ECW Hardcore TV 1/21/1998

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 1/21/1998
From: Philadelphia, PA

Matches:
1.)ECW Television Champion Taz defeated Too Cold Scorpio to retain the title
2.)Rob Van Dam defeated Bam-Bam Bigelow

Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Most of the fans in attendance have Al Snow’s mannequin head. This is proving just how popular Al Snow was at one point in his career. ECW Television Champion Taz opened the show to be interviewed by Joey Styles. Taz isn’t really able to say anything because Lance Wright makes his way out to the ring. Wright says he has a backup plan and notes that his bodyguard is backstage. Wright says his mom bought a few ECW tapes for the comedic value. Wright is hyping up a guy who is coming back to ECW to regain the ECW Television Championship, and it’s Too Cold Scorpio.

2. Considering the matches for the next two weeks are from ECW House Party ’98, I’m not going to highlight them in this review. That is only because I plan on reviewing it myself or finding someone who has already. So, they will get a brief overview here.

3. Scorpio corrects Styles and is announced not as Flash Funk but rather Scorpio. That doesn’t sit well with Lance Wright who shoves Scorpio. Naturally, Scorpio attacks Wright and hits a top rope moonsault before the match begins.

4. Scorpio put forth a good effort to take the ECW Television Championship away from Taz, but Taz was able to catch Scorpio on a splash attempt in the corner to lock in the Taz Mission to win the bout and retain the championship. After the match, Scorpio gets an ovation from the crowd until he is attacked by Doug Furnas. Furnas attacks Scorpio but Scorpio tries to fight back. Furnas hits a middle rope overhead belly to belly suplex! Taz comes back down to the ring and hits an overhead belly to belly suplex by Taz! Brakkus comes out but is taken down by Taz and is tossed by the champ with a t-bone suplex! Scorpio and Taz stand tall in the ring! Taz tells Scorpio that he is welcomed into his locker room whenever he wants to wrestle for a teal promotion.

5. RVD superkicks Bigelow into the crowd midway through the match and takes the former champ out with a running dive into the crowd. RVD leaps off the top to dive onto Bigelow again in the crowd. RVD comes off the top again to hit a crossbody in the crowd! Later on in the match, Bigelow DDT’s RVD and press slams Bill Alfonso onto RVD. RVD gets a steel chair and accidentally spin kicks the referee instead Bigelow! Bigelow whacks Van Dam with a chair and knocks him off the apron over the guard railing and into the crowd. Chris Candido comes out but is hit with the Greetings from Asbury Park. Sunny comes out and begs Bigelow to not hit Candido! So, Bigelow grabs her but Francine comes out and Bigelow has them both on his shoulders. ECW World Champion Shane Douglas enters and kicks Bigelow’s knee. Douglas wants a piece of Bigelow. RVD comes off the top with a sidekick and hits the frog splash to win the match.

Final Thoughts:
Not a bad show since most of it was dedicated to in-ring wrestling this time around. The RVD/Bigelow match was the better of two as there was more entertainment and it advanced the Douglas/Bigelow issues pretty well. Plus, it was a big win for RVD at the time, really. I’m giving the show a thumbs up this week.

Thanks for reading.