Barely Legal 97
1st of April
From the ECW Arena Philadelphia
Joey styles welcomes us to Extreme Championship Wrestling and 'beautiful' South Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . As he speaks the Dudleys come to the ring. The chants that fill the arena of 'fuck you D'von' instantly let you know that this is EC fucking W!! You just wouldn't have heard this at a WCW or WWF event; this is a completely different crowd and attitude, more akin to a punk rock crowd than a traditional wrestling crowd. D'von says its time to 'testify'...roll opening credits!
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| The ECW crowd await the action |
The Dudleys vs The Eliminators
The Eliminators (Perry Saturn and John Kronus) come to the ring and take out Sign Guy Dudley before the Dudley boys come into the ring and start the proceedings proper on The Eliminators, hitting them with a top rope vertical suplex and a bubba slam.
Saturn enters the ring and cleans house and via some impressive kick manoeuvres The Eliminators come back into it. Already here we see why ECW stood out in 97 from the big two, moves you just wouldn't see from those company's, such as a Saturn-sault and a 'space flying Kronos drop'! Is Joey making these names up?
The assault from the eliminators continues and includes an awesome 450 splash from Kronus.Before they deliver the 'Total Elimination' to Bubba and take the belts!! New champions!! Great start to E.C.Dubs first PPV.
Chris Candido should have been in the next match apparently, he’s in the ring with his arm in a sling (poet!!) and cuts a promo. He's whining about something but if I’m honest it’s hard to tell what.
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| Saturn and Kronus |
Lance Storm vs Rob Van Dam
A great, slick, fluid start to the match, with both men getting in some nice offensive manoeuvres and competent technicality. RVD hits a suicide dive to the outside on Storm which gives RVD the upper hand briefly but Storm fights back sending RVD to the outside of the ring, he misses his own attempted dive to the outside and RVD is back into it. You can’t help but feel that Storm mixing it in this way with the dives and moving to the outside is not the way to beat a man like RVD. Rob connects with a moonsault off the guardrail as if to emphasise the point.
Chair work by Van Dam again showing why ECW is a different animal, there’s no DQ’s here. A Frog splash from RVD and it's looking all too easy, but no, Storm kicks out. Van dam grabs a chair again and smashes it into Storms face.
But again mistakes by RVD allow Storm back and he delivers some nice moves before he hits a sweet tiger bomb, but this time it’s RVD that kicks out.
Van Dam doesn't quite hit a spring board back elbow and the crowd chant 'you fucked up'.
Van Dam-inator from RVD and Storms beaten! Good match.
RVD grabs a mic to chants of ‘you sold out’. He says how he's now worth more money ELSEWHERE thanks to this win.
*side note* You can feel the Production of PPV is nervy and not quite as slick as it could be.
Michinoku Pro Wrestling Match
Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada. Gran Naniwa vs Terry Boy, Dick Togo, Take Michinoku (International BWO)
Streamers are thrown from crowd into the ring. This is a showcase match for Michinoku Pro Wrestling, you would have thought especially at a debut PPV that ECW’s attention would have been on getting over their own guys, but I think this actually does a good job of showing what you can expect from ECW and how they are ahead of the curve. The match fits in with rest of ECW’s product and doesn't seem like the novelty match that these kind of matches appeared when say the WWF tried similar things.
Match starts with quite standard stuff but soon speeds up. There’s zero point in trying to explain what happens here as it’s a real spot fest of moves. The dude in green that looks like Peter Pan does some sweet moves. Really entertaining Lucha Libre/ cruiserweight style match.
Great Sasuke gets his team the win!! Note: Sasuke would appear for the WWF later this same year.
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| The Great Sasuke is under all these belts somewhere |
ECW World Television Title Match
Shane Douglas vs Pitbull #2
Shane Douglas comes to the ring with Francine and a 'riot squad' although they look like extras from that shitty Biker Boyz movie, this is due to the serious crowd heat the Franchise has after breaking Pitbull #1's (who is at ringside) neck weeks earlier.
