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"Brew Town Rumblings"
by Craig King
02/02/2001

Well, look who's finally back? I never really intended to go this long in between columns, but I've had bigger things to worry about than ECW during the last few weeks. I won't get into that here though. I know that Kurt has already looked to the past by presenting his ranking of the 15 greatest PPV's in ECW history, but what I would like to do is rank what in my mind are the 10 greatest matches in ECW history. Granted, I have not seen every match ECW has ever presented. However, of the ones I've seen, these are the 10 that I feel have set the standard or raised the bar in ECW.

10. Sabu vs. The Sandman - Stairway To Hell - 1/11/98 The Sabu /Sandman war of '97 and '98 was one of the most brutal and extreme feuds in ECW history. How either of those men survived that feud without being physically harmed for life is beyond me. This match demonstrates that quite prominently. Absolutely sick match that saw Sabu continue on even after breaking his jaw in the middle of the match. Sandman was so bloody by the end of this match that you could barely recognize him.

9. Raven vs. The Sandman - Barbed Wire - 12/7/96 This was the infamous match that nobody, except those who were there at the ECW Arena that night, was able to see until it was released on DVD and home video last year. I had heard so much about this match, and it did not disappoint. Everybody praises 'Born To Be Wired' as being the best barbed wire match in ECW history, but for some reason I like this one better. Plenty of brutal spots.

8. Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka - 8/2/98 This was the first encounter between these two on an ECW PPV and it was the match everyone was talking about when it was done. Sick, brutal match that showed everyone why these two guys were so fabled in Japan.

7. Tajiri vs. Super Crazy - Mexican Death Match - 1/15/00 The best match of the Tajiri/ Crazy classics. One of the first times the two incorporated hardcore into their series of matches. Both were on the top of their game this night. I could never get tired watching these two go at it, but for me at least, it didn't get any better than this.

6. Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer - 6/7/97 The ultimate climax to the greatest feud in ECW history. 'The Final Battle' as it was called, and they made it a memorable one. This was Raven's last match before heading off to WCW and he and Tommy went all out for this one. The angle that immediately followed this match, with Jerry's Lawler making his ECW debut, is one that has become legendary in the halls in ECW.

5. The Dudley's vs. New Jack / Kronus - 1/4/98 Ok, I admit that unless you were at this Indianapolis Invasion house show, you will have never, and will never, see this match. It would have ranked higher on my list if not for that fact. However, it had such an impact on me as a wrestling fan that I just had to include it. It was just an all out war that included what New Jack described as his most insane balcony jump ever. It is still the greatest tag team match I have ever seen live in person in any fed. Crowd was totally ballistic during this match.

4. Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn - 3/21/99 Everyone seems to think that their Hardcore Heaven match was the better of the two, but I feel quite the opposite. Their Living Dangerously match was the first time they were able to showcase what they could do against each other on a major national platform. It was the first time I had ever had the pleasure of seeing these two wrestle against each other, and it was totally fresh and innovative at the time. So that may be why I rank this match above their Hardcore Heaven encounter. 30+ minutes of some of the finest pure wrestling seen in years.

3. F.B.I. vs. Mikey Whipwreck / Tajiri - 8/26/00 With this being the most recent match on my list, everyone more than likely knows what this match was all about. Even with the several rematches these two teams have had since this infamous match, they have not been able to capture the magic of that glorious New York night. Amazing match.

2. Raven / Stevie Richards vs. The Pitbulls - 2/3 Falls - 9/16/95 The crowd heat sustained for this entire match is unparalleled in my opinion. The crown is literally on it's feet, all the way into the action, for the entire match. Several awesome spots here including Raven piledriving Pitbull #2 through a table in the center of the ring, Raven putting Pitbull #2 through two stacked tables outside the ring, and Stevie Richards being powerbombed off the second rope through a table in the inside of the ring. One of the best booked matches I have ever seen.

1. The Eliminators vs. Sabu / Rob Van Dam - 11/16/96 What can I say about this match? If you haven't seen it, do what ever it takes to get a hold of a copy of it. For my money, this is the greatest tag team match I have ever seen. 30 minutes of non-stop high intensity action, with two sudden death periods. All four guys were at their best that night and put on one hell of a show that I will certainly never forget.

Looking over my list, I find it interesting that the top three matches I ranked are all tag team matches. It just shows you that in the time period of the mid 90's, when tag team wrestling had become a lost art, ECW were the forerunners in bringing back the glory years of tag team wrestling that were prominent in the 80's. Once again I would like to reiterate that these choices are my opinion only. There are quite a few ECW matches I have not seen from the early years, 1994-1995, so I am bound to miss some.

Lastly, I would like to give a special shout out to my dear friend Jennifer who is going through a very tough time right now. I love ya Jen and I'm pulling for you all the way!

I should be back next week with a new column. Hopefully there will be some good news to talk about at that time. Until then, please send any feedback to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

Guilty As Charged was one of those PPV's that, while providing a great night of action, was lacking in a few areas. Don't get me wrong. There was a lot of angle development, returning superstars, and great action in the ring. However, that action in the ring, while good, didn't quite live up to it's potential in a few cases. Let me explain.

Cyrus and Jerry Lynn d. York and Matthews

The show started off hot, and this was a great opening segment. I have to say that I caught on right away that Lynn would be facing RVD in the main event based on the comments Lynn made here. I'm sure most everyone else did the same. So I wish Lynn wouldn't have foreshadowed the big surprise of RVD's return quite so profoundly. Still, it was a great segment.

Danny Doring and Roadkill d. Hot Commodity

A good match that I thought would have been better based on what all four of these guys can do. It just seemed like the two teams never really got on the same wavelength and it just turned into your typical ECW tag team match. Not that that's a bad thing. Good to see Doring and Roadkill retain as there's no way Hot Commodity is ready for a title run at this point.

Nova defeats Chris Hamrick

I have to say that I love Nova's new look. The whole superhero gimmick went stale a long time ago. I had heard about how much Nova has been working out in the gym, but damn! Nova is RIPPED! I swear I didn't even recognize him at first. He almost looked like a smaller version of Triple H. Gotta love his new theme too. At first I was wondering why they would use a song from 1983 for his theme, but then I remembered Nova is a huge 'hair metal' fan, so I think it's a perfect choice. In case anyone doesn't know, Nova's new theme is called "Metal Health" by Quiet Riot. Anyway, the match was fairly short, but it served its purpose, which was introducing the 'new' Nova. Chetti's return was quite a surprise as well. Hopefully he'll be sticking around for a while. Good match.

Tommy Dreamer d. CW Anderson

Just like at the Massacre PPV, this match stole the show for me. This was just a brutal, violent, GREAT match. As much as I didn't see it happening, I was really glad to see Tommy get the win here in front of his NY crowd. Nice use of the RAZOR wire too. Not barbed wire, but RAZOR wire. You could certainly tell that wasn't fake wire this time around. I can only imagine how many people, myself included, were rejoicing at the punking out of 'towel boy' by C.W. He was used nicely in the match though and sold his bumps like a pro. All in all I can't say enough about this one. My favorite of the night by far, and even better than their Massacre classic. I'm hoping that there will be a blow off match between the two at Living Dangerously.

Mikey Whipwreck and Tajiri d. the FBI and Super Crazy and Kid Kash

I thought this match was going to be a blow away, match of the year type of encounter. While it was a very good match, I was just expecting so much more from these guys. Kash and Crazy were eliminated way to early, and Crazy didn't really let loose and do his usual insane spots. I would love to see a rematch between these three teams where they all really let loose. However, I am very glad that Mikey and Tajiri got the win. They definitely deserve it, and I look forward to some great matches between them and Doring/Roadkill.

Simon & Swinger vs. Balls & Chilly Willy went to a no contest

This was another one of those segments that served its purpose. Rhino truly did look like a monster, destroying everyone in the match, including all of the women! Besides, they needed something to follow the 3-way tag match, which is no easy chore. I couldn't help but laugh at Rhinos promo afterward and his comment about Jasmine. Those who saw it know what I'm talking about.

Sandman d. Steve Corino and Justin Credible in the Tables, Ladders, Chairs, and Canes match

I was so hyped up for this match. I had heard about (I don't get Hardcore TV) all of the ultra violent matches these three have been involved in over the last month or so. I can't help but feel a little disappointed with this match, and it has nothing to do with the fact that Corino lost the title. Once again, it was a good match, but could have been so much more. Nothing really significant happened, and the finish was very anti-climactic. I loved the fact that Sandman won the belt, as I feel he really deserved it. However, I have to say I wasn't too happy when Rhino took the belt from him less than five minutes after he won it. I think it's way too early for Rhino to get a World Title run. I know the same thing was said when Corino won the belt, but I still think Rhino has a long way to go before he can have a legitimate run with the belt. Even so, I think the reason they may have put the belt on Rhino is for a future program with RVD, should he stay with the company.

RVD d. Jerry Lynn

I would be lying if I said it wasn't great to see RVD back in an ECW ring. ECW may not need him to survive, but it certainly adds to the flavor of a show to have him there. This was another great match between the two. It was apparent that RVD had a very slight case of ring rust, but it didn't take away from the match at all. I like this match a whole lot better than their Hardcore Heaven match. It was great, pure wrestling, like the two always deliver. Gertner was used perfectly in the match, playing the Fonzie role. Speaking of which, where was Fonzie?! Anyway, Joey Styles said that the match was only another chapter in the two's legacy. I can only hope that really is the case and that this wasn't either man's swan song in ECW.

