Extreme Championship Wrestling House Show
Date: 10/11/1997
From: Beaver Falls, PA
There is a ten bell salute to pay respect to Brian Pillman. Pillman had passed away on October 5th.
Opening Contest: ECW Television Champion Taz vs. Little Guido: Guido goes to the ropes to break from a waist lock at the start of the match. Taz puts a hammerlock on Guido, but Guido goes to the ropes again and bails to the floor to regroup with Smothers. Taz puts a wrist lock on Guido to keep control of the match. Taz keeps Guido on the mat with an arm bar, but Tommy Rich helps Guido and Guido bails to the floor. Taz leg sweeps Guido and locks in a half Boston Crab, but Guido reaches the ropes again to break the hold. Taz gets a microphone and insults Guido, who is held back by Rich on the apron. Taz tosses Guido out of the corner and stomps Guido on the mat. Taz shoulder blocks Guido, but Smothers dropkicks Taz from behind. Guido tries for a rollup, but only manages a two count. Smothers strikes Taz on the floor. Guido slams Taz for a two count. Guido stomps Taz on the mat and chokes Taz on the canvas. Smothers enters and helps Guido with a double team, but Taz refuses to stay down. Guido leg drops Taz and along with Smothers delivers a double elbow strike for a two count. Guido gets frustrated with the referee, but Taz leg sweeps Guido to the mat and delivers strikes. Guido regains control and gets pointers from Smothers. Taz nearly wins with an inside cradle. Smothers strikes Taz on the apron. Guido catapults Taz throat first into the bottom rope. Taz runs the ropes and suplexs Guido. Smothers tries to get involved, but is taken down quickly. Taz strikes Guido in the corner. Taz plants Guido with a double leg slam and tosses Smothers with a suplex. Taz decks Rich over the top to the floor and overhead suplexs Guido. Taz signals for the Taz Mission and locks it in for the win. (*1/2. A bit longer of a match than Taz usually does on the house shows with undercard talent, but Guido never had much substance of offense to make it a viable threat to Taz.)
Second Contest: Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon vs. Chris Chetti & Mikey Whipwreck: LaFon and Whipwreck kickoff the tag match. LaFon slaps Whipwreck against the ropes, but backs off. LaFon arm drags Whipwreck followed by a standing heel kick. LaFon clotheslines Whipwreck coming off the ropes and taunts the fans. LaFon rams Whipwreck into the corner and delivers a chop. LaFon blocks a hip toss, but Whipwreck hits a hurricanrana and dropkick to send LaFon to the floor to regroup. Furnas tags into the match and controls Whipwreck with a headlock. Whipwreck drop toe holds Furnas followed by a couple of rollups for a two count. Whipwreck dropkicks Furnas and they have a standoff. Chetti tags into the match, but Furnas keeps headlock control on the mat. Furnas tags out to LaFon and LaFon rams Chetti into the corner. Chetti arm drags LaFon out of the corner and keeps arm control. Furnas tags in and kicks Chetti followed by chops in the corner. Furnas misses a splash in teh corner and is slammed by Chetti. Chetti misses a double springboard moonsault attempt. Furnas stomps Chetti and knocks Whipwreck off the apron. Furnas slams Chetti and rolls Chetti to the floor where LaFon puts Chetti on the ringside table. LaFon powerbombs Chetti through the table!
LaFon rolls Chetti back into the ring and Furnas gets a two count. Furnas powerslams Chetti coming off the ropes for a near fall. Furnas takes Chetti over with a snap suplex for a near fall. LaFon returns to the match and powerbombs Chetti out of the corner for a two count. Chetti takes LaFon over with a snap suplex and tags in Whipwreck. Whipwreck hammers away on LaFon followed by a head scissors. Furnas tags in and is met with a hurricanrana. Whipwreck hits a head scissors/headlock takeover on both men. Whipwreck boots LaFon in the corner, but hits the referee on a crossbody attempt. Chetti and Whipwreck have stereo rollups, but there’s no referee for the count. Furnas breaks free and decks Chetti with a clothesline. LaFon delivers a couple of chair shots. LaFon covers Whipwreck and uses the ropes, but referee Jeff Jones ignores the cheating and counts the fall for LaFon to win the match. (**1/2. These two teams absolutely have some chemistry and if they didn’t have a bullshit finish I think this would have been a hidden gem of a tag match. LaFon doing the powerbomb was not expected and this was a good match on the undercard.)
