ECW on MTV #22
Wednesday, October 10th, 2001
Attendance: 1,487 – MGM Grand Casino – Hartford, Connecticut, USA
TV Rating: 0.90 on MTV
CURRENT CHAMPIONS:ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Mike Awesome
ECW World Tag Team Champions: Chris Candido and Simon Diamond [Diamond Bodies]
ECW World Television Champion: Christopher Daniels
ECW World Junior Heavyweight Champion: Hayabusa
NOVA (w/DANNY DORING & ROADKILL) DEF. CHRIS HAMRICK – PIN – 5:38
RATING: 40
FULL-SHOW RECAP>> FUNK: A CHALLENGE FOR NOVEMBER>> Terry Funk opened this week’s ECW on MTV to the sound of a big pop. He then invited Tommy Dreamer to the ring… and when Funk has an invite, one can’t refuse. ‘The Funker’ then revealed why he gave the precious advice of focusing on the future to Dreamer. And that’s because one should not grow old without fulfilling their accomplishments due to blaming the past on themselves.
>> However, there is one thing Funk is still looking to accomplish: he wants to retire in peace when time’s due… but he wants to have a one-on-one good hardcore match with Tommy first. So, he voiced: “Tommy… I want you to fight this old man at November To Remember… and I want you to have no pity of me! Because I don’t want the match to be about respect, Tommy… I want it to be about two men brawling around the ring, because that’s what our ECW fans want to see!
>> Dreamer listened, but he was already nodding. Then he told Funk his answer is no. Dreamer can’t do it and, for now, he cites the recent issues with The Sandman as the cause for saying no to Funk’s challenge: “Terry, the truth is: I can’t… I’m not emotionally ready to face another friend… and my biggest idol soon.” Dreamer also announced he will be in the King Of The Hill Battle Royal. Funk didn’t hide his disappointment and told Dreamer he will make him change his mind soon.
MATCH #1
CHRIS KANYON & SEAN O’HAIRE [INSURANCE OF QUALITY] (w/C.W. ANDERSON) vs. DANNY DORING & ROADKILL (w/NOVA)Would Kanyon and O’Haire be on synch after their recent squabbles? Their miscommunication could be a perfect chance for Doring and Roadkill to get on track. But it wasn’t, despite their good performance, as the I.Q. was an oiled machine, even if O’Haire provoked the opponents. In the end, with weapons already in the ring, Kanyon hit a Flatliner on Doring and O’Haire hit the Widow Maker on Roadkill for the win.
RESULT: SEAN O’HAIRE DEF. ROADKILL – PIN – 7:11
RATING: 51>> I.Q.: ON SYNCH AND WITH AN AIM>> After the match, Chris Kanyon got a microphone to claim that the Insurance of Quality are really on the same page (O’Haire and Anderson nodded positively in the back) and looking forward to make a big impact in ECW very soon. Kanyon then announced that the three will be in the King of the Hill Battle Royal.
>> MINISTER: “A GOOD, COMPETITIVE, EYE-OPENING MATCH”?>> In a red-lighted locker room, Sinister Minister was sat with his wrestlers, one at each side. Minister addressed the rematch between Christopher Daniels and Yoshihiro Tajiri, for the Television Championship. The leader of the Independent Church foresaw a good, competitive and enlightening match for both… specially for Tajiri.
>> MCMAHON: A PUNISHMENT IN TWO ACTS>> Backstage, Shane McMahon was seen and heard addressing yet another Diamond Bodies’ bullsh*t: the one from last week. Before he could talk much, Candido, Diamond and Sunny Dawn interrupted the boss, taunting him yet again for how the ECW management can’t really do something to prevent the Bodies from having the success “we [they] deserve”.
>> McMahon told them he can, at least, punish them, so both of them can get to the ring, because they’ll have singles matches with the two of their challengers. Diamond argued, since they weren’t in wrestling gear. Shane answered Diamond’s preoccupations: “You’ll go first, then!”
