ECW House Show 4/15/1999

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling House Show
Date: 4/15/1999
From: Pittsburgh, PA

The start of the show sees Danny Doring and another guy beating up a random guy I’ve never seen before. That lasts until Chris Chetti comes running down to make the save. Actually, I think the guy with Doring is actually Bubba The Bulldog from IWC, which I’ve been reviewing lately. Rhino Richards comes running down and protects Doring from Chetti.

Opening Contest: Rhino Richards vs. Chris Chetti: Rhino works over the arm of Chetti early on but Chetti quickly gets control of the match with a headlock. They counter each other on the mat with some basic holds and the fans are not enjoying the wrestling aspect of the match. Chetti takes Rhino down with a few drop toe holds and goes back to a front face lock. Doring holds the ropes down and Chetti lands on the apron only to be knocked off by Rhino and hits the guard railing chest first. Rhino keeps Chetti on the canvas with a body scissors but Chetti isn’t giving in. Rhino drives Chetti to the canvas with a front suplex and distracts the referee to allow Doring to hit a springboard elbow drop. Rhino comes off the middle turnbuckle but is met with a boot from Chetti. Chetti comes off the ropes to hit a swinging neck breaker for a two count. Chetti springboards off the ropes to hit a heel kick. Rhino accidentally hits Doring off the apron and Chetti plants Rhino with a sit out slam followed by a double springboard moonsault for the win. (*1/2. The final couple of minutes were enjoyable but the first several minutes didn’t have much entertainment and the fans crapped on it.)

Second Contest: Steve Corino vs. Skull Von Krush: Corino attacks before the bell working over Krush with stomps and strikes in the corner. Krush fights back with a scoop slam and knocks Corino to the floor. Krush sends Corino into the guard railing before returning to the ring. Corino works over Krush with chops but they don’t hurt Krush and is met with a super kick. Krush continues to work over Corino with basic strikes and a clothesline. Krush drives an elbow down onto the groin of Corino. Corino plants Krush with a DDT and plays to the crowd. Corino stops Krush with a knee lift to the midsection and brings a chair into the ring. Corino sets the chair down and tells the referee to sit on the chair as he hits Krush with a heel kick. Krush sends Corino face first into the chair and Krush clotheslines Corino out of the chair after the referee shoved Corino into the chair. Krush continues with a power slam and leg drop for a two count. Krush heads to the top rope hitting an elbow drop for a near fall. Corino hits a neck breaker but Krush powers out at two. Krush finishes Corino off with a jumping DDT. (*. Well, that match sucked, too. The fans made that evident as they cheered for the match to finally be over with.) After the match, a guy at ringside tells the referee that Corino had his boot on the bottom rope, which he put there after the count. The referee doesn’t restart the match. The guy knocks the referee out and gets the referee shirt while Krush hammers away on Corino. Corino rolls Krush up with his boots on the rope to win the match. Either way, the match sucked.

Third Contest: Spike Dudley & Nova vs. Sal E. Graziano & Little Guido: Nova and Sal start the match with Nova using his speed to avoid Sal at first. Nova continues to use his speed and kicks Sal in the balls causing Sal to leave the match because he wants kids. Spike and Guido go at it with Guido working over the leg of Spike for a brief time. Spike is on the back of Guido and nearly wins with a rollup. Nova and Spike hit a double elbow drop on Guido and Sal comes back in only to be met with a double dropkick. Nova takes Guido out with a slingshot cross body to the floor. Sal tosses Spike out of the corner to avoid the Acid Drop. Sal has Nova and hits a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Guido has a hammerlock on Nova but that is not for long. Sal chokes Nova in the corner while Guido stomps on Nova in the corner. Nova power slams Guido but Sal hits an elbow drop to make the save. Guido and Spike brawl on the floor with Guido sending Spike into the railing.

Guido hits a back suplex but Nova kicks out at two. Guido comes off the middle rope to leg drop the back of Nova’s head. Nova hits a running frontward electric chair slam on Guido managing to tag Spike in afterward. Spike plants Guido with a springboard bulldog out of he corner. Sal misses a splash and hits Guido on accident. Nova dropkicks Sal form behind leading to the Acid Drop by Spike and that gets the three count. (*1/4. A relatively quick match, but there still hasn’t been an entertaining bout to this point.)

Fourth Contest: Super Crazy vs. Tajiri: Crazy ducks a spin kick early on as neither man has a clear cut advantage. Tajiri snap mares Crazy to the floor where Crazy hangs out with some fans that are chanting for him. Crazy flips into the ring but is nearly pinned with a rollup. Tajiri arm drags Crazy to the floor and hits a somersault dive over the top to take Crazy out on the floor! Crazy springboards off the railing to hit a moonsault into the crowd! Crazy works over Tajiri with several kicks to the head while in the crowd before they work their way back to the ringside area. Crazy misses a splash in the corner but hits a hurricanrana but Tajiri hits one as well for a near fall. Tajiri has a modified abdominal stretch on Crazy but isn’t able to get a submission with the hold. Tajiri locks in the Tarantula for a moment, as well. Tajiri knocks Crazy down with several kicks to the chest for a two count.

