The OH MY GOD! Review: ECW’s “A Matter of Respect” 1996

The “OH MY GOD!” Review of ECW’s “A Matter of Respect” 1996-05-11
From ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA

Champions
World: Raven
TV: 2 Cold Scorpio
Tag Team: The Eliminators

What we missed: Taz beat Beef Wellington in 4.53 with the Tazmission.

Our show opens with a graphic of what looks like a wedding invitation with classical music playing, inviting us to ‘A Matter of Respect’.

El Puerto Ricano vs. Damien 666 ref John Finnegan
Match is joined in progress with the men fighting by a table outside the ring. Joey tells us this match has been like a tribute to Sabu. Sabu shows up and puts both men through a table. About 1 minute of the match was shown

“Dangerous” Devon Storm & “The Godfather of Extreme” Damien Kane (w/ Lady Alexandra) vs. D-Von & Buh Buh Ray Dudley (w/ Sign Guy, Dances With and Chubby Dudley) ref Paul Richards
Buh Buh gets on the mic and does his stuttering gimmick before the match. “My name is Buh B B big tits” Damien Kane goes berserk. Buh Buh gives Alexandra a pair of glasses and he gets very excited when she puts them on. The heel team attacks from behind. D-Von sends Storm to the floor as Buh Buh hits Kane with a chair and puts him on a table outside of the ring. Splash by Buh Buh puts Kane through the table. All four men brawl on the floor. Storm hits D-Von with a top rope drop kick back in the ring. Buh Buh with an avalanche in the corner and D-Von follows in with a flying forearm. We cut forward a bit and Buh Buh back drops Devon over the top to the floor and Storm lands on DW Dudley. D-Von now in the ring with Kane. D-Von just hammering away on Kane. Buh Buh hits a crossbody from the top rope to the floor onto Devon. Storm hits D-Von with a chair from the top rope. All four men in the ring and they all dive at a chair on the floor. D-Von comes out of the pile with it and lays out his opponents with it and then turns and hits Buh Buh and the ref with it. The ref calls for the bell and the Dudleys are disqualified. The announced time of the match was 14.10 with 6.24 actually shown. In the ring Buh Buh and D-Von are arguing and shoving each other.

The F.B.I. vs. Axl Rotten & “The Shah” Hack Myers ref Jim Molineaux
J.T. Smith and Axl start the match. The fans chant “J.T. Sucks” and the F.B.I. decide they are going to leave. After taking a trip down the aisle they go back to the ring. Smith gets on the mic and tells the crowd if they keep doing that they are leaving for good. Crowd starts chanting “J.T.’s got a woody” Smith gets the mic again and says “Pretty spectacular huh?” Finally 3 minutes after the bell rings the two men lock up. Smith gets Axl in the ropes and slaps him around. Smith with a side headlock. Axl pushes him off gets hit with a shoulder block. Smith hits the ropes and gets hip tossed. Little Guido hits the ring and gets hip tossed also. Edit in the match Shah is in the ring with Guido he hits a leg drop and goes up top for his finishing move. Smith pushes Myers off the top but he goes for a sunset flip on Guido. Guido drops down Smith grabs on for some extra leverage and the F.B.I. gets the victory. The match is announced as 10.55 but only 4.50 was shown.

