ECW One Night Stand 2005 Review

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that continues to be produced despite little to no viewers (Hi Phillip!). This is a special occasion as we have an ECW pay per view under the WWE Banner. How did this come to be? Well, WWE were producing a DVD titled The Rise & Fall of ECW when RVD came up with the idea to producing an authentic ECW show. Tommy Dreamer wrote the show alongside Paul E and we had out all we needed, this is ECW’s One Night Stand 2005! Look forward to seeing all your old favourites and more, it is time to get extreme, let’s do this!

Opening Promo

Live from the Hammerstein Ballroom, ECW fans everywhere. The show kicks off with Joey Styles, the voice of ECW. The fans love Styles, this was a big indication of WWE going all-out for the pay per view. We had the fans, the arena and the announcer. Styles welcomes his broadcast partner, the hardcore legend Mick Foley. Now, we are treated to the classic intro from TNN with all your favourites, huge nostalgia wave for all of us.

Lance Storm W/ Dawn Marie vs Chris Jericho

The first match pits the former tag team of Storm & Jericho against one another, the thrillseekers are going to tear it up in the ring. Jericho comes out in his Lionheart gear while Storm comes down to the ring with Dawn Marie, they embrace in a little heart-warming moment. Storm was done with WWE by this point, I do believe so this would be a nice send-off between two great friends.

Side headlocks by both men, more nice theatrics before armdrags by both men and a stand-off, the crowd erupt for it. Lock-up, Jericho takesdown Storm. Bow & arrow hold from Jericho into a cover for two. Storm kicks Jericho and chops Lionheart. Middle rope dropkick by Jericho, baseball slide and Storm is on the floor. Jericho tries an apron dive but Storm dodges and Jericho crashes hard on the guard rail. Storm stomps Jericho, huge dropkick from Storm for two. Stalling vertical suplex by Storm, two for Storm. Reverse chinlock by Storm, Jericho breaks free but Storm chops Jericho. Storm is Irish whipped to the corner, Storm leaps to the top rope but Jericho plants Storm with a dropkick.

 Armdrags by Jericho, running enzuigiri. Jericho blocks a German for a roll-up, two for Jericho. Tiger suplex by Jericho for two, knee to the face by Jericho. Storm slides out of that for a dropkick, cradle piledriver is countered by Jericho. Storm lands on his feet off a back drop and nails a Superkick for two. Storm places Jericho on the top rope, Jericho suplexes down Storm. Spinning back elbow by Jericho for two, Storm rolls through from an Irish whip to a Single Leg Boston Crab, Jericho reverses for a Liontamer. Storm blocks and Jericho catapults Storm into the turnbuckle, modified bulldog.

Jericho attempts a Lionsault, Storm blocks with his knees but Jericho turns it into a Walls of Jericho, Dawn Marie jumps onto the apron. Here comes Justin Credible and Jason, the other members of The Impact Players. Jericho batters them down and O Connor rolls Storm, Storm kicks out and sends Jericho to the ropes which leads to a kendo stick shot from Credible and Storm covers for the win, The Impact Players pose after their win.

Tonnes of fun in this match, it plays with your emotions as it hits you with a tonne of nostalgia. You have Lance vs Jericho, Dawn is by Storm’s side and you have a run-in of all The Impact Players, not just Justin but you had Jason there too for a nice touch. Simple match with both men showing off their stuff, it sets the tone for the night, it is going to be a fun one.

Winner: Lance Storm over Chris Jericho via Kendo Stick Shot!

Gary Wolfe & Tributes

ECW remembers those who have passed away and could not be at the event, sad to say that many more names would be added in the 12 years since this event. May they all rest in peace.

Three Way Dance Match Tajiri W/ Sinister Minster & Mikey Whipwreck vs Super Crazy vs Little Guido W/ Tracy Smothers, Tony Mamaluke, Big Guido & JT Smith

Back in 1999, these three men had some absolute wars in ECW. Tajiri and Super Crazy had insane chemistry and some of the best technical matches that you would see in the company when compared to the ultra-violent matches that ECW was known for during its time.

Guido jumps Super Crazy, Tajiri kicks Guido to the floor. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Super Crazy on Tajiri, Guido has Tajiri in a cross armbreaker. Standing moonsault from Super Crazy on Guido, roll through on the sunset flip and Crazy dropkicks Guido & Tajiri. Mamaluke trips Super Crazy, Sicilian Slice from Guido. The three make their way into the crowd, Super Crazy climbs into the balconies and moonsaults onto The FBI. Tajiri and Super Crazy fight in the ring, Tarantula by Tajiri. Super Crazy ten punches Tajiri, Smothers and the rest of The FBI mug Super Crazy. Big Guido eats a low blow from The Sinister Minister, superkick by Tajiri on Smothers. Whipwreck nails Guido with a top rope Whippersnapper for the elimination.

