Living Dangerously 2000

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

Living Dangerously

March 12, 2000

O’Neill Center

Danbury, Connecticut

News & Notes: After Guilty as Charged, Cyrus and the network threw their weight around. First, Cyrus cut Gertner’s mic every time he made an innuendo. Then Cyrus interrupted anything he considered a ratings killer. This included Dusty Rhodes. When Dusty checked on an injured Raven, Cyrus told him to leave. But the network’s biggest move came when RVD went down with a leg injury. Cyrus said the fans deserved a TV champion who could wrestle each week. So he stripped RVD of the gold and wanted to hand it to the network’s handpicked successor, Rhino. After all, Rhino took credit for breaking RVD’s leg. Both RVD and Heyman confronted Cyrus about this. So the network created a compromise. They started a tournament to crown a new champ.

Meanwhile, the former James Vandenberg continued showing up at ECW events. They haven’t named him the Sinister Minister yet. Joey Styles still refers to him as that guy. James manipulated Raven and Mikey Whipwreck. He stirred the pot in the Raven/Dreamer situation until it boiled over. Plus, James got in Whipwreck’s ear and tried to make him his disciple. All the while, James laughed maniacally at the chaos he caused.

Speaking of James, he opens the show with a sermon about ECW’s seven deadly sins. Super Crazy represents greed. He is selfish. Crazy defied the network in his quest to win the TV Title. Then there is vanity. The Impact Player’s Dawn Marie exemplifies this, but at least she is justified. Next, Sal E. Graziano is an example of gluttony. He brings new meaning to devouring the competition. As far as sloth, we have Raven. This poor lost soul takes the slacker business too seriously. James tells him it’s only a gimmick. When James reaches wrath, he says, “Been there. Done that. Let’s move on.” (This made me laugh.) Afterward, he talks about envy. James says Dusty Rhodes is jealous of the old school hero, Steve Corino. Finally, there is lust. Francine wants Raven in the worst way. After all, he’s no Dreamer.

Once James finishes, he predicts a hell of a show. Any company who dares compete with an ECW PPV is living dangerously! With this said, James gives us a maniacal laugh.

Joey Styles and Joel Gertner welcome everyone to the PPV. Then Gertner swipes the mic and starts his dirty middle name shtick. He tells a filthy tale of a girl from Connecticut, so Cyrus has enough. He comes to join Styles and Gertner and admonishes Joel for his disgusting promo. Cyrus says the network only keeps Joel around for the 18 to 34-year-old gay demographic. So Cyrus tells Gertner to step aside and let him do color commentary. If he doesn’t, Cyrus will beat his ass. However, Gertner calls his bluff. Joel removes his neck brace and prepares to fight. This makes Cyrus back down and appear to leave. It’s a trap. Cyrus kicks Joel while he celebrates and throws punches. Joey jumps on Cyrus’ back and holds him down to stop the madness.

After the intro, Cyrus joins the booth while Corino and company enter the ring. (Two seconds of a Lou E. Dangerously promo plays because someone hit the wrong button.) After the audio miscue, Corino insults the crowd. He calls them douchebags, but then Steve spots Sandman’s wife and son in the front row. Corino implies Lori Fullington slept with half the locker room. He also tells Tyler that Sandman isn’t his real dad. When Lori slaps him in response, Corino pulls her over the guardrail. Rhino and Victory hold Lori while Corino threatens her, so Sandman rushes to help his wife. But his rescue attempt fails, and Rhino gores Lori through a table! As security rushes to stop them, Sandman carries his wife backstage. Meanwhile, Cyrus justifies the actions. He says Lori put her hands on a wrestler. Joey wonders what this means for Sandman’s tournament match.

Once the chaos settles, Corino says that’s one whore down and one to go. So Corino calls out Dusty Rhodes. Steve wants his Bull Rope Match now! This leads to Dusty’s entrance, and Styles notices H.C. Loc is the referee. He is the man Corino and Victory attacked in Loc’s hometown of Milwaukee.

