This is EXTREME: Fab watches ECW 1997 For the first time

[Crippler]

Mid-Year Awards~!

10. Steve Williams vs. Raven - February 5th, 1997
9. Louie Spicolli vs. Tommy Dreamer - May 14th, 1997
8. Pitbull #2 vs. Bam Bam Bigelow - June 30th, 1997
7. Rob Van Dam vs. Taz - March 17th, 1997
6. Terry Funk vs. Raven - BARELY LEGAL 1997
5. The Triple Threat (w/Francine) vs. The Pitbulls & Balls Mahoney - June 25th, 1997
4. Great Sasuke & Gran Hamada & Gran Naniwa vs. Dick Togo & Terry Boy & Taka Michinoku - March 24th, 1997
3. Great Sasuke, GRAN Hamada & Masato Yakushiji vs. Terry Boy, Dick Togo & TAKA Michinoku - BARELY LEGAL 1997
2. The Final Battel: Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer - WRESTLEPALOOZA 1997
1. Sabu vs. Taz - BARELY LEGAL 1997

Tag Team So Far: The Dudley Boyz

Wrestler Of The Year So Far: Taz or Raven, IDK

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Terry Funk
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boyz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 220
July 7th, 1997

Replay airs of the WWF invasion at both at Wrestlepalooza and Orgy of Violence.

Rick Rude and Joey Styles welcomes us to the show, Styles announce that Hardcore Heaven 1997 on PPV will be on August 17th and from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Rude says after Hardcore Heaven he’s gonna head to 7-Eleven pick up a 12 pack of Bruski’s and a 6-pack of Trojans. Joey says they now clear 70 million homes and 4.6 million in Florida. Rude is taken aback and says with 4.6 million Floridians watching, he'll have to get the 12 pack of Trojans

In a pre-tape; Jerry “The King” Lawler is either at the WWF studios or Heyman has a WWF logo background with him because Jerry is standing in front of one. He says he is ECW, The King is ECW. You know what ECW stands for “Exposing Crappy Wrestlers” he says he’s exposing Dreamer and Sandman as nothing, he and Jim the only man Paul E hates more than him. Jerry laughs at the thought of Tommy getting his balls worked on because he has no balls, ECW YOU SUCK!

ECW Television Championship: Taz vs. Louie Spicolli
This is from an outside show in Belmar, New Jersey. Before the match Louie gets on the mic and 2sweets Taz on the forehead Taz says if he does that again he’s gonna bust his fat head open. Louie says he’s gonna play him like a flute, TAZ THEN GARENTEES HE WILL CHOKE HIM OUT IN 1 MINUTE AND IF HE DOESN’T LOUIE CAN HAVE THE BELT! Louie says make if 45 seconds and he’s got a deal. But Taz says make it 30 seconds. And this goes 26 seconds Louie attacks him with the belt and puts him up for the DVD but Taz slips out and applies the Tazmission with 4 seconds left. After the Match: Taz then jokes and says that was SWEEEEEEEEEET!

Styles and Rude hype up this pre-tape incident that they will air later.

Taz cuts a promo, he says he and John Kronus had a great match at the ECW arena. They went toe-to-toe and travelled with the guy. He choked him out, but people didn't leave talking about their match or how the ECW wrestlers busted their ass, but they left talking about Jerry Lawler and Jim Cornette invading, and how Sabu and Van Dam are with them. Who gives a fuck, and says it's messing him up and he's watching Raw and asking which of his co-workers is gonna jump tonight, OR WHICH ONE OF HIS BOSSES IS GOING TO DO COLOR COMMENTARY TONIGHT. He turns the camera at Paul E., who turns it away and Taz says he wants to be on TV, and there he is. He says he's got a message for Vince and says to ask everybody about what he is. BEAT HIM IF YOU CAN. SURVIVE IF HE LETS YOU!

Styles and Rude run down Lawler and say if he shows up at the PPV, Dreamer is gonna kick his ass.

Clipped footage of Mikey Whipwreck & Spike Dudley vs. PG-13 airs. I had to do some research and PG-13 is J.C. Ice and Wolfie D, yeah I still have no idea who the fuck they are. Apparently, they are from Memphis and that’s it, AMAZING MOMENT! Spike grabs J.C’s balls and he gets out and on the mic and begins to yell in a high pitch voice “my balls, he grabbed my balls” The match ends with Mikey gets pulled under the ring by someone hiding, then spike gets pinned after a Tilt-a-Whirl Splash. After the match; Mikey gets out and pulls Jason out from hiding He rolls him in, but Jason runs away AND HUGS PG-13!

Styles has a fit about Jason being back.

Footage airs of Lance Storm vs. Tracy Smothers; it’s pretty much a Lance showcase. The crowd does the “WHERE'S MY PIZZA?” chant

Footage airs of the Sandman caining Tommy Dreamer.

In a pre-tape; Beulah cuts a promo on how she's saw Tommy go through so much pain in ECW; She's seen Tommy Dreamer get tossed down bleachers and the Eagle's Nest and she's seen him get stitches in the back of his head and not bat an eye, but this was different. She says she was there in the hospital as he was screaming in pain like she's never heard him scream before. She says she's there every day and sees his pain, and she doesn't want him to come back, despite knowing that he will. He says that's troubling for her, but worse for Jerry Lawler because paybacks is like her a total bitch. In ECW, they believe in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth...and he's going to be in a lot of pain.

So something weird happens Taz is in the ring, He heckles a fan in a Raw is War t-shirt until he gives it to him. At the same time, they keep cutting to Tommy being placed into the back of an ambulance after his balls injury. TAZ LIGHTS THE SHIRT ON FIRE IN THE RING

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Terry Funk
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boyz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 221
July 14th, 1997
Asbury Park, New Jersey

Shane Douglas and Francine are at the beach at night time, Shane has his fuckin ring gear on while Fran is wearing a black strapless top and a thong. He says you make history not by following in other's footsteps, but by blazing the trail. Most men would be scared to dive in the sea, and with Francine behind him, he's not afraid to do what most men wouldn't. He says he wasn't afraid to face Taz, but he played a mind game with him because he could never beat him on his worst day and on Taz's best. WHAT! THAT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE AND YOU LOST IN 3 MINUTES TO A GUY THAT JUST WRESTLED SABU! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! FUCK YOU SHANE. He says he traded in the 15 pounds of the TV Title so he can get his World Title back lmao so he took a dive lmao He says Terry Funk has what they want, and he let Terry and Scotty and Sandman and Mikey hold it for a while, but nobody's been the champion he was. Shane might be the dumbest and stupidest wrestler ever, fuck this guy to death really.
Joey Styles and Rick Rude welcome us to the show, Styles announce Funk/Douglas as the main event for Hardcore Heaven. The Sandman vs. SABU is also on the show. But tonight TAZ/Hollywood Nova

ECW Television Championship: Hollywood Nova (w/Da Blue Guy & Tomas “The Inchworm” Rodman) vs. Taz
After the introductions, Taz grabs the mic and says there’s somebody missing from the b.W.o Raven needed somebody to carry his bags and wipe his ass. He then calls Stevie a pussy for leaving. Taz says he’s gonna let Nova take the first show before he takes out the b.W.o forever. Nova connects with a dropkick to which Taz no-sells he proceeds to beat the shit out of Nova before choking him out. Post-Match: Taz takes out Rodman, so Meanie takes off his BWO shirt and runs away.

The Triple Threat (w/Francine) vs. Balls Mahoney & The Pitbulls
Balls storms the ring while the Pitbulls get ambushed by Bam Bam and Candido blindside them on the floor. Bam Bam hits Pitbull #2 with a chain busting him open 5 seconds in, everyone just brawls but Balls takes time to gloat leading to Shane taking out his knee. Shane piledrivers Balls and the triple threat celebrate. BUT THE GANGSTARZ MUSIC HIT! BUT THE DUDLEYZ CUT THEM OFF ON THE ENTRANCE wrestlers from the back try to break it up but Buh Buh just hits everything and everyone in sight. More brawling with the Eliminators coming to get some, Perry you fuckin’ cripple go home. Balls and Shane slide back into the ring, Balls hits Shane in the head with a tambourine but again taunts instead of making the cover. As everyone is still brawling Shane finally ends with after Bam Bam Hits Balls with a chop block allowing Shane to hit him in the head with a steel chair and the belly-to-belly is followed for the three count. What a piece of shit match.

Backstage: New Jack says he's held his closest friends in his arms as they died. Tonight, he held Mustafa as they put him in an ambulance, and he watched it. Jack says he’s had it with the Dudleyz, they’ve pushed him to the point. He says they're going to get them in a cage, and he promises they're going to take them out. Bubba, D-Von, Big Dick, they're going to take them out. The only way they'll survive that night is if they kill him. DEAD! He says we aren’t gonna just beat them up, we’re gonna take you out, he's gonna testify now, they're going down. I SWEAR ON MY FATHER!

