ECW: One Night Stand
Where & When: The Hammerstein Ballroom – New York City, June 16th, 2005.
Commentary: Joey Styles & Mick Foley
We start the show off with the introductions of Mick & Joey. Joey in particular looks rather choked up on his way out to the ring, though he does the cocky-heel foot wipe and kick on his way in the ring – though I can imagine he’s really pumped up. Say, Faith No More Guy is there! Big Joey Chant and a pop for “Oh My God!” Foley comes out to his WWE Cactus Jack music. My god, Joey comes up to Mick’s shoulder. I never realized how tall Foley really is. Either that or Joey’s really short.
Lance Storm w/ Dawn Marie vs. “Lionheart” Chris Jericho
This was, at the time, planned to be Storm’s last match. Appropriate since Jericho was Storm’s first opponent. Not only is Jericho wearing his old Lionheart vest, he’s wearing the Lionheart tights too – I wonder if he had to get a new set made or if he had the old ones in mothballs in his closet somewhere.
Jericho and Storm shake hands and lock up with some lightning fast chain wrestling. Jericho grapevines Storm’s legs and locks on a bow and arrow into a 2-count as the ECW fans chant “She’s a crack whore” at Dawn Marie. Classy. Storm gets sent to the outside by Jericho. Jericho goes for a double axehandle off the apron but misses and ribs meets steel. Ribs, meet steel. Steel – meet! Ribs! Nah, it doesn’t have the same ring to it. Sorry Minsc.
2-count off a drop kick by Storm. We get our first “Fuck ’em up” chant for Storm as he holds Jericho up in a vertical suplex. 2-count off the delayed vertical suplex. Storm starts to work Jericho over in the corner, Jericho Canadian whips (Joey’s words, not mine – though I agree with the sentiment – why call it an “Irish” whip) Storm out of the corner. Storm springboards off the top rope but Jericho sees it coming and drop kicks him in the upper back and head! We now get our first scatological chant of the evening.
Enziguri from Jericho, chained standing switches into a series of 2-counts, to a 2-count off a full nelson suplex. More chain wrestling. Storm goes for a cradle piledriver, reversed into a back drop. Storm hits a 2-count off a super kick. Storm sets up Jericho up on the top rope, but gets thrown off. Flying back elbow off the top by Jericho for 2. Jericho locks on the single-leg Calgary Crab (single-leg Boston crab). Jericho goes to reverse it into the Walls, can’t apply it, so he slingshots him, and hits a running bulldog. Jericho goes for the Lionsault, but Storm counters by getting the knees up, and Jericho counter-counters by applying the Walls once again. Storm taps as Dawn Marie distracts the ref. In comes Jason Knight and Justin Credible of the Impact Players, forcing Jericho to release the hold to deal with them. Jericho rolls up Storm, Storm kicks out, shoving Jericho into the ropes where he gets caned by Justin. Storm covers and gets the pin.
Winner: Lance Storm by pinfall by shenanigans at 7:24.
Rating: *** – Such a promising match, until the lame ending, and it was Storm’s last match too, until he got his real last match in Ring of Honor.
After the match, The Impact Players pose in the ring. Between matches, Joey Styles goes over, briefly, the Raw/Smackdown Crusader invasion. We then go to Pitbull Gary Wolfe to introduce a video package for those ECW alums who passed away between the end of ECW and One Night Stand, such as Rocco Rock, Mike Lockwood, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy, The Original Sheik, Mike Lozansky, Pitbull Anthony Durante, Big Dick Dudley & Chris Candido.
International Three Way Dance: Tajiri (w/ Sinister Minister & Mikey Whipwreck) vs. Little Guido (W/ J.T. Smith, Big Guido, Tony Mamaluke, and Tracy Smothers) vs. Super Crazy
It amuses me seeing Tracy Smothers in the F.B.I, as before he came to ECW, he wrestled in Smokey Mountain Wrestling as “The Wild-Eyed Southern Boy”. Little Guido goes after Super Crazy first, before he gets tossed out of the ring by Tajiri, who starts chain wrestling with SC. SC rolls out of the ring, and Nunzio (Sorry Little Guido, but it’s easier for me to call you Nunzio) comes in, goes for the arm submissions on Tajiri, only for Super Crazy to come in and moonsault Nunzio. This is going to be fast.
More chain wrestling between the three, with both Tajiri and Nunzio going for sunset flips on Super Crazy, but You Can’t Sunset Flip Super Crazy, as he rolls through both times and gives both men a drop-kick to the mush. Tajiri gets a base ball slide, and Super Crazy gets up a head of steam to fly, only to have his feet taken out from under him by Tony Mamaluke. Crazy goes out of the ring, and the brawl goes to the outside and into the fans, leading to a balcony dive by Crazy onto the entire FBI! Holy Shit! Or, rather, as Joey says, Oh Dios Mio!
