ECW Hardcore TV 5/13/1998

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 5/13/1998
From: Buffalo, NY

Matches:
1.)Chris Chetti fought Danny Doring to a no contest
2.)Sabu defeated Chris Chetti
3.)Bam-Bam Bigelow defeated ECW World Tag Team Champion Lance Storm
4.)ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam defeated Doug Furnas to retain the title

Angle Developments/Notes
1. Joel Gertner and the Dudley Boys opened the show backstage cutting a promo on the Sandman and Tommy Dreamer. Joel says that the people don’t have any idea on how the Dudley Boys will do to Sandman and Dreamer and how they plan on raising the violent quotient. Bubba chimes in and wants people to look his face, which has been damaged due to the brawls lately. Bubba says no one can beat them up like their father did. He thinks the fans love it when they get beaten up. Bubba rams his head into the locker and D-Von says they will give them violence since they want it so badly.

2. Taz will be on commentary with Joey Styles for the show. He is threatening Styles to call him the ECW World Heavyweight Champion.

3. Doring dropkicks Chetti to open the match and works over Chetti with a series of stomps. Chetti hit a double axe handle off the top while Taz flipped out because Chetti disrespects him. We see Taz entering the arena and is walking on the upper deck. This is rather funny since Style sis in Paul Heyman’s basement trying to pretend that he is in the arena. Taz forces the guy to play his music and he walks to the ring through the crowd. Taz gets in the ring and hits an over head suplex on Doring. Chetti charges at Taz and is met with a series of blows to the head. Taz takes out a referee as well. Chetti tries to punch Taz, but he is taken down and Taz starting to torque his arm! During the beating, Taz continued to say Shane Douglas over and over again. Taz is being escorted out of the arena in handcuffs.

4. Sabu comes to the ring and Bill Alfonso challenges Chetti to prove himself after being attacked by Taz. Sabu sends Chetti into the guard railing and sets up a table on the floor. Sabu crotches Chetti on the top and hits a top rope hurricanrana. Sabu follows up with a slingshot dive over the top and onto Chetti on the floor! Sabu botches a triple jump attempt and Chetti takes him down with a back suplex. Chris gets a near fall after a springboard clothesline. Sabu dropkicks Chetti as he attempted a slingshot. Chetti lands on the table on the floor and Sabu hits a springboard leg drop through the table! Sabu misses a triple jump leg drop. Chetti misses a double springboard moonsault and Sabu hit the triple jump moonsault to win the match. (*1/2. Chetti tried to do well here, but this was mostly Sabu and just a way to put him over. Sabu continues to botch on a regular basis at this point, it seems like.)

5. Smothers hits Nova and Meanie with the Italian flag before the bell sounds and the FBI hit a side Russian leg sweep on Nova. The same happens to Meanie, with both men landing on a chair. Meanie and Nova and viciously beaten down with steel chairs. Looks like these two teams will continue to feud.

6. The Triple Threat came out to the ring as Lance Storm was about to wrestle Jamie Dundee. Dundee simply runs to the backstage area to avoid any interaction with them. Candido says that even though Douglas beat Al Snow at Wrestlepalooza the champ still has a lot of injuries. Candido notes that Douglas needs to have surgery and all that. Candido want to shoot with Storm. He says they were testing Storm a few months ago when they attacked Taz. Candido wants Storm to join the Triple Threat. This has nothing to do with Douglas being hurt. Candido promises Storm they want him. Storm tells him he doesn’t want a spot in the group. Douglas snatches the microphone and is pissed that Storm declined the offer. Douglas lists the men that have been part of the group. Storm respects Bigelow and Douglas, but he calls Candido the biggest pain in the ass ever. As long as Candido is in the group, he doesn’t want in it. Storm suggests kicking Candido out for him to join. Well, Storm changes his tune and accepts the spot. Wait, no he doesn’t. He nailed Candido with the tag team championship.

7. This leads to a Storm/Bigelow match. Bigelow works over Storm in the corner with a series of strikes. Storm gets an arm bar on Bigelow but can’t get a submission. This has been clipped as we see Bigelow send Storm into the guard railing and casually press slams Storm into the third row! Bam-Bam press slams Storm over the railing and Lance lands chest first across the apron. Bigelow tosses several wooden chairs onto Storm. Storm recovered to hit a cross body off the top and knocks Candido off the apron. Storm hits a running bulldog but Candido shoves Storm off and Bigelow hits the Greetings From Asbury Park for the win. (NR. Since it was clipped, I’m not going to rate it. This feud between Candido and Storm is losing steam and I look forward to when they finish it up.)

8. Rob Van Dam leaps off the railing and lands on Doug Furnas in the crowd as the show returns from commercial. Earlier in the match, RVD hit a springboard reverse DDT on the floor. Furnas plants RVD with a tornado DDT on the concrete floor. Furnas continues with a release German suplex for a near fall. RVD nails Furnas with a leaping side kick off the middle rope and gets a chair, but Furnas cuts him off before he can use it. Furnas whacks RVD over the head with the chair and Furnas backdrops RVD over the top onto Alfonso who was on a table! RVD powerbombs Furnas and hits the five star frog splash but doesn’t go for the cover. RVD is mocking Sabu, who makes his way out as RVD has the camel clutch on Furnas. Sabu decides to dropkick a chair into RVD’s face. Sabu comes off the top to hit the Arabian face buster on RVD! Furnas takes Sabu out but RVD hit a Van Daminator to win the match. (NR. Again, it was clipped, but it was good for what they showed. This show focused on two feuds that has a similar premise.)

Final Thoughts:
An average episode of Hardcore TV this week. I’m not a fan of focusing on the two angles that are similar to each other. I think that hurts the importance of both of them. There wasn’t anything all that memorable going on. It was just average at best.

Thanks for reading.