Rebooking ECW: Resurgence (05/22/97)

Terry Funk is STILL the Extreme Championship Wrestling champion, but long-time rival Sabu looms ahead in attempts to dethrone the hardcore legend! Where is Raven left in all of this? Also, Chris Candido was able to fend off the Triple Threat, but it seems gained a new and perhaps even more dangerous enemy in the process! Plenty of questions will be answered tonight after a huge Hostile City Showndown, a full card of extreme action will take place and much, much more!

ECW RESURGENCE 05/22/97 (Arlington Heights, PA)

1. Opening segment: The NEW ECW Tag Team Champions Spike Dudley and Roadkill made their entrance and quickly Spike grabbed a mic. After receiving a standing ovation from the in-house crowd, Spike began, “The new ECW Tag Team Champions got something to say! …A few days ago, we beat The Pitbulls when nobody expected us to. That is only win number one! None before matter. We’re on our way to becoming the best tag team in the world today! So right now, we’re throwing out an open challenge to anybody in the back for a shot at the ECW Tag Team Championships on the thirty-first of this month for ECW’s Wrestlepalooza!” After a long two minutes, D-Von and Buh-Buh jumped the guardrails and enter the ring to blindside the new champs with matching steal chairs. after beating both of them down, D-Von picked up the mic. “These two morons beating us a week ago was a fluke. Now they’re the Tag Team Champions!? No, no, no, not in the Dudley’s house baby! The Dudley boys accept your challenge for Wrestlepalooza, you little runt… and in nine days, the belts are ours!” The Dudleys exited the ring and headed to the back before the champs even began to stir.

2. Danny Doring was able to put away Stevie Richards after a mix up with the rest of the bWo on the outside. The Blue Meanie was on his way into the ring when Stevie Richards told him to get down and that he had the situation completely under control. All the while Danny Doring had returned to his feet and thrust Richards into Meanie on the apron. The two smashed heads and as Meanie fell onto “Hollywood” Nova on the outside, Stevie walked right into a Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am. With lady luck on his side, Doring was able to pick up his fourth consecutive victory in Extreme Championship Wrestling. (9:33)

3. Commercial break + Reminder that ECW Wrestlepalooza 1997 will be held on May, 31st, only a short nine days away in the ECW arena!

4. Taz interview: With Bill Alfonso at his side, Taz began to speak from underneath a black towel. “Why? You want to know why I did what I did to Chris Candido? So does everybody else… Do I gotta’ spell it out for everyone? “The Human Suplex Machine” is done sittin’ on the sidelines watching far less talented people get their break. Chris Candido’s spotlight is done and his belt will be mine. I prove myself day in and day out and after winning that three way dance at Hostile City Showdown, I decided my break was now. It’s nothing personal Candido, you just happen to be the body I’m gonna’ have to break..,”

5. “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and Francine headed down to the ring with a mic looking furious. Without waiting for his music to be silenced, Douglas began. “Lance Storm. Lance Storm. Get your ass down to this ring right now! You couldn’t knock off that little prick Candido? …Now it’s tough love! If you can’t win a belt with a Triple Threat mindset, I’ll have to beat it into you! You embarrassed us! Come take your punishment like a man! Answering Douglas’ call, Storm entered with Mike Awesome at his side. The two got into the ring and Storm began to speak to Douglas without a mic. “We don’t have to do this…” Francine and Awesome went to the floor and Douglas and Storm began their match. After outwitting Douglas a few times, Lance Storm was able to latch on the Canadian Maple Leaf which forced Douglas to tap out within minutes of the start of the match. (5:19)

6. Commercial Break + Hype central for merchandising information.

7. Saturn interview: After what happened at Hostile City Showdown, Saturn was left stunned in the middle of the ring as his former tag team partner John Kronus left him for “Prime Time” Brian Lee. An upset Saturn began, “Kronus, I just can’t figure out what your deal is, man. The Eliminators fight as a team and win as a team. We were ECW Champions three times over! Now all of a sudden, you let Brian Lee get in your ear about throwing that all away? Well Kronus, I’ll tell you what, you were nothing without Saturn, brother… And if you and Lee are partners now, I’ll have no trouble replacing you and capturing gold once again. You go your way and I’ll go mine because from this point on, The Eliminators are eliminated.” Saturn stood up from the chair he was sitting in and walked away from the camera. To leave from sight, he opened a door and closed it behind him.

8. Rob Van Dam defeated Davey Morton Jericho in a classic, hard-hitting contest. Their similar aerial skills and mat knowledge made this match an entertaining one to watch to say the least. There were several stand-off points and it was obvious the two really knew each other’s arsenal. This was the second time these two have battled and surprisingly the results bared the same. It seems as if Van Dam has Jericho’s number at this point. (13:44)

9. Commercial break + Hostile City Showndown recap video showing highlights from the show.

10. Before the main event of the evening began, “Ravishing” Rick Rude joined Joey Styles at the commentators table no doubt to scout talent as he stated he’d be doing during his last appearance.

11. Sabu defeated Tommy Dreamer after Dreamer was unable to continue. The two fought a pretty even match-up until the turning point arrived a handful of minutes in. Sabu was able to hit a triple jump moonsault on Tommy Dreamer who had been laid out on a table in the center of the ring. Following this up with an Arabian facebuster from the top turn buckle, Sabu then slapped on the Camel Clutch and really wrenched it in until Dreamer was unresponsive. The series of three devastating and dangerous maneuvers in quick succession proved to simply be too much for even Tommy Dreamer. The referee would stop the match and declare Sabu the winner due to Tommy being physically unable to continue. (17:37)

12. Joey Styles (along with Rick Rude) would close the show by reminding the viewers that there was only one more episode of ECW Resurgence before Extreme Championship Wrestling would hold Wresltepalooza 1997! With another super card right around the corner for ECW, things are sure to evolve at an alarming rate! Each second will be worth seeing, so in that case, stay tuned ECW will see you next week!