Legends of Extreme
Sept./Oct. 1999
By Michael K. Johnson II
*All credit goes to him*
As October 1995 closed, Extreme Championship Wrestling was in an ugly turmoil centered on the events of October 28, 1995. As Tommy Dreamer was released by the Pitbulls from his humiliating fate in the Eagle's Nest, it was assumed that Raven had defeated him for good. Dreamer could never come back. Even when he gained a small victory, such as costing Raven and Stevie Richards the ECW World Tag Team Championships to the Pitbulls 6 weeks earlier to the Pitbulls, Raven would rebound. It was only a matter of time before Raven distroyed Tommy Dreamer. It seemed inevitable to most, if not all, observers.
Tommy Dreamer refused to accept this. He had worked too hard to prove himself to the ECW fans, the most cynical audience known to wrestling, and he was not going to let his past destroy his future. He went on ECW's television network and spoke about his past, the glorious night he as a child had with his father attending the NWA "Night of Champions" event headlined by Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat, his hardships in making it in wrestling, his love for ECW and the fans, and the night that should have been his, but it was taken from him. He had defeated Cactus Jack, one of the most fearxome wrestlers who ever lived, but that was forgotten. Dreamer promised vengeance.
A month later, at the 1995 November to Remember, Tommy Dreamer stepped into the ring with his mentor Terry Funk to face Raven and Cactus Jack. It was a brutal bloody battle that climaxed with Raven attempting to take barbed wire he had rolled into the shape of a crown and forcing it over Dreamer's head. The strategy backfired and Raven ended up wearing the crown of thorns, as Terry Funk scored the pin. The fans celebrated and Dreamer had gained a victory over his hated foes, but again it was lost in the shadows as Terry Funk announced he was taking an extended leave from the sport. The media focused on what they believed to be Funk's retirement. Tommy Dreamer had gained revenge, but there was no glory to go with it.
Ever patient, Dreamer hoped to finally get that glory when he led a team into Ultimate Jeopardy, a Steel Cage match with stipulations on every performer should they lose, against a team led by Raven. Raven tried to play games with Dreamer every week leading up to the event. He manipulated the Heavenly Bodies, Tom Pritchard and Jimmy Del Ray, to attack Dreamer and his partners in Reading, PA. He tried to slander Dreamer on television by claiming that it wasn't Beulah who caused the split in their friendship but Dreamer's unwillingness to stand by his teenage friend Raven as Raven's parents divorced. An irate Dreamer, screaming "I was there for you!" burst past ECW's production crew and bloodied the caught by suprise Raven as ECW's interview backdrop collapsed around them. Raven swore he would destroy Dreamer in the cage.
Dreamer's team won the Ultimate Jeopardy match, but even then, Dreamer would not get one up on Raven as Raven's team left them all lying, leaving them prime for a caning at the hands of then-ECW World champion the Sandman. As 1995 closed, Dreamer seemed to be more lost than ever. Secretly, however, he found someone to soothe his pain.
At House Party '96, Stevie Richards and the Blue Meanie came out for an interview with Beulah McGuillicuty. Attempting to prove to how macho he was, Richards attempted to kiss Beulah. When she refused, he relented and attempted to verbally intimidate her. Pushed to the point of release, she finally revealed she was pregnant. An irate Raven hit the ring, and his ire was even hotter when she told him he wasn't the father. Seeing red Raven attacked Richards, but Beulah, trying to save Richards, admitted it was Tommy Dreamer's.
Raven grabbed her menacingly, but Dreamer hit the ring, and proving himself to be the "Innovator of Violence" took a sign from a fan in the front row, slamming it over Raven's head, then tearing it open to reveal a stop sign underneath. Dreamer embraced Beulah McGuillicuty, his childhood sweetheart. Secretly, they had begun to reconcile the childhood love they had lost. When it because public knowledge, Dreamer finally had his glory and vengeance. Raven was destroyed emotionally, pushed well beyond the breaking point.
Raven swore that Dreamer couldn't beat him in the ring, so he had to beat him in life. While he had publicly been humiliated, his professional life skyrocketed, as he defeated the Sandman, winning the ECW World Heavyweight championship with it. He began coming to the ring with a beautiful Oriental woman, Kimona Wanaleia, and claimed the loss of Beulah didn't matter to him. What Raven said and what Raven meant were two different things entirely. His eyes had become an even darker, intense outlet for his inner rage, a rage that was released everytime he entered the ring, each match more violent than the one before it. Raven wanted everyone to feel his pain, and with the World championship in his possession, every ECW fan was forced to watch.
Fearing for Beulah's safety, Dreamer called some old friends to return to ECW, the Bruise Brothers. When Raven confronted Dreamer at Cyberslam '96, the Bruises quickly hit the ring to back Dreamer up, but soon attacked him instead. Raven was still stacking the deck against Dreamer, this time turning old friends against him. Raven was still manipulating, and this time, the injuries to Dreamer included a separated shoulder and a groin injury from the Bruises yanking Dreamer by the legs into the ringpost numerous times. Raven was sending a signal to Dreamer that he could out think his every move. Dreamer would never be safe, and neither would Beulah or their baby. Raven was the master of the mind games.
