From The Shelf- ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999

ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999
Poughkeepsie, NY
5/16/1999

Key Points:
-Taz looks to continue his reign of dominance defending his ECW Championship against Chris Candido.
-After their classic at Living Dangerously that ended in five minute overtime, Lynn and RVD look to prove who the best is once and for all.
-Dawn Marie, an ex-girlfriend of Tommy Dreamer, arrives to ECW to play mind games on Dreamer.

Your hosts are Joey Styles and Cyrus the Virus.

Chris Candido interrupts Joey Styles’ opening introduction and says he has an insurance policy for his championship match with Taz tonight, that being the Dudley Boyz. Candido declares with the Dudleys and Tammy Synch by his side, he’ll become the heavyweight champion. Taz comes out and takes out the Dudleys with a double clothesline on the ramp and it looks like the title match is right now!!!

ECW World Heavyweight Championship- Taz © vs. Chris Candido w/Tammy Synch and Dudley Boyz
Rights by Taz and he hits a release German suplex. Taz charges in the corner but eats boot but catches Candido with a head and arm Tazplex. Jackknife powerbomb by Candido and he goes up. Candido misses the diving headbutt and Taz hits a T-Bone Tazplex. Tazmission and Candido gives!!!
Winner and Still ECW Champion- Taz * ( If I bought this PPV hoping for a great match between these two I’d be pissed. Taz squashed Candido in the advertised main event in the first match. This was stupid. )

After the match, the Dudley Boyz lay out Taz with a 3D. The Dudley Boyz brag about their accomplishments in ECW and they issue an open challenge to anyone with the balls to face them. This brings out Ballz Mahoney who fires away on the Dudleys, leading to our next match.

ECW Tag Team Championships- Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) ©w/Sign Guy Dudley and Joel Gertner vs. Ballz Mahoney and ???
He slams Buh Buh and goes up. He botches an elbow drop off the top and covers Buh Buh for 2 as D-Von saves. Belly to belly suplex by Ballz and he goes up. The Dudleys toss him off the top and Spike Dudley comes out to be Mahoney’s partner. He comes out through the crowd and goes low on his brothers. Dudley Dog on Buh Buh while Ballz hits the Nutcracker Sweep onto D-Von for 2!!! Ballz presses Spike onto Sign Guy on the floor!!! Back in, Ballz and the Dudleys play catch with Spike but the Dudleys dump Spike to the floor to end that. Double clothesline by Ballz and he jabs away on D-Von. Flying forearm by D-Von and Ballz bails to the floor. In the ring, Buh Buh hits a Samoan Drop to Spike. He sets up a table in the corner but Spike catches him with a roll-up for 2. Spike charges in the corner but eats boot. Buh Buh puts Spike on the table and goes up but Spike goes low and follows. Spike goes for a hurricanrana but Buh Buh counters into a super sit-out powerbomb through the table!!!! Buh Buh covers for 2 as Ballz breaks and D-Von hits a reverse DDT. 3D to Spike gets 2 as Ballz breaks it up with a chair. Ballz cleans house with the chair and Sign Guy comes in. Gertner sneaks up from behind as Ballz is distracted and gives him the softest chair shot of all time. Gertner tries to throw fire at Ballz but it doesn’t really work. Gertner celebrates as Ballz drinks lighter fluid and THROWS A FIREBALL AT HIM!!!!! He walks into 3D from the Dudley Boyz and they get the 3!!!
Winners and Still ECW Tag Team Champions- Dudley Boyz ** ( This was every tag match these two teams have ever had with each other. This whole opening segment with the Dudley Boyz was a mess and a representation of the problems ECW had around this time, which I’ll get into later. )

