November to Remember 2000

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

November to Remember

November 5, 2000

Odeum Expo Center

Villa Park, Illinois

News & Notes: ECW on TNN ended a week after Anarchy Rulz. This left ECW with a single one-hour TV show each week, so there aren’t many extra storylines to discuss. I will mention three things before we begin. First, ECW announced Super Crazy would return for this PPV. Then Tommy Dreamer showed strange behavior. He interrupted Joey and Joel and stared at the camera before leaving. Styles wondered if it had anything to do with November to Remember. And finally, RVD isn’t on this program. He grew tired of not getting paid, so RVD went to film a movie. We won’t see him again until Guilty as Charged 2001.

The PPV opens with promos from the four participants in tonight’s Double Jeopardy Match. Jerry Lynn uses his best death metal voice to say he will walk over the entire roster to remain the heavyweight champion of the WORLD! Meanwhile, Francine says the threat of no more sex will motivate Justin to regain his gold. As for Sandman, he vows to become a four-time champ because he’s politically incorrect and proud of it. He crushes a cigarette on his palm while he says this. Finally, Corino grows annoyed with Dawn Marie. She’s late, so Corino and Jack Victory start without her. Steve says he will add his name to the history book of great champions. As he speaks, Dawn arrives. She says she wanted to find the perfect outfit for their celebration. Unfazed, Corino claims he will become the king of the new extreme era.

Now Joey and Joel welcome everyone to the show. Gertner does his usual shtick. He talks about spraying women on the chest and face. Joel also makes a dirty Inspector Gadget joke, but Simon Diamond interrupts the fun. Simon has a problem. He wants to know why Joey and Joel don’t talk about him and Swinger. His partner was out with a cracked orbital bone, and Joey didn’t mention it. Plus, Joey never talks about how Simon ended Dreamer’s career. Gertner assures Simon he puts him over all the time. He likes everything about Simon’s gimmick, but he can’t remember Simon’s name because he’s an undercard jamoke! The insult leads to a fight, and Swinger arrives with a chair. They try to Pillmanize Gertner’s arm, so Dreamer runs to the rescue. However, C.W. Anderson joins the fray. Next, York and Matthews come to help, which gives us an impromptu match.

While Joey recovers from the fight, Cyrus takes over commentary by himself.

Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger (w/ C.W. Anderson) vs. Christian York & Joey Matthews

Storyline: Trouble started between these teams when Simon and Swinger used the ring bell to defeat York and Matthews. Then York and Matthews sought revenge, but Swinger was out of action. He needed surgery for his cracked orbital bone, so Simon chose Chetti as a temporary replacement. However, Chetti abandoned Simon during the bout. This left Simon on his own for two weeks. Nova wrestled Simon, and Chetti interfered to attack Nova. Simon took advantage of the opening. He hit Nova with Lou’s cellphone to get the win, but he told Chetti and Lou it wasn’t for them. Simon did it for himself.

The Match: York and Matthews fluster Simon and Swinger with a double dropkick, double Russian Leg Sweep, and stereo dives. Christian also drops Joey onto Simon from the top rope. The flurry lasts until Simon and Swinger use a cheap shot and a hotshot. Simon follows with rolling suplexes into a sit-out gourdbuster. Now Simon and Swinger do a double STO and strikes, but Joey scores a neckbreaker. Next, Matthews fends off a low bow and makes the hot tag. York cleans house with clotheslines and a sit-out wheelbarrow slam. This causes a wild brawl, and Simon and Swinger hit their side slam/DDT combo. The ref is out of position, so York kicks out. Afterward, Joey lands a Frankensteiner on Simon, but C.W. crotches York and gives him a spinebuster. This allows Simon and Swinger to nail the Problem Solver on York for the three.

Thoughts: This was a fun little opener. They kept the action flowing while showing off some nice double-team moves. It was the kind of energetic display you want to open a PPV. My only gripe is it could have gone longer. They had more to offer.

Winners: Simon & Swinger (5:21)

Joey Styles joins Cyrus on commentary while Simon, Swinger, and Anderson stomp the crap out of York and Matthews. Now Kid Kash’s music plays, so Joey begs for some semblance of order. Kash clears the ring before doing a plancha off of John Finegan’s back. Then Kash tells Finegan he wants a match with C.W. Anderson, and John grants his request. This confuses Styles because we were supposed to get a six-man tag. Plus, they planned C.W. Anderson vs. Super Crazy, but they will have to throw both matches out the window.

