Post by jackknight on Jan 25, 2014 1:19:22 GMT
1/22/97 - The Champlain Valley Expo Essex Junction, VT
"Mean" Gene Okerlund and "The Genius" Lanny Poffo welcome us to the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, Vermont for another exciting edition of Eastern Championship Wrestling! Poffo tells Gene he can't believe it. He stopped in nearby Burlington today and was shocked to discover there isn't a single Coat Factory there. He's freezing his ass off up here! Okerlund just shakes his head. They then briefly recap last week's show including the big brawl between Arn's Horsemen and the Mexi-Kings, "Gorgeous" Michele Starr retaining the Women's Championship against Leilani Kai; and what's sure to
be considered an upset; "The Innovator of Violence" Tommy Dreamer defeated "The Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit in the Main Event to become the new Eastern States Champion!
They then hype tonight's huge card, for once much to Okerlund's surprise without any interruption by ECW Champion "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" Chris Jericho. They talk about some amazing matches they have lined up including # 1 Contender "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson taking on the last man to challenge for the ECW Championship; "The Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady! Also the two time ECW Light Heavyweight Champion "The Lone Wolf" Dean Malenko will face the man he defeated to win his first Championship in "Too Cool" Brian Christopher! "Mach Man" Randy Savage will also be in action as will Dudley Boyz leader Bully Ray Dudley! Two exciting Tag-Team bouts are on tap as the self-styled Million Dollar Champions will face the Texas Hangmen and The Mexi-Kings once again meet up with the team of Tully Blanchard and Scott Taylor. And in our huge Main Event; ECW Champion "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" Chris Jericho will battle "Rock 'N Roll" Buck Zumhoff in non-Title action!
Match: Arn Anderson vs. Erin O'Grady
Referee: Danny Davis
"The Leprechaun" Erin O'Grady throws some gold coins to the crowd before stepping in the ring with a man he's met many times here in ECW, "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson. Something is different about O'Grady during this outing. He's more confident and gets a near two off the diving double foot stomp off the top and a solid two count when he counters an attempted Spinebuster with a Tornado DDT! Arn hangs in there however and gives just as good as he gets before hitting the Gourdbuster Slam! He's about to make the cover when...
He's knocked flat on his back by a jumping corkscrew roundhouse kick!
It's the ECW Champion Chris Jericho! Arn is knocked senseless as Jericho stomps on him and flexes before grabbing his legs and locking in the Walls of
Jericho! Davis calls for the bell while Jericho is screaming for Arn to tap! And by the look on his face he just might when...
William Regal, Tully Blanchard; and Scott Taylor charge down the ramp! Chris is long gone before they get to the ring however as he rolls out and escapes through the crowd. Arn's Horsemen check on him as we take our first...
COMMERCIAL BREAK
After the commercial break a video plays featuring this song which is accompanied by video clips of violent outbreaks and protests. An extreme close-up of a man's crazed eyes are staring intently is placed throughout the video.
Like last time time an SR logo appears at the end.
Tag-Team Match: The Million Dollar Champions vs. The Texas Hangmen
Referee: S.D. Jones
"Mr. Wrestling" Steve Corino starts things off with Jesse Barr in a back and forth exchange where "The Bulldog" follows up a scoop poweslam with a bulldog for a two count. Corino however has the match in-hand and after hitting the inverted facelock neckbreaker slam he would've had it won if not for some grandstanding before making the pin which gets broken up by "The Outlaw" Black Bart! Bart and Barr work some double-team action, even running Corino into the corner and the waiting boot of Bob Orton Jr. which he has up on the top rope! Finally in the ring alone with Black Bart, Steve rallies back however and making it to his corner tags in Alex Porteau!
Black Bart has the edge on Porteau for most of this one, but Alex won't stay down and battles right back with a series of dropkicks and suplexes that eventually wear down Black Bart and he tags Steve Corino back in! "Mr. Wrestling" has Black Bart on the ropes and after hitting him with a Cradle Suplex, he locks in the Million Dollar Dream Cobra Clutch! But before the struggling Bart can tap, Bob Orton Jr. attempts to slide into the ring, only to be stopped by "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase! Who lets him have it with one of the Million Dollar Titles! Orton goes down hard while on the inside Black Bart taps out! DiBiase raises Corino and Porteau's hands in victory.
