November to Remember ’95

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

November to Remember

November 18, 1995

ECW Arena

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Before I begin, I want to point out an addition to the new website. I added affiliate links to the sidebar (bottom of the page on mobile). They have everything from wrestling memorabilia to retro t-shirts. Give them a look because they will keep this crazy project going during these times. If you use an ad-blocker, make sure to whitelist this site. I promise there are no pop-ups. With that out of the way, let’s get to the action.

News & Notes: Cactus Jack turned heel over the summer of 1995. He teamed with Tommy Dreamer and The Pitbulls to face Raven’s Nest and the Dudleys. Jack attacked Dreamer during the match and sided with Raven. The catalyst for this turn was a sign Jack spotted in the crowd. It said, “Cane Dewey.” That was the name of Cactus’ infant son. It made Jack realize how bloodthirsty the ECW fans were. He decided to denounce his hardcore ways and no longer give the fans what they wanted. Jack refused to use weapons or high-risk moves. He utilized headlocks and holds instead and promised to have boring matches. Then, he took it a step further and did the unforgivable. Cactus praised WCW and Eric Bischoff. He wanted to get under the skin of ECW fans as much as possible. Raven became Jack’s spiritual advisor and encouraged the behavior. He used Cactus as a tool in his feud with Dreamer. Tommy countered by bringing back Terry Funk. He goaded Jack into becoming violent again.

Meanwhile, Mikey Whipwreck won the ECW Title from Sandman in a Ladder Match. The loss caused Sandman to go on a rampage and attack everyone with his cane. He vowed revenge, but he’s not the only threat to Mikey. Steve Austin also expressed a desire for the title. Austin appeared on TV and mocked WCW and Bischoff for firing him. Austin wanted the world title shot WCW never gave him. He appeared before the Ladder Match and challenged the winner.

Joey Styles welcomes everyone to what he calls the greatest night of ECW action ever. He hypes the night’s matches. There’s a Mexican Deathmatch between Rey Mysterio and Psicosis. Tod Gordon will face Bill Alfonso with Beulah McGillicutty as the ref. Then, the Tag Titles and the TV Title are on the line in one match. The winner of the fall will also receive an ECW Title Match. Plus, Terry Funk teams with Tommy Dreamer to face Cactus Jack & Raven. Joey says it’s Terry’s last match before retirement. I somehow doubt that. Joey then says Paul E. Dangerously promised the night would be a November to remember. He also claims missing this show will be a regret you’ll never forget. I see Joey is a poet, and he didn’t know it.

Don E. Allen vs. The Broad Street Bully

Notes: Don and the Bully are already in the ring. The fans tell them they both suck dick. A young skinny Joel Gertner introduces the special ring announcer, Buh-Buh Ray Dudley. The Dudley clan is almost complete. Buh-Buh is the newest addition. He’s a large fun-loving guy with a stuttering problem. That’s why his name is Buh-Buh. He trips up every time he says it. They gave him the ring announcing gig hoping to cure his issue. Buh-Buh wears a coat, top hat, and bow tie to the ring. It looks odd over his overalls and tie-dye shirt. He starts well enough as he welcomes everyone to the show. Then, he tries ripping off Michael Buffer. He stumbles on the word rumble, so Big Dick smacks him. Buh-Buh gives up and decides to powerbomb Don E. Allen instead. The Broad Street Bully attacks Buh-Buh in retaliation.

The Match: There wasn’t one.

Thoughts: Move along. There’s nothing to see here.

Winner: N/A

Buh-Buh Ray Dudley (w/ The Dudleys) vs. The Broad Street Bully

The Match: The Bully jumps on Buh-Buh’s back and punches him. Buh-Buh responds with his own punches and a powerbomb. It takes a couple of attempts. Buh-Buh says the word buh each time he tries lifting him. The ref then makes a three-count. Joey says it wasn’t a scheduled match, but what the hell.

Thoughts: They used the last two segments to get Buh-Buh over. It’s not much of a match, but it did its job. The crowd reacted well to it. They kept it short enough it didn’t bother me. Plus, Buh-Buh played his part well.

