1996-04-19 from Lulu Temple in Plymouth Meeting, PA
Champions
World: Raven
TV: 2 Cold Scorpio
Tag Team: The Eliminators
What we missed
Going off a few different websites the video for this show comes in a little late and we have missed The Pitbulls defeating the Bad Crew
and Brian Lee and Axl Rotten wrestling to a no contest.
Our video opens up to what appears to be the end of the Lee vs Rotten match and it appears to have broken down into a brawl. Lee and the Bruise Brothers are hammering on Axl Rotten and Hack Myers when Buh Buh Ray Dudley hits the ring. Buh Buh gets triple teamed so Sign Guy and Chubby Dudley hit the ring. They are however no match for the three big men. D-Von Dudley hits the ring and cleans house. Buh Buh gets on the mic and stutters his name. D-Von grabs the mic from him runs down the crowd and gives us the Dudley Commandments. D-Von kicks Buh Buh out of the ring and doesn’t let him dance.
“The Shah” Hack Myers vs. Little Guido (w/JT Smith) ref John Finnegan
Myers starts off with a running elbow smash for two. Guido bails and runs around the ring. Back in hip toss by Hack and the exchange leg sweeps. Guido bails again to talk strategy with Smith. Hack out wrestles Guido some more, which gets under Guido’s skin and has him yelling at the fans. Smith grabs the leg as Myers hits the ropes and Guido attacks with boots. Guido distracts the ref so Smith and choke Hack. Guido with a leg lock and Smith pulls on him to give him some added leverage. Guido catches a back elbow on a turnbuckle charge and Myers is back on top. Guido draped over the bottom rope and Hack drops the leg. Myers goes for his top rope face buster but Smith pushes him down. Guido drops to his knees and Smith grabs his arms giving him the leverage again allowing Guido to get the 3 count. Time of the fall was 6.06. Smith tries to sing after the match but Hack chases them off.
Taz (w/ Bill Alfonso) vs. Mikey Whipwreck (w/ Todd Gordon) ref Jim Molineaux
Gordon and Alfonso are yet again being handcuffed at ring side. Ground wrestling by Taz to start and Mikey gets to the ropes to escape a leg lock. And once more to get out of an arm bar. Drop kick and hip toss by Mikey and Taz drops to the floor. Mikey goes back out after and throws Taz back into the ring. Taz with an overhead belly to belly. Mikey misses a diving clothesline Taz picks him up and throws him right into the ref. Taz goes and gets the key to let Alfonso out. Mikey with a plancha but Taz pulls Gordon in the way! Back in the ring and Mikey has the advantage but Alfonso shakes the ropes as Mikey stands on them. Tope rope belly to belly and the Tazmission puts an end to the action at 4.44
A strange edit brings us to The Bad Crew beating down El Puerto Ricano they get on the mic and tell the Eliminators to come to the ring with “their belts” hmmm I don’t think Bad Crew has won a single match in ECW and now they are claiming the titles?
Tag Team Champions Eliminators vs. Bad Crew ref John Finnegan
Saturn with a big top rope elbow. Kronus with a corner drop kick to one Bad Crew and a hand spring elbow to the other kick to the back of the head by Kronus and a superkick by Saturn. Bad Crew bails. New Jack comes through the crowd with a garbage can Mustafa hits the ring. Wild brawl time!!!! After about 1 minute the locker room empties but they can’t keep these four men apart. Things calm down after about four minutes.
TV Champion 2 Cold Scorpio vs. Sabu ref John Finnegan
Both men very cautious to start. Really feeling each other out to begin neither man wants to take that first big risk. Scorpio misses two leaping spin kicks but lands with a clothesline. Sabu is down near the ropes Scorpio charges him but gets monkey flipped out of the ring. Sabu hits a somersault from the apron on to Scorpio and then back drops him into the crowd. Triple jump crossbody from the ring into the crowd gets an “E-C-W” chant from the crowd. Sabu sets up a table on the apron and guardrail but Scorpio rolls off. Sabu jumps at Scorpio with a double axe handle but misses and hits the guardrail. Superkick to Sabu on the floor. Sabu now placed on the table but he monkey flips Scorpio into the crowd. Sabu runs off the table with a cross body. Scorpio climbs back on the table Sabu in the ring charges but Scorpio flings himself back in the ring and kicks Sabu. Handspring elbow in the corner onto Sabu. Powerbomb gets a 2 count for Scorpio. Moonsault onto a standing Sabu for another 2. Powerbomb attempt but Sabu lands on his feet and gives his own powerbomb. Springboard leg drop by Sabu. Sabu slows down the pace with an arm bar. Irish whip by Sabu Scorpio ducks a clothesline misses a drop kick and gets thrown to the floor. Sabu hits a slingshot somersault onto Scorpio and they fight into the crowd. Back in the ring Sabu sent hard into the corner Scorpio follows him in with a clothesline. Scorpio picks up a chair and charges but Sabu gets his feet up and sends the chair into Scorpio’s face. Air Sabu, Scorp rolls to the apron and gets drop kicked into the guardrail. Scorpio back up on the apron that the table is at Sabu runs up the chair bounces his butt on the ropes grabs Scorpio with his legs and hurricanrana’s him through the table. A very awesome looking spot. Sabu puts Scorpio on the top rope and runs up the chair again for another hurricanrana. Scorpio fights back with a super kick. Scorpio hits a cartwheel splash off the top and then throws Sabu into the air on an irish whip rebound. Scorpio goes for something but Sabu reverses it into a DDT onto the chair and hits a triple jump moonsault which gets a 2 count. A top rope moonsault connects but Sabu is to injured to go for the cover. Scorpio hits a superkick and we get the bell signaling a 20 minute time limit draw. Scorpio, Sabu and the crowd ask for 5 more minutes. Scorpio grabs a chair and smacks Sabu a few times with it and that’s that.
