Written by: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 11/27/1998
From: Philadelphia, PA
Matches:
1.) ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam defeated Rod Price to retain the title
2.) Lance Storm defeated Jerry Lynn
3.) Lance Storm defeated Mikey Whipwreck
4.) ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam & Sabu defeated ECW World Champion Shane Douglas & FTW Champion Taz
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) ECW World Champion Shane Douglas and Francine open the program in the ring. Douglas says that the fans want Sabu and Rob Van Dam to kick his ass ever since November to Remember. Douglas says he is here in ECW because he has a plan, like he always does. Douglas brings out Taz after saying he guys, Bigelow and Candido, are either gone or injured. Bigelow has jumped ship to WCW at this point. FTW Champion Taz makes his way out to a big reception from the ECW crowd. Douglas says that there has been one person who has been right behind him and that man has been Taz. Douglas says he knows why they hate each other so much and it is because they are very much alike. Douglas says he tossed the championship down right in the middle of the ring when he could have done in privately. Douglas puts over the ECW World Championship and says that only one person can hold the FTW championship. Douglas knows that Taz is the man who will beat him for the championship. He doesn’t mind Taz putting the bullet in his head but he does care about Sabu getting a title shot. Douglas says that Justin Credible has the number of Taz, I guess. Douglas wants Taz to watch his back before a title match they will eventually have. Douglas suggests they challenge Sabu and Rob Van Dam. Taz simply says “obviously” and walks out of the ring.
2.) Van Dam retained the title over Price following the Five Star Frog Splash. There was never any doubt with that one, folks.
3.) Mikey Whipwreck comes out prior to the Storm/Lynn match after Storm suggested Whipwreck wrestle Lynn and maybe one of them will actual win a match. Storm denies that he needed any help and think he can beat both Whipwreck and Lynn if he wanted to. Storm gets worried about having to wrestle them back to back after the referee told him he would have to.
4.) Lynn and Storm begin to trade strikes with Lynn getting the better of the exchange. Storm gets out of a rollup but Lynn hits a head scissors and clotheslines Storm over the top to the floor. Lynn heads to the top rope and takes Storm out with a cross body on the floor. The match is clipped as Lynn has a single leg Boston Crab locked in on Storm. Storm hits a spinning heel kick to drop Lynn. Storm plants Lynn with a power bomb and staggers into the ropes. Storm sends Lynn into the corner back first and hits a handspring splash. On the floor, Lance sends Lynn over the railing into the crowd. Storm hits a rolling fireman’s carry but can’t keep Lynn down. Jerry crotches Storm on the top rope and hits a springboard power bomb for a near fall. Storm hits a super kick but Lynn pops his shoulder up at two. Lynn hits a top rope front suplex and a double arm DDT but Storm kicks out at two. Lynn counters a tombstone with a reverse DDT for a near fall. Tammy Lynn Bytch gets on the apron and Storm knocks Whipwreck off the apron after sending Lynn into him. Storm nails Jerry with a purse and wins the match. (NR. The match is heavily clipped, but from what was shown, it was a good clipped segment.)
5.) We get a clipped sample of the match between Storm and Whipwreck. Mikey hit a tornado DDT and a suplex turned into a Whippersnapper but can’t get a three count on Storm. Lynn takes out Mikey with the loaded purse and Storm pinned Whipwreck.
6.) Van Dam and Taz start off the main event trading blows until Van Dam hits a spinning heel kick. Van Dam works over Taz in the corner with strikes but runs into a big boot. Taz snap mares Van Dam off the top and hits an overhead belly to belly suplex. Sabu gets tagged in and trades blows with Taz until Taz tackles Sabu and they trade strikes. Sabu attempts a springboard but Taz moves out of the way and hits an overhead suplex on Sabu. They go to the floor where Sabu sends Taz over the railing into the crowd. Sabu leaps out of the ring and takes Taz out with a dive in the crowd. Francine slaps Bill Alfonso but Douglas comes over only for Van Dam to kick Douglas. Van Dam crotches Douglas across the railing and they trade right hands. Van Dam hits Douglas with a chair and kicks the chair into Shane’s face knocking Shane into the crowd. Sabu works over Douglas in the ring with a few stomps and Van Dam hits a big splash/leg drop combo on Douglas. Sabu has the camel clutch on Douglas when Van Dam hits a dropkick on the champion. A slingshot leg drop and rolling thunder big splash combo.
Sabu places Taz onto a table at ringside and hits a slingshot big splash to put Taz through the table. Douglas is left alone in the ring with Sabu using a spike on Douglas. Douglas has been busted wide open by Sabu. Douglas enters with a stele chair and takes out both Sabu and Van Dam. Sabu leg drops Douglas on the chair and heads to the top rope. Sabu hits a top rope Arabian face buster and gets the three count on Douglas! (**1/2. The finish is perfectly fine to get Sabu some momentum in his favor in their feud. It will also add more tension between Taz and Douglas.) After the match, Taz puts the Taz Mission on Sabu and hits a sick overhead suplex with hold locked in. The ring is full of officials to sell an injury on Sabu. Taz doesn’t look happy with himself as he stands in the corner.
Final Thoughts:
A good episode with a really strong main event and the injury angle will play in a factor in the feud between Douglas, Sabu and Taz. ECW has been quite entertaining over the last several episodes.
Thanks for reading.