ECW House Show 9/27/1996

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling House Show
Date: 9/27/1996
From: Allentown, PA

Opening Contest: Jimmy Cicero vs. Taz: Taz hip tosses Cicero to the mat early on, but doesn’t take advantage. Taz puts an arm bar on Cicero, but doesn’t get a submission as Cicero reaches the ropes quickly. Taz shoulder blocks Cicero and connects with an under hook throw. Taz continues with strikes to Cicero’s back and stomps. Taz continues with a clothesline and taunts the fans. Taz backdrops Cicero coming off the ropes. Taz tosses Cicero with an exploder suplex and a side suplex. Taz locks in the Taz Mission and forces Cicero to pass out to win the match. (*. Taz dominated and got his heat. It worked for what it needed to be.) After the match, Taz grabs a fans sign which says that Sabu fears Taz. I can’t really hear what he’s saying because of a poor microphone. I’d assume he’s taunting Sabu.

Second Contest: Mikey Whipwreck vs. JT Smith: Whipwreck is double teamed by Smith and Devon Storm to start the match. Whipwreck arm drags, hip tosses and dropkicks Smith to gain the advantage. Whipwreck is tripped by Storm from the floor and takes out Storm with a slingshot crossbody. Smith accidentally baseball slides Storm and they shove each other. Whipwreck baseball slides everyone on the floor. Whipwreck drop toe holds Smith on the mat and locks in a front face lock. Smith stomps on Whipwreck to get the advantage. Smith leg drops Whipwreck several times and manages a two count. Smith slams Whipwreck and hits a handspring splash for a near fall. Smith slams Whipwreck again and goes to the floor to taunt the fans. Whipwreck kicks a chair into Smith’s face on the floor. Whipwreck hits a slingshot hurricanrana over the top to the floor. Whipwreck hits a slingshot snapmare to maintain the advantage. Whipwreck dives off of Smith’s back to dive onto Storm and two other guys on the floor. Smith works over Whipwreck with strikes in the corner, but runs into a boot. Whipwreck plants Smith with a tornado DDT, but the two other guys enter the ring to attack while Devon Storm distracts the referee. Whipwreck takes them down with a crossbody off the ropes. Devon Storm is superkicked by Whpwreck and crotches Smith on the top. Whipwreck connects with a top rope hurricanrana to win the match. (*1/2. A short match, but it was fine for what it was. Whipwreck overcoming the odds was the right booking and the crowd enjoyed it.)

Third Contest: Bubba Dudley & Spike Dudley vs. The Erotic Experience (GQ Gorgeous & Pat Day): They stall for quite a bit of time doing nothing of substance. Bubba and Day finally start the match with Bubba shoving Day to the mat. Gorgeous gets knocked down by a few shoulder blocks. Bubba tags in Spike to try his luck against Gorgeous. Spike hip tosses and dropkicks Gorgeous. Spike punches Day to the floor, as well. Spike takes Gorgeous down to the mat and tags in Bubba to deliver an axe handle off the top rope. Spike also hits an axe handle for a two count. Spike almost wins with a rollup for a two count. Gorgeous sends Spike chest first into the corner and continues with stomps on the mat. Day tags in and works over Spike, but Spike almost wins with a sunset flip. Day clotheslines Spike and taunts the crowd. Spike is met with a double leaping shoulder block. Day chokes Spike in the corner while the referee is distracted. Gorgeous catches Spike with a powerslam to counter a leapfrog. Spike ducks a double a clothesline to dropkick both men. Bubba gets the hot tag and cleans house with strikes. Bubba decks Gorgeous with a clothesline. Bubba backdrops Day and hits a splash in the corner. Bubba press slams Spike onto Day for a near fall. Gorgeous gets involved and is met with a side slam by Bubba for a near fall. Spike leaps off of Bubba’s back to take out both men. Bubba delivers a double clothesline. Bubba press slams Spike over the top onto Gorgeous and Day on the floor. Bubba powerbombs Gorgeous and sits on the top turnbuckle to allow Spike to leap off Bubba’s shoulders to hit a splash on Gorgeous for the win. (*1/2. The stalling early on really bugged me and the match was mostly just an extended squash for Bubba and Spike. The whole segment didn’t need to go nearly as long as it did, though.) After the match, Bubba and Spike are attacked by Axl Rotten and D-Von Dudley with chairs. Erotic Experience help out in attacking Bubba and Spike. Hack Myers comes out to help them out and cleans house with strikes. The heels are left laying after a dive to the floor.

