ECW Hardcore TV 4/11/1999

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 4/11/1999
From: Philadelphia, PA

Matches:
1.) ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam defeated 2 Cold Scorpio to retain the title
2.) ECW World Champion Taz defeated Chris Candido in a falls count anywhere match to retain the title

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Lance Storm comes out with Tammy Bytch (Dawn Marie) to start the show. All of this weeks footage is from Cyberslam 1999, by the way. Storm is also wearing Chris Jericho’s WCW t-shirt and the fans chant for Jericho. Storm knows that the fans like Jericho because he’s from Calgary. Storm is out here because Tommy Dreamer has been running his mouth. Storm isn’t happy that Dreamer is claiming he’s on the gas (steroids). Storm says he gets his integrity from surviving the dungeon in Canada. Storm says he is the best built wrestler and he’s going to prove it tonight. Storm has a container with urine in it. Storm is going to subject the sample to a drug test. Storm wonders if Dreamer would do the same. Storm believes that Dreamer is taking shortcuts and tells Dreamer to prove him wrong.

Dreamer makes his way out to confront Storm. Dreamer has a smirk on his face suggesting this is silly. Storm beats on Dreamer with right hands as Dreamer got to the apron. Dreamer plants Storm with a DDT and grabs Bytch in the corner. Dreamer has the container of urine and dumps it on Storm. Dreamer poses in the middle of the ring while Storm is laid out in the middle of the ring.

2.) Joey Styles is in the ring and introduces ECW Television Champion Rob Van Dam for an interview. Bill Alfonso is of course with Rob Van Dam, too. RVD has made it one year as champion. RVD puts himself over for being the whole f’n show. Alfonso tells RVD that he knew he wouldn’t be content with an ordinary opponent. Alfonso notes that this man is a former Tag Team and Television Champion. 2 Cold Scorpio makes his way out to challenge RVD.

3.) Backstage, Paul Heyman has Sabu being held back by several wrestlers telling Sabu that he hasn’t been cleared to wrestle.

4.) RVD keeps a headlock on Scorpio before delivering a shoulder block and plays to the crowd. RVD works over Scorpio with forearms until Scorpio hits a double under hook suplex. Scorpio kicks RVD in the face and continues with a headbutt. RVD delivers a few kicks and forearms in the corner. RVD drops Scorpio in the corner with more stomps followed by a dropkick to a seated Scorpio in the corner and plays to the crowd as Scorpio rolls to the floor. Scorpio misses a spin kick and RVD nails Scorpio with a spin kick of his own. RVD comes off the ropes and Scorpio delivers a spin kick of his own. Scorpio clotheslines RVD in the corner to keep control of the contest. We see Sabu being held down by several wrestlers as Heyman continues to tell Sabu that he’s not going to be wrestling tonight. Scorpio nails RVD with a superkick right on the chin. Scorpio tosses RVD with a German suplex. Scorpio hits a middle rope somersault leg drop for a two count. Scorpio has RVD over his shoulders and connects with a Samoan Drop. Cyrus is talking to Sabu and is making Sabu pissed.

We come back from commercial to see Sabu springboard off the ropes to leg drop Scorpio through a table and Alfonso is scolding Sabu on the floor. RVD rolls Scorpio back into the ring to hit a slingshot leg drop for a near fall. RVD ducks a clothesline and low blows Scorpio before trying for a powerbomb. Scorpio counters with a powerbomb of his own for a two count. Scorpio heads to the top rope and is shoved off by Alfonso. RVD kicks Scorpio and Alfonso holds a chair allowing RVD to kick the chair into Scorpio’s face! RVD plays to the crowd and heads to the top hitting the Five Star Frog Splash for the win. (***. Well, that was condensed down, I’d assume. Despite that, I thought it was a solid match and they showed a good showcase for Scorpio before losing to RVD. Scorpio was the RVD of the early 90s of ECW and coming in to lose to RVD is only fitting.)

