wrestling / Video Reviews
Colling It In The Ring: ECW House Show 2/13/1999
Loading...Extreme Championship Wrestling House Show
Date: 2/13/1999
From: Poughkeepsie, NY
The camera guy focuses on dry blood that is on the ringside padding. That has to violate some kind of health code.
Opening Contest: Nova vs. Steve Corino: Corino notes that the sixth time is the charm. Corino shoulder blocks Nova and delivers a right hand after countering a hip toss attempt. Nova backdrops Corino out of the corner after the fans had chanted that Corino “tosses salad” for several moments. Nova and Corino trade arm drags an leg sweep pin attempts. They fake out each other with right hand attempts and the fans boo the spot. Corino drops Nova with a short arm clothesline. Nova comes off the ropes and is met with a heel kick by Corino for a two count. Corino dumps Nova to the apron and drops him throat first over the top rope. Corino fakes a dive and instead rolls to the floor to punch Nova. Nova baseball slides Corino chest first into the railing and takes Corino out with a slingshot crossbody. Nova sends Corino back first into the railing, but Corino does the same to Nova. Corino backdrops Nova into the ropes on the floor, but Nova comes back down with a DDT on the floor! Nova returns to the ring with a springboard missile dropkick for a near fall. Corino plants Nova with a powerbomb. Corino continues with a standing dropkick and does a few pushups. Nova hits a reverse swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Nova yanks Corino down from the apron and they both end up on the middle rope. Corino low blows Nova and hits a top rope bulldog but Nova kicks out at two! Corino puts Nova on the top rope but Nova shoves him off. Nova gets tossed away by Corino, who avoided a tornado DDT. Nova is able to hit the tornado DDT on a second attempt but Corino gets his boot on the bottom rope. Corino crotches Nova on the top rope and delivered a right hand for a two count. Corino eye rakes Nova in the corner but Nova catches Corino in the corner to hit a running powerbomb for a near fall! Corino superkicks Nova for another two count. Corino goes to the middle rope, but Nova stops hi,. Nova hits a middle rope Flatliner and wins the match. (***1/4. I’ve watched several ECW house shows and this is quite possibly the best opening match I’ve seen. They got plenty of time and they incorporated enough big spots to keep my interest and the action flew by. Nova came across like a guy who should be wrestling for the TV championship. I was quite impressed with his offense.)
Prior to the next match, Danny Doring cuts a promo saying that he and Roadkill are professional wrestlers while diminishing what Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney are. They are just chair swinging losers. Rotten eventually does their in-ring introduction and promises to break their chairs over Doring and Roadkill’s heads.
Second Contest: Danny Doring & Roadkill vs. Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney: Doring starts the match with Rotten and is shoved down. Doring gets on the microphone and is slapped. Rotten shoulder blocks Doring to the corner. Rotten clotheslines Doring after a backdrop. Roadkill tags into the match and gets in Rotten’s face. Mahoney tags into the match and shoulder blocks Roadkill followed by jabs. Mahoney clotheslines both men sending them to the floor. Mahoney climbs to the top and takes them out with a crossbody to the floor. Rotten decks Doring with a clothesline and Doring over sells it. Mahoney leg drops Doring after a drop toe hold for a two count. Mahoney goes to the top rope missing a leg drop attempt. Doring hits a jaw breaker and Roadkill enters to hit a clothesline and stomps. Roadkill holds Mahoney allowing for Doring to hit a clothesline for a two count. Roadkill misses a top rope splash. Rotten and Doring are tagged in with Rotten cleaning house delivering strikes. Mahoney superkicks Roadkill and grabs a chair with Rotten. They smash Roadkill with the chairs twice and win the match. (1/2*. I’m not sure why they’d give the match to Rotten and Mahoney and use it as a way to get them over. Roadkill and Doring are the more promising team and far more enjoyable. Axl isn’t over with the crowd and is relying on Mahoney’s chair gimmick. That’s really all there is to it,)
Third Contest: Jerry Lynn vs. Skull Von Krush: They start off trading hammerlocks and have a standoff after Krush takes Lynn down to the mat. Krush takes Lynn to the mat and they counter each other leading to Krush getting to the ropes. Lynn puts an STF on Krush and lets go when Krush reaches the ropes. Krush backs Lynn into the corner and delivers a few right hands. Lynn bites Skull’s forehead and connects with a head scissors out of the corner. Lynn knocks Krush with a spinning elbow. Lynn takes Krush out with a slingshot crossbody to the floor. They send each other into the railing until Lynn runs into a superkick and is met with a clothesline. Krush drives Lynn face first into the railing a few times. Krush plants Lynn with a side slam in the ring and taunts the fans. Krush delivers an elbow drop to Lynn’s groin after taunting the fans some more. Lynn stops Krush with a low blow and knee lift in the corner. Lynn misses a splash in the corner and hits the middle turnbuckle groin first. Lynn gets a rollup out of the corner and nearly wins the match. Lynn backslides Krush for a two count. Krush plants Lynn with a powerslam. Krush comes out of the corner to hit a jumping headbutt. Krush decks Lynn with a chop and continues to taunt the fans. Lynn nearly wins with a inside cradle but gets nailed by Krush with a clothesline. Lynn plants Krush with a springboard bulldog. Lynn hammers away on Krush but is dumped to the apron. Lynn tries to go to the top and is met with a strike. Lynn is able to take Krush down with a sunset flip powerbomb, which didn’t look crisp. Lynn takes Krush over with a snap suplex before heading to the middle rope to hit a leg drop for a two count. Krush plants Lynn with a side slam for a two count. Lynn leaps off the middle rope to hit a hurricanrana and wins the match. (**. They got plenty of time and the match was going rather well. Once they went to the floor, it seemed like they got lost and didn’t know how to keep the crowd invested. Probably clip off five minutes and it would have been more productive and entertaining.)