Crazy returns to the ring and poses for the fans, only to get locked in the Tarantula by Tajiri. Nunzio returns to the ring now as well, while Super Crazy does the mounted punches in the corner to Tajiri. The FBI makes their presence known again, by taking Super Crazy’s feet out from under him in the turnbuckle again and then crotching him on the ring post. Big Guido comes in and sets Tajiri up for a doomsday device, but Nunzio gets the mist, and Sinister Minister takes down Big Guido. Tajiri’s educated feet take out Tracy Smothers and Mikey Whipwreck hits the Whippersnapper on Nunzio for 3, eliminating Nunzio, leaving us with Super Crazy and Tajiri.
Chain wrestling between Tajiri and Crazy, springboard moonsault for 2 by Super Crazy. Super Crazy goes for a power bomb, but You Can’t Powerbomb Tajiri as he reverses it into a Tornado DDT for 2! The fans start a “Super Crazy” chant. Tajiri goes for a vertical suplex but it’s reversed into a fireman’s carry slam. Crazy goes for the 3 levels of moonsaults! Hits the 1st, 2nd, and Mikey shoves crazy off the top rope. Tajiri goes for the buzzsaw kick but Crazy ducks it and power bombs Tajiri, before going up to the top rope for the final moonsault of the series for 3.
Winner: Super Crazy by pinfall with a top rope moonsault at 6:16.
Rating: *** – Very nice wrestling, but it could have stood for more time, which I’ll get into later.
We get another ECW video package.
Psicosis vs. Rey Mysterio
Psicosis takes off his mask as he comes to the ring. Rey Rey wrestles masked. For the record, Fuck you WCW, and fuck you Vince Russo. That is all.
Both men circle up and lock up, and we get some chain technical wrestling, between the two. This is a lot slower then their usual stuff, both from old-school ECW and WCW, but also in Mexico as well. The fans start a “put your mask on” chant at Psicosis. Psicosis hits a huge Irish whip into the corner for 2. 2-count for Mysterio after a moonsault press. Psicosis locks on a sleeper on Rey to boos from the fans. Psicosis throws Rey to the mat and gets a 2-count. The fight goes to the outside, and Psicosis hangs Rey up on the guard rail, and then hits the Psycho Guillotine on Rey and throws him in the ring for 2.
More chain wrestling, Psicosis goes for a dropkick into Ray in the corner, misses. Rey gets a 2-count after driving Rey face first into the canvas. Rey set up in the corner again, Psicosis goes for a running shoulder block into the corner, Rey gets out of the way and not only does Psicosis eat the steel, he bounces off the steel out into ringside and the audience. Ow! Rey goes up top, and Drops the Dime to the outside! Holy Shit! Both men return to the ring, and Rey hits a springboard drop kick that leaves Psicosis hung up on the second rope. You know what’s coming. 619! West Coast Pop! 1! 2! 3!
Winner: Rey Mysterio by pinfall with the 619 + West Coast Pop at 6:23.
Rating: *** – Slow start, but it really picked up towards the end.
And enter Smackdown’s contribution to the Anti-ECW crusaders, lead by JBL and Kurt Angle. We then go to another ECW video package, and from there go to Joel Gertner going to talk to the Smackdown crusaders, only to have Kurt smack him around and take his mike and cut an anti-ECW promo, to get interrupted by Rob Van Dam and Bil Alfonzo! I think we’ve gone about 10-15 minutes without any actual wrestling. However, it’s an awesome shoot promo. I found some YouTube video of it, but it’s over-dubbed in Spanish. If someone can find it in the original English, feel free to post a link in the comments.
Anyway, following the promo, Rhyno comes in and attacks RVD, and the lights go out, and Sabu comes in for the rescue. We have a ref, and we have a match.
Sabu (w/ Rob Van Dam & Bill Alfonzo) vs. Rhyno
Rhyno and Sabu circle up. And chain wrestle a little. Rhyno goes up top, and Sabu hits Rhyno with a steel chair, knocking him to ringside. Baseball slide, and Sabu sets up a chair, and Air Sabu takes to the air and connects with a springboard suicide splash! Sabu smacks the crap out of Rhyno on the outside with a steel chair. Rhyno shoulder blocks Sabu in the corner, and hits a running kick on Sabu in the middle rope as well. Rhyno goes back up again, but Sabu catches him and hits a frankensteiner and a slingshot leg lariat for 2. Rhyno gets set up in the corner and eats a Whisper In The Wind (I believe that’s what Jeff Hardy calls it), and Rhyno falls out of the corner and throat first onto Sabu’s chair.