Fourth Contest: Terry Gordy vs. John Kronus: Kronus knee lifts Gordy followed by several kicks in the corner. Gordy battles back with strikes of his own. Kronus slams Gordy for a two count. Kronus hammers away on Gordy around ringside. Kronus sends Gordy into the railing back first. Gordy whacks Kronus over the head with a steel chair. Gordy sends Kronus face first into the ring post to maintain the advantage. Gordy sends Kronus back first into the guard railing and continues with right hands. Kronus battles back with a kick to the chest and rolls Gordy into the ring. Kronus hits a standing spin kick for a one count. Kronus controls Gordy on the mat with a chin lock and drops down onto Gordy’s back. Kronus slams Gordy and hits a handspring moonsault in the ring for a near fall. Gordy knee lifts Kronus several times and backs Kronus against the ropes. Gordy clotheslines Kronus in the corner a few times. Gordy plants Kronus with a sloppy looking powerbomb. Gordy waits in the corner and delivers a clothesline. Gordy puts the spike on Kronus throat and wins the match. (*1/4. Kronus got some shine, but it was just a showcase for Gordy. I wouldn’t say it was a good performance for Gordy, though. The crowd seemed to be kind of dead for it.)

Fifth Contest: Tommy Dreamer vs. Brian Lee in a falls count anywhere match: They start brawling with Dreamer’s music still playing and Lee sends Dreamer into the guard railing ribs first a few times. Lee tosses Dreamer into the crowd and the crowd is going nuts for this. Lee hits Dreamer with a trash can over by the concession stands. They walk up the bleachers trading blows. Lee sends Dreamer head first into the wall. Lee chokeslams Dreamer through a table. Dreamer whacks Lee over the back with a chair to gain momentum. They brawl outside with Dreamer hitting Lee with more weapons as they head to the parking lot. Dreamer hooks Lee for a snap suplex on the concrete, but Lee counters to hit a suplex of his own. Lee delivers a chair shot to Dreamer on the ground. Dreamer sends Lee into the door as they return to the arena. Dreamer whacks Lee with another chair shot as they head towards the ring. Lee sends Dreamer into the side of a truck and they enter the back of the ring truck. Lee shoves Dreamer out of the truck. Lee rams Dreamer’s head into the truck several times. Dreamer has been busted wide open. Dreamer continues to work over Lee with strikes as they head to ringside area. Dreamer sends Lee into the ring post face first. Dreamer rolls Lee into the ring and grabs a steel chair. Lee crotches Dreamer on the top rope. Lee hooks Dreamer on the top turnbuckle and connects with an ugly superplex. Lee is stopped by a low blow and Dreamer spikes Lee with a DDT onto a chair for the win. (*1/2. It’s a harmless brawl with very little action the ring. The crowd responded well to the brawling in the crowd and outside the arena. It was fine for what they were going for. Obviously it’s not some kind of classic encounter between these two.) After the match, Raven enters the ring and attacks Dreamer. Raven plants Dreamer with a DDT of his own. The fans are chanting for Sandman. Lee hits Dreamer with a chair shot to the back. Sandman runs into the ring with his cane to runoff the heels.

Prior to the next match, New Jack dedicates the match coming up to Tupac. Stevie Richards and Blue Meanie come out mocking Public Enemy.

