Tonight's ECW comes to us live from the site of the ORIGINAL ECW Arena in Philadelphia, as Joey Styles and Tazz welcome us to the show. Joey explains that WWE has rented out the space that was once the GREATEST VENUE for Hardcore Wrestling in the country for a very special outdoor show. The block has been barricaded off from traffic and the perimeter is strictly standing room only. PAUL HEYMAN makes his way to the ring and the crowd erupts into a raucous pop.
Heyman approaches a podium set up in the center of the ring which is covered in a velvet shroud. Heyman explains that it has come to his attention in recent weeks that there are a number of superstars on ECW who are displeased with being excluded from the Over The Limit PPV. Paul says what lies underneath the velvet covering will change ALL of that. Heyman removes the slip to reveal the newly re-introduced WWE HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP and the crowd EXPLODES.
Heyman says that through the powers of persuasion and some meetings with the Higher-Ups, he convinced them to bring back the Hardcore Title and FINALLY give it a fitting home where it belongs, where it will be defended THE RIGHT WAY. Paul says that the Hardcore Title will be on the line during the Over The Limit pre-show in a 20-Man Over-The-Top Battle Royal. Heyman says there is an addendum--the match will be BRING YOUR OWN WEAPON.
Paul reminds them that the belt was originally introduced and simply handed to Mick Foley, because he introduced a brand of wrestling that the boys in Connecticut had never seen before. Heyman says to be fair, if you're going to just hand the HARDCORE title to anyone, Mick Foley is a fine choice, but that's not how we operate here in ECW; you win titles in the ring. Heyman says that 10 names have already been placed in the Battle Royal and the other ten will qualify tonight, STARTING RIGHT NOW.
Bob Artese steps into the ring and has the call. He introduces the next contest as a Three-Way Tag Team Match with BOTH MEMBERS of the winning tag team qualifying for the Hardcore Title Battle Royal. Out first are The Briscoe Brothers followed by The American Wolves. Bombs drop as The Dudleyz make their way out next and make their way to the ring. The bell rings and the match immediately explodes into chaos.
THE AMERICAN WOLVES def. THE DUDLEYZ and THE BRISCOES to qualify
The ref went insane attempting to keep this match in order. Bodies flying everywhere, weapons all over the place. All three teams collected nearfalls as the Wolves connected with a Powerbomb/Backstabber combo on D'Von Dudley and the Briscoes would later hit a Redneck Boogie on Edwards.
The Dudleyz got REAL close toward the end of the contest after dropping Jay Briscoe with the 3D, but Davey Richards breaks up the fall. Finish came as the Dudleyz set up for the Wazzup Headbutt on Jay Briscoe, but Eddie Edwards stuns D’Von from the opposite side of the ring and executes a seamless Spanish Fly from the top rope. Davey Richards follows up with a Shooting Star Press and makes the cover to give the Wolves the win and two spots in the Battle Royal.
Joey and Tazz run down the Over The Limit card to this point. An update comes in on Shawn Michaels and he has a broken fibula, and will be unable to compete in the Championship Scramble. As a result, The Undertaker will refill the spot he lost last night. The official anthem for Over The Limit is "Burn It Down" by Linkin Park.
We get an Extreme Retrospective of Shane Douglas winning the NWA Title and tossing it to the ground in defiance, signifying a REVOLUTION that carries a CULT following to this day. We go to break.
Back from commercial and we get another Extreme Retrospective of Bam Bam Bigelow tossing Spike Dudley into the audience and the match between he and Tazz that saw Bam Bam drive The Human Suplex Machine through the canvas of the ring itself.
Back at ringside and Tazz briefly discusses his feud with Bam Bam, joking that he’s still sore from that spot and says he’s very proud to have had that feud with the big man.