Three Way Dance: World Champion Raven (w/ Miss Patricia, Stevie Richards & The Blue Meanie) vs. Sandman (w/ Missy Hyatt & 2 Cold Scorpio) vs. Pitbull #2 (w/ Pitbull #1 & Francine), ref John Finnegan
Raven’s entrances with his gang are so insanely entertaining. Richards and Meanie were so out of control. The Pitbulls were originally scheduled to team with Tommy Dreamer in the six man tag match but were attacked by the Tag Team Champions Eliminators. Pitbull #1 was unable to compete so they were pulled from that match. Bell rings and we get a three way lock up. Pitbull pushes off both men. The same thing happens a second time. He charges both men and misses a clothesline and goes over the top rope. Raven turns and hits a DDT on Sandman that almost gets 3. Raven throws #2 back in the ring and him and Sandman hit him with cane and chair shots. #2 does not go down and after about 10 hits charges and this time hits the double clothesline sending all three men over the top rope to the floor. #2 lays Raven over the guardrail and leg drops him from the apron. Sandman leaps over the ropes and nails #2 with the cane. Sandman brings #2 back in the ring and hits more cane shots. Raven goes for the cover on him but Sandman breaks it up. #2 misses a spin kick in the corner and falls to the floor. Raven throws Sandman out of the ring and hits a plancha on both men. Pitbull gets whipped into the rail by both men. They go for it again but he reverses and sends them both into the rail. #2 charges but gets back dropped into the crowd. Raven hits a butterfly suplex in the ring on Sandman for 2. Pitbull with a tiger bomb for 2 as we hit the 7 minute mark. Powerslam by the Pitbull gets a two count on Sandman. Sandman hits a top rope frankensteiner. Raven goes for a double DDT but it’s reversed. Raven gets sandwiched with a double clothesline. They go for it again but Raven pulls the ref in the way. Scorpio comes in and attacks #2. #1 comes in and attacks Sandman. Now the two men go after each other and go to the floor and brawl to the back. Stevie gets in the ring and pulls Raven on top of Sandman but the ref is still out. Pitbull sets up a table across the top turnbuckle. He puts Sandman on it and starts to climb up with him but the table slides off and Sandman goes crashing to the floor. Pitbull puts Sandman back up on the buckle and hits a sick looking superbelly to back! Sandman elbows Raven from the top rope and then a leg drop from the top. Sandman grabbing at his knee. #2 and Raven fighting now Sandman goes low with the cane on both. Superbomb onto Sandman! #2 goes for the cover but Raven boots him in the face and gets the cover to eliminate him in 15.10. Francine comes in and attacks Raven and Patricia comes in and goes after Francine. Missy comes in and canes them both as the two girls fight to the back. Sandman gets up and rolls up Raven for a 2 count. Sandman hits a DDT for 2. Stevie goes for a Steviekick but Sandman moves and it hits Raven. The crowd is going crazy but it only gets a 2 count. Sandman taking apart the guardrail and he throws a piece in the ring. Raven recovers and attacks Sandman as he gets in the ring. Raven gets irish whipped into the rail. The fans sense a title change. Sandman suplexes the rail onto Raven. Suplex blocked Raven pushes Sandman onto the rail quick DDT and Raven gets the win at 18.20 to retain the World title. Pitbull 2 hits the ring to chase off Raven and Richards. Meanie stands in the aisle making faces. #1 comes up behind him and they drag him to the ring. Sandman canes Meanie and they superbomb him. Pitbull 2 gives Sandman a beer and they shake hands. Missy makes out with #2 but Francine hits the ring and goes after Missy.