Al Snow cuts a promo before the next match saying that the fans don’t know what hardcore truly is and they aren’t hardcore just because they pay for a ticket or watch the TV show every week. Snow continues to put down the fans for a few minutes. Snow is still wearing his New Rockers gear. Snow demands the fans show him respect.
Third Contest: Al Snow vs. Lou Marconi: Snow gets the early advantage, but Marconi goes to the ropes to stop the attack. Marconi shoulder blocks Snow to the floor. Marconi controls Snow with a headlock for a moment. Snow sends Marconi into the ropes and delivers a hip toss. Marconi kicks Snow away and they have a standoff. Marconi controls Snow on the mat with a headlock. Marconi monkey flips Snow and runs the ropes clipping Snow’s knee on a leapfrog. Snow acts as if he’s hurt his right knee. Snow reveals he’s faking and attacks Marconi from behind. Snow grabs a chair and whacks Marconi over the back a couple of times. Snow kicks the chair out of the ring as the referee returns to check on Snow. Snow is pretending to still be hurt and stomps Marconi on the mat. Marconi almost wins with a rollup. Marconi is dropped face first over the top turnbuckle. Snow decks Marconi with a clothesline for a two count. Snow keeps Marconi on the mat with an abdominal stretch. Marconi fights free and hits a crossbody for a two count. Snow decks Marconi with a clothesline. Snow powerbombs Marconi and taunts the crowd by simply staring at them. Snow drives Marconi down with a second powerbomb. Snow slaps Marconi across the face a couple of times. Marconi takes Snow over with a hurricanrana, but Snow stomps Marconi. Snow slams Marconi and heads to the top rope. Snow misses a top rope moonsault. Marconi strikes Snow in the midsection and delivers a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Marconi bulldogs Snow out of the corner for a near fall. Snow spikes Marconi with a Snow Plow to win the match. (*. Marconi didn’t do much of anything to make this match all that interesting. Snow displayed some decent offense and is clearly doing character work in ECW that’s going to catch on and become a top face for the promotion down the road.)
Fourth Contest: Tracy Smothers vs. Marty Barrett: Barrett backs Smothers into a corner, but backs off cleanly. Jeff Jones is the referee and he’s acting as if he’s going to favor the heel, Smothers. Smothers shoves Barrett out of the corner and taunts the crowd. Barrett shoves Smothers out of the corner and Smothers complains of a hair pull. Smothers takes Barrett over with a fireman’s carry and taunts the crowd some more. Smothers backs Barrett into a corner, but misses a strike and Barrett arm drags Smothers several times causing Smothers to regroup on the floor. Smothers shoulder blocks Barrett and continues to taunt the fans. Smothers grabs a microphone and suggests Barrett leaves because he’s outclassed. Barrett knocks Smothers through the ropes to the floor. Rich trips Barrett from the floor and Smothers delivers an elbow drop. Smothers sends Barrett to the floor where Rich chokes Barrett against the railing. Smothers clubs Barrett over the chest on the apron and Rich chokes Barrett to help. Smothers works over Barrett with more strikes over the back. Barrett has an inside cradle, but Rich distracted the referee leading to only a near fall. Smothers sends Barrett hard into the back first to keep control of the bout followed by right hands. Rich acts like Barrett is choking him to fake the referee out.
Smothers keeps control by knocking Barrett to the mat and snapmares Barrett to the mat keeping control with a sleeper, but doesn’t get a submission. Smothers works over Barrett with strikes to the back and backs Barrett into a corner to keep the advantage. Smothers misses a splash in the corner and Barrett strikes Smothers several times. Barrett powerslams Smothers coming off the ropes. Barrett leaps off the top hitting a crossbody for a two count. Barrett takes Smothers down with a clothesline and heads top again missing a leg drop. Smothers almost wins with a quick pin attempt. Smothers leaps off the top to hit a twisting crossbody, but Barrett almost wins with a pin reversal. Smothers decks Barrett over the back and follows up with a clothesline. Smothers leaps off the top to nail Barrett with an uppercut for a two count. Smothers counters a sunset flip attempt and they trade pin attempts. Barrett avoids a figure four by kicking Smothers to the floor. Barrett slingshots Rich into the ring and locks in a figure four. Smothers returns and elbow drops Barrett. The referee has called for the bell and gives the match to Tracy Smothers by disqualification. After the match, the referee pushes Barrett away. Jones tells Barrett you don’t touch a legend such as Tommy Rich. (*. There’s probably no reason this match went over fifteen minutes. I have never heard or seen Barrett before. I’m mostly confused by all of this.)