Kid Kash vs. C.W. Anderson

Storyline: C.W. Anderson accused Corino of screwing him out of a title opportunity at Anarchy Rulz. Anderson confronted Corino and Lynn and demanded a shot. He wanted to be the first member of the Anderson family to bring home a world championship. This led to Anderson vs. Corino vs. Lynn for the gold. It came down to Lynn and Anderson, but Lynn won. Later, C.W. fought Corino in another #1 Contender Match. Corino succeeded, despite Danny Daniels’ fast counts. Afterward, Anderson helped Credible attack Corino, but Justin caned Anderson too. Next, C.W. promised to ruin Super Crazy’s homecoming because his kind don’t like Super Crazy’s people. Meanwhile, Kid Kash continued teaming with RVD. He also had a rematch with EZ Money and beat him again.

The Match: Kash uses takedowns, dropkicks, and clotheslines before sending Anderson outside. While on the floor, Kash lands a hurricanrana and a double jump dive over the rail. Back inside, Anderson catches a diving Kash and gives him the Ferris Wheel. He follows with an awkward jumping armbreaker, which leads to extensive arm work. C.W. uses the post, a chair, and arm holds. Kash keeps trying to rally with a plancha, pin attempts, and a hurricanrana, but Anderson scores a TKO and a delayed superplex. Next, Anderson fends off more offense from Kash before nailing a spinebuster. It only gets a two, so C.W. argues with the ref. This allows Kash to recover. They go through a series of counters until Kash ends it with a tornado DDT.

Thoughts: This was a nice contrast with the opening bout. They kept this one more grounded and technical. C.W. Anderson makes mat wrestling and body part work look interesting and purposeful. There’s a great intensity to his style. When you add in Kash’s impressive agility, it makes for a fine combination.

Winner: Kid Kash (10:47)

Joey calls this a big win for Kash, but the unscheduled match still annoys Styles. After some replays, we finally get the opening video.

Next, Hot Commodity and Elektra arrive. They were supposed to team with Simon Diamond, but he already wrestled. Joey wonders if Chris Hamrick will take his spot. He also asks what the hell EZ Money is wearing. When Doring and Roadkill join them, Styles asks if this will be three-on-two. Hamrick is thinking the same thing. He grabs the mic and says a handicap fight would be unfair, but what the fuck? With that said, Hot Commodity attacks, so Spike Dudley joins the fray. He rips off his knee brace and rushes to the ring.

Spike Dudley, Danny Doring, & Roadkill vs. Hot Commodity (EZ Money, Chris Hamrick, & Julio Dinero) (w/ Elektra)

Storyline: Doring and Roadkill got another tag title shot against the FBI, but Sal gave Roadkill a Banzai Drop to screw Doring and Roadkill out a win. This almost made Doring have a nervous breakdown. He couldn’t believe they had lost again. Elsewhere, Kid Kash continued his feud with Hot Commodity. Spike Dudley saved Kash from a beating, so Hamrick confronted Spike in the bathroom. However, Hamrick backed down when Spike broke a beer bottle and threatened him with it. Afterward, Spike was supposed to fight Hamrick, but Chris claimed he hurt himself doing 1500 squats. It was a setup. Hamrick attacked Spike with a chair. Then Hot Commodity made a big mistake. They tried to do Doring & Roadkill’s Buggy Bang finisher on Spike, so Doring and Roadkill ran them off.

The Match: It doesn’t take long for the action to spill outside, and everyone does dives. Back inside, Roadkill hits powerslams on Hamrick. Plus, Doring, Roadkill, and Spike perform a triple Lancaster Lariat. Now EZ Money ends the flurry with the Money Clip and the Bankroll. Then Julio uses distractions, triple-teaming, and a fireman’s carry neckbreaker. This lasts until Doring lands the G-Spot Sweep and tags Roadkill. Roadkill cleans house with a Barn Burner and a Dirt Road Slam, so Hamrick stops him with a chair. Later, Spike tags, but Julio gives him a sit-out bomb. Nevertheless, Roadkill ends Hot Commodity’s rally with a springboard double clothesline. Sensing trouble, Elektra interferes and takes the Bareback from Doring. This allows Roadkill and Spike to nail a double-team wheelbarrow cutter for the win. (Joey calls it an Acid Drop, which is wrong.)