Overall, I thought the PPV definitely delivered. Like I said, my only complaint was that the two 3-way dances didn't quite live up to their potential. Other than that, I have no complaints about the show. Dreamer vs. C.W. was worth it alone for me. Easy thumbs up. Please send any questions or comments to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

Well, I'm back from a brief absence. Holiday's can be a real bitch you know. Even so, I hope everyone had a great holiday season, and here's to 2001 being the greatest year in ECW history! Now, on to the task at hand. ECW has announced the lineup for this weekend's Guilty As Charged PPV, and it looks like a hot show. So, I thought that this week I would give my thoughts on the card.

ECW World Heavyweight Title - Tables, Ladders, Chairs and Canes match
Steve Corino vs. Sandman vs. Justin Credible

With the series of matches Sandman and Corino have been involved in over the last month or so, this could turn out to be one of the more brutal matches in ECW history. The Sandman has turned things up a notch in the violence department now that he has finally been given something to work with, Corino has been taking the most brutal bumps of his career, and Justin Credible has been right with these two guys in every step of the way. I don't quite know the point on billing this as a 'Tables, Ladders, Chairs and Canes match' when all of those items are commonplace in virtually ever Sandman match anyway. Regardless, I am really looking forward to this match. I'm hoping Paul isn't planning on swerving everyone and having Justin Credible sneak in and recapture the gold. I really don't see that though, as I think Credible will be the first one gone. Will we see Paul give the fans what they want and give the Sandman the gold? I really don't think so. My gut tells me Corino will get the living tar beat out of him, yet come back to reclaim his belt from the Sandman for good.

My prediction: Corino

I Quit Match
Tommy Dreamer vs. C. W. Anderson

This is the match I'm most looking forward to. It was my favorite match at the Massacre PPV, and I expect this one to be even better. An 'I Quit' match can be one of the great gimmick matches in wrestling if done right. If you don't believe me, check out Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum T.A. from Starrcade '85. That was one of the most brutal matches of its time period, and I expect no less from C.W. and the Innovator of Violence now. This is a hard match to call for me. On one hand, I really don't see C.W.'s push coming to an end. On the other hand, I don't think you'll ever hear Tommy Dreamer say 'I Quit'. My guess is that it'll be some kind of extenuating circumstance that will lead to the stopping of the match. Those extenuating circumstance could have something to do with interference by Simon Diamond and Swinger, which would be a real shame. Regardless, I expect this match to be even more brutal that the Massacre match with Tommy Dreamer maximizing his already insane threshold of pain. I'm going go with C.W. getting the win here to continue his rise up the success ladder in ECW.

My prediction: C.W. Anderson

ECW World Tag Team Titles
Danny Doring and Roadkill vs. Hot Commodity (EZ Money & Julio Dinero) with Elektra

There's not a whole lot to say about this match. Like a lot of people, I'm not quite sure the logic on it, as Hot Commodity has really not done anything of significance. Don't get me wrong, they can go, but I don't see them having any type of change in walking out with tag team gold. Still, it should be a good match, and a surefire win for Doring and Roadkill.

My prediction: Doring and Roadkill

Number one contender for the ECW Tag Titles - 3 Way Dance
Yoshihiro Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck vs. Super Crazy & Kid Kash vs. FBI (Guido & Mamaluk)

This could be the match that steals the show. All three of these teams are great, and this should be a major spotfest. With the addition of the FBI to this rematch from the Massacre PPV, this could turn out to be an early match of the year candidate. Mikey and Tajiri are as over as any team in ECW, but haven't been able to recapture the tag team glory they obtained at Hammerstein. Super Crazy and Kid Kash are not an established team. I see the FBI sneaking past these two teams and getting their rematch against Doring and Roadkill soon after.

My Prediction: FBI

Jerry Lynn & Cyrus vs. Joey Matthews and Christian York

This match makes no sense whatsoever to me. You have three great wrestlers involved…and then Cyrus? I know Cyrus used to be an active wrestler, but quite frankly, he's not quite up to the standards of the other three involved, and that's an understatement. As long as Cyrus doesn't get in the way, it should be a watchable match. Who knows, Cyrus may ever surprise us. I'm not counting on it though. Lynn and Cyrus, as a tag team, have no right to go over Matthews and York. I predict a Matthews and York win, with possible dissention between Lynn and Cyrus resulting.

My Prediction: Matthews and York

Other people not scheduled for matches at this time, but that have been promised to be at the PPV include Rhino, Nova, Balls Mahoney, Dawn Marie, Simon Diamond and Swinger. I'm guessing that Rhino and Spike will go at it one more time, and perhaps Spike will finally be rewarded for all the hell he's been through in ECW over the years. Lord knows he certainly deserved it.

Plus, we have the big surprise that Paul Heyman promises will change the face of ECW. Everyone and their mother is speculating it will be either the announcement of a TV deal, or that ECW has been sold to investors who will greatly help out the company financially. All I can say is that if it is NOT either of these two surprises, particularly the first one, a lot of fans are going to be disappointed. However, given the nature of ECW's big surprises of the past, I'm not getting my hopes up. For some reason, however, I think this time might be different given the wording of the announcement:

"an absolutely, positively, 'Holy S--t' surprise guaranteed to change the face of ECW"

That's not exactly a small statement to make. One things for sure, if the announcement is indeed that of a TV deal, it will make the PPV alone, and ECW fans around the country will be chanting 'ECW! ECW! ECW!' in the comforts of their own homes right alongside the people in the arena.

All in all, this looks like a hot PPV, with several matches that could be early match of the year candidates if done right. Look for a full review of the PPV from me next Monday.

Please send any questions or comments to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

Lots to talk about on this snowy Wisconsin day. I'd like to discuss my thoughts on the return of the Dudley's, New Jack's supposed retirement, and my favorite memories as an ECW fan throughout the last 3 ½ years.

The Dudley's Come Home

I was not there at the Madhouse for the triumphant return of the Dudley's to ECW, but just from reading the results online, I could tell it was an emotional night. What I wouldn't have given to see Buh-Buh go all the way up to the balcony to chew out that kid that was holding the anti-Buh-Buh sign, or to see Joel Gertner introduce the Dudley's one last time. It must have been priceless. Who knows if the Dudley's will ever return to ECW. They are young, and if ECW can finally secure a new TV deal and generate a decent amount of revenue, anything's possible. However, for one night it was nice to see that the Dudley's did not forget their past. They did not forget what brought them to the dance. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Dudley's to giving ECW the shot in the arm that it needed and for helping out ECW in this time of turmoil.

New Jack retires?

I figured something was up when I did not read New Jack's name on the results of the Queens show. Supposedly New Jack has retired from professional wrestling. Will he be retired forever? Something tells me no. I feel he just needs some time off to heal and time off from the business in general. I wouldn't be surprised to see New Jack back in action once ECW secures a new TV deal. However, if it is true that he is retired forever, I would like to thank New Jack for his dedication to ECW throughout the years. Even though he had offers from both the WWF and WCW, he always remained loyal to ECW. Very few can say that. His act may have gotten a little stale in the last few years, but there is one thing you can't deny. New Jack was one of the most over people in the lockerroom. Few could get the crowd going better than New Jack. Another reason his loss is a blow to ECW is because he is one of the last links to ECW's past. 'The glory years' as some people call it. The only other workers left that provide that link are Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman. So best of luck to New Jack in the future, and if we never get to see you in an ECW ring again, thanks for the memories.

Memories of an ECW Fan

Speaking of memories, after reading the results of the Queens show, and how emotional it was, I got to thinking of my favorite memories of being an ECW fan throughout the last 3 1/2 years. So now, I'd like to share with you some of these memories.

September 1997 - My first exposure to ECW

As I've documented in the past, I had been following ECW via the Internet, and before that various wrestling magazines, up until this point. Then one day my friend got a satellite dish. Finally I could see the promotion I had heard so much about. It was during the 'As Good As It Gets' period, and the first match I ever saw was New Jack and Kronus against the Dudley's for the tag team titles, which featured New Jack jumping off the top of the entrance of the ECW Arena. Needless to say I was hooked from that point on.

November 1997 - My first ECW PPV

The first ECW PPV I ever saw was N2R '97. The show was criticized quite a bit by a lot of people, but I thought it was the greatest PPV I had ever seen in my life up until that point.

January 1998 - Indianapolis - my first live ECW show

I documented this entire experience in a prior column, so if you haven't read it already, please feel free to check it out the 11/13 edition of "Brew Town Rumblings". That show is still the best wrestling event I have ever been a part of live over the last 15 years of going to shows from various US promotions.

January 1999 - GAC - my trip to Florida to see ECW

It had been a full year since I had last seen ECW live. My friends and I decided to make the trip from Wisconsin to Florida since it didn't seem like ECW would be returning to the Midwest anytime soon. Plus, my one friend is a Florida fanatic, so he welcomed any opportunity to visit the 'sunshine state'. It was the first ECW PPV I had ever attended live and it was a great show.

June 1999 - Chicago Invasion

Despite having to work the next morning at 7AM, I make the three hour trip from Madison, WI to Chicago with a few friends to witness ECW's debut in the 'windy city'. It was the first time I had ever been a part of a Buh-Buh Ray Dudley enticed near-riot and it is something I will never forget.

February 2000 - ECW debuts in Milwaukee

Since my friends and I first started following ECW, we always wished they'd come to Milwaukee and said that if they did, the perfect place to come would be the Eagles Ballroom. That's exactly what happened on that cold February Night. It was somewhat of an honor to see ECW finally come to my hometown and it was a great night for me as a wrestling fan.

