Written by: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 6/5/1999
From: Detroit, MI
Matches:
1.) Little Guido defeated Nova
2.) Super Crazy defeated Taka Michinoku
3.) Tom Marquez fought Steve Corino to a draw
4.) ECW World Champion Taz defeated Chris Candido to retain the title
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Outside the arena, Cyrus wants to talk to Steve Corino, but Corino doesn’t want anymore heat. Cyrus tells Corino he’s the director of talent relations and says Corino bailed on Candido at the right time. Cyrus thinks that Corino should be the protege to Taz. Corino is surprised to hear that Taz isn’t here and starts saying that he was going to be tossing Taz around. Cyrus sends Corino to the ring for Paul Heyman. ECW World Champion Taz drives up and is going to take Cyrus for a ride. Taz has the cameraman get in the car, as well. Taz knows that Cyrus likes to stir the pot. Taz says that everyone is talking about him and needs Cyrus to watch his back. Taz thinks they could work together very well. Cyrus says he has Steve Corino under his thumb. Cyrus leaves the car and Taz calls him a stupid son of a bitch with a laugh.
2.) Nova sends Guido face first into the guard railing as the action starts on the floor. Nova continues with right hands against the railing before rolling Guido into the ring. Nova blocks a kick, but Guido delivers a clothesline. Guido heads to the top rope only to be crotched by Nova. Nova splashes Guido in the corner and continues with stomps. Nova catches Guido in the corner, but Big Sal causes a distraction. Guido comes off the middle rope to hit a leg drop to the back of the head for a two count. Nova has an inside cradle on Guido, but the referee is distracted. Nova reaches the ropes to break an arm bar. Guido drives Nova down to the mat face first for another near fall. Nova drives Guido down to the mat for a near fall while on his shoulders. Guido knee lifts Nova off the apron onto the railing. Big Sal places Nova on the table at ringside and leaps off the apron to elbow drop Nova through the table. Guido locks in a Boston Crab and Nova is knocked out giving Guido the win. (**. They kept a good pace for the action, but the finish was a little lackluster. Guido winning is great, but needing help from Sal cheapens the win for me. I’d be down to see these guys in an extended match, though.) After the match, Tajiri makes his way down to the ring. Tajiri nails Guido with a kick to the head. Tajiri works over Big Sal with several kicks to drop the big man. Tajiri delivers a dropkick to a kneeling Sal. That ends the segment.
3.) Backstage, Steve Corino is putting stickers on his boots and bag that are Taz colors. Cyrus comes in and suggests that Corino mock Taz and act like he’s Taz. Cyrus is tricking Corino into thinking Taz likes this stuff. Corino has a white towel to put over his head, too.
4.) Taka shoulder blocks Crazy and delivers a chop to block a leapfrog attempt. Taka works over Crazy in the corner with right hands. Crazy forearms Taka to the floor and delivers a baseball slide. Crazy continues with a springboard moonsault to the outside. Crazy clotheslines Taka in the corner and hammers away on him. Taka drops Crazy face first over the top turnbuckle. Taka dropkicks a seated Crazy and slams Crazy to the mat. Taka comes off the ropes to double stomp Crazy followed by a senton for a two count. Taka chops Crazy against the ropes several times. Crazy drives Taka down with a face buster and a tornado DDT for a two count. Crazy heel kicks Taka in the corner and delivers several stomps in the corner. Crazy chokes Taka in the corner to continue the advantage. Crazy slams Taka and hits a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Crazy plays to the crowd as Taka struggles to get up in the corner. Crazy runs into a boot in the corner. Taka spikes Crazy with a tornado DDT two times for a near fall. Taka elbows free from Crazy, but runs into a boot. Crazy plants Taka with a vertical suplex. Taka takes Crazy over with a standing hurricanrana for a two count. Taka slams Crazy and goes to the top rope missing a spinning senton. Taka blocks a second moonsault with his knees and they trade rollups. Taka drops Crazy with a right hand followed by a running kick in the corner and a springboard spinning heel kick. Taka signals for the Driver. Crazy counters and Taka slaps Crazy. Crazy counters the Driver with a DDT and hits a sit down powerbomb for the win. (***1/2. A fun TV match between these two and it’s a great momentum win for Crazy to earn another three count over Taka in recent weeks. Crazy is a favorite of mine during this era and I’m behind a push for him.)