Enter "The Franchise" Shane Douglas, who had returned to Extreme Championship Wrestling looking to find the championship he had created, the ECW World Heavyweight championship. Douglas made a pact with Dreamer, an old enemy. Douglas would team with Dreamer and protect Beulah in case of the worst, and if one of them won a championship, they would give the other the first shot. At the same time, ever a plotter, Douglas cut a similar deal with the Sandman, who was hot on Raven's heels to reclaim the World championship. Although the trio defeated Raven and The Bruiser Brothers in a six man tag team encounter, Beulah was nearly attacked by the trio, something Kimona Wanaleia even tried to stop before Dreamer used Kimona's distraction to save Beulah. The emotional stakes were higher than ever.
Dreamer was trapped. He had to protect Beulah. He couldn't call on Terry Funk. Raven's Nest, despite Cactus Jack leaving ECW, was growing stronger by the month, especially with the addition of the "Bulldozer" Brian Lee. He was forced into teaming with two old enemies, both of whom he couldn't trust. During a period he should have been his happiest, Tommy Dreamer was much of an emotional wreck as Raven was pretending not to be. The boiling point was near.
When Raven attacked and severed his relationship with Kimona, "The Franchise" decided to stir the pot. He announced that Kimona had a major scandal which would destroy Raven. Raven admitted it was true, and that although it may end up costing him his World championship, it would destroy Tommy Dreamer and Beulah's relationship. He invited the scandal to be revealed at Hostile City Showdown '96.
At Hostile City Showdown, Dreamer suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Brian Lee. When he returned later that evening to the ring to hear Kimona's claims, he was shocked to discover that Beulah was never pregnant. She had lied to get away from Raven. Furthermore, Beulah and Kimona had a relationship that was a little more than friendly and they publicly proved it, causing ECW to be trown off numerous television stations and video tape sales of the event to skyrocket. Initially shocked, Dreamer realized that he had indeed loved Beulah, had gotten one well over Raven, and left with both Kimona and Beulah on his arms.
The summer of 1996 proved to be a relentless one for both Dreamer and Raven. Dreamer's pact with Douglas soon fell apart, although his relationship with the Sandman grew to one of mutual respect. The pair, joined by the Gangstas and the Pitbulls on occasion brawled all over every building Extreme Championship Wrestling ran a show in. Brian Lee especially was out to destroy Tommy Dreamer, chokeslamming him off elevated areas of buildings to the floor, destroying stacked tables with Dreamer's descent. The seeds of Tommy Dreamer's herniated discs can be traced back to this period.
Raven was valiantly fighting off the challengers to his World championships, including Dreamer, Terry Gordy, Chris Jericho, and the Sandman, who became the object of an even sicker mind game than most were used to Raven playing, as Raven had coupled himself with the Sandman's ex-wife Lori Fullington, and used their son Tyler to harass and bait the Sandman. The battles caught the better of Raven, who struggled thru a bout with the gout, and numerious foot injuries. It was becoming apparent he was relying more on the members of the nest to help him retain his championship than his own skills and even had Stevie Richards defending the belt for him on occasion. He seemed ripe for the picking.
Privately, Raven's wounds went deeper than physical injuries. As ECW rolled around to Ultimate Jeopardy in 1996, ECW Commissioner Tod Gordon and Executive Producer Paul Heyman announced that Raven would not appear on the show because of a personal situation. It was rules that Stevie Richards, because a precedent had been set before this problem, would defend the belt for Raven and if he was pinned, Raven would lose the ECW World championship. The Sandman regained the ECW World championship with an easy pinfall over Richards who was well out of his league.
Raven disappeared from wrestling, with Lori Fullington claiming that he had taken Tyler and gone to Europe. Even in his absence, Raven was playing mind games with his foes. When he returned several weeks later, he found the Sandman easy pickings to regain the World championship in a barbed wire match. Raven told the world that he had entered himself into rehab for personal problems, because he needed to ward off the one person who could defeat him...himself.
At the same time, Stevie Richards had formed the Blue World Order as a joke and was shocked at it's popularity with the ECW fans. When Raven tried to hold him down, Richards fought back from Raven, splitting himself and his BWO teammates from the World champion. Dreamer and Richard found themselves uneasy allies.
Raven's clutch on the World championship was solidified, as evidenced by a victory over Steve Williams, while Tommy Dreamer, despite his personal triumph over Brian Lee, seemed to be falling behind in his pursuit. However, just as the past had come back to haunt him, the past was now about to be a blessing, as Terry Funk had returned to Extreme Championship Wrestling. His competitive fire not doused by his aging body, Funk announced his intention to become the World champion. Tommy Dreamer vowed to himself to make that happen. Terry Funk had given him everything, and it was time to give back.
Raven found Dreamer's loyalty to the Hardcore Legend another venue to play mind games with him. When Dreamer and Funk faced Raven and Brian Lee at Cyberslam '97, Raven decreed that if Funk could score a pinfall over him, Raven would give him a shot at the ECW World championship at ECW's first Pay-Per-View, Barely Legal. At the onset of the match Raven laid in the middle of the ring and offered to let Dreamer pin him, knowing the pain of killing Funk's dream would hurt him worse than the knowledge that he had finally pinned Raven.
