ECW Anarchy Rulz 2000 10/1/2000

Written by: Arnold Furious

Towards the end of 2000 things were looking a bit bleak for ECW. They’d lost their TV deal with TNN. They were losing wrestlers left, right and centre (including Raven who had jumped to the WWF right before this show). Furthermore Paul Heyman was now struggling to pay the bills and the workers wages. Now these guys were doing this for the love of wrestling not for money or for fame. Heyman’s final attempt at saving ECW was doing monthly PPV’s. That was to come towards the end of 2000 when the company was already half dead. The shows remained entertaining though. Here at Anarchy Rulz Jerry Lynn challenged Justin Credible for the ECW title in his own hometown. RVD challenged Rhino for the TV title that he never lost and the tag titles were on the line – the FBI v Tajiri/Whipwreck in a re-match from their famous TNN match.

We’re in St Paul, Minnesota and the crowd is HOT. Joey Styles and Joel Gertner welcome us. To my surprise Cyrus doesn’t come out to kick Gertner’s ass.

Danny Doring/Roadkill v Christian York/Joey “The Future” Matthews

The announcers shill for Gertner’s match with Cyrus tonight. This is a babyface match. Doring and Matthews do some standing switches. Tilt-a-whirl headscissors from Matthews. Low blow and a g-spot sweep from Doring. Roadkill is crazy over. Tags made. Arm drags from York. He reminds me of Shawn Michaels. York blocks a slingshot on the buckles and goes straight into a legdrop. Roadkill slams York and Matthews. Nice bulldog from Matthews. Hart Attack from Doring/Roadkill. They remind me of the Hart Foundation – the original ones. Doring goes for a Roadkill assisted dive over the ropes and the other team moves. Doring hits hard. York and Matthews his stereo suicide dives. Futureshock on Doring but Roadkill hits a springboard double clothesline. Powerslam from Roadkill and Doring drops the Dannaconda. York hits a legdrop as well to prevent the pin. Neckbreaker from Matthews gets 2. Reverse suplex on his partner onto Doring from the top from York and then a senton bomb for 2. Doring escapes an inverted DDT and hits the Wham, Bam, Thank Ya Mam (double underhook leaping DDT). Double tag. Barnburner (TKO) on Matthews and a powerbomb on York. Both of them get an avalanche. Bareback for Matthews. Buggy bag on York (wheelbarrow bomb w/leg drop from the top) and Doring/Roadkill win it at 7.15. ***1/2. Hot opener. Matthews and York looked to have limitless ability here plus the established guys were gold. Great start. Everyone shakes hands afterwards so Swinger and Simon come in with chair shots because they’re sickened by all the good sportsmanship. Problem Solver on Doring.

In the announce booth Gertner eats Lucky Charms to train for tonight’s match. He claims a wrestler has trained him for tonight’s match. In the ring Cyrus comes out. Cyrus cuts a heel promo virtually supporting the WWF. He calls Gertner a “fat bitch”. Styles gives him a pep talk. “Get him Joel, you can do it” until he’s out of earshot “he’s a dead man. Cyrus is a ringer. He’s dead”. Joey Styles = quality. Cyrus sets Hot Commodity on Gertner. Hot Commodity is EZ Money, Chris Hamrick, Julio Dinero and Elektra. This brings out commissioner Spike Dudley. Spike names Kid Kash as EZ Money’s opponent. If Kash loses then Cyrus won’t have to wrestle Gertner. If Kash wins then Gertner gets his match.

Kid Kash v EZ Money

Tilt-a-whirl headscissors from Kash. Money goes for a powerbomb but Kash arm drags out of it. Drop suplex from EZ Money and Kash nearly landed on his head. Kash dodges a charge on the ropes from Money and he suicide dives the rest of Hot Commodity by mistake. Kash hits a double springboard senton to the floor. Back inside Kash hits a springboard neckbreaker drop for 2. Money clip from EZ Money gets 2 (that’s a slingshot flipping flying clothesline). Inverted Boston crab with a double arm grab (Pendulum of Pain – Joey Styles) from EZ Money. Kash hits the Lynn corner roll up in the middle of the ropes. That’s the first time I’ve seen that outside of Mexico. Kash hits a double springboard rope running flying rana. He is money. Tornado DDT (with a double swing) gets 2. Kash is tripped and Money hits Electric Dreams (a twisting suplex) for 2. Corkscrew moonsault press gets 2 for Kash. Springboard sunset flip from Kash for 2 leads into a near falls sequence, nicely done. Money maker (double underhook piledriver) from Kash but Elektra distracts the official. Dinero does a run in with a legsweep into a Sambo suplex. Double Ferris wheel from Dinero/Money and Hamrick hits his top rope legdrop. Kash kicks out to a huge pop. EZ Money goes up top but gets crotched. EZ Money goes for a superbomb but Kash reverses into a rana in mid air for the pin at 9.38. WHOA! ****. A brawl ensues with Spike attacking Hot Commodity to protect Kash. EZ Money slaps on a figure 4. That brings out the Sandman. He kendo sticks the hell out of Hot Commodity. Sandman pours beer over Elektra’s tits and then rubs Gertner’s face in them. That was quite funny. Anyway – bring on the crap.

