ECW '01 - A World in Jeopardy

Ah no Sean O'Haire can still challenge for gold because he wasn't pinned. It was only if he took the fall that he'd be banned from any championship. Corino lost not Sean.

ECW on MTV #18
Friday, September 12th, 2001
Attendance: 2,000 – Sky Bank Arena – Findlay, Ohio, USA
TV Rating: 0.94 on MTV

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DARK MATCH:
EZ MONEY (w/ELEKTRA) DEF. JERRELLE CLARK – PIN – 6:12
RATING: 38

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FULL-SHOW RECAP

>> DREAMER: “SANDMAN’S BIGGEST MISTAKE…”
>> Tonight’s episode started with a huge click! Sat on the couch at home, next to his hurt girlfriend, Tommy Dreamer had a clear message for The Sandman, saying that Sandman’s biggest mistake in his life was caning Beulah McGillicutty last week. “Sandman, this is how it is: our friendship is dead and buried to you and now… it is dead and buried to me too! At the end of the month, at Anarchy Rulz, I will avenge her and you will be gone of ECW! It will be all my pleasure, Sandman!”

MATCH #1
THE SANDMAN vs. NATE WEBB
In the ring, Sandman had the first match of the night. A short caning session of poor indie wrestler Nate Webb. Sandman put an end to his misery with the White Russian Leg Sweep, assisted by his cane too.
RESULT: THE SANDMAN DEF. NATE WEBB – PIN – 2:27
RATING: 40

>> SANDMAN: NO REMORSE ABOUT CANING BEULAH
>> The Sandman reacted to Tommy Dreamer’s words prior to his match. He said he likes to see that Tommy finally grew the balls to accept their friendship’s fate. However, Sandman said, at Anarchy Rulz, Sandman wants to rid ECW of his most beloved “pretty boy”. Finally, he claimed to feel no remorse from caning Beulah last week and guaranteed he has no problem doing it again after beating Dreamer at the pay-per-view.

>> MIKEY, TAJIRI, MINISTER: DIFFERENT DESIRES
>> Last week, we got to know that Yoshihiro Tajiri didn’t leave Mikey Whipwreck. This week, both opened up about their desire to take on Sinister Minister’s Independent Church in a recorded promo, to get some revenge on Mikey. Mikey did most of the talking, but Tajiri shouted some war words in Japanese, sounding menacing and psychotic.
>> After that, Independent Church’s own promo aired too. Minister cut most of it and expressed his interest in keeping Tajiri under his wing as he has always seen “unlimited potential” in the ‘Buzzsaw’. Finally, Christopher Daniels and CM Punk got to say a few words too. Both claimed to be better wrestlers and, thanks to Minister’s and the Church’s spirituality, much more complete human beings than Whipwreck.

MATCH #2
JAMIE GIBSON vs. JOEY MATTHEWS (w/JOEL GERTNER)
Two Jr. Heavyweights had a fun match that pit Gibson’s technique against Matthews’ flashiness. Gertner provoked the redneck and ended up getting caught in a Slingshot Crossbody by Gibson. In the end, Matthews lost by pin after a Gibson Driver on two open chairs. After the match, the winner shouted at the camera, asking Heyman and McMahon if they had seen how he won.
RESULT: JAMIE GIBSON DEF. JOEY MATTHEWS – PIN – 6:26
RATING: 46

>> HEYMAN: GROUPING ROAMLESS ORIGINALS TOGETHER
>> Paul Heyman and Shane McMahon were both seen in their weekly meeting. It was cut short, though, as someone knocked on the door. It was Nova. McMahon left him with Heyman and Danny Doring and Roadkill also entered the room. Paul E. had organized a meeting with the roamless originals of ECW.
>> Heyman gave them a pep talk, telling them not to be discouraged by their current low streak. In fact, Heyman announced that since he trust all men’s capabilities, he’s going to put Doring and Roadkill in a multi-team Contendership Match at Anarchy Rulz. About Nova… he interrupted Heyman’s plans for him, instead suggesting he could manage Doring and Roadkill at the pay-per-view. The agreement was made and the three felt more positive.