Fifth Contest: Justin Credible vs. Paul Diamond: Diamond shoulder blocks Credible to start the match and Credible regroups in the corner. Diamond keeps a headlock on Credible for a moment. Diamond runs the ropes to shoulder block Credible. Diamond blocks a hip toss and clothesline Credible for a two count. Diamond strikes Credible followed by a boot and slams Credible to the mat. Diamond tries for a cover, but Credible kicks out at two. Diamond hits a northern lights suplex for a two count. Diamond avoids a dropkick by hanging onto the ropes. Diamond catapults Credible into the corner chest first. Diamond delivers a spinning heel kick and Credible goes to the floor. Diamond somersaults off the apron to take Jason and Credible out on the floor. Diamond rams Credible and Jason into each other, but misses a splash attempt off the apron and hits the railing chest first. Jason nails Diamond with a running clothesline on the floor and sends Diamond into railing back first. Credible baseball slides Diamond into the railing. Credible kicks Diamond, but is stopped by Diamond and dropped over the top rope throat first. Diamond slides into the ring and front slams Credible for a two count. Credible powerbombs Diamond for a near fall. Credible works over Diamond with kicks in the corner. Credible sits Diamond on the top turnbuckle and hits a hurricanrana for a near fall. Diamond nearly wins with a rollup. Credible chops Diamond in the corner, but Diamond nails Credible with a spinning heel kick in the corner. Diamond hits a rolling fireman’s carry slam for a two count. Diamond spikes Credible with a float over DDT for a near fall. Snow strikes Credible, but Credible comes off the ropes to deliver a swinging DDT. Credible heads to the top rope, but is stopped by Diamond. Credible hits a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count. Diamond elbows Credible in the corner and hits a middle rope bulldog for a near fall. Diamond uppercuts Credible in the corner and tries for a tombstone, but Credible counters to hit the That’s Incredible for the win. (**1/2. Okay, I was not expecting these two to put on their working boots. Diamond probably came across more impressive as he put on some fun offense and high impact moves. The fans aren’t responding much to Credible since he’s brand new to the promotion at this point. Regardless, this was a solid match.)
Sixth Contest: ECW Tag Team Champions John Kronus & New Jack vs. Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney in an extreme death match: As expected, New Jack tossed a garbage can full of weapons to quickly live up to the stipulation of an extreme death match. Mahoney and Rotten have the early advantage with chair shots and using a fork. The match has been going on for about two minutes and everyone involved is bleeding heavily. This is the kind of match that blood thirsty fans of ECW are going to enjoy. Jack and Rotten brawl into the bleachers. Jack puts a figure four on Mahoney and Kronus hit a top rope 450 splash to win the match and retain the titles. (NR. Blood, weapons and a 450 splash. That’s all there needed to be. Kronus bled an insane amount for a house show match. Kronus may be an all-time great bleeder.)
Seventh Contest: Bam-Bam Bigelow vs. Spike Dudley: Bigelow taunts the crowd teasing that he’ll throw Dudley into the crowd. The crowd chants “we want Spike.” Bigelow starts the match by dropping Dudley with a couple of headbutts. Dudley whacks Bigelow over the back with a couple of chair shots. Dudley ducks a clothesline and bails to the floor. Dudley wants Bigelow to come to the floor and slides back into the ring to aggravate Bigelow. Spike yanks Bigelow off the apron and delivers a few forearms. Spike heads to the top, but is caught in the ring and driven into the corner back first. Bigelow keeps control by sending Dudley into the corner. Bigelow stomps Dudley on the mat several times. Bigelow delivers a falling headbutt to the lower back of Dudley. Bigelow press slams Dudley across the ring. Bigelow press slams Spike again. Bigelow delivers another press slam and Spike is amped. Spike drop toe holds Bigelow followed by forearm strikes. Spike dropkicks Bigelow and tries for a bulldog, but Bigelow hits a back suplex. Bigelow drives Spike down with a running Greetings From Asbury Park. Bigelow leaps off the top rope to hit a big splash and pins Dudley. (**. The finish was awkward because nobody knew if the referee counted a three, including Bigelow. There was an awkward silence before the match was ruled over. I’m guessing it was more of a TKO? Anyway, it was a good match and a fun big vs. small guy kind of match.)
Eighth Contest: Blue Meanie vs. Jason: Jason challenges Meanie to a pose down. Meanie sneaks up from behind and gets a rollup on Jason to win the match in quick fashion. (NR. This is exactly what it needed to be.)
