ECW Hardcore TV 4/22/1998

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 4/22/1998
From: Philadelphia, PA

Matches:
1.)Axl Rotten defeated ECW World Tag Team Champion Chris Candido
2.)Al Snow defeated Sabu

Angle Developments/Notes
1. Joel Gertner opens the show and talks about the Dudley Boys hitting the 3-D on Sandman. His tag team took out both Sandman and Dreamer last week. Gertner is cutting a good heel promo on what happened. He is confident that the Dudley’s have ended their careers.

2. Joey Styles is in the ring to call out Taz for an interview. Taz wants Styles to tell the fans why Shane Douglas is sitting in Pittsburgh. He tells us it’s because he messed up his elbow because Douglas messed with him. Taz says last week Douglas told the truth about Taz losing to Bigelow. Taz believes that Douglas fears him. We hear Paul Heyman and Taz hears some direction. Taz gets mad and talks about he could be another guy who leaves Heyman and goes to Atlanta or Vince (funny, because he would the next year). Taz continues to say this is a shoot. Taz talks about all his work and how it got him to second place and he isn’t second place. Taz says no more mister nice guy. Styles laughs at that and Taz doesn’t like that. Styles is trying to explain himself. Taz thinks Joey wants to fight him. Taz threatens the next time Joey disrespects him he will slap him in the face. Joey asks what is wrong with him, and is shoved down as a result.

3. We get highlights from the show, which see Taz destroy a referee by hitting a leg drop off the apron through a table and chokes him out. Rob Van Dam competed against Bam-Bam Bigelow on the show as well. The Dudley Boys tried to get their hands on Beulah, but the lights went out and the Sandman appeared wearing a neck brace. The heels bailed from the ring.

4. Francine demands respect from the fans because she is a lady. Candido hits a hurricanrana early on but Rotten knocks him out with a punch. Axl sends Candido across the ring clubs him in the corner with a series of forearm strikes. Francine grabs Axl from the floor but Axl backdrops Candido over the top to the floor. On the floor, Axl continues to work over Candido. Axl smashes a chair over Candido’s head as the champion is in the crowd. Francine rakes Rotten’s eyes to help Candido get momentum. Candido works over Rotten with several strikes on the floor. Candido showcases his strength by hitting a delayed vertical suplex and poses for the crowd. Rotten has Candido set for a reverse DDT but Francine gets in the ring to distract him. Candido is tossed a chain and tries to hit him but Rotten ducks and hits a jumping reverse DDT for the win! (*1/2. They mainly brawled, but Heyman is trying to give Rotten and Mahoney some momentum and chance to win the titles at the pay per view. I’m not sure it’s working.) After the match, Candido hits Rotten with a chair. Balls Mahoney runs out and attacks Candido. Francine slaps Mahoney but Balls has to let her go. That’s because Bam-Bam Bigelow came out and drops him with the Greetings From Asbury Park. The Triple Threat members attack Rotten and Mahoney.

5. The main event is joined in progress as Sabu is setting a table up in the corner. Snow drops Sabu face first into the canvas and plants him with a DDT. Snow puts Sabu on the table but Sabu fights back standing on the table and hits a hurricanrana through the table, which looks sick. Rob Van Dam has come out as Sabu covers Snow for a near fall. RVD wanted to stop the match but Alfonso prevented him from doing so. Sabu leaps off a chair to leg drop Snow in the corner. Sabu follows up with an Arabian Press for a near fall. Sabu tosses a chair at Snow and hits a triple jump moonsault! Sabu plants Snow with a DDT of his own. Sabu botches a triple jump moonsault and Snow knocks him to the floor. Snow takes Sabu out with a springboard moonsault in the crowd! Snow connects with a sit down powerbomb back in the ring. Snow decides to just smash a chair over Sabu’s body several times. Snow misses a top rope dive as Sabu tossed a chair at him. Sabu drops Snow with a chair shot and an Arabian face buster! Sabu sets up another table in the corner. Snow is placed on the table but Snow stops Sabu on the top. Rob Van Dam is distracting the referee. Alfonso clips Snow’s leg as he went for the Snow Plow off the middle rope. Snow is covered but RVD throws the towel in and Snow gets the win. (**. A bad finish that was done to simply add even more fuel to the feud between RVD and Sabu. Though, I feel like there is plenty of fire for these two to go at it.) After the match, the crowd throws in the heads and RVD leaves the ring after fighting over the belt with Sabu briefly.

Final Thoughts:
I really enjoyed the segment with Taz. He is getting even more intense and ruthless, which I didn’t think was possible for the character. He has that edge now and he just seems like a real bad ass. The rest of the show did a fine job of promoting feuds for Wrestlepalooza, but wasn’t anything special. So, I’ll give the show a thumbs in the middle.

I should note that the next two shows of Hardcore TV where recap shows promoting the pay per view and giving a recap of what happened at the event. Thus, I will simply skip them and continue with the May 13th episode of Hardcore TV.

Thanks for reading.