Post by jackknight on Jan 8, 2014 14:57:33 GMT
1/8/97 - Alfond Arena Orono, ME
"Mean" Gene Okerlund and "The Genius" Lanny Poffo welcome us to the Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine for another exciting edition of Eastern Championship Wrestling! Before hyping tonight's huge card, they first briefl recap last week's action including the Mexi-Kings attacking Horsemen member Scott Taylor which led to a wild brawl between the two groups, Eastern States Champion "The Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit retaining his Title in a brutal Triple Threat match against Ron Simmons and "Macho Man" Randy Savage and ECW Champion "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" Chris Jericho no-showing in his match against "The Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady! Though he claimed it was due to care trouble, ECW President Eric Bischoff decided to award the match to O'Grady by forfeit and set "The Leprechaun" up for his first ever Eastern Heavyweight Title short right here tonight! With the added stipulation that should Jericho not arrive here in Maine for any reason; he'll be stripped of the Title!
They then begin hyping tonight's huge card when they're interrupted by....
Mongo Vyle?! He tells the fans "I'm baaaack!" He then tells all the little bitches in the audience with their stupid, indecipherable Boston accents he don't give a flying shit if they care he's back! Because he's not here for them. And he isn't here for those dolts at home either. He says that he was betrayed by that two-timing jackass Rhyno. A man who kept him from reclaiming the ECW Tag-Team Championship time and time again! But no more! Just like he cast off "The Man-Beast," or "The War Beast" or whatever he is calling himself now; Mongo is going to cast off this guise, this facade; this "Machiavellan Mauler" crap! Because Vyle is here for two things! To settle scores and win as much Championship gold as his family can carry! Which is why it's time to get real. Because Mongo Vyle is a character, a ruse, his slave name. Because his real one is Bully... Ray.... Dudley!
And that's not all folks! Because he's not the only outcast from Dudleyville your pea brains are gonna get to boo tonight! You! In front front row! Shut your ugly trap! Show some respect for the family that'll one day be the most dominant force in Eastern Championship Wrestling! And the wrestling world at large! Because he's introducing you to his brothers, the giant Big Dick Dudley, the one man double-team Dudley Dudley; and the little runt of the Dudley litter; Snot Dudley! Whether you like it or not!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Joel Gertner makes the intros for the first match of the night.
Tag-Team Match: The Dudley Boyz vs. Techno Team 2000
Referee: Danny Davis
The Dudley Boyz are inside the ring for their first match here in ECW with Bully Ray and Big Dick as the legal men. The two men beat the hell out of Troy and Travis who try to outwrestle the Boyz early on. Midway through the match 2000 gain some steam against Bully, but Big Dick comes in, cleans house with some punches and elbows before throwing the illegal Travis out of the ring where he gets pummeled by Double Dudley and little Snot. Bully Ray Dudley then puts the exclamation point on this dominating encounter for the Dudleys as he hits the Bully Bomb full nelson bomb on Troy for the win. He argues with fans at ringside as we're taken backstage where...
ECW President Eric Bischoff confronts Tag-Team Champions Dustin Rhodes and Tommy Dreamer and tells Dreamer he was impressed by his match against Jericho the week after Wrestle Annual. And while he might not be World Champion material yet, he thinks he deserves a shot at a different Title right her next week!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Back from break a video plays featuring this song which is accompanied by video clips of violent outbreaks and protests.
Match: Michele Starr vs. Lisa Moretti
Referee: S.D. Jones
"Mean" Gene and Lanny don't know what to make of the video we just saw and neither does a confused looking Women's Champ "Gorgeous" Michele Starr who is already in the ring with Joe E. Legend. His opponent "Ivory" Lisa Moretti comes down to the ring and she takes the fight right to Starr, dominating the Women's Champ at several points! She gets several pinfalls, including a close three after hitting the Poison Ivory kneeling facebuster! This last move sends Michele out of the ring and removing his Phantom of the Opera style mask he asks Legend to check his face! He does as Lisa runs the ropes, charges across the ring; and launches out with a tope dive!
But Legend sees her coming and pulls Starr out of harms way! And Moretti crashes hard into the steel barricade! Starr recovers from the scare this gave him and stomps Lisa out for a bit before rolling her back into the ring. Though she attempts to make a comeback, she never really recovers from hitting the barricade and Michele Starr ends up hitting the Falling Starr jumping Splash to pick up the win here tonight.