Winner: Buh-Buh Ray Dudley (0:57)

Buh-Buh apologizes for his actions while Big Dick whacks him with his crutch. Joey says he would take Buh-Buh over Michael Buffer any day. But, Styles does mock Buh-Buh’s stuttering.

Next, Paul E. Dangerously is in the ring. He asks the crew to indulge him and dim the lights. The arena goes dark and when the lights turn on again—

—Sabu is in the ring. The crowd erupts as Paul shakes Sabu’s hand to show there are no hard feelings. He also hugs him. Joey freaks out about Sabu’s return. The crowd chants Sabu’s name and thanks Dangerously. Sabu’s WCW run didn’t last long. He wasn’t under a full-time contract and had attitude issues. It wasn’t a good fit for him anyway. It’s strange to see the ECW crowd welcome him. They cursed him when he left.

Konnan vs. Jason

Notes: Konnan is another addition from AAA in Mexico. He was one of their biggest stars. They often call him the Hulk Hogan of Mexico. Konnan had mainstream appeal and even did some acting on TV. We haven’t seen him on this blog since Starrcade ’90, but he’s been busy. He came to ECW to make a name for himself in America as Mysterio and Psicosis did.

He’s facing Jason. Joey Styles does the introductions. Jason corrects him on his weight and points out his abs. Then, Joey introduces a special guest—Taz. He’s wearing a referee outfit. Joey asks him why. Taz says it’s irrelevant. ECW won’t clear him to wrestle, so he’s there to enforce his will. Jason interrupts Taz and insults him. Taz tells him to keep his hands off him. He then asks both men if they’re ready to go and punches Jason in the face.

The Match: Konnan grabs Jason and gives him a Splash Mountain Bomb. Taz then counts a quick three-count and declares Konnan the victor.

Thoughts: This did more to put over Taz than Konnan. He got the win, but it didn’t make Konnan look strong. It wasn’t enough of a match to rate. I don’t mind the Taz storyline, but this was another throw-away match.

Winner: Konnan (0:14)

Stevie Richards (w/ The Blue Meanie) vs. El Puerto Riqueño

Notes: El Puerto is an Ecuadorian wrestler named Pablo Marquez, so it’s odd they call him The Puerto Rican. He spends most of his career as a jobber. He later appears in the WWF as Tiger Ali Singh’s manager Babu. Most people won’t remember that. It’s odd that wrestling organizations never portray him as his own nationality.

He’s facing Stevie Richards, who meets a new friend during his entrance. A large blue-haired fan gets Stevie’s attention. He’s wearing a cropped t-shirt that reads The Blue Meanie. He gives Stevie a gift. It’s a cropped shirt that says Flock of Seagulls on it. Stevie is so impressed he invites the Meanie to join him. Styles is confused until he realizes the Meanie’s name is a Beatles reference. He’s also horrified by Meanie’s tiny shirt and equally small shorts. Joey thinks Stevie and the Meanie already knew each other. I’m glad to see Meanie. I always found him entertaining.

The Match: El Puerto tires of Stevie’s stalling and moonsaults onto him. He also nails a springboard moonsault and a missile dropkick. He looks a little lost before deciding to give the Meanie a suicide dive. However, Stevie low-blows Puerto when he climbs the ropes. Richards then drops Puerto on the ropes and performs two Stevie Bombs. Instead of covering, Richards invites the Meanie into the ring. He tells him to do a moonsault. Meanie is reluctant and misses the move. A frustrated Stevie pushes him out of the ring. Puerto uses the distraction to roll-up Richards, but it’s unsuccessful. Stevie then answers with a Stevie Kick for the win.

Thoughts: El Puerto had some cool moves and the Meanie stuff was amusing. But, this wasn’t great. It’s another quick match that focused more on the storyline. This show needs a more substantial match.

Winner: Stevie Richards (3:03)

After the bell, Stevie drags the Meanie to the back. Joey Styles asks what the hell is a Meanie.

