Written by: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 12/11/1998
From: Buffalo, NY
Matches:
1.) Little Guido, Tracy Smothers & One Man Gang defeated Tommy Dreamer, Chris Chetti & Nova
2.) New Jack defeated Rod Price
3.) Masato Tanaka defeated Justin Credible in a number one contenders match for the ECW Television Championship
Angle Developments:
1.) The show opens with ECW World Champion Shane Douglas and FTW Champion Taz in the ring with Douglas telling Taz to choke him out while he has his backed turned, but the show goes to the opening video before a conclusion can be had. We learn that Douglas has suffered a broken wrist following a match in Florida. He is also pissed that the Dudley Boys didn’t take Sabu out of action.
2.) The six man tag is clipped as the matches they have no purpose usually are on Hardcore TV. Nova leaps off of Chetti’s back to take the FBI out with a dive and Chetti comes off the top to take everyone out with a cross body on the floor. The match started off as just a tag match, I should note. Chetti hits a leg drop and Nova hits a big splash off the top on Guido. Gang enters the match and splashes Nova a couple of times. Nova is helped to the back and the heels taunt Chetti for not having a partner. Chetti goes backstage and brings back Tommy Dreamer to be his partner. Dreamer scoop slams Gang and is worked over by the FBUI. Dreamer and Chetti hit Spicolli Drivers and Chetti hits a double springboard moonsault. Jeff Jones comes out and acts like he hurt his shoulder on a cover attempt. Justin Credible hits Dreamer with a kendo stick and Dreamer is rolled up to end the match. I was actually surprised that the heels won this match.
3.) New Jack uses a bunch on Rod Price and wins the match following a guitar shot. Just like every Jack match in ECW.
4.) This is the first ever singles meeting between Tanaka and Credible. Tanaka takes Credible down with a sit out suplex and hits a top rope missile dropkick. Credible drops Tanaka with a super kick. Tanaka knocks Credible off the apron with a forearm shot and Credible hits the railing chest first. Tanaka continues with a side Russian leg sweep against the railing. Tanaka sends Credible into the railing again before smashing Justin over the head with a steel chair! Tanaka dropkicks Credible but only get a near fall. They are back in the ring where Credible plants Tanaka across a steel chair with an inverted DDT. Credible comes off the middle rope and hits a forearm drop fro a near fall. Credible keeps advantage with a clothesline and has a steel chair. Credible comes off the top rope but the chair gets kicked into his face!
Tanaka attempts a tornado DDT but settles for a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Tanaka hits a suplex turned into a stunner but Credible kicks out at two. Tanaka hits a tornado DDT onto a steel chair but Jason enters the match and attacks Tanaka to make the save. Jason delivers a few kicks but Tanaka fights him off and hits a suplex. Chastity tries her luck and it allows Credible to enter with a kendo stick but Tommy Dreamer whacks Credible with a steel chair. Tanaka hits the Diamond Dust and pins Credible. (**. There was some fine action, but it was hardly a good match for a “first time ever” meeting that I had no strong desire to actually happen.)
5.) The show ends with various promos by ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam, ECW World Tag Team Champions Dudley Boys, Danny Doring & Roadkill, and Justin Credible. Van Dam promotes his match at pay per view and Justin Credible promotes his match and feud with Tommy Dreamer.
Final Thoughts:
Well, it’s not a great show and the first time ever meeting match didn’t deliver high success to me. Tanaka is coming across as being not overly important and makes me wonder why he is being brought in so often just to work the midcard.
Thanks for reading.