The DVD starts with Ariel (Shelly Martinez) and her ludicrious boobs laying down the tarrow cards and asking us what the future holds. Barbed Wire, Ladders, Fire and Blood. She is really crap at being sexy.
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We then go to Joey Styles and Taz. Joey then gives us a brief history of ECW, very brief. Taz talks about how ECW couldn't compete with production levels and star power, so they had to different, so they brought the violence.
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ECW World Heavyweight Title
Cactus Jack vs. The Sandman
Hardcore Heaven 1995
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Sandman takes almost ten minutes getting to the ring and it really doesn't work without Enter Sandman in the back ground. Jack has a fist wrapped in barbed wire and Sandman has two Singapore canes. Sandman gives Woman a Singapore cane before very slowly entering the ring. We are over twelve minutes into the DVD and there has been no wrestling yet? Sandman walks around the ring and talks to woman. Woman hits Foley with a cane and Sandman finally enters the ring.
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Sandman tamely hits Foley with a cane before hurdling over the top rope and hitting a flying cane shot. Sandman then hits a really weak cane shot. Sandman continues to hit cane shots to no reaction. Sandman misses a wild swing, Foley misses a barbed wire right hand and Foley scores witha nice DDT. Foley steals the cane and slugs down Sandman with four shots to little reaction. Foley fakes a shot and then whacks Sandman with two cane shots and then a chair shot before playing to the crowd.
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Foley goes for a barbed wire right hand but Sandman blocks with a steel chair. Sandman then goes about caning the hand of Mick Foley. The crowd chant for "Cactus" but Foley appears to be busted open. This is about as lifeless as a match could possibly be. Sandman then hits perhaps the worst DDT in human history. Sandman clutches his elbow before unloading with a cane shot. Sandman hits a body slam and follows it up with a slingshot leg drop for a near fall. Sandman then hits a soft body slam on a chair and then a top rope leg drop for a near fall.
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Woman brings a strand of Barbed wire to the ring as Sandman hits a piledriver on the chair. Sandman then wraps himself in barbed wire before hitting a series of splashes and a body slam. Sandman then hits a truely horrible top rope big splash. Sandman charges and Foley back body drops Sandman over the top rope and follows up with a flying elbow drop from the apron. Foley hits a terrible Irish whip into the guard rail.
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Foley pulls the barbed wire T-shir over Sandman's face then places a chair on Sandman's face and hits a second rope leg drop for a near fall. Foley hits a Sandman with a series of Barbed wire right hands and then gets another near fall. Sandman is busted open. Foley chokes Sandman with Barbed wire and Woman hits Foley in the back with the cane. Foley throws Woman down to the mat. The referee some how gets bumped and the Franchise runs in and gives Sandman a barbed wire piledriver. Douglas then canes Jack in the eyes and leaves the ring. Sandman rolls up ontop for the 1-2-3.
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Utterly horrible match, this has no place being on DVD, the match had no heat, even in Philli. (1/4*)
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We then go to a really nice video package on the main characters and some of the most memorable moments in ECW's history. It's a really great package.
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ECW World Tag Team Title
Steel Cage Masked Executioner Match
The Eliminators vs. The Gangstas
Natural Born Killaz 1996
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They brawl on the outside to start the match. Mustafa hits Kronus with a chair in the crowd and unloads with right hands. Kronus introduces Mustafa to a chair in return. Kronus holds the Gangstas in place so Perry Saturn can score with a flying press off the top of the cage to the outside. Perry and New Jack brawl on the outside and New Jack hits Saturn with a trash can. In the ring Mustafa introduces Kronus to the steel cage before scoring with a vertical suplex. Mustafa throws Kronus face first into the cage again. Saturn and New Jack brawl on the outside of the cage, Saturn low blows New Jack sending him for a front flip into the cage, Saturn then scores with a flying closeline off the top of the cell.
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Saturn throws New Jack face first into the cage but when he turns around Mustafa is waiting with a big boot. Kronus, New Jack and Kronus have been busted wide open. Saturn is again thrown face first into the cage. All four men are now bleeding as the plodding action continues. The crowd chant "where's the weapons", Saturn hits a falcon arrow on Mustafa and then scores with a big splash off the top of the cage. New Jack comes off the top of the cage with a trash can shot on Kronus. There's locks of brawling going on and New Jack begins to assualt Saturn with a fork. Mustafa comes off the second rope with a cookie sheet shot on Kronus for a near fall.
