Match of the Week: Sandman vs D-Von Dudley (ECW Crossing the Line Again 97)

Match of the Week: Sandman vs D-Von Dudley (ECW Crossing the Line Again 97; shown on ECW Hardcore TV #198)

Prepare for trouble make it double

Several big things happen at this show. Paul Heyman announce ECW first PPV Barely Legal is back on. Another thing happen was the post match of this. Sandman doing his long 2-3 minute entrance when D-Von Dudley attacked him before the bell using the singapore cane. Sandman fought back in a brawl and squashed him in five minute match. After the match Joel Gertner announced D-Von as the "winner" only get caned. D-Von attacks Sandman afterward bringing out Bubba Ray and Spike Dudley whom they been feuding with D-Von for over half a year previously. Bubba Ray smacks a chair on Sandman then gave him, Spike and the Gangstas a beat down. No longer a comedic team both are now team of serious ass kickers. On that night Dudley Boyz unite to form one of most dominating tag teams in world of wrestling pillaging through ECW, WWE, TNA, Japan, and the indies for almost two decades.

ECW Crossing The Line Again 1997 Part 1 by WarnersRetroTV

Match of the Week: Ric Flair vs Sting (WCW Clash of Champions I)

Match of the Week: Ric Flair vs Sting (WCW Clash of Champions I)

The match that made Sting a main eventer. I remember watching this match when WCW showed it on WCW All Nighter in mid-90s. For those wondering WCW did special middle of night/early morning program called WCW All Nighter (or something to similar name) showing past WCW matches for several hours. I think they ran it twice.

WCW hosted Clash of Champions on same night of Wrestlemania 4 PPV and put the event free of charge to TV viewers on TBS. The match schedule with 45 minute time limit with three judges deciding the match if it went to time limit. Ric Flair was NWA World Heavyweight champion heading to the event. His manager J.J. Dillon locked up in the cage before the match as Sting goes for the big prize. For 45 minutes Sting proved he can main event. He fought like machine, bounced back like a machine, and battled his way like a machine against Flair with the crowd eating every moment of it. The match ended to judge's decision of a draw after time limit expired.

After the night a new hero born to the fans becoming face of World Championship Wrestling to the day it closed down. Along with it is his record of multiple WCW World Heavyweight championships along with runs with U.S. and tag team titles. He never jumped to WWE during Monday Night Wars even after it closed down. Took 14 years after WCW close down for him appear on WWE. He's now WWE Hall of Fame class of 2016.

WCW Clash Of The Champions - Sting Vs. Ric Flair by WWFNetwork

Ground control to Major Tom......RIP

Few weeks after music world lost Lemmy Kilmister. It mourn again with loss of David Bowie another favorite of mines. Too many memorable songs from him listen to. Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust is one of my favorite albums. He will be missed.

Match of the Week: Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn (ECW Guilty as Charged 2001

Sorry for missing last week Match of the Week. Was super busy and tired from work related bs I dealt with. I'm back with this week entry.

Match of the Week: Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn (ECW Guilty as Charged 2001)

Final showdown in the final match of final ECW PPV

On January 7 marks the 15th anniversary of final ECW PPV ever produced with RVD and Jerry Lynn ending the show.

Going to the PPV its obvious company is its last legs with wrestlers owed money and checks getting bounced. It resulted Rob Van Dam leaving. Shows getting cancelled. Paul Heyman stop showing up at events. Now they have no TV show and fewer shows in between PPV heading to this event.

ECW promise a big surprise on the show. Jerry Lynn pretty much gave it away on Rob Van Dam being at there when he said he's not here and will only wrestle in main events. Other surprises include Nova turning to Heavy Metal Nova. Appareance of Missy Hyatt who was Justin Credible pre-match sex partner. Rhino destroyed Balls Mahoney, Chilly Willy, Johnny Swinger, Simon Diamond, Blue Meanie, Jasmine St. Claire and Dawn Marie. He would later appeared after Sandman won ECW World Heavyweight title goring him and taking the belt with him. This brought out the surprise Rob Van Dam. Jerry Lynn entered and both have a match. The match wasn't the best as their previous PPV encounters but its still decent. RVD did his spots while Lynn did his part to wild crowd which at times forgot about the match. Joel Gertner getting the best out of Cyrus DDTing him. He would assist in RVD hitting Van Terminator on Jerry Lynn ending the final ECW PPV match.

Show ended to video clips of the PPV to infamous ECW theme song mentioning next ECW PPV Living Dangerously on March 11. PPV never happen as they ran few shows in Arkansas afterwards before closing down ending its glorious run.

Paul Heyman wound up on WWE along with many others such as Rhino, Spike Dudley, Justin Credible, Jerry Lynn, RVD, and Tommy Dreamer within months after ECW closed. Four years later ECW have their hurrah with One Night Stand PPV. E-C-DUB!