Kevin Steen hits the ring and says if anyone deserves a spot in the Battle Royal for the Hardcore Championship, it’s Mr. Wrestling himself. Steen says he wants a challenge tonight so he can demonstrate what he’ll bring back to the Hardcore Division. COLT CABANA steps out and Steen scoffs. Steen asks him if he’s serious about his challenge. Colt shakes his head and says he’s just here to help someone else qualify. Steen asks who, not realizing that a referee has already rang the bell.
TAZZ def. KEVIN STEEN to qualify
Steen gets surprised from behind by a locked in TAZZMISSION. With nowhere to go, Steen taps out and TAZZ qualifies for the Hardcore Championship Battle Royal at Over The Limit. After the match, Colt gets on the mic and apologizes to Steen, saying that Tazz promised him the first title shot once he won the Battle Royal.
We get another Extreme Retrospective of the Infamous “Chair Incident” featuring Terry Funk, Cactus Jack and Public Enemy. We go to break.
Back from commercial and another Extreme Retrospective of the BRUTAL First Ever Stairway To Hell Match between Sabu and The Sandman.
Spike Dudley is in the ring DEMANDING a spot in the Battle Royal. Spike points out that his half-brothers were unable to qualify tonight and wants to hold it over their heads that he was the only Dudley to qualify. It doesn’t take long for RYBACK to answer the call.
RYBACK def. SPIKE DUDLEY to qualify
Spike attempts a Frankensteiner and it goes poorly. After a series of about seven powerbombs, Ryback drills ECW’s Iron Man with a Jackhammer, drawing a blizzard of boos and intensifying GOLDBERG chants. Ryback connects with a vile Overhead Belly to Belly Suplex and a nasty Meat Hook Clothesline. The beating continues with a hideous spinebuster and a Body Avalanche in the corner. Ryback hits a running splash and nearly kicks Spike’s head off with a Big Boot. Ryback drops Spike to the outside with a Military Press Slam and rolls him back into the ring before FINALLY hitting Shell Shocked and collecting the three count.
After the match, the crowd is booing FURIOUSLY and beginning to toss garbage into the ring, when THE DUDLEYZ jump the barricade into the ring and stun Ryback with a 3D. Bubba shoves D’Von and doesn’t say a word and the crowd EXPLODES into chants of “WE WANT TABLES”. D’Von makes the retrieval and the duo sets it up. Spike comes back into the ring and helps D’Von hoist Ryback into position in the corner. Bubba goes ALL THE WAY UP to the top rope and DRILLS Ryback with a BUBBA BOMB through the table. Bubba has that Million-Mile stare on his face as D’Von helps Spike out in the corner. The crowd is going nuts; “EC-DUB” chants all over the place.
We get another get another Extreme Retrospective and it’s Tommy Dreamer versus Brian Lee in the Scaffold Match.
Backstage with Tommy Dreamer and Paul Heyman watching the footage himself and looking nostalgic. Dreamer tells Paul that he’s thinking of re-creating a memory here tonight especially for his opponent at Over The Limit. We go to commercial.
Back from break and we get another pair of Extreme Retrospectives of The Barbed Wire Death Match between Sabu and Terry Funk and Raven’s feud with the Sandman, including the crucifixion and the brainwashing of his son, Tyler, into joining Raven’s Nest.
Back at ringside as Masato Tanaka and The Lethal Weapon Steve Blackman await their opponents. Raven hits the ring with his Shopping Cart of Horrors and throws a Stop Sign at Tanaka’s face. The lights go down and Sabu pops up in the ring. Weapons start flying out of Raven’s cart and from under the ring as this brawl for two more spots in the Battle Royal gets under way.
RAVEN & SABU def. MASATO TANAKA & STEVE BLACKMAN to qualify
Downright brawl. The ref never really had control of the match until the pinfall. Finish came as Tommy Dreamer stepped into the ring and clubbed Tanaka in the back of the head with a Kendo Stick, sending him spiraling into Even Flow from Raven and a Triple Jump Moonsault by Sabu. Sabu makes the cover and the ECW Originals seal up two more spots in the Battle Royal.