Francine looks great here!! FACT
Shane Douglas vs Pitbull #2
Shane Douglas comes to the ring with Francine and a 'riot squad' although they look like extras from that shitty Biker Boyz movie, this is due to the serious crowd heat the Franchise has after breaking Pitbull #1's (who is at ringside) neck weeks earlier.
Francine looks great here!! FACT
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| Shane's protection |
Douglas cuts a promo in the ring, drawing more heat for his earlier actions.
Pitbull sprints to the ring and just like that the action is under way and it's Pitbull #2 that has the advantage. Throughout the very early exchanges Pitbulls music continues to play, it's highly annoying - just a small point.
It's all Pitbull in the opening minutes with Douglas struggling to get any offence in, Pitbull hits some nice power moves on Douglas as Francine looks on with huge concern.
Douglas gets back into the match though with one of the most shambolic looking hurricanranas in PPV history and sets about delivering pile drivers to his opponent in an attempt to break his neck and get the matching pair.
At this point it has to be said that the crowd don't seem to be as bothered about this as maybe Douglas and ECW would like, in fact they seem more interested in chanting about Francines alleged S.T.D's as Douglas continues to work the neck.
This is until what looks like a botched counter from Pitbull after a Douglas flying cross body leads to Douglas being dumped out of the ring and through a ringside table.
Douglas gets too close to the guardrail by which Pitbull #1 is sitting and Pitbull #1 jumps the guard rail and delivers a barrage of shots to the staggering Franchise before the Blue Oyster Club boys, sorry I mean riot squad drag him away.
A guardrail comes into play, and after a few botched attempts of using it with any effect Douglas Throws it out of the ring and onto Pitbull #2. Douglas is in control. The crowd chant 'she's a whore' again, showing how much that in ring action captivates.
Top rope mistake by Douglas leaves both men down in the centre of the ring which leads to the Pitbull getting back into this one with some nice clotheslines, drop kicks and powerslams. Douglas kicks out at two of a pin attempt and is duly handed a foreign object by the schemeing Francine, what ever it is is used by Douglas as he rocks Pitbull with some punches, but Pitbull kicks out of the first pin attempt and a second after being nailed with both a chair and the ring bell.
Pitbull makes a superhuman come back but Douglas reaches for the ring bell and bashes him with it, buteven that doesn't end it. No in the end despite all that earlier punishment Douglas wins with a very simple belly to belly suplex.
Moments after the 3 count a voice comes over the P.A the masked man that's been challenging Douglas recently says he'll take the mask off if Douglas gives up the girl...hmmmmm....only one man would go this far for a honey...it's the ravishing one!!! Disguised as one of the biker boys he nails Douglas.
Pitbull sprints to the ring and just like that the action is under way and it's Pitbull #2 that has the advantage. Throughout the very early exchanges Pitbulls music continues to play, it's highly annoying - just a small point.
It's all Pitbull in the opening minutes with Douglas struggling to get any offence in, Pitbull hits some nice power moves on Douglas as Francine looks on with huge concern.
Douglas gets back into the match though with one of the most shambolic looking hurricanranas in PPV history and sets about delivering pile drivers to his opponent in an attempt to break his neck and get the matching pair.
At this point it has to be said that the crowd don't seem to be as bothered about this as maybe Douglas and ECW would like, in fact they seem more interested in chanting about Francines alleged S.T.D's as Douglas continues to work the neck.
This is until what looks like a botched counter from Pitbull after a Douglas flying cross body leads to Douglas being dumped out of the ring and through a ringside table.
Douglas gets too close to the guardrail by which Pitbull #1 is sitting and Pitbull #1 jumps the guard rail and delivers a barrage of shots to the staggering Franchise before the Blue Oyster Club boys, sorry I mean riot squad drag him away.
A guardrail comes into play, and after a few botched attempts of using it with any effect Douglas Throws it out of the ring and onto Pitbull #2. Douglas is in control. The crowd chant 'she's a whore' again, showing how much that in ring action captivates.
