Written by: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 4/18/1999
From: Philadelphia, PA
Matches:
1.) Jerry Lynn defeated Tajiri
2.) Super Crazy defeated El Mosco De La Merced
3.) Shane Douglas defeated Justin Credible
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) We see footage of the weapons steel cage match from Cyberslam where the Dudley’s pinned Mahoney after a 3D moments after Mahoney blew fire into Mustafa’s face. Naturally, everyone was bloodied in the ring with Axl Rotten bleeding quite a bit by the looks of things. Mahoney locks the door because Mustafa is left alone in the ring as Rotten sets a table up in the ring. New Jack climbs to the top of the cage and leaps off to splash Mustafa through the table. They show a replay of some of the action where D-Von hit a suplex on Rotten onto thumbtacks during the match.
2.) The fans are heavily behind Lynn calling him the “new f’n show” before the match starts with Tajiri. Tajiri starts with a kick to the head, but Lynn blocks it and they go to the mat trading holds leading to a standoff. Tajiri tries for a few more kicks and Lynn takes Tajiri down with another leg sweep and gets a leg lock on Tajiri briefly. Tajiri keeps Lynn on the mat with a leg lock and gets a bow and arrow on but Lynn lands on top for a two count and another standoff. Lynn kicks Tajiri and buts a modified Gory Special on Tajiri. Lynn takes Tajiri over with a head scissors and a leaping back elbow strike to send Tajiri to the floor. Lynn goes to the top hitting a crossbody to the floor. Tajiri kicks Lynn from the apron and gets an abdominal stretch before switching to the tarantula in the ropes! Tajiri hits a handspring back elbow to send Lynn to the floor. Tajiri suplexs Lynn over the railing into the crowd. Tajiri takes Lynn out with a springboard moonsault into the crowd! Tajiri tries for a suplex into the ring, but Lynn counters and hits a hurricanrana. Tajiri bridges out to hit his own and nearly wins the match. Tajrii tries for a suplex, but Lynn counters with a reverse DDT for a near fall. Tajiri delivers a kick to the chest and Lynn wants more and is knocked down by Tajiri.
Lynn dropkicks Tajiri in the corner and both men are struggling to get up. Lynn chops Tajiri in the corner a few times, but Tajiri comes back with a kick to knock Lynn down in the corner. Tajiri crotches Lynn in the tree of woe and hits a baseball slide dropkick on Lynn for a two count. Lynn shoulder rams Tajiri from the apron and tries for a sunset powerbomb, managing to hit a running sit out powerbomb for a near fall. The fans are standing for the action. Tajiri dropkicks Lynn on the knee and nearly wins the match with a rollup, but Lynn got his feet in the ropes. Lynn decks Tajiri with a clothesline. Lynn hits the cradle piledriver in the middle of the ring to win the match.(****. That was a wonderful match and showcased both Lynn and Tajiri as the future of the company. What an incredible match and was loads of fun.)
3.) Crazy arm drags Mosco to the start the match and they have a standoff. Crazy takes Mosco down with arm control, but Mosco snapmares Crazy to the floor and fakes out a handspring dive playing to the crowd instead. Mosco keeps beating on Crazy with strikes but a shoulder block by Mosco stops him. Crazy arm drags Mosco and Mosco comes back with one of his own and they have another standoff. Crazy hammers away on Mosco in the corner to get control briefly. Mosco misses a running dropkick in the corner. Crazy goes over the top to the floor and Mosco hits a springboard somersault dive to the floor. Mosco is driven chest first over the guard railing by Crazy. Crazy sends Mosco into the crowd and delivers a right hand. Crazy hits an impressive springboard spinning moonsault off the top into the crowd onto Mosco! Crazy almost wins with a springboard moonsault and hits a second one for another two count.
Crazy delivers several punches in the corner and the crowd counts along. Crazy runs into a big boot in the corner. Mosco takes Crazy over with a top rope head scissors followed by a slingshot senton splash to the floor. Mosco tries for a cover, but Crazy kicks out at two. Mosco takes Crazy off the top with a springboard hurricanrana for a two count. Crazy bails to the floor to regroup. Mosco follows and is tossed over the railing into the crowd. Crazy takes Mosco out with a moonsault off the railing onto Mosco in the crowd! We go to commercial.
