In 1997 wrestling was the hottest thing going. WCW's Nitro was building for the eventual Sting vs Hulk Hogan match. In the WWF Steve Austin was becoming the biggest star wrestling had seen in years. But that summer a new company was about to reach a higher level ECW the top independent company in the US was getting a PPV. Now there have been books and documentaries and interviews galore talking about the history of ECW and the struggle to get on PPV. Of course there is also the story of Mass Transit and how that nearly killed the thing. But it finally happened ECW got clearance on PPV. For the die hard fan base they got to see there company on a huge stage and for new fans it was a chance to see what all the hype was about. Barely Legal is one of those events almost everyone in ECW and the fans romanticize but should it be? Just a quick note I'm watching a disc that was included in the 2006 One Night Stand PPV case so there is a chance things are edited out. I'll try to address anything that is but I might miss some stuff.
We open with Joey Styles in the ring welcoming us to show. The fans are chanting ECW. Joey looks like a kid wearing his dad's suit since it's way to big. Joey hypes the card but is interrupted by the Dudley Boyz. Joey leaves. The fans let Devon have it but he tells them to shut up and we get massive feedback from the microphone. Devon insults the fans. Decent promo weird to think that Bubba who did no talking while Devon did all of it. In the years ahead that was the other way around. The ECW opening airs and it's a decent open showing the kind of action we can expect and yeah this was really different from what we got with WWF and WCW. Back to the ring we get Gernter doing his thing. Really hard to understand what he is saying. Man lots of talking for PPV open.
ECW Tag Team Championship The Dudleys Boyz Bubba Ray and Devon © with Sign Guy Dudley and Joel Gertner vs The Eliminators Perry Saturn and John Kronus- Sign Guy hits the Eliminators with his sign and get taken out with Total Elimination with is still an awesome move. The Dudleys hit an early Bubba bomb and head but for two. Saturn hits a nice backflip. The Dudleys go for 3D but Saturn breaks it up. Various kick combos by The Eliminators. Stereo twisting splashes by the challenger really impressive you have to remember Saturn and Kronus weren't small guys like say AJ Styles and Daniels. Outside of the Dudleys early control it seemed like the Eliminators had control a good chuck of the match. Saturn with another big moonsault and Kronus with a 450 again Kronus with a big guy and he did about as well as anyone one I have seen do it. Total Elimination on Bubba Ray for the win. To be honest this match was strange the Eliminators had control the entire time so there was no drama. The Eliminators did hit some great moves but that's doesn't make it great drama. Post match Gertner declare on the Stud Muffin scoring System the Dudleys are still champions. Of course he does this right in front of Saturn and Kronus who hit Total Elimination on Gertner.
Joey declares we are off to an extreme start. He than hypes the 3 way for the title shot at Raven. We get a Sandman highlight video. Of course this being Sandman it's mostly cane and beer shots. Joey Styles explains that Chris Candido can't wrestle due to an injury. We than got to Candido in the ring for a promo. Candido says one year ago he was on WrestleMania and he came back to ECW because he thought it was where he wanted to be. He rents about not begin on shirt or even advertised and says he will be out there again at some point tonight. Lance Storm makes his entrance.
Lance Storm vs Rob Van Dam- Storm is in black and blue gear and and has a pony tail. Joey puts over both guys skills. Criss cross with Storm hitting a clothesline after a leap fro by RVD. Springboard cross body by RVD but he lands dow. Air Van Dam by RVD again it looks like Storm is not in position. Whip by RVD but Storm leaps to the top rope and comes back with an back elbow. Piscado by Storm misses. Joey takes a shot at WCW for having mats because last ting we need to to try and protect the talent. Sloppy looking moonsault by RVD off the guard rail. Back in the ring RVD tosses the chair at Storm who doesn't make an effort to block it. Frog splash by RVD but must have only been worth four stars since it got two. For once it actually looked like RVD didn't hurt himself worse on the move. RVD goes for a summersault splash it was clear Storm was going to move since RVD was so slow with it. Storm goes for a drop down into a crap but again it's down really sloppy like RVD was a step to close so Storm had to fall different than he wanted. Van Damanator misses Storm lightly rubs RVD with the chair. Enziguri by the Storm misses. RVD with a flying back elbow but he slips on the ropes so it looks sloppy. Storm with a couple of awful looking chair shots. Van Damnatior and standing moonsault get the win for RVD. Bad match. Several misses and sloppy spots normally these two were on not tonight it was awful.