Joel Gertner says New Jack made a promise, but he’s gonna make a guarantee of his very own and says if The Dudley Boyz do not enter Hardcore Heaven 1997 wearing the ECW Tag Team Titles, he will shave his head. No, he will shave his head & his chest, live on PPV.

Rob Van Dam, Sabu, and Bill Alfonso are together, Fonzie says he's the best manager ever and says they're beating everyone like they own them. RVD asks how Paul can be made at him for going on every show he can to spread his name, and that makes Paul E. a sell out too. He says he did sell out, he sold out the ECW Arena. He and Sabu, that is. RVD then says he has a hair appointment to go to.

Jim Cornette says it had to come down to a couple of Southern boys who know real wrestling when they see it, he then makes fun of Dreamer’s ball injury. He says Lawler, Sabu and RVD have things covered. He says he'd rather skinny dip in the septic tank of a slaughterhouse than to come to ECW again, but if the opportunity arises, he'd love to stick it to Paul E. He says someday, you never know what's gonna happen. Even the smart folks of ECW, who are really just as stupid as everyone else.

Tommy Dreamer and a shirtless Sandman are somewhere, Sandman looks pregnant. Tommy says the fans have seen them bleed, because ECW is in their hearts and blood, and every single time they've got RVD and Sabu and Lawler, something happens. He says they need a third man in the cage Saturday night. Tommy says he wants their man to be the other guy who's stayed loyal no matter what, and that's Taz. CHOKE US ALL OUT!

Taz tells Dreamer to slow down, he’s the TV champion, he's a solo wrestler and he ain't no company guy, and he's not gonna be their partner. He says he respects them a little bit and they work hard and that's great, but he stands alone, and he won't waste time on their silly feud. If you want to do something come after my belt, fuck this feud let’s beat them up on the street, I ain’t looking to run down some waste of time.

Shane Douglas turns down being the third man because he’s got more important things to do.

Jerry Lawler says all ECW fans need to be locked up.

Bill Alfonso says we’re not trapped, you are.

Rick Rude says Sandman and Tommy don’t need anyone, he then snaps at RVD and Sabu for leaving. Rude then says if his neck wasn’t fucked he would fuck Lawler up himself. He says to lock the door and finish it. Rude then storms off the set.

Tommy Dreamer is in a dark room; he’s talking about the Ball injury he suffered we also get clips of the beat down.

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Terry Funk
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boyz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 222
July 21st. 1997
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The show opens up with footage of the Steel Cage match between the Dudleyz/Gangstaz; New Jack does a diving headbutt off the top onto D-Von. Buh Buh is limping so it looks like he, re-injured his ankle again. D-Von goes up top I guess to dive off himself, but New Jack pushes him off and he falls to the floor outside leaving it 2-1. Buh Buh hits Jack with a super buh buh cutter off the top but hurts his ankle even worse allowing MUSTAFA to cover for the win.

In the ring, Joey Styles welcomes us the ECW Heatwave '97. He sees The Blue Meanie at ringside in a Taz t-shirt, and he requests an interview. But Styles wants no part of this until fuckin’ LANCE WRIGHT comes back to interview him and Meanie starts babbling like a god damned blueberry about choking people out. Lance asks if he's mocking Taz, so Meanie runs away. Joey makes Lance go into the crowd after him, and then brings out Rick Rude who is accompanied by two whores. “Joey’s got a boner” chants Rude says after 6 months of negotiations, he’s signed a 2 year deal with ECW and is every happy about it. Styles announces the main event of tonight's show is the Steel Cage between; RVD, Sabu and Jerry “The King” Lawler and they will be facing The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, and a mystery partner. Rude says he’s shocked Lawler has the balls to show up tonight, he then says Sandman and Dreamer don’t need a partner because they will kick the shit out of anyone.

Joel Gertner is with the Dudley Family, he says the ECW tag title must be defended on the next PPV. And who better than the best tag team in the world, The Eliminators! Oh, he forgot that Perry Saturn has a bum leg. Joel then says they should be defended by the recognized Tag Team Champions, The Gangstaz! Joel says if they can show up to Hardcore Heaven, they'll hand the belts over. D-Von says they whooped their asses and Buh Buh says they're their bitches now. He says even Big Dick is a bitch, but he growls, so Bubba says he's only half a bitch. Joel says The Gangstas merely forgot the belts when they were loaded into the ambulance, with New Jack's blown out back and Mustafa's brain damage. He says if The Gangstas cannot make their title defense, then it's only fair that the title reverts back to previous ownership.

John Kronus (w/Perry Saturn) vs. Pablo Marquez
Some bullshit Kronus showcase, fuck this guy. Pablo gets some decent moves in and looks better than this useless cunt.

Footage airs of the WWF invasions, both at Wrestlepalooza and Orgy of Violence.

Joey Styles and Rick Rude hype up the Steel Cage main event again and the PPV in August.

ECW World Heavyweight Championship: Shane Douglas (w/Francine) vs. Terry Funk
Douglas gets on the mic and says he's sick of hearing how much money Rude signed for because tonight he’s gonna make fuckin’ history and the time has fuckin’ come. All those people that took care of his belt, hit his music because I’m gonna kick his ass and take back my title. During Funk’s entrance he’s so pissed he throws a chair at Douglas' head but misses, Funk chases Douglas out the ring and the brawl is on. Funk throws some amazing punches and headbutts like head to head headbutts early on Shane tries to run out the building and does, they make it to the street and Funk throws him into everything he can see. They trade chair shots in the crowd and Funk somehow injures his wrist swinging a chair Funk slides into the ring, and while doing so Shane is on the floor and Perry must have left one of his wooden crutches and Douglas uses it on Funk's knee. He hits him several times and in the process breaks the crutch on the leg. Funk pretty much no-sells it and fires himself up when Shane goes leaves the knee and uses punches instead. Funk throws Shane to the floor and Suplexes him through the table already set up, Funk grabs some chairs but Douglas counters with a low blow and sets the chairs up inwards, Funk counters a Shane suplex into one of his own dropping him on the chairs. Funk then drops Shane knee first onto the chair and begins hitting Shane’s knee with the chairs setting up the spinning toe hold. But here comes Francine, and Funk drops her ass on his knee and she bounces off into the turnbuckle While that is going on Shane is on the floor and Funk follows him locking in the spinning toe hold, but here comes Candido to break it up. Francine bites Funk's ear open, but he shoves her off and again applies the spinning toe hold. Out of frustration or old man-age, Funk shoves the ref allowing Francine to jump into the ring and starts biting at it again. Suddenly, it fades to black and Rude and Styles is back WHAT THE FLYING FUCK?!?! Joey tells us that match ended in a DQ

Tod Gordon gives us some bullshit letter explaining the fuckery.

RVD, Sabu, and Lawler are in the cage as Dreamer, Sandman, and Beulah who is pushing a trolly full of weapons to the ring. Beulah is dressed like a secretary Lawler grabs the mic and says no one will tag with them, but here comes RUDE! He says you wanna talk shit about my company, they have a partner and it him you PIECE OF SHIT! RUUUUUDE! Rude follows Sandman and Dreamer into the ring, but he CLOTHESLINES DREAMER HOLY SHIT! Rude leaves, and it's a 3 on 2. Beulah slaps him on the floor, so he throws her face first into the cage HOLY SHIT! Rude then puts chairs into the ring and he locks it as Sandman and Tommy get beaten down to end the show.

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Terry Funk
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Gangstaz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 223
July 28th, 1997
Buffalo, New York

The show opens where last weeks show ended, Rude locks the cage as Beulah is being carried off but here comes Terry Funk. He stalks Rude around the ring but the Triple Threat jumps him from behind. Funk does his best to fight them off, as the brawl in the ring heats up. But here comes Bam Bam and he takes out Funk. Bam Bam rakes Funk’s bloody ear against the cage Here comes jobbers trying to climb the cage but get knocked down for their efforts. Funk is now busted open but he just wants to get his hands on Douglas, back in the ring. Tommy is being crucified to the cage again. Lawler grabs the mic and says he's gonna show Dreamer for the little man that he his. OH SHIT! Lawler grabs his balls He lets go and RVD nails him with a chair. Lawler teases hitting Dreamer in the balls again as RVD and Sabu crucify Sandman on the opposite side of the cage. RVD and Sabu then hit STEREO VAN DAMINATORS!