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New Jack hits Saturn with a crash can shot, Mustafa hits Kronus with a back breaker and then a top rope Vader bomb for a near fall. Saturn scores with a flying elbow drop from the top of the steel cage on New Jack and that gets a near fall. Kronus then scores with a pump handle plex on Mustafa. Saturn comes off the top rope but New Jack is ready with a trash can shot. New Jack tries to come off the top rope with a key board shot but Saturn counters with a dropkick and Kronus hits New Jack with the key board. Mustafa then kills Kronus with a trash can.
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Mustafa low blows Saturn before hitting a double arm suplex. New Jack works over Kronus with a fork and Kronus is just cover in blood its a nasty nasty blade. New Jack goes to get a guitar but the Masked execution kills New Jack with the guitar, the Execution unmasks to reveal Shane Douglas. Saturn scores with a big splash off the top of the cage but it only gets a near fall. Saturn comes off the top of the cage but New Jack cuts him off with a trash can in a terrible spot. Mustafa goes face first into the cage. New Jack throws a trash can a Saturn knocking him off the cage through a table. Mustafa hits a powerslam and New Jack hits a diving chair shot for the 1-2-3.
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Not great, very violent, basically just a bunch of moves, no attempt to really have a wrestling match, the Douglas suprise was very nice. (*3/4)
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We then go to a video package on Sabu where he talks basically exactly what you'd expect.
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Scafold Match
Tommy Dreamer vs. Brian Lee
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Tommy Dreamer and Lee brawl on the outside, Dreamer rams lee loads of times into the candy machine. Dreamer then comes off the candy machine with a horrible flying trash can shot. Lee and Dreamer brawl around the ring. Tommy Dreamer is pretty funny on commentary. Lee throws Dreamer over a bar and then hits Tommy with a trash can and a pumpkin, yes that's right a pumpkin. Tommy and Lee unloads with a big brawl in the stands, a right from Lee busts Tommy open. Lee lifts Tommy by the throat and drops Tommy throat first on the balls. They exchange weapons shots. Lee whips Tommy repeatedly into the guard rail and then Lee scores with a body slam. Tommy hits Lee with Nachos. Tommy and Coach make fun of each other.
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Both men climb the Scafold which apparently Sandman made. Lee carries Dreamer onto the swinging Scafold and rams Dreamer's bloody face into the wobbly wooden scafold. Tommy low blows Lee on top of the Scafold and then follows it up with a DDT. Tommy tries to throw Lee off the Scafold but Lee blocks. Dreamer and Lee brawl on their knees, Tommy blocks a chokeslam, Lee chokes Tommy with the live TV wire. Lee crotches Tommy on this little plank of wood hanging off the scafold!!! Fuck! Dreamer very nearly falls off but scrambles to hang on. Tommy and Lee brawl at the very top as the crowd chants "Fuck 'em Up Tommy", Tommy slugs Lee off the scafold and Lee crashes through a tonne of tables, Tommy wins! Tommy informs us of two things, firs that Lee was knocked out cold by that bump and two that this was the night that Kurt Angle appear in ECW.
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Really good scafold match, the best I've ever seen very dramatic and exciting, they did a hell of alot of wrestling and dramatic nearfall atop the scafold. The crotching spot ontop of the Scafold was unbelievable, as was the DDT and final spot. Scary moment at the end for Lee. The beginning of the match prior to the Scafold action was pretty horrible and held the match back a little but it became excellent from there in. Dreamer on the over dubbed commentary really added a great element to the match. (***1/4)
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We then go to some more clips of some of the most memorable moments and famous characters in ECW history. I don't really understand the glorifying of breaking Sabu's neck, nor violence against women for that matter.
