Extreme Archive: ECW Television Episode 011

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ECW Television Episode 011

Taped: May 14, 1993
Broadcast
: June 15, 1993
Taping Location
: ECW Arena in South Philadelphia
Announcing Team
: Jay Sulli & Stevie Wonderful

Previously:

  • Road Warrior Hawk debuts in ECW
  • Tommy Cairo becomes the Pennsylvania Heavyweight Champion
  • The Suicide Blondes add a third member to their team: Chris Michaels
  • Hunter Q. Robbins III becomes the new manager of the Suicide Blondes, and is promptly fired by the Super Destroyers.

Synopsis

Opening Segment:

Apparently my reprieve from Stevie Wonderful is only going to last one week, as he is back on color commentary this week.  He and Sully run down the card: Snuka vs. Road Warrior Hawk, Suicide Blondes vs. The Super Destroyers, Eddie demonstrates a chain match, Dark Patriot vs. Terry Funk

Road Warrior Hawk comes down with some strange incoherent interview statement. 1 ECW apparently is showing their kid friendly nature by allowing kids to run around Hawk at ringside. See, he’s a family-friendly mohawk wearing, face painted, roided up maniac. Thanks Vince! 3

Apparently the Super Summer Sizzler is this Saturday.  So this is the take it home episode.

Segment #1: TV Title Match: Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka vs. Road Warrior Hawk 4

Dangerously and Snuka cut a brief promo before the match. Strangely old school, and not very 90s Dangerously at all.

Hawk shoves Snuka out of the ring before the bell.  Snuka back in and Hawk pushes him out a second time.  Snuka off the ropes and Hawk hits the powerslam.  Clothesline sends Snuka out again.  Back in the ring, test of strength.  Hawk with midsection kicks. 5

Hawk makes a mistake by head-butting Snuka and is dazed, and then Hawk tries to hit a shoulderblock in the corner but misses and hits the post.  Outside the ring, Snuka nails Hawk with a chairshot. 6 Paul E nails Hawk with a shot for good measure.  Back in the ring, scoop slam on Hawk, and misses a 2nd rope headbutt.

Reverse Neckbreaker on Snuka. Hawk hits the top rope clothesline.  Hawk for the cover, but Paul E hits him with the telephone shot to break the pin.  Hawk attacks Paul E, and there’s the DQ.  In comes the rest of the Dangerous Alliance, including the Dark Patriot.  Hawk still dominates, but eventually the DA gets the numbers.  Finally Eddie Gilbert shoots a fireball in Hawk’s face.  In come the faces for the save: Sandman, Cairo, Super Ds and Bellomo.

Segment #2: ECW Tag Title Match: The Suicide Blondes vs. The Super Destroyers

Joined in progress.  Super D #1 starts with Candido.  Series of single leg takedowns on Super D #1. Both partners tag in.  Candido does jumping jacks on the ring apron. 7 Super D #2 tries to do an overhead knucklelock, but Hotbody can’t reach.  Johnny kicks him in the midsection and tags in Candido.

Double-elbow off the ropes on Super D #2 takes him to the floor.  Candido with a plancha to the floor. 8 Candido is chased away by Super D #1.  He tries to follow it up with a pescado, but is caught by Super D #2. 9 Candido is leveled by the Destroyers.  Johnny hits the referee from behind, and the Blondes start to double team Super D #2. 10 Super Destroyer #2 double clotheslines the Blondes.

Chris Michaels comes to ringside, 11 but down comes big Sal eating cake.  Sal and the Super Destroyers fight off the Blondes.  Sal suggests to Tod Gordon that he and the Destroyers face the Blondes and Hunter at the Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular. Well, there you go then.

Segment #3: Texas Chain Match: Eddie Gilbert vs. Herve Renesto

In a prematch interview, Eddie declares that he is the hero that Philadelphia has been waiting for, and wants to be our King. 12

Eddie comes down to the ring, and apparently he’s taken the crown from Commissioner Tod Gordon already. 13 Eddie complains on the microphone that he doesn’t like the Dark Patriot. 14 Wonderful explains the rules of the match, as Gilbert is tied up with Renesto.  Total domination by Eddie on the scrub.

In an interview after the match, Terry Funk gives another promo talking about varmints, and you can see where this is going.  No different than the one last week.

Segment #4: Sandman & Peaches vs. Rockin Rebel & Tygra Recap

They start with a video recap of the feud. Showing when Rebel nailed Sandman with the surfboard, and when Rebel helped Sandman lose the ECW Heavyweight Title.  Additionally show new footage of Tygra ripping Peaches clothes down to her undies.

Paul E. interviews Rebel and Tygra.  Rebel cuts standard heel promo, but more boring.  Tygra actually talks and shows off the nails again.

Sully interviews Sandman and Peaches. 14  Sandman cuts a little better promo than before.  Peaches threatens to tear Tygra’s clothes off.  But somehow the two of them give off that married vibe.

Segment #5: Terry Funk vs. The Dark Patriot with Paul E. Dangerously

Interview with Dark Patriot and Paul E.  And NOW we see the 90s modern Paul E.  Meanwhile, Dark Patriot is just a goof, throwing his cape around like the Phantom of the Opera, wearing a mask with a star over the one eye. 15

Patriot comes down to the ring to Back in Black. 16 Funk is 25 years older than the Dark Patriot, but looks positively svelte next to him.  Chops to the chest by Funk.  Funk to the ropes, where Paul E. pulls the leg, and Funk give chase.  Patriot comes down and nails Funks head into the ringside table.