After the match we're taken backstage where ECW Corrsepondent Terri Runnels is backstage talking to "Rock 'N Roll" Buck Zumhoff about his non-Title match against ECW Champ "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" later tonight! Buck says it's a huge opportuunity baby! One he's looking to make the best of! He cites Erin O'Grady's shot at the belt two weeks ago as a game changer. And tonight he's set to prove Buck Zumhoff has what it takes to be the World Champion as he "Rock 'N Rolls" all over the "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" little sister!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
After the break we're taken back stage where "The American Nightmare" Dustin Rhodes wants the new Eastern States Champion Tommy Dreamer's Title again! He congratulates "The Innovator of Violence" on becoming the first double Champion in the companies history. As does...
ECW President Eric Bischoff who arrives on the seen saying hello to Beulah McGillicutty. Though he also reminds us that "Mangler's Monster" The Blitzkrieg was the first person to hold both Titles simultaneously back at Old School Rulz. Even if it was only for about half an hour. But "Easy E" knew Tommy had it in him to be in the big leagues and he was right. Dreamer thanks him as Bischoff pats him on the shoulder and exits.
Beulah is very excited for him too and surprises both Tommy and Dustin when she grabs Dreamer and plants a kiss on him!
Match: Dean Malenko vs. Brian Christopher
Referee: Danny Davis
"Too Cool" Brian Christopher hip hops down to the ring with "Miss Texas" Jacqueline Moore and "Sugar" Shane Helms in tow as he's set to face the ECW Light Heavyweight Champion "The Lone Wolf" Dean Malenko. While Malenko confers with David Prazak the announcers remind us that it was Malenko who ended Christopher's last Light Heavyweight reign with the belt. And he no doubt didn't forget that as after an initial feeling out process "Too Cool" takes the fight right to Malenko! Christopher gets in plenty of offense including a vertical suplex, a full nelson face buster; and a sunset flip powerbomb from the apron for several failed pin attempts. Shane Helms jumps up on the apron, but eats a fist from Malenko! Brian takes advantage however dropkicking him into the ropes before schoolboying him with a handful of tights! 1! 2!...
Malenko kicks out! Dean who's dominated Christopher on several occasions already looks madder than ever and ducking an attempted clothesline, answers Brian with a release German suplex! He makes the cover but only gets a two. The two men battle back and forth with "The Lone Wolf" getting the better of it, but it is Brian Christopher who is back in control when he goes up top and hits the Hip Hop guillotine leg Drop! And only catches an ass full of canvas! Dean Malenko who's back up on his feet drops a seated Christopher with a basement dropkick to the face before grabbing his opponents legs and locks in the dreaded Texas Cloverleaf! And Christopher taps! Helms and Moore check on Christopher as we go to...
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 Knickerbocker Arena in Rome, New York! And while tickets for that show are sold out, 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!
Tag-Team Match: Tully & Regal vs. The Mexi-Kings
Referee: S.D. Jones
Tully Blanchard starts things off with the young but bigger Shawn Hernandez when Eddie Guerrero refuses to start things off with Regal. Hernandez gives Blanchard some trouble early on, but Blanchard's years of in-ring experience pay off as he soon has the upperhand and tagging in William Regal the duo hit him with a double slingshot suplex! Regal makes the cover, but only gets a two while on the outside Scott Taylor argues with Chavo Guerrero Jr. who was about to enter the ring to break things up. Inside the ring Regal and Blanchard take turns punishing Shawn as they cut off the ring. But when Regal goes to lock in the Regal Stretch arm trap cross-legged STF; Eddie Guerrero uses the top rope to hit a slingshot sento on Regal to break things up! An all out brawl ensues and after Hernandez clotheslines Blanchard over the top rope to the outside, he and Eddie put a beatdown on Regal! Jones however breaks it up, forcing Guerrero back out of the ring while behind his back Hernandez chokes Regal out on the bottom rope while Chavo slaps him in the face! This brings Scott Taylor around the corner swinging and soon he's battling Guerrero Jr. at ringside!
Inside the ring however Hernandez walks Regal over to their corner and makes the tag to Eddie! And "Lation Heat" immediately lights Regal up! He's in full control as he Chops and hammers William about the ring before trapping him in the corner with several stomps! He then sets Regal up on the top rope and drops him into the middle of the ring with a Frankensteiner! And he signals for it! It's time to get Froggy! Eddie heads up top and goes airborne! And the Frog Splash connects! 1!... 2!...