Super Crazy vs. Taka Michinoku
Dropkick by Crazy to start and Taka is knocked onto the entrance ramp. Taka comes back in with a springboard dropkick knocking Crazy to the floor. Back in, Taka hits an elbow to the back but misses a second elbow and Crazy arm drags Taka into an arm bar. Taka escapes and Crazy hits a leaping DDT forcing Taka to bail again. Crazy looks to dive but Taka nails him with a forearm and they head back in. Snapmare into a dropkick to the back by Taka. Taka chokes Crazy with his boot in the corner but Crazy catches him with a sleeper to come back. Taka elbows out and he hits a side Russian leg sweep. Taka is reversed to the corner and Crazy charges but eats knee. Tornado DDT by Taka and he goes for a second one but Crazy counters into a sit-out spinebuster. Crazy goes up but Taka stops him and follows up. Frankensteiner off the top by Taka gets 2 and they trade roll-ups for some 2 counts. Taka backdrops Crazy to the floor and he goes for a springboard crossbody to the floor but Crazy moves and Taka eats the railings. Crazy dropkicks Taka off the apron and into the crowd. Crazy HITS A SPRINGBOARD ASAI MOONSAULT INTO THE CROWD!!!!! Back in, Crazy hits a dropkick to the leg and then stomps away on the leg of Taka. Dragon screw leg sweep by Crazy but Taka comes back with an enzuigiri. Slam by Taka and he goes up. Moonsault off the top by Taka misses and Crazy hits the triple moonsault for 2!!! Crazy goes up and leaps but Taka dropkicks him on the way down. Taka goes up and hits a missile dropkick to the back of Crazy. Michinoku Driver by Taka and he goes for a second one but Crazy counters into a DDT. Crazy counters a hurricanrana attempt into a powerbomb and then hits a sit-out powerbomb for 3.
Winner- Super Crazy ***1/4 ( Really good match. Tons of fun action that should have opened the show to get the crowd going for the rest of the show. )

Video package for RVD/Lynn airs.

The Dudley Boyz tend to Joel Gertner backstage and find a hit list on him. They see Nova on the list so the Dudleys find him backstage and beat the hell out of him.

Little Guido w/Big Sal vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri
Guido takes Tajiri down to start and tries to hammer away but Tajiri shields himself. Tajiri hooks the leg and does a roll sending Guido crashing onto his backs. Series of kicks by Tajiri and he goes for a powerbomb but Guido escapes. Guido stomps away in the corner and he takes Tajiri down into the Fujiwara arm bar but Tajiri makes the ropes. Guido goes up and hits a missile dropkick onto the arm. Tajiri bails to the floor and Guido tries a slingshot pescado but Tajiri swats him away. Tajiri goes up and hits a crossbody to the floor onto Guido and Sal. Gordbuster onto the railings by Tajiri and he follows up with a dropkick to the back. He sends Guido face first into the post and back in, Tajiri grabs the Tarantula. Sal gets a cheap shot in allowing Guido to stomp away some more. Guido tries a headscissors but Tajiri dumps and DUMPS GUIDO FACE FIRST ONTO THE RAMP!!!! Tajiri follows out but Guido drop toe holds him onto the ramp. Guillotine legdrop onto the ramp by Gudio and back in, Gudio covers for 2. Guido climbs the ropes and hits a splash for 2. Tajiri tries a springboard crossbody but Guido catches him in the Fujiwara arm bar. He releases after a big and distracts the ref allowing Sal to come in and hit a powerslam on Tajiri. Jackknife roll-up by Guido gets 2. He dumps Tajiri to the floor and Sal works him over. Back in, Guido slams him and hits a kneedrop. They trade chops but Gudio knocks him down and hits a legdrop fort 2. Guido charges in the corner but eats a superkick and Tajiri goes for a hurricanrana but Guido blocks with a powerbomb for 2. Guido goes for the Sicilian Crab but Tajiri blocks and hits some dropkicks to the knees. Guido catches him with a short arm scissors takeover and locks the hold in but Tajiri gets his foot on the ropes to break. Airplane spin around his body by Tajiri and he goes for a powerbomb but Guido escapes. HARD slap by Tajiri and he puts Guido in the tree of woe. Basement dropkick in the corner by Tajiri and he hits a spinkick. Brainbuster by Tajiri gets 3.
Winner- Yoshihiro Tajiri ***1/4 ( Another really good match. Tajiri really got a chance to shine in one of his earliest ECW appearances and Guido and him had good chemistry together. )

Video package for Dreamer/Storm airs.

