Joey Styles is in the ring for the intro. He looks around at the Hara Arena and mouths “Oh… my… God…” at all the people. “Hello everyone, and welcome to Extreme Championship Wrestling Heatwave ’98!” And that’s it.
ECW Intro: Tonight the rebels take over!!! As the counter culture revolution gets hotter… Sunday Night August 2nd Heatwave ’98 Live on pay-per-view! New Jack kabongs D-von Dudley with a guitar, Bam Bam Bigelow beels Spike Dudley all the way across the ring, Bill Alphonso holds a chair against the Sandman’s head on a ladder so Sabu can hit a guillotine legdrop, the Dudleys 3D Hack Myers, Sandman drinks beer, Rob Van Dam leaps over the guardrail to tackle Bigelow, Sabu with a triple jump moonsault, Buh-Buh Ray Dudley drops a ladder on Sandman’s head, Taz with a T-Bone Tazplex on Pitbull II, Bigelow press slams Spike from the ring into the crowd, Tommy Dreamer rams a shopping cart into Buh-Buh Ray’s groin, RVD with a somersault plancha on Sabu, New Jack dives off a balcony to splash RVD through a table, 911 chokeslams Dreamer from a balcony through two tables, John Kronus with a 450 splash on D-von, Dreamer kaboshes Raven with a chair, who is handcuffed to a cage, Dreamer hits his EC F’N W pose, Taz with a head and arm Tazplex on Mikey Whipwreck, Francine shows off her stuff, Blue Meanie dances, Sabu has Taz in a camel clutch which allows RVD to hit a slingshot dropkick to Taz’s face, Justin Credible and Jason pose, Bigelow gets out of the Tazmission by falling back and putting them both through the ring, and the Triple Threat do their three-fingers pose. This is Extreme!
Jerry Lynn vs. Justin Credible
No entrance music because I guess ECW didn’t want to get sued or something. Nicole Bass, Jason and Chastity accompany Justin. This is the finals of the Lynn/Credible “summer series.” They lock up, Lynn with an armdrag. “Jus-tin Ass-hole!” *clap, clap, clapclapclap!* Justin tells the fans to shut up, and he locks up with Lynn again. Justin with an armwringer, Jerry rolls through, applies one of his own and then leaps across Justin’s back to hit another armdrag. They go to lock up again, Justin hits a kneelift instead. He hits Jerry with an uppercut and backs him into the corner, and hits him with some knife-edge chops. Jerry flings Justin into the corner and gives him some chops of his own and a kick to the midsection. Lynn Irish whips Justin, reversed, Jerry tips up in the corner and executes a sunset flip on a charging Credible. He gets a two count. Justin misses a clothesline, Jerry jumps to the second turnbuckle and vaults off to hit a high cross body for a two count. Justin backs into the corner, Jerry with an Irish whip, reversed, Lynn tips up again. Credible catches him this time and sets up for That’s Incredible. Jerry turns it into a victory roll for a two count. Justin immediately gets up and kicks Lynn in the midsection. He whips Lynn into the ropes, but Jerry ducks a clothesline and comes back with a flying headscissors. Justin backs up to the ropes and gets clotheslined over the top to the floor. Jerry goes up top and hits a plancha on Credible. He throws him back in the ring and covers for a two count. Jerry fakes a vertical suplex and drops Credible on his face for another two count. Lynn with a side headlock takeover for a two count. Credible gets to his feet and pulls Jerry’s hair. He backs him into the ropes and whips him to the opposite side. Lynn sends Credible down with a shoulder block. Lynn off the ropes, Justin drops down, Lynn off the opposite side, Justin leapfrogs as Lynn slides, Lynn with a tilt-a-whirl countered into a reverse DDT by Credible. Credible rams Jerry’s head into the top turnbuckle and hits him with a few right hands while Joey and Shane rag on the “wrestling journalists” for not giving Justin enough credit for being a great athlete when he first came to ECW (*News Flash* No one thought Justin Credible was a great athlete EVER). Credible takes Lynn to another corner and stomps a mudhole. Jason sets up a chair in front of Lynn’s face and Justin runs and rams his knee into it. Justin executes a tiger bomb out of the corner onto the chair for a two count. Credible throws Lynn to the outside, where Bass holds Lynn so Jason can hit him with some martial arts kicks. Justin slides out and chops Lynn, who responds with one of his own. Justin chops him again, Jerry responds with another. Jason chops Lynn, and Credible thumbs him in the eye. Justin whips him into the guardrail and steals a fan’s beer while a security guard runs by to point threateningly at some fan. He hits Jerry with the beer. Both men in the ring, Justin with a whip into the corner. Jerry reverses, Justin HBKs it and lands upright on the apron. Jerry tries a clothesline, but Justin ducks and hits one of his own. Justin up top, goes for a double axehandle, but Jerry blocks and hits a flapjack. Jerry bounces off the ropes and goes for a clothesline, but Justin counters with a Bossman Slam for a two count. Credible applies a reverse chinlock. Jerry fights his way to his feet and elbows his way out of the hold. He bounces off the ropes and executes a sunset flip, but Justin drops down. He gets a two count, but Lynn hooks his arms with his feet and completes the sunset flip for two. Credible rolls out and flips on top of Lynn for two, but Lynn bridges, brings him up into a standing headscissors position and executes a tiger bomb for two. Justin backs into the corner and Jerry kicks him in the midsection. He sets Credible up on the top rope and hits a top rope hurricanrana. Jerry covers for a two count. Douglas makes a good point by saying that by Lynn spreading his legs on the cover, he made it seem like more weight was put on Credible, making it more difficult to kick out (Analysis from an announcer? When was the last time we heard that?). Lynn hits a sidewalk slam and goes up top. He goes for a flying hurricanrana, but Justin counters with a powerbomb. He covers for two. Jason tosses in a chair and Credible sets it up on the mat. He whips Lynn into the ropes and kicks him into the midsection. He tries to slam Lynn’s face into the chair, but Lynn blocks and DDTs Justin on the chair. Lynn crawls over for a cover, but Chastity drapes Justin’s leg over the bottom rope. Lynn