February 24, 2007
Frank Koenen

ECW Hardcore TV
September 17, 1995

Your Host is Joey Styles for the show. Joey Styles and Tazz host on WWE 24/7.

-We begin with a interview from Cactus Jack. This is the intense interview he gave putting down ECW for their bloodthirsty and selfish attitude. This is based on real life as Foley was sickened when a sign saying “Cane Dewey,” a reference to his real life son who was three years old at the time. Foley mentions it in his interview, saying that’s what pushed him over the edge. He worked it into the storyline by saying he was trying to save Tommy Dreamer from killing himself for the selfish fans. This was a classic ECW interview that was a pseudo shoot. A full transcript is available in Foley’s first book.

-ECW intro which is no longer the classic opening with Harry Slash & The Slashstones. I thought they bought that music?

-Joey Styles previews the show. Last week The Pitbulls said if they don’t win the tag-team titles from Raven & Stevie Richards, they will no longer be a tag-team. They do a little humor spot to explain Big Dick Dudley’s knee surgery, saying he got hit by a truck (which is of course shown all smashed to pieces). They then show words from the Dudleys with Big Dick grunting.

-Tommy Dreamer gives an interview. He responds to Cactus Jack’s interview, saying he forgot his roots and that everything he has is because of hardcore. He says the fans show appreciation, and that Cactus is disgracing the ECW movement. Dreamer then goes into a weird cult like diatribe about how great ECW is. It’s almost like Stockholm syndrome or something with Paul E.

-Then we get a short music video with Raven, Tommy Dreamer, and Cactus Jack being focused on. I wonder what the original music was for it, as the WWE puts in some generic rock music. It goes on for a while.

-The Dudleys introduce Dances with Dudley. Dudley Dudley says that he was from Big Daddy Dudley’s visit to a Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The Native American curiously speaks Spanish.

-They show a clip of an interview by the Pitbull from the previous week.

-On WWE 24/7, Joey Styles and Tazz talk about the Dudleys being the greatest tag-team. Tazz says they’re even better than Road Warriors, Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson, and the Mulkeys. Tazz then says that he deserves partial credit for the Dudleys gimmick with Raven. Then Tazz talks about Big Dick Dudley (who he trained with). Styles mentions them being the draw to the show, and then says it’s a good thing Grisham and Matthews aren’t doing it. Tazz says there would be mass vomiting nationwide. They talk about Big Dick Dudley pulling Joey Styles over with his old police car, and then segue into the match.

1) Chain Match: ECW Tag-Team Champions Raven & Stevie Richards (w/Beulah) vs. The Pitbulls

Raven only comes out with Beulah; apparently Stevie Richards has been asking everyone backstage to replace him. The crowd goes nuts for The Pitbulls, but then maybe that’s just canned heat that WWE put in the show. Beulah says that Stevie Richards broke his arm the previous night, and wants the Pitbulls to make it fair, and change it to two out of three falls. Don’t quite get that logic...but alright. Pitbull #2 and Raven lock up in the dog collar, Raven charges Pitbull #2, but Pitbull #2 atomic drops Raven then stomps him as he lays on the mat. Pitbull #2 hangs Raven over the top rope. Pitbull #1 then runs backstage. Pitbull #2 just continues choking Raven. Pitbull #2 goes outside with Raven and begins beating him with the chain and hits him with a steel chair. The crowd is more than pleased. They go back in the ring as Pitbull #1 brings out a bloodied Stevie Richards. He continues his assault on Richard, while in the ring Pitbull #2 gets a table. Pitbull #1 uses a fan’s chair on Richards while in the ring Raven has gotten the upper hand and piledrives Pitbull #2 for a pin-fall. FALL #1: Raven & Stevie Richards at 2:10

Raven/Richard 1-0

Fall #2: Pitbull #1 throws Richards in the ring at the beginning of the fall. Raven begins attacking Pitbull #2 with the chain. Raven covers Pitbull #1 after a double DDT with Richards, and Pitbuall #2 makes the save. Richards gives Pitbull #1 a superkick for a near-fall. Pitbull #2 and Raven continue brawling. Pitbull #2 bring a table into the ring, as Pitbull #1 beats on Stevie Richards. The Pitbulls superbomb Richards through the table. Pitbull #2 covers Richards for the pin. The crowd chants “ECW” as we go to the break. FALL #2: The Pitbulls at 4:22