April 2000 - The trip to the ECW Promise Land

I finally obtained the 'Holy Grail' of any ECW fan. I finally decided to make the trip to the ECW Arena with a friend for Cyberslam 2000. Just walking into that 'arena' was awe-inspiring. It may be a dump, but after all, it was the ECW Arena. All of the history of ECW was contained right there in that tiny bingo hall. I had the time of my life and it is something I will never forget.

May 2000 - ECW PPV comes to Milwaukee

Once again it was somewhat of an honor for ECW to choose Milwaukee as the site of a PPV, this one being Hardcore Heaven, only a month after the debut house show. It was a great PPV and featured the first New Jack balcony dive that I had ever seen live. It also featured Lance Storm's last appearance in ECW.

November 2000 - The king claims his throne

I made the trip again to Chicago for this year's November 2 Remember PPV. It was a great show and it was an honor to see Steve Corino win the World Title live in person. It was an emotional victory and to see his mom come out to surprise him was really special.

I hope all of you have many good memories of ECW throughout the years, no matter when you first became a fan. Here's to many more ECW memories in the New Year and for many years to come.

That's all for this week. I'd like to wish you all a happy holiday season. Please send any feedback to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

There's really not a whole lot going on in the world of ECW right now, so this is going to be a short column. This week, I'd like to talk about the Dudley's big return to ECW tomorrow night at the Madhouse in Queens, New York, and how you can make a difference in helping ECW to get a deal with USA.

The Dudley's come home

I don't think there's one ECW fan that's not excited about the return of Devon and Buh-Buh Ray to ECW, even if it's only for one night. Since becoming big time players and main event stars in the WWF over the last year, their stock and recognition has risen among wrestling fans in general. This will result in a huge shot in the arm for ECW. ECW has announced the Dudley's role at the Madhouse, as they will team with Tommy Dreamer against Simon Diamond, Swinger and Dawn Marie in a six-person tag team match. This pairing brings up a lot of interesting scenarios. Remember way back in August of 1999 when the Dudley's wrestled their last match for ECW? Buh-Buh got on the mic and explained that before they went to the WWF, there was one more thing they had to take care of. Who did they call out? None other than Tommy Dreamer, the man they will be teaming with on Friday night. On that night in Queens last year, it was Tommy Dreamer who was victorious over the Dudley's with a little help from Raven. Will the Dudley's use Friday nights pairing with Dreamer to extract a little revenge during or after the match? Then there's the factor of Dawn Marie. I'm not quite sure why she's in this match, as she doesn't really belong here, except as the valet for Simon and Swinger. However, with her as a participant, you can bet that the Dudley's will have one thing on their mind. Every ECW fan remembers what the Dudley's did to Beulah. They brought her up and snapped her neck with the 3D, leaving her momentarily paralyzed, which drove her out of wrestling. I would say that a repeat of those events are not out of the question. At the very least, you can bet that Buh-Buh will be hell bent on putting someone through a table, whether it's Dawn Marie, Simon, Swinger, or Tommy Dreamer. Regardless of what happens, I feel that the pop the Dudley's will get will be off the charts, rivaling the return of Raven and the Sandman last year. I wish I could be there live, but seeing as how I live in Wisconsin, it's just not possible. I hope everyone who has a ticket has a great time. I'm sure it'll be something you'll never forget as an ECW fan.

Send those letters!

Everyone knows about the recent involvement between ECW and Farmclub.com on the USA network. As you probably read about on the newsboard on this site, there is a way that you can make a difference in helping ECW to get a network deal with USA. If you haven't already, please send feedback to the following addresses and let them know that you appreciate seeing ECW on USA.

Contact USA Network

Contact Farmclub.com

Feedback to Farmclub.com

I'll be back next week, when hopefully there will be a bit more news to report. Until then, please send any feedback to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

Massacre On 34th St

Amidst all of the foul cries of extinction that the majority of sheet writers have put upon the head of ECW, ECW comes out fighting and delivers one of the best PPV's of the year. It was just a step below N2R in my opinion, but that may be because I was there live for that one. Nonetheless, Massacre on 34th St. is now history, so let's take a look at what happened.

Joey Matthews/Christian York vs. Simon Diamond

This was your standard match between these two teams, and a very good one at that. Basically, it was both teams showing what they can do. It's great to see that Dawn Marie finally has an angle to work with. Her presence added a certain flavor to the match, and the pre-match stipulation she laid down gave the fans a reason to care about the match. Also, Gertner going to ringside to help Simon/Swinger to the back was a nice segue for Cyrus taking his position in the broadcast booth.

EZ Money vs. Balls Mahoney

I enjoyed this match a lot more than I had first anticipated I would. EZ can go, and Balls really is a lot more talented that a lot of people give him credit for, as he can work a variety of different styles. He's proved it with RVD in the past, and he proved it with EZ Money at the PPV.

Nova vs. Julio Dinero

This match was pretty good, although I would have rather seen Nova take on EZ Money one on one in place of the two matches in this segment. Balls should have been used in the dark match with New Jack to take on Da Baldies. I'm glad to see Nova finally getting a singles push. Nova has been in ECW a long time and has paid his dues, so I think it's finally time to elevate him to that next level. I'm hoping Paul Heyman puts him in a meaningful feud that will make the fans care about Nova. It was reported that Nova suffered an eardrum injury and couldn't hear out of one of his ears after the match. Best wishes and a speedy recovery to Nova.

Danny Doring/Roadkill vs. the FBI

This was one of the best matches of the night. This was the best match I've seen between these two teams to date. The only regret I have is that Tony Mamaluke's sick bump from the apron over the guardrail and into the crowd was seen from such a faraway angle, and a replay wasn't even shown. It's great to see Doring and Roadkill being rewarded for all of their years of hard work in ECW and I look forward to their title reign. The FBI deserves a lot of credit themselves for having stellar matches with a variety of tag teams in the last several months. I don't see the FBI being pushed out of the tag team title picture just yet, so I would expect to see several rematches down the road.

CW Anderson vs. Tommy Dreamer

I knew it was only a matter of time until the "towel boy" was interjected in a match. At times, he gets bigger pops than some of the wrestlers! This was my favorite match of the night. It was just a brutal old school style match. People are so caught up in the fact that Tommy Dreamer has sustained multiple severe injuries over the years that they fail to realize that he can still go. This match proved just that. Both were really on their game and I feel this was CW's best outing to date. This was also Dreamer's best match since facing Lance Storm at Hardcore Heaven 99. Much like that match, Dreamer took a lot of sick bumps, climaxing in the brutal spinebuster through an upside down table that looked like it broke his back in half. Tommy Dreamer is content on being a star maker these days, and in my humble opinion, CW Anderson just made his first real step into becoming a star in ECW.

Rhino vs. Spike Dudley

There was really only one aspect of this match that disappointed me, and that was the finish. It just didn't make sense to me. Spike had just taped Rhino's leg to the rope, and was whaling on it with a chair when Rhino just grabbed him, put him in the choke and it was over. It was quite an anti-climactic finish that seemed to come out of nowhere. In a way, it does make sense because of Rhino's "monster" gimmick, but I just didn't like the way it was pulled off. Other than the finish, they both worked their asses off. It seems that Spike is back at 100% and he wasted no time in getting back into the swing of things as far as taking sick bumps.

Mikey Whipwreck/Tajiri vs. Super Crazy/Kid Kash

This was the second best match of the night for me. The match started out fast and furious, but seemed to stall about ¾ of the way through it. There seemed to be a lot of confusion after Mikey took out Kash, as well as himself, with a whippersnapper through the table on the outside. It seemed to slow the pace of the match down a little, which prevented it from being my favorite match of the night. Nonetheless, it was a great match and just what you'd expect from these four. I'm looking for Mikey and Tajiri to be back in the title hunt very soon, and don't be surprised if you see them wearing the gold in the next few months.

Steve Corino vs. Justin Credible vs. Jerry Lynn

Another great outing from these three. Despite the future of Jerry Lynn in ECW being in doubt, he still went out there and busted his ass. That's just the kind of guy Jerry Lynn is. However, a wrench was thrown into the rumor or Lynn's rumored possible departure, with the alliance being made between him and Cyrus. Could this just be something to throw the smart marks off? Time will tell the answer to that one. Corino is certainly proving himself as ECW world champion, as he took some brutal bumps last night, including the fall from the balcony. My only gripe here is that Steve Corino still has yet to pin Jerry Lynn. Corino pinning Lynn would have "legitimized" his title win from N2R. I loved the Sandman hitting the ring and "stealing" Corino's world title belt. The crowd was chanting his name throughout the match, and they got what they wanted. Sandman is by far the most over guy in the ECW lockeroom, and it's great to see he is finally going to be pushed into a major angle instead of being delegated to the 'New Jack duty" of run-ins.

Once again, without the services of RVD, ECW puts on a stellar PPV. That just shows me even more so that ECW does not need RVD survive. Maybe it came off better live, but the crowd didn't seem as into the action as the last Hammerstien shows. Regardless they were still very vocal. If ECW can keep up with the pace of putting on monthly PPV's next year by putting on shows as good as this one, they only thing they will have to worry about is getting that all important TV deal.

