Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Rise & Fall of ECW

Disc 1

For a rundown of all the topics covered on this in-house documentary, check out JD Dunn’s review of the set.

Disc 1 is all about the feature, and that feature was made over a decade ago. That is a very long time. With time comes perspective though, and that almost always help when watching film. After years and years of interviews, podcasts, and a few other documentaries related to ECW, it’s hard to see this feature as anything but a promotional tool designed to make the WWE lots of money on ECW. You get a rundown of the many different wrestlers that were long-term fixtures of the company or those just stopping by before moving on to more lucrative projects. This was a great way for non-ECW fans to get familiar with some of the more popular acts. You heard about major (and some minor) storylines, controversies, and a host of theories on why the company died. (Amusingly, this DVD set led to an uptick in ECW nostalgia shows/acts, which later allowed for the far-more interesting Barbed Wired City to cover why the company just won’t die for some of the wrestlers and the fans.) This would allow non-ECW fans to understand some of the reasons why ECW had such a passionate fanbase and to give that fanbase a nice stroll down memory lane.

In the end, this feature has value because you get hear thoughts on ECW from some of the biggest players during the Monday Night Wars. You won’t get a critical look at ECW or the negative impact that it had on the lives of some of the wrestlers, but you do get a great commercial for a company that captured the imagination of many a wrestling fan in its (relatively) short existence.

My own biases obviously come into play here. I did not get to live through ECW, and I’ve never had that inherent nostalgia towards the promotion when it’s been discussed in recent years. The company holds no place in my heart. From everything I’ve read and heard about the promotion, I’m actually grateful for that.

 

Disc 2

 

Gangsta’s Paradise
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 16, 1995

Raven & Stevie Richards(c) (w/ Beulah) vs. The Pitbulls (Pitbull #1 & #2) [Dog Collar Match for the ECW Tag Team Championships]

Beulah said Stevie broke his arm so it should be a 2/3 Falls to make it even. I do not really follow the logic behind that, but the Pitbulls agreed.

Raven was chained up with Pibull #2. Raven was being choked for a bit while Pitbull #1 ran to the back. Pitbull #1 came back out with Stevie chained to him. Well, I guess stupidity is an admirable quality. Back in the ring, Raven piledrove Pitbull #2 through a table: 1…2…3 The champs are up one fall to none.

The Pitbulls powerbombed Stevie through a table to pin him. The match is tied one fall to one fall. The crowd really liked that powerbomb through the table.

The teams were brawling on the outside. Just as they were getting back into the ring, there was a ref bump, and The Dudleys attacked the Pitbulls. It was the B-Team Dudleys. The Pitbulls came back with double DDTs on all four men. They went to give Raven a diving powerbomb through a table, but they under-shot it. Raven’s head bounced off the side of the table: 1…2…NO! Raven tried to legdrop Pitbull #1 through two tables, but it failed. He settled for putting him through one table. Francine ran in and did the catfight spot with Beulah. Yawn. Raven DDTed her though. Pitbull #2 was stretchered to the back, while Tommy Dreamer showed up. He tried to join the match. He DDTed Raven: 1…2…3? New champs?

Bill Alfonso ran in. He said the tag match was not 2/3 falls according to the contract, and he said that Dreamer’s victory over Raven absolutely did not count. Todd Gordon came out. He re-started the match, but Fonzy shoved him. Big Dick Dudley chokeslammed Dreamer. Fonzy said chokeslams would be allowed tonight, which gets rid of his ban on chokelsams. 911 came out and gave Fonzy a chokeslam. That was a storyline I know nothing about. The crowd loved it. Pitbull #2 came back out. He gave Raven and Stevie a simultaneous super powerbomb: 1…2…3

If I was invested in ECW storylines at the time of this match, I can see this being a match that I loved. That’s not exactly a bold statement mind you, because so many fans that were invested at the time still do love the match. While the action and stories do not hold up very well, there’s something undoubtedly endearing about this match. You can tell how important and how over all the storyline elements were and that ages just well enough to give this a boost.

Match Rating: ***

 

Hardcore TV
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 17, 1995

Rey Mysterio vs. Psicosis [2/3 Falls]

They ended up in the crowd quickly enough. Rey did a spectacular dive into the crowd right after that. Back in the ring, Rey hit a hurricanrana: 1…2…3!

