back breaker then follows it up with the Superfly Splash. He goes for the cover and gets the 3 count. Your winner and first ever ECW Television Champion….Superfly Jimmy Snuka!!!!!

Recap:
This was a very short match and it’s sole purpose was to get the TV Title on Snuka and in the stable of Hot Stuff International. There was very little wrestling and not a lot of action. It was an extended rest hold and some outside interference followed by the Snuka splash. Pretty underwhelming for the finals of a championship tournament but it is what it is. Only reason to watch this is to see who and how the very first ECW TV Champion was crowned.

Show Closing:

The comes back with Stevie Wonderful standing outside the dressing room of the ECW Heavyweight Champion. Stevie Wonderful recaps what the Rockin’ Rebel did to the Sandman earlier on during the show. Wonderful is trying to get a comment from the champion. Wonderful knocks on the door and Peaches ends up answering the door. Wonderful wants to know if we can talk to the champ. Peaches says that he is really hurt and we are just waiting for the doctors. Wonderful asks here what the Sandman is going to do about what happened. Peaches say she is not sure what is going to happen but the Sandman could have a slight concussion. She said she is going to worry about the Sandman right now and we will worry about the Rebel later.

Peaches shuts the door on Stevie Wonderful who then proceeds to run down what is going to happen on next weeks show. He says we will get the introduction of the Magnificent Don Muraco on next weeks show.

Show Recap:
There wasn’t a lot of good on this show at all. The tournament matches were short and not a lot of action. The Rockin Rebel had his squash match and we got the pretty sweet story of him trashing the surfboard over the Sandman’s head. We also seen the rivalry between Eddie Gilbert and Terry Funk intensify. Those are really the only reasons to watch this show because the TV Title Tournament finishes with a giant thud instead of something great. All in all this show was bland and boring outside of 2-3 segments therefore I would recommend skipping this episode.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks episode of a Hardcore History. I look forward to seeing what we have in store on next weeks show. I hope you join me as we continue on this path down the history of ECW.

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