IT’S TAZ! TAZ T-BONES CANDIDO OVER THE RAILS INTO THE CROWD! He has the key or takes the key and opens the cage door. RVD and Sabu see this and climb over the top, Lawler is busy gloating and doesn’t see any of this. He finally turns around and pulls down the strap, he peppers TAZ with punches and a back suplex but Taz is right back up, Tazmission on Lawler but the Triple Threat attack Taz who doesn’t break the hold. Sabu and RVD jump in not to help but to get Lawler out, it’s a 3-1 assault with Candido hitting a diving headbutt on Taz’s ribs, they do it twice as Funk tries to crawl in but gets cut off at the door. Bam Bam pours beer on Taz as they take turns beating him up. Shane keeps knocking Funk away through the door. Shane wears out Taz with a chair AND CANDIDO PUTS THE KNOCKED OUT TAZ INTO THE TAZMISSION! OH FUCK. The Triple Threat and Rick Rude pose in the ring as we roll into the intro AMAZING!

Rick Rude is in the ring, and tries to do the “what I’d like to have right now” opening but the crowd is boooo’ing him like it’s 1992 this goes on for a good 3 minutes as the crowd mix in a “smurf” chant. Rude has finally had enough and says what I’d like to have right now “IS FOR ALL YOU FAT, OUT OF SHAPE, BUFFALO BONEHEADS” to keep the noise down while he shows the most devastating force in pro wrestling today. Out come the Triple Threat, Shane grabs the mic and says he had a choice to make, he could have Rick Rude as an enemy, but he chose to have him as an ally. He says he made an indecent proposal for a decent result, he’s had 365 days with his sweetness so one night without her was just a little time off. Francine has the mic and says everyone called her a whore anyways, so this time the trick is on everyone else.

Joey recaps the Tommy involvement with this WWF invasion, Styles reveals that Rude also took money from Lawler in addition to selling out to the Triple Threat.

Balls and Axel carry Tommy to the back where a busted open Beulah is refusing getting looked over. Taz comes in and grabs Tommy by the hair, he yells “Partner? Well, you got one” and leaves TAZ

RVD, Sabu, and Bill Alfonse come out because RVD has a match with Bill Wiles, but RVD comes out and grabs the mic. He says ECW is a late night, weekend program. What kind of stupid idiot would put Mr. Monday Night to wrestle at a weekend TV Program? SABU then sucker punches Bill and takes his place

Sabu (w/Bill Alfonso & Rob Van Dam) vs. Bill Wiles
This is a Sabu showcase and he doesn’t even botch badly, he does all the spots and finishes him off with the camel clutch. Post-match; RVD hits the Van Daminator, and Sabu hits the Arabian Facebreaker. RVD gets on the mic and says that was a Monday Nigh Super performance.

HARDCORE HEAVEN: AUGUST 17TH! HYPE!

A highlight video airs of the Buffalo show.

In a pre-tape; Rob Van Dam is in the back with Sabu and Bill Alfonse, RVD says here's another reason why he can’t stand ECW. RVD says it’s Sabu/Sandman at the PPV, he says he’s worried about him SABU that is? He says he’s gonna kick his whole gameplan. He’s gonna drink and smoke, oh and he has a cane or something. That’s not the problem, the problem is he’s not an athlete. He says Sandman drinks all day like an alcoholic, he then pats Fonzie on the shoulder and says no offense, there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with alcohol every once in a while. Also, he smokes and has gross yellow teeth. He again apologizes to Fonzie RVD says Sandman sweat is like toxic water when it gets on you, RVD then says to whoever his opponent is for the PPV – Congrats because he knows a lot of people are jockeying for that spot - if they put in a good effort, he'll put in a good word for them. Not in ECW, but in a real company, because he's Rob Van Dam.

Sandman is backstage and smashes beer cans on his head.

Chris Candido says at Hardcore Heaven, he's getting his first ever PPV match as Chris Candido, without any gimmicks, he's not worried about Taz because he choked him out with his own hold. He says he started ECW too, and he was there while Taz was jumping around in fur like an idiot. He goes to his locker room and says he signed that contract the first moment it was in his hand, but he hasn't found anything from Taz yet. He opens his locker door, AND THE CONTRACT IS THERE AND SAYS "TAZ" IN BLOOD!

Taz says he signed his Candido’s death warrant in his own blood, and now it's time that he tastes Candido's blood.

New Jack says he told them he’ll get them, you thought that back injury was gonna stop him. This isn't gonna put him down. He says Mustafa's laying up somewhere, but that ain't gonna put them down, and they're taking their belts on the PPV. He says he's been shot and stabbed and this ain't shit. BUT THE DUDLEY BOYZ ATTACK HIM! The Eliminators try to save, and a brawl ends the show.

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Terry Funk
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Gangstaz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 224
August 4th, 1997
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Rick Rude with his arm around Francine is with the Triple Threat backstage, He says everyone asks why he did it and why he turned his back on ECW, Sandman offers him a cold beer and a filterless cigarette to put his neck on the line, and Tommy Dreamer has his thumb up his ass and doesn't offer him anything. No money, not a shot at Beulah, and not even a peak at her McGillicutty. Shane Douglas, on the other hand, offers him a warm pooch. so he had to think things out, Sandman offered him Lung cancer and dialysis or nights of heavenly bliss. He says you can judge a man by the company he keeps, and he sees the next TV Champion, Bam Bam, and the next ECW World Champion. Douglas says they say if you look into a man’s eyes, you look directly into his soul. Three and a half years ago, they put ECW on the map and they crossed the line, and said he carried he and Sabu for sixty minutes, Shane says the hourglass was running damn short and they are shutting the book of Terry Funk and opening one called Franchise. He says it's his belt, and on August 17th, they'll walk out of the arena calling him a champion and calling Funk retired because it's his belt.

Rob Van Dam, Sabu, and Bill Alfonso are in the ring.

Mikey Whipwreck vs. Rob Van Dam (w/Sabu & Bill Alfonso)
RVD showcase with Mikey looking great during the process.

Joey Styles is in the ring and welcomes us to the show, but Rick Rude comes out. Joey Styles says he’s not an announcer anymore and no one asked him out here. Rude grabs the mic and says unless he grows 1 foot taller and 100 pounds more he better shut up. The crowd chant “you suck dick” Rude says the people have mistaken him for someone who gives a shit and says to save their ass breath for someone who takes them seriously. What I’d like to have right now is for all you fat, out-of-shape-piss ants to keep their eyes open and mouths shut and welcome the next ECW World Champion. Shane says it's great to be home and asks Rude to go with Francine to the back and make sure she's loose for the main event. The crowd chant “Franchise” because it’s an awful place and he’s from there I guess, Shane says they’ve watching him grow for 15 years, he says they call him the Franchise for a reason, it’s not because I’m the best-looking guy in ECW, which happens to be true. Not because I’m the baddest man in ECW because I am. It’s not because Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon and Dick Flair and pieces of shit Hogan are too scared to face me, which they are this guy and his weekly pathetic shoots They call me the Franchise because he is the leader of the most powerful force in wrestling the Triple Threat. All of a Sudden here comes Rob Van Dam, Sabu, and Bill Alfonso YES! Fonzie says they mean no disrespect, but he's looking at the best team in the world. RVD says they’re great fans of his, not that he’s a Monday Night superstar or anything. But hey for a weekend warrior you do a hell of a job Fonzie hypes his team up some more to which Shane says fuck the WWF and Jerry Lawler, but here comes Terry Funk. He says he doesn't have to come out and use the f-word like all these idiots in his town. SHANE SAYS "FUCK AMARILLO" AND TERRY HITS HIM! Funk/Sabu/Shane brawl which leads to the Triple Threat and the rest of the locker room coming up to ensure this doesn’t doesn’t go south.

The Sandman was injured in the steel cage match so this Saturday at the ECW arena the card has been changed; TERRY FUNK VS. SABU FOR THE ECW TITLE IN An NO ROPES BARBED WIRE MATCH! HOLY SHIT!

Replay is shown of the New Jack, Dudleyz, Eliminators brawl

Joel Gertner is with the Dudley Boyz; He says The Gangstaz somehow managed to win the titles, and says every contract has stipulations. If the Dudley Boyz did not show up to Hardcore Heaven with the titles, he said he would shave his head and chest, but there's another one stating that ECW is contractually obligated to have a title defense on that show, and with The Gangstas out of action, they would be stripped of the titles. Some team has to defend those titles, and he has just the team. The team that shows up at Hardcore Heaven, thus helping him keep all his hair, are the only team strong enough and healthy enough to do the job. And therefore, the only team to ever win the titles by losing a match. Buh Buh then bets them to come and take the belts from them, they don’t want them.