After the match, Tommy Dreamer grabs a mic and says that he needs a tune-up for Sunday’s “I Quit Match” with the Sandman. The crowd begins to roar as Dreamer says if it’s O.K. with Mr. Blackman here, he’d like to re-create a classic moment from the company that these psychopaths in the audience love so DAMN much.
Dreamer hands Blackman his Kendo Stick, leans over the top rope with the mic in hand and invites The Lethal Weapon to strike at will. Blackman obliges with the LOUDEST CRACK heard in a ECW ring in YEARS. Dreamer collapses to the canvas, but pulls himself back up and says “Thank You, Mr. Blackman, MAY I HAVE ANOTHER?” Blackman continues, striking Dreamer another 19 TIMES. THE CROWD LOVES IT. Dreamer pulls himself to his feet in defiance and tells Sandman that come Sunday, HE WILL NOT QUIT. Sandman comes from out of nowhere and buries his own Kendo Stick in Dreamer’s ribs and takes another wild swing, but Dreamer ducks and comes back with one of his own. Dreamer proceeds to flog Sandman about 10 times before he can escape the ring. Dreamer stands on the top rope with cane in hand, pointing it directly at Sandman on the outside.
We get another Extreme Retrospective of The Taipei Death Match. Arguably the bloodiest match in ECW, maybe wrestling history. We go to commercial.
Back from break with another Extreme Retrospective of Stone Cold Steve Austin’s legendary shoot promo on WCW upon arriving in ECW.
In the ring with Paul Burchill and Justin Credible both looking to qualify for spots in the Battle Royal.
PAUL BURCHILL def. JUSTIN CREDIBLE
Decent match. Credible attempts an InCredible Kick, but Burchill ducks and comes back with a Rolling Discus Forearm that sends Justin to the mat. Burchill applies a surfboard and crushes Credible’s head with a Curb Stomp. Burchill makes the cover and gets the three count.
Backstage with John Morrison, Matt Hardy and Rob Van Dam. RVD is meditating between two unfolded chairs and Morrison is warming up for Parkour. Hardy looks at both perplexed. Morrison asks him how HE focuses and warms up for a match. Morrison runs and turns a backflip up a wall before cartwheeling up a pile of crates and somersaulting over the production truck before going on a free run across the city block. Hardy shakes his head out of pure confusion and walks away while Van Dam continues in his trance-like state.
We get another Extreme Retrospective and it’s Rob Van Dam versus Jerry Lynn for the ECW World Television Title at Living Dangerously 1999. Lynn asking for the five-minute extension on the time-limit draw and losing via Five-Star Frog Splash. We go to commercial.
Back from break with another Extreme Retrospective and it’s the “Final” Episode of ECW back in 2009, with Ezekiel Jackson pinning Christian to become the “Final” ECW champion.
Back at ringside and Ezekiel Jackson is in the ring looking to qualify for a spot as ELIJAH BURKE heads down as his opponent. The bell rings and here we go.
ELIJAH BURKE def. EZEKIEL JACKSON
Jackson dominated the early going, until Burke SOMEHOW countered The Book of Ezekiel into a Jumping Armbreaker and whipped Jackson to the buckle to connect with the Elijah Express. Burke drops Jackson out of the corner with the Elijah Experience and picks up the three count. After the match, Burke celebrates in the ring and promises to walk away from Over The Limit with the Hardcore Title.
We get another Extreme Retrospective and it’s ECW’s ORIGINAL Invasion of RAW back in 1997. We go to break.
Back from commercial and another Retrospective, this time of ECW’s THIRD Invasion of RAW AND Smackdown in 2005.
Back in the ring with 2 Cold Scorpio awaiting his chance to qualify and out comes WILLIAM REGAL to a HUMONGOUS pop from the crowd. The bell rings and here we go.
