Written By: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 1/18/1997
From: Philadelphia, PA
Ricky Morton and Tommy Rich make their way out to the ring as we are told they will be taken to the extreme!
Hardcore TV opening video
Opening Contest: the Gangstas defeated Ricky Morton/Tommy Rich: the Gangstas storm the ring and Jack smashes Morton with a trash can lid. Mustafa works on Rich on the floor while Jack uses a kendo stick on Morton. Rich hits Mustafa with a chair and Morton works on Jack with a frying pan. Mustafa chokes Rich with a chair but is low blowed. Jack and Morton brawl into the crowd and make their way up to the bleachers. Mustafa chokes Rich with a chain in the ring. Rich with another low blow as Jack is back to ringside. Rich runs into a big boot as Morton comes back in and all four men are brawling. Rich accidentally hits Morton with a right hand. Jack leaps off the top and hits Rich with a chair to pick up the win. ½*
Joey Styles hypes up ECW’s debut in Scranton, PA. Hair vs. belt between Raven and Sandman. Raven is putting his hair on the line to get possession of his ECW World Championship back!
Footage of Ricky Morton turning on Tommy Rich and they ended up having a unscheduled street fight. Rich won following a rollup. Both men were bleeding by the end of the match.
Joey Styles talks about the supposedly injured shoulder of Taz. Styles says that a camera crew went to Taz’s dojo. A trainer at the dojo told the camera guy to leave the area. A few seconds later they are told that Taz will be interviewed by them. Taz is in his office and says that he doesn’t need to wrestle and that he will sit out if Sabu decides to sit out. Taz will not wrestle until Sabu wrestles him. Taz admits that he has a severe shoulder injury. Taz mentions that he has had a injured shoulder for three years which “is a old injury and acts up once and awhile.” Styles asks why Taz hates RVD. Taz simply doesn’t like RVD and calls RVD a pretty boy. Taz is going to make RVD a house hold name on his turf. Taz says he is the ultimate wrestler. Taz announces that next week he will demonstrate his skills. Taz tells Styles to never come to his dojo uninvited ever again.
Footage of what happened last week, mainly highlighting the Raven/Sandman brawl. Styles wonders if the BWO are now supporting the Sandman.
ECW World Champion Raven has entered the ring and demands that Sandman bring him his championship. Sandman comes his way down to the ring and Raven tells Sandman there is only one way to settle this. Raven decks Sandman with a right hand and Sandman does the same. They trade a few punches which knocks the other man down. Raven tosses Sandman into the guard railing and grabs a table but is speared by Sandman from behind. Sandman slams a table onto Raven. Raven low blows Sandman and delivers a elbow drop on the apron. Raven sets up a table on the apron and railing. Raven ends up sending Sandman over the top and crashing through the table with a clothesline. Raven sends Sandman flipping into the broken tables on the floor. Back in the ring, Raven holds up the ECW World Championship as he plants Sandman with a DDT. The BWO make their way down to the ring. Raven looks at them wondering what they are doing. Sandman spits beers into Raven’s eyes. Raven is blinded and nails Nova and Meanie with right hands. Richards shoves Raven into Sandman who rolls Raven up for some reason. Raven puts the boots to Sandman for a few moments and stares at Richards. Richards goes to super kick Raven but misses and hits Sandman! Richards tells Raven he isn’t finished with Raven. Raven punches Richards and is distracted long enough for Sandman to DDT Raven! Richards nails Raven with a super kick and gives Sandman a BWO shirt to join them. Sandman looks at the shirt and chokes Raven with the shirt! Sandman continues to pummel Raven with punches. Raven ends up getting caught up in the ropes and Sandman whacks Raven with a kendo stick several times! Raven is knocked out as Sandman grabs the championship and once again leaves with the championship. Raven crawls to the backstage area refusing any help from officials.
Joey Styles goes over what we just witnessed between Raven and the Sandman.
Joel Gertner introduces his guest which is himself and he puts over his chest as the best chest in ECW.
Joey Styles is cut off by Raven who is bandaged up and tells Styles to go to the backstage area and tell Sandman to bring Raven his championship. Todd Gordon comes over and tells Raven to calm down. Raven tells Gordon to get his title. Gordon tells Raven to get his championship belt back by taking it. Raven shoves Gordon.
Joey Styles goes over the recent happenings between Shane Douglas and the Pitbulls. Douglas also has to deal with Tommy Dreamer. Douglas pinned Beulah in a mixed tag match and bragged about beating the undefeated Beulah.
Footage from a few weeks ago going over the recent happenings between Chris Candido and Louie Spicolli. Styles says that a new and improved Triple Threat may exist in ECW consisting of Shane Douglas, Brian Lee and Chris Candido.
We go to the closing moments of Louie Spicolli vs. Chris Candido. Both men are laid out on the mat and stumble to their feet. Spicolli hammers away on Candido and drops Candido with a few clotheslines. German suplex by Spicolli but only gets a two count on the cover. Spicolli blocks a hurricanrana and dumps Candido to the floor. Spicolli gives Candido a chance to get up as Candido may have injured his neck. Candido was faking and rolls Spicolli up for a near fall. Candido goes for a superplex but is shoved off by Spicolli. Spicolli leaps off the top looking for a sunset flip but Candido drops to his knees and pins Spicolli. After the match, Shane Douglas and Brian Lee storm the ring to attack Spicolli. Lee choke slams Spicolli! Douglas plants Spicolli with a spike tombstone pile driver. Pitbull #2 runs down and no sells a choke slam from Lee! Pitbull cleans house on the new Triple Threat. Pitbull stares down the Triple Threat to close out the show.
End of show.
My Take: The only actual match was the typical Gangstas hardcore stuff. It wasn’t all that entertaining but it was kind of interesting to see Ricky Morton hit someone with a frying pan.
They are doing a good job with the slow build to a obvious Richards vs. Raven feud, which I think could be pretty good since Richards is becoming more serious as the weeks go by. I think its pretty interesting to see how far both men have come, considering Raven was brought into ECW by Richards in 1995. Now, Raven is the boss of Richards or was the boss of Richards. Certaintly a interesting program.
The brawl between Raven and Sandman this week was much more entertaining because it was much more violent and not so repetitive.
The formation of Douglas, Lee and Candido as the new Triple Threat is alright. Considering Raven’s Nest has pretty much disbanded their was a need for a dominate heel stable, which the Triple Threat could provide for ECW. Interested to see what happens with this group.
Overall, again the show was lacking wrestling but at least this week their was some good angle progression. That being said, I will say it was a enjoyable show.
Thanks for reading.