Steve Corino - Let Him Be A Heel

When Steve Corino first came to ECW about two years ago, most people labeled him as little more than a Stevie Richards knockoff. Since that time Corino has built a reputation for being a hard worker in the ring and for continually improving himself in that area. What remains perhaps the strongest part of his game, however, is what he can do on the mic. In a company that has never been known for their talkers, Steve Corino's skills on the mic are what initially got him over in ECW. As of late, Corino has not really been given the opportunity to work the crowd on the mic. To me that is a big mistake. His backstage promos, particularly at the PPV last night, have been priceless. However, if Heyman really wants to get Corino over with the fans as world champion, he needs to be let loose on the mic in front of a live crowd. Corino will not get over as a face. That has been proven. It's just not his game. Let Steve Corino be the crass heel he was born to be. Who else would blame Dusty Rhodes for cutting the brake line on Magnum T.A.'s car? It looks like Corino may be well on his way back to full-blown heel status with a feud with the Sandman on the horizon. It's what needs to be done for the sake of his ECW World Title reign.

That's all for this week! Please send any feedback to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. I spent most of it out of town in the, er, wonderful town of Oshkosh, WI. Lots to talk about his week with the impending return of the Dudleys, the upcoming PPV, Scott Hall's questionable future in ECW, and a special look at Kid Kash. Enjoy!

The Dudleys

A lot of the excitement over the past few days has stemmed from the announcement that the Dudleys will return to ECW for one night only on December 21. The venue is yet to be determined, but smart money says that it will be the place they made famous, the Elks Lodge in Queens. Which begs the question, which version of the Dudley's will we get? Will we get the tie-dyed wearing, foul mouthed shootin Dudleys of old, or will we get the sports entertainment based 'WAZUUUUUUP' Dudley's? Maybe it's because I'm a little nostalgic. Maybe it's because I'm still a little peeved that the Dudleys left ECW in the first place, but what I'd like to see is for Lou E. to put away his cell phone, bust out the tie-die suit, and get a fresh can of paint for those signs for one night only. I'd also like to see is for Joel Gertner to come to the ring to introduce the Dudley's one last time. What the hell, why not call up ole Big Dick for one night only? Whatever happens, I can pretty much gaurantee that the Dudleys will help to make this a special night. After all, this isn't the Seagate Convention Center in Toledo, OH. This is the Madhouse of the Extreme, and I can't help think that the NY fans will accept nothing less that Bubba attempting to incite a riot. Unfortunately, I do not live anywhere close to NY, so I will not be attending the show, but I can only imagine what a night it's going to be.

PPV Questions

CW's next PPV offering, Massacre on 34th St. is less than a week away, and like so many previous PPV's, only one match has been announced as of my writing this. The only featured match announced so far will be the FBI defending the World Tag Team Titles against Danny Doring and Roadkill, as was announced on Hardcore TV. I think it's finally time for the former 'Muffin Ass' and 'Angry Amish Chicken Plucker' to get their chance to run with the ball. They have paid more than their share of dues over the years, have been stuck in nowhere feuds, and yet have still retained their heat, maybe even gained some, with the fans. My prediction is that we will have new champions at the end of the night. I would make more predictions, but no more matches have been announced. The only thing I will say however is that Steve Corino will retain the ECW World Title whomever he faces. I think that this will be the match that makes him or breaks him as champion. The match that will either put his title reign over with the fans, or put his reign into the land of mediocre credibility, much like Justin Credible's reign was looked at by most fans. Even though there is only one announced match, I feel there will be one thing that will make this PPV. The NY fans. If the NY fans are anything like they were during ECW's two night stay at the Hammerstein a few months ago, it will help take the performances of the wrestlers, and thus the ambiance of the PPV as a whole, to the next level.

Will Da Bad Guy Return?

Another unanswered question is regarding the status of Scott Hall in ECW. Nobody seems to know whether or not he will be at the PPV this Sunday. If by chance he is not at the PPV, and never returns to ECW again, I can't help but feel it was somewhat pointless to bring him into ECW in the first place. Granted, Scott Hall was brought in on his own request for next to nothing, but what was the point of him being in the main event both nights if their not even going to show a lick of it on TV? There are a lot of fans, including myself, that upon hearing of Halls debut in ECW, greatly anticipated seeing the next weeks Hardcore TV show. We wanted to see 'da bad guy' in action in an ECW ring, but we didn't get it. I suppose the only redemption ECW gains out of this whole situation, should Hall never return, is the fact that they can say Scott Hall once wrestled in ECW. Is that really good enough though?

$$$$

People always talk about how unselfish Tommy Dreamer has been over the years in ECW, and there is no denying that. However, there's one guy who has shown that same kind of professionalism and unselfishness since entering ECW, yet doesn't get the credit he deserves. That guy is Kid Kash. Since deciding to stick with ECW and signing a long term deal at a time when a lot of guys were looking elsewhere, Kid Kash only asked for one thing. A chance to wrestle in ECW. I mean he even wrestled the same night and weekend that he found out his mother died. I think that speaks volumes about the dedication Kid Kash has to ECW. This dedication has gotten him volumes of respect with the fans. He doesn't go out and pose in the ring for twenty minutes. He doesn't have any kind of a catch phrase. In fact, he rarely even talks. All he does is goes out there and wrestles, and he is over with the fans because of that. He's not over because of a pretty face at ringside. He's over because the fans respect what he can do in the ring. That is a rarity in this day and age, even in ECW sometimes. His Kid Rock gimmick may have worn thin, but it doesn't really matter. Kid Kash was never about the gimmick anyway. He, along with the fans, has proven that.

A Celebration

This has nothing to do with ECW, so please bear with me. If you are a fan of The Doors, Stone Temple Pilots (my favorite band), The Cult, Days of the New or Creed, there is one show you cannot miss. Last night I watched 'The Doors: A Celebration' episode of VH1 Storytellers. It is the first time that all three surviving members of The Doors have performed together live since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies almost a decade ago. The bases of the show is the three surviving of the Doors playing Doors classics while a member of a band that has been influenced by The Doors sings vocals in place of the late Jim Morrison. It is quite a fascinating show with some amazing performances. Notably Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots singing 'Break On Through' and 'Five To One'. To see members of my all time favorite band (The Doors) and my second all time favorite band (STP) together on stage at the same time was a true mark out moment for me. The show also features Scott Stapp of Creed, Travis Meeks of Days of the New, and Ian Astbury of The Cult, all on vocals. If you are a fan of any of these bands, and even if you aren't, it is well worth your time to check the show out. It will be replaying on VH1 all this week.

That's all for this week. I'll be back next Monday with my review of the PPV. Please send any comments or questions to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

Hey everyone. It's been quite an interesting week as far as rumors are concerned. Will some sites ever learn? Apparently not.

The Future of RVD?

Unless you've been living in a cave the last week, you know all about the bogus rumors of RVD leaving ECW. Both Paul Heyman and RVD have shot down those rumors of RVD quitting as Heyman said in his statement "As of this moment, he has not". Even if RVD were to quite ECW sometime in the future, it would not cripple ECW. I'll be the first to admit that Rob Van Dam is probably the most over wrestler in the ECW lockeroom. A lot of people criticize him for only being a 'spot' wrestler, or for having no ring psychology. Make no mistake about it though, RVD is world class athlete. Would RVD's quitting of ECW hurt the company? Yes. Would it kill the company? Absolutely not. RVD is only one a part of ECW, and despite what his gimmick claims, just one part of the show. ECW was built on the moniker that you come to see ECW as an entity, not one particular guy. Sure, you may have your favorites, but when it comes down to it, you come to see the company perform as a whole.

I really don't see how people can claim ECW can't survive without RVD. Look at November to Remember 2000. Many people praised it as being one of ECW best PPV's to date. Some say THE best. Was RVD anywhere on the card that night? Nope. Was his name mentioned once that night? Nope. That shows to me that ECW can survive and thrive without RVD based on it's in ring product and the collective efforts of its lockeroom.

Should they have or shouldn't they have?

There was a bit controversy stemming from the promo that was aired on last week's edition of Hardcore TV which contained footage of the aftermath of the Sinister Minister's accident from N2R. A lot of people said that it shouldn't have been aired and that it was over the line for ECW to do so. I tend to disagree with that. In the Sinister Minister's latest commentary, he explained that the last thing he said to anyone before he was taken into the ambulance was that he wanted his promo aired no matter what. I think that is the key as to whether ECW was right or wrong in airing the promo. Had ECW aired it without the Sinister Minister's approval, they would have definitely been wrong in doing to. Despite all of the negative feedback from the airing of the promo, you can't tell me that not one person was glued to their TV set while that promo aired. It was fascinating television, even if it was a little eerie. It's akin to watching the aftermath of a car wreck as you drive by the scene on the freeway. You can't help but watch. I think that's the kind of reaction ECW was going for, and it seems they certainly got it.

Sorry for the somewhat shorter than usual column this week. I have a lot to do with Thanksgiving coming up. Speaking of which, I would like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all you readers who celebrate the holiday. One more thing, if you haven't already, please go check out the new ECWNews.com message board and help us get it up and running. Until next time….

Please send any questions or comments to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

Greetings from Brewtown! Lots to talk about in the wonderful world of ECW this week. I'm feeling a little reflective this week, there's a new gunslinger in town, and the king is very much alive. However, before I get into things, I would like to congratulate everyone who worked on the site redesign here at ECWNews.com. I hope all of you readers and ECW fans are enjoying the new look. I didn't have a direct involvement with the redesign, but those who did, did a fabulous job. Onto the happenings…….

Indianapolis Invasion

Attending the November 2 Remember PPV a little over the week ago got me a little nostalgic. It made me think back to the first time I ever attended a live ECW event. I remember it like it was yesterday. I first saw the ECW television product back in August of 1997, with the help of my friend's satellite dish, during the 'As Good As It Gets' period. Needless to say, I was hooked instantly. At that time the Midwest was still pretty much a virgin to the action of ECW. Upon searching the internet one day, I found out that ECW was going to be making its debut in Indianapolis. I brought this up to my friend, and since it was going to be during college semester break, we decided to make the 5+ hour drive down there. My life as a wrestling fan has never been the same since.