The Pitbulls (w/ Francine) vs. The Eliminators (w/ Jason)

Notes: Francine started in ECW as an admirer of Stevie Richards. She even accompanied him to the ring, but she couldn’t coexist with Beulah. Raven commanded Richards to kick her to the curb. He did just that with a Stevie Kick. Francine then moved on and began managing Raven’s old cronies, The Pitbulls. She adopted a leather-clad dominatrix look to fit the Pitbulls appearance. Then, she led them into a feud with the Eliminators.

The Match: Saturn and #1 trade punches and slams until #1 absorbs Saturn’s strikes. The Pitbulls then double-team both Eliminators, but Kronus answers with a Dragon Suplex. When Saturn returns, he sends #2 to the floor and nails a springboard clothesline. The Eliminators also do some double-teaming, and Kronus nails a Kronus Crunch (somersault leg drop). The Pitbulls fend off interference from Jason and pinball Kronus with punches. But, #2 tumbles out of the ring on a missed corner splash. He receives a nasty cut on his arm in the process. The Eliminators retake control with top-rope moves and more double-teaming. However, #2 turns a super frankensteiner into a Super Bomb. The match becomes a brawl, and Jason performs a flying leg drop. He clips Saturn on accident, so the fans heckle him. All four men brawl again and the Pitbulls nail a Guillotine Bomb, but Jason stops the pin. Then, the Pitbulls fend off Kronus and use the Super Bomb for the victory.

Thoughts: There were some fun spots in this match, but it became messy. They lost their way toward the end. There wasn’t much of a flow to the bout. It felt like they were unsure of how to end it. I wanted to like this, but it fell short.

Winners: The Pitbulls (11:00)

After the match, Jason grabs Francine and kisses her. The Pitbulls stop him with a chair while Francine spits in disgust. However, the Eliminators jump the Pitbulls. They give them Total Elimination (leg sweep/wheel kick combo). The Eliminators then leave, so the Pitbulls pop back up and rally the crowd. Way to sell the move, guys!

Mexican Deathmatch: Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Psicosis

Notes: Rey Mysterio defeated Psicosis at Gangsta’s Paradise. But, Psicosis won a Two out of Three Falls Match on TV. Konnan & Mysterio also beat Psicosis & La Parka in a tag match. Now, Rey and Psicosis’ feud escalated to a Mexican Deathmatch. The competitors can either pin their opponent or make them submit. Then, that wrestler has to answer a ten count or lose the match.

The Match: Psicosis misses a couple of split-legged splashes, so Rey answers with a Dragonrana for the first fall. He rises at the five-count, and Rey takes him to the floor with a hurricanrana. But, Rey slips and falls when attempting to launch off of the rail. Psicosis throws a chair at Rey and nails a moonsault for a pin. Mysterio almost doesn’t rise in time. He’s in bad shape. Psicosis scores more falls with a pop-up powerbomb and a Tumbleweed. He also gets one off a chair-assisted moonsault. Rey reaches his feet each time. Then, Psicosis nails running dropkicks and attempts another moonsault. This time, Rey raises a chair into Psicosis. Mysterio follows that with a springboard clothesline and takes Psicosis over the rail with a cross body. He then performs an Asai Moonsault into the crowd! Both men brawl until they reach the eagle’s nest. Rey does another Dragonrana off the edge and gets a fall. It’s enough for the victory.

Thoughts: This was a fun match. They had some great spots. Also, it told a good story of Rey fighting back from adversity. The crowd loved it and so did I. It was a good way to mix Lucha Libre and hardcore wrestling.

Winner: Rey Mysterio Jr. (14:47)

Mysterio celebrates, but Jason enters the ring. Jason sings Rey’s praises and insults Konnan. He says Konnan disgraced him tonight. Jason then offers his services as a manager. He says Rey can be his little supreme fighting machine. Rey rejects him, so Jason threatens him and calls him a little bitch. Mysterio attacks and gives Jason arm drags and a hurricanrana. This brings out the Eliminators to attack. But, 911 arrives to save Rey. The Eliminators attack him until 911 chokeslams both men with Rey’s help. Rey then climbs on 911’s shoulders and celebrates. That was fun, and it endeared Rey to the crowd even more.