Chops by Dark Patriot followed by a piledriver.  Nice sequence actually.  Nearfall on Funk.  Throws Funk out of the ring again, and a choke by Paul E.  Back in the ring, Funk comes back with a series of headbutts to the Dark Patriot.  Funk does his patented punch-drunk wobbly legs and swinging wildly.  Forearms and jabs by Funk.

Funk goes between trying to rip the mask off and using it to pull the Dark Patriot’s face into the punches.  Single arm DDT by Funk, and a second.  Dangerously comes in to try and attack Funk, but Funk stops him and gives chase.   Nice sequence where he chases Paul E. in and out of the ring, and decides to give a third single-arm DDT on the Dark Patriot for good measure.  Eddie Gilbert comes in with a chair to break up the pinfall attempt.  17

Closing Segment

Jay Sulli cuts into the footage to explain that SportsChannel Philadelphia deems the rest of the footage to be too violent to be shown on tv.  18 That’s it for this week, and get your tickets now for the Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular.

Analysis:

Historic Significance

  • Terry Funk is attacked during his match with the Dark Patriot.
  • The Super Destroyers agreed to team with Sal Bellomo a tthe Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular.
  • Road Warrior Hawk is given a fireball to the face by Eddie Gilbert.

Titles

ECW Heavyweight Champion  Don Muraco
Since 04/03/1993
ECW Television Champion  Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka
Since 03/13/1993
ECW Tag Team Champions  The Suicide Blondes (Candido & Hotbody)
Since 04/03/1993

Feud Tracker

FEUD NAME STATUS UPDATE
Terry Funk vs Eddie Gilbert Ongoing Gilbert attacked Funk following the Funk vs Dark Patriot match; Upcoming Chain Match at Super Summer Sizzler
The Sandman & Peaches vs Rockin Rebel & Tigra Ongoing Rebel caused Sandman to lose the ECW Championship; Sandman vs Rebel Street Fight Match and Peaches vs Tigra Cat Fight Match at Super Summer Sizzler.
Glen Osborner vs The Dangerous Alliance Diminished Lost a tag match to the Dangerous Alliance.
JT Smith vs Max Thrasher Ongoing Battled each other in the Battle Royal for the Pennsylvania Championship
Sal Bellomo vs The Super Destroyers Ended Sal Bellomo is going to join the Super Destroyers to face the Suicide Blondes at the Super Summer Sizzler.
Don Muraco vs The Sandman On Hiatus Muraco defeated Sandman in the ECW Championship rematRch.
Super Destroyers vs The Suicide Blondes Just Started Hunter Q. Robbins joined the Suicide Blondes as their manager. Destroyers & Bellomo vs Suicide Blondes & Robbins III at Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular.
Larry Winters vs Tony Stetson Just Started After accidentally causing Stetson to go over the top rope for the Pennsylvania Championship, Stetson turned on Winters. First Blood match has been announced for the Summer Sizzler.

Verdict

A decent indy hype show, but I don’t know how long they are going to keep with it.  As next week is Post Super Summer Sizzler Spectacular, but will be still from the same TV Taping.

Getting Better.

Footnotes

1 – Hey everyone, it’s time to play everyone favorite game: GUESS THAT SUBSTANCE.  Where you at home get to guess what caused the rambling, incoherent interview by Hawk.  If you win this round, you get a copy of our home game, and the chance to compete in the Bonus Round where you must guess the substances taken by the Television Champion: Jimmy Superfly Snuka!

2 – Boy would that change later on.

3 – “Road Warrior Hawk, you just became one half of the baddest tag team ever assembled.  What are you going to do now?”  “I’m going to the WWF!  What a Rush!”

4 – They always have to say Road Warrior Hawk.  Why?  Is there another “Hawk” in wrestling that I need to know about?

5 – Hawk is so over, I’m wondering how they’re going to keep the title with Snuka.  A DQ finish seems too obvious. 

6 – 80s chairshot, where you more push the chair down more like a hammer, rather than a swing like a baseball bat.

7 – Clairvoyantly channeling future incarnation Body Donna Skip.

8 – A plancha in 1993?  WTF!

9 – Okay, you’d think nothing of these moves today, but no one outside of the best cruiserweights (Pillman, Scorpio, Liger, etc.) was doing moves like this on American television.  This is pre-lucha invasion.  Paul Roma and Marcus Bagwell were considered high flyers in 1993. 

10 – Bad moment here, the Blondes start double-teaming Destroyer #2, and #1 stands on the apron for a half a minute before deciding to chase Hunter Q. Robbins.  Wow, that was bad. 

11 – I guess Sulli is sleeping through these tapings.  

12 – I guess it’s possible that Memphis style wrestling was novel to 1993?  But Apter magazines were available in Philadelphia.  Lawler was already in the WWF.  And everyone knew the Jerry Lawler vs. Andy Kaufman feud. 

13 – Way to give away the finish!  I mean can you see Terry Funk with a crown?

14 – Come on Fullington, you gotta have some of the Hardcore Icon in there somewhere.

15 – I think I saw that outfit on Taito’s Tag Team Wrestling arcade game in the mid-1980s.

16 – Can you get more generic?

17 – Okay, four matches this week, and only the Gilbert vs. jobber match has a clean finish? 

18 – If that’s true, then this is nothing compared to what they’d do in later years?

 

 

 

RJ Schwabe is a man who just cracked his fourth decade, and has yet to put his toys away. He is a life-long comic book fan, who is enjoying digital comics more than he ever thought he would. Big fan of nerdy television and comic books, and is a recovering pro-wrestling addict. His review blog can be found at http://looksat40.wordpress.com