ECW's Heat Wave fizzles - Slam Wrestling

After all the hype surrounding the main event Stairway To Hell match, it was presumed that we’d see Tommy Dreamer and Justin Credible using the roll of barbed wire hanging above the ring to its full potential. That wasn’t the case. Besides a few choice moves in the closing moments, it wasn’t even a factor. Having already grinded the pay-per-view to a screeching halt with a bloated and uncharacteristically lackluster bout from Rob Van Dam, the tame Stairway To Hell match punctuated the anti-climax. When I think of barbed wire, blood and torn flesh comes to mind. Terry Funk fighting Sabu. Dusty Rhodes battling Tully Blanchard. Cactus Jack brawling Terry Funk and any number of psychotic bouts in the Land Of The Rising Sun. Next to the Japanese promotions, ECW has built its hardcore reputation around that infamous roll of razor-sharp wire. It’s even featured prominently in many of their logos. Too bad it wasn’t at the Heat Wave 2000 pay-per-view.

To challenge Justin Credible for the ECW World Heavyweight Title, Tommy Dreamer brought along Jazz and George (formerly known as Gorgeous George in WCW) to counteract any shenanigans by Francine. George paid tribute to Gene Simmons by wearing the largest pair of women’s shoes ever worn. Just as Dreamer and Credible were set to lock up an altercation occurred between Francine and what was presumed to be a fan at ringside. The incident emptied the locker room and brought out ECW security in full force to oust the troublemakers as Francine fumed in the ring.

When the dust had cleared, Dreamer and Credible tied up jockeying for position in the ropes. Credible nailed Dreamer with a superkick to the side of the head. Dreamer recovered to clothesline Credible over the top rope. Dreamer grabbed a fan’s camera and kindly snapped a photo of the fallen then borrowed another fan’s drink to smash into Credible’s face.

The wrestlers brawled into the crowd. Credible was thrown head-first into a steel panel and came up bleeding from under his eye. Dreamer bounced Credible’s head off the security railing before dragging him up to the announcer’s booth. Placing a ladder on a table, Dreamer climbed up to the booth. Credible push the ladder over and Dreamer fell a short ways to the floor. Fans shouted their traditional “ECW! ECW!” show of respect for a spot well done though Dreamer’s fall looked far worse than it actually was.

Credible crotched Dreamer on the security railing so that he could rest a ladder on the fence and the ring apron. Dreamer smartly reversed an Irish Whip, hurtling Credible into the ladder. Returning to the ring, Dreamer balanced a ladder on a turnbuckle and steel ring post. This time Credible switched-up Dreamer’s Irish Whip and he had a head-on collision with the ladder. Credible straddled the ladder across a corner. Dreamer altered what ever Credible had planned slingshotting his throat into the ladder. Using the ladder, Dreamer climbed up to unsnag the coil of barbed wire. Francine low-blow Dreamer from behind but the ladder fell over and Tommy landed hard on Francine. She appeared shaken up and slow to get up.

From there, the match went into the dumpster as Jazz and George entered the ring. The women took over as Dreamer and Credible stayed out of view. Jazz began attacking Francine. George turned on Jazz and Dreamer. She grabbed Jazz by the hair and slammed her violently to the mat. George consoled Francine. The Queen Of Extreme went for her version of the Bronco Buster. Jazz stuck her foot up into Francine’s face knocking her silly. Jazz clobbered George and ripped off Francine’s blouse. Francine’s wore no bra underneath though she had duct tape strategically placed on her breasts to hide the naughty bits.

Credible spiked Jazz with That’s Incredible. Dreamer’s Tommy Hawk caught Credible from behind. Dreamer wrapped the barbed wire around the top rope and crotched Credible. Dreamer kicked out of a That’s Incredible on the barbed wire. Francine came back to ringside wearing a T-shirt and carrying Credible’s Singapore cane. Francine missed her swing striking Credible. Dreamer DDT’d Credible for a two count. Another That’s Incredible on the barbed wire put Dreamer down for the three count. Justin Credible retains the ECW World Heavyweight Title.

The next ECW pay-per-view is is Anarchy Rulz on October 1st.

Heat Wave 2000 Results
The Blue Boy (The Blue Meanie) and Jasmine St. Claire cut a promo on the beach. Blue Boy calls a lean guy on the beach fat. As the beach bum takes offence to what Boy is saying, St. Claire sneaks around and low-blows him. Blue Boy kicks sand in beach bum’s face. Cut to the Sinister Minister promoing the show.
Cyrus interrupts Joey Styles and Joel Gertner’s introduction…again. Surprise. Surprise. Gertner threatens to quit rather than be associated with TNN. Gertner punks Cyrus. Security breaks up the squabble.

Big Sal Vs Balls Mahoney
Balls dispenses with Tony Mamaluke. Big Sal is portrayed as a human tank unaffected by chair shots. A belly-to-belly splash puts Mahoney down for the 1-2-3.
Winner: Big Sal at 2 minutes and 4 seconds.
Match Rating: 2 / 10.

Swinger, Anderson, Simon Vs Kid Cash, Roadkill, Doring
All six guys bashed this one out of the park. The breakout match for Kid Cash who thrills the crowd again and again with unbelievable manoeuvers much like Rey Mysterio Jr. He’s an explosive star to keep on eye on. He’s going places. Roadkill gets a pop unlike anything he’s ever received before. The crowd is even chanting his name! Who woulda thunk it? Kid Cash’s Money Maker notches the win for his team.
Winners: Kid Cash, Roadkill, Doring at 10 minutes and 57 seconds.
Match Rating: 8 / 10.