Chris Candido vs. Spike Dudley
Candido comes out to Taz’s theme song and ring attire he even does the cross armed taunt during introductions This is an awesome Candido showcase going into the PPV, he does all of Taz’s moves mixed in with a few of his own. God bless you, Candido, Spike looks great as usual in these showcase matches. He has this great little stretch until Candido ends him with a Blonde Bombshell Superbomb.

Taz is in the Taz dojo sparring with his students; He says he's 400 miles away, and Candido's a real entertaining guy and is good with mid-games. He says he didn't make him mad, nothing really gets to him. He’s from Brooklyn. But, maybe he has to get mad and starts mauling them with Suplexes, they have to pull him off of the Tazmission on one poor kid as Taz just screams for Candido.

Joey Styles hypes up Sabu/Terry Funk he then ruins it by calling Shane Douglas the most controversial wrestler ever.

Terry Funk is in the locker room, he says Philly and Texas are his two favorite places. Philly adopted him and Amarillo is his home, but he has places that he hates going to, like Pittsburgh, because they're all ignorant and inbred like Shane He says he finds out now that he's going to Fort Lauderdale, FL for a pay-per-view. He hasn't been in Florida in 10 years, and he left the state because of all the stupid crackers and THAT THICK PIG LIPPED EGG SUCKING DOG DUSTY RHODES! YES! He says he's coming back now for the PPV and it's not the crackers that are the problem, it's the Haitians and the people from all over the South that has infiltrated Florida, and those stupid ignorant crackers educated those people and taught these people how to murder and rob cars and they taught them to rape and insanity, these stupid Florida fools. He says he's the pride of Philadelphia and Amarillo, and he wants to go home, not to Florida. He says he's getting out soon, but he's not getting out without the ECW Title, and he's going to give it his last breath. He says to look at his body and his arms and ask if he cares about barbed wire or if he's afraid of Sabu. He says he'll walk through the barbed wire with his hand above his head, and he's going to walk to Florida surrounded by crackers, pigs, and dogs, throwing all kinds of animal crap at him, and he's going to be on that PPV and he's going to go through that match and walk away from the professional wrestling world with this belt around his waist.

FUNK IS GOD!

​

 

[Crippler]

The ECW Arena: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
08/09/1997
ECW Born To Be Wired

No Ropes Barbed Wire Match For the ECW World Heavyweight Championship: Terry Funk vs. Sabu (w/Bill Alfonso)
Terry smartly is wearing a t-shirt with taped hands, while Sabu is shirtless with taped hands. Slow feeling out process it’s kinda like a boxing match or UFC fight, they throw air punches just trying to see what the other will do. Styles lets us know due to the violence this will not be shown on ECW Hardcore TV like the rest of matches do. Sabu dropkick the knee early but Funk keeps him grounded, he tries to whip him into the wire but Sabu puts on the breaks. Sabu does the same but Funk just falls to the mat and rolls to the floor. Back in, Sabu locks in the camel clutch but breaks to do more damage. They lock-up and Funk does one of his magnificent headbutts followed by a neckbreaker. He picks SABU up for a piledriver but only gets two, they battel over who’s face will touch he barbed wire first but the hands up defense works. Sabu then hits the 'rana but on the kickout Funk shoved him into the wire. Funk now rakes his face against the barbed wire instantly cutting him open. Sabu is now whipped into the wire cutting up his back, Funk’s not done as he drops him leg and thigh first onto the barbed wire not only ripping his skin but his pants too. HOLY SHIT! Funk whips him into the opposite corner and Sabu’s bicep is court, you can see him pull to break free as his skin just stretches. Funk beats on him all around the ring but counters a whip and this time Funk gets thrown back first into the barbed wire. Fonzie throws in a chair and Sabu uses it as a weapon as he hits him 4 times into the back and kicks him face first into the barbed wire. SABU PULLS OUT A FUCKIN’ SPIKE AND STABS FUNK IN THE HEAD! He places Funk head and chest first up against the wire and does the chair assisted legdrop for two. He goes for it again, but Funk avoids and Sabu crashes into the wire ripping his bicep open it’s just pouring blood. God bless Sabu and Funk as they’re just talking loudly about the injury not giving a fuck about the match. Funk takes the time to set up the chair as SABU take some tape and wraps his arm up, even during Funks neck breaker and selling he continues the wrap the arm. SABU GETS HIS 2ND WIND BUT FUNK STOPS IT COLD WITH A RIGHT HAND! Sabu rolls to the floor to further tape his arm up, but here comes Funk to rake his face on the bottom wire. Funk goes for the spinning toe hold but Fonzie climbs onto the apron so Funk drags him onto the wire for his problems. He turns and front suplex Sabu onto the wire handing mid-section first on it, Fonzie then crawls over to SABU so Funk the old amazing bastard wraps some barbed wire over his fist and punches Fonzie in the head with it Funk rips of Fonzies shirt and rakes it across his bare back AMAZING! He does this several more times until he’s had enough. He somehow comes across some wire cutters and begins cutting the barbed wire no to break free, no, no, no he begins whipping Sabu in the back with it. Funk rolls to the floor just to beat on Fonzie some more even though he’s just lying on the floor dead. Funk rolls in and Sabu has the wire cutters trying to cut the ropes, he sees Funk coming and nails him in the head with it. RVD then runs in and puts the boots to Funk giving Sabu time to cut the rest of the barbed wire. RVD wearing worker’s gloves begins to wrap Terry Funks whole body in barbed wire. He places Funk on a table and Sabu leg drops him through it. But here comes Tommy Dreamer to even the odds; Funk who is still wrapped in the wire rolls back into the ring and Sabu covers him for two. Sabu then decides to bring out another table and place Funk on top of it, he then wraps his whole lover body with the barbed wire he cut off and legdrops Funk through the table HOLY SHIT! BOTH MEN ARE TIED UP TOGETHER AND SLOWLY MAKE IT TO THEIR FEET AND BACK IN. After what seems to be like 3 minutes Sabu covers and Funk kicks out WHAT! Sabu again tries to pull himself free but makes it worse this time he just covers Funk and gets the three count. HOLY FUCKIN’ SHIT! It takes them 2 and half minutes to cut them free from the barbed wire.

I haven’t seen any of the past ECW ones, but I'm guessing they weren’t as violent as this. Because nothing I’ve seen is as violent as this, I’ve been watching wrestling since ’97 and I’ve never seen anything as insane as this ever. I kinda wonder of this was the plan of the whole match or did they have to improvise after Sabu tore his bicep wide open. JUST AMAZING/HORRIFYING. God bless 54-year-old at the time Terry Funk and Sabu for this.

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Sabu
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Gangstaz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 225
August 11th, 1997
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The show opens with the ending minutes of the SABU/Terry Funk barbed-wire match.

A hype video for Hardcore Heaven 1997 opens the show with the “THIS IS EXTREME” song

Joey Styles welcomes us to the show, he announces at the PPV Sabu will Face Terry Funk and Shane Douglas for the ECW title in a 3-way-elmination match. He also announces that whoever makes it to Hardcore Heaven with the Tag Titles will defend them against PG-13. RVD vs. Al Snow is also booked.

Spike Dudley vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
This was from the Born To Be Wired show; Bam Bam gets the crowd fired up by teasing throwing Spike into the crowd, he hits this amazing one-handed Beal out of the corner sending Spike from one side of the ring to the other. He then lifts spike above his head and teases throwing him into the crowd but instead drops him chest first into the mat. Bam Bam continues to toy with Spike, throwing him to the floor. Bam Bam rams Spike’s head into the ring-post busting him open, Spike crawls his way back in and again Bam Bam does the huge Beal. Bam Bam gets cocky and heads up for the moonsault but misses, SPIKE GETS HIS 2ND WIND AND MAKES A COMEBACK! He hits a series of flying forearms knocking Bam Bam down but when he goes for the DudleyDogg Bam Bam drops him with a back suplex. Bam Bam throws him into the corner but Spike shoots out with a headbutt to the balls, then out of desperation he connects with a victory roll and pins BAM BAM! HOLY SHIT! WOW! YES! Amazing big man vs. little match, the best is yet to come though. ***

Backstage: Sabu is getting stitched up as RVD is holding the ECW world title asking Fonzie how it looks on him, he then asks Sabu to help him put it on but Sabu growls and RVD says stop being a baby RVD IS THE BEST.

Clips air of Shane/Funk/Sabu I to hype up the rematch, along with last week’s brawl.

Footage airs of the end of a Douglas/Funk match that I think took place on last weekend’s show in Pittsburgh; Shane hits the Belly to Belly with the ref down but Sabu comes out to and attack both men, and he hits the Belly to Belly on Shane and goes up top to hit him with a Flying Legdrop too. That allows Terry Funk to slowly crawl over him and cover for the win.

