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Return to the Mecca
By Brett Schwan
3PW returned to Viking Hall (aka the ECW Arena) in Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, July 17th.
Pre show festivities: Tony Luke's with Birthday Boy Frank, Last week's Birthday Boy Nick, Nick's friend, and Sidekick Ron.
Since my last visit to Viking Hall, over one year ago, it has been "renovated". In this case, the removal of the Bingo sign and stage along with a fresh coat of paint was the renovation. Supposedly the air conditioning was fixed. It was hard to tell, but it could have been a lot worse. The last show we attended here was a 3PW show that saw Dusty Rhodes v Kevin Sullivan in a bull rope match that was so pathetic one had to see it to believe it. Would 3PW earn more respect tonight? Could they possibly top that match as worst ever? We'd have to wait and see.
I promised that I would only attend shows that I felt had amazing potential. On paper, this show looked awesome. I could not pass on it. (Plus, Nick was going to go and who doesn't want to hang out with Nick? Add Frank's Birthday and his addiction to porn and how could I deny him a wet T-shirt contest?)
Our tickets were at the door!! So far, an improvement over last time, when Jasmin left only out tickets home. The tickets simple say "First Row" on them. No assigned seats. Which means, for the fan who paid $25 for a front row seat and shows up once they are all taken, they are shit out of luck. No one checks to make sure the people in the front row are acutal front row ticket holders, so basically anyone purchasing a General Admission ticket could easily just hop ringside.
Luminaries in attendance included Karen Belcher, Gerry Strauss, Bodyguard for Hire and the rest of the Hire family, Ed Cleveland, The R & W Promotions guys, Blurricane, Fat Stanley, Don E Allen, Robert "Pleather" Payes, Eric Walker, and nearly every scary fan who ever attended an ECW show in years past. Surprise! This is no ECW.
Your referees for the evening: Jim Molineaux and John Finnegan. (ECW referees. Did I say this wasn't ECW?)
Your ring announcer: Bob Artese (from ECW)
Your timekeeper: Rocko (from ECW.. Is there a pattern forming?)
The show started right on time, a rare treat for a show in this building, with Tod Gordon (ECW.. hmmm) and Talia getting in the ring and telling the crowd how after the last show John Finnegan was taken to the hospital for a heart procedure. The crowd chanted "Welcome back". Talia then got on the mic and mentioned how one of her opponents in the wet T-shirts contest was too scared to show up. At this point, we could only hope she was going to say Jasmine, but that was a long shot. She said it was Gorgeous George. Well, at least we still have one beautiful woman in the wet T-shirt contest.
The opening match saw Monsta Mack face PJ O'Doyle. About 10 minutes into the match, PJ climbed to the top rope. Low Ki ran down to the ring and pushed PJ off the top rope. He told Monsta to leave before applying his submission move to PJ. PJ soon tapped and the bell rang. No announcement was made so I will announce PJ as the winner, by DQ.
Low Ki got on the mic and called for Jerry Lynn to get to the ring. Lynn came out, with a T-shirt on and one boot still unlaced. Low Ki attacked and the match was underway. The two men immediately fought their way to the floor where the continued to beat the living hell out of each other with punches, kicks, and irish whips into the guard rails. The momentum switched back and forth several times, with both men getting the upper hand on numerous occasions. Several small packages for two counts, with reversals which also got two counts. Low Ki hit one last small package and put his foot on the ropes for leverage. Referee Finnegan saw this and kicked Low Ki's foot off the rope, allowing Lynn to reverse the small package and get the pinfall. Great match by both men. The match was a little short but great none the less. Jerry Lynn told us later, during intermission, that his shoulder has been injured now for several months and that he couldn't do as much as he would have liked (could have fooled us). He said he needs to take some time off to let his shoulder heel or he would be forced to get surgery, which he does not want to get.