Post match Lance offers his hand to RVD. The Fans chant you sold at RVD RVD cuts a promo ranting about not originally begin booked on the card. RVD runs down the fans the boys and Paul E. RVD declares he sold out by wrestling tonight to fill in for an injured wrestler says the only reason he did wrestle was he was now worth more money here (ECW) and elsewhere. (WCW and WWF) A pretty good heel promo man RVD needs to go heel again. Joey hypes he six man tag from Michinoku Pro.
Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada, Masato Yakushiji vs Terry Boy, Dick Togo, and Taka Michinoku- Funny story this was when WWF was looking to do its light weight division. And Sasuke thought he we was going to be featured and through not wearing his make, having a bad night on the WWF show, and pissing off the WWF he wasn't never picked up. Terry, Togo and Taka and BWO Japan a parody of nWo Japan. Yakushiji was replacing another wrestler that got hurt. Taka and Hamda start us off. Hamada hold Taka for a double stomp by Yakushiji, Sasuke come in a series of kicks. BWO Japan triple teams Sasuke now they do this while the referee has his back turned the problem was he had no reason to keep his back turned. I think this was under Lucha rules where you you don't have to make you can just leave the ring but Joey never explained that. Amazing exhaling and flips into a splash by Sasuke on Terry Boy. Hamada who was 45 at the time actually kept up very well with the young talent. In strange spot Sasuke and his team had Taka in there corner and appeared to rub him to the ground I assume it was meant to be a beat down with fists but they were some awful looking punches. The BWO locks Sasuke in a hold and use it as a chance to pose. Spike pile driver by the top by Taka and Togo. Botched attempt by the triple team pile driver not once by twice by the BWO. Sasuke with an Osi Moonsault on Togo. Take with a plancha takes out Hamada. Late in the match we miss some big dive by Hamada because the camera wasn't in position. Finish came with Sasuke hitting a tiger suplex on Taka for the win. Better than the first two matches but it didn't blow away any of the similar stuff you could see on WCW. Post match Hamada and Togo exchange chops and than just stop out of no where.
We get to Stevie Richards promo. Stevie says that for two and half years he could look himself in the mirror. He talks about his time as Raven's lackey and how he wasn't a man. Says tonight is his chance to come out of the shell he's been in his whole life. By far the best Stevie promo I have ever seen. I really wish the poor guy had gotten to chance to run with this gimmick some where any where.
ECW World Television Championship Shane Douglas © with Francine vs Pitbull 2- These two had a long history. Pitbull had beat Douglas for the TV title as part of on going story where the title changed hands several times. In a four way where Shane won the belt again Francine turned on the Pitbulls and Pitbull Two suffered a legit broken neck during a spot with Douglas. We also had an infamous moment where Douglas grabbed Pitbull 1 by the huge steel hallow he had on. So Pitbull 2 is fighting for revenge. Douglas cuts a promo saying he led ECW to PPV. Shane talks about how great he is as they play clips from the feud. We Pitbull 1 Gary Wolfe sitting in the front row. There was also a side story with Douglas and Rick Rude at the time one of the stops to the match was that if Pitbull 2 couldn't win "The Masked Man" who was clearly Rude had to unmask it was a long story that Joey made zero effort to explain. There were also Riot cops at ring side and one you could clearly tell was in a motorcycle helmet to hide his face so anyone the saw him knew something was up since everyone else had a clear screen while one had a black one. Pitbull works a front face lock wrenching at the neck early on. Douglas went for a front face lock but Pitbull powered out and crotched Douglas on the ropes. Botch attempt at a atomic drop when Douglas jumps to soon. Sloppy Hunncanrana by Douglas. Pitbull goes for power bomb and again Douglas Rana's him this one looks better. Series of pile drivers by Douglas as part of the story of the match that Doulas wanted to break Pitbull 2's neck. But I hate when guys do the same move and over and over again with out going for a pin all that does is make a move that should be a finish look weak. In a nice heat getting moment Douglas locked a camel clutch in and taunted Pitbull 1 as he did it. Douglas goes through the ringside table. Pitbull 1 jumps the rail the when Douglas comes close. The rest of the riot squad except the one with a black shield take him out. Pitbull 2 bring a guard rail into the ring. Douglas goes to drop Pitbull 2 on it but it got knocked over. Joey talks about Douglas Franchise nickname and takes a shot at Sting. Hey