After the match Starr asks for the microphone and says that is sure the fans in Orono, Maine and the folks at home are just as ecstatic as he is to see the Women's Division; or as all his fans the Starlets call it; "The Gorgeous Division" back where it belongs in the spotlight on Wedneday Nights! He also assures the booing fans there's no doubt he'll put down that coconut eating savage...
But that's as far as he gets because "The Hawaiian Princess" Leilani Kai hits the ring and Starr, beating the hell out of the shrieking diva as ECW goes to...
COMMERCIAL BREAK
"Too Cool" Brian Christopher and "Sugah" Shane Helms are in the house yo! And they have the sweet, the fine, honey Jacqueline Moore with them yo! Jacqueline Moore tells us that with her boo Brian Christoper and his boy Shane Helms; she gonna lead her team to hip hop right to the top!
Tag-Team Match: Illmatics vs. The Ubermensch
Referee: Danny Davis
Some rap music hits and the Illmatics come down to the ring and act like thugs dancing around. Their hopes of reaching the top meet a huge roadblock however when they're set to tangle with The Baron's Ubermensch! While Brian Christopher and Shane Helms hold their own against Aryan von Raschke, they're no match for "Mangler's Monster" The Blitzkrieg! The big man ends up clotheslining the duo out of the ring and following them out an all-out brawl begins between the two teams. Davis meanwhile is forced to deliver the Double Count Out.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
"Mean" Gene and Lanny welcome us back from the break before reminding us that next week's show will be coming to us live from the Edward Leede Arena in Hanover, New Hampshire and while some tickets are still on sale; those folks at home should be sure to tune in right here on Eastern Championship's home station of TNN The Nashville Network to catch all the exciting ECW action live!
Match: Rick Rude w/ Rob Van Dam vs. Douglas Williams
Referee: S.D. Jones
"Ravishing" Rick Rude's World's Finest partner Rob Van Dam is at ringside rallying the fans while inside the ring "The U.K. Kidd" Douglas Williams gives him a decent fight getting a two count when he hits the Chaos Theory waist-lock backward roll transitioned into a bridged German Suplex! Rick Rude however keeps control of most of the match before polishing Williams off with the Rude Awakening delayed hangman's neckbreaker. After the match RVD raises Rude's hand in victory when Rick snubs Jones.
The first ever Rocking 'N Rolling segment on ECW Wednesday Nights appears courtesy of the Honky Tonk Man! He invites us all to party with the first big Rock hit of 1997; "#1 Crush" by the band Garbage! And man does ol' Honky have a crush on their lead singer Shirley Manson. Mmm...
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Back from break ECW Correspondent Terri Runnels is in front of the ECW Banner talking with "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and his Million Dollar Corporation; The Eastern States Champion Chris Benoit, the Million Dollar Champions Steve Corino and Alex Porteau; and "The Million Dollar Dame" Dawn Marie! DiBiase tells us how last week Benoit's match came to it's obvious conclusin and then brags rightfully so that he now commands one of the most dominant factions in the sport of wrestling today. And how he isn't planning on stopping there. He says that he's still in talks with several other top stars who're vying for the chance to align themselves with DiBiase's group.
Just then however ECW President Eric Bischoff interrupts them?! Benoit looks like he might tear off "Easy E's" head and wear it as a hat, but Ted gets between them. Bischoff looks a little relieved before telling them that he's glad they're so confident in "The Canadian Crippler's" abilities; because he's going to have to defend his Title right here next week!
Tag-Team Match: Million Dollar Champions vs. The Wiseguys
Referee: Danny Davis
The Wiseguys Jimmy Cicero and Guido Falcone probably give the self-styled Million Dollar Champions more of a fight than their manager "The Million Dollar" Man Ted DiBiase is comfortable with; but in the end the young stars pull through with Alex Porteau hitting Cicero with the Pug kneeling Powerbomb before tagging in "Mr. Wrestling" Steve Corino who finishes him off with the Sliding C Special lariat.
