ECW Hardcore TV 7/15/1998

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 7/15/1998
From: Queens, NY

Matches:
1.)Chris Candido & Lance Storm defeated Blue Meanie & Nova
2.)Masato Tanaka defeated Tracy Smothers
3.)Jerry Lynn defeated Justin Credible, Jason and Pablo Marquez in an elimination match

Angle Developments/Notes
1. Bam-Bam Bigelow is staring into the camera and grunting to start the show. Douglas tells Bigelow to head out and tells Styles having Bigelow around is necessary considering what happened last week to him.

2. Lance Storm is sitting at ringside and isn’t interested in wrestling. Candido is going to have to wrestle this match on his own. Nova and Candido start the match. Nova gets the better of Candido with an arm drag. Nova drives Candido face first into the canvas while Storm looks unimpressed on the floor. A middle rope clothesline by Nova gets a near fall. Candido stops Nova with a superplex for a near fall. Candido continues with a delayed vertical suplex. Candido comes off the middle rope with a leg drop but pulls Nova up before three to inflict more pain. Candido drives Nova down with a powerbomb. Nova avoids a diving head butt and tags in Meanie. Meanie nearly botches a sit down powerbomb but manages to hit it. Meanie delivers a splash in the corner but the referee gets splashed as well. Storm nails Meanie with a chair from the apron and Candido gets the win. (**. An interesting way to take the feud between Storm and Candido. Storm looks to have the heel role now, which doesn’t fit with the Triple Threat faction. A fine angle advancing segment but not a good match.)

3. New Jack is on the train to cut a promo. Jack asks if they expected to find him in the gym. He is ready for pay per view and for Jack Victory. Jack is just promoting the match at Heatwave.

4. The Tanaka/Smothers match is joined in progress as Tanaka delivered a top rope forearm smash. Rich helps Smothers with a trip but a chair shot doesn’t hurt Tanaka, until the third shot but kicks out at two. Rich nails Tanaka with a flag across the back but Tanaka kicks out at two after a spin kick. Tanaka wins after a tornado DDT onto a chair.

5. We hear from Taz who cuts a promo on Bigelow and Douglas. Taz assures us that he will be at Heatwave thanks to EZ Pass. He can’t wait for August 2nd. So, he might make it happen tonight in Queens. Douglas is worried about Taz showing up. Francine challenges Taz to show up.

6. Credible injured Marquez earlier in the year to taunt Great Sasuke. So, this is a revenge match of sorts for Pablo, I guess. Jerry Lynn is standing on the apron during this as well. Pablo takes Credible out with a suicide dive! Pablo hits a top rope hurricanrana for a near fall. Credible nails Pablo with a Stunner. Credible misses a baseball slide and hits the ring post. This is actually a tag match. Jason and Lynn get the tags. Lynn dropkicks Jason and delivers a flurry. Pablo does the same to Credible. Jason misses a kick and Lynn locks in the Texas Cloverleaf. Credible hits the That’s Incredible and Jason gives up. Apparently this was an elimination match so now it’s between Credible and Lynn. I’m rather confused. Lynn and Credible trade a series of right hands with Lynn getting the better of the exchange. Lynn hits a front suplex and hits a middle rope leg drop for a near fall. Lynn misses a splash in the corner. Credible slams Lynn and heads to the top but is cut off by Lynn. Lynn hits a hurricanrana but only gets a two count. Credible is dropped face first across the apron. Lynn takes Credible out with a springboard cross body into the crowd! Credible counters a top rope hurricanrana with a powerbomb for a near fall. Credible has brought a chair into the ring but Lynn plants him with a DDT onto the chair. Nicole Bass is distracting the referee. Lynn goes for the tombstone but Credible’s lady prevents that from happening and I’ll assume Credible hits the That’s Incredible onto the chair for the win. (**3/4. There is no doubt that Lynn and Credible have some very good chemistry together. It was a fine match once it was done to just Jerry and Justin.)

7. I assume because they show Taz and Bigelow brawling in the booth to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
There is no need to continue to promote Taz/Bigelow and to take away from the finish of the last match. The feud is losing tons of steam and needs to end sooner. Keep them away from each other for a couple of weeks. An average episode this week.

Thanks for reading.