Fourth Contest: Little Guido vs. Chris Chetti: Big Sal and Vito powerbomb Chetti off the middle rope as he was playing to the crowd. Guido stomps on Chetti but is stopped by a leg sweep. Chetti continues with kicks and strikes, but Guido takes him down with more strikes. Guido keeps control with a go-behind but Chetti is able to get control causing Guido to roll to the floor. Guido low blows Chetti against the ropes and springboards off the middle rope for a rollup. Chetti tosses Guido over the top and Guido is caught by his guys. Chetti takes them all out with a crossbody off the top to the floor. Chetti kicks Guido several times for a two count. Chetti leaps off the top to hit a crossbody for a two count. Guido tosses Chetti off the apron and he hits the floor face first. Chetti is double teamed by Sal and Vito. Sal rams Chetti back first into the ring post. Guido goes for a cover, but can’t get a three count. Guido hits a middle rope leg drop for a two count. They begin to trade overhand chops. Chetti tries for a springboard but is clotheslined in midair. Chetti drives Guido down with a Samoan Drop. Chetti hits a double springboard heel kick! Chetti comes off the ropes to hit a swinging neckbreaker. Chetti hits both Sal and Vito on the apron. Guido is hit by Sal on accident. Chetti plants Guido with a sit out Death Valley Driver. Chetti hits a double springboard moonsault for the win. (**1/2. A solid match between these two and I continue to be surprised when Chetti wins matches against upper level talent. Chetti worked very well here and I’m finding him to be more and more underrated as time goes on.) After the match, Chetti is beaten up by the FBI. That is until Spike Dudley comes out for the save.
Fifth Contest: Spike Dudley vs. Big Vito & Sal E. Graziano in a handicap match: Spike ducks clotheslines and low blows Vito before hitting the Acid Drop. Sal splashes Vito on accident and Spike hits the Acid Drop leading to the win. This is a common thing on these shows and it still is entertaining.
Sixth Contest: Tajiri vs. Super Crazy: Early on, they trade some holds on the mat, but neither man gets a clear advantage for too long. They have a standoff after they both hit arm drags and they do a kip up. Tajiri hits a standing hurricanrana for a two count. Tajiri arm drags Crazy followed by an arm drag. Tajiri sends Crazy to the floor and hits a springboard moonsault! Tajiri rams Crazy into the ring post face first. Tajiri kicks Crazy on the apron and puts the tarantula on, but has to break the hold. Crazy comes off the ropes to plant Tajiri with a jumping DDT. Crazy slams Tajiri and hits a springboard moonsault for a two count. Tajiri goes to the floor and Crazty leaps over the referee to take Tajiri out with a dive! Crazy works over Tajiri with strikes in the corner. Crazy attempts a springboard somersault and lands on his stomach. Tajiri dropkicks Crazy for a two count. Tajiri hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Tajiri misses a springboard moonsault and Crazy nearly wins with a sit down powerbomb. Crazy slams Tajiri and tries for a moonsault but Tajiri got his knees up. Tajiri hits three German suplexs and wins the match. (***. A good match between these two, which is usually the case even if they wrestled nearly every show for two years. It still is interesting to me to see how differently Tajiri would look by the summer. They kept it a quick match and didn’t overstay their welcome. This would be an example of leaving fans wanting more in the future.)
