Written by: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling House Show
Date: 1/2/1999
From: Philadelphia, PA
Opening Contest: Danny Doring & Roadkill vs. Chris Chetti & Tommy Rogers: Rogers and Roadkill start the match trading right hands in the corner. Roadkill gets the advantage following an eye rake. Rogers boots Roadkill, but runs into a powerslam. Roadkill comes off the top rope but misses an elbow drop. Rogers knee strikes Roakdill and puts Roadkill on his shoulders allowing Chetti to hit a top rope crossbody for a two count. Roadkill is elbowed by both men and Doring tags into the match. Doring backs Chetti into a corner, but backs away once Chetti moves forward for an attack. Chetti nearly pins Doring with a rollup as the crowd distracted Doring. Doring knee lifts Chetti in the corner, but Chetti comes back with a spinning heel kick for a two count. Chetti knocks Roadkill off the apron but gets tripped. Doring kicks Chetti to the floor and Roadkill drops Chetti over the railing chest first. Doring takes Chetti over with a snap suplex and a few elbow drops. Roadkill tags into the match and beats on Chetti with strikes in the corner. Roadkill catches Chetti coming off the ropes with a side slam for a near fall.
Roadkill splashes Chetti in the corner and Doring nearly pins Chetti. Doring works over Chetti with chops in the corner. Chetti quickly counters with strikes of his own. Chetti nails Doring with a springboard heel kick but misses a springboard leg drop. Roadkill holds Chetti for the Hart Attack leading to a near fall. Roadkill slams Chetti to the mat and Doring comes off the top to miss a leg drop. Rogers gets the hot tag and cleans house. Rogers atomic drops Doring into Roadkill in the corner. Roadkill is met with a double dropkick. Doring is dropped over the top rope and nearly pinned by Chetti. Chetti hits the Amityville Horror, but the timekeeper rings the bell? That distraction allows Roadkill and Doring to pin Chetti and Rogers from behind. (**1/2. Well, that was honestly a bizarre finish involving a guy I’ve never seen before in my entire life. I’m thinking he’s a local DJ or something. Regardless, the action was pretty good and the crowd seemed invested in the action. An enjoyable opener for the show.) After the match, Rogers hits an Un-Prettier and Chetti hits a springboard moonsault leading to a pin on the guy.
Second Contest: Steve Corino vs. Nova: Early on, they trade wrist control until Nova takes Corino down to the mat and they continue to trade control. Nova shoulder blocks Corino followed by a hip toss only to be kicked away by Corino. Corino leg sweeps Nova and they fake right hands a few times leading to a standoff. Corino works over Nova with right hands in the corner. Corino is sent into the corner but Nova pulls Corino groin first into the post. Nova atomic drops Corino, but Corino fights back with a heel kick. Corino baseball slides Nova chest first into the railing. Nova has Corino on his shoulders and drops Corino chest first over the railing. Nova hits a top rope elbow drop in the ring for a two count. Nova press slams Corino gut first to the mat followed by a senton splash for a two count. Corino plants Nova with a neckbreaker and taunts the crowd before getting a near fall. Corino elbows Nova in the corner followed by a clothesline and plays to the crowd.
Corino taunts the crowd while also beating on Nova in the corner. Nova boots Corino in the corner and tries for a tornado DDT. Nova hits a Samoan Drop out of the corner leading to a near fall. Corino fights Nova on the middle rope with strikes tries for a top rope bulldog, but Nova shoves Corino off and hits a top rope splash for a two count. Corino recovers to nail Nova with a superkick for a near fall. Corino puts Nova on the top turnbuckle, but Nova hits a top rope Flatliner for the win. (**1/2. There were a few slow parts to the match, but this was another solid undercard match. Corino has potential to be good in ECW and Nova has some strong momentum as a singles wrestler in ECW. I enjoyed this.)
