ECW Hardcore TV 3/21/1999

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 3/21/1999
From: Philadelphia, PA

Matches:
1.) Mustafa defeated Spike Dudley
2.) ECW Tag Team Champions Rob Van Dam & Sabu defeated Dudley Boys, Shane Douglas & Tommy Dreamer in an elimination match to retain the titles

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Joey Styles is standing in the ring with Tommy Dreamer with the ECW Arena crowd going nuts, as per usual. Shane Douglas and Francine quickly come out and the fans chant that Francine is hardcore. Dreamer puts Francine over as the “Queen of Extreme”. Dreamer talks about Douglas having a crappy year with various injuries and Douglas was at the end of his rope. Dreamer notes that Douglas listened to the fans to not go. Dreamer uses their shoot names to tell Douglas that he’s talking to him as a man. Dreamer puts over Douglas as being the best color commentary guy and his promo work is top notch. Dreamer tells Douglas that he’ll always be the franchise of ECW. Douglas walks around the ring to show appreciation for each side of the arena. Dreamer rips on a fan for trying to takeaway from the segment. Dreamer says the three finger salute means a lot to everyone. Dreamer says the three fingers means ECW and begins to show the fans how to spell it out. That’s actually a really good idea.

Dreamer will put the fingers up every time. Dreamer says that Lance Storm thinks that personal insults will bother him. Dreamer says that insults don’t hurt him. Dreamer reveals that he has a big ass and it has “Lance Sucks” written on it. Dreamer proves his point that personal insults don’t hurt him. Dreamer thinks that Storm goes to a Chinese place to get steamed broccoli. Dreamer is a man and gets a real meal. Dreamer says no matter how big his ass gets, Storm won’t be able to kick it. Dreamer thinks that Storm’s rat is pathetic to get surgery to look like Beulah. Dreamer says his integrity doesn’t come from a vile! Dreamer, Francine and Douglas hold up the three fingers.

2.) Lance Storm, Justin Credible and “Beulah” come out on the aisle way to attack Douglas, Dreamer and Francine. Dreamer and Douglas are left laying on the aisle way.

3.) Spike comes to the ring with a traffic sign and goes right after Mustafa, but is met with strikes. Mustafa clotheslines Spike across the nose. Mustafa tries for a slam, but Spike low blows Mustafa and hits the Acid Drop. The Dudley Boys slide into the ring and attack Spike. Bubba sends the referee to the floor. Bubba drops Spike to the mat gut first. Bubba hits a sit out slam. Bubba powerbombs Spike from the middle rope. Naturally, here comes New Jack. Joel Gertner gets on the microphone to stop Jack. Gertner says that Jack can get his hands on Mustafa tonight. All Jack has to do is get through the Dudley Boys. Jack tries to dive over the Dudley Boys, but is taken down to the mat and worked over by Bubba and D-Von. Jack gets his weapons and beats on the Dudley Boys. Jack is able to take them out. Jack has his guitar, but D-Von grabs the guitar and the Dudley’s hit the 3D on New Jack to protect Mustafa to end the segment.

4.) Jasmine St. Claire is in the shower and is getting “so wet for Living Dangerously on pay per view.” St. Claire drops the soap and closes the curtain.

5.) Steven Prazak is with Don Callis and wants to know what he’s doing in ECW. Callis says something about suffrage in Bosnia. Callis says the miserable have no medicine, but only hope.

6.) Douglas and Dreamer enter the ring and they want a piece of Credible and Storm, but the heels bail to the floor. Credible and Storm have paid the Dudley Boys to take their place against Douglas and Dreamer.

7.) Bubba Dudley cuts a promo on RVD and Sabu having their tag titles. They don’t want to fight Dreamer and Douglas since there is nothing to gain. They call out the tag champs, who make their way out.

8.) RVD and Douglas start the main event with RVD working over Douglas with strikes. Douglas stomps away on RVD, but Bubba comes from behind. I guess three guys are in the match at once. Bubba hammers away on RVD before pummeling Douglas in the corner. RVD kicks Bubba to the mat followed by a kick to the head. RVD spin kicks Bubba before hitting a standing moonsault for a two count. Douglas chops Bubba against the ropes followed by an elbow strike. Douglas gets worked over by RVD with strikes. Bubba drives RVD down to the mat with a back suplex. Alfonso sets a table up on the floor while Sabu gets tagged in, but all six men are brawling in the ring. Alfonso takes Sign Guy down and Sabu splashes Sign Guy through a table on the floor. RVD kicks Douglas a few times but Sabu locks in a camel clutch. RVD dropkicks Douglas while Bubba hits a Bubba Bomb on Sabu for a two count. D-Von plants RVD with a reverse DDT. Bubba and Dreamer pummel each other on the mat with right hands. D-Von leg drops Douglas and RVD on the groin. Bubba blocks a kick by RVD and delivers an atomic drop followed by a DDT!

Dreamer takes Bubba down with a side Russian leg sweep, which Sabu nearly wins on a pin attempt. RVD works over D-Von with kicks in the corner. RVD misses a splash in the corner and D-Von hits a middle rope neckbreaker. Dreamer and Sabu are brawling in the crowd. D-Von slams RVD and hits a leg drop for a two count. Sabu dives off the bleachers onto Dreamer. Bubba spears Sabu to prevent a triple jump and hits a big splash. Dreamer whacks Bubba with a chair shot followed by a DDT. RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash on Bubba. Douglas hits the Pittsburgh Plunge on D-Von. Sabu hits the triple jump moonsault onto D-Von to get a three count, and the Dudley Boys have been eliminated.

RVD sends Bubba over the top to the floor. Dreamer brawls with RVD while Sabu stomps on Douglas in the corner. Fans are thrilled the Dudley Boys lost. Dreamer hits the Dreamer Driver on Sabu for a two count. RVD hits the rolling thunder splash on Dreamer and Sabu nearly wins after a leg drop. Douglas clotheslines RVD over the top to the floor. Francine is attacking Bubba on the floor. RVD kicks Douglas on the floor after sending Douglas into the guard railing. Dreamer drives RVD through a table with a Death Valley Driver on the floor! Sabu springboard kicks Douglas for a two count. Douglas drops Sabu jaw first over the top rope. Dreamer has grabbed a ladder from Francine. Douglas dumps Sabu to the floor.

Credible whacks Douglas with a kendo stick. Storm has shoved Dreamer off the ladder. Sabu leg drops Douglas through the table. RVD nearly pins Dreamer after the Five Star Frog Splash. Credible and Storm are talking to the Dudley Boys outside the ring. Sabu nails Dreamer with the tables legs. RVD comes off the top to kick the table into Dreamer’s head. Sabu covers Dreamer to win the match. (**1/2. I found myself more interested in the match once the Dudley Boys departed from the match. I’m glad there was a relatively clean finish to the match, too.)

9.) Justin Credible and Lance Storm confront RVD and Sabu after the main event concludes. They don’t come to blows, but instead ECW World Champion Taz slides into the ring and brawls with Sabu. Dudley Boys are attacking the tag champs. The ring clears and it’s just Taz and Sabu. They begin to brawl and it leads to a pull apart with security guys coming in to keep them away from each other. Taz says he’s calmed down and tells Sabu that he’s going to choke him out at Living Dangerously. Taz does his catchphrase and is punched by Sabu. Sabu sets a table up in the ring. Sabu springboards off the top to elbow drop Taz through the table.

Final Thoughts:
A strong episode to lead into Living Dangerously as they focused on the top feuds and added some proper last minute promotion to them. The build to Living Dangerously has been done fairly well and I do have interest in the PPV.

Thanks for reading.