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Stairway to Hell
Sandman vs. Sabu
House Party 1998
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The ladder is set up in the middle of the ring. The crowd come to life to start the match and Sabu isn't happy. The referee forces Sandman to give up the cane before the match. Sabu gets a low drop kick and shoves the ladder over onto Sandman. Sabu then repeatedly throws the ladder at Sandman. Sabu lays Sandman accross the ladder and Alfonso holds a chair above Sandman's head while Sabu hits a horrid springboard leg drop. Sabu lays a ladder on top of Sandman and then hits an Arabian face buster on Sandman. A baseball slide sends Sandman into the front row and Sabu follows up with a triple Jump plancha into the front row on the Sandman.
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In the crowd Sabu nails Sandman with a chair actualy knocking over a fan in the process. Sabu and brawl tamely to the back of the arena where Sabu hits a stiff right hand. Sabu sets up a table as the crowd chant "Can't see shit". Sabu then runs up onto the balcony and scores with a leg drop through a table. Sabu continues to brawl on stage and Sandman body slams Sabu before hitting and elbow drop. Sandman then runs Sabu into the guard rail. Sandman throws Sabu into the front row and then throws the ladder from the ring apron onto Sabu. Sandman then does the see saw ladder spot in the crowd over the guard rail.
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Sandman then suplexes Sabu onto a table and hits a sloppy leg drop off the apron kind of knocking the table over. Sandman bridges a table betweent he guard rail and the apron. Sandman then throws a table into Sabu's face. Sandman lays a ladder onto the table and hits a slingshot leg drop onto the ladder and sort of through the table. They return to the ring and Sandman drops and elbow. Sandman sets up the ladder and begins to climb and fetches the barbed wire. Sabu then shoves the ladder over the top rope and Sandman crashes with a front flip through two tables.
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Sandman goes for a triple jump barbed fire shot but Sandman dodges and Sabut hits the guard rail. Sabu looks to have really hurt his jaw and they spend alot of time on the outside. Sabu looks completely fucked. Sandman tangles the barbed wire around the top turnbuckle. Sandman drops and elbow on Sabu and laces more barbed wire around the top rope. Sabu throws Sandman into the barbed wire and then hits him with a steel chair. Sabu wraps the barbed wire around Sandman's head and then jabs Sandman in the head with the scissors. Sandman is busted open.
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Sabu hands Sandman in the tree of woe, Sandman has barbed wire on his face, Sabu then lays a chair on his face and hits a chair jump hesitation dropkick. Sabu tries some air Sabu but goes chest first into the wire. Sandman then clobbers Sabu with the singapore care. Sandman drops an elbow drop. Bill Alfonso tapes up the jaw of Sabu, Sandman is an absolutely blody mess, this really needs to end and fast. Sabu whip Sandman upside down into the Barbed wire and then hits triple jump moonsault. Sabu puts Barbed wire around the neck of Sandman and hits a springboard leg drop. Sabu then goes up top with an arabian facebuster but Sandman gets to his feet with wire wrapped around his head and a stiff cane shot gets the 1-2-3.
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God if you like Gore you will love this match, it was sloppy as fuck, completely brutal, and in places very unpleasent. On a side note I love the way Sandman throws an elbow drop every five minutes just to remind everyone we are infact watching a wrestling match. One of the better Sandman blood brawls but that's not saying much. (**1/4)
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They then go to a very nice "ECW Original" video packade on Sandman.
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The Dudley Boyz vs. Spike, Tommy Dreamer & Sandman
Heatwave 1998
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Tommy and D-von exchange leg frogs before they go a sunset flip leading to a nearfall exchange wow, wrestling and it only took over an hour of DVD time. Tommy Dreamer then hits a hangman's neckbreaker off the top rope and Ray tags in. The crowd chant "Spike" so Spike gets the tag. Ray throws Spike around wth a monster hip toss and a quick press slam. Ray goes for a hug stalling press slam but Spike falls on top for a one counter. Spike goes for a ten punch gets to nine before being killed with a diving powerbomb. Devon chokes Spike while the referee is distracted.