Third Contest: Tajiri vs. Super Crazy: Crazy takes Tajiri down to the mat early on and they counter a few holds in the opening moments of the contest. Crazy dropkicks Tajiri and plays to the crowd. Tajiri delivers several kicks and a running dropkick to a kneeling Crazy. Tajiri hits a spinning heel kick. Tajiri continues to work over Crazy with kicks until a dragon screw leg whip stops Tajiri. Crazy beats on Tajiri with strikes against the ropes. Crazy ducks a spin kick and trades chops. Tajiri dropkicks Crazy on the leg and delivers another one from the apron. Tajiri comes off the ropes to dropkick Crazy on the left knee. Tajiri locks in a knee bar, but Crazy doesn’t submit. Tajiri baseball slides Crazy and hits a springboard moonsault to the floor hitting the guard railing. Crazy hits a springboard missile dropkick followed by a sit down powerbomb for a two count. Crazy locks in a surfboard, but Tajiri doesn’t give in even as Crazy rolls around the ring. Crazy switches to a surfboard with a chin lock, but Tajiri doesn’t submit.
Tajiri nearly wins hitting a hurricanrana and is met with a clothesline by Crazy. Crazy plants Tajiri with a tornado DDT and a springboard moonsault. Tajiri kicks Crazy to the corner and hits a German suplex for the three count. (**1/2. A relatively short match for these two, but the action was good enough and the crowd responded to what they went with. It’s the usual formula match that you’d expect from these two anyway.)
Fourth Contest: John Kronus vs. Rod Price: Kronus works over Price with several strikes to get the early advantage. Kronus slams Price and hits a handspring moonsault for a near fall. Price sends Kronus into the guard railing followed by a side Russian leg sweep and a chair shot. Price sends Kronus gut first into the railing, again. Price tosses Kronus onto a table at ringside. Price continues to work over Kronus with a chair shot. Price sets the table up against the railing. Rod sends Kronus through the table on the floor. One Man Gang gets a few cheap shots in before sending Kronus back into the ring. Price slams Kronus and hits a middle rope leg drop for a near fall. Price tosses Kronus to the floor where Gang gets a few strikes in again. Price takes Kronus over with a powerslam for a near fall. Kronus pulls Price off the apron and Price lands chest first over the railing. Kronus sends Price back first into the railing. Kronus continues with a spin kick and sends Price into the post. Gang runs over and Kronus whacks Gang with a chair shot. Kronus drives Price down to the mat with a slam and a scoop slam. Kronus heads to the top rope managing to hit the 450 splash. One Man Gang enters and nails Kronus with his chain to allow Price to get the three count. (*1/2. I was not expecting Rod Price to earn the win here even with the involvement of One Man Gang. Kronus must not be a person of focus for ECW moving forward. If Kronus had remained in shape and motivated, he could have excelled in a singles role at this point.)
Fifth Contest: Taz vs. Little Guido: Guido uses his speed to avoid Taz early on and taunts the crowd. Taz shoves Guido down to the mat after going behind and Guido regroups in the corner. Guido takes Taz down to the mat, but that doesn’t last long as Taz gets arm control for a moment. Guido rolls to the floor to regroup with Smothers and Rich. Guido takes Taz to the mat with a fireman’s carry and taunts the crowd again. Taz tosses Guido to the mat and delivers a few stomps. Taz decks Guido with a right hand and stomps on Guido in the corner. Smothers heel kicks Taz from behind as the referee was distracted and Guido nearly wins the match. Taz is taken down with a double side Russian leg sweep leading to a two count for Guido. Taz continues to be worked over by Rich and Smothers on the floor. Guido clotheslines Taz and keeps Taz on the mat with a sleeper hold. Guido beats on Taz with right hands and slaps.
Taz gets to his feet and tosses Guido with an overhead belly to belly suplex. Taz clotheslines Guido and connects with a backdrop. Taz plants Guido with a double leg slam and tosses Smothers with an exploder suplex. Taz decks Rich over the top rope to the floor. Taz hits an exploder suplex on Guido and wins the match with the Taz Mission. (**. Guido got a few moments in, which was good to see. The action was effective and I enjoyed what they did here.)
Sixth Contest: Spike Dudley vs. Skull Von Krush: Spike low blows Von Krush as Krush was talking shit to him and quickly hits the Acid Drop to win the match in short order. Krush is talking into the microphone saying “oh my balls.” Skull is trying to be comedic and it doesn’t come across all that much. He’s trying too hard to get it over.