yells at Chastity and Credible charges. Lynn backdrops him over the top rope, but Justin lands on the apron, allowing Jerry to snap his neck across the top rope. Lynn sets up a table on the outside and sets Credible on the top rope. He executes a hurricanrana and puts Justin through the table! “E-C-W!” Lynn throws Credible back in and covers, but Jason comes in and hits him with the chair. Jerry retaliates by kicking Jason in the midsection and executing a tiger bomb. Nicole Bass in, and hits Jerry from behind. She lifts him into a firewoman’s carry, but Lynn gets free and hits a low blow. He gets the chair and hits her across the back. Chastity runs in to distract Jerry while Credible nails him from behind. He holds him for Chastity to kick him in the nuts, but Lynn jumps and she nails Credible. Chastity tries to run, but Lynn catches her and executes a tombstone piledriver. Lynn backs Credible into the corner and forearms him. He sets him up on the top rope and goes up top himself. Justin hits a low blow and executes a tombstone from the second rope! Cover, three count, it’s over.
Chris Candido vs. Lance Storm
Candido comes to the ring with Tammy Sytch, who had just quit (read: been fired from) the WWF. Candido is wearing amateur wrestling headgear to cover his injured ear. The fans bark like Rick Steiner, so Candido does a Steiner imitation, hitting his all-fours pose. Tammy handles the introduction for Candido. Candido spits at Storm and they lock up. Storm backs Candido into the corner and breaks clean. Lock up, Candido backs Storm into another corner, and breaks clean. However, Storm kicks Candido in the midsection and applies a headlock. Candido whips him into the ropes, and a shoulder block from Lance sends him down. Storm off the ropes, Candido drops down, leapfrog, Storm with a right hand. Storm whips him into the ropes, reversed, Candido drops down, goes for another leapfrog, but Storm knocks him out of the air with a spinning heel kick. Candido backs Storm into the corner and follows up with knife-edge chops. Storm responds with some chops of his own, backing Candido into the opposite corner. Candido throws Storm into the corner and hits some more chops (the crowd goes “whoo!” about a second too early on one), but Storm responds with more of the same, driving Candido into another corner. Irish whip on Candido, Storm charges and hits a clothesline. He charges again and hits a reverse elbow, forcing Candido to a slumped position and then Storm dropkicks the face. He slaps Candido, and takes off the headgear. Candido grabs Storm’s tights and pulls him face-first into the second turnbuckle. Candido raises Storm to his feet and whips him to the opposite corner. Storm reverses and charges, Candido backdrops him over the top, Lance lands on his feet on the apron, and Candido forearms him, sending him into the guardrail. Candido up top, nails a plancha on the floor. He whips Storm into the guardrail and throws him back in the ring. Candido with a snap mare and covers for a one count. Candido applies a surfboard. Lance gets to his feet and tries to twist his way out of it. Candido holds on, so Storm hits a somersault dropkick to get free. He whips Candido into the ropes, reversed, Tammy trips Lance. Storm quickly gets to his feet and hits a running leg lariat on Chris. He chases Tammy into the ring, and she runs by Candido so Storm clotheslines him. He charges Candido and goes for a hurricanrana, but Chris counters with a running powerbomb. He covers for a two count. Candido hits a delayed vertical suplex and goes up top. He hits a guillotine legdrop for a two count. Storm slumps into the corner, where Candido puts the boots to him. Candido whips Storm to the opposite corner, Storm reverses and charges, but Candido gives him a boot to the face. Storm responds with a superkick and covers for a two count. Storm whips Candido into the ropes, misses the clothesline, puts his head down, and Candido counters with a swinging neckbreaker. He covers for two, much to Tammy’s chagrin. Candido applies a reverse chinlock. Storm fights to his feet and elbows his way out. He bounces off the ropes. Candido puts his head down and gets kicked in the face. Storm off the ropes again, but Candido executes a powerslam for two. Tammy tells referee Jim Molleneaux that he sucks. Candido lifts Storm for a vertical suplex but drops him across the top rope. Candido tries it again, but Storm lands on his feet on the apron and suplexes Candido to the outside! Storm bounces off the ropes and hits a baseball slide on Candido, sending him into the first row. Storm hits a slingshot plancha into the first row. Lance brings Candido back to ringside and slaps him. He tries whipping him into the guardrail but it’s reversed. Candido charges and gets a boot to the head. They exchange chops, but Candido takes control by palming Storm in the nose. He throws him back in the ring. They exchange right hands, and both miss clotheslines. They both hit a right hand at the same time, causing them to stagger off the ropes and strike heads. Candido lands on top of Storm for a two count. Candido goes up top, but gets a right hand. Storm superplexes Candido to the center of the ring. Storm goes up top and nails a spinning heel kick, getting him a two count. Storm hits a tiger bomb for two. Storm tries a slingshot clothesline, but Candido catches him with a powerslam. He gets a two count and then whips Storm into the corner. Storm vaults off the top rope to hit a reverse elbow. Tammy hands Candido a bag of white powder (write your own joke here) but he gets it knocked into his own face by Storm. Candido swings wildly and nails the ref. Storm hits a superkick and goes up top. Tammy jumps in the ring and feels up Storm’s rear end. She crotches him on the top turnbuckle while the ref tells her to leave the ring. Candido, still blinded, schoolboys the ref, who pulls on Tammy’s dress for support (heh, heh) on the way down. The front of Tammy’s dress flies off, but she holds her chest so we don’t see anything. Candido goes to the corner and exchanges rights and elbows with Storm while a security guy comes out to cover Tammy up. Storm goes up top and hits the Blond Bombshell (top rope powerbomb) to get the three count.
