ECW Hardcore TV #38 28/12/1993

The Pitbull vs Chad Austin

Pitbull is a solo Gary Wolfe. Pretty much a mugging for poor Chad Austin, who gets folded in half with a back suplex early. Wolfe is someone I don’t really enjoy, but he looked good in a squash environment, hitting nice fistdrops and planting Austin with a big powerbomb. Austin helps him out by taking a 360 bump on an average looking clothesline. Pitbull gets cocky, constantly picking up Austin on pinfalls, and suddenly Austin gets a terrible looking leg lariat for the shock win. Quite fun stuff.

Rockin’ Rebel vs Don E Allen

Efficient, if not especially interesting, squash here. Rebel jumps Allen at the bell and doesn’t really let up. This is all basic stuff, just slams and punches, albeit well executed. Big piledriver finishes off Allen.

Sabu vs Terry Funk

This is for Sabu’s heavyweight title, and is a bit of a clipped mess. It’s no DQ, so we get some brawling on the outside to start, culminating in Funk slamming Sabu onto a table and then flattening him with a chair. Sabu eats a couple of piledrivers before we clip to suddenly find him in control. Well, that’s a bit jarring. We get a ref bump, Funk gets thrown through a table, and a load of interference from the Bad Breed, Shane Douglas, Sherri Martel and Paul Heyman, finishing with Funk on top for the win. Just a mess to follow thanks to the clipping and assorted chaos.

ECW Hardcore TV #36 14/12/1993

Sal Bellomo vs Don E Allen

Thankfully brief Bellomo squash. Even as a heel, he still resorts to cheap tactics, filling the match with chokes and slams. He hits an admittedly decent dropkick before finishing Allen with a splash. I hope Sal is gone soon.

Tommy Dreamer & Shane Douglas vs Kevin Sullivan & the Tazmaniac

Dreamer’s partner Johnny Gunn isn’t here, so Douglas comes in to replace him in this tag title defence. It’s easy to see why Dreamer didn’t endear himself to the ECW faithful in the early days, his suspenders-on-long-tights look making him look like the third, wimpiest American Male. He looks decent here though, hitting a really nice diving clotheslines and nicely stumbling from the corner into a Taz overhead suplex. Dreamer lands on his shoulder on a Sullivan belly-to-back suplex in an awkward landing, as he plays face-in-peril. Douglas hasn’t tagged in at this point, which gets your spider-senses tingling, as the seemingly reformed heel not tagging into the bout feels like a tried and true set up. Indeed, this is the case, as Dreamer makes the hot tag, only for Douglas to level him with a chained fist to allow Sullivan and Tazmaniac to win the titles. Decent enough.

Tony Stetson vs The Sandman

I wonder how far Stetson could have got in wrestling if he didn’t have such a terrible look, as he manages to work a decent bout against a perpetually terrible Sandman. Stetson’s offence always looks good, here sinking in his corner shoulderblocks and hitting a nice running clothesline in the corner. Sandman hits a nice top rope back elbow, and I loved Steton sliding backwards out of the ring, keeping his eye on Sandman and luring him to the floor for a cheapshot. Nice powerbomb only gets a two, before Sandman rolls through a top rope crossbody for the win. 

ECW Hardcore TV #29 26/10/1993

The Bad Breed vs Don E Allen & Chad Austin

Fun squash, with the Bad Breed looking like fun tubby bullies. There’s more than a hint of the Nasty Boys in their performance, not just because Axl is a dead spit for late 90’s fatter Brian Knobbs. Ian probably shows a bit more than Axl here, loved his full Nelson suplex on Allen before catching a top rope crossbody by Austin, and slamming him into the corner, ultimately sending him over the top rope. Axl hits a second rope leg lariat, essentially just hurling his massive frame at Austin, before a rocket launcher splash puts Ian on top for the three.

Rockin’ Rebel vs Chris Michaels

I have, at worst, as soft spot for both guys, so the fact this ends up as the backdrop for a Sal Bellomo angle is disappointing. Basically, we’re joined-in-progress with Rebel decimating Michaels, picking him up on pins after a DDT and a piledriver, but Bellomo stops him before he’s able to attack Michaels with a chair. Probably the highlight was Rebel holding the chair over his head, dropping it in shock on seeing Bellomo, and the chair accidentally landing on the head of the fallen referee

There’s supposed to be a Bad Company vs Snuka/Muraco match, but the Public Enemy destroy Bad Company before the bell, so Snuka/Muraco win by forfeit

Shane Douglas vs JT Smith

This is an ECW title match, but Smith is going in with a bad knee. Smith gets in zero offence, as Douglas goes right to the knee and works it over. Smith can’t even get in an early slam attempt without his leg collapsing. Douglas puts in a figure four and Terry Funk throws in the towel on Smith’s behalf. Nothing to this, but it’s all set up for the post-match angle where Funk beats up Smith, annoyed at his reaction to the match being stopped.