Seventh Contest: ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam vs. Spike Dudley: Spike low blows RVD and tries for the Acid Drop, but RVD drops Spike over the top rope and hits a springboard heel kick to knock Dudley to the floor. Spike avoids a baseball slide and forearms RVD on the floor. Bill Alfonso nails Spike with a savant kick, but Spike sends RVD into the railing only to be met with a kick. RVD sends Spike back first into the railing and Alfonso kicks Spike at ringside. RVD lays Spike over the railing gut first and hits a spinning heel kick off the apron. RVD baseball slides Spike as Spike went after Alfonso around ringside. Spike sends RVD into the railing and gets backdropped into the crowd. RVD leaps off the railing to kick a chair into Spike’s face. RVD lays Spike over the apron and hits a slingshot leg drop. RVD locks in a surfboard but Spike isn’t giving in. RVD puts Spike in the tree of woe and dropkicks the chair into Spike’s midsection. RVD sits Spike on the top rope, but Spike fights RVD off and hits a tornado DDT onto the steel chair.
Spike nearly wins with a sunset flip and leg sweeps RVD onto the chair face first followed by a knee drop and a running forearm smash for a two count. Spike continues with a running bulldog for a near fall. Spike takes RVD over the top with a head scissors and RVD’s lower back clips the side of a table, which breaks the table. Spike takes RVD out with a somersault dive off the apron to the floor! Spike drops RVD chest first over the railing with an Acid Drop. Spike whacks RVD over the back with a steel chair. RVD sends Spike back first into the corner, but Spike gets a boot up and head scissors RVD to the mat for a near fall. RVD nails Spike with a chair shot on the top turnbuckle. RVD kicks Spike on the top turnbuckle. Spike tries for a tornado DDT, but RVD avoids it. Spike low blows RVD and tries for the Acid Drop, but RVD tosses Spike away onto the chair. RVD hits the rolling thunder splash. RVD scoop slams Spike and gets a chair from Spike. Alfonso gets in the ring and RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash for the win. (***. A solid match that exceeded my expectations. Spike worked really well with RVD and had a enough moments of shine here to make Spike look like a possible viable contender.)
Eighth Contest: Tommy Dreamer vs. Justin Credible: Credible starts off with a knee lift and strikes in the corner to gain the early advantage. Dreamer fights back with a few chops and a low blow. Dreamer plants Credible with a spinebuster before clotheslining Credible over the top to the floor. Credible sends Dreamer back first into the railing. Credible runs into a boot and Dreamer drops Credible chest first over the railing. Dreamer tries a chair shot in the ring, but Credible counters with a reverse DDT onto the chair. Credible works over Dreamer with stomps in the corner and taunts the crowd. Credible powerbombs Dreamer out of the corner and argues with the referee after a two count. Credible gets a chair from Jason. Jason cheap shots Dreamer from the floor. Credible drop toe holds Dreamer face first onto the chair. Credible slams Dreamer and comes off the middle rope with a forearm drop for a two count.
Dreamer almost wins with a sunset flip, but Credible drops Dreamer with a clothesline. Credible has a chair and taunts the crowd. Dreamer stops Credible with a side Russian leg sweep. Dreamer drops Credible face first onto the chair. Dreamer catches Credible in the corner and hits a slam for a two count. Dreamer spikes Credible with a pilecriver. Jason gets shoved to the mat by the referee after entering the ring. Dreamer went backstage to grab a ladder. Dreamer tosses a ladder into the ring and it lands on Credible., Dreamer sets the ladder up in the corner. Dreamer catapults Credible face first into the ladder and hits the Death Valley Driver for a two count. Dreamer lays the ladder over the middle rope, but Credible sends Dreamer into the ladder back first followed by a spinning DDT. Credible tries for a slam onto the ladder and counters a DDT to drop Dreamer back first onto the ladder. Credible has a chair and goes to the top rope. Credible leaps off and is met with a boot to the face and a DDT onto the chair to give Dreamer the win. (**1/4. An average and predictable brawl between these two. It never felt like it got out of first gear, but the crowd responded well to what they did here.)