Texas Bull Rope Match: Dusty Rhodes vs. Steve Corino (w/ Jack Victory)

Storyline: Corino continued calling out Dusty Rhodes. But no matter how many times Dusty got the better of Steve, Rhino would show up and attack Rhodes. Styles said Corino was luring Dusty into a trap. Then they announced Dusty would team with Dreamer to fight Corino and Rhino. So Corino antagonized Tommy. Steve paid Saints player Josh Wilcox to turn on Tommy when Dreamer and Wilcox tagged together. Despite this, Tommy and Dusty still defeated Corino and Rhino. They also beat Corino and Victory in a Street Fight. Corino had enough. He challenged Rhodes to a Bull Rope Match. To prepare, Corino called for a warm-up bout against Erik Watts. However, Corino and Watts jumped the referee instead when the ref took offense to Corino’s comments. Afterward, Steve accused Dusty of cutting the brake lines on Magnum TA’s car years ago. In response, Dusty promised a bloodletting at Living Dangerously.

The Match: Bionic elbows allow H.C. Loc to tie the rope to Corino’s arm. Then they brawl into the stands, and Dusty busts Corino open with the cowbell. He hits and gouges Steve with it. Since Corino is in trouble, Victory attacks Dusty. This allows Corino to fire back and also cut Dusty with the bell. Both men are bleeding when they return to the ring. So Corino and Victory continue their double-teaming. They introduce a chair, but it backfires for Corino. Dusty takes control again and uses the bell to cut Steve’s arm! This leads to traded punches, and Corino does his own version of the bionic elbow. Next, Victory tosses a roll of tape, which Dusty intercepts! After another elbow, Dusty and Loc tape the cowbell to Corino’s head. Dusty whacks the bell with a chair and nails an elbow drop for the win.

Thoughts: This was mostly crowd brawling and more cowbell, but I don’t think it will cure anyone’s fever. The only interesting part was the finish. It paid off the storyline in an amusing fashion. With that said, they got a great reaction, so I can’t say it didn’t work.

Winner: Dusty Rhodes (10:13)

After the bell, H.C. Loc taunts an unconscious Corino. So Cyrus tries to commend Steve Corino on a valiant performance. This elicits a sarcastic reply from Styles. Cyrus tells him to be impartial for once in his life.

Next, they give an update on Lori Fullington’s condition. Sandman accompanied her to the hospital in an ambulance. As a result, Cyrus announces Sandman will lose his tournament match by forfeit. Therefore, Rhino advances to the finals. When Styles hears this, he accuses Cyrus of orchestrating the attack on Lori.

Before the following match, Lou E. Dangerously steals the mic from Stephen DeAngelis. This prompts Cyrus to call Stephen an attack hamster. When Joey questions this bizarre nickname, Cyrus claims DeAngelis looks like a mean gerbil. Meanwhile, Lou declares himself the hottest entity in wrestling. He named the PPV after himself! So the fans taunt him while he attempts to say his name. This makes Lou threaten to have C.W. Anderson slap every fan. Then Doring and Roadkill arrive. Some old lady kisses Doring on the cheek. Elektra yells at her and Doring.

The New Dangerous Alliance (C.W. Anderson & Beautiful Billy Wiles) (w/ Lou E. Dangerously) vs. Danny Doring & Roadkill (w/ Elektra)

Storyline: Lou E. Dangerously showed off the cornerstone of his New Dangerous Alliance. C.W. Anderson competed in singles competition against Whipwreck, Sabu, and Super Crazy. Then Lou tried to get under Paul Heyman’s skin. He invited Erik Watts to an ECW show. Lou used Erik to taunt Paul because Bill Watts fired Heyman from WCW. So Heyman sent Spike Dudley to pin Erik in seconds. Meanwhile, Doring and Roadkill had their own problems. Doring and Roadkill thought they earned a tag title shot by defeating Dreamer and Raven. However, the Impact Players refused to face them. Credible said they don’t wrestle opening contest guys. But it wasn’t all bad for Doring and Roadkill. They sent the Dupps packing in a Loser Leaves ECW Match. The Dupps attempted to return, but Sandman beat them up with his cane.

The Match: Anderson and Roadkill start the action. Roadkill scores a sidewalk slam, front slam, and springboard elbow drop. Then the Alliance tries to double team Doring, but Roadkill stops them with a springboard double clothesline. Next, Anderson regroups after a Bareback, so Doring lands a vaulting plancha off Roadkill’s back. But the Alliance takes control. They use frequent tags and strikes. Anderson even hits a snap exploder suplex on Doring. However, Doring answers with the G-Spot Sweep and makes the hot tag. Roadkill cleans house with clotheslines and an Amish Drop. The Alliance tries to rally with a superkick, but it isn’t enough. Doring & Roadkill hits the Wham Bam Thank You, Ma’am and the Lancaster Lariat of Lust. They appear to have things in control, but Elektra crotches Roadkill on the top rope! This allows Anderson to end it with a spinebuster on Doring.