ECW Hardcore TV #27 12/10/1993

Abdullah The Butcher, Terry Funk & JT Smith vs Kevin Sullivan, Jimmy Snuka & Don Muraco

Joined-in-progress brawl, which at least manages to feel hatefilled during it’s brief running time. No hint of structure, just 6 guys mainly fighting outside the ring, which helps cover up for the advanced age of it’s participants. I like that they made it feel like JT was on the same level as the veterans, previously he’s felt like someone who could easily be beaten by any half-competent pro. Smith even gets the win after Snuka throws powder in Muraco’s face by accident, allowing JT to get a sloppy small package for the win. Not blaming JT for that, by the way, feels like it would be quite tricky to tuck the large belly of Muraco into a small ball.

Malia Hosaka vs Molly McShane

Hosaka has a sheen of professionalism here that keeps this match on the right tracks. McShane is willing, but definitely green and looks slightly lost in places. She barely gets enough height on a leapfrog and struggles to lift Malia on a gutwrench suplex. Love Hosaka hitting a spinning kick on a charging McShane and she hits a great top rope cannonball for the win.

Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond vs The Bad Breed (Ian & Axl Rotten)

The Bad Breed feel very much like a cut-price Nasty Boys in this bout, maybe lacking the sloppy violence that the Nasties would bring to the match. Tanaka and Diamond both look great here. Tanaka hits a really quick flurry of violent kicks that looks terrific, and he gets really velocity on a flying chop from a standing position. Meanwhile, Diamond hits a great springboard bulldog on Ian from the corner. The Bad Breed briefly control Tanaka, and look fine in doing so. Ian’s top rope Bansai Drop was a nice move that I thought he was certain to miss. Diamond gets the hot tag and quickly dispatches Ian with a series of moves, culminating in a double superkick with Tanaka and a big back suplex. This was real good.

Rockin’ Rebel vs Don E Allen

Quick squash, with Allen getting a short flurry, but falling prey to a nice backbreaker and a leaping spinebuster by the Rebel.

Rockin’ Rebel vs Chris Michaels

Very odd, we get Michaels and Rebel randomly falling out after a post-match promo in the ring together, which feels like it should lead to a future match…then we get it this episode just after some backstage footage focused on Sabu. Disappointingly short, as I thought Michaels looks good here. He showed real fire as he unloads on Rebel in the corner, but a loaded punch by the Rebel gives him a quick win. 

ECW Hardcore TV #22 07/09/1993

Stan Hansen vs Don E Allen & Herve Renesto

Allen and Renesto are billed here as Twisted Steel & Sex Appeal. They get utterly destroyed by Hansen, who doesn’t go easy on them. Short lariat on Allen gets the win.

The Headhunters & Freddy Krueger vs The Super Destroyers & Salvatore Bellomo

We’re joined in peril, because I guess time constraints meant we had to keep the opening ten minute skit with Eddie Gilbert’s increasingly terrible King of Philadelphia skit rather than show this in full. It makes total sense to fly in these WING guys to show a sub-five minute clip of their match. Liked the Headhunters doing some basic cheating, swapping over a chinlock on Bellomo behind the referee’s back, before we get a stupid ending. Super Destroyer #1 gets tagged in, and gets ganged up on by all three opponents….then Super Destroyer #2 joins in to make it 4-on-1. I mean, it’s good they’re continuing the storyline from the previous show, but why would SD1 still team with his partner after getting betrayed the previous week? It makes no sense.

JT Smith vs Masayoshi Motegi

This is for Motegi’s WING Jr Heavyweight title. Odd one this, I assume that neither party wanted their man doing the job, so we get a time limit draw that Motegi totally dominates from beginning to end. Smith is allowed the odd mat counter and I think one suplex, but the rest is just Motegi totally controlling him on the mat, locking in a nice Indian Deathlock and two STF’s. Motegi finally looks to have it won with a German suplex, and the time runs out. I guess the idea was it made Smith look tough hanging on despite being put in all manner of holds, but it just made it look like he couldn’t hang with this guy half the audience didn’t know.

Eddie Gilbert & the Dark Patriot vs Salvatore Bellomo & the Sandman

Two Bellomo matches on one show? These are blessed days indeed. Basically a team of two of the best guys in the promotion vs the two dirt worst. I like the irony, in hindsight, of Gilbert taking control of the Sandman by hitting him in the head with an empty can as a cheapshot. Dark Patriot bumps about for Sandman’s terrible offence, really putting in a good shift. We get another match cut off halfway through for a Abdullah the Butcher promo piece – this is the third main event in a row to suffer this fate, really stupid programming. Patriot looks good on offence when we return, and I dig the heels constantly distracting the ref in order to cheat. Sandman gets the hot tag and has some good energy, even if his missile dropkick is super sloppy. The heels finally get the win with a shot from Paul E Dangerously’s phone, and this was the best you’re going to get from Sandman and Bellomo at this point. Not terrible.