Steve Corino Vs Jerry Lynn
Talk about your rising stars. Corino and Lynn tear it up in this bout. It takes just over three minutes for Corino to start bleeding profusely. Lynn tornado DDTs him on the concrete floor and the crimson start flowing. At one point in the match, Lynn uses Corino’s own blood to put war paint on his face and the word “Die” on his abdomen. Sick but cool. Lynn kicks a handful of that “blinding powder” out of the Jack Victory’s hand into the ref’s face. A la Barry Windham, Corino takes off his cowboy boot and bonks Lynn in the head with it. Victory also hits Lynn with Corino’s cowbell though Lynn won’t stay down for the count. Following a wicked series of counters, Lynn wins with his Cradle Piledriver.
Winner: Jerry Lynn at 15:22.
Match Rating: 8.5 / 10.
Sandman cuts a promo on Rhino sitting on a couch in a dressing room. His wife Laurie sits beside him. Rhino canes Sandman and shoves Laurie’s face into a toilet. Poor Laurie. Security separates Sandman and Rhino.
Dawn Marie joins Styles and Cyrus in the broadcast booth. Cyrus says she’s a guest commentator though we rarely hear from her throughout the night.

Nova & Chris Chetti Vs The Baldies
On crutches, New Jack hobbles down to ringside. The Baldies Pearl Harbour him in the ring. Angel stapleguns New Jack in the forehead. Chetti and Nova (dressed as the DC comic book hero, The Flash! Where does he come up with this stuff?) save the day. Nova and Chetti do the Tidal Wave to pave the way to victory.
Winners: Nova and Chetti at 4 minutes and 21 seconds.
Match Rating: 3 / 10.

Little Guido Vs Psicosis Vs Mikey Whipwreck Vs Tajiri Vs Tony Mamaluke (Five Man Elimination Match)
Whipwreck inserts himself into the match. Tony Mamaluke tries to too. Whipwreck sends him packing in 53 seconds. A German suplex boots Whipwreck at 1:31. Tajiri’s drop suplex kicks Psicosis out at 4:20. Tajiri sprays the green mist into Little Guido’s face and Brain Busters him on a steel chair to put him out.
Winner: Tajiri at 9 minutes and 11 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.

Rhino (champion) Vs The Sandman (challenger) (ECW World Television Title Match)
The whole Enter Sandman song has played yet Sandman is still spritzing suds around in the crowd? Someone please hurry his entrances along. This is getting way out of hand. Pretty much a replay of their match shown on ECW On TNN. Sandman brings an entire length of guardrail into the ring. Rhino and Sandman employ it in various ways. Corino and Victory interfere at just over six minutes in. Spike Dudley makes the save wielding a Singapore cane. Dudley and Sandman 3-D Corino. Sandman sidesteps a gore by Rhino. Spike is crushed. Rhino piledrives Spike off the apron and through a table. Rhino counters Sandman’s Russian Leg Sweep slamming the back of Sandman’s head into the length of guardrail. Rhino piledrives Sandman on the fence to retain the ECW World Television Title.
Winner: and still ECW World Television Champion…Rhino at 8 minutes and 40 seconds.
Match Rating: 6 / 10.

Rob Van Dam Vs Scotty Anton
Van Dam’s big Van Terminator move is nothing more than a flying drop kick off the top rope into a chair placed over an opponent’s face. Van Dam does travel the length of the ring to connect with the move (from one corner to the other), however, the name Van Terminator suggested something a little more innovative. Anton clearing the ringside security rail when he bulldogged RVD into it was a better sight. Though I consider him to be the best technical wrestler working today, RVD’s persistent showboating crippled the pace of this match. Anton counters a Van Daminator by catching the chair, hitting Bill Alphonso with it then throwing it at RVD hitting him in the head. RVD takes a nasty fall off the ring and into the steel fence. Anton puts Alphonso in the Clapper (sharpshooter). A Van Daminator, Five Star Frog Splash and a Van Terminator puts Anton away. A bout that went on way longer than it should have.
Winner: RVD at 19 minutes and 3 seconds.
Match Rating: 4 / 10.

Tommy Dreamer (challenger) Vs Justin Credible (champion) (ECW World Heavyweight Title – Stairway To Hell Match)
Winner: …and still ECW World Heavyweight Champion…Justin Credible at 14 minutes and 48 seconds.
Match Rating: 4 / 10.
Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
Overall Event Rating: 4 / 10.

XPW behind altercation

Last night at ECW’s Heatwave PPV there was an altercation during the main event which saw most of the ECW locker room spill out to ringside to assist in the ejection of what we were told were a few rowdy fans. The people ejected were actually members of XPW, an independent federation based in California that has been very vocal in their dislike for ECW. The incident occurred when the XPW performers began to negatively interact with Francine, causing Tommy Dreamer to leave the ring and address the problem. Atlas Security quickly became involved, trying escort the XPW crew from the building. At that point the XPW performers reportedly tried to resist the ejection and began creating a disturbance. Reports indicate that a physical altercation took place outside the building between members of ECW security and XPW, with XPW on the losing end. This is just the next chapter in an on going battle between the two violent promotions as XPW has blatantly gone out of their way to target ECW, which caused ECW to retaliate by filing a lawsuit against the rival federation. Attempts to contact XPW were unsuccessful, but we will continue to cover this story as it unfolds.

— Adam Burchill, with files from 1wrestling.com