Thoughts: This was solid and fun. They kept this the right length, and everyone shined. My only gripe is they sometimes forgot who the legal man was. But this is a minor nitpick. I still enjoyed it. (On a side note, the ending felt too much like what Terri did to the Hardys at No Way Out. It seems like a copy.)

Winners: The New Dangerous Alliance (7:23)

Styles doesn’t understand. He wants to know why Elektra turned on Doring. Cyrus says it’s Lou. He gets all the broads! Plus, he says Elektra is a straight shooter. Joey questions this. He says Elektra would still be a rat and a groupie without Doring. So Cyrus tells Joey to stop using that kay-five language.

Next, the Impact Players cut a promo. Storm asks if anyone thinks for a second they won’t walk out with their belts. Their opponents ripped them off, and tonight is their chance to prove it. The Impact Players will walk out as champions! Then Justin guarantees they will become two-time tag champs. That’s not just the coolest and best. This is a guarantee from Calgary, Alberta, Canada! And it’s just incredible!

Afterward, Simon Diamond, Mitch, Tom Marquez, and Kid Kash are in the ring. Simon says he has a problem. But before he can tell us what it is, Judge Jeff Jones interrupts him. Jones says Simon is right, but his problem is Mike Awesome! Joey asks if this is on Cyrus’ format, so Cyrus says Awesome does what he wants. Awesome has to defend the tag titles later, but he wants an ECW championship match now! Mike tells everyone in the ring they have a simple choice. They can either get out and live or stay and die. Simon, Mitch, and Tom bail, but Kash jumps Awesome from behind.

ECW Title Match: Mike Awesome (c) (w/ Judge Jeff Jones) vs. Kid Kash

Storyline: While dealing with RVD, Awesome also continued his feud with Spike. Mike said Spike earned his respect, so he offered him a rematch. However, it was a trap to lure RVD into an ambush by Sabu. When RVD went after Awesome in the locker room, Spike seized the opening. Spike gave Jeff Jones an Acid Drop on a table. This pissed off Awesome, and he promised to kill Spike. It led to a match, which Spike almost won, but Jones stopped the referee’s count. Afterward, Awesome gave Spike multiple Awesome Bombs. Styles begged the referee to stop the contest, for Spike’s sake. Awesome also had another encounter with Masato Tanaka. Mike beat him, but the bout included a controversial pin. Joey Styles swore Tanaka won when the ref counted to three, but the ref called it a two.

The Match: Kash jumps on Mike, but Awesome gives him a release belly-to-belly. He follows with an avalanche in the corner and an Awesome Splash. Next, they head outside and the action spills over the rail. So Kash lands a springboard plancha into the stands! Back inside, Jeff Jones distracts Kash and eats a sit-out Pedigree for his trouble. But this allows Awesome to nail a slingshot shoulder tackle. He also clotheslines Kash out of the air on a hurricanrana attempt. Afterward, Mike hits an Awesome Bomb, but he isn’t done. He sets up a table and puts Kash on it. When Mike climbs the ropes, Kash gets up and fights with him. He loses the exchange, and Awesome finishes Kash with a super Awesome Bomb on the table.

Thoughts: This was short and explosive enough to make Awesome look like a killer. But they also gave Kash enough cool spots to seem valiant in defeat. It was a fun way to pop the crowd and get an ECW Title defense on the card. Kudos to Awesome for working twice on this PPV.

Winner: Mike Awesome (4:44)

While they show multiple replays, Jazz comes to check on Kid Kash. So Simon Diamond leads Jado & Gedo to the ring to attack her. As a result, Nova and Chetti come to save Jazz. They attack Team No Respect and toss Simon to the floor.

Nova & Chris Chetti vs. Team No Respect (Jado & Gedo)

Storyline: Nova had an interesting two months since Guilty as Charged. First, he defeated Mikey Whipwreck. The loss made Mikey have a nervous breakdown. Then Nova teamed with Kid Kash again. They faced the Dupps and Doring & Roadkill in a 3-Way Dance. During the bout, Chetti returned to thwart Elektra’s interference. Afterward, Nova & Chetti fought Doring & Roadkill, but Doring’s team won. However, the Impact Players attacked Doring, Roadkill, Chetti, and Nova. So Nova & Chetti called the Players out for their actions. Meanwhile, Team No Respect (Jado & Gedo) appeared in ECW. They had a history with Lance Storm from his days in Japan. Jado & Gedo wrestled the Impact Players for a tag title shot, but the Players succeeded.