Little Guido has been eliminated via Whippersnapper!

Springboard moonsault by Super Crazy for two, Tajiri counters a powerbomb for a DDT, two for Tajiri. Tajiri slaps and stomps Super Crazy, Super Crazy flips out of a suplex. Firemen’s carry slam, two moonsaults by Super Crazy. Whipwreck knocks Super Crazy off the apron, powerbomb by Super Crazy after avoiding a kick, Top Rope Moonsault by Super Crazy for the win.

Another fun match, Crazy does his dives, Tajiri does his kicks and Guido cheats and shows off his impressive submission skills. You could not ask for more from these three, they put on all the best highlights from their many matches in ECW, the fans loved the action.

Winner: Super Crazy over Tajiri via Top Rope Moonsault!

Old ECW Footage

The Night The Line Was Crossed, Sandman, Pitbulls, Tommy Dreamer, Public Enemy, Terry Funk, Sabu, 2 Cold Scorpio. Everything and everyone you know and love, it truly did appear so different from everything else. You could see the appeal and you wanted to be a part of it, ECW, ECW, ECW!

Psicosis vs Rey Mysterio

When ECW lost the likes of Benoit, Malenko and Eddie Guerrero, Heyman called Konnan and brought in the luchadores like Psicosis, Rey Mysterio and Juventud Guerrera. These guys tore up ECW in 1995 before being signed to WCW. Lock-up, armwringer by Mysterio. Psicosis takes the arm, Mysterio eats a kick to the mid-section. Armdrag by Psicosis, trip by Psicosis. Mysterio rolls through for a victory roll for two, side headlock by Mysterio. Springboard crossbody by Mysterio, Psicosis floats-over and nails a sit-out slam. Corner hard Irish whip by Psicosis for two, springboard moonsault by Mysterio for two. Sleeper by Psicosis, Psicosis slams Mysterio into the turnbuckle and the canvas, two for Psicosis.

Psicosis rams Mysterio into the guard rail, Mysterio is placed across the guard rail. Psicosis ascends the turnbuckle and nails his Guillotine Leg Drop to Mysterio. Cover and two for Psicosis, corner Irish whip by Psicosis. Mysterio leapfrogs Psicosis, Psicosis misses a corner dropkick. Irish whip by Mysterio, pop-up facebuster for two. Psicosis hits his shoulder off of the ringpost and tumbles into the crowd, we see some ECW alumni like Chetti, Electra etc. Mysterio nails a seated senton into the crowd, dropkick to the back. 619 and a West Coast Pop, this is over.

Another fun affair in the ring, shame that the crowd booed Psicosis for not wearing his mask but you had some good spots in this match. The Guillotine Leg Drop was madness while Mysterio’s senton was spectacular too. Fun stuff, that is all I can really say when it comes to this pay per view.

Winner: Rey Mysterio over Psicosis via West Coast Pop!

WWE Crusaders Arrive & RVD “Shoot” Promo

Angle, JBL and the rest of the Smackdown mid-card come to town, they wanted to see up close and personal the filth that is ECW. We are shown more fun stuff from ECW like Bubba stuttering, Dreamer celebrating with the fans. 911 killing Bill Alfonso, Superstar Steve Austin mocking WCW and Eric Bischoff. Next, we have Joel Gertner interviewing The Smackdown Crusaders, it does not go well as Angle bullies the piss out of Joel Gertner before JBL takes him down. Angle and JBL cut promos on ECW before RVD with manager Bill Alfonso comes down to the ring.

RVD and Alfonso reminisce about old times, about how great ECW was and RVD sucks up to the fans. RVD talks about his heartache about not being able to perform, this sucks worse than missing Wrestlemania for RVD.  Rhyno appears out of nowhere and Gores the shit out of RVD. The lights go out and out of nowhere, comes the one and only Sabu.

Sabu vs Rhyno

Sabu is defending his friend RVD, Sabu and Rhyno lock up, shoulder block by Rhyno. Belly to belly by Rhyno, Sabu whips Rhyno into the corner. Rhyno is on the top rope, Sabu is handed a chair by Alfonso and Rhyno is cracked with the chair. Baseball slide by Sabu, Triple Jump Body Splash by Sabu. Sabu Irish whips Rhyno into the guard rail, chair to the head of Rhyno. Rhyno is on the table, Sabu looks for a slingshot but Rhyno yanks Sabu off the apron. Snapmare and big boot by Rhyno, two for Rhyno. Scoop slam by Rhyno, Sabu cuts off Rhyno on the top rope. Hurricanrana by Sabu, springboard leg drop for two.

