On this addition of the old school review we divert from are 1998 timeline and go back to September 16th 1995 and take a look at ECW Gangstas Paradise event held in the old ECW arena in Philadelphia Pennslyvania. This time we take a look at the wrestling business as a whole in 95 which included WWF worst year ever up to that point in it's exsistence, hulk hogan and friends taking over wcw and then try to point out that WWF embracing attitude and the nWo angle may have come from the land of extreme.
This is EC'Fucking'Dub-ya
When Paul Heyman took over from Eddie Gilbert as the head booker of ECW after owner Todd Gorden appointed Heyman in august of 93 it wasn't supposed to be for forever in fact Heyman had told Gorden he would run things creatively until he was due to be apart of Jim Crockett new promotion WWN (world wrestling network). Thankfully WWN (after a few tv tappings) ended up not running anymore shows and by 1994 it was forgotten about but it didn't matter as Paul was well and truly into his tenure of booking ECW by this point and to be honest was probably better off in ECW anyway. Heyman's first show in charge of ECW was ultra clash and the first match on that show would feature a team by the name of public enemy. The team was unlike anything wrertling had seen before these were not men on the mission rip offs at all they were completely different. That night the public enemy (fly boy rocco rock and Johnny grunge) destroyed Jason Knight and Ian Rotten and made quiet an impression with the ECW faithful indeed. Public enemy where a perfect example of Heyman's brilliance as a booker. He was able to hide flyboy and grunges weakness (both men weren't the greatest wrestlers in the world) while showing there positive side, which was both men could talk and have convincing brawls. In fact thoughout 1994 rocco and grunge became very entertaining in there vignettes and promos. While there matches never considered 5 star masterpieces but where classic ECW style brawls with the likes of Sabu and the tasmaniac, the funks (dory Jnr and Terry) and the team of cactus jack and Mikey Whipwreack. By mid 1995 public enemy was so hot in wrestling that the big two WWF and WCW took notice but yet again I'm getting ahead of myself. The sandman was another example of Heyman's Brilliance as a booker he took a baby face who did run ins while fans booed not because the promotion had told them too, it was because he sucked rememebred Todd Gorden on the forever hardcore documentary. Heyman along with sandman (Jim Fullington) and Todd Gorden produced the excellent character we've come to know and love. Gone was the baby face surfer gimmick and in came a cigarette, a cold tasty beverage of a beer, a signapore cane and the legendary ring enterance. Which was quiet a scene to behold espiecally in the ECW arena with Metallica's enter sandman booming while sandman walked through the crowd drinking his beer and smoking his cigarette and before the end of the year would be ECW champion and top act in feuds with Tommy Dreamer, Raven (who in this timeline hasn't quiet moved into his feud with sandman just yet), Mikey Whipwreack, Cactus Jack and Shane Douglas. Another act associated with ECW was Sabu, this was no ordinary wrestler. Sabu had scars over his body and used his own body as a wepeon. Also in my opinion Sabu was criminally underrated as an in ring performer, never before until Sabu had we seen people go through tables (expect Harley Race who is recognised as the man to first go through a table in pro wrestling in a match against hulk hogan on Saturday nights main event in 87) and use there body as a wepeon the way he did to take out his operants. Sabu was the homicidal, genecidal, death defying maniac and his billing couldn't have been any better. Tommy dreamer was the embodiment of ECW and during the 93-95 period went from suppender wearing baby face (who like surfer dude Sandman was a baby face) who was getting booed by the ECW faithful into a full fledge cult hero. Dreamer was finally accepted following a rather iconic angle involving himself, sandman, women and a cane. Dreamer that night took ten lashes after losing a match to sandman where the loser would be canned ten times. On that night dreamer took his licks with Sandmans vile cane shots which made the ECW audience embrace dreamer as one of there own. Throughout 95 dreamer would be involved in a legendary feud with raven which would go on for close to two and a half years and dreamer only ever beat raven once but as dreamer explained on the wwe produced the rise as fall of ECW "I never wanted to beat raven for my entire ECW run but I won't get to far ahead of myself here as this is supposed to be 95 and not 97 after all. Cactus Jack arrived in ECW in 94 after being deemed by wcw as not someone they wanted to push at the time. This was mostly due to an influx of hogan and his pals coming into wcw other acts to be deemed not on team hogan was a guy by the name of steve austin (who would have a very short but rememberable run in ECW in late 95) and that would really come back to bite wcw on the arse during the height of the Monday night wars. Cactus and austin hiring for ECW couldn't have come at a better time yes