The Match: Nova and Chetti use double team moves until Jado and Gedo send them outside. Gedo does an Asai Moonsault, but Nova answers with the Sledge-o-Matic inside the ring. Then Nova and Chetti do a wheelbarrow hotshot on Gedo. After some brawling outside, Jado and Gedo take control with quick tags and holds. Plus, Jado lands a back superplex. He tries a flying hurricanrana next, but Nova counters into a sit-out bomb. This leads to Chetti’s hot tag. He nails a release German and a Blue Thunder Bomb on Gedo. Chris also gets a two from an assisted backslide. This causes a wild brawl and chaos. Jado and Gedo do a superbomb. Later, Nova and Gedo hit a senton bomb and a frog splash at the same time. The ref counts both pins for two. Finally, Chetti and Nova score the Amityville Horror and Tidal Wave for the win.

Thoughts: This was another quick and exciting bout to pop the crowd. They had a couple of shaky moments, but it’s understandable. These teams never faced each other, so they won’t instantly have chemistry. Despite this, they still put on an entertaining performance.

Winners: Nova & Chetti (7:33)

Lou E. Dangerously is backstage with the Alliance and Elektra. (Hey, wait a second! This is the promo they almost played by accident earlier! They filmed this before the match happened. Everything is a lie!) Lou says tons of people hate Heyman, but hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. When women want a push, they know where to come. With this said, Elektra addresses Heyman. She says they hung out together, but Heyman never helped her. So she says, “I have nothing but animosity for Heyman because he’s a man man man!” Then Elektra talks about Doring. He called her a jealous psycho bitch, but what is she jealous of? Elektra says she can have anything she wants, and Doring is a little man. Also, she claims Roadkill is jealous. He hates her because his tits are bigger than hers! She even flexes her breasts for the camera.

TV Title Tournament Semifinals: Rhino vs. The Sandman

Storyline: As I mentioned earlier, Rhino attacked Dusty Rhodes multiple times. Rhino even gored Paul Heyman when Paul decked Cyrus with the TV Title. So Sandman came after Rhino with his cane. It led to an impromptu bout between Rhino and Sandman. Rhino gored Sandman through a table after Tajiri spat the mist in Sandman’s eyes. Then the tournament began. Rhino beat Spike in the first round with Corino’s help. Later, Sandman met Tajiri in the tourney. Rhino tried to cost Sandman the victory, but Tajiri hit Rhino with the mist by mistake. So Sandman lured a blinded Rhino into goring Tajiri through a table. This allowed Sandman to pin Tajiri and advance to the next round.

The Match: It doesn’t happen because Sandman is still at the hospital with his wife. Rhino wins by forfeit.

Thoughts: I’m fine with this. It puts good heat on the network for their actions. However, this is two PPVs in a row we didn’t get Rhino vs. Sandman. You can only bait and switch your fans so many times.

Winner: Rhino (by forfeit)

Since Rhino/Sandman didn’t happen, they skip to the other semifinal contest. As Crazy enters the arena, Cyrus says he has heat with the network. Crazy snubbed his nose at them. Cyrus says Crazy should have stepped aside for Rhino. When Styles questions this, Cyrus asks if Joey knows the phrase time-honored tradition. Joey does, but he asks why Rhino instead of Crazy. Cyrus says Rhino is the network’s handpicked successor to RVD.

TV Title Tournament Semifinals: Super Crazy vs. Little Guido (w/ Sal E. Graziano)

Storyline: Before the tournament began, Crazy continued his feud with Tajiri. They traded wins in Mexican and Japanese death matches. Crazy also scored victories over Guido and Ricky Banderas (Mil Muertes). Plus, Crazy competed in a 3-Way Dance against Guido and Tajiri, which Crazy won. However, Crazy made a tactical error. He helped Sandman fend off Rhino. Since Crazy defied the network, Cyrus had Rhino attack Crazy in the locker room. He gored him into a row of lockers. Later, Crazy met C.W. Anderson in the first round. Anderson and Lou bloodied Crazy, but Crazy still advanced. Guido reached this point by beating Kid Kash.