ECW Indianapolis Invasion
Tyndall Armory
Indianapolis, IN
January 4, 1998
 

The Tyndall Armory is a small, and I do mean small, venue in the middle of downtown Indianapolis. Picture the gym from where you went to high school. That's pretty much the Tyndall Armory. It was a packed, sold out crowd that night and my friend and I were lucky enough to have third row seats for the show. From the first notes of 'This is Extreme", the ECW theme song, the crowd was hot. The first match up was Justin Credible, still in his first 6 months with the company, against Mikey Whipwreck. They had one hell of a match and tore the house down. To this day it is still one of the best opening matches I have ever seen. A number of great undercard matches followed, featuring the ECW lockerroom of the time.

Then came a match that I will forever remember as being the best ECW match I have ever seen live. It wasn't a wrestling classic, it was pure chaos. It was a match pitting The Dudley's vs. New Jack and Kronus. The atmosphere for this match was just off the charts. They brawled to all corners of the venue and up in the balcony. At one point in the match a table was set up outside the ring and Devon Dudley was put onto it by Kronus. New Jack went up to the balcony area and, you guessed it, he dove off. The crowd was totally bonkers at this point. The pop that dive got was the loudest I had ever heard as part of a live audience up to that point in my 15 years of watching wrestling and going to shows. I read an interview last year in which New Jack said that the Indianapolis spot was the most insane balcony jump he had ever done at that point.

After that, I thought that there was no way ECW was going to top what had happened so far that night. Then came the main event. Sabu vs. The Sandman in a tables and ladders match. Sabu made his way to the ring first to a big pop. Next came The Sandman. The crowd was on their feet from the first notes of "Enter Sandman". Suddenly, Sandman appeared up in the balcony, beer in hand, Singapore cane raised high with the other, and cigarette in mouth. After soaking in the adulation of the crowd, he made his way to the floor area towards where we were sitting. He stood up on the chair directly in back of me, chugged his beer, and spit it all over everyone around, including myself. Do you think I cared? Hell no! This is EC-F'N-W!!!! Finally he made his way to ringside. The bell rang and what followed were a series of insane and brutal spots, much like their N2R '97 match, only the match flowed a lot better. Sabu ended up winning the match, but that couldn't kill the crowd. Sandman ended up celebrating in the ring long afterward by climbing up a ladder in the center of the ring, and taking it all in while the crowd sang along to "Enter Sandman".

I left not quite knowing what I had just seen. All I knew is that it was the best damn wrestling show I had ever seen in my life. I was amazed that the ECW wrestlers would practically kill themselves at a house show just to entertain their fans. A HOUSE SHOW! In the 15 years that I have been going to live shows from the WWF, WCW, the old NWA, AWA, ECW, and various indy promotions, that Indianapolis show still ranks as the best live show I have ever seen. The moral of this story? If you haven't seen ECW live already, you don't know what you're missing. So many people have said that you have not really seen ECW until you have experienced it live. That's not a gimmick, it's a fact.

Hey Yo!

As everyone knows by now, Scott Hall made his debut for ECW over the weekend. In a move that somewhat surprised me, Hall was put over Justin Credible in the main event of the TV tapings on Saturday night, but not before jobbing to Big Sal in the opening match. This shows me that Hall is not afraid to pay his dues and prove himself to ECW fans as well as the boys in the back. Hall could have came in, demanded the ECW World Title, demanded not to job, and would have probably been shown the door. This did not happen though. That is a very good thing. A clean and sober Scott Hall can be nothing but a boost for ECW. It will improve their image amongst wrestling fans in general, and perhaps more importantly at this point, any interested cable companies. Anyone who thinks the presence of Scott Hall in ECW won't help them to get a TV deal is only kidding themselves. I'm no cable executive, but I would pretty much bet the bank that one of the things the executives look at is the talent. Granted, most cable executives may not know a wristlock from a wristwatch, but anyone can tell them that Scott Hall has been a major player in the wrestling industry for the better part of the last five years. He may not guarantee ECW a cable contract, but it certainly can't hurt their chances. It's do or die for ECW at this point, and they made a huge step in the right direction by bringing Scott Hall into the company.

The King Retains His Throne

Congratulations to Steve Corino for retaining his ECW World Title in not two, but three title defenses in two days. His first successful title defense came at the expense of CW Anderson at a house show in Schnectady, NY on Friday night. Then on Saturday night in Poughkeepsie, NY, he wrestled Jerry Lynn to a no-contest thanks to Justin Credible. His night wasn't done yet though. After the match he got on the mic and challenged anyone in the back, which led to another successful title defense in the same night against The Sandman. If anything, Steve Corino has already proven he will be a fighting champion, taking on all comers. Corino is out to prove the doubters wrong, and prove to Paul Heyman that he made the right choice in giving him a chance to run with the ball. Corino's looking for a touchdown and I'm not going to be the one to bet against him.

That's all for now. Please send any questions or comments to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com. Until next week…….

First off, I would like to say that my thoughts are with the Sinister Minister and I wish him a speedy recovery. I met him at Cyberslam '00 and he seemed like a stand up guy. Best wishes to the Sinister Minister.

Prologue

Based on internet reaction, I may be in the minority, but I thought that November 2 Remember was one of ECW's all time best PPV's. Maybe that had something to do with the fact that I was there live. Quite frankly, when I woke up this morning and went on the net, I was surprised to see such a mixed reaction to the show. As is the case with most wrestling events, the way it came off on TV didn't do the show justice. On to my live thoughts. I'll just provide a recap for the events that happened before the PPV went live on air and then my thoughts on the actual PPV matches.

When my friends and I were waiting outside in line to get in, we saw a handful of police cars and ambulances scream into the parking lot. We wouldn't find out what it was all about until we got inside.

We got inside and took our general admission seats to the right of the entrance way. Some dipshits were walking around with signs that said ECW was dead, and how N2R would be the demise of ECW. I didn't quite understand that. Must have been fans of some California based promotion. The crowd gave them hell for that. Anyway, soon enough the show was off!

The ECW theme blasted through the arena and Tommy Dreamer made his way to the ring to a huge pop. He took the mic and asked everyone to say a prayer for the Sinister Minister. He explained that they were doing something in the back and that the Sinister Minister blew two fingers off. Dreamer said it was a shoot and that the boys were dedicating N2R to the Sinister Minister. Crowd popped for that. Dreamer went on to say that ECW drew more fans for N2R than WCW has sold tickets for Nitro in Chicago the following night. Crowd ate that up. Just after Dreamer made his announcements, Simon Diamond and CW Anderson made their way to the ring. Diamond ragged on Dreamer and was sucker punched by CW Anderson. Christian York and Joey Matthews made the save. Dreamer took the mic again and said that if either CW or Simon showed their faces again he would kick their ass all over the streets of Chicago!

Jasmin St. Claire made her way to the ring and plugged her photos on ECWWrestling.com. She was interrupted by Prodigette, who barraged Jasmin with insults about her getting a job in ECW by sleeping her way in. Then it got physical with Jasmin hitting a stunner on Prodigette. This brought down Bilvis Wesley and Prodigy. The Blue Boy made the save and we had a one on one contest between The Blue Boy and Bilvis. Lots of action in this one that saw Blue Boy hit a great moonsault for the win. Ten minutes later we went live on PPV!

PPV Intro

I enjoyed the whole opening segment as it was nice to see someone other than Cyrus interrupt Styles and Gertner. Good to see Tommy Dreamer as well, even if it was a brief appearance. I mean, it couldn't be a Novemeber 2 Remember without Tommy!

York/Matthews vs. Diamond/Swinger

Great, fast paced opening matchup. I really like both of these teams. The innovative double team maneuvers are something that I think was greatly missing in tag team wrestling for a number of years, and it's great to see them coming back. I think the right team went over here too. I like York and Matthews as a team, as they are impressive, but they need some type of actual gimmick. They're just too plain for my tastes. They're always just kind of there, and we're never given any real reason to care about them. Hopefully that will come with time. Live crowd wasn't into this match too much, but I enjoyed it a lot.

Kid Kash vs. CW Anderson

ECW always does transitions in between matches, like they did here, really well. There were a few blown spots in this match, but it didn't take away from Kid Kash's amazing high flying maneuvers. I loved the jump off the ref to the rope to the outside. Crowd loved that one too. Just when I think Kid Kash can't amaze anymore than he already has, he goes and hits these kamikaze maneuvers that just blow you away. That's to take nothing away from CW. I have been really liking him more each time I see him wrestle. The delayed vertical suplex off the ropes was awesome. Great match and I was glad to see Kash get the win here.

Julio Dinero/Chris Hamrick/EZ Money (w/ Elektra) vs. Doring/Roadkill/Spike

I honestly wasn't expecting Spike to make his return to action in this, as I thought it would have been Super Crazy, but it was great to see Spike back finally back in action. The fans were super into both Spike and Roadkill. That slide that Hamerick did through the ropes at the beginning of the match was just nasty. I'm surprised he didn't break his tailbone on that one. Even though the finish was somewhat blown, it was a really good match.

Chetti vs. Nova

This was one of my favorite matches of the night. I was quite surprised to hear them add the "Loser Leaves ECW" stip, as I knew nothing about Chetti signing with the WWF at the time. This match was everything I expected it to be. Just an all out great match. The double blade job was a nice touch too. I'm really hoping this will be looked at as Nova's breakthrough match. The part of the match where Nova just went nuts was great, and I hope it's something that he adds to his gimmick. I loved the match. The finish off the top was wicked.