ECW Correspondent Terri Runnels is in the locker room talking with # 1 Contender "The Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady about his Title shot later tonight! Aye wee lass, O'Grady does feel blessed. St. Patrick indeed has been looking out for him of late. And he's heard the gossip. That if ol' Erin's luck holds out he'll walk out of Orono, Maine the ECW Champion. Well that's all fine and good. But "The Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady isn't gonna need luck to put Chris Jericho away.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Match: Brimstone w/ CoD vs. Doug Gilbert w/ Cousin Jamie
Referee: S.D. Jones
"The Redneck Rebel" Doug Gilbert fairs well early on in this one, using a hit and run style of offense with "The Dark Prophet" Brimstone when Gene says "requires more running." His tag-team partner Cousin Jamie's attempts to aide him are thwarted at every turn however as the Circus of Doom Pogo the Clown and "The Ring Master" Matt Borne corner him at ringside at he wisely escapes through the crowd! Once Brimstone catches hold of Gilbert, Lanny describes the Dougie as "road pizza" as "The Prophet" batters him about the ring and hits the slingshot lariat from the apron which he follows up with a Chokeslam from Hell for the win.
After the match Brimstone is handed his massive tome by Matt Borne where he reads a dark poem which makes no mentions of puppies or kittens...
We don't hear the full thing however as we're quickly taken backstage where ECW Correspondent Terri Runnels is talking to newest member of Arn Anderson's Four Horsemen; William Regal! She asks him about the Mexi-Kings and he has nothing nice to say about Eddie Guerrero and his little "gang." He says they're real good at isolating someone when they're in a group, dishing out three on one beatdowns like they did his poor teammate Scott Taylor here last week; but when push comes to shove...
Regal is cut off mid-sentence as he's attacked by the Mexi-Kings! Eddie Guerrero, Shawn Hernandez; and Chavo Guerrero Jr. pound as surprised Regal down to the floor before putting the boots to him! The jumping goes on for a bit before Eddie calls them off, spits on Regal and swears at him in Spanish.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Okerlund and Poffo welcome us back from the last commercial break of the evening before hyping tonight's huge Main Event! They talk about Eastern Heavyweight Champion "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" Chris Jericho who won the Title back on December 1st at Wrestle Annual III. Since then Jericho has been met with challenge after challenge; according to him because of a bias against him by ECW President Eric Bischoff. Okerlund however thinks it's simply a matter of when you hold the most prized Title in this business; you're bound to be placing a very large target on your back. Lanny however seems to think Chris is right. They then go on to talk about how Jericho no-showed last week's episode siting car trouble and missed his match with his challenger for the Title here tonight "The Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady. Because of this, Bischoff awarded Erin the match by forfeit and going a step further set up a second match for O'Grady here tonight! With the ECW Title on the line! Irish Folk music is then heard.
Gertner: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and is for the Eastern Heavyweight Championship! Introducing first the challenger from Dublin, Ireland weighing 212 lbs.; he is "The Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady!
O'Grady comes out with his cauldron and tosses gold coins to the crowd. Inside the ring he dances a little jig until "Thunderkiss '65" by White Zombie hits and out comes...
No one? Okerlund reminds us that last week ECW President Eric Bischoff explicitly stated if Jericho no shows this match here tonight; he would be stripped of the Title! We all wait...
Until Chris Jericho explodes from the back!
Gertner: And introducing his opponent this evening weighing 226 lbs. from Manhasset, New York; he is the ECW Champion "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" Chris Jericho!
ECW Title Match: Chris Jericho vs. Erin O'Grady
Referee: Danny Davis
Chris Jericho enters the ring and immediately starts running his mouth how Erin O'Grady isn't worthy! How he should be after the Little People Title! Or a shamrock or something! Despite that, "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" doesn't seem to want to lock up as he circles about the ring; but fed up O'Grady charges in right after him! And catching Chris by surprise grabs a headlock and takes him up and over with a snapmare! Chris grabs a quick headlock with his legs; but "The Leprechaun" slides out and back up on his feet he runs the ropes and as the ECW Champ gets to his feet he finds himself brought right back down to the mat with an Irishcanrana! And the cover! 1!