austin run was short lived but you could clearly see austin find his mojo again in ECW which would set him up nicely and help him become the biggest star in pro wrestling history. As for foley (who was barley given the chance to talk during his wcw run) he was given the chance to talk and in ECW foley cut some famous promos which are still viewed today as invertative and cutting edge. The most famous promo was foleys anti hardcore promo where he was allowed to let out some of his frustration with the ECW fan base at the time. Foley also told dreamer during the twos famous feud that it just wasn't worth it tommy and to embrace the cuddling arms of wcw. Foley basically told dreamer being an hardcore icon wasn't worth it and he should join wcw because at the time wcw where seriously trying to lure dreamer to Atlanta. Another success of Paul e Heyman's ECW was the ultimate underdog Mikey Whipwreck. Mikey early on was never given an offensive move but eventually the ultimate underdog would over come the odds and become an ECW triple crown champion winning the ECW tv, tag team title (holding them with cactus jack after a rememberable feud with the public enemy) and the ECW world title. Along with the cutting edge real life characters Paul e also booked some of the most talented performers who had been working all around the world like Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Dean Makenko, 2 Cold Scorpio and many others who followed once these performers were snapped up by wcw and WWF during the Monday night wars. Shane the franchise Douglas was another stand out in ECW after years of trolling away in WWF and wcw as a mid carder he had become quiet bitter due to the fact that he felt the two major promotions had misused him and Heyman allowed the franchise to vent his frustration with the wrestling business. As good as foley was on the stick Douglas in my mind was far more entertaining on the stick than foley. His promos and his angrier was normally directed at the nature boy ric flair someone he felt had held him down during his run in wcw. Douglas most famous moment in ECW was throwing down the NWA title after winning an 8 man tournament for the vacant title which had been considered the only world title in wrestling until the WWF expansion in the 80's. The NWA title at the time probably needed ECW more than ECW needed the NWA and Paul e knew that the world (or hardcore fan base) would be watching ECW that night. On August 27th 1994 Douglas threw down the NWA title and declared this the era of extreme and said he was the uncrowned ECW champion not the NWA world champion like the NWA were recognising him as there world champion. In fact paul e had screwed over the NWA without the NWA knowing, main board member Dennis Coralluzzo even shot promos about the the screw job playing along with the act. It wast until ECW tv that week that Coralluzzo and the NWA had been screwed. It was one of ECW more famous angles which put ECW on the map, it was one of the angles which pushed ECW over the top. Also a honourable mention must go to Terry funk a massive star in the 70's and 80's who helped a lot of young talent get over by simply beating him something I could imagine hulk hogan or triple h not doing during there peak. Terry helped acts like cactus jack, shane Douglas, Sabu and the public enemy by putting them over so strong during this period. So by this point id like to point out how maybe the bigger two promotions may have ripped off ECW by introducting more real life angles and characters by late 95 (the diesel push as a more serious arse kicker is a prime example of this and Bret hart bleeding during a rather intense battle with the British bulldog at WWF in your house 5). Take for instense how during the time how different WWF and wcw where, both products where more directed towards children with characters like all american hero hulk hogan and the dungeon of Doom. While over in the WWF they also catered to a younger fan base with diesel an all smiley baby face, the 123 kid and sparky plugg. ECW was not aimed at this audience as They went after the 18-32 demographic who had at the time become more and more jaded due to the WWF and wcw relisence on cartoon characters. The first time many took notice and especially the WWF (even vince admitted this on the rise and fall DVD) was during the KOTR 95 ppv when Vince's audience turned on his product and loudly chanted ECW during a rather dull KOTR final match involving Mabel and savio vega but admittedly a large portion in the crowd where ECW fans with hat guy spotted in the front row during this ppv. Meanwhile over in wcw they staged there first uncensored ppv in 95 and many within the industry felt it was a direct rip off of ECW anything goes style and in many ways probably was. This was ECW creative peak and it was a shame by 98 the product was a mere shell of itself while wcw and the WWF pressed forward with a fresh and more real looking wrestling product. It's a legacy Paul e and ECW left on the wrestling business without them who knows maybe both wcw and WWF would have never hit there creative peak during the late nineties and today's wrestling product may be a little different to what it has become today.