Styles hypes up Taz/Candido and announces Bam Bam/Spike II

Footage airs of the ending of Dreamer/Raven and the WWF invasion from WrestlePalooza

In a pre-tape; Jerry Lawler his head on the screen in front of famous Tommy Dreamer moments and clips from their feud. He says he said he was ECW, exposing crappy wrestler, and he's going to expose Tommy Dreamer for the barefaced liar that he is. He says nobody challenges The King. He says he came to his bingo hall twice and exposed him for the ballless wonder that he is, and he challenges him at Hardcore Heaven. He says this name is stupid but it's appropriate, but when it's the two of them alone, he'll send Tommy to heaven and end this for good.

Footage airs of WWF invasion II and Jim Cornette’s debut from Orgy of Violence.

Taz's promo from last week airs again.

Taz says this Sunday night, a violent act will be committed by a violent man, and that's him. He doesn't need barbed wire or chairs or tables to be violent. He doesn't need a weapon, his hands are his weapon, and the Tazmission will be hooked on his neck. Oxygen deprivation, that's fate, because he's going to choke him out. BEAT HIM IF YOU CAN. SURVIVE IF HE LETS YOU!

Clips air of The Dudley Boyz & Big Dick vs. Axl, Balls, Hack Myers from the Born To Be Wired show.

Clips air of the whole Steel Cage angle from Heatwave ‘97

LOL GO HOME SHOWS!

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Sabu
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Gangstaz

ECW Hardcore Heaven
August 17th, 1997
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Joey Styles is in the ring and welcomes us to the show. Joey Styles gives us a rundown of tonight's main event, as the crowd boos all three men in the main event Rick Rude comes out, but before he can talk Joey cuts him off and says he knows he can snap his neck and beat him up. But he has to say this, he not only turned his back on ECW with what he did in the steel cage. But now he hired himself out to some boy toy in another organisation. Joey says this mic is his but this interview isn’t his, Rude then says he must have mistaken him for someone who gives a crap. What he'd like right now is for all you fat, out of shape, Lauderdale losers give it up for the next ECW Television Champion, Chris Candido. Tod Gordon then comes out with security and he says Rude turned down a lucrative two-year announcing contract to be a gun for hire, and he can't judge him for what he does outside of ECW, but he's not a manager, and he bars him from ringside! He has security escort Rude from ringside.

ECW Television Championship: Chris Candido vs. Taz
This was kinda weird like it’s was cool for an opener but it was missing something and it didn’t help that they just went back and forth with moves with no real story, Candido did some moves towards Taz’s neck but he never really followed up. The crowd was also shit, they’re like today's crowd trying to get themselves over with chants and sitting on their asses the whole time. The match ends when Taz hits a series of T-Bone Tazplexs but Candido out of desperation hits a scoop slam. Candido places Taz on the top turnbuckle and signals for the end, but Taz recovers and does the cut throat taunt before applying the Tazmission and Candido has no choice but to tap out. So yeah, I like I said this is technically fine but it was lacking something, I was expecting blood and just pure Taz squash violence because during the build Taz signed the contract in his own blood, Candido then beat the shit out of Taz in a cage and locked in his own Tazmission to him then the next week stole his gear and did all his moves pretending to be him. So yeah I was let down a bit. **1/2 - **3/4

Joey announces that the next PPV is ECW November to Remember 1997 on 11/30 in "Pittsburgh". He introduces clips of the ICP in the ring before the show, they are hyping up the crowd. But RVD beats the shit out of them and Sabu comes out in a suit to join in on the fun. YES!

Spike Dudley vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
Before the introduction Bam Bam again teases Spike that he’s gonna throw him into the crowd. So this is on par if not better than every squash match ever. Spike goes on the attack early but on Bam Bam headbutt puts a stop to him, he then follows up with his amazing one-handed beal sending him from one side of the ring to the other; Bam Bam just like in the first one gets a bit too cocky and Spike has this great little comeback. Spike goes up top for a ‘rana but Bam Bam catches him and absolutely kills him with a powerbomb. Bam Bam isn’t done as he press slams him onto the ring-post and to the floor. Spike slow gets back into the ring and again Bam Bam picks spike up over his head, but this time he actually does it HE THROWS SPIKE INTO THE 2ND OR 3RD ROW OF THE FANS. BAM BAM BEING SO PROUD OF HIMSELF DOES A CARTWHEEL IN HE RING TO CELEBRATE The fans drunkenly try to carry Spike to the barricades until Bam Bam drags him over himself and back into the ring. Bam Bam hits a nasty looking Piledriver and follows up with a moonsault for the win. Best squash ever. ***

Joey Styles show us again the ICP getting killed but, the Sandman who can’t compete tonight due to injuries suffered in the steel cage match tried to make the save. RVD hits him with the Van Damninator, Sabu then went up top and threw a chair in his head; they’re not done as they do the splash/legdrop combo with a chair on top of his head. We then cut to footage of Sandman being loaded into an ambulance.

Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso) vs. Al Snow
This is being contested under Monday Night Rules Snow hasn’t found head yet so he's just still a nobody. Styles tries to put over Snow calling him a wrestlers, wrestler Snow is getting the same amount of Booo’s as RVD if not worse This is pretty much an RVD showcase, not on the level as the Barely Legal one because Snow is now Storm, but at least RVD isn’t as sloppy as he was then. He’s slowing growing into his 1998/1999 insane offense. RVD’s bumping is the best as he makes everything Snow does look deadly, they have this nice sequence with Snow avoiding a senton from RVD but just dropping to the floor, and he doesn’t fall of RVD’s baseball slide. This is just like the Taz/Candido match as they trade moves back and forth with neither working a body part, but at least with this one, it kinda makes sense as this is a first time meeting with no previous build or someone signing a contract in fuckin’ blood. RVD hits the Van Daminator for the win. **1/2 - **3/4

That smurf Lance Wright is in a helicopter, the Sandman stole the ambulance and is now driving around Florida but he seems to be lost well no shit, he probably drunk and concussed.

Jerry “The King” Lawler is cutting a promo he says he just got off the phone with Vince, he says this has to be the darkest day in his entire career to be here in this dump with all these ECW morons. Vince said he admired his guts for going into the mouth of the lion's den alone, and he told Vince that he's not by himself, because all the WWF superstars are with him in spirit. Last night, The Undertaker said he'd like to see Tommy Dreamer rest in peace, and gave him permission to use the Tombstone Piledriver. Even Bret Hart told him that he was right, and he'd like the honor of Lawler finishing off Tommy Dreamer with the Sharpshooter! Earlier today, Stone Cold called him and said he wanted him to open up a can of whoop-ass on Tommy Dreamer, and he may just do that.

The Dudley Boyz are in the ring along with Joel Gertner, Big Dick, and Sign Guy Dudley oh and fuckin Jenna Jameson. Joel says if there's one thing more precious than PPV, it's The Quintessential Studmuffin, Joel "Squeeze My Lemon Until the Juice Runs Down My Leg" Gertner. He gives everyone the introductions first Jenna, then himself “Studley Dudley” he then turns to Jenna and says remember that name you’ll be screaming it later Sign Guy Dudley and Big Dick Dudley is next. He officially announces the Dudley Boyz as the new ECW Tag Team Champions.

ECW Tag Team Championship: The Dudley Boyz (w/Joel Gertner, Big Dick Dudley, Sign Guy Dudley & Jenna Jameson) vs. PG-13
Ice gets on the mic, I guess they are the babyfaces tonight. Which makes no sense as they came from Lawler promotion in Memphis and from that 3-minute clip I saw of them on that one ECW show they looked and acted like great comedy heels. Anyway, Ice says momma Dudley must be a whore cause of all the different Dudleyz running around, he then calls Buh Buh fat by saying; he’s so fat if I told you to haul, your fat ass would have to take two trips. He then just calls big dick, just a big dick and says Joel looks like Elvis right before he died. He then hits on Jenna who turns her back on him. Yeah so was pretty bad, like I said PG-13 are a comedy act and they can’t do all their great dick heel antics being a face, it’s just like everything else on the show it’s technically fine but it’s lacking something, this would have been fine on some throw away weekend show but not on your 2nd PPV ever. But u guess with Perry being a walking cripple, and ‎Mustafa being out this is the only other Tag team on the roster. This was more of a Dudleyz showcase more than PG-13 showing or breakthrough, fuck it Dudleyz win after the 3D. **1/2

Joey Styles confirms that The Sandman is driving around South Florida in a stolen ambulance; smurf Lance Wright says he's lost and made himself a stop at the gas station to get more beer