Joel Gertner v Cyrus

Spear from Gertner and he wails on Cyrus. Gertner has Kamala style markings on his chest and he hits an avalanche and some Kamala-ish running around. People’s Elbow is blocked. Cyrus drops a knee and pounds on Gertner. Cyrus dishes out a few chops. Sandman spits beer in Cyrus’s eyes and Gertner rolls him up for 3 at 2.35. Well, at least they kept it short. DUD. Kash/Spike/Gertner/Sandman celebrate post match.

The Baldies (Angel/DeVito) v Balls Mahoney/Chilly Willy

Babyfaces hit a pair of neckbreakers. Balls smacks DeVito with a fork. This always happens to DeVito. Angel dumps Chilly Willy on the guardrail. Balls continues to smack DeVito in the head with a fork. DeVito gets back dropped into the crowd. He landed on chairs there, nasty. They fight out into the crowd. DeVito with a moonsault press off the stage by the announce booth. I think Balls was meant to catch him there but it didn’t work. Angel powerbombs Chilly Willy into chairs. Set up chairs that don’t move. Ouch. Back in the ring DeVito gets crotched going for a moonsault. Superkick from Balls. Chair shot and DeVito is dead. Angel staples Balls in the eye. Crowd chant for New Jack. Stereo chair shots from the heels aren’t sold. The 2nd and 3rd ones are for the 3 count at 7.39. Jesus, what a crappy finish. 1/2*.

In the announce booth Lou E Dangerously lays out Gertner. Joey attacks Lou E. We cut to the production booth where Heyman throws his clipboard at the monitors. We cut away to a Justin Credible promo where he’s with Francine. He claims Jerry never beat the right guy at the right time to be a champion. He tells Jerry he’ll beat him in his own hometown. Lynn cuts a promo as well. He’s not happy that other guys got title shots when he was having the best matches on the card. In the announce booth Cyrus has joined Joey.

Number 1 contenders match – CW Anderson v Steve Corino

Yep, the winner of this match gets a shot at the ECW champion at N2R 2000. Corino is a babyface all of a sudden and has Dawn Marie and Jack Victory in his corner. They do a long standing reversals sequence, Corino can’t get a neckbreaker and they exchange arm drags. Lots of chops. Superkick from CW after Corino spent too long showboating. CW refuses to use a chair. T-bone suplex from Corino. He gets the chair. Sneaky chair shot from Corino gets 2. CW is bleeding. Leg lariat gets 2 for Corino. They completely screw up a couple of chair spots on the outside before CW belts Corino in the head with the chair for screwing up those spots. Corino is busted, again. Chair in the corner and CW throws Corino into it arm first. Armbreaker over the shoulder from CW gets 2. Leaping armbreaker from CW gets 2. Chair to the shoulder. Stupid chair spot where Corino holds a chair in place so CW can kick it at him. CW continues to work over the arm. Corino escapes a spinebuster and goes for the old school expulsion but CW hits a Ferris wheel to escape. That gets 2. Sleeper from CW is countered. Corino has been bleeding heavily. Big left misses for CW. Corino hits a low blow and a bionic elbow. On the outside Simon and Swinger attack but Jack Victory holds them off. Big left hand from CW connects for 2. Superkick from Corino gets 2. Corino escapes the spinebuster again and again goes for the Old School Expulsion but this time he gets it. It’s over at 12.41 and Corino is the number one contender for the ECW title. **1/2. Although I enjoyed CW working the arm and all the standing counters they botched too many spots.

Backstage the Sinister Minister claims RVD is too busy toking to cut a promo. Behind him Tajiri and Mikey horse around. Backstage Rhino shouts a lot.

ECW tag titles – FBI (c) v Tajiri/Whipwreck

The FBI is Little Guido and Tony Mamaluke with Big Sal. The babyfaces have Sinister Minister in their corner. The FBI clothesline each other by mistake and the faces hit a load of brutal kicks. Do-se-do double groin dropkicks from the faces. Tarantula on Guido. Slingshot guillotine legdrop on Mamaluke from Mikey. Tajiri kicks the hell out of Big Sal. Mamaluke in a tree of woe and Tajiri hits the baseball slide to the face. Fireball to the groin of Mamaluke from Sinister Minister. Kicks of death for Guido. Chair assisted kick of death from Tajiri. FBI hit a top rope powerbomb on Mikey for 2. Tip up slam from Guido. Sicilian slice gets 2 for Guido. Suplex from Mamaluke and he rolls with it into a side Russian legsweep into a pin for 2. Wheelbarrow bomb from Mikey and he tags Tajiri in. Handspring back elbow. Release German suplex on Mamaluke but he lands on his feet and hits his own German suplex for 2. Farewell into a rib breaker from Mikey but Guido makes the save. Mikey escapes the maritado and Tajiri mists him. Double whippersnapper on Guido and Sal pulls the ref out to save the belts. Sal squashes Minister at ringside. Rolling leglock bomb from Tajiri/Mikey. Kick of death again puts Guido down and Tajiri grabs a tag belt from Mamaluke and throws it at Sal’s head. Asai moonsault from Tajiri to take out Sal. A belt shot prevents a super whippersnapper from Mikey. Unprettier with a sit down bomb from the FBI and they pin Mikey for 3 at 8.38. ***. Disappointing. I still haven’t seen the fabled Hammerstein ballroom match between these teams but you’d hope it was better than that.

