ECW on TNN 2/25/2000

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents ECW on TNN
Date: 2/25/2000
From: Milwaukee, WI

Matches:
1.) The Sandman defeated Rhino by disqualification
2.) Danny Doring & Roadkill defeated the Dupp Brothers in a Loser Leaves ECW match.
3.) ECW World Tag Team Champions Impact Players defeated Raven & Tommy Dreamer to retain titles

Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Cyrus opens the show in the ring talking about having to make decisions that is best for the fans. He says the Network can not have the ECW Television Championship on the sideline for twelve weeks. As he continues to talks, Steve Corino, Rhino and Jack Victory come down to the ring. Cyrus announces that tonight he will appoint a new ECW Television Champion. He will hand the championship to Rhino. Cyrus believes it is fair because Rhino was the last person in the ring with RVD and when he is on television the ratings are through the roof. Cyrus wants Paul Heyman to hand the ECW Television Championship to him. He adds insult to the situation by wanting a coffee as well! Paul Heyman comes out with the championship and enters the ring where Cyrus talks about Heyman’s rebel image disappearing. Heyman is clutching the championship. Cyrus wants the championship saying that Heyman will sellout RVD. Heyman says he will not give the championship to Cyrus several times. Heyman gives Cyrus the belt by hitting him in the head with it! Rhino enters the ring and GORES Heyman! The Sandman’s music hits as the crowd erupts.

2. It took Sandman a long time to actually get in the ring and was promptly attacked by Rhino and Corino. Sandman tossed Rhino off the stage early on so he could grab a ladder from the backstage area. Sandman tried to get a table but was cut off by Rhino. Sandman eventually slams the table onto Rhino’s back. Sandman hits a slingshot senton splash onto a ladder that was on top of Rhino! Sandman continued to control the match with a hurricanrana off the top rope. Tajiri enters the ring and spits green mist into Sandman’s eyes to cause the bell to ring. After the match, Rhino gores Sandman through a table! Super Crazy comes out and cleans house knocking Steve Corino and Jack Victory to the floor. Rhino is held back on the floor as the fans cheer on Crazy. I didn’t like how Sandman dominated Rhino, but he hit all his big moves nicely, at least.

3. Backstage, Danny Doring and Roadkill run into the Dupp Brothers. Doring insults the Dupp’s for picking their noses and asses. Doring challenges them to a loser leaves ECW match. The Dupp Brothers agree to the match.

4. I really dislike the Dupp Brothers, so seeing them lose a match where they must leave the company makes my day. Doring and Roadkill dominate until hitting Jack Dupp with the Buggy Bang to win the match. Thank god.

5. Prior to the main event, Tommy Dreamer asks the crowd if this is WCW or WWF country. The crowd responds with a clear no response and they go crazy for ECW country. He wants Raven in the ring but instead gets Francine. Francine knows what he is trying to do. She thinks he is trying to defend her honor, but she saw the tape and says Raven didn’t DDT her on purpose. Francine believes that Dreamer isn’t focused and she begins to promote herself as a manger of champions. She says “I even managed you to your first championship.” The Impact Players come out to interrupt the segment. Justin Credible says that they are just here to watch the argument. Dreamer responds by saying that their slut should enter the ring and show her fake boobs. Lance Storm tells Dreamer they are a team. He says they will give Dreamer a title shot if he finds a partner. Dreamer says he has 3,000 candidates in the crowd to be his partner. Dawn Marie says that Francine wears the pants in the relationship. Francine announces that Raven will be Dreamer’s partner.

6. Storm and Credible quickly double team Dreamer while the fans chant for Raven to come out. It takes him a minute to walk out with his music. He isn’t dressed to wrestle but he enters the ring and hammers away on the champs. Raven nearly beats Storm with a DDT but Credible made the save. Credible plants Raven with the That’s Incredible but Dreamer made the save for his partner. Dreamer and Credible brawl into the crowd. Back in the ring, Storm and Raven are exchanging right hands from their knees. Raven drop toe holds Storm face first into a chair. Dreamer has torn loose an entire row of seats for Raven to use in the ring. They use the chairs to drop toe hold the champs face first into them. Raven and Credible go to the floor while Storm sets a table up in the ring. Dreamer drives Storm through the table with a middle rope Death Valley Driver but Dawn Marie saves the cover attempt leading to a cat fight with Francine. James Mitchell comes out (still unnamed) and gives Raven powder. Raven accidentally throws powder into Dreamer’s eyes as he was trying to pile driver Marie. This leads to Francine being hit with a DDT by Dreamer! Raven carries Francine to the backstage area. Credible hits Dreamer with a tag title as he tried to DDT Storm but still isn’t able to get a three count. The Impact Players put Dreamer away following a spike tombstone pile driver onto a chair to retain the titles. I enjoyed the match as it was filled with brawling and some good moves.

7. Backstage, James Mitchell talks about Raven and Dreamer having powder and fire in their eyes when they hit Francine with a DDT. He bursts out laughing in an abandoned pool to close the show.

Final Thoughts:
How can you not like to hate Cyrus? Man, he has to be considered one of the most underrated heel characters in the history of professional wrestling. The opening segment was executed well, and while it was predictable that Heyman was going to get attacked it still came across very well.

I didn’t like the lack of wrestling, though. Sandman/Rhino wasn’t really a match but rather a segment that advanced their ongoing feud. The main event was really enjoyable, but the whole Raven/Dreamer deal is just losing my interest. Doing the same spot but with Dreamer being the man to do it instead of Raven is just making this feel dragged on. Plus, isn’t it obvious that Francine is going to turn on Dreamer and side with Raven anyway? She has really shown sympathy towards him.

Anyway, the opening segment and main event provide this show with some good entertainment.

Thanks for reading.