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Ray then hits Spike with a hard closeline and a big back body drop. Ray then plays to the crowd. Ray then bitch slaps Spike to the canvas. Ray scores with a scoop slam but misses a splash and Spike unloads, Ray cuts him off and goes for a powerbomb but Spike counters with a ranna and a bulldog for a near fall. Sandman and Big Dick Dudley tag in. The crowd chant "Fuck 'em up Sandman" but Sandman has no luck with big Dick who no sells everything. Sandman closelines Big Dick over the top rope but Dick lands on his feet and pulls Sandman out and a wild six way brawl breaks out.
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Tommy hits Devon wth a beer in the crowd as Spike Stands on Ray's back. Dreamer Irish whips DIck into the guard rail. In the ring Ray hits a corner closeline on Sandman and unloads. Sandman dodges a closeline and hits a Frankensander and follows it up with a closeline. Dick hits Spike with a chair on the outside. Ray crotches Dreamer on the outside. Sandman gets a ladder adn Spike scores with a flying cross body off the top of the ladder taking out everybody. Sandman body slams Devon and lays the ladder on Devon before hitting a front flip senton and Devon does the biggest oversell in history. Dick back body drops Sandman over the top rope onto the ramp.
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Ray lays a ladder on Dreamer adn then hits a Huge second rope senton back splash crushing Dreamer. Spike low blows Ray and hits a very nice Acid Drop for a near fall. Devon then gives a bloody spike a side walk slam on the ladder. Sandman tries big Dick in the tree of woe. Dreamer puts Ray in the tree of woe and finally all three Dudleys are tied in the tree of woe. They lock sign guy in a figure four and Tommy Dreamer then piledrives Jeff Jones and they put Gertner int he tree of woe. Then with the referees help they give all four men chair assisted Dropkicks.
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Dreamer hits the Dreamer Driver but Big Dick makes the save. Big Dick hits total Penetration on the ladder. Spike tries an acid drop but Dick throws him through a table. Sandman gives Dick a cane shot in the erh...Dick. Sandman misses a wild swing and Ray kills Sandman with a chair shot. Ray misses a big splash and Dreamer kills Ray with a DDT on the lader for the 1-2-3. Jack Victory then runs out and destroys Dreamer with an exploding guitar. New Jacks musci hits and we have a wild weapons brawl. New Jack hits victory in the balls with a golf club and then finishes him with an exploding guitar.
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Well that was a pretty fun weapons brawl, it started with what can losely be described as wrestling and then turned into a nice little garbage brawl with some great spots and a nice finish. (**1/2)
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Styles and Taz talk about Taz and not needing his weapons. Taz then tells the story of the Fuck The World title. Taz explains the feud without saying the word "Fuck"? Bizzare.
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Championship Unification Match
ECW World Heavyweight Title & FTW World Title
Sabu vs. Taz
Living Dangerously 1999
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Taz and Joey Styles are on commentary and before the match they show Taz breaking the jaw of Sabu on a house show the night before. Taz gets on the mic and does the "Beat me if you can, Survive if I let you" shtick. Sabu gets a leg trip and a waist lock, Taz rolls on top for a two count. Taz gets a standing switch leading to a rope break. Taz gets a back mount but Sabu counters the club with an arm drag and a head scissor, Taz gets a rope break. Taz gets a waist lock and some big crossfaces from a rear mount. Taz gets a knee to the gut and the Brooklyn boot.
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Sabut gets a hard Irish whip and a springboard leg lariat for a two count and then a slingshot front flip leg drop for a two count. Sabu then throws the chair hard into a Taz's face and follows it up with air Sabu. Sabu then gets a baseball slide and triple jump springboard tope but Taz gets a chair up and hits Sabu in the face. Sabu and Taz then brawl into the crowd all the way up the bleachers. Taz pounds away on Sabu as they work through the crowd. Sabu then smashes Taz hard with a chair and the fans go nuts into the camera . Sabu counters an Irish whip and Taz goes crashing into the guard rail hard. Sabu gets a chair jump elbow smash into the audience for a near fall. They fight onto the ramp and Taz throws Sabu hard into the audience taking out Sabu.