“The Franchise” Shane Douglas is coming down to the ring. Already in the ring are Billy Black “The Godfather of Professional Wrestling” Damien Kane and Lady Alexandra. Kane gets on the mic and says he has had his eye on Black since he came to the ECW. Kane says that he hand picked a partner for Black tonight and it’s Rob Van Dam. Douglas gets on the mic and calls out his partner The Sandman. Kane, Black and Van Dam attack Douglas before Sandman gets to the ring. Sandman clears the ring with his cane. Alexandra and Missy also brawl back to the locker room.
Billy Black (w/“The Godfather of Professional Wrestling” Damien Kane & Lady Alexandra) & Rob Van Dam vs. “The Franchise” Shane Douglas & Sandman ref Jim Molineaux
Van Dam and Douglas start it off as Sandman swings his cane from the ring apron. Douglas backs Van Dam into the corner and we get a clean break. Duck under go behind by Douglas headlock takeover, head scissor kick up by Van Dam. Van Dam with a side headlock on Douglas. Sandman gets on the mic and is either encouraging or taunting his partner I can’t tell. What I can tell is that he is super drunk. Sandman leans over the ropes and slaps the crap out of Van Dam who looks legit pissed. He jumps at Sandman allowing Douglas to attack. Van Dam with some splits to avoid Douglas and lands a superkick. Douglas drops to the floor Van Dam leaps over the ropes with out touch them and lands a somersault body block. Black throws Douglas back in and Van Dam hits a kick off the top and a standing moonsault for a 2 count. Tag to Black and Douglas goes to tag Sandman who won’t tag out until he finishes his beer. Black with a headlock takeover some elbow drops and he throws Sandman outside. Kane holds Sandman and Black comes off the top but Sandman moves and Black hits Kane. Tag to Van Dam who does his crappy looking karate chops and kicks and covers for 2. Van Dam with a submission hold and out comes Kimona Wanalaya. She calls Douglas over which allows Van Dam to attack Sandman in the corner that Douglas should be in. Tag into Black he locks in a high boston crab. Black lets it go and hits a back drop. Van Dam comes back in with a springboard karate kick. Sandman gets whipped into his own corner and Van Dam charges and spin kicks Douglas before they can tag. Black with an abdominal stretch on Sandman and Van Dam comes in the they switch. Sandman reverse it with a hip toss but Van Dam puts him right into a body scissor. Black in now and he misses a top rope elbow. Sandman makes the tag to Douglas who comes in and hits body slams on both Black and Van Dam and walks over and tags Sandman who is still laying in the corner. Sandman gets the cane and starts going to town. Douglas gets back in the ring hits a belly to belly on Black and sneaks away with the win for his team. Shane leaves with Kimona right away and Sandman is pissed.
Tommy Dreamer vs. World Champion Raven (w/ “Primetime” Brian Lee, ”Dancin’ Stevie Richards & The Blue Meanie) Lumberjack Match ref John Finnegan
Bruise Brothers attack Tommy before he hits the ring and all the lumberjacks get into it with each other. We get the action in the ring for the first time and Dreamer dumps Raven by the Dudleys. Back in and Raven dumps Tommy on the heel side. Tommy throws Raven into the guardrail. Back in the ring Raven throws Dreaming into the turnbuckle snapmare and he fist drops Dreamer in the balls. Meanie hands Raven a chair and Dreamer takes it to the back. DDT on the chair. A few more chair shots as we hear Buh Buh yell “Come on Ta..Ta…Tommy” I love his gimmick. Dreamer fights back and brings the ring bell into the ring and tries to piledriver Raven onto it. Little Guido hits the ring and attacks Tommy. Dreamer throws him to the corner and throws Meanie in on top of him. The lumberjacks hit the ring. Brian Lee crotches Tommy into the ring post. All hell has broken loose. Back in the ring and Dreamer DDTs both members of Bad Crew but then gets DDTed by Raven. Raven charges with a chair but Dreamer kicks it back at him. DDT to Raven on a chair big boot by Lee as he gets up. Raven covers and retains the title. After the match the Pitbulls superbomb Dreamer onto Meanie through a table. Beulah and Francine hit the ring to celebrate.
My Thoughts on the Show
Nothing at all special on this show. Scorpio and Sabu had a few nice spots but for the most part didn’t seem to be giving it 100%. The main event was poorly filmed so lots of the action was missed. Shockingly Raven has been World Champion for 2 months 3 weeks and this is Dreamers first title match with him. I was starting to wonder if he ever actually gets one. This is a very sad show for me as my least favorite wrestler of all time Rob Van Dam has officially joined the roster and will be around to bore me for the next four years worth stuff. While not a terrible show there is absolutely zero that you must see.