Tag Team Title/TV Title/#1 Contender Match: 2 Cold Scorpio & The Sandman (c) (w/ Woman) vs. The Public Enemy

Notes: TV Champion 2 Cold Scorpio faced Rocco Rock. Both the Tag Titles and the TV Title were on the line. If Scorpio won, he could choose a partner to be champions with him. He won with The Sandman’s help, thus making Scorpio & Sandman the new tag champs. Scorpio & Sandman now must defend both of their titles in one match, but there’s an added twist. The winner of the fall will also receive an ECW Title Match later in the night. It is possible the victor could hold all three titles by the end of the event.

Gertner does the introductions. Styles laughs at the idea of Scorpio being a chiseled 235 pounds. He also speculates why Sandman moved to Utah. Joey thinks it’s because the laws on public intoxication are soft. Meanwhile, the fans chant please don’t go at Public Enemy. There were rumors they were leaving. Then, Scorpio challenges Rock to a dance-off. Joey dances to the music until he realizes he’s on camera. Both men bust out some sweet moves. Even Sandman does a Cabbage Patch, but it makes Rocco fall over in disbelief. Woman then dances, but Sandman & Scorpio prevent Public Enemy from approaching her.

The Match: Public Enemy fend off some double-teaming and make Scorpio & Sandman regroup. Johnny Grunge then trades takedowns with Sandman and flying cross bodies with Scorpio. But, the match becomes a brawl. Everyone grabs chairs and they duel for a moment. Then, they introduce some odd weapons into the match. Scorpio uses a fan’s prosthetic hand. The Public Enemy uses sodas, pumpkin pie, and mustard. Scorpio also busts open Grunge with punches. They have the Public Enemy on the ropes, so Scorpio & Sandman use slingshot moves on them. The teams fight back and forth and break up pin attempts. However, the Public Enemy can’t gain control. Woman hits them with a cane, and Sandman prevents their tags. They fight to the floor where both teams use a table. Rocco puts Sandman through it with a somersault plancha, but Scorpio stops the rally with a broom handle. Grunge finally makes a tag and cleans house, but Rock accidentally hits him with the Drive-By. Sandman then falls on top of Grunge for the pin.

Thoughts: This was a fun and wild match. They kept a good pace and had some great spots. I also loved the unique weapons used in the match. I never thought I’d see a prosthetic hand used in a match. This was a good example of an amusing ECW brawl. That’s two good matches in a row. It looks like this show is improving.

Winners: Sandman & Scorpio (Sandman is the #1 Contender) (16:03)

Sandman is too tired to stand. Scorpio revives him with a beer, but he spills it. It looks like Sandman is pissed until they hug. Sandman then does more dancing to celebrate his win. He chugs the rest of the beer and smashes the can on his head.

Next, they recap the Tod Gordon/Bill Alfonso feud. They air footage of Shane Douglas introducing Alfonso. Then, we see some of Fonzie’s controversial decisions. Tod Gordon confronted him, so Bill attacked. Next, they show 911 chokeslamming Fonzie. Styles says it sent him over the edge. Alfonso responded to the attack by bloodying Gordon. But, Fonzie drew the ire of Beulah McGillicutty during an interview segment. She attacked him.

Bill Alfonso vs. Tod Gordon

Notes: Tensions built between these two men since Alfonso arrived in ECW. Fonzie and Gordon both appeared on an interview segment called Beulah’s Box. Bill attacked Todd, so Beulah took offense to him ruining her show. Fonzie told her she was lucky to even be on TV. She responded by attacking him and slapping his face. Now, Beulah is the special ref for the confrontation between these two men.

The Match: Fonzie attacks Gordon when he arrives. He then turns his attention to Beulah. She slaps him, so Fonzie knocks her out with a clothesline. Tod recovers and jumps Alfonso. They trade exaggerated punches. The fans chant shah for Tod’s strikes and shit for Fonzie’s. Alfonso offers a handshake, but Tod gives him a clothesline. Bill answers with a low-blow before pushing Tod to the floor. Fonzie then grabs a mic and threatens to kick Gordon’s ass. However, Tod rallies with a cookie sheet and a chair. He busts open Alfonso and hits him with a frying pan. Bill takes the pan, but Gordon nails a low-blow. Then, Tod uses the pan again. He covers, but there’s no ref. Gordon calls for a replacement and Taz arrives. He counts to two—and then grabs Gordon. Taz knocks Tod out and places Fonzie on top for the win.