WILLIAM REGAL def. 2 COLD SCORPIO
Pretty good match. Scorpio used the speed and aerial game to his advantage throughout much of the early going, but Regal fought back in with a sound, mat-based technical background. After an attempted Scorpio Splash that saw Regal move out of the way, the finish came when Regal produced Brass Knucks and connected with the Power of the Punch and a Knee Trembler before locking in the Regal Stretch for the duke.
We get another retrospective and this time we get a highlights package of ECW One Night Stand 2005, including Heyman’s worked shoot against, and Austin’s Stone Cold Stunner of, Eric Bischoff. We go to commercial.
Back from break and we get another Retrospective showing how “The Crippler” Chris Benoit (Oops, said his name) earned his moniker against Sabu.
We go back to ringside and Lashley is making his way to the ring for the final qualifying match against Tyler Reks. The bell rings and here we go.
TYLER REKS def. LASHLEY
Reks goes directly after the ankle damaged last week. An effectively defenseless Lashley fights valiantly, but the finish comes as Reks gets Lashley up for the Burning Hammer and connects for the three count. Tyler Reks becomes the 20th member of the Battle Royal and the pre-show match is set.
We get another Retrospective, this time of the farewell address set in motion by the Dudleyz, Rhyno winning the ECW Title during their final PPV before closing their doors leading to ECW’s Invasion (THE Invasion) of 2001. We go to our final break of the evening.
Back from break as we get one FINAL Retrospective on the evening, and it may well be ECW’s Crowning Moment, One Night Stand 2006, where at long last, The WWE Championship came to ECW. Rob Van Dam, with a HUGE Assist from Edge and Paul Heyman himself, took the WWE Championship from a DECIDEDLY unpopular (at least on this night) John Cena. Joey Styles’ cry of “ECW LIVES!” rings through the rafters as we go back to ringside.
Out first is Kane as the pyro goes off. He’s followed by Jack Swagger and then the Big Show. Out next is Matt Hardy followed by the ECW Champion John Morrison and finally, Rob Van Dam enters to EASILY the biggest pop of the night from this Philadelphia crowd.
JOHN MORRISON, ROB VAN DAM and MATT HARDY versus JACK SWAGGER, KANE and THE BIG SHOW ended in a no-contest when EVERYONE interfered.
Total bedlam. All six participants brawled for most of the match all around the ringside area. Finish came as Big Show ended up surrounded, Morrison connects with a Flying Chuck, Hardy drops him with a Twist of Fate and RVD comes off the top with the Five-Star Frog Splash. Van Dam gets a two count before the ring floods with everyone in the Hardcore Title Battle Royal this Sunday, drawing the bell.
After the match, the scramble participants fight off all of the Battle Royal entrants and eventually Big Show is dumped from the ring by the other five. They continue to brawl among each other until it boils down to Van Dam and Morrison. The two have a staredown until Paul Heyman makes his way down to the ring and shoos them both out of the ring. Paul grabs a mic and thanks EVERYONE in the Philadelphia area who took the time to come out and watch them bust their ass on the corner of SOUTH SWANSON and WEST RITNER. Heyman concludes by saying as long as there are some drunken maniacs at any WWE show to chant “PLEASE DON‘T DIE”, “HE’S HARDCORE” and of course, “EC-DUB”, ECW will live on forever. Heyman thanks them all once again and departs the ring to a Humongous POP and chants of “THANK YOU PAUL”.
Before leaving ringside, Heyman gets back on the mic and asks the question: “COULD SOMEONE PLEASE THROW ME A CHAIR?” With that said, EVERY LAST CHAIR in the blockaded area comes FLYING over the barricade and into the ring. Once the audience has cleared the seating area, the fans come FLOODING over the retaining wall and start climbing into the ring to party. The party rages as one by one, the entire crowd climbs into the ring and onto the apron. The ring starts the shake, quake and buckle before finally, the ring just COLLAPSES to the ground under the weight of the humanity in and around the ring. An Extreme mosh pit continues to party where the ring once stood as the chants of “EC-DUB” continue to ring into the night and ECW goes off the air!
No comments:
Post a Comment