Sixth Contest: New Jack vs. Stevie Richards & Blue Meanie in a handicap match: As expected, New Jack destroys both men with weapon shots. Richards drives Jack down onto a chair face first to get the advantage. Meanie hits a reverse DDT and Richards comes off the top missing a swanton bomb. Meanie splashes Richards on accident. Jack heads to the top rope with a chair and smashes Meanie and Richards for the win. (NR. A quick squash.) After the match, Jack hits Richards with a cane and walks off. Jack returns and is beaten up by Richards and Meanie. Richards powerbombs Jack and Meanie leaps off the middle rope to leg drop Jack. Jack is left laid out as Richards and Meanie leave the scene.

Seventh Contest: ECW Television Champion Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull #2: Pitbull works over Douglas with right hands and slams Francine to the mat. Pitbull press slams Douglas to the mat to keep the momentum. Pitbull pummels Douglas with strikes in the corner and hits a spinning heel kick in the corner. Pitbull blocks a DDT and hits a fisherman suplex for a two count. Pitbull drives Douglas down with a neckbreaker. Pitbull lifts Douglas up his neck and tosses Douglas into the corner. Douglas comes out of the corner to deliver a swinging neckbreaker. Douglas spikes Pitbull with a piledriver for a near fall. Douglas locks in a chin lock, but doesn’t get a submission. Pitbull drops Douglas over the top turnbuckle face first and delivered a clothesline. Pitbull almost wins following a running powerslam. Pitbull locks in a full nelson on the mat. Pitbull #1 stalks after Francine on the floor, but doesn’t make contact. Douglas has a chair and Pitbull #2 stops Douglas with a chair shot of his own. Pitbull sends Douglas into the guard railing into the railing. Pitbull tosses Douglas into the ring from the apron for a near fall. Pitbull spikes Douglas with a piledriver for a near fall as Francine gets in the ring to stop the count. Douglas decks Pitbull from behind, but Pitbull blocks a belly to belly suplex. Pitbull its one of his own for a near fall. Pitbull #1 pulls Francine down from the floor. Douglas decks Pitbull with the championship while the referee is distracted, but Pitbull kicks out at two. Douglas hammers away on Pitbull, but doesn’t have much success. Pitbull press slams Douglas coming off the ropes. Douglas gets a rollup on Pitbull with a handful of tights to win the match. (**. It was a decent title defense as there is plenty of heat attached to the issues between Douglas and the Pitbulls, which helped the contest.) After the match, Pitbull tosses a ring announcer off the middle rope with a fallaway slam out of frustration.

Eighth Contest: Perry Saturn vs. Sabu: Sabu takes Saturn down, but is kicked away quickly. Sabu hip tosses and arm drags Saturn. Saturn comes back with a few of his own and they have a standoff on dropkick attempts. Sabu keeps control with a leg lock on the mat. They have another standoff moments later. Saturn goes to the apron, but returns to the ring. Saturn kicks Sabu followed by a leg sweep to the mat and a kick to the chest. Sabu spin kicks Saturn to the floor. Sabu hits a somersault dive to the floor. Sabu tosses Saturn into the crowd and hits a triple jump dive into the crowd. Sabu sets up a table on the floor over the apron and railing. The table broke due to Saturn standing on it on the apron. Sabu punches Saturn a few times, but Saturn hits a springboard clothesline. The fans didn’t like the table breaking without contact. Saturn drops Sabu over the top rope groin first and hits a springboard clothesline sending both men to the floor. Saturn leaps off the top to hit a forearm strike for a near fall. Saturn stomps on Sabu to keep control of the contest. Saturn drives Sabu down with a tilt a whirl backbreaker followed by a springboard elbow drop, but Sabu gets his boot on the ropes. Saturn clotheslines Sabu and taunts the crowd. Sabu crotches Saturn on the top rope and hits a nice hurricanrana for a near fall. Sabu hits a slingshot somersault leg drop for a near fall. Saturn clotheslines Sabu and hits a standing hurricanrana for a near fall. Saturn savant kicks Sabu coming off the ropes.

