Mike Reviews: ECW Hardcore TV #398 (09/12/2000)

Hello You!

Massacre on 34^th Street is in the books and was a kind of disappointing show. Steve Corino is still the ECW Champ, but the show ended with Sandman (the last remaining top of the card babyface) giving him a caning before leaving with the belt.

In addition to that, Jerry Lynn finally went heel after months of teasing it by aligning himself with Cyrus. Sadly the aforementioned lack of top babyfaces might mean he doesn’t really have anyone to work with, but it’s an interesting direction to take the character in if nothing else.

If you fancy reading my review of the pay per view you can do so by clicking HERE

Calling the action are Joey Styles and Joel Gertner

We open up with clips from the pay per view, where Francine chomped down on Jack Victory’s flag pole whilst Steve Corino got himself a caning from Justin Credible.

Joey and Joel do the usual intro in front of the ECW Banner. Joey announces that The Dudley Boyz are returning to ECW on the 15th of December in Queens.

We get a recap of the opener from the pay per view, where York and Matthews defeated Simon and Swinger. This should have meant that Dawn Marie managed them, but she ended up turning on them anyway. Why even bother with having York and Matthews win if she was just going to turn on them anyway? Have her help Simon and Swinger win, so you don’t have to go back on the stip.

We get clips from the CW Anderson Vs Tommy Dreamer match from the pay per view. CW beat up a ring attendant and then spine bustered Dreamer through a table legs side first in one of the more brutal finishes we’ve seen recently for the three count. The match went on a tad too long, but it was a good effort and Tommy did all he could to put CW over. If more top guys had that attitude in WCW then the company might have survived.

CW, Simon, Swinger and Dawn have some promo time backstage. CW is impressed with Dawn’s looks, but that’s a bad thing as it makes her a distraction. He then brags about beating Dreamer, but he’s annoyed he didn’t make him tap out. Thus the feud must continue so that CW can make Dreamer quit.

Joel says York and Matthews are the hottest young tag team in ECW, which he’d know because he used to manage The Dudley Boyz, which leads to him hyping up the 15/12/2000 show from Queens.

We get a recap of The FBI Vs Doring and Roadkill match from the pay per view. Doring and Roadkill won the belts clean, with Tony Mamaluke taking a huge bump off the apron onto the railings around the ring.

The FBI and Big Sal cut a promo backstage. Mamaluke says he can’t remember what happened due to getting knocked loopy. Ahhhhhhhhhh, concussions are funny aren’t they? Ho ho ho! Guido says that Doring and Roadkill won’t get lucky again. It’s good to see Guido show some fire now and then.

Francine is complaining to Justin Credible over him failing to win the ECW Title again. Credible is great doing the “heard it all before” reactions. Francine is an exceedingly believable irritating bitch.

They’re actually dubbing over the “Adrenaline Rush” song that TNA used to use on some of these video packages. I guess its public domain or something?

More from the pay per view, where Mikey and Tajiri defeated Crazy and Kash in a tag match that had some hot moves but was also kind of a mess. Think the RVD/Sabu Vs Hakushi/Hayabusa match from Heatwave 98. If you loved that match then you’ll probably love this, and if you hated it you will assuredly hate this one too.

Sinister Minister cuts a promo on the streets of New York, thanking the fans for the cards and letters whilst he was out injured. He says his injury isn’t going to halt his activities, which leads to him finding Blue Boy and Jasmine on a corner. They seem to want him to join them for a threesome, but he’s not into that. Minister was very entertaining here. The show has been lacking his wacky promos.

We get a video package hyping up Rhino, showing all the destructive things he’s done so far in 2000. They make sure to show him beating up the likes of Mike Awesome and Raven, who are no longer in the company now. He defeated Little Spike Dudley on the pay per view.

Spike cuts a promo saying that The Dudley Boyz aren’t coming back to help him, as he’s dangerous enough as it is.

We get clips of the Main Event from the pay per view. Steve Corino successfully defended the Title against Justin Credible and Jerry Lynn. Lynn was eliminated first, leaving Credible and Corino to finish off the match. They worked very hard, but the crowd was not into either of them, especially as they are both ostensibly heels and Lynn was the only guy even close to being a babyface. Corino managed to get another clean win over Credible, so at least they’re giving him wins, but Sandman attacked him post-match and stole the belt. Sandman being more over than anyone else in the match is kind of alarming seeing as those three guys are supposed to be the top level guys in the company.

Following another failure, Jerry Lynn finally decided to team up with Cyrus after weeks of Cyrus trying to get him onside. We get a recap of Lynn’s 2000 following that.

Sandman cuts a promo and then attacks Jack Victory (HIGH SPOT) when he tries to take the belt back. Steve Corino comes in and attacks him, but forgets to take the belt back, and when he realises that and goes back, Sandman has now recovered. As usual with Corino, he was hilarious in this segment, but doing these sorts of comedy skits makes him look like a mid-card joke when he’s supposed to be the top guy in the company.

In Conclusion

Pay per view recap episode, so you can basically skip it.

Just three shows left!