THE LIGHTS GO OFF...BUT WHEN THE TURN BACK ON Jerry “The King” Lawler is in the ring, he says he wants to invite the idiots who brought this PPV, those idiots who probably have more money than brains ordering this show. He says he would like to invite the PPV fans to watch a real pay-per-view on September 7th as the WWF presents Ground Zero. Lawler then repeats the promo he did backstage

Jerry Lawler vs. Tommy Dreamer (w/Beulah McGillicutty)
They waste no time going right at it, as Tommy drills Lawler with two frying pan shots to the head busting him open immediately. Tommy then proceeds to beat the shit out of Lawler through the crowd using beer, a cheeseburger and a cookie sheet as a weapon Lawler's selling is fantastic, as he not even making an attempt to fight back because this is “out of his element” Dreamer begins choking Lawler with a belt, but once they get back to the ring. Dreamer takes too much time pandering to the crowd allowing Lawler to launch Tommy off the top onto a steel chair. He brings to use a steel chair as a partner doing same and now it’s his time to beat on Dreamer around ringside. I love that Lawler is doing payback stops e.g. Dreamer dropped him balls first onto the rails so Lawler does it to him, plus it goes with the story with Tommy’s ballsack injury. Lawler isn’t done as he grabs the belt Tommy choked him with and does the same to him. But Lawler being the sick person he wraps the belt around his fist with the metal part sticking out and proceeds to punch Dreamer in the head busting him open. Lawler then connects with the piledriver but he’s too cocky and waits too long so Tommy kicks out at two, Lawler rips off Tommy’s ECW shirt and proceeds to wipe his armpits and his ass Lawler's punches have no effect and TOMMY IS PISSED! He starts dishing out King style punches and they both drop the straps but when Lawler does his he does the Flair front drop bump. Tommy then grabs the ECW ripped shirt and stuffs it in Lawler's mouth, to which the refs has words with Tommy about allowing Lawler to grab Tommy’s balls Lawler drops 3 knees to Tommy’s balls and sets up a DDT but Tommy shoves Lawler into the ref knocking him down, Lawler then DDT’s the ref taking him out. Dreamer goes to get some revenge on Lawler’s balls but the light goes out...And Rick Rude is back, he nails Tommy in the head with the trash can twice before shaking Lawler's hand and rolling Tommy back in. Tommy kicks out and again gets the upper hand, but again the lights go out and JAKE THE SNAKE ROBERTS IS IN THE RING! He clotheslines Tommy as Jerry looks shocked, he DDT’s Tommy. He swerves Lawler with the handshake by clotheslining him…but he falls on top of Tommy for two, Jake then claps as he walks away. Tommy goes for the DDT now but again the lights go out and…..Sunny is in the ring, she sprays hairspray in Tommy’s eyes as we get a CAT FIGHT! Lawler then tries to use Beulah as a shield, but she kicks him in the dick, and Tommy gets a ball claw in revenge and hits the DDT for the win. This is 18 minutes and the first 14-15 minutes are the best thing on this show, but the lights out fuckery almost ruined it. ***

Clips air of Sabu/Funk/Douglas I

Lance Wright says he thinks The Sandman has finally made it to the arena; it only took him an hour and 50 minutes. Sandman fights off security and police with a cane as they just yell back off. Now if that was a black man, nope I ain’t gonna go there.

Three-Way-Dance for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship: Shane Douglas (w/Francine) vs. Terry Funk vs. Sabu (w/Bill Alfonso)
Francine’s cleavage is on fleek tonight she’s got this all black pov leather outfit on that pushes her tits up making them look bigger. Francine then tries to pay off Funk either to work with Shane or to leave the match, he doesn’t buy it and throws the money into the crowd. JESUS FUCKIN’ CHRIST THIS GETS 30 MINUTES, IDK if Heyman and Shane are fuckin’ but I have no idea what Shane has all these freedom and main event ring time because he’s like the worse wrestler in the fuckin’ company. Styles lets us know that Sabu had to have 100 stitches on his arm after the barbed wire match and then he superglued it together too. GOD bless that man, also go to Sabu’s go found me page. Give him some money I think it’s for a new hip, he deserves it. So this is a total fuckin’ mess as expected, it’s worse than the Barely Legal match mostly because Douglas is in it but mostly because it has no story except for Sabu and Douglas working together early to eliminate Funk. Shane might be the dumbest wrestler ever, after what seems to be like 5 minutes of working with Sabu he proceeds to whack Sabu in the back with a chair for no reason it’s not like he then tried to pin him. Nope, Styles tries to save it by saying Shane probably thinks Funk it weakened enough so Shane can pin him. Well, that would be true if this was one fall, but ECW 3-Ways are elimination so yeah. Anyway, Sabu turns up and begins diving on any and everyone, even hitting his double jump moonsault wiping Douglas out who was in the crowd. Fuck this, they do stuff for another like 10 to 15 minutes is just aright I guess I’ll tell you what I will probably never watch ever again or would ever watch their first match together one time, fuck that. Fonzie brings in a table and places Funk on top of it but here comes Tod Gordon who beats up Fonzie and takes Funk off the table, Douglas then attacks Gordon and places him on the table but Funk puts Fonzie on their too and Sabu takes them both out with a legdrop. As officials are tending to Gordon and Alfonso, The Sandman runs out and begins beating up Sabu with the ladder. Here comes the Police to escort Sandman away, but at the same time, Funk and Douglas both cover Sabu to eliminate him.

Police struggle with Sandman on the entrance way and Sabu hits the double jump no hands plancha wiping out everyone, they brawl to the back leaving this down to Terry Funk and Shane Douglas. Shane and Funk brawl as wrestlers from the back come out and watch from the entrance I guess to try to make this epic lmao Funk’s right hands are amazing, he might be on Taker’s level as the best puncher ever. Funk kicks out of Shane’s shitty belly-to-belly suplex to which Styles loses his mind because no one has ever done that before Francine gets in and begins to slap Funk but…..DORY FUNK JR. makes the save, Douglas and Funk fight on the apron but just simply fall through the table on the floor Funk kicks out of the Belly to Belly AGAIN! And he kicks out of it a 3rd time, but the 4th is too much and Douglas pins Funk. FUCK EVERYTHING! Terrible match, I have no idea what Heyman’s obsession with Douglas is I just want it to end. **

Post-Match: Francine and Douglas take turns whipping Funk in the back with the title belt as wrestlers just what on, SMH show the OG Funk some respect you, geeks. Joel Gertner is here with the Dudleyz, he says before he got attached to the Dudley he was his personal ring announcer. Buh Buh and D-Von continue to beat up Funk as wrestlers just look on Joel says he has the gold and it’s as simple as this dump his less than successful tag team and join the tag team champions, forget the triple threat. Join the triple crown. Here come Bam Bam and Candido……and they brawl? Oh, so now the geeks on the floor get involved and break it up. The Triple Threat leaves and Big Dick hits everyone with Chokeslams until Kronus and New Jack run out along with Axel and Balls and take the fight to the whole Dudleyz family and New Jack kills Gertner with a steel chair.

Terrible fuck show, only thing to watch is BamBam/Spike and Dreamer/Lawler before the fuckery

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boyz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 226
August 18th, 1997
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jenna Jameson says nothing is as extreme as ECW.

They debut the “This Is Extreme” song as the new intro song, RIP! The generic rock opener that was the same song as the Pitbulls song.

Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso) vs. Tommy Dreamer (w/Beulah McGillicutty)
LOL They botch 5 seconds in with RVD doing the drop down splits but Dreamers boot catches RVD’s head and Dreamer trips and falls into the middle rope they do the exact same spot but this time Dreamer doesn’t trip and dropkicks RVD in the back of the head. Dreamer comes up limping and seems to be hurting real bad because he has a noticeable limp for the rest of the match. Anyway, they brawl for the most part with good weapons shots and RVD dying like no one does. And Dreamer bumps well as recipe, it’s still crazy to me that RVD uses to use the 5-start-frog splash as some silly 2 count move. They use weapon spots and have some cool revenge stuff like Tommy Dropping RVD balls first on the rails then RVD would do it to him, or RVD would dropkick the chair in Dreamers face then Dreamer would do it to him. Dreamer even hit a frog splash that looks like shit so it’s like a 1 star. Fonzie gets in, but Beulah takes him out and Dreamer goes to get him some by eats a Van Daminator. Here comes Sabu, but Dreamer fights Tommy him off allowing RVD to hit a garbage can Van Daminator and a Corkscrew Legdrop for the win. **3/4 - ***

After the Match; The Triple Threat run out and begin attacking RVD, Sabu, and Dreamer. It’s just a mess as everyone hits everyone then runs to a different opponent and does the same. The locker room empties and instead of trying to break it up it’s just a brawl. The Dudleyz clean house and stand tall….but here comes Axel and Balls, they murder Buh Buh and Big Dick with chair shots as Axel grinds a barbed-wire baseball bat over D-Vons face. The Dudleyz get their heat back somehow. BUT HERE COMES NEW JACK!!! Oh and that piece of shit Kronus and one legged Perry Saturn, Balls and Axl help them and The Dudley Boyz get laid out. New Jack obliterates Gertner with a chair shot and Kronus hits him with the 450 Splash.