Thoughts: This wasn’t bad, but it never found a nice rhythm or flow. The action was a little chaotic and messy. They had two hot tags, and neither had a good build-up. This felt rushed, so it was decent, but it wasn’t great.

Winners: Spike, Doring, & Roadkill (8:23)

Rhino cuts an angry promo backstage. He says he brawled all his life on the streets of Detroit, but he hates brawling! If New Jack wants to get in his face, he will show New Jack how he fights. Jack will realize the same thing as everyone in ECW. The only way to beat him is to wrestle him, so Jack’s chances are slim. After pounding on a locker, Rhino continues. He says he doesn’t want to brawl anymore, and he will make an example out of New Jack. Rhino promises to rip Jack’s face off and shove it down his throat. Then Jack will have to shit out his face the next time he is on the toilet. He will use New Jack to show everyone you can’t beat Rhino!

Now it’s time for Chris Chetti vs. Nova. Lou E. Dangerously leads Chetti to the ring while Styles sings Chetti’s praises. When they arrive, Lou mocks the Chicago fans. They call Chicago one of the toughest cities in America, but Lou thinks he and Chetti could kick all of their asses. When Lou finishes, Chris takes the mic. He says this company isn’t big enough for him and Nova, so he challenges Nova to a Loser Leaves Town Match. Lou tries to say that wasn’t part of the deal, but Chetti insists.

Loser Leaves Town Match: Nova vs. Chris Chetti (w/ Lou E. Dangerously)

Storyline: Chetti teamed with Simon Diamond, as I mentioned earlier. He took exception when Simon kept tagging himself into the match, so Chetti abandoned him. However, Nova jumped Chetti. Chris tried to escape, but York and Matthews threw him back to Nova. As they brawled, Lou E. Dangerously appeared disguised as a security guard. He smashed his phone over Nova’s head. Then Lou told Chetti to listen to him from now on. He became Chetti’s manager. Next, Chetti interfered in Nova vs. Simon, so Simon used the opportunity to defeat Nova. Later, backstage, Lou claimed he created the House of Hardcore, and Taz tasked him with passing on his knowledge. Chetti told Lou this wasn’t about Taz anymore. It’s about Chetti. As he said this, Simon Diamond confronted Chetti about abandoning him. Simon said he only attacked Nova for himself, so Chetti called him selfish.

The Match: The fight spills outside as both men evade each other. They fight around the rail until Chetti is bleeding. Back inside, Nova and Chetti block each other’s finishers, so Nova uses a Crossface Chickenwing instead. Once Chetti escapes, he fakes an injury to cause a distraction. Lou uses the opening for a low blow, and Chetti busts Nova open with a chair. Now Chris uses a delayed suplex. Plus, both men steal each other’s moves. Chetti does the Novacaine. Nova responds with Chetti’s springboard wheel kick. He also gives Chetti a Pedigree/Fameasser combo. A nervous Lou places Chetti’s foot on the ropes, and he whacks Nova with his cellphone after Nova lands the 3^rd Degree. When Lou tries to interfere again, Nova kicks a chair into his face. Finally, Nova and Chetti fight on the top rope, and Nova ends it with a super Kryptonite Crunch.

Thoughts: This was great. They had nice back-and-forth action, counters, and drama. Then they built to an exciting finish. I even liked the story they told with Lou’s desperate interference. It’s nice to see Nova get a big win.

Winner: Nova (9:48)

New Jack is hanging out in a cage backstage. He says Rhino won’t be able to distract him with Justin and Francine. They made a mistake by not killing him. Now Jack brought his toys. Stephen King couldn’t have dreamed up something better than this! He promises to open Rhino up and eat his guts like a buzzard! But Jack won’t take Rhino’s belt to show it off to his friends or his kids. He has car troubles right now, so Jack says he will pawn it for money. Better yet, he might give it to a hooker on the strip. Jack might even gamble with it and do all the things you’re not supposed to do. He says he doesn’t care about the title. Jack wants to use his weapons to make Rhino squeal like a pig. So Rhino better knuckle up and bring his ass to a fight.