The Match: It doesn’t take long for the action to spill outside. Crazy lands an Asai Moonsault into the stands. He also tries a springboard off the rail, but Guido catches him with a Fujiwara Armbar. Back inside, Guido swats Crazy out of the air and grabs a chair. When he misses a shot, Crazy answers with two of his own and bloodies Guido. Next, Crazy does corner punches while the fans count in Spanish. Sal interferes, so Crazy does the same to him. Later, Guido takes Sal’s belt, and both men take turns whipping each other. Plus, Sal brings a table into the ring. Sal tries to put Crazy through it, but he crashes and burns. To make matters worse, Crazy gives Sal a hurricanrana. Now Crazy and Guido counter each other’s moves until Crazy nails a low blow. He then ends it with a powerbomb and moonsault.

Or does he? The ref calls it a two, so Crazy has to give Guido a brainbuster for the three.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this. They created a good mix of high-flying, hardcore violence, and storytelling. The build for this PPV made Crazy look amazing, and this bout adds to that. Crazy had to overcome a glorified Handicap Match, so he looks strong. The only gripe is the awkward finish, but it didn’t ruin this.

Winner: Super Crazy (7:47)

Styles says we now know the finals. Super Crazy will face Cyrus’ man, Rhino. Then Joey plugs ECW’s new video game, Hardcore Revolution. It’s the first wrestling game rated M for mature. They even show footage. The clip shows Joey Styles wrestling Cyrus, and Cyrus is bleeding. Joey beats Cyrus after using Nova’s Novacaine finisher.

Balls Mahoney vs. Kintaro Kanemura

Storyline: Mahoney aided New Jack in his fight with Da Baldies. When Jack faced Angel, it became a gang attack. So Balls scuffled with Grimes and led him away from the action. Later, they booked Mahoney and Jack in a tag match, but Da Baldies jumped Jack backstage. Balls fought Da Baldies alone until Tanaka came to help him. Plus, New Jack limped to the ring and hit Grimes with a chair wrapped in barbed wire. Next, Balls and New Jack put Grimes through a flaming table. Afterward, they announced Balls vs. Kanemura for this PPV, so New Jack offered to watch Mahoney’s back.

The Match: Kanemura knocks Balls down, and Balls falls onto the ropes. Kintaro then lands a hip attack, a dropkick on the apron, and a slingshot splash. Afterward, Kanemura slams Balls and nails a flying senton. These only lead to a two, so Kanemura throws more strikes. However, Balls surprises him with the Ballbreaker and a frog splash. Later, they scuffle on the top rope, and Kanemura does a superplex. He also grabs a chair and whacks Balls in the head. It doesn’t faze Mahoney. He flips Kanemura off and hits a clothesline. This allows Balls to do the Nutcracker Suite on a chair for the victory.

Thoughts: What we got had the makings of a good fight, but why cut it short? I wanted to see more. I hope they didn’t shorten it to give the next match time, especially knowing how the following bout ends. This disappointed me.

Winner: Balls Mahoney (1:58)

After the bell, Da Baldies run in and attack Balls. They triple-team him and land a sloppy double flapjack. Then they send Mahoney to the floor and put him on a table. Grimes does a senton bomb from the ring and lands on Balls. Now New Jack’s music plays. He strolls into the arena with his trash can full of weapons. (Way to watch Mahoney’s back! You’re doing a great job, Jack.)

New Jack vs. Vic Grimes (w/ DeVito & Angel)

Storyline: After Guilty as Charged, Angel threatened to come after New Jack’s family. DeVito said the feud wasn’t over because they’re not New Jack’s victims. So Jack faced Grimes. Vic used the pizza cutter on Jack’s head. Plus, Da Baldies turned it into a gang beating, but Jack won. However, Jack lost to Angel in a King of the Streets rematch and a New Orleans Street Fight. This led to the flaming table spot I mentioned earlier. New Jack said Da Baldies played with fire and got burned. Later, Da Baldies jumped Jack again and injured his ankle. But it didn’t stop Jack from coming to Tanaka’s aid when Masato fought Angel.