We go up to the commentators’ table with Joey Styles, Shane Douglas and Francine. They explain there will be no Weapons Match and show a clip of New Jack getting ambushed outside the arena by Jack Victory and the Dudleys.
Rob Van Dam, Bill Alfonso and Sabu. RVD says that Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki will learn, just like he’s trying to teach Sabu, that he’s the Whole Fuckin’ Show.
Masato Tanaka vs. Mike Awesome
Tanaka and Awesome circle and lock up. Awesome backs Tanaka into the corner and lays in several kicks. He whips Tanaka to the opposite corner, but is reversed. Awesome climbs the turnbuckles and delivers a reverse elbow for a two count. They exchange right hands and forearms. Tanaka knees Awesome in the midsection and applies a side headlock. Tanaka gets whipped into the ropes, shoulder block, no one goes anywhere. Tanaka bounces off the ropes, Awesome tries a hiptoss, blocked, Tanaka tries a hiptoss, blocked, and Awesome misses a clothesline but kicks Tanaka in the midsection. Awesome off the ropes, Tanaka leapfrogs, but Awesome catches him and executes an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Tanaka leans against the ropes, Awesome charges, gets backdropped over the top rope but lands on his feet on the apron. Tanaka hits him with a right hand and bounces off the ropes, but Awesome executes a slingshot shoulderblock. Awesome off the ropes with a big splash for two. Tanaka leans against the ropes. Awesome hits him with a right and bounces off the ropes, clotheslining him over the top to the floor. Awesome measures and bounces off the ropes, executing a plancha that barely catches Tanaka. Awesome throws him back in and goes up top, hitting a flying clothesline for a two count. Awesome backs Tanaka into the corner with some rights and whips him into the opposite corner. He charges, but Tanaka moves. Tanaka misses a clothesline and gets planted with a release German suplex. He immediately gets up and catches Awesome with a powerslam and throws him onto the entrance ramp. He knocks over Awesome with a springboard clothesline and then gets out of the ring. He grabs a chair and hits Awesome in the stomach with it and elbows him in the head. Tanaka walks almost to the curtain then runs the entire length of the ramp, jumping into the air and nailing Awesome in the head with the chair. He throws him in the ring and goes up top, hitting a missile dropkick for two. He picks Awesome up and bounces off the ropes. Awesome catches him in a fireman’s carry, dumping him over the top rope. Tanaka and Awesome both get some steel and we have dueling chairs. Tanaka gets the better of Awesome, kicking him in the midsection and slamming the chair on his back. He whips Awesome into the guardrail and charges, but gets backdropped into the front row. Awesome pulls out the guardrail and stands on the top rope, executing a plancha. He throws Tanaka back in the ring and yells “Awesome Bomb!” Joey mishears him, thinking he’s saying hello to his mom. Awesome hits an Awesome Bomb for a two count. He picks up Tanaka and hits a modified spinebuster. He goes up and hits an Awesome Splash for two. He gets a chair and hits Tanaka over the head with it. A second chairshot puts Tanaka down, but he gets back up. Awesome goes for a third, but Tanaka kicks him and bounces off the ropes. He tries a clothesline, but Awesome slides under, grabs the chair and puts Tanaka down with another chairshot. He covers for a two count. Awesome executes a running Awesome Bomb and sets up a table on the outside. He gets a chair and goes up top, hitting Tanaka with it on the way down. Awesome picks up Tanaka and tries to Awesome Bomb him to the outside through the table, but Tanaka gets free and bounces off the ropes only to get a boot to the head. Awesome clotheslines him and picks him up. He tries to Awesome Bomb Tanaka again, but he gets free and elbows Awesome. Tanaka picks him up and powerbombs him to the outside through the table! “Ho-ly shit! Ho-ly shit!” Awesome lands right on his head. Tanaka collapses in the ring, and both men are down. Tanaka rolls out and throws Awesome back in the ring. He covers but only gets a two count. Tanaka bounces off the ropes to hit an elbow. He bounces off the ropes again and Awesome gets the boot up. Tanaka catches Awesome’s foot, spins and hits the Roaring Elbow. He still only gets a two count. Tanaka sets up two chairs near the corner and picks Awesome up. He hits a tornado DDT on the chairs and finally gets the three count and the victory.
Taz cuts a promo on Bam Bam Bigelow. He says his FTW Title is the only title that means anything in the business and says Bigelow pinned him last time they met, no excuses, but he plans on taking back that victory.
