Until the start of the Extreme Three Way Dance Podcast, I had never watched ECW other than a few clips here and there, but as an avid original fan of the PTBN and NoSo Network, I followed along on the journey. I knew ECW had crazy moments and a rapid fan base but I didn't really know what I was getting into. So here are my thoughts on three years of watching the promotion starting with The Night the Line was Crossed which I review here up until ECW's pay per view debut Barely Legal.
The Taz and Sabu feud, with Taz calling out Sabu for months without a response for months, didn't make any sense to me at first, but I loved Taz being a badass and killing dudes while Fonzie being the most devious insane heel manager ever was great. Taz started out dressing like a savage and being under the tutelage of Kevin Sullivan. His transformation into a fight camp bad ass has been such an amazing improvement. Sabu says nothing and his matches are car crashes. In a 2022 lens his work isn't that impressive but in mid 90s lens, this is shit crazy cool. Sabu spent most of the time in random matches until his feud into partnership into maybe another feud with Rob Van Dam. Since it's the 1990s, I will rate these two over three years with this Bill Clinton:
Shane Douglas continues his long battle against the Pitbulls after taking Francine away from them. In the three years, I have been watching minus a quick failed WWF run, Shane Douglas has been so freaking evil. At the beginning he was a Ric Flair wannabe who just made pot shots at Ric Flair, he came back evil, angry and amazing. Every match you want him to be destroyed and he gets away. The Pitbulls went from insane creatures managed by Jason to insane creatures managed by Francine to slightly less insane creatures with human names occasionally. I miss Jason so much and his insane character so much. He was so bad he was great. I hope he comes back. Both of these acts reach their peaks with Francine with them. The Pittbulls now have "the masked man" who may reveal himself. It's Rick Rude and nobody is pretending otherwise.
Shane Douglas continues his long battle against the Pitbulls after taking Francine away from them. In the three years, I have been watching minus a quick failed WWF run, Shane Douglas has been so freaking evil. At the beginning he was a Ric Flair wannabe who just made pot shots at Ric Flair, he came back evil, angry and amazing. Every match you want him to be destroyed and he gets away. The Pitbulls went from insane creatures managed by Jason to insane creatures managed by Francine to slightly less insane creatures with human names occasionally. I miss Jason so much and his insane character so much. He was so bad he was great. I hope he comes back. Both of these acts reach their peaks with Francine with them. The Pittbulls now have "the masked man" who may reveal himself. It's Rick Rude and nobody is pretending otherwise.
The tag team division has been a story of a dominant team ruling the division taking all comers from the Public Enemy, to DA Gangstas, to the Eliminators, the tag division has been fun but also victim of the champs being entertaining centerpieces who each have their own brand of the same match, over and over again. The Eliminators have been my personal favorite, but each team made you clearly aware of who they were and what they were motivated by. The current tag champs, The Dudleys are very confusing to me. The Dudley's transformed from a collection of misfits in Raven's Flock to feuding with estranged Brother D-Von to Buh buh reuniting and turning evil for no discernable reason. I haven't been a fan of the new Buh Buh and D-von unit and they defend the titles against the former champs, The Eliminators at Barely Legal.
The World Title has been held in strangle hold by Raven other than his month stay in rehab has been in strangle hold by Raven. Raven has burned and churned through flock members but Stevie Richards has been by his side since the beginning. As Stevie gained popularity and independence, Raven would make sure to put Stevie back into his place. Stevie and his own cronies, the Blue Meanie and Nova would begin parodying other groups both musical and wrestling based, and when they parodied the nWo with the bWo, Stevie took off in popularity. I honestly haven't figured out why this is so popular as I believe Stevie has been more entertaining his whole run than he is as the bWo. Raven also messed with Sandman, by taking his title, his ex-wife and his son. His shoot 7 year old son, in an ECW ring, with a bloody Raven. It's been a crazy ride that like most ECW feuds went a little longer. Terry Funk is middle aged and crazy, fought to win the NWA title one last time, the grizzled old gun fighter heading in for final battle. Raven thinks Funk needs to go away, because Funk reminds Raven of his father that molested him. Funk doesn't care about the molestations and Raven needs to get over it. Raven's three rival meet in a 3 way dance to determine the #1 contender for Raven's title later in the night.
The one thing that I heard over the years, when ECW was being discussed was how everyone had their strengths focused on their weaknesses hidden. That is so accurate. I can't think of a single character that I haven't enjoyed for a while. From Jason to Malenko, to Ron Simmons, to the FBI, to Mikey Whipwreck. I enjoyed every character. Some would over stay their welcome because they were so one dimensional but that single dimension was a fun place to to be. I have loved the ride way more than I thought I'm pumped for the PPV and to see where ECW goes from here. And if you ain't ready to ride with this bunch deeper into 1997, then you going to have to answer to 'ol Slick Willy himself.
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