Extreme Archive: ECW Television Episode 007

ECW Television Episode 007

Taped:  April 02, 1993
Broadcast: May 18, 1993
Taping Location: Cabrini College Fieldhouse
Announcing Team: Jay Sulli & Stevie Wonderful

Previously:

• A Texas Chain Match Massacre is signed between Terry Funk and Eddie Gilbert
• Larry Winters and Tony Stetson defeat the Super Destroyers to become the new ECW Tag Team Champions
• The war between The Sandman & Peaches and The Rockin Rebel & Tigra continues to heat up

Synopsis

Opening Segment

Sulli and Wonderful set the table for this week’s show.  Apparently we get treated to a repeat of the match between the Super Destroyers versus Winters & Stetson.  The Dangerous Alliance is in town.  Sandman will be facing Rockin Rebel for the ECW Championship.  And the Suicide Blondes are facing someone.

  

But the announcers are interrupted by Paul E. Dangerously who challenges the authority of commissioner Tod Gordon.  Paul uses the muscle of Don Muraco to convince Tod Gordon of who is in charge.  Gordon runs off like he’s in a bad superhero comic book, looking for Super Funk or something.  Muraco makes a verbal challenge to The Sandman for the ECW Title.

  

The comercial break tells us that the Super Summer Sizzler is coming to the ECW Arena on June 19. 

Segment #1: ECW Tag Team Championship Match: Super Destroyers vs Larry Winters & Tony Stetson 

A repeat of the tag team championship match from the previous week.  Welcome to 1990s cable television.  I’m not recapping it again, go here if you need to read it again. ¹

  

More information from the commercial break.  The Texas Chain Match Massacre between Gilbert and Funk is going to take place at the aforementioned Super Summer Sizzler, and the winner of the match is going to be crowned the King of Philly. ²

   

Segment #2: Eddie Gilbert & Jimmy Snuka w/ Paul E. Dangerously vs JT Smith & Max Thrasher.

Gilbert wears a Scott Stevens jersey to the ring, that’s just awesome. ³ This is a rematch from last week. Dangerously makes a crack about Snuka and Gilbert not flying to Atlanta anytime soon.⁴ Sulli insults my intelligence by calling this a great match-up. Thrasher and Smith get an advantage over Gilbert as Wonderful hints that JT Smith is a hothead and Thrasher is cagey.  Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good. ⁵

    

Gilbert & Snuka wear Smith down in their corner.  Thrasher accidentally hits a running elbow on Thrasher.  More face mis-communication, as Smith gets the advantage, but accidentally nails Thrasher with a running knee lift.  Thrasher pulls the legs out from underneath Smith and walks out on his partner, leaving him for easy pickings for Snuka and Gilbert.  Snuka Splash 1-2-3. 

   

All that to turn Max Thrasher heel?

    

Segment #3: Terry Funk Video

Oh god, we’re back at the double-cross, but Terry seems more serious this time.  Terry is describing the rules of the Texas Chain Match Massacre.  Terry wants to be the King of Philly. (groan)

   

Segment #4: Larry Winters & Tony Stetson vs The Suicide Blondes (non title match)

In the pre-match interview, Candido and Hotbody say they were knighted by the Queen of England. So they’re going for the quasi-gay AND blueblood gimmicks at the same time?  In a tag team that we’ve only seen on television for 3-4 weeks?  

    

Candido gets hit by an armdrag by Stetson, and he flies into the air.  Candido is so much better than anyone else in the ring.  After heel mis-communication, Winters takes over and hits an underhook suplex.  Tags in Stetson who hits a running swinging neckbreaker on Candido.  Indy Style! ⁶ 

    

For some reason, Sal Bellomo joins us at ringside with is long hair over his face, calling himself Super Destroyer #3.  Candido gets the upper hand, and tags in Hotbody.  Heel tactics allow for the Blondes to take control.  Rocket Launcher lands Candido on Winters knees, and Winters tags in Stetson.  And Stetson is a house of fire.  And it’s breaking loose at Cabrini.  During the bonzo gonzo, Winters and Stetson each get a sunset flip into a pinning combination for the victory.

    

The Blondes attack Winters and Stetson with weeeeeak chairshots and brawling with them back to the dressing room.