Rey was dominating the early goings of the second fall. Psicosis went for a handshake, but he kicked Rey instead. Psicosis then worked him over. He targeted the legs of Rey. Rey started to come back and went for a quebrada, but Psicosis caught him and hit a tombstone: 1…2…3!

They are tied one fall to one fall. Psicosis dominated Rey at the start of the third fall. He hit a Deadman suicida from the ring to the crowd. Mysterio came back with a springboard flipping seated senton to the floor. They brawled on the floor with chairs. Rey hit a couple of crazy maneuvers. Psicosis came back with a Togo Senton through a table on the floor. I think he was going for a guillotine legdrop, but it was a Togo Senton. Psicosis hit a corkscrew senton on a chair: 1…2…3!

Both guys went all out and delivered one of the most spectacular/impressive high flying matches that I have ever seen (even all these years later). The story of the match was rather simple, but it completely worked. Rey and Psicosis each just threw bombs at each other. This match is a delight to re-watch, and I recommend that everyone check it out.

Match Rating: ****1/4

Watch this great match right here.

 

Hardcore TV
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 28, 1995

The Sandman(c) (w/ Woman) vs. Mikey Whipwreck [Ladder Match for the ECW Championship]

Steve Austin came out before the match. He buried both men and brought Woman to the back. Okay.

Sandman got the advantage after dropping Mikey on a ladder. Mikey came back with some chairshots to the head. They went back and forth using the ladder as a weapon. Sandman got busted open, as Mikey got the advantage. Mikey hit a splash with the ladder: 1…2…3

Cactus Jack tried to hog the spotlight, but the locker room came out to properly celebrate.

Much like the first match on the DVD, I’m sure this would seem more important in the moment, but match itself did not come across well. Mikey would get better later in his career. Sandman never seemed like a great guy to lead a match to me. He had his charm and could be used effectively, but he did not do a good job here building to the finishing stretch.

Match Rating: **

 

Cyberslam
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 17, 1996

2 Cold Scorpio(c) vs. Sabu [ECW Television Championship]

Sabu hit a very early double jump tope con HELLO into the crowd. Back in the ring, Scorpio hit a powerbomb to cut off Sabu. Sabu fought back and sent both men to the floor. Sabu was in control after that. Scorpio quickly came back though and got back control. Sabu got the camel clutch. I think I can stop recapping and just say they keep going back and forth. Finally, Scorpio established some sort of control over the match. Sabu came back after a tope suicida. Scorpio got back control by going after Sabu’s legs. Sabu came back with an Asai Moonsault. Sabu went for a triple jump tope con HELLO through a table, but he only took out the table. Scorpio avoided all damage. Sabu came back in the ring. Scorpio hit a MOONSAULT LEGDROP: 1…2…NO! They traded more big moves. The time limit was close to expiring so Sabu desperately tried to finish off Scorpio. He couldn’t do it though and the time ran out.

If nothing else, this was certainly a spectacle. There was some sloppiness, it felt overly spotty, and it could greatly benefited from a more defined structure. However, it got over with the crowd and was a lot of fun to watch. I cannot fault them too much when they achieved the basic goals of pro wrestling.

Match Rating: ***

 

Wrestlepalooza
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 6th, 1996

Tommy Dreamer (w/ Beulah) vs. Raven (w/ Lupus & Chasity)

Raven was on his way to WCW, which made this Tommy’s last chance to defeat him in a feud that has been going on since they were children.

Raven tried to leave before the match started, but Dreamer went and got him. They brawled around the crowd. Raven got the advantage. They went back and forth a bit. Back in the ring, Raven threw him into a chair, but Tommy came back with a DDT. Dreamer hit a DDT onto a sign, but Lupus made the save. Beulah gave him a DDT. Raven and Dreamer traded low blows. Beulah and Chasity did the catfight spot because ECW. Beulah gave Raven a low blow. DDT onto the sign from Tommy: 1…2…NO! Great nearfall. Louie Spicoli ran in, but Tommy DDTed him. DDT from Raven: 1…2…NO! DVD from Dreamer! Spicoli’s finisher! Dreamer hit a DDT on the sign: 1…2…3!