Saturn hits a fisherman suplex, but Sabu kicks out at two. Saturn is stopped on the top turnbuckle, but blocks a hurricanrana. Saturn hits a missile dropkick. Saturn misses a standing elbow drop. Sabu hits a springboard heel kick and hits a split legged moonsault for a near fall. Sabu sets up another table over the railing and apron. Saturn sits Sabu onto the top turnbuckle. Saturn hooks Sabu for a suplex, but is tossed off. Sabu leaps off the top to plant Saturn with a DDT for a two count. Sabu heads to the top rope and is crotched by Saturn. Saturn tosses Sabu off the ropes with a suplex. Sabu dropkicks Saturn onto the apron where the table is at. They trade a few strikes. Sabut puts Saturn through the table with a tornado DDT. Sabu manages a two count on a cover attempt. Saturn dropkicks Sabu into the corner chest first. Saturn hits a sit out suplex for a near fall. Saturn heads to the top rope hitting an elbow drop for a near fall. Saturn puts a chair over Sabu’s body and goes to the top, but gets a chair thrown into his face. Sabu heel kicks a hair into Saturn’s face and leg drops a chair onto Saturn for the win. (***. Compared to what we’ve seen on the show already it’s by far the best match on the show. There were a few sloppy moments as the crowd let them hear about it. However, it was a fine match with some good offense throughout. I’ve seen a lot worse from Sabu.)

Main Event: ECW World Champion Raven vs. The Sandman in a steel cage match: Raven attacks before the bell and stomps on Sandman in the corner. Raven mounts Sandman after choking him. Raven whacks Sandman with a kendo stick over the head a few times. Raven knee lifts Sandman and sends Sandman into the cage face first. Raven manages a one count on a cover attempt. Raven sends Sandman into the cage again face first. Raven rubs Sandman’s forehead against the cage. Raven spikes Sandman with a piledriver for a two count. Raven grabs a chain, but Sandman delivers a low blow to stop the champ. Sandman sends Raven into the cage face first a few times. Raven escapes through the door, but escape isn’t a way to win the match. Sandman follows Raven to the floor and Sandman hammers away on Raven with strikes around ringside. Raven tosses Sandman into the crowd and they brawl amongst the fans. Raven has been busted open and sends Sandman into a trash can. Raven sends Sandman into the wall, but Sandman returns the favor. They are both bloodied at this point. They go outside the venue into the parking lot.

They get back into the ring where Sandman almost wins with a DDT. Stevie Richards hits Sandman with a chair shot. Blue Meanie misses a moonsault, but Richards superkicks Sandman leading a to a near fall for Raven. Richards accidentally superkicks Raven and Sandman nearly wins the match. Meanie sends Sandman into the cage followed by a splash. Richards superkicks Sandman leading to a near fall for Raven. Richards accidentally superkicks Meanie. Raven spikes Sandman with a DDT for a two count. Nova gets in the ring and helps Raven. Sandman plants Nova with a DDT and the same to Meanie. Sandman plants Richards with a DDT. Lori, Sandman’s wife, gets in the ring and attacks Sandman. Sandman shoves her down to the mat. Sandman handcuffs Lori to the cage. Raven misses a cane shot and is almost pinned by Sandman. Sandman decks Raven with a clothesline for a near fall. Sandman rips off Lori’s top to reveal her bra. Sandman clotheslines Richards and bulldogs Meanie onto Richards. Tyler, Sandman’s son, stands in front of his mother and Sandman wants to embrace his son, but Raven stops him. Tyler slaps Sandman and Richards delivers a chair shot allowing Raven to hit a DDT for the win. (**1/4. An enjoyable match, but I hate that they left the cage and brawled outside the venue. It basically eliminates the purpose of the cage to keep them in the ring. The storyline with Raven controlling Sandman’s family is going over well and the heat for their matches continue to rise.) After the match, Tyler hits Sandman with a kendo stick several times.

Final Thoughts:
The last three matches carry this show to being an overall enjoyable experience. There wasn’t anything that was overly bad, which was a relief. The crowd was hot for most of the action and the show slowed fairly well. I’ll give this a mild thumbs up as it was a good show for ECW house show standards.

Thanks for reading.