“Lionheart” Chris Jericho vs. Mikey Whipwreck ref Paul Richards
These guys had a nice match at the last house show so I’m looking forward to this. Jericho forces Mikey to the ropes and slaps him across the face. Waist lock takedown by Jericho into a bow and arrow submission. Chops in the corner, whip reversed by Mikey and he follows it with a drop kick. Snapmare and an indian deathlock by Mikey. Jericho comes back with a suplex. Spin kick in the corner and body slam by Jericho. Mikey ducks a clothesline and gets hit with a spin kick. Powerbomb by Jericho for 2. Mikey reverses a tombstone piledriver and hits one of his own. Mikey goes up top but Jericho stops him climbs up with him and drop kicks him to the floor. Mikey on the apron and Jericho hits his springboard elbow and both men go to the floor. Jericho brings it into the crowd and covers Mikey in a bunch of chairs and then hits the pile with one. Jericho suplexes Mikey back into the ring and hits a top rope splash for 2. He goes for a second but Mikey gets the boots up and hits a rocker dropper for 2. Corner whip reversed Jericho follows with a clothesline back the other way with the same. He tries a third time but Mikey moves and Jericho spills to the floor. Mikey dumps him into the crowd and dives off the top rope into the crowd. Back in the ring Mikey hits a top rope clothesline that gets him a 2 count. Mikey hits a top rope frankensteiner but Jericho kicks out. Mikey hits the ropes ducks a clothesline and grabs a waistlock. Jericho spins out into his own waistlock, Mikey throws an elbow but Jericho ducks and hits a fishermen buster followed by a lionsault for 2. Mikey ducks a clothesline Jericho throws him in the air and Mikey hits a frankensteiner for 2. Jericho hits a Dragon suplex for 2. Mikey ducks a chair shot and drop kicks it into Jerichos face and a cradle pin gets a long 2. Jericho back drops Mikey but he lands on his feet on the apron and goes up top. Jericho stops him and hits a super underhook suplex for the win at 14.20. The two men shake hands and hug after the match.

“The Franchise” Shane Douglas vs. TV Champion 2 Cold Scorpio, ref John Finnegan
Shane Douglas wrestling for a belt he claims he doesn’t even want. The ref brings the title over to Shane to show it to him and Shane grabs it and throws it out of the ring. Scorpio gets a “WWF” shirt from the crowd and taunts Shane with it. The two men lock up and Scorpio takes the back of Shane. Douglas throws him off and the same thing happens again. Scorpio gets Shane to the mat and ties up the leg of Douglas. Shane gets to the ropes to break the hold. They each sweep the leg and get a 2 count. Scorpio with an arm bar brings Shane to his knees. Douglas reverses but Scorpio cartwheels out of it and is back in control of the arm. Douglas now rolls through and has a top wristlock. Scorpio back flips out of it and hits an arm drag. Shane reverses a hip toss and hits one of his own. Scorpio bails to the floor. Back in and Scorpio back to the arm. Douglas shows his power and pulls Scorpio into a clothesline. Scorpio bridges out of a pin and goes for a back slide. Shane blocks it but Scorpio backflips out of hit. Douglas goes for the belly to belly but its blocked, double arm suplex by Shane and Scorpio goes outside again and throws a chair into the ring. Shane sits down on it and throws it at Scorpio as he gets in the ring. Douglas stomping the champ. Irish whip reversed by Scorpio and he kicks Shane in the stomach. Shane leaning against the ropes back drops Scorpio to the floor as he charges. Baseball slide followed by a plancha by Shane. Shane picks up Scorpio for a suplex and bounces him off the ropes and just throws him onto the guardrail. A very nasty looking move. Dougals gets back in the ring and tells the ref to count out Scorpio. Scorpio pulls Shane out of the ring and sends him into the guardrail and follows its up with a splash. Scorpio charges and Shane sends him flying into the crowd. Shane follows and they fight through the crowd. Scorpio gets a crutch and chair giving him the upper hand back at ringside. Douglas fights back and hits a power bomb on the concrete floor which gets a soft “Oh my god” from Joey and an “E-C-W” chant from the crowd. Scorpio gets in before the count out and Shane goes back to work. Scorpio kicks Shane low and uses a chair. Shane rolls to the apron Scorpio gives him a Pele kick that sends Shane to the floor. Moonsault off the apron to the floor. Scorpio sets Shane on a table and goes back into the ring. Scorpio charges but Shane disappears and ends up behind Scorpio and attacks. Scorpio with a roll up gets 2 and he hits a superkick as they get up. Scorpio goes up top but Douglas drop kicks his feet. Shane jumps off the chair and drop kicks Scorpio off the ropes to the floor. Back in the ring Shane hits a hanging vertical suplex but Scorpio is able to kick out. Shane goes up top but misses a knee drop. Scorpio ducks a clothesline and hits another superkick. Scorpio hits a beautiful moonsault but he gets off before getting the three count. Back up top he hits a perfect 450 but doesn’t go for the cover. Twisting leg drop but again no cover. Scorpio getting cocky now but Shane is getting up. Shane leaps over Scorpio and hits a belly to back for 2. Fishermen suplex for 2. Shane throws Scorpio to the ropes and goes for the belly to belly but it’s blocked. Scorpio hits a urinagi slam. Scorpio puts Shane up top and goes for a frankensteiner but Shane blocks it and hits a superbomb. Corner whip and Shane charges but gets hit with a superkick. Scorpio goes up top but gets down and then goes back up. Shane cuts him off and hits a super belly to belly. Shane gets the pin at 26.14, announced as 26.31 to end Scoprio’s 4th TV title reign at 127 days. We get a replay of some of the action that took place. Shane gets the mic and says that he has wrestled all the greats and worked for a great promoter in Paul Heyman and that he has wrestled in the greatest building in the world. He shakes Scorpios hand and tells him that he is the greatest wrestler in the world. Shane asks Scorpio to put the belt on him as a sign of respect. They shake hands again but Scorpio hits Shane with the belt and hits him with a pile driver. Scorpio lays a chair over Shane’s face and hits a top rope leg drop.