Crazy hits a springboard moonsault but Tajiri kicks out at two. Tajiri dropkicks the knee of Crazy and almost gets a three count with a rollup. Crazy hits a springboard moonsault and puts a surfboard on Tajiri followed by a dragon sleeper to get the submission. (***1/4. Thankfully these guys delivered a hell of a match even if it didn’t get a whole lot of time, they did quite of bit. This is the kind of match that you expect entertaining action and this didn’t disappoint.)

Fifth Contest: Dudley Boys vs. Balls Mahoney & Axl Rotten: The fans make it clear before the start of the match that they want New Jack, whom I’m sure will make an appearance by the end of the match. D-Von and Axl start the match with D-Von working over Axl with right hands but misses a clothesline. Axl blocks a hip toss to hit one of his own and follows up with jabs. Mahoney is tagged in and leg drops the back of D-Von’s head. Mahoney jabs D-Von several times but D-Von hits a leaping shoulder block and a seated dropkick. Bubba is tagged in and works over Mahoney with strikes. Mahoney hip tosses Bubba but Bubba quickly hits a scoop slam only for Balls to hit one as well. Bubba hits the Rock Bottom, even mocking Rock in the process for a two count. Bubba misses a middle rope senton splash. Mahoney drops Bubba with a super kick and all four men are brawling now as D-Von broke up the cover.

Mahoney and Bubba are fighting in the crowd while D-Von and Axl are going at it in the ring. Axl sends D-Von into the railing while Bubba and Mahoney trade blows on the floor. All four men have steel chairs and naturally Mahoney and Axl win that exchange. Bubba falls face first onto the groin of D-Von. Mahoney has Sign Guy hitting the Nutcracker Suite. Joel Gertner whacks Mahoney with a chair very softly and taunts the crowd despite it not hurting Mahoney. Mahoney misses a chair shot and is low blowed by D-Von followed by the 3D to give the Dudley Boys the win. (*1/2. This was exactly what you’d expect to get from these two teams. Also, I’m shocked we got no New Jack.)

Sixth Contest: Tommy Dreamer vs. Lance Storm: Early on they trade strikes in the corner with Dreamer getting the better of the exchange before taking Storm down to the mat with a fireman’s carry before Storm reaches the ropes. After a moment of Francine showing her ass, Storm takes Dreamer down to the mat with a drop toe hold but Dreamer yanks Storm down with a rollup but doesn’t get a pin attempt. Dawn Marie gets on the apron and Dreamer shows her ass off. Storm attacks Dreamer form behind with stomps and strikes. Storm hits a heel kick but Dreamer kicks out at two. They begin to trade right hands with Dreamer winning that exchange but Storm delivers a back elbow strike and leg drop for a near fall. Tommy clotheslines Storm over the top to the floor and quickly goes out to followup. Dreamer sends Storm into the railing a few times. Dreamer tosses Storm over the railing into the crowd where Dreamer puts Storm on a rolling cart sending Storm into the wall head first.

They continue to brawl in the crowd where Storm has control sending Dreamer into the barrier in the bleachers and tries to toss Dreamer over onto the concrete. Dreamer gets crotched onto the barrier. Storm punches Dreamer off the bleachers as they continue to fight and the cameraman sprints over to keep up with the action. Storm sends Dreamer into the wall and a trash can. A table is brought into the ring as Storm stomps on Dreamer to maintain control of the match. Dreamer stops Storm with a low blow and attempts a DDT but Storm counters with a northern lights suplex for a two count. Storm springboards off the top to hit a back elbow but Dreamer kicks out at two. Dreamer gets out of a rollup to send Storm face first into a chair in the corner. That leads to a cat fight between Francine and Dawn Marie. Dreamer has Marie but Storm is up and is nearly met with a piledriver but Marie distracts Tommy allowing Storm to deliver a chair shot and a reverse DDT onto the chair. Dreamer puts Storm through the table with a Death Valley Driver for the win. (**. A decent brawl at best but it just followed the same routine of brawling in the crowd and the involvement of the women.) After the match, Justin Credible enters the ring and whacks Dreamer with a kendo stick. Credible spikes Dreamer with That’s Incredible, as well. Shane Douglas is fighting with Jason on the aisle way before making the ring and getting hit with a kendo stick by Credible leading to the next match.