Flaming Tables

Da Baldies vs. Balls Mahoney/Chilly Willy

I think I was one of the only people on the net that predicted it was Balls' night to put someone ELSE through a flaming table, and to be perfectly honest I was somewhat surprised I was actually right. This match was total chaos. The brawling in the crowd came right in front of where we were sitting on the entrance way, so naturally I had to run down in get right up there with the crowd that was following them around. One thing the PPV crowd didn't see was DeVito doing a moonsault from the entranceway onto Balls. I was glad to see Balls finally get his dupe. The flaming table always looks very cool in person.

ECW TV Title

Match Rhino vs. New Jack

This was perhaps the only match that somewhat disappointed me. I knew it would be your typical New Jack brawl, but I was hoping for a little more. I didn't like the fact that New Jack had 99% of the offence and all of a sudden Rhino hits the spear through the table and it's over. Although, I suppose it make him look invincible in a sense. Crowd was not happy at the finish as they were solidly behind New Jack. Not a bad match by any means, but it was just kind of there.

ECW Tag Team Title Match

FBI vs. Tajiri/Whipwreck

I absolutely loved this match and the angle that brought out Super Crazy. Before Mikey got "hurt", it was a great match that was world's better than their Anarchy Rulz match. Not quite as good as Hammerstein, but still great. I loved the innovative double team moves that Mikey and Tajiri came up with, as they are masters of that. It really seemed that the crowd believed that Mikey was legitimately hurt until Tajiri starting to take on the FBI on his own. At that point, the crowd caught on to what was going on. Monsterous pop for Crazy as he made his way out. Crazy is just plain amazing and it is great to see him back. I noticed when I watched the tape of the show that the PPV audience got a really crappy shot of Crazy's moonsault off the balcony. I had a clear view of it, and let me tell you, that was one of the most amazing moves I have ever seen. To say it was insane to do a moonsault from that high up would be an understatement. Unbelievable match. At first I was upset that Crazy and Tajiri didn't get the belts. Then the more I thought about it, I felt ECW made the right move in keeping the belts on the FBI for now. It'll make a rematch between the two teams that more special.

"Double Jeopardy" ECW World Title Match

Steve Corino vs. Sandman and Justin Credible vs. Jerry Lynn

Anyone who knows me knows that I am the ultimate Steve Corino mark. It's no secret. That said, this match made the PPV for me. I'm sure some of the veteran ECW fans have seen better, but for me, it was one of the greatest ECW World Title matches I have ever seen. I honestly did not think going in that Corino would walk out with the gold. Luckily, I was proven wrong. You couldn't see it on the PPV, but the Sandman made his entrance through a curtain that was on the right side of the ramp, right next to where I was sitting. The people mobbed him as he made his way around through half of the arena before getting in the ring. This match had everything. Great hardcore action, thanks to the Sandman. Great wrestling between the other three guys, and great drama towards the finish. I thought it was totally disrespectful from the crowd when they chanted "bullshit" after Sandman and Lynn were eliminated. Even so, by the end of the match, Corino and Credible had the crowd in the palm of their hands. I especially liked the series of chops that Corino and Credible exchanged, as it reminded me of a piece of action right out of a Ric Flair/Ricky Steamboat match. Dawn Marie's turn didn't make much sense to me, but I still thought the finish was well done and brought the match to a climax. After the PPV went off the air, Corino's mom ran down the ramp and hugged him. Corino was totally surprised. He got on the mic and said his mom flew all the way to Chicago from North Carolina to surprise him. He thanked his mom and dedicated the title win to his mom, his girlfriend, and especially his son Colby, who I believe was somewhere in the crowd. He said he did it for his son. Corino was very emotional. Even Paul Heyman stood at the top of the ramp to show his support for Corino. I feel bad for Jerry Lynn because he was given such a short title reign. However, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ecstatic that Steve Corino is the new ECW World Champion. Long live the King!

Epilogue

In many ways, November 2 Remember reminded me of what it was like to be a wrestling fan when I was a kid. I think that the internet, and "knowing what is going to happen", makes us immune to getting truly excited about a wrestling product. That was not the case for me last night. I don't know what it was, but sitting in that live crowd, watching the PPV, gave me that same feeling I had 14 years ago when my dad took to see my first ever live wrestling event at the ago of 10. I get a lot of crap from people for being a wrestling fan, but tonight I was truly proud to call myself a fan, and that's a shoot.

I hope you all enjoyed November 2 Remember as much as I did. Please send me any feedback, or your thoughts on the show, to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com. Until next week

Greetings to all! ECW has broken their norm and announced the full line up for the 8th annual November 2 Remember. The PPV is a little over a week away, and since I will be there live I thought that I would give my analysis.

November 2 Remember 2000
11-5-00
The Odeum
Villa Park, IL
 

"Double Jeopardy" - ECW World Heavyweight Title

Jerry Lynn vs. Steve Corino vs. Justin Credible vs. The Sandman

This match consists of two separate singles matches taking place in the ring at the same time. The two winners of those matches will then face off for the title in a third match. Who will face each other in the singles matches is still up in the air as of me writing this. My prediction is that it will be Corino vs. Lynn and Sandman vs. Credible with the final match being a rematch of the last PPV. The last time there was a "Double Jeopardy" match for the world title, The Sandman defeated Stevie Richards to win Raven's World Title. I don't think Sandman will be quite so lucky this time. Hopefully the action won't be too hard to follow with two separate matches going on at the same time. Nevertheless, I expect this to be a great main event with nonstop action. Whatever happens I see Lynn retaining the title, making him a stronger champion in the eyes of ECW fans.

My prediction: Jerry Lynn

ECW World Television Championship

Rhino vs. New Jack

New Jack gets a title shot? How about that? To the best of my knowledge this is New Jack's first shot at the TV Title, with his only other singles title match being against Mike Awesome late last year. I think this will be a brutal, stiff match. New Jack basically squashed Just Credible at the Milwaukee TV tapings, so I see New Jack finally being paid off for all of his years of loyalty to ECW. I don't think it'll be a long reign, maybe a week or two, but with everything New Jack has been through in ECW, he certainly deserves it.

My Prediction: New Jack

ECW World Tag Team Championship

The FBI vs. Mikey Whipwreck & Yoshihiro Tajiri

To me, this feud has become the RVD vs. Jerry Lynn of tag team matches. I never get tired of seeing these two teams compete and I expect this one to be nothing short of a classic. Their match at Anarchy Rulz was somewhat disappointing compared to their amazing match at the Hammerstein Ballroom tapings, so I see these two teams taking it up a notch to try and recapture the magic of that glorious New York night. Unlike Anarchy Rulz however, I see Mikey and Tajiri recapturing the belts to extend this feud into another series of rematches, which gets no arguments from me.

My Prediction: Mikey and Tajiri

"Flaming Tables Match"

Da Baldies vs. Balls Mahoney & Chilly Willy

To tell you the truth I was quite surprised when this match was announced. This is the first time that ECW, or anyone else for that matter, has had a gimmick match of this nature on PPV, and it should be a hot one (no pun intended). There have been flaming tables on ECW PPV's in the past, but this is the first time that the flaming tables will be officially included as a match stipulation. My understanding is that the object of this match is for one team to put both members of the opposite team through a flaming table. Balls has gone through every singe flaming table that has been involved in his matches going back to his feud with the Dudleys. I see the norm being broken on this night. I feel this is the night where Balls finally gets to put someone ELSE through a flaming table.

My prediction: Balls and Chilly Willy

Super Crazy vs. C.W. Anderson

Like a lot of people, I was hoping for Psicosis to be the first opponent for the returning Super Crazy. Nonetheless, with C.W. Anderson in the fold, this should be a very good match. The high flyer vs. the mat technician. It'll be interesting to see how their styles gel. C.W. has matured quite a bit since the last encounter between these two, and I expect Super Crazy to make a big impression upon his return. With him returning on this night for the first time in several months, I see Super Crazy getting the win here.

My prediction: Super Crazy

Chris Chetti vs. Nova

This is the match that was supposed to take place at Anarchy Rulz, but was scrapped due to the birth of Chris Chetti Jr. This could be the sleeper match of the night, as I expect no less from these two. Chetti recently acquired the services of Lou E. Dangerouly, so I see this match going in Chetti's advantage. I predict a Chetti win with the help of Lou E. with Nova having to wait for his revenge in a future encounter.

My prediction: Chetti

Kid Kash, Dastardly Danny Doring & Roadkill vs. Simon Diamond, Julio Dinero & EZ Money

This is one match I'm really looking forward to. All six of these guys can go. I'm looking for the pacing of this match to be much like the 6-man at Heatwave, which was a great match. All I can say for this match is don't blink, because just might miss something. I see Kash, Doring and Roadkill getting the win here.

My prediction: Kash, Doring and Roadkill

People have accused the last few November 2 Remembers of not living up to their billing as the biggest ECW event of the year. For the first time in a number of years, I think this card has the potential to be not only the best November 2 Remember to date, but the best ECW PPV to date. What makes this PPV intriguing is that there are several fresh matches and stipulations thrown into the mix. Sure, we've seen Balls/Chilly Willy vs. Da Baldies before, but throw in a couple of flaming tables as a match stipulation, and you've got something unique. Will New Jack finally obtain his first singles title in ECW in what is sure to be a war with Rhino? It makes people want to watch and find out. Corino, Lynn and Credible have a been feuding for the World Title for a few months now, but throw in The Sandman and the "Double Jeopardy" stipulations, and you've got a match that will get people talking in anticipation. All of this, along with the other matches that will feature a young and hungry lockrroom just waiting to prove themselves, will lead to one hell of a PPV. Look for a report from yours truly the day after the PPV with my analysis and live perspective of the show. Please send and questions or comments to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com. Until then…..

