The final ECW Hardcore Heaven event took place 15 years ago today. In the main event, Justin Credible beat Lance Storm to retain the ECW Hvt. Title in what turned out to be Storm's final ECW match.

At the same time, the PWTorch Newsletter was running a Torch Talk with Storm, who commented on his departure from ECW to join WCW.

Full coverage of the PPV, Storm's Torch Talk, and the PPV Roundtable Review can be read HERE in PWTorch Newsletter #603 for VIP members.

ECW HARDCORE HEAVEN PPV
May 14, 2000
Milwaukee, Wisc.
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

Joey Styles and Joel Gertner introduced the show from mid-ring.

(1) Masato Tanaka pinned Balls Mahoney at 9:15. Tanaka hit another roaring elbow and scored the pin. They might have incurred a few more concussions, but the execution, psychology, and drama were strong. (***1/4)

Lance Storm cut a promo about his main event against Justin Credible. He said Justin had Scott and Kev watching his back in N.Y. and he had him watching his back in ECW, but now he's on his own.

(2) Little Guido (w/Big Sal) beat Mikey Whipwreck (w/Sinister Minister) and Simon Diamond (w/The Musketeer, Tom Marquez) in a three-way match at 7:15. At 3:00 the lights went out. The crowd chanted, "You f---ed up." Diamond was eliminated at 5:45. Mikey threw fire in the face of Big Sal, but Guido then finished off Mikey for the three count. A clustermess. (*)

A promo aired with Justin Credible and Francine... Lou E. Dangerously came to the ring with his group. Jazz almost ripped Electra's skimpy outfit off. Bill Wiles and C.W. Anderson attacked Jazz. Kid Kash made the save.

(3) Kid Kash pinned C.W. Anderson at 5:57. Good action. Kash finished off Anderson with a top rope huracanrana of sorts. (**1/2)

Backstage Bill Alfonso gave a pep talk to Rob Van Dam in the locker room... Styles explained why he and Gertner walked out of the ring without explanation at the start of the night. He said the cameras missed it, but out of the corner of his eyes he saw Tommy Dreamer enter the arena all bloodied. He apologized for the cameras missing the shot of Dreamer collapsing.

(4) Super Nova & Chris Chetti beat The Baldies and Danny Doring & Roadkill at 6:32. At 4:15 Doring & Roadkill were eliminated first. Roadkill leaped off the second rope onto Grimes driving him through a table. Chetti and Nova won after a Tidal Wave onto one of the Baldies. (*1/2)

(5) New Jack pinned Vic Grimes at 9:00. The Baldies, including Grimes, attacked Chetti and Nova afterward, so New Jack came out and attacked them. New Jack leaped off the upper deck balcony onto Grimes, crushing him through a table on the floor. New Jack got up right away favoring his hip. Back in the ring New Jack finished off Grimes and scored the pin to retain his moniker as king of hardcore. A hard-to-grade random assortment of violence. (*1/2)

Styles and Cyrus reflected on the card. Then they replayed the New Jack bump from three different angles.

(6) Tajiri pinned Steve Corino (w/Jack Victory) at 10:22. Before the match Corino told Tajiri they don't have to fight in front of the morons in the crowd. He told Tajiri to come back to him or he'd kick his ass. Tajiri punched Corino and the fight was on. Good crisp offense early by Tajiri. At 1:50 Tajiri suplexed Corino onto the rampway. At 3:00 Tajiri hung a bleeding Corino upside down in the corner, then slidekicked him. Great camera close-up caught the smack of the impact. The bleeding was very heavy. Tajiri then put a chair up against Corino's face, but as Jack Victory distracted Tajiri, Corino got up and superkicked Tajiri. Corino got a two count and remained on offense for several minutes. Victory set up a table in the ring. Tajiri reversed Corino's abdominal stretch into an octopus. Victory tried to interfere, but Tajiri blew green mist at his face. Tajiri then went crazy with a rapid fire series of kicks and punches, then put Corino on the table. Tajiri leaped off the top rope and double-stomped Corino and scored the pin. Afterward Wing Kanemura, Corino, and Victory beat up Tajiri. Dusty Rhodes made the save. Good match. (***1/4)

(7) "The Big F---in' Deal" Rhino pinned Sandman at 6:15 to retain the ECW TV Title. After Sandman's long entrance through the crowd, they brawled at ringside and into the crowd. Sandman leaped off the apron and legdropped Rhino as he was draped over the railing. Rhino leaned Sandman against a table on the rampway. Sandman moved as Rhino charged, so Rhino shoulder tackled the table. Sandman then piledrove Rhino on a table in the ring for a nearfall. Steve Corino came out and helped Rhino take over offense. Rhino then leaped off the ring apron and piledrove Laurie Fullington through a table at ringside. Her body went limp. That was one scary looking move. Rhino threw Laurie into the ring. Corino and Victory leaned her against a table in the corner of the ring. Sandman made the save, but when he picked her up, Rhino gored Sandman. Rhino then scored the pin. (**3/4)

(8) Jerry Lynn pinned Rob Van Dam (w/Bill Alfonso) at 19:54. Well-paced, well-executed, and innovative. At 16:32 Van Dam hit the Five-Star Frogsplash onto a chair draped over Lynn. Van Dam sold it as much as Lynn. Victory and Corino interfered. Van Dam easily cleared the ring of them, but Rhino then came out and gored Van Dam. Rhino then powerbombed Van Dam. Cyrus left the commentary booth to cheer on Rhino from ringside. Cyrus entered the ring and Van Dam nailed him with the Van Daminator. Lynn hit Alfonso with the Van Daminator. Lynn picked up the chair, but Van Dam kicked it into his face. Van Dam went to the top rope, but Scott Anton shoved him off the top rope. Van Dam took an awkward bump off of it onto the rampway. Anton ripped off his Van Dam t-shirt. Lynn hit his pump handle piledriver for a nearfall. Right away Lynn hit another pump handle piledriver and got the pinfall. Styles said Lynn would have preferred a clean win. Great match. (****1/4)

(9) Justin Credible (w/Francine) pinned Lance Storm (w/Dawn Marie) at 12:28 to retain the ECW Hvt. Title. Justin taunted Dreamer over the house mic. He said if anybody other than Storm came to the ring, he would disgrace the belt. Dreamer came out, but Paul Heyman stopped him. Heyman said Justin had them by the balls and he talked Dreamer into returning to the back. Lance Storm came out. He went nose to nose with Dreamer for a moment and exchanged some words before Dreamer disappeared behind the curtain. By 2:00 Storm was bleeding. They exchanged chops. The crowd chanted, "We Want Dreamer." At 9:00, Francine hit Storm with a chair. Marie entered. The women rolled around in the ring. Justin gave Marie a piledriver. Storm caned Justin from behind and gave him a piledriver, then went for the cover. Styles said, "We've got a new champion," guaranteeing a kick out. Justin reversed Storm into That's Incredible and Storm kicked out. Both wrestlers were worn out and struggled to their feet. The crowd was worn out and silent. Justin came back with a tombstone piledriver and pinned Storm clean. Anti-climactic finish. (***)

[Torch photo credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch.com]

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