ECW Gangstas Paradise 95 Results , 16.09.95, Philadelphia Pennsylvania the ECW arena (The Viking Hall) Att:1,100 sell out
Again I'm watching the VHS verison of this show which was released by delta home video in 2002 so that means no ECW original themes instead you get generic themes which where commissioned by delta for all home video releases pre 2002. Anyway I think I've gone on long enough so let's get into the review Already. It's a cold open with the ECW Gangstas paradise graphic showing up then some static graphic appears on the screen and it's right into the first Match of the evening.
Singles Match: Broadstreet Bully Vs Bullpain
Both men are booed during there ring introductions, Bullpain attacks the bully from behind and gives him a belly to belly suplex. The bully throws his hockey gloves off and both men exchange punches. The bully pulls out his hockey stick and nails Bullpain over the back then nails pain on the outside with a chair shot to the head. The two brawl on the outside then pain gets the upper hand with a thumb to the eye. Bullpain then drives the bully with a suplex through a table at ringside. The two brawl some more then Bullpain gives the bully a DDT onto the broken table. Powerslam by bull back in the ring then goes for the cover but the bully kicks out at 2. A we want blood chants as Bullpain drops a headbutt into the bully's Crown Jewels. Back on the outside Bullpain gives the bully a flying clothesline from the apron. The bully comes back with a chair shot to bullpains back but he no sells it and clotheslines the bully over the guardrail. Lots more brawling by the two as some in the crowd chant boring while other ECW fans boo the ones who were chanting boring. Even more brawling and now most of the crowd are chanting boring. Bullpain poses in the ring as the bully lays selling on the outside, the bully eventually gets in the ring and the two men trade punches in the ring. The bully low blows Bullpain twice due to the first time Bullpain decided not to sell but on he second one he sells it. The crowd chant you both suck dick as Bullpain gives the bully a top rope super plex. Back to the outside goes the fight and then back into the ring which joey mentions referring rather sarcastically saying the two are on the outside again. Finally Bullpain puts us out of are misery by hitting the bully with a DDT to pick up the win.
Your Winner: Bullpain
This was a rather dull opener and both men didn't exactly click working together and a match I wouldn't recommend at all. There was a reason the crowd booed both men and it got chants of you suck dick and boring.
Tag Team Match: Dances With Dudley and Dudley Dudley/with Sign Guy Dudley, Chubby Dudley and Big Dick Dudley Vs Chad Austin and Don E Allen
It's right into match two with the Dudley's making there way to the ring as poor old chad austin and devious don e Allen get the jobbers entrance (both are in the ring already). The crowd chant you suck dick at the Dudley's even hat guy seems to be joining in. Dances with Dudley (who is a Dudley due to big daddy Dudley visit to a Native American owed reservation) starts out with austin. Not much happens in the first several minute expect dances does his war dance. Dudley Dudley is tagged in who suplexes austin then stomps him over and over as joey mentions the Dudley's gene pool. Dudley Dudley works over austin with a back breaker and a elbow drop. Dances with Dudley is then forearming austin but he gets cut off with a dropkick by austin who then tags the devious one. Allen hits a back drop but then dances fights back with a clothesline and a suplex. On the outside austin is getting beaten down by Dudley Dudley who suplexes austin through a table. On the outside big dick Dudley nails austin with a crutch while back in the ring Dudley Dudley goes up top and hits a big splash onto Allen for the 1,2 and 3.
Your Winners: The Dudley's Dances with Dudley and Dudley Dudley
A very average match which only exsisted because Paul Heyman wanted to establish the still fresh Dudley gimmick as originally it was perceived as a joke gimmick and Heyman wanted to take it in a new direction enter Bubba and Devon.