There isn't a whole lot to report in the world of ECW. A lot of it is just waiting to see what happens next. As everybody knows, ECW is off TNN for good. What's next? Time will tell…..

The "demise" of ECW

That's all I've been hearing on the net since the announcement came down that ECW will no longer be airing on TNN. Did anyone stop and think that statement may be a little bit premature? I've said it before and I'll say it again. As long as there is breath left in the body of Paul Heyman, ECW will never die. As far as I'm concerned, ECW was in a far worse state in late-1998, early-1999. (Does anyone remember November 2 Remember '98?) At that time, a lot of ECW's former top stars were gone. Raven was long gone. Sandman, Bam Bam Bigelow and Shane Douglas had recently left. There were reports of ECW being in worse financial trouble than they are right now, and there were no signs of a national TV deal on the horizon for months.

That was then, this is now. ECW has a lot of factors working in their advantage as this point. They have the exposure that TNN gave them. It wasn't much, but it was exposure nonetheless. They have the possibility of a deal with USA or another network based on the exposure that TNN gave them. They have a slew of young talent that will keep the product fresh for a long time to come. Most importantly perhaps, they have Paul Heyman. Heyman will without a doubt fight tooth and nail to get a deal done that will benefit ECW. Not just any old deal, but the right deal. If it were any other man and any other promotion, they would have probably folded long ago. It's been said that Heyman is at his best when he's backed into a corner. This may be one of the biggest corners he's ever been backed into. I am completely confident that he will come out fighting and get a deal done that will benefit ECW in the long run.

SU-PER CRA-ZY

You may be hearing that very chant coming from the mouths of ECW fans in the very near future. According to the ECW website, an announcement will be made this weekend on Hardcore TV about the return of the extreme luchadore. The announcement couldn't have come at a better time for ECW. With Justin Credible out with a possible concussion, Tommy Dreamer sidelined indefinitely, and RVD off to film a movie, ECW is in dire need for a shakeup. Super Crazy may be just what the doctor ordered. The former ECW World TV Champion has been known to put on stellar matches with just about everybody he faces. I could easily see ****+ matches with the likes of Tajiri, Psicosis, Kid Kash, Mikey Whipwreck, Jerry Lynn, or RVD once he returns from his hiatus. Something else that Super Crazy could bring is certain stability to the ECW lockeroom. From what I understand he is very humble and well liked in the lockeroom, so he will without a doubt be a welcome addition upon his return. Perhaps the biggest impact of his return will be his chance to really break through as a superstar in ECW. Granted he had already headlined a PPV against Rhino where he won the TV Title, and was one of the most over wrestlers in the company before his departure, but with the aforementioned ECW superstars on the sidelines for the time being, this could really be Super Crazy's time to shine. Only time will tell if the extreme luchadore is able to take it to the next level. Some matches with ECW World Champ Jerry Lynn could do just the trick. One things for sure, Super Crazy's return will be a positive impact for ECW on all fronts.

That's all for this week. Please send any questions or comments to lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

ECW returned to the dumpy Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, WI for their latest TV taping last Saturday night. This was my first ECW show since their last stop here in June, and I thought that this show much better overall.

The official start time for the show was 7:00 PM, but true to ECW tradition, the show started late. My friends and I got to the show at about 6:15 to find a line stretching way back in front of the building. It was a balmy 40 degrees or so waiting outside and the crowd got restless. The people at the front of the line picked up the garbage cans and started passing them down the line until someone would drop it. This continued for a time being along with several chants of "E-C-W" and "Let us in", until New Jack appeared on the balcony above the entrance to the building. This calmed the crowd down until the doors opened shortly thereafter.

Once inside, my group got nestled into some seats in the balcony facing the ring, so we had a perfect view of all the action. The show ended up starting about 8:00 PM. Even so, the show was well worth the wait.

Bilvis Wesley d. Michael Shane

I enjoyed this match a lot more than I had first anticipated when I first saw both competitors come out. I found out later that Michael Shane is actually one of Shawn Michael's students. I was highly impressed by him, and thought he looked very good in the ring. I may be the only person that actually likes Bilvis Wesley's gimmick. He's sort of a 90's Honky Tonk Man, except with more talent. I was always a mark for the HTM, what can I say. Anyways, the match itself was very good and Bilvis ended up getting the win.

Christian York & Joey Mathews d. Simon Diamond & Chris Chetti

This was my first time seeing York and Mathews live, and I have to say that I was very impressed. They are a great young tag team with a very bright future ahead of them. Once York and Mathews hit the ring, Simon was out next. He said he needed a tag team partner, and brought out Chris Chetti. It was a very fast paced match with a lot of double team maneuvers on the part of York and Mathews. Dissention reared its ugly head early for the team of Simon and Chetti. Chetti basically left Simon high and dry and allowed Simon to get pinned when he bailed for the aisle. At this point, Nova stormed down the aisle and a brawl ensued between himself and Chetti. Once the two got inside the ring, security was quick to break up the brawl. The fans chanted to let them fight, and security backed off, except one, who was wearing a wool hat. He took off the wool hat and revealed himself to be Lou E. Dangerously. Lou waffled Nova with his phone and a beatdown ensued. Lou then left with Chetti.

Rhino d. Prodigy to retain the ECW World Television Title

This one was extremely quick, and saw Rhino squash Prodigy in less then a minute with a piledriver. Rhino then put the ref, who was built like a wrestler, through a table in the corner.

The F.B.I. d. Danny Doring & Roadkill to retain the ECW World Tag Team Championships

This was one of the best matches of the night. Roadkill is always way over with the Milwaukee crowd and tonight was no exception. A lot of double team maneuvers in this one. There were a lot of false finishes, which added to the match. The finish came when Sal E. interfered and layed out both Doring and Roadkill. The F.B.I. covered them for the pin. The interference from Sal E. seemed to kill the crowd. I personally think that's something they should cut down on. Sal E. interferes in every match and it just seems to take away from the F.B.I.'s credibility.

TV Opening with Styles and Gertner

Joey mentions all of Wisconsin's mediocre sports franchises including the Brewers, Badgers, Bucks and Packers. Every single one of them gets booed. Gertner does his usual graphic speech, and they bring out the new ECW World Heavyweight Champion, Jerry Lynn. Jerry didn't even get one word out before he was interrupted by Justin Credible and Francine. Dissention was teased as Justin blamed Francine for him losing the World Title. Francine threatened to leave Justin if he didn't get the belt back. With that, Justin demanded a rematch, which brought out the new #1 contender, Steve Corino. The King of Old School was not happy about Justin's request and demanded that he get the title shot. Credible and Corino then traded blows until Rhino hit the ring and gored both Lynn and Corino out of their boots. Corino was bloodied and Jerry was knocked senseless as Rhino and Credible left the ring together.

Balls Mahoney vs.Tajiri

This match went to a no contest. Both guys were way over, and I was really looking forward to seeing them mix it up. However, it was not to be. The FBI came out and attacked Tajiri. Out came Chilli Willy to aid Balls. Balls and Willy hit a combination powerbomb-Blockbuster maneuver on Guido, which looked very impressive. While they were celebrating, Da Baldies ran out and attacked Chilly Willy and tossed him out to the floor. Balls held his ground for the time being and managed to bring a table into the ring. He poured lighter fluid on the table, which popped the crowd big time. He was about to powerbomb one of Da Baldies though the table when, yes, you guessed it, Da Baldies lit the table and powerbombed Balls through it. Chilly Will recovered and hit the ring to check on Balls as Da Baldies left gloating.

Next up was a 15-minute intermission that saw Tommy Dreamer meet and greet a swarm of fans at the merchandise table.

Kid Kash vs. Chris Hamrick

This one went to a no-contest early due to the interference of Julio Deniro, which brought out the Sandman to a huge pop. That led to:

Kid Kash & The Sandman d. Chris Hamrick and Julio Deniro

The Sandman really suprised me during this match as he displayed quite a few wrestling maneuvers, including a number of hip tosses and an armbar. That's quite impressive since I don't ever remember him using those maneuvers before. What's this world coming to when The Sandman actually wrestles! Anyways, the match was very good and Kid Kash provided a great number of high-flying maneuvers that dazzled the crowd. Kash got the pin after hitting the Money Maker. Four beers were then brought to the ring as Sandman got on the mic. He said there were four beers, but only two guys in the ring. With that he picked two people out from the crowd to come onto the ring for a round. The first guy came in the ring smoking a cigarette. He chugged the beer, but Sandman wasn't satisfied. He turned the beer can over to make sure the guy drank the whole thing, and some beer poured out. Sandman wasn't happy and told the guy to "get the hell out of his ring". Big pop for that. A girl was then brought into the ring to drink the last beer. Sandman tilted her head back, poured the beer all over her chest and proceeded to lick it all up. The girl then willingly removed her top twice to the delight of the crowd.

Jerry Lynn d. Steve Corino & C.W. Anderson in an Three-Way Dance to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship

This was the match of the night by far. The match started with a brawl into the crowd, which lasted a good 4-5 minutes. There was a ton of action in this one, and there was just too much to call. Much to my dismay, a bloody Corino was eliminated first after interference from Justin Credible. Lynn and C.W. continued the action for the time being, until Jerry hit the cradle piledriver. That spelled the end for C.W.