Prior to the main event, Rick Rude comes out and cuts a promo. Rude says that Douglas paid him to find guys to push him to the limit leading into November To Remember. Rude introduces Sabu as the opponent for Douglas tonight.
Main Event: ECW World Champion Shane Douglas vs. Sabu: Sabu takes Douglas down to the mat, but Douglas bails to the floor to regroup quickly. Douglas stomps Sabu on the mat followed by an elbow strike. Douglas misses a clothesline and Sabu hits a springboard heel kick. Sabu continues with right hands to knock Douglas to his knees. Sabu whacks Douglas over the back with a chair shot sending Douglas to the floor for a moment. Sabu keeps control with strikes and a scoop slam. Sabu hits a slingshot somersault leg drop for a two count. Sabu keeps Douglas on the mat with a headlock. Sabu smashes Douglas with a chair shot in the corner. Sabu splashes Douglas in the corner and Douglas lands on a chair leading to a near fall. Sabu puts a chin lock on Douglas. Sabu shoulder blocks Douglas, but Douglas drops Sabu groin first over the top rope and dropkicks Sabu to the floor where Sabu lands on a table. Douglas follows and drops Sabu chest first over the railing. Douglas hits Sabu with a drink and pulls Sabu back to the ringside area. Douglas rolls Sabu back into the ring and heads to the top rope hitting a flying clothesline. Douglas covers Sabu for a two count. Douglas drives Sabu down with a backbreaker and taunts the crowd. Douglas drives Sabu down to the mat with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Sabu strikes Douglas and hits a springboard strike. Sabu pummels Douglas in the corner, but Douglas comes back and misses a spear in the corner. Sabu baseball slides Douglas over the railing into the crowd.
Sabu springboards off the chair and dives onto Douglas in the crowd! Sabu slams Douglas left arm over the railing and rolls Douglas into the ring. Sabu smashes Douglas over the arm several times with a chair shot. Sabu leg drops the chair onto Douglas and locks in a cross arm bar. Sabu drives Douglas down with an arm breaker. Sabu whacks Douglas over the back with a chair shot. Sabu keeps Douglas on the mat with an arm bar. Sabu misses a slingshot attempt from the apron and Douglas tries to get control, but fails. Sabu takes Douglas down with an arm bar. Sabu leg drops a chair onto Douglas arm for a two count. Sabu dropkicks Douglas on the arm and keeps wrist control. Sabu stomps Douglas, but is met with right hands. Sabu takes Douglas down to the mat and maintains arm control. Douglas tries to keep leg control, but Sabu breaks free and strikes Douglas over the arm several times. Sabu dropkicks a seated Douglas and covers for a two count. Sabu keeps an arm bar on Douglas, but doesn’t get a submission. Sabu kicks Douglas followed by a dropkick. Sabu heads to the top rope, but Douglas catches Sabu to hit a suplex. Douglas plants Sabu with a DDT. Douglas stomps Sabu on the mat and heads to the top rope. Douglas hits a top rope elbow drop for a near fall.
Douglas clotheslines Sabu over the top to the floor. Douglas suplexs Sabu into the ring from the apron for a near fall. Sabu dropkicks Douglas on the knee, and avoids a press slam. Douglas press slams Sabu on a second attempt. Douglas hits a belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Rob Van Dam jumps the railing and leaps off the top rope to kick Douglas, but he more kicked Sabu. RVD hits the rolling thunder on Douglas. RVD drives Douglas down with a double under hook slam and Sabu slides a table into the ring. Sabu and RVD leap off opposite corners to splash Douglas, but the table doesn’t break. Bam-Bam Bigelow comes out and powerbombs both Sabu and RVD. Bigelow brawls with RVD outside the ring. Sabu hits a triple jump moonsault and almost pins Douglas! Sabu locks in a figure four, but Bigelow hits a diving headbutt onto Sabu. Bigelow slams RVD off the top onto Sabu. Douglas plants Sabu with a belly to belly suplex and picks up the win to retain the title. (***. I probably could have done without the interference of Bigelow and RVD, but despite that it was a fun main event. There were a couple of good close near falls, but Douglas was never losing the title here. This is a strong main event on the house shows, too.)
Final Thoughts:
I’m going to consider this a good ECW house show as there was a decent main event and a few solid undercard matches. Plus, the crowd was energetic which helps the viewing experience.
Thanks for reading.