The Dudley Boyz read off another name on the hit-list, some guy named Rod, and they destroy him backstage.

Lance Storm w/Dawn Marie vs. Tommy Dreamer w/Francine
They brawl on the ramp to start and they head to the floor. Dreamer sends Storm into the railings and back in, Storm goes for a sunset flip but Dreamer nails him with a trash can lid to block. Dreamer clotheslines Storm and himself to the floor. Back on the ramp, Dreamer gives Storm an airplane spin but Storm catches him with a reverse DDT taking him down. Elbow drops on the ramp by Storm and he dumps Dreamer back in. Dreamer goes for a DDT but Storm sweeps the leg driving Dreamer onto a chair for 2. He puts the chair in the corner and Storm hits some rights. Dreamer sends Storm into the chair but Storm comes back with a superkick for 2. Storm sets up a table on the floor but Dreamer follows and they slug it out. Dreamer crotches Storm on the post and he brings the railings into the ring. Dreamer goes for a chair shot but Storm moves and crotches Dreamer on the railings. Storm goes up and he leaps but Dreaming moves causing Storm to crash into the railings. Dreamer sets up a chair and goes up but Storm stops him and tosses Dreamer face first onto the chair for 2, Storm goes to hiptoss Dreamer off the apron but Dreamer blocks and goes for a suplex. Storm escapes and charges but Dreamer backdrops him through the table on the floor!!! Back in, Storm drives a chair into the side of the head of Dreamer and he drives a belt buckle into the head of Dreamer. Dreamer with a jaw breaker using a chair for 2. Dreamer puts a ladder between the railings and apron of the ring and grabs Storm but Storm shoves him off the apron and into the ladder. Storm goes to baseball slide the ladder but Dreamer ducks and drives the ladder into the face of Storm. Back in, Dreamer puts the ladder on Storm’s head and drives it into the corner. Dreamer nails the ladder with a chair and Storm falls back, driving the ladder into the head of the ref. Dreamer goes up for a splash off the top but Storm moves causing Dreamer to crash onto the ladder. Storm brings a table into the ring and puts Dreamer on it. Storm goes up but Dreamer stops him and follows up. Dreamer hits the Spicolli Driver off the top and through the table on Storm!!!! Cyrus comes out and pulls Dreamer off the cover but walks into a spear from Francine. Bronco Buster by Francine but Dawn Marie attacks, causing a catfight. Dreamer grabs her and lays her out with a piledriver. Storm nails Dreamer with a trash can and puts the trash can on him. Storm goes up and hits a spinning heel kick off the top into the trash can for 3.
Winner- Lance Storm **1/2 ( The brawl itself is decent but it’s the time of match we have seen a million times from Dreamer and it was a poor use of a guy like Storm. The finish felt flat as well considering all the overbooking that went into the finish. )

The Dudley Boyz see that Jack Victory, their boy, is next on the hit list. Buh Buh Ray doesn’t want to do it but $5,000 changes his mind. They call out Victory from the bathroom and the Dudley Boyz take him out.

Taz tells the Dudley Boyz he’s going to take them out tonight.