New Jack d. Justin Credible

Milwaukee loves New Jack, and he did not disappoint. This was New Jack's first actual match in I don't know how long, and it was a violent one. Credible was busted open early, and barely mounted any offence throughout the entire match. This was basically a squash with Jack getting the win after hitting a chairshot on Credible off the top rope. More dissention was teased between Francine and Credible following the match.

Rob Van Dam d. EZ Money

Main event time. RVD was monster over in Milwaukee and he showed his appreciation by posing for over half of the match itself. In between the posing, the action was very good. This match was basically a one-man show with RVD showing off to the crowd. He eventually hit the 5-star frog splash on EZ to cap off a great night of action.

This was ECW's fourth trip to Milwaukee this year, so it didn't surprise me that no return date was announced. My next live ECW event will be November 2 Remember in Chicago coming up on November 5, so look for a report following the show. I

'll be back next week with comments on whatever ECW's TV situation is like at that time, plus much more. If you have any feedback, please feel free to email me at lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

I just wanted to thank Kurt and Tom for giving the opportunity to write for ECWNews.com. I've been following ECW more or less for the last 6 years. I first followed ECW though various wrestling magazines, as well as the Internet, until I finally saw their TV show in August 1997 when my friend purchased a satellite dish. This was during the 'As Good As It Gets' period. Since that time I have become hooked on ECW like so many others have. It's great to be here, and I hope you enjoy my analysis of the goings on in ECW.

Anarchy Rulz 2000

It's been said a thousand times before, but ECW truly does have the hardest working locker room in the industry. Anarchy Rulz certainly proved that statement to be true. It was a night of great wrestling, and emotional victories.

Danny Doring and Roadkill d. Christian York and Joey Mathews

This was my first time seeing York and Mathews, and I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed. The match flowed well with both teams using quite a few double team maneuvers. Doring and Roadkill were solid as always, and they look poised for a tag title shot at N2R, perhaps in a 3-way dance with Simon/Swinger?

Kid Kash d. EZ Money

Both of these guys are money. For me, this was the best match of the night. I only saw highlights of the match they had on TNN a number of weeks ago, and it left me salivating. These two put on a great match and I was very impressed by EZ Money. I haven't seen EZ wrestle all that much, but from what I've seen he definitely has a bright future ahead of him. Kash is just plain amazing in the ring, and these two gel together perfectly. The match was used as a lead in to the Cyrus/Gertner match, but it ended up stealing the show.

Joel Gertner d. Cyrus

This one was 10 times better than it had any right to be, largely due to The Sandman and Gertner's antics. The Kamala war paint was hilarious, and took me by surprise. This 'match' was given just the right amount of time and served it's purpose, giving ECW a win over the Network. Too bad Spike didn't dress up as Kimchee.

Da Baldies defeat Balls Mahoney and Chilly Willy

This match really surprised me. I thought it was just going to be your typical Baldies brawl with New Jack getting involved. I wasn't wrong about it being a brawl, but they had some cool spots thrown in there to make the match that more enjoyable. DeVito's moonsault was quite surprising, and Chilly Willy getting powerbombed on the row of chairs was very cool. Da Baldies victory didn't surprise me too much since Balls hasn't really been too much of a factor in ECW as of late.

Steve Corino d. C.W. Anderson

I remember that when I first saw C.W. Anderson I didn't care for him much. Now, it's gotten to the point where I really enjoy watching C.W. in the ring. This match was no different. Personally, I loved this match. It was a total old school match from start to finish. It's rare these days to find two guys that will go out there and just wrestle. No high spots, no sick spots, just pure wrestling. Sure, there were chairs involved, but they were used to tell a story. And who better to tell a story than an Anderson? I thought the blade job by both guys was a nice touch as well. It really seemed to add to the match. Corino wins and is the #1 contender to the World Title, and I couldn't be happier.

Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke d. Mikey Whipwreck & Yoshihiro Tajiri

This match really disappointed me. I knew there was no way it could live up to their TNN match a few weeks ago, but I was expecting a lot more. First of all, the match was way too short. It should have gone at least another 5 to 10 minutes. Perhaps it was rushed because they wanted to make sure they had enough time for the main event? Second, both teams didn't really seem to flow together as well as they have in the past. Maybe it was just me, but the two teams never really seemed to get on the same wavelength. I love Mikey and Tajiri together, but the right team went over in my mind. It wasn't a bad match by any means, but it wasn't nearly as good as I was expecting.

Rhino d. Rob Van Dam

This was another match that really surprised me, and I'm not just talking about the finish. I thought this was a very good match. I saw these two wrestle at the last TNN taping in Milwaukee, and it wasn't pretty. They just didn't mesh together very well at that time. This time seemed to be different though. Both guys worked very hard and put on a very entertaining match. The finish was a little confusing at first though. Justin Credible interfering would have made a little more sense if not for the fact that RVD hit the Van Terminator despite Credible waffling him with the cane. Plus, I didn't even realize that Rhino had pulled Fonzie's face in front of the chair until they showed the replay. Although it was a little confusing at the finish, it was still a lot better than I expected it to be, and RVD jobbing was quite the surprise as well.

Jerry Lynn d. Justin Credible

This was a prime example at what Justin Credible is very good at, building a match to a climax. It helped too that he had arguably ECW's best worker in there with him. I thought this match was extremely well booked, especially the finishing sequence. That finish is a prime example of how interference can be used to enhance a match instead of taking away from it. New Jack came in to take out 'evil' referee Danny Daniels, and didn't lay a hand on Justin Credible, so Jerry's victory wasn't tainted in the very least. The locker room coming to the ring to congratulate Jerry made the title win feel special. Not even a faulty microphone could put a damper on things. There is nobody in ECW that deserved to wear the gold more than Jerry Lynn. The surprise finish, with Jerry winning the title, capped off a great PPV.

Well, that's all from me this week. I'll be attending ECW's first post PPV TV taping in Milwaukee this coming Saturday, so look for a report next week. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to email me at lvegasrulz@yahoo.com.

This could be the real show stealer of the PPV.  Jerry is always at his best, but I think he’s going to be that much better on this night as to give his hometown crowd something special.  I personally think this is going to be the match that puts Justin Credible over with ECW fans as being a legitimate World Champion.  If this match is even close to any of the matches in their phenomenal ‘Summer Series’ of ’98, we could have a possible match of the year candidate.

Prediction: Justin Credible

ECW TV Title Match
Rhino vs. Rob Van Dam

This match should be the apex of what is a perfect angle.  RVD, the face, is looking for revenge against the heel, the man who ‘injured’ him and ended his two-year TV Title reign, Rhino.  It’s the title RVD never lost, as everyone knows.  I think this match could go either way as far as it being a good match.  I’ve seen good matches between the two, and I’ve seen bad matches between the two.  However, RVD usually turns it up a notch on PPV.  After all, this is the same guy who made a Scotty Anton match watchable.  This will be an intense match no doubt, and I see RVD getting his revenge and ending this angle for good.

Prediction: Rob Van Dam

ECW World Tag Team Title Match
The FBI vs. Mikey Whipwreck/Yohsihiro Tajiri

Tajiri is fresh back from Japan and is no doubt rested up for this big match.  These two teams had what I consider the match of the year on TNN a few weeks ago.  Can they recreate that magic again?  It can be done, but it’s going to be hard to top that amazing match from night two of ECW’s NYC weekend.  Regardless, this match will no doubt be a classic.  Mikey, Tajiri, and the Sinister Minister are a goldmine together, and the FBI are on a quest to prove themselves as a legitimate tag team.  I see the FBI going over with Mikey, and especially Tajiri, going on to be future singles superstars.

Prediction: FBI

#1 Contender Match
Steve Corino vs. C.W. Anderson

This is the match I’m personally looking forward to the most on the PPV.  Two old school style wrestlers out there doing what they do best…wrestling.  You won’t see any ladders, barbed wire, or tables being used in this one.  What you’ll see is a great match between two great, young workers.  C.W. has been given a massive push as of late with wins over Jerry Lynn and Tommy Dreamer.  Corino has been a potential superstar almost from the moment he stepped into an ECW ring, and has just recently been coming into his own in the ring.  I look for Corino to get the win and be elevated to mainstay main event status.  C.W. will be elevated just being in the match.

Prediction: Corino

Joel Gertner vs. Cyrus

ECW doesn’t do comedy matches very often, but when they do it’s usually with a purpose.  If I know ECW, they will throw a wrench in this match to make it watchable.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rhino interfere on Cyrus’s behalf, with perhaps The Sandman coming in on Gertner’s behalf.  It would give The Sandman something to do on the PPV since he is not booked as of yet, plus it would give him another shot at revenge on Rhino.  It’s not going to be a match of the year candidate, but I think it will be entertaining nonetheless.  Who knows how long ECW will continue to air on TNN, but I still see this whole ‘Network’ angle finally coming to a head.

Prediction: Gertner

Overall thoughts

It’s kind of a toss up, but I’m looking for Credible/Lynn to be the best match on the show with the Tag Team Title match coming in a close second.  As far as a swerve is concerned, I’m going out on a limb and predicting New Jack turns heel, if he is in fact the special referee for the main event.  Turning him heel would give him time to recover from his surgery and multiple injuries without doing to crowd pleasing balcony jump.  It could even lead to him being Credible’s ‘bodyguard’ of sort, and would keep him on TV.  On first glance, Anarchy Rulz doesn’t look to be the blow away show it was one year ago.  Nonetheless it looks like it has to be the potential to be an excellent show.