Regal kicks out! Eddie can't believe it and pulling him up to his knees his slaps him in the face! But Regal fires back with a slap of his own! The two men begin throwing punches and brawl about the ring before Guerrero whips Regal, but William reverses sending Eddie into the ropes and drops him with a release German Suplex! Tully is looking for the tag! And Regal is crawling toward his corner! But Guerrero is right back up! And he is right back in Regal, pulling him into the center of the ring where he hammers his head in before pulling him up to his feet and goes for the Three Amigos! He hits the first suplex! And the second! But Regal blocks the third! And he counters with a suplex of his own! Both men are down, but Regal makes the tag!
And in comes Tully with a series of rapid fire elbow drops! He keeps control of Guerrero for some time, picking things right up from where they left off on their last match with several submission holds including the figure-four leglock! But Eddie makes it to the ropes and when Blanchard attempts to keep on top of him, Guerro throws Tully neck first on the top rope! It doesn't keep Blanchard down, but it definitely takes some of the wind out of his sales and gives Eddie Guerrero the chance to rally back! He tags in Shawn Hernandez and together the duo hit a double Spike Piledriver on Tully! Message sent! Hernandez beats down Tully for a bit, but Eddie wants back in and shouts at Blanchard while putting the boots to him! He targets his legs and back; and while Blanchard attempts a comeback here and there; he's fighting a losing battle getting his momentum crushed once and for all when Chavo Guerrero Jr. hops up onto the apron behind the ref's back and drops him with a hairpull hangman! From their Eddie Guerrero locks in the Lasso from El Paso Cloverleaf while kneeling right onto Tully's back for the Submission victory! He keeps the hold too long and only lets go when Regal and Taylor enter the ring to put a stop to it.
Eddie meanwhile rolls out and joins his Mexi-King brethren on the outside and Okerlund says he has a feeling this rivalry is far from settled.
The Rocking 'N Rolling segment on ECW Wednesday Nights then appears courtesy of the Honky Tonk Man! He invites us all to party with the latest hit song by 311; "All Mixed Up!"
COMMERCIAL BREAK
ECW Womens' Champion "Gorgeous" Michele Starr and Joe E. Legend talks with ECW Correspondent Terri Runnels after the break about his defeat of "The Hawaiian Beast" Leilani Kai after complimenting Terri for being the only woman in this company as glamorous as he is. Terri doesn't seem to know how to take that. Nevermind, because Starr tells her that his defeat of Leilani proves that no one, but no one will stop him from being the most dominant Women's Champion of all time!
Match: Bully Ray Dudley vs. Devon Hughes
Referee: Danny Davis
Big Devon Hughes is no push over as Bully Ray Dudley learns again in this single's bout where Devon hits him with not only the 360 degree corkscrew back elbow smash; but also the spinebuster! Oh testify my brothers! The Dudley Boyz (Big Dick, Double D; and little Snot) provide enough of a distraction at ringside as they argue with Spike Hughes and the fans, but that isn't what is keeping Bully Ray off his game. He seems to have a mad on for Devon, whom he continually screams at for being stupid whenever he's in control clobbering him with clubbing fists and forearms! He makes several attempts to put Devon away, but isn't successful until he hits the Bully full nelson Bomb for the win!
After the match the Dudley Boyz seize Spike Huges and Bully orders them to set up a table in the middle of the ring! Snot and Dudley Dudley handle this setting it up righ over Devon while Bully and Big Dick slap the little guy around for a bit. Finally Bully Ray climbs the turnbuckles and powerbombs Spike through the table shattering it right on top of Devon! The Dudley Boyz stands triumphant amongst the carnage as ECW goes to...
A promo by the Circus of Doom! "The Dark Prophet" Brimstone's back is turned to the camera while he finishes a dark poem before turning around and joining "The Ring Master" Matt Borne and Pogo the Clown where he tells us that the time for biding is well nigh! For the judgment upon ECW will soon be at hand! "The Dark Prophet" has been idle for too long and as they say idle hands are the Devil's Playthings! And soon all that pent up hatred, all that pent up aggression, all that unadulterated hostility shall be unleashed! Pogo and Borne laugh more maniacally as the promo goes on.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
"The All-American" Ron Simmons cuts a promo on not giving a damn what Savage or Benoit think. That that punk Dreamer wears his Title now and after going through 29 other men at King of the Mountain he plans to seize his chance and take what's rightfully his!