ECW TV title – Rhino (c) v Rob Van Dam

They fight outside to start. Rhino gets whipped into the guardrail a few times. RVD goes for a moonsault press and Rhino pushes him off into the crowd. They fight in the crowd for a while. Rhino press slams RVD over the guardrail. Guardrail Van Daminator. Somersault plancha from RVD. Inverted atomic drop and RVD surfs the chair into the corner. Stalling (read RVD pointing to himself at great length). Rhino clotheslines RVD in mid tumble. Corner gore. Rhino brings a table into the ring. Rhino goes to a sleeper. Rhino no sells an Ensiguri but gets caught with the step through heel kick. Rhino chairs RVD after ducking a Van Daminator. Moonsault from RVD and he heads up again – 5 star frog splash. Rhino kicks out to deathly silence. GORE, GORE, GORE!!! Rhino hits a piledriver off the apron through a table at ringside. Cover inside gets 2. Fonzie comes in with a chair shot. Van Daminator. Both men are slow to rise but RVD gets up first. Steel chair in place for a Van Terminator. Justin Credible does a run in and belts RVD. He still hits the Van Terminator but Rhino drags Fonzie in the way of it. Gore through the table in the corner and a piledriver on a chair gets it done for Rhino at 12.42 although the count was really, really fast. **. Patchy. Good in places. Rhino got much, much better. Loud “bullshit” chant followed the end of the match.

ECW title – Justin Credible (c) w/Francine v Jerry Lynn

Justin nearly climbs into the crowd pre-match to pick a fight with a local. The crowd is already hot and throwing beer at the ring. They do some nice standing wrestling sequences, go to the mat for a bit and Lynn hits an armdrag. Credible goes outside to jaw with the fans who are RED-hot. Credible goes for That’s Incredible from a tilt-a-whirl but Lynn escapes and goes for his own finisher which Credible backdrops out of. Top rope bulldog from Lynn gets 2. Credible takes a Flair bump to the floor. Baseball slide and a plancha from Lynn although he didn’t get all of it. Credible reverses a clothesline by hanging on into a spinning slam. Credible brings a chair in and hits a sit down powerbomb onto the chair. They fight outside for a while. Back inside Lynn hits a DDT onto a chair for 2. Inverted DDT from Credible gets 2. Credible works a front facelock. He gets a mic and runs down Lynn and Minnesota. They start throwing crap into the ring. Front facelock again from Credible. Is he trying to have a bad match? Francine looks a little upset with the fans for throwing garbage into the ring. They run a near falls sequence. Credible hits a spinning DDT. Nice tornado DDT onto a chair from Lynn to counter Credible. They run the corner charge/guillotine legdrop sequence but Credible makes a bit of a mess of it. Minnesota Jam from Lynn gets 2. Jerry brings a table in and puts Credible on it. Francine prevents Lynn climbing the buckles and Credible throws Lynn off through the table for 2. Top rope sunset flip from Credible for 2. Lynn escapes the That’s Incredible. Cradle piledriver gets…2! Credible kicked out. Lynn goes for That’s Incredible but Credible reverses and hits it himself for 2. Big “Jerry” chant. Credible superkicks the ref and out comes Danny Daniels the heel ref who fast counted RVD earlier. He refuses to count for Lynn. More beer into the ring. Lynn lines up a cradle piledriver on Daniels, cane shot from Francine and Credible nails him with the belt for 2. Backbreaker from Credible gets a really fast 2. Daniels nails Lynn with the kendo stick as he goes for another cradle piledriver. That’s Incredible and it’s over except New Jack comes out to prevent a 3 count. Daniels takes a beating but is saved by Credible. That’s Incredible from Lynn is reversed but he reverses into a cradle tombstone to take the win and the ECW title at 19.36. **. Very slow in places and overbooked to hell and back for the finish. At least Credible lost. The locker room comes out to celebrate with Jerry Lynn.

Best matches –

3. FBI v Tajiri/Whipwreck. Disappointing given the hype from their first match (which I’ve never seen) but nevertheless an entertaining tag outing.
2. Danny Doring/Roadkill v Matthews/York. 2 fine young tag teams put on an exciting tag match to open the show in a very hot fashion. As with my number one pick I’m surprised none of these guys have turned up in the WWF. Maybe York/Matthews are too similar to the Hardyz.
1. EZ Money v Kid Kash. Talk about a show stealer. Money reigned in Kash’s spottiness. The result was a primo clash of styles. I’m surprised that EZ Money/Jason Jett has never made it onto the WWF’s programming. He’s a fine talent.

Overall PPV rating – C+
Good and bad. Some of it was very good, some of it not so good. Still the crowd warmed towards the whole card so that gives it the eventual thumbs up.