Shane Douglas whines about having to listen to Taz, and tells him to take a look at the ECW Title belt because that’s the real World Title. He’s got a bigger problem and his name is Bam Bam Bigelow.
Backstage, Joel Gertner, Jeff Jones, Buh-Buh Ray, Sign Guy, D-von and Big Dick Dudley comment on their match with Spike Dudley, Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman later. Buh-Buh Ray says that Tommy Dreamer, the savior of ECW, will be crucified for the sins of Beulah McGillicutty. He can give his soul to Jesus, but his ass belongs to the Dudley Boyz. The ring is their church, their shirts bear their colors, 3D is their cross, and tonight it’s Dreamer’s cross to bear.
ECW World Tag Team Title Match: Jinsei Shinzaki & Hayabusa vs. Rob Van Dam & Sabu
In a funny pre-match moment, as RVD gets ready to do his trademark pose during his announcement, Bill Alphonso takes the wrong belt from Van Dam’s waist (as he’s announced as one half of the tag champs, Alphonso takes the TV belt), prompting a “What the hell are you doing?” look from RVD.
RVD and Sabu argue over who’s going to start, but ultimately RVD is chosen. Hayabusa starts for his team, and he and Van Dam circle. RVD fakes a martial arts kick and then taunts Hayabusa with is point-to-self pose. They circle again and lock up. Hayabusa gets a waistlock, which Van Dam reverses, and then Hayabusa counters with an armbar, forcing RVD to one knee. Van Dam gets a single leg takedown, and Hayabusa tries to roll through. Van Dam holds on and applies a single leg Boston crab. Hayabusa rolls through and executes a roll-up for a one count. Van Dam gets the leg again and gives Hayabusa a right hand and a kick to the head. They both get to their feet and lock up. Hayabusa gets a standing side headlock, and Van Dam forces him against the ropes. He whips Hayabusa to the opposite side, and Hayabusa gets a shoulderblock. Van Dam goes down, but kips up immediately. Hayabusa off the ropes, Van Dam lets him run by, Hayabusa slingshots off the second rope for a… well… screw-up. They get to their feet and go to lock up again, but Van Dam kicks him in the midsection. Van Dam with two forearms, whips Hayabusa into the ropes, drops down by doing the splits, Hayabusa somersaults over him, gets to his feet, Van Dam somersaults up to meet him. Van Dam with a forearm, Irish whip, and a Japanese armdrag. Van Dam poses, allowing Hayabusa to get to his feet and kick him in the leg a couple of times. Hayabusa off the ropes with a spinning heel kick, and a shot for Sabu. Sabu makes a beeline, but the ref stops him. Hayabusa tags Shinzaki, who gives RVD some thrusts to the throat. He slams Van Dam and then jumps to the second rope to hit a reverse splash for a two count. He whips Van Dam into the ropes and puts his head down. RVD kicks him in the face and tries another kick. Shinzaki catches his foot, and Van Dam goes for an enzugiri. Shinzaki ducks, but Van Dam’s foot lands on the mat and he immediately executes a reverse crescent kick. RVD poses again while Shinzaki rolls to a corner. Van Dam kicks him in the head and forearms him. He whips him into the opposite corner, but Shinzaki reverses and doesn’t let go of Van Dam’s arm, whipping him back around and hitting a dropkick variation to the back of RVD’s head. Shinzaki applies an armwringer and goes up top. He does the praying rope walk, finishing with him jumping down into a chop to the elbow. He whips RVD into the ropes, but misses a clothesline. Van Dam kicks him in the midsection and tries a double underhook suplex, but Shinzaki blocks, scooping the leg of Van Dam. Shinzaki off the ropes with a kneedrop, but RVD moves. Van Dam tries a spinning heel kick, Shinzaki ducks, but Van Dam immediately executes another one that connects. RVD hits a corkscrew legdrop and tags Sabu. Sabu covers for a two count. Shinzaki in a sitting position, Sabu slingshots off the second rope with a kick. He covers for another two count. Sabu applies a sleeper, but decides to chop Shinzaki’s shoulder and kick him in the back instead. Sabu with some right hands, whips Shinzaki into the ropes and hits a clothesline. He covers for a two count, and then applies a reverse chinlock. Sabu flows into an armbar, but Shinzaki fights his way out and tags Hayabusa, who slingshots in. Their motivation seems to be that they’re pissed because they wore the same pants. Sabu dropkicks the knee and hits the Arabian press for two. Sabu with a reverse chinlock, but Hayabusa wriggles out, making it a side headlock. He whips Sabu into the ropes. Sabu hits a shoulderblock, sending Hayabusa down. He goes into the ropes again, but Hayabusa kips up and hits a dropkick. Sabu rolls out of the ring, and Hayabusa charges. Sabu moves out of range, and Hayabusa just looks down at him from the second rope. Hayabusa backflips and lands on his feet. Sabu tries to throw a chair in, but it hits the ropes. (Funny live note: The camera didn’t catch it, but the chair actually bounced off the ropes and came back like a boomerang to hit Sabu square in the face. You can see Sabu leaning on a table in the next shot, sort of pseudo-selling the chairshot while Van Dam looks like he’s trying not to laugh). Sabu gets back in and they exchange right hands. Sabu dropkicks the ankle and covers for a two count. He holds on to the leg and applies a version of the ankle