Match: Randy Savage vs. Taka Michinoku
Referee: S.D. Jones
Taka Michinoku and "Macho Man" Randy Savage pull out all the stops in this one while Debbie Combs cheers her man on from ringside. The action is fast paced with lots of dropkicks and reversals. Taka hits a huccanrana pin, a bicycle kick; and a corkscrew springboard moonsault on the "Macho Man" while Savage retailiates with a double dose of running high knees to the corner, the hairpull hangman over the top ropes; and damn near decapitates Michinoku with the flying clothesline off the top rope! When Taka foolishing goes for the Michinoku Driver however, he's unable to lift Savage to reverses into the Piledriver! He then signals he's going up top and hits the Savage Elbow for the win!
After the match Randy gestures that he's going to be Champion and pulling Taka up to his feet his easily throws him out over the top rope! Okerlund says that Savage is saying he's gonna take the Eastern States Title home at King of the Mountain! Easier said than done according to Lanny.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Okerlund and Poffo welcome us back from the last commercial break of the evening before hyping tonight's Main Event! They talk about ECW Champion "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" Chris Jericho who has had a tough time of it since winning the belt at Wrestle Annual III, in no small part thanks to the involvement of ECW President Eric Bischoff. Gene however doesn't think blaming Eric is fair, that when you hold the greatest prize in this business, that's a huge target on your back. And whil "All-Class" may be keeping the Champ busy, the heat would certainly be on Jericho either way. They then talk about former ECW Light Heavyweight Champion "Rock 'N Roll" Buck Zumhoff who has nothing to lose, but everything to gain in this one. A win here tonight against the Champ would mean a Title shot for Buck and from there the sky is the limit. Lanny says in Buck becomes Heavyweight Champion, "The Genius" is coming out of retirement. Okerlund says that's one way to get him hoping for a Jericho win. Probably the only one. "Here I am rocking like a hurricane" by The Scorpions explodes across the arena.
Gertner: The following non-Title contest is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first from Hamburg, Minnesota weighing 220 lbs.; he is "Wrestling Original Rock 'N Roller" Buck Zumhoff!
Buck appears on the ramp with his boom box and boogies on down to the ring! He dances for the fans until "Thunderkiss '65" by White Zombie hits and out from the back explodes...
Gertner: And introducing his opponent this evening from Manhasset, New York weighing 226 lbs.; he is the Eastern Heavyweight Champion; "The Long Island Loud-Mouth" Chris Jericho!
Main Event: Chris Jericho vs. Buck Zumhoff
Referee: Danny Davis
"Rock 'N Roll" Buck Zumhoff much to the surprise of the ECW Champion Chris Jericho holds his own here. He gets a two count off a sunset flip and later almost gets the upset win when he hits the Rocking and Rolling" springboard DDT! But Jericho kicks out at the last possible second! Chris who's got in more than his own share of offense develops a real meanstreak after his, focusing his attacks on Buck's legs and back! He gets a nearfall after a double underhook powerbomb and another after a Tiger Suplex! Buck refuses to stay down however and an irate Jericho locks in the Walls of Jericho! But Zumhoff kicks him off! Chris stomps him again however and grabbing his legs again breaks the Walls down! And Bucks taps!
But Chris isn't done! He screaming he's had enough! And he drags Buck to the corner where hopping out of the ring he crotches him! And then he does it again before locking in a modified figure four on the ringpost! And he has no intention of letting go! Zumhoff is screaming in pain as Davis hops out and tries to break it up! He's soon joined by S.D. Jones and Eric Bischoff is on his way down the ramp when Chris lets go and orders Lanny out of his chair!
He sits a second before getting back up and steel chair in hand he hammers it into the damaged knees of "The Rock 'N Roller!" And he does it again! But now "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson is out on the ramp and running down with Ronnie Garvin and the security team!
Jericho hits Buck a third time before the security team is on him grabbing the chair out of his hand and Double A collides with him!
He clocks Jericho with a hard right sending the ECW Champ down on his ass when Garvin and the security team get between them. Paramedics are checking on Zumhoff's legs and Jericho is seated on the floor holding his face indignant as the...
Lights Fade.
Working on it now.