Respect Match: Rob Van Dam vs. Sabu, ref Jim Molineaux
The loser of the match will be required to shake the other persons hand. Van Dam with a leg trip Sabu fights out of a leg lock. Van Dam bails Sabu follows and throw him into the guardrail. Air Sabu and Sabu back in the ring. Van Dam taunts Sabu and he goes back out. Van Dam tries to jump off a chair and slips. Back in Van Dam sets up a chair and charges but Sabu runs out of the way. Both men getting back in Sabu lays Van Dam on the second rope facing up and places the open chair under Van Dam. Sabu hits a leg drop and Van Dam bounces off the chair. Two count for Sabu. Van Dam set up on the to buckle Sabu hits him with a chair and then runs up it and hits a super frankensteiner. Van Dam takes over with mat wrestling and submissions. Sabu fights back and hits a springboard DDT. They go to the floor and Van Dam is thrown into the crowd. Sabu attempts a plancha but Van Dam throws a chair into his face. Van Dam in the ring now sets up a chair hits the ropes and does a flying somersault over the chair and ropes to the floor onto Sabu. Back in Sabu kicks out of a splash at 2. Van Dam hits a float over suplex for 2. Van Dam back to the submission wrestling working over the legs and back. Van Dam with an arm bar and karate kicks. Sabu fights back and hits a springboard body attack and now he goes to work on the arm of Van Dam. Corner whip Van Dam hits sternum first Sabu hits a springboard drop kick and moonsault for two. Van Dam hits a power bomb and rolling somersault splash for 2. He goes to the top rope and Sabu throws a chair at him. Sabu goes to run up the chair and Van Dam goes to jump over Sabu but Sabu stops himself and drop kicks Van Dam. Sabu puts Van Dam back up and runs up the chair again but gets pushed onto the rope. Sabu straddling the top rope and Van Dam frankensteiners him off. Sabu’s head Is laying outside the bottom rope and Van Dam lays a chair on it and leaps over to the top rope and leg drops him. Sabu pushes Van Dam to the apron and sunset flip powerbombs him to the floor. Sabu sets up a table in the crowd and throws Van Dam on it. Sabu goes back in the ring runs up a chair onto the ropes and hits a big splash through the table. “OH MY GOD!” and an “E-C-W” chant. Sabu crawls back in the ring as we reach the 15 minute mark of the match. Van Dam rolls into the ring and Sabu covers for 2. Sabu to the apron and slingshot sommersault leg drop back into the ring. Sabu now on the second rope but Van Dam cuts him off and hits a brainbuster off the second turnbuckle, which almost gets a 3. Van Dam to the ropes but Sabu knocks him down to a seated position grabs his head and hits a diamond cutter. Triple jumps moonsault but Van Dam gets the knees up. Sabu goes up top but Van Dam cuts him off again and this time hits a fishermen buster from the second rope. Sabu still able to kick out at 2. Split legged moonsault and Van Dam gets the win at 18.50. Sabu leaves the ring afterwards and runs to the back. We get a replay of the action and when we come back Sabu, Paul E and Joey Styles are in the ring. Heyman asks Van Dam to come to the ring so they can show each other respect. Van Dam gets on the mic and tells Sabu that not only does he NOT respect Sabu he thinks he’s a piece of shit. Bill Alfonso and Taz show up at ringside and Van Dam tells them that he respects them.