Singles Match: Hack Myers Vs JT Smith
JT cuts a promo about being an Italian even though he is black (the impending arrival of the FBI is on the horizon then). This match is highlights only due to that's the way the tape is it's highlights of this match and the six man tag only for some reason. JT and hack exchange punches in the middle of the ring. Hammerlock by hack but JT counters it with a headlock then sends hack to the outside. JT misses a cross body to the outside so the fans could chant you fucked up (you see JT gimmick was that he fucked up, JT was labeled with this gimmick after he broke his back when he hit a guardrail a bit to hard After mike awesome hit a dive onto JT, this incident happened at the same show which featured the historic 3 way dance between Terry funk, Sabu and Shane Douglas). Both men brawl through the crowd and then back into the ring, back body drop by hack. JT comes back with a Russian leg sweep then he goes up top but takes to long then hack pushes him off the top and JT tumbles into the table going right through it in the process. While this goes on the referee counts out JT which isn't a popular decision with this crowd.
Your Winner: Hack Myers via Countout
Good comedic relief after seeing two brawls in the opener but I wouldn't recommend it as it isn't anything special.
Six Man Tag: The Steiner's Rick&Scott and Taz Vs Jason Knight and The Eliminators Perry Saturn&John Kronas
The steiners are all over the eliminators early on with a pair of Steiner lines and a pair of belly to belly suplexes by Scott to both Kronas and Saturn. Again it's just highlights of this match. When were back Scott has Jason all alone and gives Jason a wedgie plex, Rick drills Saturn with a top rope German suplex. Tiger driver by Scott to Kronas, now taz has Jason all on his own but in runs 2 cold Scorpio who kicks taz in the back of his head. Scorpio puts Jason on top of taz and the referee counts 1,2 and 3.
Your Winners: Jason Knight and The Eliminators Perry Saturn&John Kronas
Shame it was a clipped match I would have liked to have seen it in it's entirety so I won't rate it here.
ECW Tag Team Title Best 2 out of 3 Falls Dog Collar Anything Goes Match: Raven and Stevie Richards (Champions) /with Beulah Mcgillicutty Vs The Pitbulls (If The Pitbulls lose they must split up)
Joey announces stevie Richards is too scared to face the Pitbulls. Beulah then grabs the microphone and says stevie broke his arm and won't be ravens partner tonight so he's defending his belts all on his own. So she asks the Pitbulls to make it fair this match should be a best 2 out of 3 falls and obviously the Pitbulls agree to this. Pitbull 2 rushes raven and beats him down with the dog collar and chokes raven out while pitbull 1 goes backstage. On the outside pitbull 2 nails raven with a chair shot nailing him hard into his head. Pitbull 1 returns with Richards while pitbull 2 throws raven into the ring and introduces a table. Raven battles back with a low blow then he drives pitbull 2 with a piledriver through the table and covers pitbull 2 for the surprising pinfall.
Winner of Fall 1: Raven and Stevie Richards
The bell rings for fall 2 and stevie is busted wide open with a chair shot by pitbull 1. Pitbull 2 gets another table from under the ring and slides it into the ring. The Pitbulls then destroy Richards with. Super bomb (top rope powerbomb) through the table for the 1,2 and 3.
Winner of Fall 2: The Pitbulls
Raven is back with a chair and he nails both Pitbulls in the head. Now all four begin to brawl on the outside as the crowd chant E-C-Dubya. Richards is wearing the crimson mask while getting beat down on the outside by pitbull 1. Back in the ring pitbull 2 is all over raven then he goes and grabs a table from the outside and slides it into the ring and sets it up in the middle of the ring. Pitbull 2 is thrown into the referee by raven and out comes the Dudley's. The Dudley's attack the Pitbulls and now it's 4 on 2 (well Richards is on the outside bleeding very heavily). The Pitbulls battle back and destroy the Dudley's with a pair of powerbombs then DDT all 4 men as the crowd chant ECW some more. Super bomb to Dudley Dudley by pitbull 2 then they do the same to dances with Dudley's. Raven is bleeding as well now as pitbull 2 sets up a fourth table and they give raven a super bomb but Raven's head hits the edge of the table. This is awesome chant as pitbull 2 pins raven but raven kicks out even thought I have no clue why he would after getting his head taken off with that super bomb. Raven pulls out a rag and he pours some kind of liquid on it and he chokes out pitbull 2 with it. Raven sets up two tables on top of one another and puts pitbull 2 on top of the pile. Raven drops a leg breaking just one table so does the same move again to break what is like the seventh or eighth table. Pitbull 1 is now fighting both Richards and raven but eventually the 2 on 1 odds go against pitbull 1. Franchine runs out and attacks Richards as EMT stretcher out pitbull 2. Raven nails franchine with a DDT as tommy dreamer runs out. Dreamer puts on the dog collar with raven on the other end and DDT raven while the ref counts 1, 2 and 3.