The Match: Angel and DeVito fight with Jack while Grimes recovers from his senton bomb. New Jack hits them with crutches, a PlayStation, and a guitar. So Grimes returns and cuts Jack with his pizza cutter. Jack answers with a shovel and bites Grimes. Then they brawl into the stands. The fans swarm a poor cameraman, and we miss part of the action. When we see Grimes and Jack again, they head toward a scaffold. While there, Grimes nails Jack with a metal stand and puts Jack in the middle of stacked tables. Next, Grimes ascends the scaffold. So Jack gets up and follows him. They scuffle at the top, and Jack blocks a powerbomb. Now Jack grabs Grimes, but he isn’t ready. Despite this, Jack pulls him off the scaffold. They crash to the floor and Grimes lands on New Jack’s head! Both men can’t continue.

Thoughts: This was stupid. Grimes got cold feet and didn’t want to do the spot, but Jack pulled him down anyway. When Grimes landed on Jack’s head, he cracked Jack’s skull. The brain damage left Jack blind in one eye. What a mess.

Winner: No Contest

Joey and Cyrus sound shaken up and disturbed while they show replays. Atlas Security helps Grimes backstage, but the camera won’t show New Jack. (Jack claimed in interviews he had brain fluid leaking out of his nose from the cracked skull.) Once Styles and Cyrus recover, they discuss the remaining card. Joey repeats his earlier accusation against Cyrus. He says Cyrus orchestrated the attack on Lori Fullington. However, Rhino still has to beat Crazy to become Cyrus’ handpicked champion.

Now it’s time for the 3-Way Dance for the tag titles. The Impact Players arrive, and Storm has a mic. He says they prepared to beat Dreamer and Tanaka’s asses, but they don’t have the belts anymore. So the Players don’t give a damn about them. Storm calls out Raven and Awesome instead, and he gets his wish. While they brawl, Dreamer and Tanaka join the fray.

Three-Way Dance for the Tag Team Titles: The Impact Players (w/ Dawn Marie & Jason) vs. Raven & Mike Awesome (c) (w/ Francine) vs. Tommy Dreamer & Masato Tanaka

Storyline: Losing the tag titles left Raven feeling worthless, so Francine consoled him again. In return, Raven protected Francine and carried her to the back when she got hurt. But this left Dreamer to fight alone. To make matters worse, both Raven and Dreamer accidentally gave Francine DDTs while blinded by powder. Francine realized Raven made a mistake, but she accused Tommy of doing it on purpose. So Francine turned on Tommy and sided with Raven. When Tommy tried to attack Francine, Raven gave Dreamer the Even Flow. The Impact Players used the opening to try an easy win over Dreamer. However, Tanaka joined Tommy. The Players jumped Masato backstage, so he wanted revenge. Dreamer & Tanaka defeated the Players and won the tag titles! But it didn’t last. Raven found a new partner in Mike Awesome, and they captured the belts from Dreamer & Tanaka.

The Match: Dreamer and Tanaka go after Awesome, but Mike gives Tommy a sit-out bomb. So the Players use the opening to hit a double-team move on Awesome. Then everyone pairs up and brawls. They fight around the ring and use the guardrail and chairs. Back in the ring, Raven sets up a table and drops Tommy on the corner until Dreamer breaks it with his face! Next, Awesome tries to bomb Tanaka onto another table, but it backfires. Masato puts Mike through it and nails a Roaring Elbow to eliminate the champs.

Afterward, they settle into a normal tag match for a while. Dreamer is bleeding from the table spot, so the Players target the cut. Justin uses the cane on Tanaka and gives Dreamer a swinging DDT. However, Credible superkicks Storm by accident. This allows Tommy to score a DDT and tag Tanaka. He cleans house with a Blue Thunder Bomb and a double Stunner. Next, Dreamer lifts Credible onto his shoulders to prevent a superplex. This allows Masato to nail a diving Stunner. The Players answer with a low blow, cane shot, and DDT, but it isn’t enough. Tanaka fires back with a Diamond Dust on Justin, but Storm grabs Masato afterward. He nails a piledriver. When that doesn’t work, the Players do a spike piledriver for the win.

Thoughts: This was the good kind of chaotic. It contained some fine action and a few nice spots. The bout wasn’t great, but they kept the flow going and made it enjoyable. Plus, it didn’t go too long or wear out its welcome. If it went any longer, it would have dragged.

Winners: The Impact Players (New Champions) (9:06)

The win makes Cyrus ecstatic. He leaves the announce booth to celebrate with the Impact Players. Joey says Cyrus thinks he can do whatever he wants. Then Styles calls some unruly fan a nitwit and tells him to pipe down. When Cyrus enters the ring, Styles calls him a suck-up and a kiss-ass. Meanwhile, Cyrus grabs a mic. He yells yes and tells the Impact Players the network approves of them. He even promises Lance Storm more promo time! Plus, Cyrus hugs Dawn Marie.