Mosco hits a twisting splash off the top for a two count. Mosco slams Crazy off the top rope and delivers a kick to the back. Crazy counters a top rope moonsault with his feet and nearly wins following a powerbomb. Crazy goes to the top, but Mosco nearly wins following a powerbomb off the middle rope. Crazy stops Mosco with a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Crazy hits a top rope frog splash to win the match. (****. Well, that was another really fun match and this was different than Lynn/Tajiri as they did more highspots and incredible moves to hold your interest. Mosco should be used more often in ECW following this showing. What a treat of an episode with this action thus far.)
4.) Shane Douglas cuts a promo on Justin Credible saying that Terry Funk knew his job six years ago was to make him a franchise. Douglas notes that over that time people have become a notch in his belt. Douglas tells Credible that he’s not going to be a notch in Credible’s belt. Douglas draws a line in the ring and Credible steps over it. Douglas slaps Credible for doing so. Credible says he’s not backing down from Douglas.
5.) They trade right hands and chops to start the main event. Douglas takes Credible over with a snap suplex and rolls through to hit a few more. Douglas holds Credible in the air to hit a vertical suplex for a two count. Douglas plants Credible with a front slam and hits a rolling neck snap as we go to commercial.
Credible tosses Douglas off the top rope and through a table as we return to action. Credible beats on Douglas with a forearm strike. Credible works over Douglas with more right hands in the corner and taunts the crowd. Credible chokes Douglas in the corner. Credible rams Douglas into the corner face first followed by more chops. Douglas works over Credible with chops in the corner and is met with a superkick for a two count. Credible slams Douglas and goes to the middle rope hitting a forearm drop for a near fall. Credible keeps Douglas on the mat with a sleeper hold. Douglas gets to his feet and breaks free with strikes to the midsection. Douglas gets a sunset flip on Credible, but Credible decks Douglas with a clothesline. Credible dumps Douglas through the ropes to the floor. Credible rams Douglas face first onto the apron a few times. Credible drives Douglas face first into the steel beam by the aisle way and Douglas has been busted wide open as a result.
They begin to trade strikes around ringside as a bloodied Douglas tries to get a second wind. Credible stops Douglas with an eye rake. Credible continues to beat on Douglas with strikes, but Douglas fires back with right hands of his own. Credible drops down and low blows Douglas to the mat. Credible has a cover, but Douglas kicks out at two. Credible goes back to controlling Douglas with a sleeper. Jason slides a table into the ring for Credible to use. Credible sets a table up in the corner and chops Douglas across the ring. Douglas press slams Credible through the table in the corner! Douglas goes for the cover, but Credible kicks out at two. Douglas locks in a figure four in the middle of the ring. Credible refuses to give up as Jazz enters the ring to stop Douglas with an eye rake. Naturally, Francine enters and that leads to a catfight until Credible pulls Francine off. Douglas whacks Credible over the head with a kendo stick a few times. Credible whacks Douglas with a kendo stick several times. Credible misses another shot and Douglas connects with a heel kick. Douglas has a kendo stick and drills Credible over the head. Jason has a kendo stick, but Francine spears Jason! Francine wants to use the kendo stick and Douglas hits a full nelson slam on Jason, who has a neck brace on. Credible nails Douglas with a superkick and gets a two count. Douglas nearly wins with a rollup. Douglas pummels Credible with right hands in the Thez Press for a two count. Credible has a rollup on Douglas for a two count. Credible plants Douglas with the stunner. Credible heads to the top rope, but Douglas hits an atomic drop and pins Credible following the Pittsburgh Plunge! After the match, Lance Storm runs into the ring and attacks Douglas. Credible whacks Douglas with a kendo stick to the head. Storm holds Douglas over the top rope and Credible delivers a bunch of kendo stick shots to the back. Douglas wants more and is knocked out with a kendo stick shot. Tommy Dreamer runs in and hits Storm with a trash can, but Credible nails Dreamer with a kendo stick shot. Storm nails Dreamer with another trash can shot. Credible does the usual catchphrase and poses with Storm to close the program. (***. An enjoyable match and probably one of the better matches Douglas has had in recent memory. However, I am not a fan of the decision to put Douglas over. He’s clearly on the way out and in order to elevate someone like Credible, he needs to win matches like this. Judging by the aftermath, this is likely leading to another match on PPV, but Storm and Credible need to actually win matches on TV to make them look strong and not rely on beatings after the fact.)
Final Thoughts:
I’d consider this one of the best ECW TV shows to ever be produced as the action throughout was highly entertaining.
Thanks for reading.