Rebooking ECW: Resurgence (06/26/97)

In three days an Orgy of Violence will occur in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! But before then, ECW Resurgence comes to you live from Reading, PA. In this transitional period, you can’t afford to miss a second of Extreme Championship Wrestling action! Tonight, Saturn takes fights in a submission warm-up exhibition before his big match with the Television Champion, Taz, who has promised that he’d make Saturn tap out in five minutes or less. Also, ECW Champion Sabu takes on “the Beast from the East” Bam Bam Bigelow, the man that put “The Franchise” on the shelf at Barely Legal! All that and much more is packed into this episode of ECW: Resurgence!

ECW RESURGENCE 06/26/97 (Reading, PA)

1. Opening segment: Joey Styles opened the show tonight by going over the announced matches thus far for Orgy of Violence this Sunday, the twenty-ninth. After a healthy ECW chant, Joey began. “Ladies and Gentlemen we are only three days away from ECW Orgy of Violence, and violent it will in fact be! The matches announced thus far are as follows; the rematch for the Extreme Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Championship pits Sabu against former-champ “The Hardcore Legend” Terry Funk! Plus, the Extreme Championship Wrestling Television Champion Taz challenges Saturn in a submission match with a five minute time limit… Not to mention the grudge match of the century when Spike Dudley takes on his former friend and tag team partner, Roadkill! And finally, just made official before the start of the show tonight, is a triangle tag team match for the ECW Tag Team Championships pitting the champions, “The Prime Time Killers” Kronus and “Prime Time” Brian Lee against “The Gangstas” New Jack and Mustafa Saed and “Triple Threat” members Lance Storm and Mike Awesome! All that and much, much more folks! I promise you that! Now, to tonight! Right here tonight, Saturn takes on a man from the land of the rising sun by the name of… The Golden Dragon? I’ve never heard of him!? Nonetheless, he will be in action tonight against Saturn in a warm-up of sorts, as it the match tonight will be contested under submission rules! In the main event tonight, the ruthless Bam Bam Bigelow takes on the ECW Heavyweight Champion Sabu in an exhibition brawl to the finish! Now, enough from me, let’s get EXTREME in Reading!”

2. Danny Doring picked up victory number nine tonight after he went one-on-one with bWo member “Hollywood” Nova. Early on Doring got on a good roll and Nova found himself in a momentum hole he couldn’t get out off. After a few short minutes though, what seemed to be an easy victory turned into a decent fight. Nova surprisingly showed very well against the undefeated Doring. Nova hit a stunning Novacaine, damn-near knocking Danny Doring out! A near fall was all Nova would receive for his efforts and Doring would not allow him to mount an impressive amount of offense again. Doring put Nova away with a jolting Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am for the finish. After his victory, Doring grabbed a mic and began his tirade. “At Orgy of Violence, I’m taking on a NEW challenger. I’m gonna’ break a greenhorn into the business. I now what you’re thinking, how kind of me. To show a youngster the ropes and put a little starch in his tights would be a pleasure and an honor for Danny Doring. So, I’d like to make everybody involved aware right here, right now. AJ Fatal, you and I are gonna’ dance on Sunday and unfortunately for you kid, that means you’ll be victory number ten for the only undefeated man in professional wrestling today! Show up, take your whipping and get ready to show Danny Doring some MAJOR respect. After all, If you don’t respect me properly now kid, you sure will after Sunday… After I beat it into ya’!” With that, Doring put his hands up in victory and walked out while his theme played. (7:47)

3. Commercial break + Reminder to tune in to ECW Orgy of Violence on June twenty-ninth, THIS SUNDAY. You won’t want to miss this super show!

4. Spike Dudley Interview: Spike is seen underneath a table disappointed and angry with a towel over his head that covered most of his face. As the camera approaches closer, Spike begins to speak. “Roadkill. A former tag team partner. A FORMER FRIEND. Now, a bitter enemy. It’s funny to me that he blames me for losing the ECW Tag Team Championship when they are exactly that, TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS. HE WAS IN THE MATCH TOO! Well, go ahead, blame me Roadkill. I’ve been blamed for stuff all my life. Being the runt of the Dudley litter hasn’t been easy. I had to survive! What do you know about survival, Roadkill!? The fact is, you don’t. That is why I’m going to beat you on Sunday. I have the skill of survival. And you don’t!” With that, Spike scrambled from underneath the table and pushed the camera away like a savage beast being toyed with and retaliating.