lock. Hayabusa gets to the ropes, and Sabu gets up to kick the knee. He covers for another two, and Hayabusa crawls to his corner. Sabu applies a waistlock to keep him in place and applies a sleeper variation. He executes a snapmare, and applies a one-armed camel clutch. Van Dam comes in and slingshots off the second rope, backflips to land on his feet and dropkicks Hayabusa in the face. Van Dam poses, but Shinzaki slingshots in with a dropkick, sending RVD to the outside. Shinzaki hits a pescado while Hayabusa breaks free and hits Sabu with some reverse kicks. Sabu rolls to the outside, but Hayabusa hits him with a baseball slide, sending him into Van Dam. Hayabusa hits an Asai moonsault on both men. Shinzaki clotheslines Van Dam into the first row and they both brawl with RVD in the crowd. Sabu sets up a chair in the ring and hits a slingshot plancha off the chair. Van Dam drapes Hayabusa over the guardrail for the corkscrew legdrop from the apron. Shinzaki and Sabu slug it out in the ring, but Sabu dropkicks the knee. Van Dam applies a Mexican surfboard on Shinzaki while Sabu goes up top. Bill Alphonso throws him a chair, and Sabu jumps off to hit Shinzaki in the midsection with it. Van Dam covers, but Hayabusa makes the save. Hayabusa throws Sabu to the outside, and he and Shinzaki whip Van Dam into the ropes. They hit a pair of reverse kicks and then bounce off the ropes to deliver a bulldog simultaneously. Shinzaki slams RVD, and Hayabusa hits a slingshot somersault senton, and Shinzaki a slingshot kneedrop immediately after. Hayabusa hits a springboard moonsault and covers, but Sabu makes the save. He forces Hayabusa into the corner with rights, and RVD crouches down, allowing Sabu to run and hit Air Sabu. Sabu whips Hayabusa into a spin kick from Van Dam. RVD covers, but Shinzaki makes the save. Shinzaki throws Van Dam outside, and then he and Hayabusa hit a pair of superkicks on Sabu. Hayabusa hits a German suplex for a two count. Van Dam back in and takes Hayabusa outside. Shinzaki goes up top, but Sabu catches him and delivers a hurricanrana, and RVD comes out of NOWHERE with the Five Star Frog Splash. Sabu covers and gets a two count. RVD gets the waistlock, but Hayabusa comes off the top rope with a chop to the back. Van Dam lets go, allowing Shinzaki to hit a moonsault dropkick to the shoulder. Hayabusa goes up top, and Sabu tries to knock him off, only to get swatted away. Shinzaki powerbombs Van Dam, and Hayabusa hits the Stardust Press. He covers for a two count. Sabu makes the save, and takes down Hayabusa. Van Dam and Sabu hit Rolling Thunder, but Shinzaki comes in and gives Van Dam a spin kick. He tries to dropkick Sabu, who catches his legs and applies a Boston crab. Van Dam goes up top and hits a guillotine legdrop on Shinzaki. Sabu covers for a two count. They throw Shinzaki outside as Hayabusa rolls back in. Van Dam hits him with some rights and a superkick, backing him into the corner. He tries to fight out, but Sabu and Van Dam double team him. Shinzaki gets on the apron, and Sabu tries to dropkick his feet, but Shinzaki moves and stomps Sabu in the back. Hayabusa hits Sabu with a hard right as Shinzaki gets on the top rope. Van Dam attacks Hayabusa, and Shinzaki hits a flying shoulder block on Sabu for two. Shinzaki applies a version of the camel clutch while crossing Sabu’s arms under his throat. Van Dam tries to make the save, but Shinzaki blocks a kick and executes a dragon screw variation. Hayabusa backs Sabu into the corner and sets him up on the top rope. He goes up for a hurricanrana, but Sabu crotches him on the top rope. Alphonso holds a chair to Hayabusa’s head and Van Dam comes off the opposite turnbuckle to hit the Van Daminator. Shinzaki kicks Van Dam in the leg and hits the dragon screw variation again. Shinzaki and Hayabusa try and set up a table, but one of the legs is broken. Shinzaki slams RVD and Sabu gets a spin kick from Hayabusa. Shinzaki applies a reverse chinlock and forces RVD onto the table, which collapses. Hayabusa comes off the top rope with a frog splash that gets a two count. Sabu rolls another table in. Hayabusa hits a Michinoku Driver on RVD and covers, but Sabu makes the save with an Arabian facebuster. Sabu throws the chair at Shinzaki, who catches it, allowing Van Dam to hit the Van Daminator. Sabu sets up the table and they set up Hayabusa and Shinzaki on it. He and RVD go up top on opposite corners and hit a double guillotine legdrop on the challengers, putting them through the table. Van Dam goes for the cover, but Sabu knocks him out of the way to get the cover himself, and gets the three count. That was a fun match.
Recap of the Bam Bam Bigelow/Taz feud. It starts at Living Dangerously when Bigelow puts Taz through the ring en route to winning the ECW Television Title. Taz admits defeat at the ECW Arena and shakes Bigelow’s hand, but when the Triple Threat interferes in match with his cousin Chris Chetti, Taz takes down Shane Douglas and goes after his injured elbow. He starts to bring his own title belt with him to the ring, calling it the FTW (F-ck The World) Title. After he pretends to join the Triple Threat only to go after Shane’s elbow again, Bigelow attacks him and the fight is on.
In the broadcast booth Douglas denies that it was Taz that hurt his elbow and says that Bigelow has promised to take Taz down.