Joey calls that the most disturbing promo he has ever heard. Cyrus complains about the chaos and the insanity. And speaking of insanity, it’s time for a Flaming Tables Match.

Flaming Tables Match: Balls Mahoney & Chilly Willy vs. Da Baldies (Angel & Tony DeVito)

Storyline: Da Baldies returned to ECW New York and jumped Chilly Willy, so Redd Dogg stopped them. Then Dogg turned off the security camera because he didn’t want witnesses for what he was going to do to Da Baldies. Later, Balls wrestled Tajiri. The FBI interrupted them and attacked Tajiri and Balls. While they brawled, Da Baldies ambushed Mahoney, so Chilly Willy made the save. Balls wanted payback for his eye. He grabbed a table and doused it in lighter fluid. However, it backfired. Da Baldies put Mahoney through the flaming table. Afterward, Spike booked this match, so Balls sent a message to Da Baldies. He drove the Prodigette through a flaming table and used the remaining lighter fluid to breathe some fire.

The Match: Balls hits the Ballbreaker on Angel, and Willy gives DeVito a Falcon Arrow. Then they use chairs and grab a table. Before they can set it up, Da Baldies take them outside for some crowd brawling. They scuffle through the stands until almost everyone is bleeding. Soon the fight moves to the ramp, where Chilly suplexes Angel and nails a spinning back kick. Undaunted, Da Baldies fight back, and Angel powerbombs Willy onto some chairs. DeVito also decks Balls with a chair, but Mahoney rallies with a DDT on Angel. He follows it up with a super Nutcracker Suite on DeVito and a regular one to Angel. With Da Baldies down, Balls and Chilly douse a table in lighter fluid and set it ablaze. This allows them to powerbomb Angel on the flaming table for the victory.

Thoughts: Only the finish was interesting. The rest was mindless crowd brawling. Sure, the fans reacted well to it, but this wasn’t fun to watch. I found it dull. This served its purpose, but it was too long for my taste.

Winners: Balls & Chilly (12:17)

Backstage, the Sinister Minister says the most eagerly awaited PPV is upon us. Traditionally speaking, people give thanks in November. New Jack is thankful he is going to face Rhino for the TV title. Likewise, Credible, Sandman, and Corino must be thankful to face the ECW champ, Jerry Lynn. Then the Minister asks Tajiri what he is thankful for. Tajiri speaks Japanese, and the Minister says he is right. Francine is a feast for the eyes! As far as the Minister, he is thankful Mikey and Tajiri will beat the hell out of the FBI and regain their tag titles. November to Remember is here, so let the feast begin! With that said, they pan out to show Mikey lying on a flaming table with an apple in his mouth. Joey says, “What the hell was that!?”

Now it’s time for Rhino vs. New Jack. During the entrances, Joey says the FBI got to the Sinister Minister and did something unspeakable to him. (More on that later.) Meanwhile, Rhino throws chairs into the ring and waits for New Jack. When Jack arrives, he pushes a shopping cart full of weapons. Jack also has a pacifier in his mouth, which amuses Joey.

TV Title Match: Rhino (c) vs. New Jack

Storyline: New Jack focused on Rhino and Justin Credible after Anarchy Rulz. He said they wouldn’t get a receipt. They would get the whole cash register. Then New Jack wrestled Justin Credible. Spike Dudley prevented interference by Danny Daniels, which allowed Jack to win with a flying chair shot. Next, New Jack came after Rhino and Credible again when they jumped Corino. This led to New Jack and Corino vs. Justin and Rhino. New Jack said he didn’t like Corino, but he was going to teach him how to get violent. It worked because Corino and Jack won when Jack pinned Rhino. However, Rhino gored Jack through a table after the fight, and Justin caned Jack. Rhino thanked New Jack for pissing him off. It lit a fire under him.