“Primetime” Brian Lee & Tag Team Champions The Eliminators vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Gangstas, ref John Finnegan
Dreamer and Gangstas hit the ring with garbage cans full of weapons and go right after their opponents. Not much to report about in the first five minutes. Kronus in the ring does a back hand spring and leaps over the ropes with a moonsault onto Dreamer. Saturn hits an asia moonsault and then Dreamer hits a plancha. Aside from those three moves and its brawling and weapons all over and its awesome! After the Gangstas music stops Saturn and Mustafa get in the ring and Saturn misses and big top rope knee drop. Mustafa now in control hits a running powerslam on a chair. Big diving press slam by Mustafa. Mustafa sits Saturn in a chair and gives him a running big boot. Lee and Dreamer are deep in the crowd. Back in the ring Saturn hits a flying forearm for 2. Dreamer and Lee now get in the ring with Lee in control using lots of weapons. Saturn and Mustafa head up to the podium by Styles. Mustafa hits a suplex as Lee and Dreamer make it up to the stage. The Eliminators are in the ring with the Gangstas now. Saturn with a pump handle slam and leg drop onto New Jack, he covers and gets 2. Dreamer gets suplexed through a table and launched off the top stage onto the platform below! Dreamer has been busted open. Mustafa hits Kronus with a toy robot. Lee and Kronus post Jack. Saturn hits a hurricanrana on Dreamer. Dreamer catches a cross body and slams Saturn. Dreamer goes up top and misses a splash and gets hit with a swinging neck breaker. Saturn hits a top rope knee. Lee hits a big boot on Dreamer as the Eliminators hold him. They hit a second and go for a third but Dreamer kick Lee between the legs. Mustafa hits a spinebuster on Kronus. Dreamer and Lee on the floor brawling. Back in the ring Dreamer ducks a big boot and hits a DDT. He sets Lee up for a piledriver but Stevie Richards sneaks in the the ring and hits a Stevie Kick. Beulah and Kimona Wanlaya come to the ring and grab him by the balls and drag him back to the locker room. Dreamer lays a cinder block on Lee’s groin and hits it with a chair but Saturn breaks up the pin and hits Dreamer with a piledriver. Saturn sets up a table in the ring and puts Dreamer on it. Mustafa stops Saturn before he can jump onto Dreamer. Dreamer gets up and hits a super DDT through the table! Kronus breaks up the pin New Jack nails Kronus with a chair in the back and hits the 187 chair shot. New Jack pins Kronus at 20.48

My thoughts on the show,
Very slow start with the first three matches being edited like crazy. Could we have seen the end of the Dudley Boys? A very hectic World Title match that I enjoyed much more then I thought I would. The Jericho/Whipwreck match was a little too back and forth for me as it was really just one guy doing a move and then the other guy doing a move. The TV title match and the Sabu/Van Dam match were both very good. Scorpio and Douglas were two of the top talents in the industry in ‘96 if you ask me. Sabu and Van Dam put on a much better match than their first, I felt this one flowed much better. The brawl was your classic ECW fight from start to finish with some nice spots added into it. Thumbs way up on this show. Easily my favorite ECW show to date.