Leg drop off the chair by Sabu for 2. Sabu goes for the triple-jump moonsault but Rhyno trips up Sabu and Sabu’s head goes *ping* off the chair. Rhyno hits a fireman’s carry slam on the chair for 2. Rhyno back powerbombs Sabu (sort of) into the top turnbuckle. Rhyno goes for the gore on Sabu, but Sabu evades and John “Pee Wee” Moore takes the full force of the Gore instead. G’night Peewee.
Sabu gets piledriven, but RVD is in and clocks Rhyno with the chair. Rhyno rolls to the corner to collect himself, but RVD gets the chair and skateboards it into Rhyno’s face! Fonzie brings a table in the ring, RVD and Fonzie set Rhyno up on the table, and Sabu gets a chair. Arabian Skullcrusher through the table! Sabu covers and gets the pin.
Winner: Sabu by pinfall with an Arabian Skullcrusher at 6:31.
Rating: *** – Alright match, though not one of Sabu’s best.
We go backstage to Al Snow who introduces another video package, before the Raw half of the crusaders come in, lead by Eric Bischoff and Edge enter.
Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero
On the one hand this is going to be one helluva match, but it’s going to be bittersweet considering the fact that both men are no longer with us under tragic circumstances for different reasons.
Both men lock up and give us some excellent chain wrestling, as the fans chant “I fucked Lita” at Edge. Excellent wrestling between the two men, before Eddie rolls out of the ring to re-group and get a breather. Eddie returns to the ring as Edge gets “You screwed Matt” changed at him. The chain wrestling continues, with Eddie and Benoit trading chops. Now, finally, we get a “Let’s go Eddie/Let’s Go Benoit” chant battle.
Eddie breaks out of a side headlock with a belly-to-back suplex. Eddie is bust open slightly by his nose. Eddie locks a cross-face hold in on Benoit while the fans chant “Fuck you Bischoff”. The fight goes to the outside after Eddie dodges a shoulder block, and Eddie finally starts taking advantage of extreme rules, with a chair shot to Benoit. Guerrero goes for a superplex and connects. Eddie goes up top and goes for the Frog Splash but Benoit rolls out of the way.
The two men trade really stiff chops, and Benoit gets a 2-count off a Northern Lights suplex. Benoit sets up Eddie up on the top rope, and hits a superplex of his own for 2. Benoit goes for the hat trick German Suplexes before going up top and hitting the Flying Headbutt and covers for 2. Guerrero gets a 2-count off a roll-up, before Benoit applies the Crippler Crossface and Eddie taps out.
Winner: Chris Benoit by submission with the Crippler Crossface at 10:37.
Rating: **** – Very nice match. It wasn’t quite a clinic, more like a seminar, but they had the time to do it in.
Another commercial, leading to another segment with Joel Gertner and Bischoff instead, leading to a Bischoff anti-ECW promo.
Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka
Joey Styles cuts a shoot promo against Awesome, which is a little unfortunate considering Awesome is no longer with us. Awesome and Tanaka chain wrestle and the fight goes to the outside with a suicide dive by Awesome (which, in retrospect, that move is rather unfortunately named.) Awesome gets back dropped into the first row and gets a big chair shot.
Awesome gets whipped into the guard rail and the fans in the front row get their beers spilled on their pants. Awesome regains control and sets up a table outside the ring, and Awesome Bombs Tanaka off the apron through the table, and it looks like it didn’t hit quite right. Awesome drags Tanaka back in the ring and hits the Awesome splash for 2. Awesome goes for a piledriver, Tanaka reverses into a back drop but Awesome holds on and powerbombs Tanaka. Awesome goes looking for more stuff to bring the hurt with and gets another chair, but Tanaka’s got one of his own, and we get dueling chairs. Tanaka takes 3 chair shots to go down, but not for long. Float-over neckbreaker by Tanaka. Tanaka sets up some chairs up in the corner and hits a tornado DDT on the chairs for 2.
Tanaka sets 1 chair on Awesome and hits him with another, and then does a chair assisted elbow drop off the top for 2. German Suplex by Awesome followed by a Awesome Spear. Awesome goes up top with the chair, and hits a flying chair shot. Awesome goes back outside for more table. Awesome goes for a superplex through the table, but Tanaka reverses it into a Tornado DDT through the table. Tanaka goes back up top, and Awesome Bombs Tanaka back onto the remainders of the table.
Awesome sets up another table as the fans chant “This Match Rules”. Awesome Bomb through the table on the outside followed by a over the top-rope Awesome Splash! We get a cover and a pin.