The Match: Jack uses a trash can, the lid, a Chicago Bears helmet, a road sign, and a pool cue on Rhino. He sends Rhino outside and nails a diving attack with the sign. Back in the ring, Rhino kicks New Jack and sets up a table, but Jack rakes his eyes. This leads to an exchange of trash can shots until Rhino pulls the ref into one of them. Nevertheless, Jack gets his staple gun as Danny Daniels arrives. Danny tries to attack Jack, so Jack staples him and throws him outside. The distraction allows Rhino to recover. He slams Jack, but Rhino misses a flying splash. Now Jack gets his guitar and breaks it over Rhino’s head, but Rhino shakes it off and gores Jack through the table for the three.

Thoughts: This was your usual New Jack weapons brawl. The only thing it lacked was a balcony dive. Plus, Jack controlled 90% of the action, so this wasn’t good. I wanted to see Rhino in something better.

Winner: Rhino (7:56)

Steve Corino enters the Sandman’s locker room while he isn’t there. He tells Jack Victory to guard the door, and Steve steals a beer. After taking a sip, Steve spits it out and says it tastes like crap. We see Victory in the background holding the door closed, but he chose the wrong one. Sandman walks through the other door and catches Corino red handed. They brawl, so Victory shoves the cameraman out of the room.

Next, Joey and Cyrus discuss the remaining card before the FBI enters the arena. Joey says they tried to disfigure the Sinister Minister earlier. He claims the FBI hacked off part of the Minister’s finger, so Mikey and Tajiri arrive alone. (They were practicing their entrance before the show. It involved a device that shoots fireballs, which misfired in the Minister’s hand. He blew off a chunk of his finger and some shrapnel penetrated his abdomen.)

Tag Team Title Match: The F.B.I. (Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke) (c) (w/ Sal E. Graziano) vs. The Unholy Alliance

Storyline: Now that Tony Mamaluke is a full-fledged member of the FBI, he started talking more during promos. This made Big Sal wary. He thinks Tony is a glory hound. But it didn’t stop the FBI from defeating Doring and Roadkill again with Sal’s help. Later, Tajiri wrestled Balls, and the FBI jumped him. This was a mistake. Balls and Chilly Willy intervened. Mahoney bashed Sal in the head with a chair. Meanwhile, the Sinister Minister called the FBI liars. He said no one would extinguish the Unholy Alliance’s fire, and they will close the FBI’s chapter as champions. Then the Alliance defeated York & Matthews, so Sal said the Alliance might be the greatest team in the universe, except for the FBI.

The Match: Mikey and Tony do some chain wrestling before the Alliance double-teams Tony. Then Tajiri and Guido do a test of strength and exchange pin attempts and takedowns. Now the Alliance does more double-teaming. They sandwich Guido’s head between chairs while Guido awkwardly holds them, so Tony tries to help. It doesn’t work because Mikey gives the FBI a super double Whippersnapper. Unfortunately, it injures Mikey’s shoulder. They take Mikey out on a stretcher, so Super Crazy comes to take his spot in the bout.

Crazy gives Tony a press facebuster and places him in the tree of woe. Next, Tajiri nails his baseball slide before he and Crazy use more chairs on the FBI. However, the FBI retakes control with arm submissions and suplexes. Afterward, the teams exchange strikes until Tajiri scores a handspring double elbow and Crazy does a springboard moonsault. Crazy even lands a sit-out bomb and a swinging DDT on Guido, so Sal interferes. He takes Crazy into the crowd, but Crazy performs a moonsault off the balcony onto Sal. Back in the ring, Tajiri puts Tony in the Tarantula, so Guido kicks him. This allows Guido to bulldog Tajiri for the pin.

Thoughts: This was wild and crazy, but I think they tried to do too much. I didn’t dislike it, but the action became disjointed and sometimes following it was hard. Plus, the finish was abrupt and weak. For this reason, I can only call this decent.

Winners: The FBI (15:47)

They cut to Jasmin St. Claire in the shower. She says she loves to get squeaky clean for the fans, so they should go to ECW’s website. You can see her do some not-so-squeaky clean things there. With that said, Jasmin turns to the Blue Boy and asks him if that’s right. Blue Boy enters the frame and does a muscle pose. He tells the boys not to forget the clean and jerk. Blue Boy also swears the stuff on the website is G-rated. Once he says this, Blue Boy and Jasmin tell the cameraman to get lost. Meanwhile, Cyrus holds his format papers over his crotch to hide his boner.

