Back in Time: History of ECW #31 9/6/94

History of ECW #31
9/6/94

The show opens with a video package of The Public Enemy. It shows them beating Kevin Sullivan & Tazmaniac for the ECW Tag Titles, as well as some of the other tag-teams like the Harris Twins and the Funk Brothers. It also shows when Terry Funk missed a show due to transportation issues, Cactcus Jack was left without a partner to face them. Tommy Dreamer steps up to be his partner, but gets put through a table and injured. This leaves Catcus without a partner and he has to chose between someone in the locker room.

ECW Tag Team Titles: Catcus Jack & Mystery Partner vs The Public Enemy
Cactus drags out Mikey Whipwreck as his mystery partner. Rocco grabs the mic and the fans start a “jailbird” chant. Cactus gives Mikey a pep talk, who is scared shitless. Mikey starts out and tries to escape. Cactus pulls him back in and Mikey begs Cactus to tag in. Cactus tags in and Mikey runs to the back. Cactus chases after him and gets jumped by TPE. They drag cactus back to the ring and beat on him. Mikey comes back out with a board and beats TPE with it. The crowd is going apeshit. Mikey even does the “bang, bang” gesture with Cactus. Rocco and Catcus lock up. Rocco slaps him and does a dance. He works over the shoulder until Cactus knocks him down and tags Mikey. Cactus tosses Mikey at Grunge. Mikey dropkicks Grunge twice and gets a back body drop. Cactus tosses Grunge out of the ring and hits him with a neckbreaker. Cactus beats Rocco with a chair and Mikey slams his head off the table. Back in the ring, Grunge low blows Whipwreck and beats him with a chair. He takes Mikey down with a short arm clothesline. Grunge gets a suplex for two and tags Rocco. He immediately gets a leg drop for two and catches him in a powerslam. Grunge tags back in and back drops Mikey. He hits a pilderiver and Mikey kicks out at two. Crowd is chanting for Mikey quite loudly. TPE get a sidewalk slam/elbow drop combo for two. Cactus decides that he has had enough and runs in to fight them off. They brawl to the outside and Rocco tosses Cactus over the guardrail. He brawls with Rocco through the stands. Cactus beats on Rocco with a chair and a crutch that some fan had passed to him. Grunge comes into the crowd as Rocco leaps from the scaffolding and hits Cactus with a crossbody. TPE drag Cactus back into the ring where Mikey is Still down. They set up Cactus on a table in the middle of the ring. Rocco gets the moonsault on Cactus. They then try to set up Mikey for the drive-by, but Cactus shakes the ropes and tosses Rocco out of the ring. Grunge looks in disbelief and Mikey rolls him up out of nowhere for the victory. The crowd is going crazy! (14:04) ***1/2. The new champs then walk around in the stands displaying their new belts.

Thoughts: Good match. Some of the brawling, which was new and groundbreaking at the time, does not hold up that well now because it is done so often. But this match had tremendous heat and that anything can happen aura that ECW was doing at the time.

Cactus & Mikey Whipwreck interview. Great stuff as Cactus tells Mikey that they are not the best and he picked Mikey out of any possible partner. Mikey is scared shitless as he is fearful of what the Public Enemy could do to him.

Clip of the Tommy Dreamer and Sandman Feud. This includes the end of the Singapore Cane Match in which Dreamer lost and had the option to kiss the feet of Woman or gets ten lashes on the back. The Sandman brutally gives him ten whacks as Woman gives Tommy chances to stop. Dreamer’s back is all hacked up and dripping blood.

Chad Austin w/ Jason & Rockin Rebel vs Chris Benoit
Benoit starts by takes down Austin with an armdrag. Benoit then gets a snapmare and puts him in a chinlock. They cut to Tommy Dreamer backstage talking about Sandman. Back to the action and Benoit takes Austin down with a shoulderblock. He dropkicks him into the corner and chops away. Austin whips Benoit and dropkicks him down. Benoit gets up and dropkicks him out of the ring. Back in Benoit gets off a snap suplex but the Rebel trips up Benoit. Austin goes after Rebel but Benoit gets him with a tombstone. he goes up top and hits the swandive headbutt for the win. * (3:28). Post match Rebel and Austin argue. Jason steps between the two and gets shoved by the Rebel. Rebel goes after Austin but Jason nails him with the TV Title belt. Austin joins Jason and they work on the shoulder of the Rebel. The crowd starts a “Jason Sucks” chant.

Jason w/ Dean Malenko vs JT Smith
Dean Malenko is being billed as the “Shooter.” Before the match, Malenko attacks the knee of Smith. Jason works on the of Smith. JT fights out and gets a dragon screw on Jason. Jason quickly gains the advantage with a kneebreaker. He chops Smith in the corner then JT comes back and chokes out Jason. Smith tries a slam but his knee gives out and Jason gets the pin for the victory. 1/4* (1:34)

Video of 2Cold Scorpio and Shane Douglas. These two fought in the finals of the NWA Heavyweight Title Tournament.

Paul E Dangerously is with 911. He tells everyone to watch out. 911 was over huge as a guy who would disrupt matches and chokeslam everyone. One day he refused to job for Taz and has been basically unheard from since.

Clip of Shane Douglas winning the NWA Title. He says that he does not want to be the champion of a dead promotion. He throws down the belt and proclaims himself the ECW champion. Tod Gordon, the commisioner at the time, says that Eastern Champion Wrestling will now be known as Extreme Championship Wrestling.

The 411: From here on, ECW was officially "Extreme Championship Wrestling." Over the course of the year the really tried to separate themselves from the big two. They showcased talent from all over the world and featured the Hardcore style of Wrestling. This episode was good as it featured an excellent Tag-Title match and showed some newer talent to North America like Malenko and Benoit.
Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]