ECW TV Championship- Rob Van Dam ©w/Bill Alfonso vs. Jerry Lynn
Both men look for control to start and RVD catches him with a roll-up for 2 leading to a standstill. Both men avoid each other’s high impact moves and we reach another standstill. They trade counters and we reach yet another standstill. Forearms by RVD and he charges but gets backdropped to the apron. Springboard dropkick by Lynn knocks RVD off and the apron and Lynn goes up with a dive to the floor!!! Guillotine legdrop as RVD was entering the ring by Lynn gets 2. Chops in the corner by Lynn and he puts RVD on top. Lynn follows up and hits a second rope bulldog for 2. Lynn goes up again but Alfonso shoves him into the ropes causing Lynn to get crotched. Alfonso puts a chair in front of Lynn’s head and RVD goes for a top rope superkick but Lynn ducks. He tosses the chair at RVD and charges but RVD crotches him again. This time he connects with the top rope superkick into the chair and Lynn falls to the floor. Lynn seems to be hurt from the fall and RVD has to lift him back to his feet. RVD sends Lynn into the crowd and he charges with a dive into the crowd onto Lynn!!! Back in, RVD charges at Lynn but he catches RVD with a sunset flip for 2. He goes for the piledriver but RVD counters into the Alabama Slam. Basement spinning heel kick by RVD but he misses the Rolling Thunder. Lynn goes for a Tornado DDT but RVD counters into a northern lights suplex for 2. RVD puts Lynn on top and follows up but Lynn takes him off with a sunset flip powerbomb for 2. Short arm clothesline by Lynn and he sets up a table on the floor. RVD follows out and he gets sent into the railings by Lynn. Lynn charges but RVD backdrops him into the crowd. Alfonso tosses a chair at Lynn who catches it and RVD hits a springboard superkick off the railings into the chair. Back at ringside, Lynn sends RVD face first into the post and puts him on top. Lynn follows up but RVD dumps Lynn off the top through the timekeepers table!!! He sends Lynn into the railings and gordbusters him onto the railings. RVD hits the spinning legdrop off the apron onto the back of Lynn. Back in, RVD covers for 2. Dropkick to the leg by RVD and he hits a basement dropkick driving a chair into the head of Lynn. They go to the apron and RVD puts Lynn on top. Lynn goes for a Tornado DDT but RVD blocks and clotheslines Lynn back into the ring. Slingshot legdrop back in by RVD gets 2. RVD charges in the corner but gets dumped to the apron and Lynn hits a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron through a table on the floor!!!! Back in, Lynn gets 2. Whip to the corner and RVD charges but eats boot. Lynn nails RVD in the midsection with a chair and then tosses the chair at an incoming Alfanso. German suplex by Lynn gets 2 and he hits a slam. He goes up but RVD stops him and follows up. Lynn fights him off and they collapse to the mat below. RVD covers for 2. Lynn dropkicks a chair into the head of RVD for 2. Lynn goes for the Cradle Piledriver but RVD backdrops out and Lynn rolls RVD up for 2. Lynn puts RVD on top and follows up but RVD fights him off. Split legged moonsault by RVD gets 2. Lynn goes for the reverse DDT but RVD snapmares him and hits a spinning legdrop. He goes up and hits the Five Star Frog Splash. He goes for the cover but Lynn counters into a small package for 2!!! RVD tosses a chair at Lynn and follows up with the Van Daminator. RVD goes up and hits the Five Star Frog Splash again for 3!!! They shake hands after the bout.
Winner and Still ECW TV Champion- Rob Van Dam **** ( Great follow up to the Living Dangerously match. Lynn took a vicious beating from RVD but kept hanging in there and almost finally caught the mighty RVD. Just a great battle and told a simply story of one guy trying to prove decisively they were better than the other. )

The Dudley Boyz tell Taz it is going to be a pleasure to take him out tonight. Chris Chetti is brought into the room by Big Dick Dudley and D-Von nails him with a hard right that hurts his hand. Bubba finishes the beat down as a message to Taz.

Video package on Justin Credible airs.