Taz cuts a promo. He says it amazes him that sometimes when he talks, not everyone has learned to listen. Chris Candido for example, he didn't get it. He says he told him what was going to happen, but instead he had Rick Rude introduce him as the next TV champ and that didn’t happen. He promised he said he was gonna choke him out and he did, he also said he was gonna stretch him and he did. He says his best wasn't enough, and anytime he wants a rematch, he's got it because nothing changes. He gets hooked and he taps out, and when it’s all said and done he hangs around the building like some mark He says he's not a puppet and he does his job and goes home, and he doesn't do what people want him to do. BEAT ME IF YOU CAN, SURVIVE IF HE LETS YOU!

Joey Syles announces ECW will return to PPV, for the 5th annual November To Remember in Pittsburgh (UGH Douglas is probably gonna be champ walking in and out, or they do some fuckshit and have him be the challenger and walk out with the belt) FUCK YOUUUU!

A video package airs of the history of the ECW World Championship.

Hardcore Heaven images of Sandman’s night and the Main Event.

Clips air of Bam Bam/Spike from last week with Paul Heyman doing voice overs

A recap airs of Tommy/Lawler feud.

Tommy Dreamer says he was in a war for two and a half years, and he wasn't about to let it happen again, so he made sure he ended this one in one match. He says he protected the revolution, and after two and a half years, he can put his pain to rest, and this is the end.

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boyz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 227
August 25th, 1997
Queens, New York

Joey Styles is in the ring and welcomes us to the show; Rick Rude then makes his way down to the ring as a huge “you sold out” chant breaks out. Styles does the usual pander and tells Rude he can kick his ass so he leaves. Rude says he's a smart kid and looks at the crowd and says now he understands the phrase "from the penthouse to the shithouse". He says he was paid to do a job, or more accurately, he was laid to do a job, and now it's time to get the job done, and asks all you fat, out of shape, Queens...well, queens...to shut their holes and open their eyes as he introduces Francine and Shane Douglas, Fran is wearing this brown pov tight dress that zips at the front, she isn’t wearing a bra and teases zipping all the way down Shane makes a weird joke saying his penis is big enough to hold up 16 pounds of gold. He says he doesn't need Rude to protect him like some boys, but he needs Rude to push him to be the best ECW Champion ever, and he's asked Rude to get him an opponent. Rude says protection or inspiration, you pay the premium to get the premium, in cash or in gash. He says he's got to push Shane to the limit every day, so he's picked this guy to give him a good workout, and he's a tough kid, and he brings out Al Snow lmao

Shane Douglas (w/Francine & Rick Rude) vs. Al Snow
HOLY FUCKIN’ SHIT WHY?!?!?! WHY HEYMAN WHY IS Douglas your guy? I don’t get it, I don’t see it. I don’t understand it. As expected this is beyond awful and gets 15 minutes to further end make me want to drink myself into depression, no fab no. You’re going on vacation in 3 days and this is the last ECW you will watch for the 5 days you’re away. Just hold on. Douglas is in full on Flair adjacent here, like it’s worse than 2003 Trips, he allows Snow to out wrestle and outsmarts him in the early going before his hits this awful standing ‘rana with his neck catching the mat kinda like you know when Brock broke Hardcore Holly’s neck when he dropped him on it, like that just a shame Shane didn’t break his neck and have to retire. Fuckin’ Al Snow tunes up the band, showing I have no idea who is the babyface and who is the fuckin’ heel. Shane has this bullshit long ass must be 7-10 minute heat segment that went on far too long and didn’t accomplish a damn thing as Snow pretty much no sells it. There's nobody who buys into an upset win here, especially a week or two after the title win. And it’s Snow is a WWF guy, so why the fuck would they want him to be champ? Snow has a decent comeback, a couple of high impact moves. Douglas hits a belly to belly but waits for 20 seconds allowing Snow to kick out, lel, so I guess he's on Terry Funk's level now. Shane hits a second one to win. **

Lance Wright is now acting like a piece of shit scumbag that he is? Wait so he’s a heel now he says he could have been on WCW or WWF he then complains about being the host of hype central

ECW Television Championship: Pablo Marquez vs. Taz
Taz squash that got a lot more time than expected, considering how over Taz is you would have thought this would have gotten 10 seconds but instead it got 3. Taz does the usual high violent moves and stretches young Pablo the fuck out before locking in the TAZmission.

Jenna Jameson hypes up some BIG! BIG! Event

Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso) vs. Tommy Dreamer (w/Beulah McGillicutty)
This is pretty much a carbon copy of last weeks match, just with a different ending. Not that I’m complaining cause I really enjoyed last weeks match. It had a great story and I loved the revenge spots. The matches ends with Beulah low blowing Fonzie and proceeds to bounce his head of the bottom turnbuckle, RVD then hits the Van Daminator followed by the split leg with the chair but Tommy gets the chair up and into the face. Tommy then reverses RVD’s front split leg with a low blow and DDT’s RVD from the top turnbuckle for the win. Post-Match: Sabu in a suit jumps Dreamer, they hit the rolling thunder/legdrop combo. Beulah tries to put a stop but Fonzi holds her back and makes her watch the beating. RVD then pulls out a WWF banner and place it over Tommy’s body. THEY BURIED HIM! AMAZING!

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boyz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 228
September 1st, 1997
Queens, New York

The show opens up with a recap of last week’s RVD/Dreamer match followed by the post-match burying.

Joey Styles welcomes us to the show and talks about what went down last week, he says we will be getting comments from Tommy Dreamer later in the show. We get another replay of the burying but this time they have some classical wedding typical wrestling music playing in the background

Backstage: Lance Wright says in a few moments he will be talking to Tommy Dreamer, he then tries to shoot on when he use to work for WWF. Dreamer then walks in and Lance says he agent is calling him, he then hands Dreamer a card and leaves. Dreamer just looks at him as Heyman in the background yells at Tommy to look at the camera. Dreamer says, Sabu and Van Dam, the next time he sees them he’s coming at them with everything he’s got.

3-2 Handicap Match: The Full Blooded Italians vs. Spike Dudley & “The Rookie” Chris Chetti
This was a fun, time nothing really stood out, just fundamentally sound and everyone played their character well. Spike/Guido did the majority of the work and they really helped too. Some good back and forth before the FBI isolate Chetti; he has some nice mini breakouts for close pins before finally hot tagging in Spike who cleans house, and it ruled. The match ends when Rich throws Tracy a steel chain and he holds up spike but when Tracy throws the punch spike ducks and he nails his own man, that allows Spike to jackknife pin Rich for the win.

Backstage: Joey Styles again talks about the burying last week; he then brings up a lawsuit they have with WCW. Chris Candido then walks in and says he’s with the most downloaded woman on the planet earth right now. And says he has nothing to do with what happen last week, he loves ECW and all the hardcore stuff. He then gets a call from JR; as Joey lies to him saying they cut the tape and it wasn’t recording. Candido then talks about the Triple Threat and says he’s proud of everyone in it. He then gets another call, but this time he doesn’t say. Candido then talks about the PPV and Taz he says he lost because he was making sure that the camera was in the correct position. He then challenges Dreamer to a match, he wants them to bring the girls and see who's better.

Bobby Duncum Jr. (w/Jason) vs. Sabu (w/Bill Alfonzo & Rob Van Dam)
Holy Shit Duncum Jr. was in ECW good for him, he’s still the same old jobber I’ve been seeing on WCW from ’97-’99. This was basically a Sabu showcase. Duncum does his best Magnum TA/Stan impression it’s the best I’ve ever seen him. As for Sabu, all his offense looks reckless af but in a cool way, it’s the way someone that is supposed to be homicidal, suicidal and genocidal works like. Anyway, RVD comes in to attack for the DQ. Because I guess Sabu needed help, Jason tries to save, but RVD kicks him down. RVD puts Duncum on a table, and Sabu hits a Triple Jump Splash through it. Tommy Dreamer runs out to attack them both on the floor. Dreamer and Sabu brawl for what seems to be way too long it starts looking like an actual match instead of an intense brawl. Tommy hits a Flying Splash off the top onto Sabu and through a table in the ring. RVD who I guess was napping because IDK what he was selling and Duncum Jr already left ringside. RVD Jumps Tommy, the numbers catches up to Tommy but Beulah gets in, and Sabu clotheslines her The Sandman comes out to save, but Sabu blocks the cane with a chair, and RVD hits the Van Daminator! They bury Tommy, Beulah, and The Sandman under the WWF banner and begin celebrating until Taz comes out, RVD leaves first and is followed by Sabu but Taz gets Fonzie by the throat as the show ends.