Rob Eckos was introduced next. He got on the mic and told the crowd how he keeps promising them the real Matt Striker, yet he keeps coming out as someone else. Last month, he was "Ultimate" Striker. He announced that tonight, Striker would indeed be... Striker. The Macho Man's music hit. It then turned into the Ultimate Warrior's music. Then "Enter Sandman" began to play. Enter Strikerman!! Strikerman came complete with cane, beer, Sandman T-shirt, tattoos, pants, and any other accessory the Sandman ever had. The crowd popped huge as Strikerman made his way around ringside, pouring beer into some of the fans mouths. Their opponents for tonight, Jack Victory and Rockin Rebel. Rebel evidentially felt that Bob Artese did not do a good enough job announcing them so he got on the mic and mumbled something for about 5 minutes. The man has been in the business how long? Yet, he still can't cut a promo. The match began with Sandman lighting up a cigarette, then giving one to Jack Victory. Jack Victory, with cigarette, applied a rear waistlock on Strikerman as Strikerman drank a beer then began to roll a joint. Strikerman, Victory and Rebel then traded armbars to get to the joint and take a puff. Rob Eckos finally came in and took the joint. As the crowd chanted for him to toke, he put it out and dropped it in the corner. Immediately, the other three men ran and fought to find the joint. The lucky winner and finder of the joint... the referee. The match went back and forth until Strikerman removed his shirt and put on his Dudley glasses. He climbed to the top rope and shouted "Wassupp" before leaping of the top rope. He then put Dudley glasses on Eckos, pushed him, and screamed to get the table. Out came the table... the snack tray. Strikerman set up the snack tray in the ring but Jack Victory grabbed him for the 3D. All Rebel had to do was jump up a little bit, grab Strikerman's head, and fall through a table. Instead, Rebel bounced off the ropes, all but missed Strikerman's head, and ended up elbowing the table himself. The man's been in the business how long? Yet, he can't hit a simple move like this. Strikerman was able to get his cane and caned both Victory and Rebel. In his excitement, he caned Eckos. Rebel then covered Eckos for the pinfall. Great comedy match which is exactly what it was supposed to be. The Striker "80's" gimmick is hilarious and he did a great job of impersonating Sandman. My only question is how does Sandman fit into the whole "80's" theme? I mean Macho Man, Superfly Snuka, Ultimate Warrior, and now Sandman? Either way, funny as hell.
The next contest was the wet T-shirt contest. Wait a minute! There's a wet T-shirt contest!! How come no one had told me about this earlier! :)
Tod Gordon was the "host" for the event. A raffle was held and the winner got to wet down the girls. First to enter the ring, April Hunter. April obviously understood the concept of a wet T-shirt contest and wore a white T-shirt The guy spared no expense and doused her with 3 bottles of water. DAMN! VERY IMPRESSIVE!! Next out was Jasmin St. Claire. You would think, with Jasmin's background, she would have a clue about how a wet T-shirt contest is supposed to work. WRONG. Jasmin was wearing a white T-shirt with some kind of black design and writing on the front. The guy doused her with water but you could barely tell as wearing a T-shirt with black crap all over the front TOTALLY defeats the purpose! BRILLIANCE!! Actually, her wearing this T-shirt was fine since it saved us from having to see any more of Jasmin than we already have. Talia was introduced next and Tod Gordon grabbed the mic and said only he would wet down his sex slave. Jasmin then got on the mic and mumbled inaudibly for about 5 minutes. She must have taken promo lessons from Rebel. After speaking as if she were Charlie Brown's teacher for 5 minutes, April distracted Tod (who wasn't distracted by April?) as Jasmin still mumbled. The "new" Pitbulls ran in and Gary hit Talia with a Death Valley Driver. Tod turned around in time to see his Sex Slave laid out in the ring. Thus concludes our wet T-shirt contest. Was it really a contest? Hello!! Although no "winner" was announced, everyone in attendance who got to see April Hunter in her wet T-shirt was a winner.
Intermission... Polaroids with Jasmin and April in their wet T-shirts Unfortunately, you couldn't choose to get a Polaroid with just one of the ladies, you had to get both. $20 for a Polaroid that came out brown and barely visible. However, the memories will remain embedded in my mind forever. LOL
The first match after intermission saw Ruckus defeat Damian Adams. Prior to the match, Joey Matthews announced that he would defend his title against the winner of this match. He shook Adams' hand then shook Ruckus' and kicked him. Adams attacked Ruckus and the match was underway. Good match as would be expected from these two great young stars. Ruckus hit an amazing corkscrew 450 splash off the top rope for the pinfall.