(Unrecognized) FTW Title Match: Taz vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
A Falls Count Anywhere stipulation is announced. After the announcements, the bell rings and Taz and Bigelow circle. Taz charges for a double leg takedown, but Bigelow hammers him across the back and executes a powerbomb. Taz gets right up and sticks a middle finger in Bigelow’s face. Bigelow bounces off the ropes, but Taz takes him over with a judo throw. Bigelow backs into the corner and Taz stomps his midsection. He whips Bigelow to the opposite corner, but Bigelow reverses. Taz hits the turnbuckles and comes out with a clothesline that staggers Bigelow. Taz bounces off the ropes and a second clothesline sends Bigelow down. Taz lifts Bigelow with a fireman’s carry and delivers a Samoan drop. Bigelow rolls out of the ring and staggers up the walkway, but Taz follows him and hammers him with right hands. Taz kicks him in the midsection and a mafia kick sends Bam Bam off the walkway and into the crowd. Taz poses and tells security to clear the way. He dives off with a plancha, but Bigelow catches him and rams him into the guardrail. He rams Taz’s face into a chair and picks up another one to hit Taz across the back. Taz crawls to a clear spot in the crowd, with Bigelow following. Taz hits him with right hands and Bigelow goes down. He tries to Irish whip Bigelow, but he reverses and sends Taz into the wall. He rams Taz’s face into the wall and then whips him into a row of chairs. Bam Bam covers and gets a two count. He rams Taz’s face into the chairs and walks away. Taz gets up and follows, but Bigelow gets the better of him and rams him into a guardrail, sending him to the floor. Taz gets up as Bigelow picks up a section of the guardrail and throws it at Taz, hitting him across the back of the head. Taz staggers, but suddenly charges Bigelow, getting a double leg takedown and quickly covers for a two count. Taz hits Bigelow with a right, but Bigelow kicks him and tries a vertical suplex. Taz blocks and takes Bigelow over with a judo throw. Taz covers and gets a two count. They get up and Taz goes for a right hand, but Bigelow blocks and hits one of his own. Taz staggers away, and Bigelow follows him further into the crowd, ramming his head into a chair, but slips and falls to the concrete. Taz applies a cross armbreaker, but Bigelow elbows his way out of it. Bigelow gets up and throws Taz over another row of chairs and then sends Taz down with a right hand. Bam Bam whacks him across the back with a chair and covers to get a two count. Taz gets up first and locks in the Tazmission, but Bigelow drops down to execute a jawbreaker. Bigelow throws Taz over the guardrail and back to ringside, busting Taz open. He hits Taz’s back with a chair again and throws him back in the ring. Bigelow plants Taz with a powerbomb and rolls outside to slide a table in. He stomps Taz and sets the table up in the corner. He rams Taz’s head into the opposite turnbuckle and whips Taz across the ring to send him crashing head first through the table. Bigelow sets the remains of the table in the opposite corner and chokes Taz with his foot. He whips Taz at the table, but Taz counters with a short arm clothesline. As Bam Bam gets up, Taz executes the T-Bone Tazplex, putting Bam Bam through the rest of the table. Taz slowly staggers to his feet and hits two Brooklyn Boots on Bigelow. He goes for a third, but Bam Bam hits him with a clothesline. Bigelow hits Taz and stomps him. Taz slides out onto the walkway. Taz starts to crawl to the dressing room, with Bam Bam stomping him. Bigelow motions that he’s going to press slam Tazz into the crowd. He headbutts Taz and scoops him up, but Taz executes a tornado DDT, sending them through the ramp. Shane steals Joey’s “Oh my God!” line, and the two are out of view for the next few minutes while the ECW doctor comes down to see if they’re all right. There’s movement, and Bam Bam crawls out of the hole and staggers toward the ring. A few moments later, Taz crawls out and charges Bam Bam, locking in the Tazmission. Bigelow taps and the ref calls for the bell. Taz gets his belt and poses inside the ring. He gets a mic and mocks Shane Douglas, telling him to “Beat me if you can, survive…” and letting the crowd finish his phrase. Douglas is pissed off and throws a monitor from the commentary booth all the way to the floor.
Joey Styles says he’s flying solo, and introduces the six-man tag.
Feud recap shows the Dudley Boys breaking Beulah McGillicutty’s neck with 3D.