5.) Backstage, Cyrus is on the phone drinking a coffee. We don’t know who he’s talking to.
6.) Steve Corino makes his way out acting like he’s Taz and not knowing that Taz is actually in the building.
7.) Corino hits a powerbomb on Marquez as the action is joined in progress. Marquez gets a few strikes in, but Corino hits a sit out front suplex. Corino tosses Marquez overhead with a suplex and poses as Taz. Cyrus tells Taz that Corino is mocking him and Taz heads towards the ring. Corino has a look of shock as Taz makes his way towards the ring. Corino is begging off in the corner telling Taz that Cyrus told him that Taz wasn’t going to be there and wasn’t meaning to be disrespectful. Corino calls Taz a stupid son of a bitch, and claims his appendix is hurting. Corino always has something in mind and claims his best friend will win the title. Chris Candido makes his way out for another shot at Taz.
Candido says that Taz proved that he’s from the dirty Brooklyn area and calls him a cheating backstabber. Candido claims he hadn’t stretched and done his pre-workout. Candido was distracted by Bubba eying up Tammy. Candido notes he lifted up the NWA World Championship and he wrestled at WrestleMania. Candido wants another shot tonight. Taz asks if Candido is hot because he tapped in under five minutes at the PPV. Taz asks the fans if they want it and they are supportive of the idea.
8.) Taz decks Candido with the championship to start off the contest. Taz hammers away on Candido sending him into the ring post and railing. Candido stomps on Taz once they return to the ring. Candido kicks Taz followed by a delayed vertical suplex. Candido heads to the top rope, but Taz hits an overhead suplex. Candido chops Taz in the corner, but runs into a clothesline. Taz places Candido on the top rope to hit an overhead suplex and a t-bone suplex. Taz locks in the Taz Mission to easily win the match. (1/2*. Clearly Candido isn’t seen as a contender as he keeps losing these matches in quick fashion.)
9.) Backstage, Taz thanks Cyrus for stooging off to him. They both call each other stupid son of bitches behind each others backs.
10.) Justin Credible and Jason make their way down to the ring seemingly for a match with Sabu, but Sabu has been suspended by the NYS Athletic Commission. Credible says he came to the area for one reason and notes that he ran Sid out of the company at the PPV. He came to Detroit to wrestle Sabu and kick his ass. Credible mentions Sabu is banned, but he still would kick his ass. An ECW referee comes out and tells Credible that Sabu has been banned. The ban covers the entire USA, but this is Detroit. He says that he’s been signed by the Michigan athletic commission and doesn’t care about what New York says. Credible is wrestling Sabi tonight. Sabu makes his way out with Bill Alfonso.
11.) Security and referees come down to prevent the match from happening. The match is not going to be happening and the fans are not thrilled to hear this. Sabu is banned from wrestling in any building that ECW runs in. The original referee is trying to get the fans to voice their displeasure. It’s a rather weird approach. Sabu attacks a referee and places him on a table at ringside. Sabu hits a slingshot leg drop through the table at ringside! Credible hits Sabu with the kendo stick to break free and they are kept apart in ring. Sabu breaks free and they have a pull apart brawl. Sid makes his way down to the ring! The show goes off the air.
Final Thoughts:
An enjoyable show this week as Crazy/Taka delivered a good match and they are setting up a Taz/Corino match fairly well. Credible/Sabu final segment was done effectively and I can see the crowd being excited for them to finally meet with the expectation being that Credible would get destroyed. A solid hour of TV by ECW this week.
Thanks for reading.