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They return to the ring and Sabu takes down Taz. Sabu kicks Taz hard into the chest. Taz catches Sabu and hits a beautiful over head Belly to belly suplex over the top rope through a table taking out the camera feed in the process, that was a really great spot. Taz hits a couple of big crossface blows and shouts at Flair and Hogan, Sabu then sticks his finger in Taz's eye and throws a chair on Taz's face. Fonzie tries to throw in the towel but Taz takes the chair out. Taz throws Sabu into the steel guard rail hard. Fonzie throws a chair at Taz and he's pissed and he chases Fonzie off.
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They return to the ring and Sabu gets a low blow and a rocker dropper. Sabu's mouth is busted wide open as he applies a brief camel clutch. Sabu then hits a springboard frankenstiener, Sabu atempts a pop up ranna but Taz counters with a sit out powerbomb and both men are down. Taz crawls over and gets a two count. Sabu introduces Taz to the guard rail. Taz rolls Sabu into the ring, Sabu then gets a horrible botch of a sunset bomb with Taz landing on Sabu but its gets a near fall anyway. Sabu lays Taz on a table laid across the corner of the guard rail, Sabu then hits a flying top rope splash through the table. There is superb interplay between styles and Taz here that ends with Taz calling Styles a tool.
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Sabu hits a chair leg drop on Sabu for a near fall. Taz replies with a pump handle Taz plex. Sabu then hits triple jump moonsault for a near fall but Taz immidiately replies with a head and arm Taz Plex for a near fall. Sabu then hits a triple jump leg drop for a near fall, Taz says that crushed his face. Taz no sells a couple of punches and gets another Taz plex. Taz then hits a top rope head and arm suplex for a nearfall. Taz sets up a table in the corner and then gives Taz a Dragon Suplex through the table for a very nearfall. Sabu tries to crawl away but Taz locks on the Tazmission and Taz won't release until Sabu is completely out cold.
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Really good match by ECW standards, the crowd was suprisingly quite although it was slightly muted by the over dubbed commentary. They had some really nice sequences and spots too, their were alot of sloppy spots aswell and it was effectively a spotfest and degenerated into just a bunch of moves with no context after the ranna powerbomb counter. Regardless a good match and the best Sabu match I've ever seen. (***1/2)
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We then go to a video package on some of ECW most famous big spots and great moments, my personally favorite was Taz killing 911 and Sabu appearing out of nowhere.
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ECW World Heavyweight Title
Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka
ECW on TNN 1999
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Awesome jumps Tanaka to start the match and then hits a realese northern lights suplex before closelining Tanaka over the top rope. Awesome then hits a tope onto Tanaka. Awesome sets up a table at ringside and goes for a powerbomb on the apron but Tanaka counters with back body drop and then a flying crossbody off the top rope. Tanaka then follows up with a weak running chair shot. Awesome whips Tanaka into the guard rail and then hits a sloppy closeline sending both men over the guard rail.
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They return to the ring and Awesome scores with a slingshot splash for a two count. Awesome kills Tanaka with two monster chair shots but Tanaka no sells and hulks up. So Awesome hits a chair shot to the gut and one to the back. Awesome goes for the top rope chair shot but Tanak counters with a really nice dropkick and a brutal chair shot. Tanaka then hits a tornado DDT on two steel chairs for a nearfall. Tanaka lyas a chair on Awesome's head and then hits a top rope flying chair shot for a near fall. Tanaka then hits the Diamond Dust for a near fall.
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Awesome dodges a closeline and hits a release german suplex and a sky high. Awesome then hits the Awesome Bomb for a near fall. Awesome gets a table and sets it up in the corner. Awesome goes for an Awesome bomb but Tanaka slips out, Tanaka attempts a german suplex but Awesome blocks and Scores with the Awesome Bomb through a table for a near fall! Awesome gets another table and sets that up in the corner. Tanaka catches Awesome on the top rope and they battle before Tanaka and scores with a Super DDT for another near fall.
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Tanaka plays to the crowd and hits the roaring elbow but Awesome kicks out at the last moment. Awesome runs into a boot but Awesome counters the Diamond Dust into an Alabama Slam and scores with the Awesome Splash for a near fall. Awesome and Tanaka battle on the top rope and Awesome hits a Sit Out Awesome Bomb off the top rope in a fantastic spot and that gets the 1-2-3.