    

Segment #5: The Magnificent Muraco w/ Paul E. Dangerously vs Glen Osborne

Paul declares Muraco the next ECW Champion.  It must be a late night for ring announcer Bob Artese, as he’s practically shouting the names out.  He’s better than that.  Muraco is joined by Snuka and Gilbert at rinside.  

    

Osborne and Muraco go back and forth.  Muraco cheats to get the upperhand when he can. Osborne is actually trying to take Muraco down by focusing on body parts, but Muraco is too strong and takes Osborne down with a fallaway slam.  A series of punches by Osborne and a leaping headbutt takes Muraco down.  Does Osborne even have a finisher at this point in time?

   

Muraco nails Osborne with a hot shot across the top rope.  One armed front piledriver ends it for The Rock.  Clean win for Muraco.

   

Segment #6: ECW Championship Match: The Sandman vs The Rockin Rebel

Tigra and Miss Peaches are barred from ringside.  Rebel actually has a female groupie in the front row. ⁷ Sandman actually runs to the ring????  What world am I living in?

    

Sandman inside the ring, and Rebel circles the ring.  Sandman finally chases Rebel outisde the ring, and Rebel throws Sandman’s shoulder into the ringpost.  Back in the ring, Rebel hits a nice standing dropkick on Sandman.  Sandman reverses the tide with an elbow out of the corner.  Sandman actually starts clapping to get the crowd involved. ⁸

    

Sandman gets Rebel back in the ring, taking control before Rebel levels him with a clothesline.  Sandman reverses an Irish Whip and hits Rebel with a dropkick where only ONE foot hits Rebel’s chest. Only ONE!  Vertical Suplex by Sandman for a near fall.  Both men punch each other for a double knock-down, and follow with a double clothesline. 

   

Here comes the finish, when the barred from ringside Tigra comes down to ringside, followed by Miss Peaches.  Catfight.  And the match is called.

    

Wrap-Up Segment

Sulli and Wonderful announce that the Suicide Blondes have a tag team title match next week.  And Super Destroyer #3 comes down with a pizza, saying that he is in action next week.  WTF?

Analysis

Historic Significance

• Super Summer Sizzler is the name of the big ECW card coming on June 19th.
• Max Thrasher turned heel against his tag team partner JT Smith.
• The feud between the Suicide Blondes and Winters and Stetson begins.
• Don Muraco is challenging The Sandman for the ECW Heavyweight Championship.

Debuts

none

Titles

ECW Heavyweight Champion: The Sandman (since 11/16/1992)

ECW Television Champion: “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka (since 03/13/1993)

ECW Tag Team Champions: Larry Winters & Tony Stetson (since 04/02/1993)

Verdict

My sincere apologies, but I’m wrapping this one up early this week, as my laptop is running out of juice.  You can see that ECW is transitioning into its next segment of feuds with Muraco vs Sandman, Suicide Blondes vs Winters & Stetson, and some strangeness with Sal Bellomo and the Super Destroyers.  It keeps it interesting, but still little in the way of good wrestling.  Next week, more of the same, probably.

Footnotes

1.  Of course I’m assuming you’re reading my column every week.  Trust me, it’s worse if I don’t make that assumption.
2.  So, if Funk wins, should I expect Jerry Lawler to run in and beat the crap out of him? Come to think of it, this is happening right around the same time as the 1993 King of the Ring.
3.  Scott Stevens… New Jersey Devils defenseman…  Okay, for you younguns.  In the late 1980s/early 1990s, the New Jersey Devils were a joke franchise, compared to the New York hockey teams and the Philadlephia Flyers.  In the early 90s, the Devils suddenly got good, and the Flyers sucked.  So rubbing the salt in the wounds using hockey is a smart move, especially in springtime.
4.  Nothing better than a truly pissed off Paul E.
5.  Back in the day, the announcers were more like weathermen, giving hints of the face or heel turns like high pressure systems moving through the area.
6.  In 1993 we aren’t too far removed from a swinging neckbreaker being a finisher or at least finisher set-up for Honky Tonk Man, Ravishing Rick Rude, and Beautiful Bobby Eaton.  It was a fading finisher fashion, but not quite outdated.
7.  How low in the pecking order are you for Indy-wrestling rat?  I mean that’s pretty damn low.
8.  Okay, it’s pretty lame, but at least it probably gives Mr. Fullington less concussions.  Then again, when you’re already hammered, it’s hard to know if you have given yourself a concussion.