The lights went out. Rob Van Dam attacked Dreamer while Bill Alfonso cheered him on. Sabu was the next to get the lights out treatment. Dreamer came back, but Jerry Lawler then did the lights out run-in. The locker room tried to run them all off, but they failed. This was such a great angle. The Gangstas came out, and it genuinely felt wild when RVD and Sabu went to attack them. The Sandman also failed. Taz came out. The heels ran away.

The match was way better than I remembered. The brawling section that took up the first half of the match was uninspired, but the stuff in the ring was a ton of fun. The nearfalls and interference spots were perfectly timed/executed, and the victory felt like a big deal (even to someone who was not watching at the time).

Match Rating: ***1/4

 

Living Dangerously
Asbury Park, New Jersey
March 1, 1998

Taz(c) vs. Bam Bam Bigelow [ECW Television Championship]

Taz had some success early on, but Bam Bam cut him off and went to work on him. Taz came back with an exploder into the crowd from the ramp. Bam Bam got back the advantage by the time they returned to the ring. Bam Bam brought a table into the ring, but Taz put him through it. They brawled into the crowd some more. Back in the ring, Taz went for the Tazmission. Bam Bam Bam appeared to be tapping. Bam Bam got him in the air and then fell backwards through the ring! Bam Bam dragged Taz back up from under the ring and pinned him: 1…2…3!

This was an odd match to put on this set, as the finishing spot is the only cool moment to happen during the entire thing. That finish was definitely awesome, but it did not totally make up for the awkward and dull brawl that proceeded it.

Bam Bam Bigelow is one of my favorite wrestlers so I’m always grateful to get another look at him though. It’s always seemed like such a shame that he did not have a better career.

Taz, on the other hand, always seemed like a major overachiever in the wrestling business. I would be interested in seeing more of his Tazmaniac days before I felt comfortable having a strong opinion on him. His work as Taz never seemed that special to me. Much like ECW itself, I view his success more of a result of good timing more than an actual talent.

Match Rating: **1/4

 

Hardcore Heaven
Poughkeepsie, New Yorik
May 16, 1999

Rob Van Dam(c) (w/ Bill Alfonso) vs. Jerry Lynn [ECW Television Championship]

I haven’t seen a match between these two in years. I’m curious to see how it holds up.

As they were wont to do, they took their merry time to get to the point. They went back and forth. They did things. Lynn eventually sent him to the floor and hit a plancha. Lynn was in control for a bit after that. RVD got control after crotching Jerry and sending him to the floor. RVD worked Lynn over for a while. Lynn came back after a sunset flip powerbomb. RVD came right back though with a Fonzy-assisted Van Daminator. Lynn started to fight back, but RVD sent him through a table. RVD was in control again. Lynn hit a sunset flip powerbomb into a table. Lynn then got a nearfall with a bridging German. They were setting something up on the top rope, but they fell to the mat. Lynn hit a Van Daminator for a nearfall. RVD hit the split-legged moonsault. Five Star Frogsplash! Lynn got a nearfall with a small package. RVD hit another Van Daminator and then another Five Star: 1…2…3!

I really struggled to articulate my thoughts on this match. There were certainly sections and moments of the match that I enjoyed. They worked really hard, and the crowd was appreciative of their efforts. However, it just never really felt like a cohesive whole. It felt like a collection of moments. I don’t mind a match being a collection of spots, but there’s a better way of executing that kind of match (the Mysterio/Psicosis match on this set for instance).

Match Rating: **3/4

 

Watch some ECW matches for free!

Eddy Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko

Rey Mysterio vs. Psychosis

Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki vs. RVD & Sabu

Super Crazy vs. Mosco de la Merced

 

Watch some WWECW for free!

MONSTER MASH

Matt Hardy vs. Jack Swagger [ECW Championship]

CM Punk vs. Elijah Burke

William Regal vs. Christian [ECW Championship]

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

While it is an easy watch, time has not been kind to this set. The in-house documentary has all the issues you would expect from WWE-produced work on a property that they own. The matches are a mixed bag as well. If you've never seen this, you probably should. Barbed Wired City should be a higher priority though.