Seventh Contest: Big Dick Dudley vs. Tommy Rogers: Dudley goes right after Rogers with strikes to keep him on the mat. Dudley big boots Rogers and plays to the crowd. Dudley puts Rogers in the Torture Rack and switches to a neckbreaker for a two count. Dudley tosses Rogers into the corner and delivers a running clothesline to send Rogers to the floor. Dudley press slams Rogers face first onto the apron. Dudley sends Rogers into the railing but Rogers gets his boot up. Dudley blocks a chair shot and kicks Rogers. Dudley tosses Rogers into the ring and brings a chair as well. Rogers hammers away on Dudley and hits an Un-Prettier onto the steel chair for the win. (1/2*. Well, I was not expecting that victory for Rogers. Big Dick seems to have some in-ring ability with his power moves. Thus, I’m kind of surprised that he wasn’t highlighted more. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of Rogers. This just seemed like a weird decision.)
Prior to the next match, Shane Douglas and Francine make their way out to seemingly confront Taz. Douglas looks to be in perhaps the best shape of his life. Douglas puts over Taz for giving him the toughest match of his career. He also puts over Kronus for being part of the Eliminators, one of the best tag teams ever. Douglas still considers himself to be part of the ECW World Championship scene. Taz actually smirks and motions when the fans chant Francine to show her tits. Douglas wants a rematch for the championship and thinks he deserves that. Douglas and Taz show respect for each other before Douglas heads backstage.
Eighth Contest: ECW World Champion Taz vs. John Kronus: This is actually billed as one of the three main events. I’m assuming that is in relation to Taz being champion and not because Kronus is a viable contender. Taz controls Kronus on the mat working over his arm briefly. Kronus works over Taz with strikes and a spin kick in the corner. Taz runs into a boot but fights back with an overhead belly to belly suplex. Kronus drops Taz with a heel kick for a two count. Kronus scoop slams Taz and comes off the ropes with a somersault leg drop for a near fall. Kronus plants Taz with a Rock Bottom for a near fall. Kronus slams Taz to the mat and hits a springboard twisting senton. Taz tells Kronus to bring it on the strikes and then gives him the finger. Taz tosses Kronus with an overhead suplex. Kronus stops Taz with another spin kick. Kronus heads to the top rope but Taz cuts him off. Taz hits a top rope overhead suplex. Taz stomps on Kronus in the corner and counters a handspring attempt with the Taz Mission for the win. (*. Nobody had any doubt as to who would win this match. I wasn’t all that entertained by it.) After the match, they shake hands.
Lance Storm comes out and says that he’s wrestling Justin Credible so that the fans don’t have to watch Tommy Dreamer wrestle a shitty match again. Dreamer says that Storm has gotten a lot of confidence since he’s gotten a hooker. Nor, does his confidence come from a bottle and a needle. Dreamer wants to make it a three way dance. Credible doesn’t want Storm involved and wants to wrestle Dreamer straight up. Dreamer suggests that Credible get rid of his rat (Jazz) and let her bang one of the boys. Dreamer says he wasn’t talking about her, but rather Jason! Dreamer mocks Jazz calling her a crack whore! Credible decides they are going to leave the shit hole and they begin to leave.
Ninth Contest: Justin Credible vs. Lance Storm vs. Tommy Dreamer in an elimination match: Storm goes right after Dreamer with strikes in the corner. Dreamer avoids a dropkick and fist drops Storm in the groin. Dreamer clotheslines Storm over the top to the floor. Dreamer sends Storm into the guard railing back first. Storm begs off in the corner. Dreamer crotches Storm on the top rope and hits an elevated neckbreaker. Credible returns to the match and dropkicks Dreamer. Credible works over Dreamer with stomps in the corner and plays to the crowd. Storm crotches Dreamer over the railing and Credible hits Tommy with a drink. Credible and Storm are working together as Storm hit a powerbomb. Dreamer drop toe holds Storm onto a chair. Dreamer goes for a Death Valley Driver, but Storm helps Credible and Credible plants Dreamer with a DDT onto a chair. Credible clotheslines Dreamer in the corner while wearing a fans mask or something. Storm heel kicks Credible on accident and Dreamer atomic drops Storm before sending him to the apron. Dreamer sends Credible into Storm and they do a sunset flip spot. Storm and Credible begin to trade strikes in the middle of the ring. They come off the ropes and drive each other down to the mat face first.
