ECW Hardcore TV 5/1/1999

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 5/1/1999
From: Queens, NY

Matches:
1.) Jerry Lynn defeated Taka Michinoku
2.) Super Nova defeated Little Guido
3.) Tommy Dreamer defeated Lance Storm

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The show starts off with footage from Queens where Taka Michinoku battled Jerry Lynn and dove over the turnbuckle to take Lynn out on the floor. ECW is using piped in crowd reactions when they probably don’t need to. Taka chops Lynn against the ropes and Lynn head scissors Taka. Lynn baseball slides Taka into the guard railing and rams Taka face first onto the apron and crotches Taka over the railing. Lynn runs off the apron to dropkick Taka to the floor. Lynn springboards off the middle rope and hits a twisting crossbody into the crowd to take Taka out. Lynn dropkicks Taka on the right knee and delivers a few stomps. Lynn delivers a dragon screw leg whip and locks in a leg lock, but Taka doesn’t submit. Taka nails Lynn with a kick to the head and they are both struggling to stay standing. Taka uppercuts Lynn in the corner and Lynn delivers a clothesline in the corner. Taka knee lifts Lynn in the corner before trying a tornado DDT, but Lynn shoves him off.

Lynn tries for a suplex, but Taka lands on his feet and tries for a German. Taka counters and attempted a hurricanrana, but Lynn hits a sit down powerbomb for a two count. Lynn has Taka in the Gory Special, but Taka breaks free. Lynn stops Taka with a tilt a whirl backbreaker for a near fall. Taka stops Lynn on the top rope and hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Taka spikes Lynn with a brainbuster and signals for the finish. Taka misses a moonsault. Lynn plants Taka with a tornado DDT for a two count. Taka knee strikes Lynn in the corner and hits a springboard dropkick. Taka signals for the Driver. Lynn counters and tried for a tombstone. Lynn counters Taka and spikes Taka with the cradle piledriver for the win! (***1/2. It’s not the full match so I don’t know how much was cut from the beginning, but I really enjoyed the seven minutes of action that was provided. Give me more of this stuff!)

2.) Cyrus meets up with ECW World Champion Taz outside of the arena. Taz dismisses Cyrus telling him where to find the Garden. Cyrus tells Taz that Chris Candido is here and he’s wearing a halo. Taz says that’s a shame he’s in a halo and suggests Candido wouldn’t be in a halo if he minded his own business. Taz asks Cyrus if he’s ever been choked out. Cyrus says he has not and Taz walks off.

3.) Joey Styles is in the ring to welcome the Queens crowd to the show. Chris Candido comes out with Sunny wearing a halo and he’s emotional. Candido says that he doesn’t care what the fans say to him right now. Candido has to face the reality of breaking his neck twice. ECW World Champion Taz enters the ring. Taz says they are from New York and they have no respect. Candido says this is not a New York thing and it’s between the two of them. Candido knows that Taz can’t say “I’m sorry.” Candido wants Taz to see what he’s done to him. Taz tells Candido that he put himself in that position. Taz wants to know if they still have a job here. Taz does his catchphrase, but Candido says that Taz can’t separate reality from fiction. Taz threatens to slap Sunny. Taz promises to choke Candido out if he gets in the ring. Candido is going to be managing people along with Sunny. Candido has someone to challenge Taz for the ECW World Championship. Taz doesn’t listen to Heyman and wouldn’t listen to Candido. Taz welcomes the challenge.

Steve Corino makes his way out to seemingly be the challenger. Taz doesn’t take this serious. Taz asks if Corino wants to make a name for himself. Corino has been thinking for the past hour on how he can prove to all his people in Queens how tough he is. Corino thinks that Taz is a sham. Corino calls Taz a phony. Corino is in a good mood and he’s going to make a deal for Taz. Corino offers to let Taz put the title at his feet and walkaway. Corino will not embarrass him as a result. Corino will give him five seconds to take him up on the offer. Corino begins to countdown from five and gets slapped by Taz. Candido took the halo off and attacked Taz from behind! Candido powerbombs Taz and Corino gets a few shots in. Candido goes to the top rope and hits a diving headbutt to leave Taz laying!