MATCH #2
SIMON DIAMOND (w/CHRIS CANDIDO & DAWN MARIE & TAMMY LYNN SYTCH) vs. TONY MAMALUKE (w/BIG VITO)In a shirt and somewhat tight jeans, Diamond had to deal with Tony Mamaluke. Dawn was at ringside from the get-go, Candido and Tammy joined in time so they could see Diamond lose after frankly trying his best. Mamaluke pinned Diamond with a Crucifix Pin after he avoided a bat shot.
RESULT: TONY MAMALUKE DEF. SIMON DIAMOND – PIN – 5:16
RATING: 48>> WE PLAY UNDER F.B.I.’S RULES TONIGHT>> As the bell sounded, Candido and Diamond jumped Mamaluke. It was a bad idea, as Big Vito (at ringside) was also a fresh man. Little Guido joined in too, and Vito and Mamaluke ended up running Simon Diamond and Dawn Marie out of there so they can’t spoil the next match.
MATCH #3
CHRIS CANDIDO (w/TAMMY LYNN SYTCH) vs. LITTLE GUIDO (w/BIG VITO)Big Vito got back to ringside early to watch a great and fully clean match, save for “one or five” distraction attempts from Tammy, who was also intimidated by Vito. Candido and Guido excelled mainly on the ground, but also took it to the air to crush each other. Near the end, Candido went for the Superbomb off the top, but Guido managed to trip Candido, who fell groin-first on the turnbuckle. He followed it with a Superplex.
Then… as Tammy was probably thinking about doing something, Francine appeared in the stage, calling for her attention instead. That allowed Guido to hit the Arrivederci (One-arm Tornado DDT) to get a hard-fought win!
RESULT: LITTLE GUIDO DEF. CHRIS CANDIDO – PIN – 11:09
RATING: 65>> F.B.I.: UNHAPPY ABOUT THE FINISH>> Candido and Tammy got out of there to check on Diamond and Dawn. Despite the win, Little Guido didn’t look happy. He seized Francine’s distraction, but he was pissed off due to the finish and verbalized in on the mic. Francine, who had already left, came back with the Impact Players. The F.B.I. (Mamaluke also came back) told them that they’re not like the Bodies nor they want to be and Guido was perfectly capable of beating Candido clean.
>> The Impact Players told the Italians that they know that… but they’ll accept a “thank you in the form of a title shot” for Francine’s facilitation if they win the belts at King of the Hill. Then, they left, leaving F.B.I. in the ring by themselves.
>> ELLERING: AWARE OF THE TARGET ON AWESOME’S BIG BACK>> Then, we got to see Mike Awesome… and Paul Ellering. The new manager of the ECW World Heavyweight Champion said they were aware that the main belt represents the wish of most ECW wrestlers entering the King of the Hill Battle Royal. So they know that “there’s a big target on Awesome’s big back”… but Awesome can take care of whichever business picks up after October 20th. Awesome was the one to conclude, actively challenging whoever wins the Battle Royal to come against him for a title shot at November To Remember.
MATCH #4 – ECW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP – 10-MIN. TIME LIMIT
CHRISTOPHER DANIELS © (w/SINISTER MINISTER) vs. YOSHIHIRO TAJIRI The Minister got his wish. Daniels vs. Tajiri was a good, competitive and clean match. Mikey and Punk stayed away from ringside, allowing their mates to shine in a technical and fast-paced type of bout. This time, taking their previous clash as an example, both men tried to end it sooner: Daniels hit Tajiri with a huge Crossbody that almost got him the win at 6 minutes; Tajiri hit a big Brainbuster at 8 to get a near-fall as well.
But none gave an inch and they were again approaching the 10-minute mark while trading kicks and forearms once again. Finally, and with Tajiri getting the upper hand but without Daniels down, the bell sounded signaling another draw.
RESULT: TIME LIMIT DRAW – STILL CHAMPION! – 10:00
RATING: 57>> A DEFINITIVE ANSWER AND A GRUESOME REACTION>> Tajiri looked pissed for not ending the match on time, while Daniels looked, at least, relieved he’s still the champion. It probably wasn’t the best time, but Sinister Minister applauded the good, competitive match he hoped to see, before speaking to Tajiri face-to-face and trying to get to his heart. Minister insisted on trying to have Tajiri accept his invitation to join the Independent Church again. By that time, Mikey and Punk got to the ring (one at a time). Mikey hoped his friend wouldn’t accept. Minister even touched Tajiri’s shoulder, and with that… Tajiri misted the Minister! That’s how ‘The Buzzsaw’ expressed his choice.