The Dudley Boys, Joel Gertner, Sign Guy Dudley w/ “Real Sunday Night Heat” sign, and Jeff Jones w/ a blow-up doll, are already in the ring. Buh-Buh Ray gets the mic. “If you didn’t know, what you are looking at is the toughest three men in pro wrestling today. We challenge anybody in the WWF. We challenge everybody in the WCW. But most of all, we challenge each and every one of you. And if you’ve got the guts, bring it on down to the ring and we’ll kick your asses right now!” Sign Guy holds up a ‘Marks fear Bubba’ sign. “There’s not one man in this whole arena who’s got the guts to get in the ring with the Dudley Boys! If you’ve got the guts, fat man, bring it on down to the ring. You’re gonna need that crutch when the Dudley Boys are done with you. I guess you’re just mad ‘cause I was with your mother last night. And in the words of my brother D-von…” D-von requests the mic and gets it. “Without any further adieu, it is now time for Brother Gertner… shut the hell up… to TESTIFY!” Gertner gets the mic. “Is it hot in here or is it just me? Well, well, well… Dayton, Ohio. Amazing where people can live these days. It is I, the man your mother warned you about, the man that makes your panties moist, and the only man that matters, hotter than a heatwave, and harder than Chinese algebra, the Quintessential Studmuffin, myself, Joel ‘I always leave them sore, but they keep coming back for more’ Gertner. Also in the ring at this time, he is a referee with integrity, and a referee with HAIR (looks right at John Finnegan), the Extreme Official, Jeff Jones! Accompanying him to ringside, the trashiest prostitute to ever enter professional wrestling. Our valet, and love slave, Beulah McGilliSlutty! And at my right, my colleague. You saw him suffer on ECW television. A torn ACL, a damaged patella tendon, a ruptured rectum…” The rest of the guys get pissed and start shoving Gertner and insulting him. Styles: “I bet Joel caused that injury himself.” “I mean… I mean, a deviated septum… and a kidney stone… nonetheless, he stands before you, the Quiet Behind the Riot, and the Innovator of Silence, Sign Guy Dudley! At at this time, here they are. The transcoastal, transcontinental, and intergalactic six-man tag team champions of the wrestling world. First, from the Twisted Steel section of Dudleyville, 368 lbs., 26 and one half inches of arms attached to the man who can rip the Guiness book in half with his bare hands, and beat the snot out of Ripley, believe it or not, pro wrestling’s only real Mastodon, Big Dick Dudley! Representing the south side of Dudleyville, and weighing in at a slim, trim, buff, cut, ripped…” He stops as the crowd finishes, with “chisled, and jaaacked…” and D-von flicks them off. “No, no. I didn’t say ‘Studmuffin Says.’ Weight unknown, he is D-von Dudley! And his half-brother and tag team partner, hails from metropolitan Dudleyville, and weighs in at a rough, ready, riled up, rowdy and rambunctious 350 lbs. He is the man that helped drive Beulah’s head into the canvas with such impact that she didn’t know whether to urinate, defecate or ejaculate… Buh-Buh Ray Dudley! Now that we’ve helped prove that Beulah is not the girl for Tommy… indeed, she is the girl for just about everyone else, Dreamer, come face your nightmare.”
Sandman’s music hit, and he, Dreamer and Spike bring out a trio of ladders. Sandman’s is the tallest, Dreamer’s is medium height and Spike’s is smaller. Sandman does his pre-match smoking and drinking on top of his ladder, which he sets up close to the ring.
Buh-Buh Ray, D-von and Big Dick Dudley vs. The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer and Spike Dudley
Tommy and D-von start. They get in each other’s faces and exchange slaps. Dreamer nails D-von and whips him into the ropes. D-von reverses and tries a powerslam, but Tommy escapes and whips D-von back into the ropes. D-von leapfrogs, kicks Dreamer’s midsection and whips him into the ropes. D-von puts his head down and Dreamer goes for a sunset flip, but D-von kneels down to go for a pin. He gets a two count, and Dreamer brings D-von’s shoulders down with his legs for two. D-von quickly covers for two, but Tommy flips him over into the sunset flip again for another two count. They get to their feet and we have a stand-off. Dreamer hits D-von with a right and sets him up on the top turnbuckle, hitting a super neckbreaker. D-von tags Buh-Buh Ray, who badmouths Dreamer. Spike goes nuts on the apron, wanting to be tagged in. He gets the tag and charges Buh-Buh, who catches him and beels him across the ring. Spike charges again and gets a press slam. Buh-Buh presses Spike above his head and goes to throw him out of the ring, but Spike shifts his weight and falls on top of Buh-Buh for a one count. Spike forearms Buh-Buh and bounces off the ropes, ducking a clothesline and hitting Buh-Buh with some forearms, backing him into the corner. Spike stands on the second turnbuckle and hits Buh-Buh ten times, and then stands on his chest and goes for a hurricanrana. Buh-Buh catches him and powerbombs him hard. Buh-Buh shoves Spike into his corner and D-von chokes him. Buh-Buh gives him a right hand and whips him into the ropes, hitting him with a clothesline. Buh-Buh whips him into the ropes again and gives Spike a baaaack body drop. He picks Spike up and smacks him. Spike forearms him in the gut, but Buh-Buh hammers him across the back. He scoop slams Spike and bounces off the ropes, going for a big splash. Spike moves and forearms Buh-Buh. He bounces off the ropes but receives a kick to the midsection. He goes for a powerbomb, but Spike counters with some right hands and a hurricanrana. Buh-Buh wanders into Spike’s corner and gets a beer can to the face from the Sandman. Spike executes a bulldog but only gets a one count. Buh-Buh staggers back into his corner and tags Big Dick. Spike tags in the Sandman and he locks up with Dick. Dick backs Sandman into the corner and the ref breaks it up. Big Dick poses, and they lock up again, with Sandman backing Dick into the corner. It’s broken up again. Sandman gives Dick a boot to the midsection and hits him with some left hands. He clotheslines Dick over the top rope, but he drags Sandman out and beats him up. Spike intervenes, but