Now Cyrus says he will sit ringside for the tournament finals. He wants to watch his handpicked man win the TV Title. This leads to Rhino’s entrance. He brings Corino and Victory with him. Cyrus says the belt will look good around Rhino’s waist. The network gets what it wants, and he doesn’t give a rat’s ass if anyone likes it. This is too much for Heyman. Paul comes to confront Cyrus. Heyman says the TNN deal excited him until he learned he had to deal with an asshole like Cyrus. So Cyrus responds with a threat. He almost sends Rhino after Paul, but Gertner arrives to join Heyman’s protest. Joel says he has unfinished business with Cyrus. He echoes everyone’s sentiments. They are tired of the network, and the network goes down right fucking now! With this said, Crazy runs to the ring to start the finals.

TV Title Tournament Finals: Super Crazy vs. Rhino (w/ Cyrus, Steve Corino, & Jack Victory)

The Match: Crazy flusters Rhino with a springboard dropkick and somersault plancha. So Rhino answers with a Michinoku Driver. Next, the fight spills outside, where Crazy lands another plancha. But Rhino recovers and sets up a table. After some back and forth, Rhino press slams Crazy onto the table! Once he rolls Crazy inside, Rhino nails a powerbomb. It isn’t enough, so Rhino sets up another table in the corner. He looks for a gore, but Crazy moves and Rhino crashes into the plunder. This allows Crazy to do a flying crossbody and a DDT. Afterward, Crazy goes for the triple moonsaults. When he hits the third, Rhino pulls the referee into the way!

With the ref down, Tajiri runs to the ring and sprays Crazy with the mist. He also low dropkicks Crazy in the face. Now Rhino and Tajiri put Crazy in a tree of woe. They give him a baseball slide and a Gore. Everything looks bleak until RVD arrives! He rides on the shoulders of his good friend, Scotty Riggs. RVD has crutches and a protective boot, but it doesn’t stop him. Riggs deals with Tajiri while Fonzie distracts Rhino. RVD hits Rhino with a crutch and flapjacks Rhino onto a table. So Crazy performs a moonsault and pins Rhino.

Thoughts: This was a nice mix of fun, chaos, and impressive spots. Sure, it was a little overbooked, but it fit the storyline. Everyone is sick of the network, so they all want to prevent Rhino from winning. Plus, it gives the network a reason to want revenge. Also, since Jerry Lynn missed the tournament because of an injury, Crazy is a fine pick to be TV champion.

Winner: Super Crazy (New Champion) (7:56)

Crazy gets his belt and celebrates, but Rhino gores RVD! He also takes out Riggs, so a brawl erupts. As Rhino and company target RVD’s bad leg, the fans chant for Sandman. They get their wish! Sandman enters through the crowd and breaks his cane over Rhino’s head. So Corino’s crew pulls Rhino to safety. Once they leave, Sandman hands beers to everybody, and they celebrate. Also, Styles points out RVD is wearing Bobby Duncum Jr.’s arena football jersey as a tribute. It’s a nice gesture.

The Good:

• The main event was good.

• I enjoyed Crazy/Guido.

• Doring & Roadkill vs. The New Dangerous Alliance was enjoyable.

• Nova & Chetti vs. Jado & Gedo was solid.

The Bad:

• New Jack vs. Grimes, and Jack’s injury.

• Balls/Kanemura disappointed me.

Observations:

• Roadkill and Nova deserved singles runs. I think staying in the tag division held them back. The stuff Roadkill can do at his size amazes me.

• New Jack and Angel must be good friends. I’ve never seen him put someone over as often as Angel.

• Balls Mahoney and Sandman should have formed a tag team. Balls steals beers to use as weapons, but Sandman pours beer into fans’ mouths. They are the yin and yang of beer.

• ECW hotshots their tag titles as much as WCW does with their world title.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Super Crazy. This was his night to shine, and he did great.

Final Thoughts:

This PPV contained some good stuff, but I think the overall presentation fell a little flat. The New Jack/Grimes incident had a lot to do with this. They brought the program to a screeching halt. But with that said, I still consider this a decent show. It ended on a good note.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s Uncensored 2000. Look for it next Sunday!