Winner: Mike Awesome with an suicide dive at 10:10.
Rating: **** – Excellent match.
After the match we get a Paul Heyman shoot promo. I’ll try to find a YouTube link for that one too… here we go!
The Dudley Boys vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman
Start: 2:07:02. Finish: 2:17:17.
Here we have the first of our significant alterations – the Dudleys’ Entrance music has been changed to Get The Tables, but the sound editing muffles the ring announcing and the fan noise, the other being the editing of the Sandman’s entrance music to a generic metal instrumental instead of “Enter Sandman” as well as the editing of any commentary related to, say, the fans singing along. Or, for that matter, the fans singing along.
However, before the match can actually start, we get the Blue World Order making an appearance. My God, Meanie is whiter than most marshmallows! The faces get attacked by the bWo, only to have Kid Kash and the Hardcore Chair Swinging Freaks coming in for the save. The Heels and the Freaks and Kash brawl to the back, and we finally get a match.
Dreamer’s got a cheese grater and starts to get to work on Bubba, but Bubba reverses to a belly-to-back suplex. Bubba lays into Dreamer with a road sign, before going looking for that cheese grater, and shredding Dreamer’s forehead. Jesus! And he’s using the slicing side of the grater. Dreamer is wearing the crimson mask! Bubba rubs his hand over Dreamer’s face and smears it on his own. Double-team hangman’s neckbreaker on Dreamer, and Sandman comes in with a Ladder, who gives it to Dreamer who helicopters it and takes out the Dudleys.
Dreamer takes the grater to Bubba, as turnabout is fair play. Meanwhile D-Von gets drop-toe holded into a trash can. Sandman covers D-Von for 2. The irony of Joey saying how these guys love each other like brothers right before Tommy smacks Bubba with a cookie sheet does not escape me. None of the wrestlers in the ring right now are blood free. Bubba hits a frog splash on Sandman on the ladder for 2. Sandman evades a caning by D-Von and hits a White Russian Leg Sweep. Dreamer and Sandman apply Figure-4 leglocks on the Dudleys as the fans “Woo.”
The Impact Players run in with a barbed wire sphere and Justin Credible hits a That’s Incredible to Sandman on the barbed wire. They then set up Dreamer as Francine comes in and kicks Dreamer right between the uprights. Beulah McGillicutty is here! Beulah (Tommy’s now real-life wife) is here! Beulah lays into Francine and we have a cat fight! Lance Storm gets a kick between the up-rights from Beulah and the Players are ejected. Dreamer (who is wearing about a millimeter of blood on his face) and Beulah share a heartwarming hug in the middle of the ring. Awww! Isn’t that sweet.
The Dudleys go to break up the moment, only to taste a double DDT by the happy couple, followed by a 2-count. The couple that beats the crap out of their enemies together stays together, I always say. Dreamer and Sandman crush D-Von’s grapefruits with a steel chair, only to have Bubba come in and break things up. Bubba gets the table and sets it up. Sandman is powerbombed through the table, but only for 2. Dreamer eats a 3-D, and the Dudleys go for a table again, and they cal for LSD with the lighter fluid! They set the table on fire and powerbomb Dreamer through the table for 3.
Winner: The Dudley Boys by pinfall at 10:15.
Rating: **** – Very nice hardcore match. Not quite to the par of some of Dreamer’s best stuff, but that was still pretty impressive.
From here on out, there is no actual wrestling. Austin comes out, as do all of the ECW wrestlers from the back. We get a brawl between the ECW wrestlers and the Crusaders, and the Crusaders end up fleeing with their tails between their legs. Bischoff gets ejected from the building by the Dudleys after getting a Flying Headbutt, a 619, and a Stone Cold Stunner. Afterwards, the wrestlers in the ring have a beer bash, as we go off the air.
Overall Rating: *** – There were just way too many promos and video packages here. We needed like, 1 20 minute match here. Something nice and long, in the style of old-school ECW. We didn’t get it. At all. The matches were too short, the talkie bits were too long. As RVD said in his promo, they didn’t even need a storyline, but we got one anyway.
Bonus features on the DVD: Spanish language commentary (which could be interesting to listen too, Spanish language speakers, I’d like to hear your feedback on the commentary), some promo videos that were used to promote the event, and, from the point that the Smackdown wrestlers came in, we have audio from the balcony with JBL, who was miked much of the show. His remarks are in-character, meaning in the general vein of “Heel” and more then a little racist (for example, referring to Masato Tanaka as “His doorman”).
Get ECW: One Night Stand 2005 at Amazon.com