Ninth Contest: Bubba & D-Von Dudley vs. Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney: Dudley’s go on the attack after cutting a brief promo on their opponents and deliver several strikes. They brawl on the floor with D-Von taking Axl into the crowd. Rotten sends D-Von into a lighting fixture, but D-Von fights back with right hands. D-Von whacks Rotten with a chair over the head. Rotten has been busted open from that shot, apparently. Mahoney works over Bubba with a trash can shot over the back. Bubba sends Mahoney into a concrete wall. Bubba sends Mahoney into the wall again and misses a trash can toss. Bubba grabs a mop and chokes Mahoney with it. Bubba whacks Mahoney over the head with a chair before going backstage. D-Von clotheslines Rotten leading to a near fall. Mahoney and Bubba brawl into the hallway. Bubba sends Mahoney into the concrete wall again. Bubba grabs a table and sets it up by the aisle way. Bubba awkwardly hits a suplex through the table, but it was more of them falling onto the table.
Rotten whacks D-Von over the head with a chair shot. D-Von sends Rotten into the railing while Mahoney works over Bubba with jabs in the corner. The referee gets taken out in the corner. Mahoney plants Bubba with the Nutcracker Suite, but the referee isn’t up to make the count. Jeff Jones enters, but Ulf Herman appears on the apron and Mahoney grabs a chair. Herman blocks a chair shot and powerbombs Mahoney. Rotten destroys Herman with a chair shot and the same happens to Jones. Big Dick Dudley chokeslams Rotten. Mahoney is met with a 3D and that leads to a three count. (**. A fine little brawl and the cluster finish was enjoyable for what it was. I was just glad this didn’t get an insane amount of time as they usually do get.) After the match, New Jack makes his way out to save his friends with a wide range of weapons.
Shane Douglas has his right wrist in a thick cast.
Main Event: ECW World Champion Shane Douglas vs. Lance Storm: Douglas controls Storm for a moment on the mat, but Storm counters with a head scissors. Douglas regains control with a headlock. They trade a few pin attempts that leads to a bridge. Storm decks Douglas with a right hand and a standing dropkick. Storm takes some time to taunt Francine and the crowd. Storm nails Douglas with a high knee strike. Storm elbow drops Douglas a few times for a two count. Storm hits a handspring clothesline in the corner and threatens to hit Francine on the apron. Douglas dumps Storm through the ropes to the floor. Douglas baseball slides Storm into the railing. Douglas crotches Storm over the railing to maintain control of the match. Storm and Douglas trade right hands. Douglas drives Storm groin first into the ring post. Douglas works over Storm with stomps in the corner leading to a near fall. Douglas plants Storm with a delayed vertical suplex followed by a reverse rolling neck snap. Douglas locks in an abdominal stretch to control Storm in the middle of the ring. Francine distracts the referee for some reason by touching his butt a few times.
Douglas confronts the referee allowing Storm to hit a leaping heel kick. Storm manages to get an abdominal stretch on Douglas and Dawn Marie helps with extra leverage until Francine goes after Marie. Both men get tripped by the others manager. Storm eye rakes Douglas, but Douglas hits a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Douglas tries for a belly to belly suplex, but Storm counters with a DDT. Storm hits a springboard back elbow for a two count. Storm places Douglas on the top turnbuckle and hits a superplex for a two count. Douglas dropkicks Storm on the left knee and locks in a figure four leg lock. Dawn Marie enters to eye rake Douglas and Francine takes Marie down with a spear. Storm is met with a low blow by Francine, and nearly pins Douglas with a head scissors. Storm superkicks Douglas leading to a near fall. Douglas almost wins with a rollup. Storm drops Douglas with a right hand. Francine trips Storm allowing Douglas to hit the Pittsburgh Plunge to win the match. (**. Francine’s involvement seemed mistimed when she grabbed the referee’s backside. There didn’t seem to be any level of heat to the match and it felt rather bland. A disappointing main event to finish the show, which I kind of expected.)
Final Thoughts:
I’m actually going to consider this an overall good ECW house show. There were enough decent/quality matches to justify watching it. RVD/Spike was a fun match to makeup for a disappointing main event.
Thanks for reading.