Buh-Buh intercepts him. Dreamer and D-von brawl into the crowd while Spike lays Buh-Buh chest first onto the guardrail and stands on his back, coming down with a double axehandle. Dreamer hits D-von with a beer and drags him back to the guardrail, straddling him across it. A hard right sends D-von to the floor. Spike hammers D-von while Big Dick hits Dreamer and Irish whips him. Dreamer reverses, and Dick crashes into the guardrail. In the ring, Buh-Buh whips Sandman into the corner and follows up with a clothesline. He whips him to the opposite corner and hits him with some rights. Sandman ducks and hits some rights of his own. He sets Buh-Buh on the top rope and hits a Heinekenrana, following with a clothesline. Outside, Dick hits Dreamer with a chair. The Dudleys all converge on Dreamer while Sandman and Spike set up the tall ladder in the ring. Spike climbs to the top and comes off with a plancha on everybody on the outside. D-von gets thrown in the ring and the Sandman scoop slams him. He slams the ladder on top of D-von and goes up top, delivering a somersault senton on the ladder and D-von. He runs at Big Dick, but gets back dropped onto the ramp. Buh-Buh throws Tommy into the ring, and Big Dick scoop slams him. Buh-Buh gets the ladder and slams it on top of him. He goes to the second rope and hits a senton splash on the ladder and Dreamer. Spike comes in and throws D-von to the outside. He low blows Buh-Buh and hits the Acid Drop. He covers and gets two before D-von makes the save. D-von sidewalk slams Spike on the ladder. Sandman crotches Dick on the top turnbuckle and puts him in the tree of woe, kneeing him in the face. Tommy and Spike get the better of Buh-Buh and D-von as Sandman throws chairs into the ring. Tommy puts Buh-Buh in the tree of woe, as Spike does the same to D-von. Sign Guy wanders in to hit Dreamer with his crutch, but gets a figure four leglock put on him. Jeff Jones comes in to hit Dreamer with a sign and stomp him. He brings the blow-up Beulah into the ring, piledriving it and imitating Dreamer. Tommy turns him around and gives him a real piledriver. Gertner comes in, and ref Jim Mollenaux helps Dreamer put him in the tree of woe in the final corner while Spike and Sandman place chairs in front of their tied up opponents. Mollenaux, Dreamer, Sandman and Spike huddle in the center of the ring and then each dropkick a chair in the corner. Dreamer hits the Dreamer Driver on D-von. He gets a two count, but Dick makes the save. Dick executes Total Penetration on Dreamer on the ladder. Spike goes for a springboard bulldog on Dick, but gets thrown to ringside and through a table. Sandman hits Dick with the Singapore cane and low blows him with it. He swings at Buh-Buh, but he ducks and nails Sandman with a chair. Buh-Buh tries a splash from the second rope on Dreamer, but he moves and Buh-Buh hits the ladder. Dreamer DDTs Buh-Buh on the ladder and covers for the three count.
Dreamer poses in the middle of the ring, but Jack Victory comes in with a guitar and kabongs Dreamer with it. The Dudleys and Victory brutalize Spike, Dreamer and Sandman. The fans chant for New Jack and Natural Born Killaz finally plays. New Jack comes down with a shopping cart full of weapons and dumps them all into the ring. Buh-Buh tries to hit New Jack with a stop sign, but Jack blocks it and takes the sign, hitting Buh-Buh with it. He hits Victory with a garbage can. He hits D-von with… something… and uses the shopping cart to clothesline Dick over the top rope. Dreamer and Spike clothesline Buh-Buh over the top rope with the stop sign, and place the sign across Victory’s lower body. New Jack gets a golf club and nails Victory with it in the groin area. Sandman and Dreamer then hold Victory for New Jack to kabong with his own guitar. As the show ends, they set up all the ladders in the ring, with Sandman getting on the tall one, New Jack on the medium one and Tommy on the small one. They all do their poses as Spike paces around the ring. Dreamer gets a mic and says, “I think it’s safe to say… Dayton, Ohio is ECW country!”
Final Thoughts: Sorry for no match times, but I used the DVD for this recap and couldn’t trust the VCR clock. What can you really say? This is about as good a card as you’re going to get with ECW. It definitely says something that this one and Barely Legal are the only full cards to get DVD releases so far. It’s also probably the best wrestling card period that I’ve attended live.
The only dark match was right before the show. What started out as the Blue Meanie and Nova vs. The FBI soon became Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten vs. The FBI. Axl and Balls won after some vicious chairshots. When the PPV started, Shane Douglas came out after Joey Styles’ intro and cut an interview, which was cut from the DVD for some reason. Some other things that didn’t make it onto the show were the dueling chants in the crowd. My friend and I had upper deck seats (which was fine, it’s hard to find a bad seat in the Hara Arena), and our section responded to the floor’s chants of “Sit the f-ck down!” at the people in front of them with a “You bought floor seats!” chant. Later on, during the Bigelow/Taz match, our section was chanting “Can’t see sh-t!” and a smart ass down the row from us started a “We bought balcony!” chant. Also interesting were the “Head!” chants before the show started, which brought out Al Snow in one of his last appearances with ECW before going to the WWF full time. He grabbed someone’s fake Head from the crowd and shook it around in the ring to entertain everyone. After the show ended, Paul Heyman and most of the locker room came out to thank us all for coming. It was ECW’s first Dayton show, and they seemed genuinely touched by the crowd response and turn out throughout the evening. This is also where we got the big announcement that Tammy Sytch had quit (was fired from) the WWF and was now in ECW. A “Show your tits!” chant started for Francine, and the Blue Meanie responded by lifting his own shirt and dancing around the ring shaking his man boobs.
Anyway, just some mildly interesting stories from someone who was actually there. I definitely recommend anyone who wants to check out ECW to get the DVD.