ECW Hardcore TV 4/30/2000

Written by: Bob Colling

Extreme Championship Wrestling presents Hardcore TV
Date: 4/30/2000
From: Philadelphia, PA

Matches:
1.) Masato Tanaka defeated Too Cold Scorpio
2.) Little Guido defeated Kid Kash & Super Crazy in an elimination match
3.) Tommy Dreamer defeated ECW World Champion Taz to win the title

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) A video package noting the beginning of a new era of ECW is shown to start the show. It seems like there was a lot going on at the ECW Arena and we’ll soon know what that entails.

2.) There’s another video with the ECW theme song where they essentially spoil that Justin Credible is the ECW World Champion. That’s a bizarre decision to spoil it like that.

3.) Tanaka takes Scorpio down early on, but Scorpio quickly gets to his feet as the show goes to commercial. Scorpio comes off the top rope to hit a twisting splash for a two count. Tanaka comes back with a German suplex and rolls to the floor to grab two chairs. Tanaka smashes Scorpio with a chair shot in the corner. Tanaka plants Scorpio on the chair with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Tanaka goes to the top rope with a steel chair and is met with a kick to the face. Scorpio tries for a cover, but only manages a two count. Scorpio splashes Tanaka in the corner followed by a powerbomb. Scorpio signals to go to the top rope hitting a moonsault and nearly wins the match. Tanaka decks Scorpio with a roaring elbow for a near fall. Tanaka heads to the top and is crotched by Scorpio. Tanaka stops Scorpio in the corner to hit the diamond dust for the win. (**. That was a quick match between these two, but was fine for what it was.)

4.) Breaking news, Steve Corino defeated Dusty Rhodes at the ECW Arena.

5.) Breaking news, Rhino GORED Lori Fullington through a table in the corner. Lori hit Corino and Victory with a kendo stick before eventually being GOREd through the table.

6.) Guido attacks Crazy before the bell with Kash helping Guido send Crazy to the floor. Guido turns on Kash and decks Crazy on a springboard attempt. Kash is monkey flipped out of the corner by Guido and kicked by Crazy. Guido almost pins Kash after a middle rope leg drop. Crazy chops Kash against the ropes a few times and chokes Kash over the ropes. Guido pulls Crazy to the floor and sends Crazy over the railing into the crowd. Kash dropkicks Guido off the apron and Big Sal chokes Crazy over the railing. Kash hits a springboard somersault dive onto Sal in the crowd as the show goes to commercial.

Kash leaps off the top to head scissors Crazy, but is stopped by a powerbomb leading to a near fall for Crazy. Kash kicks Crazy, but Guido makes the save with a side Russian leg sweep on Kash. Crazy plants Guido with a swinging DDT. Crazy kicks Kash and hits a delayed brainbuster to eliminate Kash in the middle of the ring.

Guido takes Crazy off the middle rope with a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Guido rams Crazy into the corner and hammers away on him. Crazy connects with a sunset flip powerbomb for a near fall. Crazy leaps off the top onto Sal at ringside. Guido misses a crossbody to the floor and hits the floor. Crazy whacks Guido over the head with a steel chair. Crazy rams Guido into a steel chair at ringside. Crazy has a chair, but Guido blocks and leg drops Crazy onto the chair for a near fall. Crazy drop toe holds Guido to the mat and locks in the surfboard, but doesn’t get a submission. Crazy locks in a dragon sleeper, but Guido still doesn’t give in. Crazy hammers away on Guido in the corner and hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Guido counters a springboard with an arm bar in the middle of the ring, but Crazy refuses to give in. Guido chops Crazy in the corner followed by kicks. Crazy is sent to the floor where Sal lays Crazy onto a table. Sal has Guido on his shoulders and Guido hits an elbow drop onto Crazy through the table. Guido only manages a two count on the cover. Crazy plants Guido with an electric chair slam and hits a springboard moonsault two times. Crazy tries for a delayed brainbuster, but Guido breaks free to hit an Un-Prettier and cleanly pins Crazy to win the match. (***. A huge clean win for Guido and I love it. Guido gets some steam and adds to his creditability. Kash and Crazy did well in the match and I’d be fine with seeing any combination of these three guys do battle in the future.)