>> KANYON’S CLAIMS LEAD TO A MATCH
>> Something was happening in the ring: the Insurance of Quality were there and Chris Kanyon was unsatisfied with last week’s main event result. Sean O’Haire didn’t win the 3-way #1 Contendership Match, but he didn’t lose either and “heroically survived” the jeopardy he had. Kanyon added that the result could have been very different and Mike Awesome’s title reign could have been coming to an end soon, because O’Haire can totally defeat Awesome. The champion came to the ring, disputing the claim and challenging O’Haire for a match right now. Maybe feeling some peer pressure, O’Haire nodded positively.

MATCH #3
MIKE AWESOME vs. SEAN O’HAIRE (w/C.W. ANDERSON)
Awesome doesn’t get paid by the hour and I.Q.’s prodigy felt that with a rampant start by the champion. O’Haire kicked out of early pin attempts and managed to get back into the match, going toe-to-toe with Awesome for a short time until… Steve Corino walked to ringside, catching Anderson off guard with a crutch shot to the back.
That was enough to distract Sean, who ate a Big Boot by Awesome (who didn’t notice Corino’s interference) and then an Awesome Bomb for the three.
RESULT: MIKE AWESOME DEF. SEAN O’HAIRE – PIN – 4:28
RATING: 47

>> KANYON WANTS TO RESTART 3 VS. 2 + ONE OUT, TWO IN
>> Kanyon got back into scene. In the entrance way, he confronted Corino over his interference. Furthermore, that led to another challenge, as the leader of the I.Q. wanted to restart the match with some additions: it would be the I.Q. vs. Awesome and Corino. Corino denied it, since he’s ankle is still injured.
>> Two men stepped up, however: Jerry Lynn and Spike Dudley volunteered to team with Awesome in a 3 vs. 3 match. Kanyon… accepted.

MATCH #4
CHRIS KANYON & C.W. ANDERSON & SEAN O’HAIRE [INSURANCE OF QUALITY] vs. JERRY LYNN & MIKE AWESOME & SPIKE DUDLEY
This one was a contested match with some nice bits: Lynn and Kanyon’s interactions were particularly great. The action spilled to the outside and the I.Q. couldn’t contain Spike and Awesome’s weapon usage. Near the end, Spike was going toe-to-toe with O’Haire, who was worn down by Spike’s partners before. So, Lynn and Awesome felt comfortable to trade some shots with I.Q.’s more experienced two on the outside.
In the end, Spike was in trouble… but he wouldn’t lose, as Corino prevented so! This time he ran to the ring, proving he’s actually already healed, and hit O’Haire with a huge crutch shot… and then a Superkick! Spike didn’t care about getting a dirty win and followed up with an Acid Drop for the win.
RESULT: SPIKE DUDLEY DEF. SEAN O’HAIRE – PIN – 8:35
RATING: 48

>> KANYON CHALLENGES SPIKE FOR ANARCHY RULZ
>> The I.Q. were furious and stormed the ring, being chased by Lynn and Awesome who prevented Kanyon’s will to attack Spike. The heel trio defeated and Kanyon grabbed a mic and laid a challenge: “Alright, alright, Spike… this is how it’s going to be: you and me in the ring… finally one on one at Anarchy Rulz! That’s if you have the balls (not that slob of a friend of yours) to face the truth: there’s nobody betta’ and nobody meana’ than Kanyon! NOBODY!... you bastard…”

>> MAIN EVENT HYPE
>> Backstage, the Diamond Bodies knew their time was next! At least they thought so. Chris Candido and Simon Diamond, as well as their girls (Dawn Marie and Tammy Lynn Sytch) hyped the occasion. They promised to walk out of “this crap town, Findlay, Ohio” [cheap heat, yeah!] as the new ECW World Tag Team Champions. Something which they said will be a very tough pill for Heyman and Shane to swallow. Tammy concluded: “and we will not… let you spit!” [adult humor, yeah!].
>> The Impact Players, however, came to the ring. Justin Credible, Lance Storm and Francine called the Diamond Bodies, stating that the moment to prove that they’re ballsy enough to hang out with the best ECW tag team in history is now. Once again, Francine questioned Candido and Diamond’s ability to go toe-to-toe with the Players without Sunny Dawn, but guaranteed she’s woman enough to deal with those two if needed. The challengers then got to the ring.