ECW Hardcore TV #20 24/08/1993

Interesting week of debuts here, it feels like ECW is starting to move away from some of the lesser workers - we haven't seen Larry Winters in a few weeks - and bringing in better names. This episode also includes a replay of the Terry Funk/Canadian Wolfman bout from a few weeks previous, and the Super Destroyers beating the Suicide Blondes in the tag tournament via forfeit, but these are the only real match this week...

Eddie Gilbert & the Dark Patriot vs Tommy Cairo & JT Smith

Perfectly functional tag match, until a real clunker of an ending. The early period of face control was solidly done, dug Smith holding an armbar, Gibert trying to escape with an armdrag, only for Smith to hold onto the arm and take Gilbert back over again. On the outside of the ring, Freddie Gilbert trips Cairo, luring out a debuting Sensational Sherri to drive him away. That’s kind of odd. The heels work heat on Cairo, with Patriot nailing two ax handles to the outside, before Smith gets the hot tag. Dug the quick fallaway slams Smith hits on both heels. Gilbert accidentally hits Patriot with a chain and Smith nails a springboard..something…that looks shit for the win. The post-match sees Patriot and Gilbert arguing, even though it seems the referee has disqualified Smith…for using the chain? Really shitty ending,badly executed.

Shane Douglas vs Herve Renesto & Don E Allen

Douglas is debuting here, and joins the Dangerous Alliance right away. This is a $10,000 challenge that sees Douglas squash his opponents in seconds, nailing a great belly-to-belly on Renesto for the win.

Don Muraco vs Tito Santana

This is the first time we’ve seen Tito, and he’s instantly rewarded with a world title match. Though nothing groundbreaking, there’s a feeling of steady professionalism with this match that we’ve not always seen in previous ECW bouts. It’s based around Muraco working the arm of Santana early on, and it’s nice to see him really work the hold, whilst Tito sells is accordingly. Muraco heels things up nicely, choking Tito back to the canvas on any attempt at a comeback, then wrapping Tito’s arm around the ringpost. Muraco is accompanied by Freddie Gilbert as his manager, and he actually ends up costing Muraco the match. First, Muraco hits a big move (we don’t see it because the footage freezes), but Gilbert is busy distracting the ref, preventing a count. This is followed by Santana shoving Muraco into Gilbert off an O’Connor roll attempt, then hitting the flying forearm to win. Undoubtedly, the best Muraco match in ECW so far.

ECW Hardcore TV #10 08/06/1993

Hawk vs Samoan Warrior & Don E Allen

Unsurprisingly, the debuting Hawk squashes the unimpressive pairing of Allen and Warrior. Big double-clothesline, powerslam and top-rope clothesline to Warrior, followed by press-slamming Allen onto his partner – easy win.

Battle Royal

This is to crown the Pennsylvania State Heavyweight title, a terrifically unimportant sounding belt. It’s basically everyone on the roster, bar the Dangerous Alliance. Sandman and Rockin’ Rebel eliminate each other straight away. Suicide Blondes show the most smarts by working as a team throughout, in direct contract with Larry Winters and Tony Stetson, who break up as a team following Winters’ elimination of his partner. Stetson lays out Winters, leading to his elimination at the hands of match-winner Tommy Cairo (though Winters does botch his elimination, leading to a re-do). Stetson then apologises outside the ring. With his apology finally accepted, he brilliantly then rams Winters into the ring post. Aside from this, the battle royal was pretty unremarkable.

Suicide Blondes vs Tommy Cairo & Glen Osbourne

Not much of a bout. Osbourne actually looks a lot better than usual here, mainly because he’s got the Blondes stooging and bumping around for him. Cairo has a nice belly-to-belly suplex that he lays out both Blondes with, but he gets hit by Hunter Q Robbins with a cane – RIGHT in front of the referee – and pinned for the win. Cairo and Osbourne should really be asking this ref what he was playing at. Match only existed as a backdrop for Robbins joining the Blondes as manager and the Super Destroyers turning face.

The Sandman vs Don Muraco

This is Sandman’s ECW title rematch. We’re JIP with a long Sandman headlock section. I’m a bit of a sucker for “face frustrates heel with long headlock” sections, but Muraco’s head threatens to slip lose at any moment, ruining the illusion. Muraco responds with a lengthy cheat-filled abdominal stretch, before Sandman is counted out on the outside when he tries to attack Paul E Dangerously and gets taken out by Muraco. Terrible stuff.