Joey if you want to have a debate about witch Franchise meant more to wrestling I think it's the guy with "Face painted like a cartoon." That's going to win. Douglas goes for ax handle off the top but Pitbull catches him. Normally I hate when companies cut to people on the outside but ECW actually did it really well as cut to Francine who unlike idiots like Vickie who just stand there acted invested the whole time. Also ECW picked its spots to cut away when both men were down so we didn't miss the match. Francine slipped something to Douglas who put it on his fist. Joey claims they were brass knuckles they looked more like black tape. Either way Pitbull no sold the punches. Douglas hit Pitbull with Various weapon getting two count after two count. Finish came when Douglas hit the Belly to Belly for the win. Poor match with a number of sloppy spots. Also for a match built on two men hating each on on the idea a guy was fighting to avenge his best friend it got that intense it seem very slow paced and not in taking time to maximum damage way more of a we have to hold back because Sabu and Taz are next way.
Now as I mentioned there was a on going story with Rick Rude where Douglas has "disfigured" him and Rude returned in a mask. Now it was clear it was Rude since well only Rick Rude sounds like Rick Rude. Rude's voice rang out over the PA saying he would take off the mask but warned Douglas to give up Francine or he would give him an ass kicking. A masked man came out wearing one of Rude's robes. Of course this masked man was taller and heavier than Rude was so right away we know there's a double cross coming. The masked man laid a kiss on Francine allowing Douglas to nail him with the belt. Douglas pulled off the mask as the riot cop got in ring show he was Rick Rude and the masked man was Brian Lee. Lee had been a member of the triple threat up until this point. Lee hit a choke slam on Douglas. Confused angel I'm sure new viewers wanted to know what was up with Rude and Douglas. It was Rude was one of the riot cops and as I said when Lee came it again it was clear it wasn't Rude under the mask. Also it never went anywhere since Rude and Lee both were heading back to the WWF.
Raven promo time. Raven says everyone wants to see Funk face him tonight. Raven mocks the fans that are cheering for Funk. Raven talks about the small percentage of and that came to see him. Now the promo was good but it also gave away that Funk was going to win. Raven should have addressed both Sandman and Stevie as well. I don't care if the argument is "The fans were smart enough to know Funk was going to win." It's like a play you have seen before you may know that the maid killed the husband but you want the actors to go through the motions.
Taz with Bill Alfonso and Team Taz vs Sabu- This was billed as grudge match of the century. This match had a long history the two were tag partners until Sabu no showed an event and got fired. Taz was injured and while he out Sabu returned. When returned with his new gimmick he began calling out Sabu who refused to fight him due to promise he made to Paul Heyman. Also the two legit did not like each other. Finally these two were set to meet. Sabu hits the with no music or the lights going out. Joey sold as he couldn't wait even though Sabu got in the ring and waited. Big stare down start than an exchange of slaps. Taz quickly goes for the Taz Mission but Sabu blocks it Joey claims thats the first time anyone has ever done that. Taz works a number of holds and breaks Sabu noise with a cross face. Sabu goes for the double drop springboard that clearly messes. The fans break out the ECW chat shouldn't that be a you fucked up chant since he missed by a mile. Brawl into the crowd and we see Alphonso in ring because the camera can't follow them we one back to both men being down. Back in the ring Taz again works some holds along with ground and pound. Sabu score his first real offense with a summersault leg drop.Taz mainly keep control. Sabu misses a splash but this time he was supposed to as Taz moved and than suplexed him into the crowd. Sabu goes for a DDT through a table but Taz shoves him off and Sabu crashes through the table. Sabu hits a hunncanrana from the top for two and than follows with a leg drop from the top. Taz starts hitting the various Taz Plexs that always bothered me since at the end of they day Taz didn't come up with or popularize any of them end of the day they were suplexs. Sabu hits a t-bone suplex and mocks Taz's posse. Taz misses the clothesline and Sabu locks in the Taz MIssion. Taz counters with a suplex and than a T-bone of his own and than Taz lock in the Taz Mission. Taz chokes out Sabu for the win. Decent match but again for a "grudge match of the contrary" no fire. Plus the brawling in the crowd was stupid since we couldn't' see it.