Air Sabu as Rhyno falls throat first on the steel chair. Leg drop by Sabu for two, Rhyno trips Sabu when Sabu was trying for a triple jump moonsault. TKO on the chair for two, Rhyno alley oops Sabu into a turnbuckle. Rhyno Gores the referee as Sabu pulls him in the way, Rhyno Driver on Sabu. RVD comes in and throws a chair at Rhyno’s head, RVD dropkicks a chair into Rhyno’s face. Alfonso pulls in a table, Rhyno is placed on the table and with an Arabian Facebuster using the chair, Sabu wins the match.

Fun little match, nice way to include RVD on the show and have Sabu make the save for his longtime partner and friend. Rhyno’s last appearance for WWE until his return to NXT ten years after this event. Not a bad way to go out considering Rhyno was the last ECW Heavyweight and Television champion.

Winner: Sabu over Rhyno via Arabian Facebuster!

Al Snow Reminisces About ECW

Highlights from old pay per views are on our screens, The BWO, Tazz and Bigelow. Raven and Sandman, RVD and Sabu’s match with Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki. Seems like it was the most fun place to be on earth if you were in the crowd. Here comes Eric Bischoff and the Raw crusaders.

Chris Benoit vs Eddie Guerrero

Speaking of best friends, we have Benoit vs Guerrero who must have wrestled a thousand of times over the course of their careers. Benoit was touted as a future ECW Heavyweight champion in the book version of the rise and fall of ECW while Eddie and Malenko were given standing ovations and asked not to leave, Styles claims Heyman wanted to do this match more than anything else.

Lock-up, Benoit shoves back Eddie. Eddie hides in the ropes, another lock-up with Benoit shoving back Eddie. Eddie dodges a chop, armdrags by Benoit. Eddie rolls to the floor, kick to the ribs by Eddie. Eddie clubs down Benoit, back elbow by Latino Heat. Benoit chops back before an eye poke and step on the face by Eddie, reverse chinlock by Eddie. Benoit escapes with a back suplex, Eddie chops Benoit. Snapmare into a reverse chinlock by Eddie, Benoit battles back to a vertical base. Shoulder block by Benoit, Eddie lowbridges Benoit who crashes to the floor. Eddie cracks Benoit with a steel chair, superplex by Latino Heat.

Eddie is up with blood spilling from his nose, Eddie climbs high to the top turnbuckle. Benoit avoids The Frog Splash, right hands and chops by Benoit. Eddie chops Benoit, Benoit chops back. Clothesline by Benoit, northern lights suplex for two. Benoit nails a superplex, two for Benoit. German suplexes by Benoit, Diving Headbutt by Benoit for two. Eddie counters a German suplex for a roll-up, Eddie gets caught in The Crippler Crossface, Eddie taps out.

Solid match, Benoit and Guerrero go together like bread on butter. It was stiff, hard-hitting and a nice throwback to the wars the two would have in New Japan.

Winner: Chris Benoit over Eddie Guerrero via Crippler Crossface!

Eric Bischoff & Joel Gertner

Gertner asks Bischoff for a job, Bischoff tells Gertner to piss off because he is garbage like everyone else in ECW. ECW Sucks, good stuff from Bischoff!

Masato Tanaka vs Mike Awesome

A rivalry born in Japan, FMW to be more specific. Awesome and Tanaka had some great wars before taking it to ECW in 1999 before Awesome would join WCW and Tanaka would leave the company. Tanaka was carving out a niche for himself in Zero-1 and New Japan during the years after ECW while Awesome would end up in Noah in 2005 before his death.

Belly to belly suplex by Awesome, Tanaka elbows Awesome to the apron. Tanaka charges at Awesome, slingshot shoulder block by Awesome. Suicide dive by Awesome, Irish whip into the guard rail. Awesome is elevated into the crowd, Tanaka cracks a chair off Awesome’s head. Tanaka whips Awesome into the guard rail, Awesome boots Tanaka back before nailing a clothesline. Awesome grabs a table, Awesome clotheslines Tanaka and has Tanaka for an apron Awesome Bomb through a table that is leaning against a guard rail. Awesome Splash for a two count, powerbomb by Awesome. Awesome has a chair, Tanaka gets cracked with a chair but does not go down. Until Awesome gets super stiff, Tanaka boots Awesome and nails The Diamond Dust.