4.) Nova starts the action with a baseball slide dropkick to send Guido into Sal. Nova tries for a crossbody, but Sal catches Nova and rams him back first onto the apron. Sal drops Nova face first over the apron and rolls Nova back into the ring. Guido hits a middle rope leg drop to the back of Nova’s head for a two count. Guido locks in an arm bar, but switches to an arm bar, but Nova reaches the ropes. Guido sends Nova to the floor and Sal delivers a stomp on the floor. Sal drops Nova onto the apron and rolls Nova into the ring. They trade a few strikes, but Guido drops down and locks in an arm bar. Nova reaches the ropes quickly. Guido slams Nova and taunts the crowd. Sal enters and elbow drops Nova while the referee was distracted. Guido splashes Nova managing only a two count. Guido tries for a slam, but hits a back suplex for a two count. Guido tries for a springboard twisting crossbody, but Nova stands on the middle rope to hit a Samoan Drop for a two count. Guido drops Nova face first to the mat to counter a head scissors for a two count. Sal holds Nova in the corner, but Nova boots Guido and delivers a running clothesline. Nova hammers away on Guido in the corner. Sal accidentally splashes Guido in the corner. Nova spikes Sal with a tornado DDT from the top rope. Nova plants Guido with the Kryptonite Crunch for the win! (***. A fine TV match with Nova looking really good in there and displayed fun offense. They kept a good pace and it’s a strong win for Nova.)

5.) Joey Styles announces that ECW World Champion Taz will defend against Chris Candido at Hardcore Heaven. Styles doesn’t believe Taz is in any danger, which is an interesting approach to promote your title match on PPV.

6.) Storm takes Dreamer down to the mat, but Dreamer counters and they have a standoff. Storm complains of Dreamer grabbing his tights. Dreamer nearly wins with a rollup after Storm attempted to punch Francine on the apron. Storm superkicks Dreamer followed by a few elbow drops. Storm delivers a standing dropkick and chokes Dreamer. Storm rams Dreamer into the corner face first followed by a right hand. Storm clotheslines Dreamer in the corner. Storm chokes Dreamer over the middle rope. Storm crotches Dreamer over the railing groin first. Storm powerbombs Dreamer out of the corner. Storm gets a chair and wedges it in the corner. Dreamer fights back with right hands. Dreamer kicks Storm and clotheslines Storm over the top to the floor. Dreamer hits Storm with a drink at ringside. Dreamer tosses Storm over the railing into the crowd. They brawl into the crowd with Dreamer ramming Storm’s face onto a chair.

They return to the ring where Storm baseball slides a table into Dreamer’s face. Storm misses a splash and lands over the middle rope. Dreamer comes off the middle rope to elbow drop Storm. Dreamer tries for a DDT through the table, but Storm counters with a northern lights suplex for a two count. Storm rolls Dreamer up, but Dreamer sends Storm into the chair in the corner. Dawn Marie gets involved and is speared by Francine. Storm nails the referee with a spinning heel kick. Dawn gives Dreamer the weakest chair shot ever. Storm whacks Dreamer over the back followed by a reverse DDT onto a chair for a near fall. Storm tries for a suplex, but Dreamer counters and hits the Death Valley Driver through the table for the win. (**1/2. I enjoyed the match as they did enough to hold my interest. I’m still surprised that they refuse to give Storm any momentum in a singles role as he’s had piss thrown on him and doesn’t get revenge on Dreamer. Dreamer doesn’t need to win matches to remain over, but if you’re trying to build a heel, Storm needs a win like this one.)

7.) Justin Credible whacks Dreamer with a kendo stick and rolls Francine into the ring. Dawn Marie hits Francine in the face with the kendo stick. Shane Douglas comes out and Credible nails Douglas with the kendo stick. Storm delivers a shot to Douglas. Dreamer gets another shot with the kendo stick. Jason enters the ring with a concrete block and puts it on Dreamer’s groin. Storm whacks the block with a chair and Dreamer rolls to the floor. The Impact Players pose in the ring.

8.) ECW Tag Team Champions the Dudley Boys are in the ring cutting a promo. Bubba Dudley claims he’s the uncrowned ECW Television Champion. D-Von chimes in and says that he’s the man that put RVD down and is taking credit for pinning RVD. Bubba notes that he pinned RVD, but D-Von believes he should be the champion. They are disagreeing about who should be champion. Bill Alfonso comes out and say that neither man defeated RVD. RVD is going to come out and smoke their asses. ECW Television Champion RVD makes his way out to the ring. The show goes off the air as that match will be aired next week!

Final Thoughts:
There’s a lot of quality action the show, so I can’t complain about that at all. I’m just baffled by the booking of the Impact Players. There’s only so many attacks the Impact Players can do on Douglas and Dreamer without getting a in-ring win before it just fails to mean anything.

Thanks for reading.