Top rope mistake by Douglas leaves both men down in the centre of the ring which leads to the Pitbull getting back into this one with some nice clotheslines, drop kicks and powerslams. Douglas kicks out at two of a pin attempt and is duly handed a foreign object by the schemeing Francine, what ever it is is used by Douglas as he rocks Pitbull with some punches, but Pitbull kicks out of the first pin attempt and a second after being nailed with both a chair and the ring bell.
Pitbull makes a superhuman come back but Douglas reaches for the ring bell and bashes him with it, buteven that doesn't end it. No in the end despite all that earlier punishment Douglas wins with a very simple belly to belly suplex.
Moments after the 3 count a voice comes over the P.A the masked man that's been challenging Douglas recently says he'll take the mask off if Douglas gives up the girl...hmmmmm....only one man would go this far for a honey...it's the ravishing one!!! Disguised as one of the biker boys he nails Douglas.
Taz vs Sabu
Sabu can't wait to get at Taz for this grudge match, and hits the ring before his music has had chance to play.
Taz gets the early advantage and hits Sabu with some stiff clotheslines and submission holds. Giving a Sabu a bloody nose in the process.This seems to be just the encouragement that the homicidal maniac needs though, as he comes back at Taz with a spring board leg drop sending Taz out of the ring before delivering a firm baseball slide that sends Taz over the guard rail and into the crowd. This obviously delights Sabu who dashes for a chair, sets it up in the ring, then dives off it from the ring over the guard rail and onto the unsuspecting Taz.
The crowd errupt as the men brawl in the seating area.
Back into the ring and after a quick back and forth Sabu again takes control (or as much control as Sabu ever has). A mistake though leads to Taz dropping him face first onto a chair and momentum shifts again. Before long the crowd get another close look at Sabu as he is dumped into the front row.
Failed swinging DDT attempt by Sabu means he crashes through a table. You just can't keep Sabu down though as he fights back in his own reckless style.
Joey Styles loves legs, honestly, he tells us at least 5 times that he can't believe how strong Sabus legs are.
Sabu mocks Taz then locks on his own Tazmission (sabmission???), which is a nice touch. But you won't beat Taz with his own move and he counters easily and locks on the move himself for the victory!
Rvd and Sabu beat down Taz postmatch after Taz showed respect to and shook the hand of Sabu.
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| Don't turn your back on him Taz |
3 way dance to face Raven in the main event title match
Stevie Richards vs Sandman vs Terry Funk (Tommy Dreamer joins Joey Styles on commentary)
If you were watching ECW for the first time back then, Sandman smashing himself with the beer can so that he bleeds before the match has even started must have seemed mental! I'm not even focusing on the smoking and beer drinking entrance here .
The match starts awkwardly with the 3 men in the ring trying to find a rhythm to the ever awkward 3 way. This kind of matches always starts like this as the traditional lock ups and early grapples are redundant here. One way round this is to double team and that's exactly what Sandman and Stevie do as they double team Funker. Sandman turns on Richards though allowing Funk to regain composure and he hits Stevie with 5 neck breakers.
Sandman brings a ladder to the proceedings and beats both men with his new weapon.
Fantastically rubbish moonsault off the ladder from Funk - fantastic cos he's 53, rubbish because...it's rubbish.
All 3 men dish out and take some punishment. Styles remarks 'what makes ECW different..you're looking at it' and it's hard to disagree as the action spills to the outside and sandman disappears to retrieve more weapons. Richards takes the brunt of the beating from Funk and Sandman and he is pinned by both to be the first elimination.
Sandman again disappears here to retrieve some barbed wire and after both men make use of this
Funk gets the victory.
Raven comes to the ring and beats on Funk kick starting the final match of the evening.
ECW World Championship Match
Raven vs Terry Funk
Funk is bloodied and beaten and Raven takes full advantage, stomping and pulverising Funk. It's a savage beating as Raven sends Funk through a table. Ravens then joined by flock members who lend a hand to the brutalising of funk.
Dreamer leaves his commentary position to go make a save but e is attacked by Big D Dudley. Tommy sends Big D off the commentary stage though and heads to the ring where he nails Raven with a DDT and Funk pins Raven to take the title! New ECW champion!
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| Funking ain't easy y'all |