Tanaka Tornado DDTs Awesome on a pile of chairs for two, Tanaka smacks a chair into Awesome’s face, Tanaka dives off the top rope and drives a chair into Awesome’s face for two. Awesome ducks a roaring elbow for a German suplex and spear, Awesome has a new table. Awesome has Tanaka on the top rope, Tanaka DDTs Awesome through the table for a two count. Tanaka is on the top rope, Awesome comes to meet Tanaka and Awesome Bombs Tanaka through the remains of the table for two. Awesome has another table, Awesome looks for an Awesome Bomb to the floor. Tanaka blocks momentarily but Awesome sends Tanaka through the table before diving onto Tanaka for the win.

Insane spot-fest, this was a highlight package for the two of these, a collection of their best spots, you had the dives, the tornado DDTs on the chairs and the numerous table spots. They have had better matches but once again, it is the theme of the night in saying this was super fun.

Winner: Mike Awesome over Masato Tanaka via Awesome Splash!

The Messiah is Here!

Shooting time, it is all in good fun though as Heyman mocks JBL’s reign claiming it is only because Triple H does not do Smackdown and Heyman brings up Edge’s affair with Lita. They loved him, they bought into those three letters with all their hearts.

The Dudley Boyz vs Tommy Dreamer & Sandman

Only thing that breaks my heart is not hearing Metallica for Sandman’s entrance, that would be magical each and every time The Sandman would make an appearance. Sandman enters through the fans in some kind of scene from a movie, it might be better than his return to the company in 1999 after a stint in WCW. Before the match, Dreamer and Sandman motorboat Electra while Chris Chetti and CW Anderson watch on, nice cameo for the fans. It is not over just yet, here come The BWO.

Richards says “We are taking over” The BWO attack Sandman and Dreamer before Kid Kash comes down to the ring. We are also greeted by Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten, The Hardcore Chair-Swinging Freaks. Poor Nova eats some stiff chair shots, The Dudleys brawl with everyone. Kid Kash dives onto everyone with a somersault, Dreamer has a cheesegrater. Bubba avoids it and suplexes Dreamer, sign to the head of Tommy Dreamer. Cheesegrater to the head of Dreamer, elbows and right hands by Bubba. Bubba misses a middle rope senton, reverse 3D by The Dudleys. Sandman has a ladder, The Dudleys eat the ladder to the face. Dreamer has the ladder on his head and swings it around on The Dudleys.

Bubba tastes the cheesegrater, Sandman drop toeholds D-Von onto the trash can. Two for Sandman, Bubba eats a tray to the head. Bubba crotches Dreamer on the guard rail, Sandman nails D-Von with The Rolling Rock, Bubba waffles Sandman with a chair. Sandman is placed on a ladder, Bubba splashes Sandman for two. D-Von has the cane, Bubba is hit by mistake. White Russian legsweep by Sandman, Dreamer & Sandman perform figure fours. Here comes The Impact Players, Sandman eats a That’s Incredible on the barbed wire. Here comes Francine to kick Dreamer in the dick, Beulah comes out to defend her man Tommy. Credible grabs Beulah, Storm nails Credible by mistake.

Dreamer and Beulah embrace in a beautiful moment, Dreamer & Beaulah DDT The Dudleys for two, Dreamer whacks a sign onto D-Von’s nuts. Bubba canes Sandman & Dreamer, Bubba has a table. Sandman is powerbombed through a table for two, Dreamer canes D-Von before eating a 3D. Another table, here comes Spike Dudley. Spike has a lighter, the table is set alight and Dreamer is powerbombed through the table.

Well, that was a huge nostalgic wave hitting you at once, it is like Sting vs Triple H at Wrestlemania: The wrestling is not going to be great but they will pack it full of so many call-backs and returns that you do not even care, you are loving every minute of the match. Although, while The NWO made no sense helping Sting, everyone run-in for this match made sense. It was so fitting that Dreamer would be in the final match, it really was a fun pay per view.

Winners: The Dudley Boyz over Sandman & Dreamer via Powerbomb!

Stone Cold Steve Austin comes to the ring as Sandman calls out for a beer, the ECW locker room comes to the ring for a celebration. Austin invites down The Crusaders for a fight, The Crusaders oblige which leads to The ECW guys clearing the ring and everyone beating the piss out of Bischoff. The perfect end as Bischoff hated ECW more than anyone else, great for Bischoff to be willing to do that for the fans to give them the ultimate revenge.

That was ECW’s One Night Stand 2005, one of the most fun shows I have ever seen, it was tremendous fun. The wrestling was not blowing me away, there was no top quality match but it was so fun, they gave the fans what they wanted to see, they showed us they could still go, they showed us they could still perform, it was just the perfect show. Thanks for reading and remember: There’s always another night!