5.) Backstage, Justin Credible is interviewed by Steven Prazak. Prazak notes that Credible think he’s the new franchise of ECW. Credible tells Prazak that he has an opportunity tonight that he’s not going to pass up. Credible is going to prove that the next franchise is Justin Credible. He obviously said that in the form of his catchphrase. Credible is twisting a kendo stick the entire time during the promo.

6.) Backstage, Shane Douglas cuts a promo saying that Justin Credible will be the franchise of ECW over his dead body.

7.) Steve Corino is confronting Taz in the ring and calls Taz and amigo. Corino knows he says things that are a little stupid and didn’t intend for Taz to come out to the ring. Corino would love to wrestle in the arena against Taz and is sure he could choke Taz out in front of the fans. However, Corino claims that he got hurt lifting weights as the fans are chanting that Taz is going to kill him. Corino says that he broke his appendix lifting 480 pounds. Corino has to go get his appendix removed. Corino has a plan and wants the fans to shut up for a moment. Corino has a replacement and knows that this man can beat Taz. Corino introduces Chris Candido, who has Tammy Lynn Sytch with him.

8.) Chris Candido cuts a promo saying he’s been a subject to a lot of controversy in his career. Candido didn’t tap out and wear a baby bottle or doing jumping jacks like an asshole. Candido didn’t tap out to any drugs or steroids. Candido respects Taz and says he’s not going to tap out to Taz either. Candido wants a piece of Taz tonight in a falls count anywhere match.

9.) Candido is working over Taz in the corner as we return from commercial. Tax fires back with right hands and is staggered by a few chops from Candido. Taz delivers a few strikes and kicks Candido through the ropes to the floor. Taz decks Candido into the guard railing. Candido continues to work over Taz with right hands against the railing. Candido sends Taz over the railing into the crowd. Candido goes to the top rope and takes Taz out with a crossbody in the crowd. Candido sends Taz into the railing back first and Taz sends Candido back to the ringside area. Taz sends Candido back into the crowd and pummels Candido with right hands. They are brawling into the bleachers trading right hands. Taz backdrops Candido on the bleachers. Candido tosses Taz onto the timekeepers table a couple of times to break the table. They go back into the crowd where Candido continues to deliver right hands. Taz pummels Candido with right hands and plays to the crowd. Taz sends Candido off the bleachers and hits a t-bone suplex on the stage for a two count. Candido sends Taz into the speakers followed by a slam. Candido hits an elbow drop onto the stage for a near fall as we go to commercial.

Candido plants Taz with a delayed vertical suplex before going to the top rope. Candido leaps off hitting a diving headbutt for a near fall. Taz counters a body scissors with a wheelbarrow suplex. Candido hits a slingshot back suplex for a two count. Taz counters a hurricanrana with a sit out powerbomb. Candido runs into an overhead belly to belly suplex. Candido eye rakes Taz followed by a powerbomb. Candido rams Taz into the top turnbuckle face first and goes to the top rope looking for the top rope powerbomb. Taz fights Candido with right hands and breaks free. Taz hooks Candido hitting a middle rope overhead belly to belly suplex. Candido has a chain from Tammy on the floor and decks Taz with it but can’t get a three count. Candido goes to the floor looking for something under the ring. Candido finds a table to slide into the ring. Candido sets the table up in the corner as Taz has gotten to his feet. Candido delivers several right hands in the corner and slaps the champion. Taz has the Tazmission on Candido and proceeds to suplex Candido through the table in the corner! The referee has called for the bell giving the match to Taz by TKO. Candido is holding his neck and Tammy enters the ring to check on her husband. (***. It’s a solid match with some quality action but I don’t think there was any real doubt as to who was going to win here. The finish shows that Candido didn’t tap out and I could see a return match happening where Candido notes that he didn’t tap to Taz.)

10.) Candido is doing a stretcher job until Taz leaves the ring and attacks Candido on the stretcher and locks in the Tazmission in the ring where Candido taps out. The crowd was chanting “fuck you Taz” before that happened to end the program.

Final Thoughts:
Well, it’s a strong show this week as they focused on footage from Cyberslam and we got two solid matches from the show. Plus, they hyped the Credible/Douglas match pretty well, too. I enjoyed the action and look forward to next week.

Thanks for reading.