MATCH #5 – ECW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
JUSTIN CREDIBLE & LANCE STORM [IMPACT PLAYERS] © (w/FRANCINE) vs. CHRIS CANDIDO & SIMON DIAMOND [DIAMOND BODIES] (w/DAWN MARIE & TAMMY LYNN SYTCH)
The challengers knew exactly how much this match meant. They entered in the bout fully focused, forcing a clean and good technical match in the start, so much so that Credible was the one needing to adapt, which he did, showcasing how much of a wrestler he also is.
Tags and holds were a thing and momentum shifts created some tense moments. The champions were close to retaining first after a good Double Superkick on Diamond. The pin was broken by Candido, but the match remained clean until the Bodies’ own near-fall, following a Backbreaker + Leg Drop Combo on Credible. Unable to get the three, the challengers called for plan B.
The match got dirtier and Credible got busted open following a chair shot by Diamond. Moments after, the former ECW Champion responded with a grudge cane shot, busting the former baseball player. The two were involved in a brawl as Candido and Storm also embraced a much stiffer style.
At ringside, Dawn got too close to action and Francine got on her face. Tammy, in the back, cheap shotted ‘The Queen of Extreme’ with a bitch slap and got thrown inside the ring for her trouble. The two then got involved in a… you know… CATFIIIIIIIGHT!!! Dawn also joined, wanting a piece of Francine too. In the middle of the chaos, the referee, who was trying to separate the three, ended up getting “accidentally” caught by Tammy’s spiked heel! The ref was down and Tammy hit Storm with a low blow, as the catfight between Tammy and Francine then spilled outside.
Credible and Diamond’s brawl reach the inside of the ring… until Dawn Marie, with Diamond’s baseball bat, made a difference, hitting Credible on his ribs once again! He was out and, in the ring, it was 2-on-1 on Storm, and a Body Play Powerbomb sealed the deal, as Candido revived the referee to count Diamond’s pin! The Bodies are champions!
RESULT: SIMON DIAMOND DEF. LANCE STORM – PIN – NEW CHAMPIONS! – 12:47
RATING: 67

>> DIAMOND BODIES: CALLING THE BOSSES OUT
>> After the match, Francine was furious as she was the only one standing, provoking the new champions and their valets, even slapping Tammy back. For her attitude, she got a Superkick from Candido, plus a Simonizer from Diamond!
>> The new champions then shouted to the camera, telling McMahon that, after all, they needed no favors from him to become the ECW World Tag Team Champions. Finally, they told Heyman that ECW has entered a “Diamond Era” and soon, he better recognize them as the best tag team in ECW history!

FINAL RATING: 63

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BOOKER’S NOTES:
>> Trouble has reached ECW’s paradise: Steve Corino, one of our key players, has been having an attitude problem. He was fined. Also, Dawn Marie and Elektra had some beef backstage over a rental car. Dawn was warned.

>> I’m once again happy with my show, even if I thought I’d get one or two more ratings above the 50 mark. Well, it is what it is. We’re now in The Diamond Era for tag team wrestling in ECW, which can only be good. Right?

>> I'm starting to think we have far too much happening in a single TV show. We may need a second one to shorten ECW on MTV a little bit and to give more time on air to some of the guys in the undercard.

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These are the best headaches, because they are growing pains. You're starting to have too much talent, too many personalities in the locker room!