Written by: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 6/12/1999
From: Dalton, GA
Matches:
1.) Taka Michinoku defeated El Mosco De La Merced
2.) Jerry Lynn defeated Tony DeVito
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The show starts off with a video highlighting Cyrus talking Steve Corino up about being the protege to Taz. Cyrus is trying to play a mind game with Taz, but is unaware that Taz isn’t buying it. They are spending several minutes making sure fans understand what is going on with the feud.
2.) Joey Styles promotes Heatwave taking place on July 18th and we see highlights from last years event, which is arguably the best ECW pay per view to ever take place.
3.) Taka wants to shake hands to start the match, but Merced isn’t interested. Taka slaps Merced and keeps control with right hands. Merced dropkicks Taka to the floor and fakes a dive. Merced tries for a crossbody to the floor, but Taka sidesteps. Taka rolls Merced into the ring and continues to deliver strikes in the corner. Taka chops Merced a few times against the ropes. Taka chops Merced to the mat to counter a leapfrog attempt. Taka works over Merced in the corner with stomps and chokes Merced in the corner. Merced kicks Taka in the corner and comes of the top for a head scissors. Merced head scissors Taka to the floor and baseball slides Taka into the crowd. Merced pulls the railing towards the ring and hits a springboard moonsault into the crowd. Merced heads to the top again and missile dropkicks Taka. Merced sits Taka on the top rope hitting a hurricanrana for a near fall. Taka counters a hurricanrana with a Boston Crab, but Merced reaches the ropes.
Taka misses a twisting senton off the top and Merced delivers a leg drop. Taka blocks a moonsault with his knees. Taka goes to the top and hits a spinning heel kick. Taka signals for the Driver and hits it right in the middle for the win. (**1/2. Felt like a showcase for Taka even with Merced getting a moment to shine. I’m fine with it as Taka has more value and having lost to Super Crazy two times recently, he needs to win this kind of match.)
4.) Tommy Dreamer cuts a promo saying that he got an MRI because he was suffering from numbness. Dreamer has two bulging discs and has to see a doctor. Dreamer is going to miss the roar of the crowd. Dreamer has a lot of respect for Jerry Lynn because he earned his spot. Dreamer notes that Lance Storm beat him at the PPV and he couldn’t get up. Dreamer says the wars over the past six years did this to him and not Lance Storm. Dreamer promised to get Storm’s girlfriend and he did. Dreamer promises to be the man who shuts Storm’s mouth if he keeps opening it.
5.) Lance Storm called into the show to cut a promo on Dreamer. Storm says that he beat Dreamer at his own game at the PPV. Storm sees that Jerry Lynn is back in the ring and puts Lynn over as a great athlete. Storm reminds Lynn that he owes him one.
6.) Backstage, the Dudley Boys are talking to Joel Gertner, who has his face bandaged up. They are talking about Balls Mahoney being in the locker room by himself and Sign Guy is hinting they do something. D-Von Dudley puts the pieces together for them. They go into the locker room as Mahoney is taking a shower. They have a bar of soap to blind Mahoney. Mahoney comes out in his underwear and is whacked with a steel chair and busted wide open.
7.) Lance Storm calls in again and says that nobody seriously believes the Dudley Boys could beat him and Justin Credible. They want a tag title shot so he can bring the gold back to Canada.
8.) DeVito arm drags Lynn to start the match and taunts the crowd. DeVito has wrist control for a moment, but Lynn takes DeVito over with an arm drag. DeVito works over Lynn in the corner with chops and hits a crossbody. DeVito rolls to the floor after an arm drag. DeVito powerslams Lynn for a two count. DeVito hits a leg drop and chokes Lynn. DeVito sets a chair up in the ring. DeVito drop toe holds Lynn face first onto the chair for a two count. DeVito big boots Lynn and mocks Hogan by doing a leg drop. DeVito tries for a bronco buster, but is met with a boot to the groin. Lynn clotheslines DeVito and head scissors DeVito. Lynn nails DeVito with a spinning elbow strike for a near fall. DeVito has Lynn in a Torture Rack and drives Lynn down to the mat face first for a two count. Lynn plants DeVito with a DDT managing a two count. Bill Wiles is on the apron distracting Lynn. DeVito has a chair and is dropkicked into Wiles. Lynn finishes DeVito off with a cradle piledriver for the win. (1/2*. Lynn didn’t have a lot to work with here and DeVito was not impressive in the slightest. Lynn has gotten really over with the crowd since his feud with RVD has started.)
9.) Backstage, Lynn walks into RVD where RVD says that Lynn looked like he was knocked out cold. Lynn thought the same when he powerbombed RVD through a table. Bill Alfonso respects Lynn from the match and Lynn wants a rematch at the next PPV. RVD doesn’t want Lynn to be bitter and angry towards Alfonso. RVD tells Lynn that he will make time for him. Lynn shoves Alfonso through the curtain.
Final Thoughts:
A lackluster episode this week as the in-ring was not very good and the angle advancements weren’t all that strong, really. It was also quite annoying that the first 25-minutes of the show was recap videos or highlights from a year ago. Next week appears to be stronger for content.
Thanks for reading.