Winner of Fall 3: Tommy Dreamer and Pitbull 1 and New ECW Tag Team Champions
Oh boy dreamer just pinned raven for the first time in over a year and we've got new ECW tag team champions screams joey. Then out walks referee bill alfonso who declares that this isn't happening because dreamer was contracted to be in the ring so him and pitbull 1 where not new ECW tag team champions. Out walks ECW owner Todd Gorden who says this isn't happening and has the match restarted (because the added stipulation to the match was that if the Pitbulls lost they would have to break up). Meanwhile Todd and bill get into a shoving match then Bill announces the chokeslam is legal again after raven and stevie give dreamer a double chokeslam. "oh no screams joey "alfonso just signed his own death warrant adds styles as for months alfonso had banned the 911 chokeslam and 911 had wanted revenge on alfonso who had screwed 911 over and over again. Out comes 911 who's been chasing alfonso for months and he finally gets to chokeslam bill to a thunderous pop. 911, pitbull 1 and dreamer celebrate then pitbull 2 returns. Super bomb to both stevie and raven at the Same time and pitbull 2 pins raven and gets the 1,2 and 3.
Winner of Fall 3: The Pitbulls and New ECW Tag Team Champions. The crowd chant E-C-Dubya as the baby faces celebrate on a personal note that was a pretty incredible sequence which paid off months worth of storylines in a space of a few minutes, classic Heyman booking. Overall I would highly recommend this match to anyone not only do you get a pay off to months worth of storyline as you also get a rather compelling brawl between some of ECW better workers and even with a finish like that the bait and switch it didn't bother me as I was to wrapped up in the story and instense brawling on show here.
Extreme Lucha Match: Rey Misterio Jnr Vs Psicosis
The crowd chant thank you Paul before the bell even rings so I'm guessing ECW hardcore fan base had seen (either from tapes or wcw/aaa when world collide ppv) or heard of these two mostly unknown luchadores. Both men lock up and Rey gives Psicosis a arm drag to the outside and into the front row. Arm ringer by Psicosis and then into a hammerlock and a take down. Rey counters it with a snapmere, dropkick and then spring board arm drag. Which again sends Psicosis to the outside, shoulder block and elbow drop by Psicosis to Rey. Tiger bomb by Psicosis to Rey then he gives Rey a huancanrana. Psicosis drops Rey gut first onto the top turnbuckle then he gives Misterio a gorilla press slam and drops Rey gut first onto the top turnbuckle. Psicosis nails Rey with a spinning burning hammer and he follows it up by slapping Rey in the corner. Tumble weed splash by Psicosis to Rey and he goes for second but this time Psicosis misses. Rey spring boards to the middle rope and hits his huancanrana into a pinfall for a near fall. Another arm drag and dropkick by Rey to Psicosis then Rey gives Psicosis a huancanrana from the ring apron to the outside. A ECW chant breaks out and Rey plays up to the applause, Rey misses a spring board moonsualt. Psicosis drops a leg drop from the top rope onto Rey and gets a near fall then follows it up with a spinning wheel kick. The two go to the outside where Rey grabs a chair while Psicosis goes for a powerbomb he gets Rey up but Rey drives the chair into Psicosis head. Back in the ring Psicosis turns Rey huancanrana into a powerbomb then goes up top and hits a pheonix splash. Psicosis misses a leg drop and Rey arm drags Psicosis to the outside while Rey jumps up top and hits a spring board planca down onto Psicosis who's in the second row. Back in the ring Psicosis drills Rey with a second tiger driver then places Rey on the top rope. Psicosis attempts a third tiger driver from the top rope but Rey counters it into a Frankensteiner and gets the 1.2 and 3.
Your Winner: Rey Misterio Jnr
So before wcw found the luchadores ECW had them (yet more evidence ECW got ripped off by both of wrestlings major companies) and they couldn't have used them any better. This match was put together after ECW lost Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero to wcw and what a way to make ECW fans forget about the lose of Benoit, Guerrero and Malenko. This match comes highly recommend by myself, trust me my review will not do it justice it's an incredible match well worth checking out.
