ECW Hardcore TV 3/22/1997

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 3/22/1997
From: Philadelphia, PA

Matches:
1.) Taz defeated Rob Van Dam
2.) Sabu defeated Spike Dudley

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The matches from this show were part of Hostile City Showdown ’97. I don’t have the disc of this show so I can’t cover the matches, sadly.

2.) At the start of the show the entire roster is out to open the show where Sabu and Chris Candido start to fight. Taz gets involved but Taz and Sabu are attacked by Candido and RVD. This leads to massive brawl involving everyone. New Jack ends up coming out and dives off the entrance to take everyone out on the floor.

3.) At Barely Legal, the top three contenders will compete in a triple threat match for a shot at the ECW World Championship in the main event at Barely Legal. It will be the Sandman, Stevie Richards and Tommy Dreamer. However, Dreamer gave up his spot to give it to Terry Funk.

4.) The closing moments of the I Quit match are shown involving Shane Douglas and Pitbull #1. Pitbull put Douglas through a table and put the full nelson on but Francine got the hammer from the timekeeper and attacked Pitbull on the neck with it. Douglas recovered and put Pitbull in the full nelson while Francine loosens the top and middle ropes. Eventually, Douglas traps Pitbull’s head between the ropes and the ropes are tightened! Pitbull #2 comes out but gets attacked by Brian Lee and Chris Candido. Pitbull gets tied to the post and whacked with a chair until he says I Quit to save his partner. So, Douglas retained by not making his opponent quit, but his partner to say I Quit. The Pitbulls would be stretchered out.

5.) Joey Styles interviews the masked man (Rick Rude) backstage. Rude says that the trail leads to Douglas in Pittsburgh and he’ll be inside Francine’s edible panties. Douglas came over after Rude left and said that Rude needs to research what Douglas is all about considering Rude is a guy with three bad discs in his neck and just has a big mouth.

6.) The Dudley Boys won the ECW World Tag Team Championships from the Eliminators when the Dudley’s won the belts after a 3D on Kronus.

7.) Sabu gets on the microphone after his match and speaks for the first time. Bill Alfonso comes out instead and would live to regret that. Sabu puts Fonzie through a table with a leg drop to end the program.

Final Thoughts:
A lot was going on here as ECW hypes their biggest show, ever. The segment with Douglas and Pitbull was effective in adding even more emotion to that feud. The angle between Sabu and Taz has been excellently done.

Thanks for reading.