5. Saturn entered and awaited The Golden Dragon in the ring. After a few minutes a very heavy and sinister, traditional Japanese theme is played and and elaborately-dressed masked wrestler appeared from a cloud of smoke. In nearly all gold, the mysterious man entered the ring as the hushed crowd watched from ringside. As the preliminary rules and announcements were made and the match officially began, The Golden Dragon began to remove his entrance robe and head prop. Carefully he handed the robe to a ring crew guy and as he lifted his robe over the ropes the head prop fell off to reveal The Golden Dragon’s true identity… Bill Alfonso! It was a setup all along! As soon as Saturn realized who it was, he started right after Alfonso. Before reaching the weasel though, Taz was over the guardrail and in the ring jumping onto the back of Saturn for a surprise Tazmission. Down on the mat with Bill Alfonso in his face, Saturn seemingly passed out under the deadly Tazmission. The setup and ambush was a success and Alfonso and Taz walked cockily to the back. As Taz walked with Alfonso behind him, a camera picked up Taz’s words of, “It only took five seconds, Saturn…” (4:13)

6. Commercial break + ECW Hype Central merchandising information is provided.

7. PG-187 Promo: A video package covering the career of ECW newcomer PG-187 is presented with him speaking over it. “After wasting years in professional wrestling’s most ridiculous company, I’ve just about had enough. PG-187 is no stupid character, or faceless masked wrestler, floundering around in the mid-card. I’m way better than that. The mask is off and so are the gloves. Extreme Championship Wrestling, you want extreme? You got it. Be careful what you wish for because the last company didn’t know how to handle me… What makes you think you’ll be any different?” After the package ended, a graphic was presented, stating the following information: “PG-187 IN TRIPLE THREAT ACTION AT ECW ORGY OF VIOLENCE THIS SUNDAY!”

8. The Gangstas brutalized Tracy Smother and Little Guido tonight in an all-out brawl. In perhaps one of the bloodiest brawls to date, New Jack and Mustafa Saed made damn sure Little Guido and Tracy Smothers were both wearing a crimson mask before the final bell. In fact, it seemed as though these teams weren’t even worried about pinning each other. In fact, the match got so heated, so violent and out of control, officials and referees tried to end the match. Fighting past all that, The Italians and The Gangstas finally put in on final bout only to have New Jack pin Little Guido as Tracy Smothers was being gagged and restrained on the outside by Mustafa Saed and a crew towel. Just short of a riot, The Gangstas left the ring before Smothers and Guido realized what had happened. (15:21)

9. Commercial break + Upcoming dates and locations for ECW: Resurgence are presented.

10. Terry Funk Interview: Funk is seen sitting in a chair with Tommy Dreamer sitting next to him. Without Tommy saying anything throughout the whole interview, Funk laid it on thick. “To the ECW Heavyweight Champion Sabu, I got your number. See, last week me and Tommy here had ya’ beat. I’ve beaten you before, Sabu… Damn-near ended your career earlier this year! I am a living legend and the former ECW Champion. Just because you beat me on one night, doesn’t mean you’re the worthy champion. With Raven in the mix and you there to pick up the scraps… Were the cards against me? I’m a fifty year old man who has been in wars up and down the coast, you’re damn right the cards were against me! But, I know you Sabu. See, you’re a lot like me. You know what it is like having the scent of your own burnt flesh in your nose overseas in Japan. You know the meaning of the phrase ‘death match’. You’ve been there, just as I have, which is why I do consider you a dangerous threat. Hell, you already took the belt from me… What else do I have to lose, Sabu? You’re younger, you’re the champion, and right now, you have the potential. Does that sound like having nothing to lose to you, Sabu? I only got one question for ya’… is it all worth it to ya’, Sabu?” Just then Funk stood from his chair and began to intensely creep toward the camera until his face soaked up most of the image. “I got your number Sabu. You know what your number tells me? You gotta’ be willing to sacrifice your championship, your status, your future, your damn LIFE, to beat me… ‘Cause Sabu… If Terry Funk is going down, I’ll be damned if you don’t come down with me.”

11. In the main event of the evening, the ECW Heavyweight Champion was taken to his limits. The only thing that gave Sabu this victory over Bam Bam Bigelow was the confidence that this wasn’t a title bout. Bam Bam was merciless, similarly in the way that he maimed Shane Douglas at Barely Legal. His mean streak was surely felt by Sabu tonight and there is no doubt Sabu will be under one hundred percent for Orgy of Violence. If Sabu wasn’t able to catch Bigelow off guard with a chair thrown to the head and a follow-up, head-splitting chair shot from the top rope, Sabu would’ve never been able to slap on the Camel Clutch. The awkward chair shot followed up by a really solid one must have knocked Bigelow out momentarily, as Sabu was able to put him in the Camel Clutch forcing the ref to call for the bell due to Bigelow being unconscious. Tough wouldn’t be the proper word for this match, as far as Sabu should be concerned. Bigelow came to too late, as when he returned to his feet, Sabu and the ECW Heavyweight Championship were gone. (17:10)