EMT's come out to check on Sabu but he suddenly springs back to life only to collapse. Taz get a microphone and demands the music shut up. Taz makes it clear he choked Sabu out but says he gave him the fight of his life. Taz says offers to give Sabu a rematch when he ever he wants it and extends his hand. Joey says "Taz is a bigger man than we though he was." Sabu than raises the hand of Taz. Joey puts over the great sportsmanship. RVD runs out and jumps Taz. Sabu than joins in as they maul Taz. Sabu goes to splash on Taz on a table but he slips on the rope and than when he tries again he gets caught on the ropes.Finally Bill Alfonso pulled off his Taz Shirts to show he was wearing a Sabu shirt. Alfonso than claims he had bet on Sabu to win. RVD say Sabu and Alfonso are his family and he loves to work mondays. Oh boy where to start with the stupid…Ok so if Alfonso was gong to turn on Taz why not during the match? Why let his new client Sabu lose? There is zero logic for this. Even from the idea that he wanted to manage RVD. Also normally I wouldn't talk about what came next after this event but I feel it plays into the stupid. See at the next TV taping Sabu beat Taz in the rematch. That same show Taz gets in a confrontation with Douglas and challenges him to match for the ECW TV title where if he loses he leaves the company. Taz wins. Why not have Sabu win afar help by RVD and Alfonso tonight. Have Taz win the rematch and than win TV title?
Joey Styles introduces Tommy Dreamer with Beulah. Tommy was going to do color for the main event. The story was Tommy had given up his spot in the 3 way to his mentor Terry Funk because Terry wanted one more chance to win the world's heavyweight championship. Both Sandman and Stevie had real issues with Raven Tommy being in the 3 way made sense given his long feud with Raven. They give Beulah a headset even though she doesn't talk once. Tommy giving up his spot made sense and it didn't Tommy was ECW's good guy and he had the relationship with Terry that it made sense but on the hand his hatred of Raven was such a key part of his story and his "Dream" was to beat Rave so why give up a chance.
3 Way Dance Winner Gets a Shot at Raven
Stevie Richards with the BWO vs Terry Funk vs Sandman- 7-11 of the BWO was future RF video boss Rob Fienstein. Joey talks about Sandman's recent appearance on Raw as part of ECW hyping there PPV. Sandman being Sandman busted himself open with a beer can. Also Sandman being Sandman the intro took long enough I finished my taxes did the dishes and changed my oil. Sandman sucks down a beer and than spits in the face of Stevie. Funk and Sandman double team Stevie but Sandman soon chops Funk. Funk goes for the spinning toe hold but Stevie breaks it up on with a forearm. Tommy explains he promised Terry he would not interfere in this or the Raven match. Terry hits a series of hangman neck breakers on Stevie to stall as Sandman goes to get a ladder. Sandman throws the ladder into the ring and nails Terry in the head. Terry and Sandman fight on top of the ladder. Terry Funk goes for the moonsault on Stevie that misses by a mile. Stevie kick on Sandman as he holds the ladder. Joey says it was a drop kick. Terry gets a hold of the ladder and does the whirley bird. Richards tries to seesaw the ladder into Sandman and Funk but the ladder was to far on one side so it didn't move but Funk and Sandman sold it anyway. Stevie kick on Sandman for two fans chat bullshit. Stevie kick on Funk gets two. Sandman seesaws the ladder into Stevie. Sandman leaves again and comes back with a trashcan. Sandman suplexs Stevie onto it. Stevie takes a beating as Funk and Sandman hit a number of moves on him but he keeps kicking out. Another seesaw on the hits Stevie. Joey and Tommy both put over how tough Stevie really is and how he has the right to be here. Tommy also talks about how unfair it these guys are in a war while Raven rests. A double team power bomb eliminates Stevie. Terry and Sandman shake hands and than start to attack each other. Terry back body drops Sandman outside of the ring and he lands on Stevie who had just gotten back up. Sandman goes and gets a length of bar wire. One problem is during the Six Man Tag the fans had tossed streamers into the ring witch is often down in Japan. These streamers when they were cleaned up got put under the ring and wrapped up with the barbwire so it looks like Terry and Sandman are attacking each other with tissue paper. Sandman wraps himself in the barbwire and charges at Terry. Of course if you know anything about barbwire you would know that would actually hurt Sandman more. Stevie gets back up on the apron and Sandman goes after him. Stevie responds with the Stevie kick on Sandman. Funk with the moonsault gets the win at which point we jump right into the main event. Three way was pretty good but it lacked logic at times. You wonder why so many weapons are under the ring it's so wrestlers don't have to keep running to the back. And guys selling spots that missed like the first seesaw