Tie 1-1

Fall #3: When we get back from the break, Raven hits Pitbull #2 with a chair. Meanwhile, Pitbull #1 beats Richards with a frying pan. Pitbull #1 then clotheslines Richards over the guard railing and follows with a kick. Richards gets a hold of a chair though and hits Pitbull #1 with it. Richards angrily start stomping at Pitbull #1. Meanwhile Raven and Pibull #2 brawl in the aisle way then make their way to the ring. Pitbull #2 brings yet another table into the ring. Raven shoves Pitbull #2 into the referee and the ref goes down. The Dudleys run in and attack the Pitbulls. The fans are booing the hell out of this. Dudley Dudley sets up Pitbull #2 for Raven, Dances with Dudley sets up Pitbull #1 for Richards for superbombs. They no sell the Superbombs and give all four men double DDTs. The Pitbulls superbomb Dudley Dudley and Dances with Dudley. The Pitbulls then try to superbomb Raven, but Raven hits his head on the back of the table. Wow, that could have really turned out bad. The referee revives, and Raven surprisingly kicks out. The crowd chants for Pitbulls. This is pretty decent psychology having the Pitbulls going against all odds, it’s actually working and doesn’t seem that bad. Raven has a rag of ether and chokes out Pitbull #2. Joey Styles says “take that crap to Smokey Mountain.” Hey now! SMW kicked ass! Raven then drops a leg on Pitbull #2 through TWO tables. In the ring, Pitbull #1 suplexes Richards. Raven is on the outside writhing on the floor. In the ring Richards has the advantage and goes to the top rope, but gets crotched. Raven outside unhooks himself from Pitbull #2. Pitbull #1 suplexes Richards through a table, and Raven breaks up the near-fall that would have otherwise won The Pitbulls the match. The paramedics come out for Pitbull #2. In the ring, Francine attacks Beulah who is Stevie Richards old girlfriend. Raven DDTs Francine, and then goes down. Now Tommy Dreamer comes in the ring and chains himself to Raven. Dreamer & Raven brawl and Dreamer delivers a knee to the nutsack. Dreamer pins Raven for the win.

BUT WAIT! There’s more! Evil old Pennsylvania state athletic commission referee Bill Alfonso comes out. He says that the win doesn’t count because it was the Pitbulls in the match, he didn’t allow two out of three falls and Dreamer’s win over Raven does not count. Alfonso says the match is over because the Pitbulls can’t continue. Tod Gordon enters the ring, and Gordon says no way to him. Todd shoves Alfonso, so Alfonso hits Gordon from behind and he goes down. Big Dick Dudley chokeslams Tommy Dreamer, and Alfonso makes the chokeslam legal for the night (he made it illegal so 911 wouldn’t chokeslam him). So low and behold 911 come out, takes him by the throat, Alfonso begs like crazy, 911 puts him up and SLAMS him down. I don’t think there have been many more satisfying chokeslams in history. The crowd is cheering for crazy and chants “E-C-Dub.” Pitbull #2 comes back Dreamer & Pibull #1 put Raven on Pitbull #2, then 911 puts Richards on Raven. Then Pitbull #2 delvers what Joey Styles calls the “Super Duper Bomb.” Both Pitbulls cover Raven and Richards to gain victory. The faces celebrate in the ring posing to the fans like they were Hulk Hogan. In the ECW Arena they were. This was a fun brawl, it was crazy overbooked, but that worked here. I wouldn’t save it’s a five star classic, but it was damn good. ****

WINNERS: and NEW ECW Tag-Team Champions The Pitbulls at 19:47

-Tazz and Joey Styles wrap it up in WWE Studios.

Comments: The beginning interview and only match really make this classic ECW and ECW at it’s best. I don’t think there were too many better shows to start with. Classic booking as Paul Heyman proves to be a tremendous booker. Definite thumbs up.