Next up, a tag match, featuring Gary Wolf and Mike Kruel collectively known as "Pitbulls 2004" (pronounced TWO-OH-OH-FOUR) with Jasmin St. Claire against Roadkill and Blue Meanie. Meanie was whipped into the ropes and Jasmin attempted hooking his leg from outside the ring... she missed. OK, let's try again. Meanie is whipped into the ropes, she completely misses again. Third time's a charm. Meanie into the ropes, Jasmin still can't figure out how to grab his leg, and misses. Meanie stops. He stands still. She grabs his leg!! BRAVO!. The Hire family and Mike Kruel must be so pleased with the push he's getting here. Roadkill tags in and dominates. Meanie back in. All four men battle. Roadkill climbs to the top rope but is pushed off, through the timekeeper's table at ringside. Here comes the BIG finish. Gary Wolf grabs Blue Meanie and lifts him up (as if they were going to go for the Hart Attack). As Wolf holds Meanie, Mike Kruel climbs to the top rope. Wait... Wolf can't hold him much longer... Wolf ends up dropping Meanie to the mat SECONDS before Kruel comes off the top with a blockbuster. SO, basically, Meanie was already on the mat, when Kruel came off the top rope! Instead of realizing that every person in attendance saw this horribly botched move and they should at least do anything else before covering Meanie, Gary covered Meanie for the three count. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Someone needs to go back to wrestling school and take the "Basics 101" course.
The next match is for the 3PW Heavyweight Championship. Slyk Wagner Brown, with April Hunter, enters the ring. He is soon followed by the 3PW champion (and what a champion he is) Joey Matthew's. Slyk immediately gets the upper hand but Matthew's is able to fight back. Lots of great spots by Slyk including his Slyk Slam for a 2 count and a Leg Lariat for a 2 count. You would think Matthew's was Hulk Hogan as he has kicked out of any move Slyk ever used as a finisher thus far. Slyk climbed to the top rope. Matthew's knocked Referee Molineaux into the ropes, causing Slyk to get crotched on the top turnbuckle. Joey hits a hurracanrana for a 2 ct. Joey goes outside and gets a chair. April grabs the chair and the two begin having a tug-of-war. Slyk goes for a baseball slide and Joey pulls the chair, causing Slyk to nail April (with the baseball slide you sick perverts!!!) Joey rolls Slyk back into the ring and makes the cover... TWO! Two? Why only two? Joey follows up with a double arm DDT on Slyk for the three count and the victory. OH. I get it. The DDT following the chairshot only compounded the injury. That makes much more sense! Seriously though, this was the best match I have ever seen Joey Matthews have. I would expect that as Slyk has not had any bad matches in the recent past. Very good title match and great effort by both Slyk and Joey.
After a brief ring repair the "Rematch of a Lifetime" was next.
Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels entered the ring. Next up, The Phenomenal AJ Styles. As the match began, there were now 8 cameramen at ringside. One of which had two cameras, yet used neither. How the hell is ANYONE, other than the referee, supposed to see what's going on in the ring when there are 8 cameramen at ringside blocking their view? IS 3PW so huge now that they get this much press coverage?
The match was simply phenomenal. There was no time limit and the two men went full force for the entire match. Some highlights included (and I say some as I can not do any justice to this match if I were to call it move for move) an AJ kipup into a headscissors on Chris. An Angel Wings... BY STYLES for a 2 count. Daniels with the Last Rites for a 2 count. The two men brawled at ringside and beat the hell out of each other. Daniel's stole Nick's AJ Styles shirt and choked AJ out with it. Back in the ring, both men were down and the ref started making the count. As Finnegan was counting, he was using his other hand to discreetly give the finger to a drunk at ringside who did not shut the hell up for the entire match. Several attempted Styles clashes by AJ but Chris was able to hit the ropes and break them. AJ worked Daniel's injured shoulder the entire match. Simply amazing ring work and psychology by both me. The finish saw AJ go for a Styles Clash but Daniels blocked it, rolled up AJ, and held the ropes as the ref counted three. The match lasted just over 35 minutes and both men received a well deserved standing ovation.
As with every show these days, this one had its ups and downs. The positives: Low Ki v Jerry Lynn; the comedy of Eckos, Striker and Victory; April Hunter in the wet T-shirt contest; Ruckus v Adams; Slyk v Joey; and of course AJ v Christopher. The negatives: Rebel's inability to do basically anything; Jasmin not knowing what to wear in a wet T-shirt contest and missing her only spot in the tag match THREE TIMES; and the finish to the tag match.
On paper, was this show amazing? Yes. Did the matches which looked good on paper live up to their potential? Yes. Did the ones that didn't look good on paper live down to theirs? ABSOLUTLEY! Did any matches outshine Dusty v Rhodes as worse match ever? No comment!
So, the positives clearly outweighed the negatives. Was it worth the $25 ticket, $40 in gas, $21 in tolls and 7 hour round trip drive? Probably not. Then again, what would be these days? Will I be back here in the near future? Near seems a little too soon.
Post match visit to Tony Luke's (since it's been 8 hours since we ate last!) with Karen Belcher and some wrestlers who will remain nameless so they aren't punished by any promoters for associating themselves with an honest paying wrestling fan.
Let the hatemail commence!