Dreamer refused, but a vicious attack with a trash can on Funk's ear lead to his equilibrium being off, and he was unable to finish the match. Dreamer found himself overwhelmed, and when Stevie Richards tried to help, he was in over his head. Tyler Fullington ran backstage and got his father, and the Sandman hit the ring, pinning Raven and reuniting with his family.
Raven's grip on the ECW title was slipping away with each moment closer to Barely Legal. ECW announced that there would be a Three Way Dance on the Pay-Per-View to determine the number one contender, with Richards, the Sandman, and Dreamer announced as the contenders. Dreamer, despite being the person that fans thought of first when thinking of ECW, announced he was withdrawing from being able to wrestle on the first Pay-Per-View. He wanted his slot to go to Terry Funk.
Terry Funk made it past the Three Way Dance and to the World championship against Raven at Barely Legal. Tommy Dreamer was asked to commentate the match. Raven faced the exhausted Funk and easily had him at his mercy, but Raven didn't want the victory. He wanted to hurt Tommy Dreamer. He grabbed the ring mic and announced that he was going to destroy Funk and his career, and there was nothing Dreamer could do but watch. Raven's Nest began stacking tables, intent on throwing Funk thru them as Brian Lee had to Dreamer. Dreamer got up to confront Raven, but was attacked by Big Dick Dudley. It looked like Raven was going to again shadow over Tommy Dreamer and everything in ECW.
Dreamer somehow caught Dudley with a lowblow, and sent him flying off the Eagle's Nest, crashing to the floor thru the three stacked tables. He fought past the Nest, and live on Pay-Per-View, Tommy Dreamer confronted his oldest enemy. They brawled briefly. Raven threw a trash can at him, but Dreamer rebounded and was able to hit a DDT. He implored his mentor to pin Raven. Funk made the cover, but only got a teo count. Raven went to bodyslam Terry Funk, but found himself trapped in a small package. Terry Funk had won the ECW World Championship live on Pay-Per-View, with his mentor at his side. Raven looked at Dreamer as he and Funk celebrated and retreated. This was one victory even Raven couldn't taint.
Raven concentrated on destroying his former protege Stevie Richards, which he accomplished by sending him spiraling into selfdestruction. He attempted several time to dethrone Funk, but was unable. It was all Tommy Dreamer's fault. Raven needed a way to get back at Dreamer, a way to make him never forget that he could never defeat him.
Raven decided to leave Extreme Championship Wrestling.
In his absence, Tommy Dreamer would forever be known as the man who could never pin Raven, never finish the feud, never have his hand raised. He would always be second best. He would be nothing but a shell of what he could become, because he never accomplished the one goal he needed to. The plan was perfect.
ECW announced that Raven would face Tommy Dreamer one last time at WrestlePalooza '97. At first, Raven did not seem interested in facing Dreamer. He tried to reconcile with Beulah one last time to persuade her to leave ECW with him. He attempted to walk out the front door of the building before the bell had even rung. For once, Raven's mind games and ploys would not work. This was Tommy Dreamer's night.
They feverishly brawled around the ECW Arena. Like many times before, a multitude of allies from each side got involved, from Beulah to the Late-Louie Spicoli, all trying to help their side win the final battle. Dreamer even got a sign from the same fan. Like last time, it had a street sign hidden inside. Screaming out his battlecry of "ECW!" Tommy Dreamer DDT'ed Raven and covered him. The referee counted three.
Tommy Dreamer laid there, emotions releasing. He had vanquished his past, he had defeated his oldest enemy, he was finally free of the shadows of Raven. The future was his.
For the next two years, Tommy Dreamer defended ECW against all outsiders. He defended Beulah after the Dudley Boyz broke her neck, destroying her career in wrestling, and Dreamer's relationship with her stemming from problems dealing with the aftermath. He became one with ECW. When the Dudley Boyz tried to embarrass ECW, they called out Tommy Dreamer to do it. Neither they nor Dreamer thought that their past would come back to haunt them both.
We all know Raven hit the ring hours after quitting WCW and pinned the Dudleys in stereo with Tommy Dreamer. Part of that may have been a thirst for revenge by destroying the glory of them men who broke Beulah's neck. Raven loved her as much as Dreamer did. His real motive was something much more darker.
Tommy Dreamer's back is about to give. Raven helped cause that. Dreamer won his first World championship, but has to share the glory with Raven. Dreamer can't walk away from that, because he would become everything he has worked so hard to accomplish...he'd walk away from the fans who believed in him and ECW.
Raven has again painted Tommy into a corner. It appears that Tommy Dreamer has nowhere to turn. By walking away, he fails. By wrestling, he tempts his fate. He could easily find himself out of wrestling because of injury, all because of Raven's machinations.
The Legend of the rivalry between Tommy Dreamer and Raven continues to grow.
That growth is nothing compared to the hatred between them.
Home