Thoughts: This was a mess. Tod couldn’t throw good punches, and the action was awkward. It was nice seeing Fonzie get some comeuppance, but it went longer than it should have. This was mostly a backdrop for Taz’s heel turn. Now, Fonzie quits refereeing and works as Taz’s manager.

Winner: Bill Alfonso (6:37)

The fans chant for Sabu while Taz grabs a mic. He tells them Sabu isn’t coming. He then complains no one called him during his injury. They all cared about Tommy Dreamer and Terry Funk. The fans also cared when Sabu almost broke his neck. However, they didn’t care about Taz. He then calls out Paul E. Dangerously for pretending to care. Taz has a family and he can’t provide if he’s not working. Taz says only Bill Alfonso cared. He then curses the fans. They don’t care about him and Bill, so Taz and Bill don’t care about the fans. A fan heckles Taz, so he dares him to enter the ring. This was a great promo. It made sense and put good heat on Taz.

Next, Sandman arrives for his ECW Title Match with Mikey Whipwreck. However, Steve Austin jumps him from behind and canes him. Austin then nails the Stun Gun on the guardrail. He also mocks Sandman by drinking one of his beers. I see where Austin got the idea for later in his career. The medical staff arrives to help Sandman while Austin enters the ring. He grabs a mic and tells Mikey Whipwreck to get his ass out there.

ECW Title Match: Mikey Whipwreck (c) vs. Steve Austin

Notes: Austin grabs a mic and declares November to Remember is the debut of Steve Austin. He claims the clumsy Sandman couldn’t make it to the ring. Austin also says Mikey represents Eric Bischoff in this match. That makes Joey Styles want to see Austin whip his ass. He then demands Gertner introduce them that way, but he doesn’t. Austin loses his patience and attacks Mikey.

The Match: They brawl to the floor where Austin drops Mikey on the guardrail. He then returns him to the ring and pulls Mikey’s shirt over his head. Austin punches and chokes Whipwreck while mocking him. Then, they return to the floor and Austin whips Mikey into the rail. When they return to the ring, the fans chant Hogan to annoy Austin. Steve answers the chant by nailing the big boot and the leg drop. It only gets two, so Styles calls the moves lame. Austin then drops Mikey on the barrier again, but Whipwreck reverses an Irish whip. Austin claims he hurt his arm, so Mikey attacks it. However, Austin surprises him with the Stun Gun. Whipwreck kicks out of the pin and surprises Steve with a sunset flip. He grabs a handful of tights and scores a victory.

Thoughts: I wish this was longer, but it was fun while it lasted. I liked the story they told me. Austin looked dominant, but Mikey continued his winning ways. It made me want to see a longer match between them. They did a great job playing to the crowd.

Winner: Mikey Whipwreck (4:38)

An angry Steve Austin attacks Mikey after the match. He throws Whipwreck to the floor and poses in the ring before leaving. Joey Styles says he’s damn proud to have Mikey as ECW Champion.

Sabu (w/ Paul E. Dangerously) vs. Hack Meyers

Notes: Paul E. is in the ring, but he allows Gertner to introduce Hack. He then tells Joel to leave and takes the mic. Dangerously talks about turning back the clock and says he has one word for the fans. It’s Sabu. He enters the arena and dives at Meyers’ legs.

The Match: Sabu uses some surprising holds early in the match. He attacks Hack’s leg and arm. But, Sabu also uses a chair and some springboard moves. Meyers answers with a powerslam and drives Sabu into the mat from the top rope. However, Sabu places his foot on the ropes. Then, Sabu keeps taking Hack to the floor. Sabu looks hurt, but he keeps wrestling. He does a wheel kick off a chair and climbs to the top. Hack catches him and nails a powerbomb. Meyers follows that with a suplex and climbs the turnbuckles again. Sabu stops him and lands a super victory roll. But, Hack crotches Sabu on the ropes and uses a chair. Hack also gives Sabu an apron leg drop. Sabu responds by pulling Hack off the turnbuckles and onto a chair. He then puts Meyers through a table with a somersault plancha. Hack kicks out, but Sabu performs an Atomic Arabian Facebuster (chair-assisted flying somersault leg drop) for the win.