Justin Credible w/Jason and Jazz vs. ???
This was originally supposed to be Credible vs. Shane Douglas, but Douglas bailed to WCW. Credible lists all the men he has taken out and Jeff Jones comes out with a stretcher. He tells Credible he will pay for his crime and he’ll be executed by the man. The man is SID!!!! Sid presses Credible to the mat and he stomps away. Whip to the corner where Credible does the corner flip and Sid shoves Credible to the floor. He follows out and drops Credible onto the railings. Back in, Sid goes for a powerbomb but Jason breaks it up. Sid powerbombs him and Credible nails him in the back with the Singapore cane. Sid comes right back with a chokeslam and he goes for the powerbomb again but Lance Storm comes out and breaks it up. The ref calls for the bell as Sid chokeslams Storm.
Winner by DQ- Sid 1/4* ( You bring Sid in to teach Justin Credible a lesson, he needs to win. Don’t do a Dusty finish to protect JUSTIN CREDIBLE. Also, a DQ finish in ECW is stupid beyond words. The match was a fun squash before the stupidity cause the crowd adored Sid. )

After the match, Sid goes for the powerbomb on Storm but Credible throws powder in his eyes and the Impact Player double team him. Credible sets up a table on the ramp and they head up top but Sabu comes out. He attacks the Impact Players with a chair and he puts Credible on the table along with Sid. Air Sabu through the table on Sid as Storm pulls Credible out of the way in time!!! Alfonso puts Jason on a table on the floor and Sabu hits Air Sabu through the table on him as well!!! Security pulls Sabu to the back as Sid recovers. He stalks Jones in the ring and Sid lays him out with a powerbomb. A second powerbomb by Sid and he finally leaves.

Buh Buh Ray Dudley comes out and says D-Von was originally going to take the ECW title from Taz but he hurt his hand beating up Chris Chetti so he will take his place.

ECW World Heavyweight Championship- Taz © vs. Buh Buh Ray Dudley w/Sign Guy Dudley
Boot to the head by Taz to start and he takes Buh Buh down by the arm forcing him to bail. Taz grabs a microphone and declares that the match is now FTW rules with falls counting anywhere. Buh Buh attacks from behind and he hits a slam. Elbow drop by Buh Buh gets 2. He dumps Taz to the ramp and follows out with more rights. Taz catches him with a drop toe hold and he hits Buh Buh with an FTW sign. Back in, Taz dumps Buh Buh to the floor and follows out. They brawl in the crowd and Buh Buh busts Taz open in the process. They fight in the lobby and then make their way back into the arena. Back in the ring, Buh Buh hits a back elbow. Rights by Buh Buh and he hammers away in the corner. Buh Buh goes to the second rope but Taz stops him and follows up. Overhead belly to belly superplex by Taz and both men are down. D-Von comes out and hits the reverse DDT on Taz. Buh Buh covers for 2. Avalanche in the corner by Buh Buh and he charges again but Taz catches him with a clothesline. Sidewalk slam by Buh Buh gets 2. He puts a table in the corner and dumps Taz onto the ramp. Buh Buh sets up a second table in a different corner and back in, Buh Buh hits some rights. Taz no sells and they slug it out. They toss the ref through the table and Buh Buh hits a sit-out powerbomb for 2 when another ref quickly comes out. D-Von comes back in and they hit the back suplex/neckbreaker combo on Taz. Buh Buh covers for 2. They go for the 3D but Taz counters with a DDT to D-Von. T-Bone suplex through the table by Taz gets 2. Buh Buh goes for the Samoan drop but Taz counters into the Tazmission!!! Buh Buh taps.
Winner and Still ECW Champion- Taz *1/2 ( No one bought Buh Buh as a real threat so this match just fell flat. It dragged a lot and was a typical ECW brawl. Boring main event to end a weird show. )

The 411: ECW was no long a unique and edgy product by this point. WWF had successful incorporated elements of ECW into their product so everything ECW was doing was suddently coming across as a second rate WWF product. They took cheat shots throughout the PPV about what the WWF and WCW was doing while putting on the same overbooked segments and matches that the other two companies that they were making fun on were doing. They had guys like RVD, Lynn, Tajiri, and Taz who were wrestling a totally different style than the other two companies were doing and could have shifted the style and focus of the company to keep them differentiated but chose to stick to their roots which ended up hurting them in the long run. This show was solid with a great RVD/Lynn match and some solid wrestling but you can see the magic of the company was starting to fade.

Final Score:  6.0   [ Average ]