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Well that was what you'd expect from Tanaka and Awesome absolutely no artistry, just move, kick out, move, kick out with no effort to tell a story. These two do have chemistry together and do this sort of spotfest better than anyone else, good final spot, fun but flawed. (***)
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ECW World Heavyweight Title
Ladder Match
Justin Credible vs. Steve Corino vs. Sandman
Guilty As Charged 2001
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Credible and Corino stomp the hell out of Sandman before Corino whips Credible into the ladder. Corino then throws the ladder into Sandman and dropkicks it hard into Sandman's face. Corino tries the dropkick on Credible but Credible throws the ladder hard into Corino's face. Credible hits a pair of basement dropkicks before looking under the ring for another ladder. Credible jabs Corino in the ribs with a ladder and scoop slams Corino. Credible lays one ladder on Corino and then gets a ladder rider on Corino. Sandman then tosses a ladder on Credible and whips Corino into the other ladder. Sandman then bulldog Credible on the ladder.
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Sandman climbs the ladder but Corino takes him out with the cane. Credible puts the ladder on his head and spins to kill Corino, Sandman dodges and throws Credible into the corner. Sandman climbs the ladder and Corino sloppily shoves it over. Corino and Credible then use chairs to smash the ladder into Sandman's groin, ouch! Sandman is Irish whipped and in a silly spot jumps over the top rope inexplicably and goes through a table. Corino then drop toe holds Credible into the steel chair. Sandman slugs Credible off the apron send him into the barracade.
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Corino kicks Sandman in the groin and sets up the ladder. Sandman gets the cane and kills both men before dragging Credible hard off the ladder and tossing him out of the ring. Sandman then suplexes Corino on a vertically stacked ladder. Sandman then throws Sandman off the apron through a table. Sandman then throws a ladder over the top rope killing Corino. Sandman climbs the ladder and the ladder buckles blowing their spot and Sandman looks hurt. Credible looks pissed off as this has clearly blown several designed spots. Corino sets up a table at ringside.
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Credible unloads on both men with right hands. Corino climbs the ladder and Credible tamely dropkicks the ladder over sending Corino softly into a chair, They tried that spot four bloody times, I was expecting something much less shit. Corino shoves Sandman off the ladder and he falls through a table on the outside. Corino counters a double underhook and catapults Credible into the ladder. Credible blocks the Old School Explosion and Credible hits that's Incredible. Francie gives Sandman the Coochiecanranna.
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Sandman brings in the giant ladder and Credible and Corino climb but the ladder gets hoisted higher up into the air. Sandman kills both Credible and Corino with the cane kncoking them off the ladder. Credible in a lame spot bulldogs Corino off the ladder through a table and Sandman climbs the ladder and retrieves the title belt.
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Indy level ladder match, had enough garbage level chaos to keep everyone entertained but not much of a match. (**1/4)
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Overall Thoughts: Well Disc One Focus on the classic ECW years and there is some suprisingly good action, three three star matches is about as good as it gets for ECW, that said the Cactus-Sandman match was a baffling choice, it just seemed like an excuse to get Foley onto the DVD. There's loads of the usual garbage Indy level wrestling if you like bloody hardcore you'll love it, if not this will be intolerable but the at least one of the three good matches should appeal. (6/10)
5 comments:
Several of those matches are poor choices to highlight ECW as a wrestling promotion, though in terms of 'Extreme Rules' it doesn't get much more extreme than that without venturing down the path of XPW... the worst promotion ever (albeit I've never seen Insane Clown Posse's one which I'm told is diabolical).
I've got to get you a copy of Heatwave 98 at some stage. It's still the finest ECW PPV I've seen by some way.
These matches are supposed to highlight how extreme ECW is. I think the best matche are on the other two ECW cd.
Raven had an absolutely insane barbed wire match with the Sandman (and one with Cactus Jack), that should have got onto that list, not to mention some of the matches the Public Enemy and Terry Funk had.
I wouldn't mind having a watch of it whenever.
Yeah I downloaded it, I'll put it on a USB for you if you want, its a fun DVD.
You still need to watch my One Night Stand 2/Barely Legal DVD set its really good.
Well if Brighton falls through on Sunday a day full of watching wrestling and the pub could be a good move.
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