Credible avoids Storm in the corner and they collide heads. Dreamer is returning to the ring with a ladder. Dreamer hits both Storm and Credible with the ladder on the floor. Dreamer lays the ladder against the ropes and slingshots both men from the apron into the ring. Dreamer goes to the apron and splashes the ladder into their faces. Storm beats on Dreamer with strikes while Credible sets the ladder up in the corner. Dreamer is sent back first into the corner. Dreamer has the ladder around his neck and knocks both Credible and Storm down. Dreamer lays the ladder over the apron and railing. Dreamer has Credible on the apron, but Credible shoves Dreamer off and Tommy hits the ladder chest first. Credible lays Dreamer onto a table. Storm takes Dreamer out with an assisted senton through the table. Dreamer kicks out of a cover by both Storm and Credible. Credible accidentally punches Storm and Dreamer DDTs Credible onto Storm’s groin but Jazz enters to breakup the pin attempt. Jazz chops Dreamer several times and Dreamer no sells it. Dreamer gets met with a low blow and Jazz takes Dreamer over with a snap suplex. Dreamer no sells that and gets hit with a kendo stick. Dreamer hits Credible with a DDT after Storm hit Credible with a kendo stick. Dreamer pins Credible. Dreamer plants Storm with a side Russian leg sweep and wins the match. (**1/2. They did some of the usual three way spots, but the action was good and kept a constant pace.)
Main Event: ECW Tag Team Champions Rob Van Dam & Sabu vs. Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley: D-Von and Sabu start the title match. Sabu keeps D-Von on the mat working him over for a few moments. D-Von low blows Sabu and hits a front slam. Sabu comes off the middle rope to deliver a heel kick and knocks D-Von down. Bubba gets tagged in and works over Sabu with several strikes. Bubba jabs Sabu several times to keep him on the mat. Sabu leg sweeps Bubba to the mat. Sabu tags in RVD and he hammers away on Bubba. Sabu leaps off of RVD’s back to splash onto Bubba in the corner. Bubba catches Sabu on a second attempt managing to hit a powerbomb. RVD chuckles that Sabu got planted with a powerbomb. Sabu tries to clothesline Bubba a few times. Bubba proceeds to hit a Bubba Bomb and locks in a head scissors. Sabu counters to lock in a chin lock. RVD runs the ropes and dropkicks Bubba. RVD boots Bubba and comes off the top to hit a crossbody for a two count. Bubba avoids getting pinned and stops RVD with a boot in the corner. Bubba plants RVD with a side suplex. RVD tries to fight out of the corner, but D-Von chokes him behind the referees back. RVD spin kicks Bubba and hits a springboard kick to knock Bubba off his feet. RVD and Sabu hit a rolling thunder/leg drop combo. D-Von gets knocked down and the champs hit a double leg drop. Dudley’s roll to the floor to regroup.
RVD knocks D-Von into the crowd with a forearm shot. Sabu takes D-Von out with a double springboard dive into the crowd. RVD goes to the top rope and takes both Bubba and D-Von out with a somersault dive. Bubba tosses Sabu onto the apron and all four men are brawling around ringside. RVD hammers away on D-Von in the corner. D-Von avoids RVD in the corner and hits a reverse neckbreaker off the middle rope. Sabu tries to get involved but Bubba connects with a reverse DDT. Bubba puts Sabu on the top turnbuckle and D-Von connects with an elevated reverse DDT for a two count. RVD slams Bubba and hits a split legged moonsault for a two count. Sign Guy Dudley tried to get involved and is splashed through a table on the floor by Sabu. Dudley Boys hit a back suplex/neckbreaker combo on RVD. D-Von knocks RVD down with a spinning elbow strike. D-Von powerbombs RVD for a near fall. D-Von comes off the middle rope to headbutt RVD in the groin. Bubba hits a hip toss turned into a neckbreaker for a near fall. Bubba leg sweeps RVD and locks in a Boston Crab. Sabu comes off the top with a strike, but Bubba keeps the hold on. Sabu delivers a chair shot to knock Bubba out. Bubba and RVD begin to trade strikes in the middle of the ring. RVD nails Bubba with a spin kick.
Sabu comes off the top with a diving clothesline and a few spin kicks. Sabu wants a chair but Alfonso gives him a table instead. Bubba puts Sabu onto the table following a strike. Sabu is able to take Bubba off the top rope with a hurricanrana for a two count. RVD hits a frog splash, but Bubba kicks out at two. Sabu is placed on the table a second time. RVD kicks Bubba onto the table as Sabu plants D-Von with a tornado DDT. Both the Dudley’s are placed on the table. The champs go to opposite corners, but Sabu misses a leg drop through the table and crashes through. RVD leaps off the top to kick a chair into Bubba’s face for the win. (**. It was exactly what I thought it would be. Sabu wasn’t at the top of his game here, sadly. Once it broke down into all four guys brawling it turned into a better match. Still, it’s a disappointing match between two of the bigger teams in ECW.)