Now it’s time for the main event. Joey explains the rules of the Double Jeopardy Match. Two matches will happen at the same time. It’s Corino vs. Sandman and Lynn vs. Credible. They can interact with each other, but they can only eliminate their current opponent. Then the two winners will fight each other for the final fall. After the explanation, Lynn, Credible, and Corino arrive, but Sandman is fashionably late. They start without him.

Double Jeopardy Match for the ECW Title: Steve Corino (w/ Jack Victory & Dawn Marie) vs. The Sandman vs. Justin Credible (w/ Francine) vs. Jerry Lynn (c)

Storyline: Justin attacked Jerry Lynn backstage after Anarchy Rulz. Then Justin interrupted Lynn’s interview time. Justin blamed his loss at Anarchy Rulz on Francine because she didn’t stop New Jack. However, Francine fired back. She told Justin her legs were closed until he won the gold again, so he should focus. This caused tension. Justin threatened Francine with violence. Meanwhile, Corino got his title shot, but C.W. Anderson joined the fight. Lynn eliminated Corino from the bout, but Corino earned another chance by beating Anderson in a #1 Contender contest. Later, they added Sandman to this main event. Sandman saved Corino from a beating and offered him a beer, but Corino swatted it away and rejected Sandman’s acceptance. As far as Lynn, he got revenge on Danny Daniels. They had a match, and Lynn gave Danny the cradle piledriver. HC Loc fast counted Danny when Lynn pinned him.

The Match: Corino lets Lynn and Credible fight while occasionally joining the fray. Everybody exchanges strikes until Sandman arrives. While he does his entrance, Justin bloodies Jerry. Then Sandman canes Jerry and stops for a beer, but Corino swats it out of his hand. Now Sandman goes cane crazy, but Lynn and Justin pinball him with punches. Next, Sandman and Corino scuffle outside, where Sandman nails a guardrail leg drop. Afterward, Sandman introduces a ladder and uses it on everybody! He even collects a section of guardrail and puts it in the ring. Later, Corino places it across some chairs, but it backfires. Sandman suplexes Steve onto the rail. Meanwhile, Francine interferes and almost fights with Dawn, but Corino makes Dawn leave the ring. With her back on the floor, Corino gives Sandman the Expulsion and Justin lands That’s Incredible on Lynn. Both earn three counts.

The fans boo and chant bullshit, as we are down to Credible and Corino. Sandman and Lynn remain at ringside, but they get involved. Jerry attacks Corino, and Sandman does the same to Justin. When they recover, Justin throws a low blow and pulls Francine into Corino’s superkick! Undeterred, Corino scores the Expulsion, but it only gets a two! After fending off a superkick and cane shots, Steve hits another Expulsion. This time, Dawn Marie turns on Corino! She gives low blows to Corino and Victory before leaving. Justin capitalizes with more cane shots, but Steve shakes them off and uses a superkick for the win.

Thoughts: I thought the convoluted rules would hurt this bout, but it ended up being better than I expected. However, they misread the room. This should have come down to Corino and Lynn instead. The fans booed the decision to eliminate Lynn early. The action was fine, but the booking was poor.

Winner: Steve Corino (New Champion) (24:21)

Joey says Corino’s son Colby must be leaping out of his seat at home. His daddy is the new ECW champion. Corino paid the price to win the gold. As he says this, Lynn enters the ring and grabs the belt. Steve offers a handshake, but Lynn hands Corino the title and slaps him before leaving. Joey thinks Lynn wants the first crack at the new champ. Then Joey says Steve is the King of ECW, and the Old School Era has begun.

The Good:

• The opener

• Kash vs. Anderson

• Nova vs. Chetti

The Bad:

• The Flaming Tables Match

• Rhino vs. New Jack

Observations:

• ECW overused their booking formula for PPVs. I have lost track of the number of events that started with a string of impromptu bouts. It has become tiresome.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Nova. He and Chetti had my favorite match of the night, and Nova innovated some cool moves.

Final Thoughts:

The best way to describe this PPV was good, but not great. The show contained more hits than misses, but the bad stuff brought the quality down a notch. Plus, some odd booking choices hurt the main event. I still enjoyed this, but it wasn’t outstanding.

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s Survivor Series 2000. Look for it next Sunday!