Main Event Steel Cage Six Man Tornado Tag Match: Mikey Whipwreck and The Public Enemy Flyboy Rocco Rock&Johnny Grunge Vs The Sandman/with Women, 2 Cold Scorpio and New Jack
It's main event time and the crowd is waving there arms in Unison to public enemy and mikey as they make there entrance. Mikey has decided to Sport some white guy dreadlocks and a public enemy t-shirt for this match. Sandman (who is ECW World Heavyweight champion) is out next to a huge pop maybe a face turn is needed he's with his partners ECW tv champion 2 cold Scorpio and New Jack and is being accompied by women (Nancy Sullivan/Benoit). The bell rings and we are underway, rocco goes up after Sandman who's sitting on top of the cage drinking. Grunge goes after 2 cold while new jack holding a billy club goes after Mikey. Sandman lights up a cigarette and begins to smoke he's then put out by Mikey with a stunner. Rocco rock hits a botched moonsualt Russian leg sweep to sandman. 2 cold works over grunge by slamming him head first into the cage, the babyfaces make there comeback. All six men brawl with one another and bounce one another off the cage. The brawl spills to the outside with new jack and grunge trading steel chair shots with one another. Mikey and sandman battle it out on top of the cage, rocco rock gives 2 cold a power slam then throws Scorpio into the cage. New jack and grunge are now bleeding on the outside and take there fight over to the eagle nest which is above the crowd. From the eagles nest new jack drops an elbow onto grunge who's down in the crowd. Back in the ring rocco gives sandman a huancanrana but only gets a two count. New jack and grunge battle back into the aisle way while back in the ring Sandman brings in a table to the ring and drops it on Mikey over and over. Rocco rock is bleeding after 2 cold runs rocco rocks head into the cage. 2 cold takes out both the rocco and Mikey with a super kick. Grunge is back and he whips 2 cold into the cage while sandman suplexes the table on top of Mikey. A frying pan is introduced by grunge and rocco bust opens sandman with it. The public enemy set up two tables on top of one another while Mikey brawls with sandman on the outside. Public enemy introduce a third table and stack it on top of the other two tables. The flyboy drags Scorpio up to the top turnbuckle and climb up top were they battle up on top of the cage. 2 cold and rocco rock then fall from the top of the cage crashing through the three stacked up tables while a ECW chant breaks out by the now super hot crowd. Sandman is back in the ring but he is given a drop kick by rocco into the broken tables. Mikey goes up top and dives off while the public enemy give sandman a vertical suplex and that combo move looked awesome. Up on top of the cage is sandman and Mikey and Mikey gives sandman a huancanrana from the top of the cage and covers sandman but only gets a two. Mikey recovers and climbs up to the top Of the cage again and flies off with a splash down onto sandman and gets the 1,2 and 3.
Your Winners: The Public Enemy and Mikey Whipwreck
Afterwards new jack and Scorpio get the public on the outside while women locks the cage and tosses in the Singapore cane to sandman who nails Mikey over and over again. The sandman celebrates by lighting up a smoke as the public enemy enter the cage after unlocking it but sandman escapes over the top. To end the show the public enemy and Mikey celebrate by waving there arms as joey mentions Mikey just pinned the ECW champion and is the n.1 contender to sandmans title. Then the faces celebrate some more as the heels attack but Mikey is having none of it and Man ups and nails sandman with the cane. The show ends with all six men brawling in the aisle way.
Rating&Round Up
I've always enjoyed this ECW show but in all honesty I really enjoyed most of the shows I've seen from ECW in 1995. In 95 as discussed above the mainstream wrestling industry was in tailspin and driving away more fans than it was gaining while ECW product was doing revolutionary stuff which later on wwf and Wcw would rip off and make there own. Ok so two matches where cut on the vhs verison of the show I was watching so can I honestly give this show an honest review? Well no I can't but I'm going to anyway by giving it a 9 out of 10 due largely in part because of my match of the night Raven&Stevie Richards vs the Pitbulls because the match paid off months worth of story lines in one match. So until next time I'll sign off as only I can by quoting the man Bill Apter "until next time I will see you at the matches.
By Billy_Jay_222 @billy222me or @RantsWrestle
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