 

[Crippler]

ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas
ECW Television Champion: Taz
ECW Tag Team Champions: The Dudley Boyz

ECW Hardcore TV: Episode 229
September 8th, 229
Boston, Massachusetts

The opens up with what happen when last week's show went off the air in Queens, Lance comes out and tries to get comments from Taz. Taz tells him for fuck off and calls out Sabu and RVD. Lance then grabs Taz and says he just wants to get some words from him, Taz again calls them out and again Lance grabs him, he says he's fed up with everything that has been going on in ECW. They don’t recognize he his a broadcast journalist and he use to work for the WWF. He says he doesn’t get the respect he deserves before telling Taz if he wants he can put in a good word I guess Lance doesn’t watch the show, Lance says everyone wonders why he was in a helicopter at the PPV…Well it’s because he can afford it, he comes from Stanford and his parents have the money so he has money. Taz then chokes him out because TAZ IS THE FUCKIN’ MAN!!

Joey Styles welcomes us to the show, he says Douglas will defend the ECW title against anyone of Rudes choice UGH! Also, Joel Gertner is with the Dudleyz, and first time meeting the Sandman vs. SABU!

Tracy Smothers (w/The Full Blooded Italians) vs. John Kronus
Styles announces that the rumors are true the Eliminators are no more YES! AND SATURN IS NO LONGER IN ECW FUCK YEAH! This is pretty terrible really terrible, it's 6 minutes of nothingness neither of these guys should ever be in singles matches or be in match that they are the focal points of the match. Kronus does all his exhibition moves with Tracy doing what he does best bumping and selling for him, Kronus hits the 450 for the win.

Joel Gertner is with the Dudleyz and they are in Dudleyville; Joel congratulates Kronus on his singles win. At the same time, he issues a challenge to Kronus to go up against D…No, D-von specializes in tag team wrestling. And so does Buh Buh. He then offers him a match with Big Dick Dudley, and he's heard that Kronus often thinks he can beat Big Dick. He says Kronus fancies himself a master of beating Big Dick, and if he beats him, they might even let him choose a new partner to fight The Dudley Boyz.

Rick Rude makes his way down to the ring and gets on the mic; he says what I’d like to have right now, is for all you fat, out of shape, Massachusetts meatheads to get a good look at the ECW World Champion Shane Douglas. Francine and Douglas come out and Rude introduces Shane opponent for the ring. Axl Rotten lmaolmaolmao

ECW World Heavyweight Championship: Shane Douglas (w/Francine & Rick Rude) vs. Axl Rotten (w/ Rick Rude)
OH MY FUCKIN’ GOD WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?!?!?! This gets 10 minutes and is beyond shit. Shane is in full on “Ric Flair imitation” mode he's so shit that he makes 2003 Triple actually look like Flair. LOOK ALRIGHT THIS GOES 10 FUCKIN MINUTES and in hindsight is kinda hilarious that the “World champ” can’t beat Axl a jobber who can only swing a chair as his offense in less than 3 minutes. Shane wins with the Belly to Belly.

The Sandman comes out for the match with Sabu, BUT SABU JUMPS OFF THE SMALL STAGE BEHIND HIM AND BREAKS A GLASS BOTTLE ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD! FUCK YEAH! Sandman is busted open and is bleeding bad, Sabu places Sandman on the table but Dreamer runs out and moves Sandman out of the way as Sabu crashes through the table. Both men are out and Tommy waves people out to help Sandman; Tommy rolls Sabu in and keeps attacking him before RVD comes out to save! They fight for a few minutes until Sabu makes a recovery. They beat Dreamer down with chairs, they hold up the WWF banner, but Taz comes out and the fights is, but they beat Taz down in a 2 on 1, Tommy is back up, and they run off Sabu and Rob Van Dam. Tommy gets on the mic and says he knows Taz stands alone, but anytime he needs a favor, he's got it, and he's got his back. Taz says he doesn't need anybody to watch his back, and he's not about all this bullshit. He says Tommy owes him, and he wants him to challenge him for the TV Title so they can show everyone what an extreme match is about.

Joey Styles announces next week, Dreamer will face Taz for the TV title along with upcoming dates.

Paul Heyman says Tod is no longer the ECW Commissioner but they intend to carry on his vision of ECW.

 

[Crippler]

WWE HIDDEN GEMS

WrestleFest 1997
September 11, 1997
Amarillo, Tex. at the Tri-State Fairgrounds Coliseum

NODQ Retirement Match: Terry Funk (Dory Funk JR.) vs. Bret “Hitman” Hart (Special Ref: Dennis Stamp)
HOLY SHIT AFTER WHAT SEEMS TO BE 10+ years of finding and looking, I finally get to see this and it’s in HD thank you WWE Network before the match gets on the way Wrestlers from the back along with Funk’s wife and daughters come to the ring for some photos and I guess to pay more tribute to Funk. Heyman grabs the mic and says, the wrestlers in the ring right now represent ECW it is a promotion that was put on the map thanks to the services of the Legend Terry Funk. Heyman says no of this would be possible without him, and tonight we celebrate 50 years of the Funk family. Heyman says on behalf of everyone on behalf of the entire wrestling world, he would like to present him with a championship belt for being in our hearts, the lifetime heavyweight champion of the world. Tommy Dreamer then presents Funk with the title as he hugs his family, Heyman and shakes all the wrestler's hands in the ring. Both heel and faces.

Bret then gets on the mic and gets boooo’ed immediately he says he just wants to say a few words if they can just hear him out; he says he's honored to be here tonight. It’s a privilege to work with the greatest wrestler in the history of the game. He says he knows a lot about the Funk family and it’s was a very important for him to be here tonight. He congratulates Funk on everything and says one last thing...HE’S GONNA GIVE HIM A CANADIAN ASS WHIPPING, Thank you very much

The opening of the match sees a very slow pace battle as both men fight over headlock attempts, Funk getting the better as Bret uses stalling techniques to bide time. Bret doesn’t show Funk the same respect on clean breaks because he uses the break to pepper Funk with punches and begins pounding away on him in the corner. Bret methodically picks Funk apart with strikes before targeting the knee, he works on it for several minutes like a good 5-7 minutes Bret has dominated the match, and Funks old man drunk bumping and selling it top notch. Bret locks in figure four and uses the ropes for leverage, Funk keeps yelling at Bret that he’s a son of a bitch or he’s yelling at one of Bret’s brothers because he’s holding his belt either way it’s hilarious. They have this amazing exchange of strikes with Funk fight his way up from his knees, taking everything Bret can dish out but the Funk is “known” as a better striker and brawler so it took one Funk right hand to turn the tides. Funk would connect with a piledriver but only gets two count. Funk beats up Hart into the crowd as it looks like Bret bumps into a pile of shit as his back is covered in some nasty looking brown shit once they get back to ringside Bret goes back to work on Funk’s knee; Bret grabs a chair and begins driving it into the knee cap of Funk as again Funk uses wild punches to fight back, but this time he punches Bret in the hamstrings and back of the knee to take his knee out. Funk now gets his own chair and begins doing damage to Bret’s knee softening him up. Funk then places Bret on a table set up on the floor, he then goes up for like a Vader Bomb off the middle rope but Bret moves and Funk crashes knees first through the table. He rolls Funk back into the ring; Funk is cut but won’t let go of Bret’s knee as he trips him and applies the spinning toe hold. Bret then grabs his hair and cradles him for a two. Funk hits a back suplex but during the pinfall Bret gets his shoulder up and Funk didn’t lmao After the match; Funk and Bret shake hands as Funk gets helped to the back for the “Last time” Funk pauses and says he has no complaints about the match tonight and he loves everyone.

WELL, I HAVE SOME COMPLAINTS; Match was a piece of shit, terrible. I’m sorry I love both these guys way too much, to watch a 20 mute match like that. And Bret Worked the leg for 10 minutes of it and it was a non-factor in the finish. This should have been 10 maybe 15 with it being a wild and whacky Funk brawl for 10 then go into a match. *3/4 - **

 

[Deezy]

Considering Bret was sick with the flu, you're lucky they didn't do a ten minute headlock spot.