Thoughts: This was better than I expected it to be. I’m unsure it needed to go for almost thirteen minutes, but I enjoyed it. It was a good way to redeem Sabu with the fans. There were some great spots and Hack looked better than usual in the match.

Winner: Sabu (12:55)

After the match, Sabu tells the ring announcer to give Hack some credit. He helps Hack to his feet. Sabu feigns punching him but shakes his hand instead.

Tommy Dreamer & Terry Funk vs. Cactus Jack & Raven

Notes: During the entrances, Joey Styles says Funk is contemplating retirement. Funk claims his body doesn’t have many matches left in it. That’s amusing in retrospect. He will have many more matches after this. Funk grabs a mic and tells Cactus to get his ass out there. He says he will remember what Cactus did forever. Raven & Cactus arrive and we see Cactus is wearing an airbrushed Dungeon of Doom t-shirt. Joey says he hopes someone paid Cactus to take it. Jack takes the mic and tells Funk to stop wasting his time.

The Match: Raven & Cactus prevent Dreamer & Funk from entering the ring, so everyone brawls. They break into pairs. Funk uses a chair on Jack before chucking it at Raven’s head. Then, Richards arrives with weapons, but Funk confiscates them. Everyone fights with road signs, a shopping cart, and even a VCR. Terry hits Cactus with a snow shovel. He also uses a golf club on Raven’s balls. The problem is, Funk also takes out the ref in his madness. Meanwhile, Dreamer attacks Raven with a cheese grater until Jack stops him. They break into pairs again, and Cactus cuts at Funk’s arm. Next, Dreamer fends off some double-teaming and uses a sign on Cactus.

Jack recovers and removes his outer shirt to reveal another one underneath. This one has a picture of Eric Bischoff. On the back, it says, “Forgive me Uncle Eric.” Dreamer attacks him and pulls the shirt over Jack’s face. He punches the image of Bischoff and wipes blood on it. Jack responds with the road sign and nails Funk with a Double-Arm DDT on a chair. While this is happening, Raven dives onto Dreamer. Jack then uses a crutch on Tommy while Taz and Bill Alfonso arrive. Jack covers Funk and Taz counts, but Terry kicks out. Taz attacks Funk, but Tommy sends Taz and Fonzie packing. Dreamer then nails Raven with a couple of DDTs and a piledriver. He lets Funk cover him while the original ref counts the pin.

Thoughts: This was a wild brawl, but it kind of dragged. I liked the stuff with Cactus’ t-shirts. That was entertaining. It had good story and character work. However, the match wasn’t great. It went on a little longer than it should. It wasn’t terrible, but I didn’t love it.

Winners: Funk & Dreamer (13:36)

After the match, Cactus grabs Dreamer and gives him a DDT on the chair. Richards also tries attacking, but Tommy superkicks him. It’s not enough. Raven gives Dreamer a DDT while Jack chokes Funk with a cable. Raven poses as Jack and Funk continue fighting in the aisle. Joey then thanks everyone for watching while Raven poses some more.

The Good:

• The Mexican Deathmatch was great.

• The Tag Title Match was good fun.

• Sabu/Hack was surprisingly good.

• There were some good character and storyline work.

The Bad:

• Throw-away matches.

• Fonzie/Gordon wasn’t good.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Mysterio and Psicosis for their great match. I also want to praise Taz for his heel turn promo.

Final Thoughts:

I would call this a fairly solid show. There were some missteps early, but the good things made up for it. Even the bad stuff wasn’t terrible. The matches that weren’t thrilling at least contained good character work. This is one of the better ECW events I covered. The best part is, this wasn’t clipped. That alone puts it ahead of Gangsta’s Paradise.

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s Survivor Series ’95. Look for it next Sunday!