Jericho powers out! Erin lands on his feet while Chris retreats over to the ropes. Brought back to the match by Davis, the two men feel one another out
again before Jericho strikes first catching a headlock of his own! But O'Grady fights his way out with several punches to the gut and pushes the Champ toward the ropes! Erin hits the mat as Jericho runs over him on the rebound and popping up to his feet "The Leprechaun goes for a back body drop! He isn't so lucky this time however as Chris grabs him by the head and rolls him up! 1!...
Close 2! Jericho is pissed and as O'Grady gets to his feet he charges in with a roar and a clothesline! Erin sees it coming however and ducks it! Chris hits the ropes, bounces out; and O'Grady takes him down with a snap suplex! And he hooks the leg! 1!... 2!
Chris gets his shoulder up! But that was too close for the Champ and sliding outside the ring he begins screaming at O'Grady! Erin however taunts him with a jig! This pisses Chris off and he slides in only to get stunned with several punches from "The Leprechaun!" And an Irish whip! Chris hits the ropes. Armdrag from Erin gets blocked; and Jericho counters with a suplex!
Chris is grandstanding now and while the fans boo he hits the ropes and hammers a stunned Erin back down to the mat with a dropkick! And he follows that up with several cocky stomps as he flexes his muscles for the fans! O'Grady crawls into the corner and using his boot Chris chokes out "The Leprechaun!" Davis pulls him off and as Jericho returns to the match he receives a kick to the legs! This only pisses the Champ off and he stomps O'Grady yet again! He pulls him to his feet and Chops him in the corner! Chop! Chop! Chop! He lets Erin stumble out and hits the one handed bulldog before signalling for the Lionsault! And Jericho hits the ropes! Springboards!
And slams ribs first into O'Grady knees! He hooks the leg! 1!... 2!...
Chris kicks out! We nearly had a new Heavyweight Champion! Chris stumbles back up as Erin begins throwing some punches and elbows! He then runs the ropes, but Chris charges in and takes O'Grady down with a quick running knee to the gut! And treats him to a couple more stomps! Jericho pulls "The Leprechaun" back up to his feet and runs him head first into the top turnbuckle! And flipping him around, he lets loose with some more Chops!
But Erin grabs him and turns the tide! And he's pounding on Chris in the corner!
Until Chris answers him with a thumb to the eye and throws O'Grady back in the corner! And he begins raining down the punches!
But Erin ducks it! And trapping Chris in the corner once again hits him with several kicks to the gut! And pulling the Champ out he whips him into the ropes and hits a Tornado DDT! "Holy shit!" "Really Gene?!" Erin goes for the cover but a stunned Jericho pushes him away. He gets to his feet only to be whipped into the ropes a second time! This time Erin kicks Jericho in the gut and hammers him home with the Lucky Charm double implant DDT! And he hooks the leg! 1!... 2!....
Jericho just makes it! The fans are up on their feet! They can't believe it! Lanny doesn't think he does either. Chris stumbles up to his feet and slaps O'Grady away. He heads to the ropes looking for some air. But "The Leprechaun" isn't giving him any and charging in! Gets countered as in desperation Chris scoops him up and throws him onto the top rope! And as Erin bounces off Chris hits him hard with a bridged German Suplex! 1!... 2!...
Erin just kicks out! Jericho can't believe it! And getting up to his feet stomps O'Grady in the back and hits some quick elbow drops to it for good measure. He then grabs Erin by the legs and despite a bit of a fight turns him over into the Walls of Jericho! And Erin taps! He taps! Chris Jericho has retained the Title! The Eastern Heavyweight Champ however doesn't seem to want to linger in the ring however and after getting his hand briefly raised by Davis he rolls on out and grabs his Title leaving a defeated Erin O'Grady recovering in the ring as the...
"The Enforcer" Arn Anderson shows up?! And he clotheslines Chris Jericho right down the ramp! Chris folds up like an accordian! But Double A is back! He grabs the ECW Championship and holds it up for the cameras as the...
Lights Fade.
. Still enjoying Techno Team being around, competitive tv talent. I do love the Illmatics, Suga Shane is a better sidekick than whoever that dolt IRL with Grandmaster was. What was his name? 
Good learning experience for the UK Kidd against the Ravishing One, crazy to picture Rude taking Chaos Theory, but Williams would have bounced around well for Rude. Really hoping World's Finest get another crack at Dustin and Dreamer or even have a tv match Macho and Simmons or Benoit and Malenko.