ECW World Championship Raven © vs Terry Funk- The bell rings before Terry can even stand. Drop toe hold by Raven send Funk into a chair. Funk is busted open. The referee calls for the doctor? Ok what yes I know in boxing and MMA it happens but in wrestling it's one of those things where we see guys bleed buckets and they don't' do that. The fans start chanting for Tommy. Tommy says the fans want him to save Terry I think it was the fans wanted Tommy to take the match over. The Doctor doesn't stop the match of course. Raven again beats on Terry and the Doctor checks which again how many wrestlers have bleed huge amounts in ECW by this point? Raven splashes on Terry putting him through the table and again that stupid Doctor checks and acts like he was going to call it off. Raven than nails the Doctor? Why if he was going to call it of wouldn't Raven want that? A whole bunch of people come out including Reggie Bennett a female wrestler she hits a slopping sit out power bomb on Terry. That added nothing. Raven says he going to drive Terry through three tables off the stage where the commentary table is. This was a call back to similar spot they had done with Tommy. Dreamer got up and dared Raven to try it. Raven's next had stacked the tables. Bic Dick Dudley came and nailed Tommy with a trash can. Big Dick was about to choke slam Tommy threw the tables but Tommy blocked it and sent big Dick through the tables. While all this was going on Raven laid out the Ref even though Terry was down and Rave could have pinned him. Tommy made it to the ring and attacked Raven and hit the DDT. Funk covered count of one two bell rings. Finally Terry hits a small package for the win. The early bell ring was on Tod Gordon the PPV was getting really short on time he wanted the match to go home. You can even see him running towards the time keeper. Joey uses the "Do you believe in miracles." line. Tommy and Terry celebrate with the fans. Joey "cries" over the epic moment as we close. Main Event SUCKED! First zero logic the stupid stuff with the Doctor. Also the entire match was Raven just beating on Terry given how beat up he was. We have Tommy talking about how he can't do anything due to giving his word to Terry but he comes down and DDT's Raven. And I now why they put the belt on Funk, I know Raven was already on his way out, I know Heyman wanted a feel good moment, I know Terry built ECW. But he should not have won.
I think Stevie could have made a good champion the guy is very skilled in the ring and his story of going from clueless puts to world champion could have been a good one. I thin Tommy would have been the best option his feud with Raven was ending any way with Raven being WCW bound. Also I know Tommy said "I never wanted to be champion…" But I think he could been a very good champion. Plus wouldn't it have been great revenge after all those years of Raven finding a way to beat Tommy time and again that Tommy beats him on the night with the deck stacked and the biggest night in the history of ECW to finally take away the world title from his rival.
Barley Legal is a bad show no way around it. I get why people that worked for and ECW fans was to remember this night as a big deal because it was after all you had a small indy company getting on national PPV live for three hours on a sunday night. Hell its amazing they did it. But the show itself is not a classic a lot of normally great wrestlers had an off night. I can't say any of the matches were truly great. There are lot of over booked segments here. We had two grudge matches that never felt like were between guys that hated each other. The main event is just a beat down. ECW did have great shows but it's first PPV is not one of them.
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