7.) Breaking news, Tajiri has defied the Network by refusing to handover the ECW Television Championship to Rhino. Since Tajiri refused, Rhino simply defeated him to win the championship. Rhino hit two piledrivers and a GORE to win the title. Rhino was taunting Rob Van Dam during the pin, which naturally brings RVD out to the ring and there’s a brawl with RVD having a standoff with Rhino before trading strikes. RVD nails Rhino with a spinning heel kick to send Rhino rolling to the floor. RVD hit a somersault dive onto Rhino and Steve Corino. Cyrus announced that Rob Van Dam would be wrestling Jerry Lynn at Hardcore Heaven on May 14th. Lynn suffered a broken ankle around the same time RVD got hurt. Lynn is pissed because nobody has been talking about him while he’s been hurt. It’s been all about Rob Van Dam. Lynn decked Scotty Anton before leaving the ring.

8.) Breaking news, Lance Storm suffered an injury on TNN and was taken to a hospital. While he was there, his whole world changed according to Joey Styles.

9.) Breaking news, Tazz lost the ECW World Championship to Tommy Dreamer at Cyberslam 2000.

10.) Raven and Tommy Dreamer embraced in the ring to celebrate Dreamer’s victory. Justin Credible came out and hit Dreamer with a kendo stick. Credible spiked Raven with the That’s Incredible and grabbed a microphone. Credible says all he’s heard about it Mike Awesome on Nitro and Tazz defending the title on RAW. Credible says he’s going to make an impact. Credible says that the tag titles aren’t enough for him anymore. Credible says that all the tag teams that ever held the titles can kiss his ass. Credible spits on the tag titles and wants the ECW World Championship. Credible taunts Dreamer to give him a title match. Dreamer accepts.

11.) Dreamer hammers away on Credible in the corner and clotheslines himself and Credible to the floor. Dreamer rams Credible onto a table at ringside and hits Credible with a drink. Dreamer tosses Credible over the railing into the crowd. Dreamer sends Credible into the railing back first. Dreamer continues with right hands on the apron and uses the ring bell on Credible’s groin. Dreamer slides a chair into the ring and misses a chair shot. Dreamer kicks Credible, but Credible hits a reverse DDT onto the steel chair. Credible rams Dreamer into the corner and continues with several stomps before taunting the fans. Credible powerbombs Dreamer out of the corner for a near fall. Credible drop toe holds Dreamer face first onto the back of a steel chair for a two count. Credible kicks Dreamer and hits a spinning DDT for a near fall. Credible continues with strikes in the corner. Credible is sent upside down into the corner and Dreamer hits a cutter. Dreamer lays a table over the railing and apron before bringing Credible to the apron. Credible tries for a pedigree, but Dreamer counters and hits a TKO off the apron through the table on the floor!

Dreamer rolls Credible into the ring and decks Jason off the apron. Credible kicks Dreamer and hits the That’s Incredible for a near fall. Francine has gotten onto the apron and Credible brings Francine into the ring. Dreamer saves Francine and plants Credible with a DDT for a near fall. Dreamer tries for a Death Valley Driver, but Francine low blows Dreamer allowing Credible to hit the That’s Incredible for the win. Credible is the new ECW World Champion. (**1/2. I enjoyed the match with a few big spots that I was not expecting. Credible winning the title marks a new era and a good pivot since Awesome bailed on ECW. I’m not sure if I like how similar the segment was to Shane Douglas turning heel in 1994 by throwing down a title and spitting on it. Also, having Francine attached to Credible is going to make him feel like a lesser version of Douglas. Hopefully I’m wrong on that, though.)

12.) Justin Credible, Francine and Jason cut a brief promo with Credible delivering his catchphrase. Francine removed her grunge look and is back to wearing lingerie type of clothing.

Final Thoughts:
It’s a good show with a lot of angle developments and a new champion. I’m most excited for Tajiri to work as a babyface and I think he could get over majorly in that role. There’s a lot to look forward to after this episode.

Thanks for reading.