Seventh Contest: Shane Douglas vs. Justin Credible: Douglas is out of it as Credible hits That’s Incredible but doesn’t go for a pin. Credible kicks Douglas to the floor and Douglas is being helped to the backstage area by security. Credible decides to taunts Douglas on the microphone and Douglas returns to the ring. Douglas starts the match with a flurry of right hands in the corner and a backdrop causing Credible to beg off in the corner. Douglas ignores that and continues to chop Credible followed by two snap suplexs and a vertical suplex. Douglas plants Credible with a front suplex and plays to the crowd before going back to work on Credible in the corner. Douglas clotheslines Credible off the apron to the floor. Douglas sends Credible into the guard railing and rams Credible groin first into the ring post. Douglas scoop slams Credible and heads to the top but Credible stops him only for Douglas to hit a monkey flip.

Douglas misses a springboard cross body and Credible nails Douglas with a super kick for a two count. Credible is on the middle rope hitting a forearm drop but Douglas kicks out easily at two. Douglas gets a two count with a rollup and Credible hits a stunner for a near fall. Jason goes under the ring to slide a table into the ring for Credible to setup in the corner. Douglas press slams Credible through the table in the corner! Douglas counters a double axe handle with a power slam but Credible kicks out at two. Credible drops Douglas with a clothesline after a rollup didn’t work. Francine decks Credible with a kick on the apron and Douglas hits the Pittsburgh Plunge for the win. After the match, Lance Storm comes back in and hits Douglas with a kendo stick. Credible nearly whacks Francine with the kendo stick but here comes Tommy Dreamer to make the save for Douglas. (*1/2. A rather uninspiring match for a farewell match. I wasn’t expecting the kick from Francine, but aside from that the match was rather boring.)

Main Event: ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn: The early moments of the match start with mat wrestling and neither man getting a clear advantage. Van Dam gets out of a head scissors and controls Lynn with a headlock. Lynn stops Van Dam with a kick to the gut but can’t get control of Van Dam. Van Dam knocks Lynn down with a forearm shot sending the challenger to the floor. Van Dam monkey flips Lynn out of the corner but Jerry lands on his feet and they have a standoff. Lynn is bleeding from his nose likely due to the forearm. Lynn catapults Van Dam into the corner but Van Dam gets out only to be dropkicked off the apron. Lynn comes off the top to take Van Dam out with a cross body to the floor. Lynn leg drops Van Dam over the middle rope but only gets a near fall on the cover. Lynn hits a front suplex but Van Dam again kicks out at two. Van Dam leg sweeps Lynn onto a chair but misses a leg drop. Lynn is crotched on the top and kicked off to the floor by Van Dam.

Lynn is sent into the guard railing back first a couple of times. Lynn backdrops Van Dam into the crowd but Lynn is able to dropkick Van Dam over the railing back to ringside. Van Dam drops Lynn throat first across the railing. Alfonso tosses a chair at Lynn and Van Dam kicks the chair into his face in the crowd. Lynn sends Van Dam into the railing but Van Dam drops Lynn gut first across the railing and leaps off the apron to hit a spin kick to Lynn’s back across the railing. Van Dam hits a slingshot leg drop from the apron into the ring for a near fall. Lynn counters a suplex attempt trying to hit a piledriver but Van Dam backdrops Lynn and hits the rolling thunder splash for a two count. Lynn attempts a tornado DDT but settles for a reverse DDT nearly getting a three count on the cover. Lynn hits Van Dam with a chair but Van Dam gets out of a rollup with a chair shot and drop toe holds Van Dam face first onto the chair.

Lynn places the chair on Van Dam’s face hitting a middle rope leg drop but only gets a two count on the cover. Lynn places the table on the apron and guard railing before shoving Van Dam off the apron. Lynn is stopped by Alfonso on the top rope. Lynn attempts a tornado DDT but Van Dam clotheslines Lynn into the right hitting a springboard kick. Lynn stops Van Dam on the top turnbuckle hitting a superplex for a two count. Sabu has come down to ringside to watch the match. Lynn spikes Van Dam with a DDT but again only manages a two count. Alfonso tells Sabu to leave because he has a broken jaw. Lynn runs into a big boot but kicks a chair into Van Dam’s face for a two count. Lynn goes to the top rope but Sabu knocks Lynn off and Lynn is laid onto the table. Sabu decides to hit a triple jump elbow drop putting Lynn through the table. Van Dam covers but Lynn somehow kicks out at two. Van Dam goes to the top and hits the frog splash to win the match. (***. It’s a decent match but nowhere near what they are capable of compared to their pay per view matches. I’d imagine they held back since it’s a house show. Don’t get me wrong it is a decent match still.)

Final Thoughts:
Tajiri/Crazy and RVD/Lynn are the only matches that delivered any kind of entertainment this time around. It’s kind of a disappointment since the card is actually really solid on paper, but some of the big matches didn’t live up to what I was hoping would happen, most notably the Douglas/Credible match. It’s a skippable show unless you really enjoy lackluster brawling for the most part.

Thanks for reading.