>> Daniels assisted Minister while Mikey and Punk got heated. Mikey shoved Punk after provocation, and Punk fell to the mat on top of the Minister. When he got back… he surprised Mikey with something: the spike! Mikey fell to the floor with his hands on his left eye! Punk spiked Mikey’s eye (or at least near)! Tajiri jumped Punk, who was just able to get out of there. Daniels and Minister left the scene too, as some ECW wrestlers (Nova, Dreamer, Impact Players…) checked on Mikey as he was helped by the medical team.
>> HEYMAN: MATCH MADE + ADDRESSING THE SANDMAN>> Paul Heyman is back in ECW. In his room, first and following Punk’s attack on Mikey, Heyman made the match between the former Unholy Alliance and the Independent Church official for the pay-per-view.
>> Then, he addressed The Sandman, particularly the caning Heyman himself got at the end of Anarchy Rulz, and Sandman’s last weeks in ECW, marked by some despicable actions. Heyman was pretty straightforward about it, saying than Sandman chose to exit the ‘Land of Extreme’ through the small door. “He had a choice… and he chose to burn every positive memory about him.” As usual, if the matter is Sandman, the fans were divided.
MATCH #5
BILLY KIDMAN & JERRY LYNN & STEVE CORINO vs. HAYABUSA & KID KASH & TOMMY DREAMER (w/BEULAH MCGILLICUTTY)No one saw the main event coming: a very diverse six-man tag team clash. The tag rules were mostly followed. The babyface team got along and worked pretty well together. Lynn and Corino, former stablemates, got along too, but Kidman was a bit of a black sheep. Despite being a former WCW guy, though, he didn’t shy away from weapons and from fighting dirty.
Near the end, we got to see the best cruiserweight action of the match. Hayabusa, Lynn, Kidman and Kash (the latter two fueled by some bad blood) gave us some good sequences. Near the end, though, Tommy seemed like he wasn’t there anymore, even failing to protect himself from a chair shot by Corino. In the end, Corino and Lynn hit him with a Double Superkick and followed it with a Double Suplex through a table. Kidman, however, stole the show by hitting a Shooting Star Press to, also, steal the pin.
RESULT: BILLY KIDMAN DEF. TOMMY DREAMER – PIN – 13:40
RATING: 66>> TITLE MATCH MADE FOR KING OF THE HILL>> Following the bell sound, Jerry Lynn and Steve Corino were pissed at Billy Kidman, confronting him for stealing the pin. However, thanks to Hayabusa, Lynn talked Corino out of there. Hayabusa then gave Kidman the signal: he accepts his challenge. Hayabusa then verbalized: “you and me, for the title, at King of the Hill!” Kidman feigned to hit Hayabusa, but backed down and quickly left. The show ended.
FINAL RATING: 63
BOOKER’S NOTES:>> Having two TV shows definitely helps making ECW on MTV better from an in-ring perspective. The roster is good and by having a B-show, we can save good match-ups for about every match in the A-show. I was not expecting such a high rating on Guido vs. Candido, though. We may have to run a rematch along the line.
ECW King Of The Hill - Saturday, October 20th 2001
The card so far20-Man King Of The Hill Battle RoyalC.W. Anderson vs. Chris Kanyon vs. Justin Credible vs. Lance Storm vs. Sean O'Haire vs. Steve Corino vs. Tommy Dreamer vs. 13 other participants
ECW World Tag Team ChampionshipChris Candido and Simon Diamond [Diamond Bodies] (c) (w/Dawn Marie and Tammy Lynn Sytch) vs. Little Guido and Tony Mamaluke [F.B.I.] (w/Big Vito)
ECW World Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipHayabusa (c) vs. Billy Kidman
Tag Team MatchChristopher Daniels and CM Punk [Independent Church] (w/Sinister Minister) vs. Mikey Whipwreck and Yoshihiro Tajiri
