PREAMBLE

Don't be confused by all the pictures from these wrestlers at ECW shows. Don't be confused by the commercial saying "extreme" wrestling is back. Don't be confused about Hulk Hogan saying he "missed it" because he was wearing a beard and doing his own thing at that time. Don't be confused by all of the references to "ECW" until the last couple weeks on TNA Impact. Ignore those fan chants of "ECW! ECW!" This is has nothing to do with ECW and all of you people hung up on that are lost in your own mythology. Or at least that's what Eric Bischoff says.

Eric Bischoff last week on Monday Night Mayhem: "To Paul E's credit, he found a way to make what he was doing and the limitations he had to work with, and he was able to make a product that was different, and fans liked it because it was different. TNA, or WWE, or anyone that has to make money with a brand isn't going to be able to resort to the level of violence and the presentation that they got used back on TNN. It's just not possible. I want to make clear that this is not ECW, and we are not trying to re-create ECW. People that are getting so hung up on this ECW comparison are getting lost in their own mythology."

Okay, now that we've got that cleared up, here we go. Let's have some fun and hopefully nobody suffers any concussions from stiff chairshots for the cheering fans who want a rush of violence but don't give a rip about their future ability to function. Seriously, there's a way to do this right and have a lot of fun if everyone participating is in a modicum of shape or protected from being exposed for not being in shape. Let's just say it's been a while since some of these guys have been shirtless in public.

KELLER'S TNA HARDCORE JUSTICE PPV REPORT
AUGUST 8, 2010
ORLANDO, FLA.
LIVE ON PPV

-The old ECW ring announcer Steven DiAngeles introduced the show from mid-ring.

-Taz stepped out onto the stage and welcomed everyone to Hardcore Justice. A loud "ECDub" chant broke out followed by "Taz! Taz!" He said he's been backstage all day and everyone is ready to get extreme. He said their desire, passion, and pride will "bleed out in more ways than one." He said there have been doubters and haters regarding what they did back in the day. "Oh, they were abush league promotion. They were just a blood and guts promotion. All they were about was violence." The crowd started a chant and he told them to stop because he was talking. He said those haters were wrong because what they did was revolutionize the business. He said the real truth is they were the little engine that could "and we friggin' did!"

He said he has a message for those who wants to piss on what they did. "You don't get it and you're never gonna get it and you never will get it so you might as well just kiss my ass." See why Taz would be at his best as a badass heel manager and not a jolly color commentator? He said, "Best me if you can..." He stopped. The crowd chanted back: "Survive if I let you."

-DiAngeles introduced old ECW referee John Finnigan.

1 -- THE FBI (Tracy Smothers & Tony Luke & Guido Maritato) w/Big Sal E. Graciano) vs. KID KASH & JOHNNY SWINGER & SIMON DIAMOND

The FBI danced their way to the ring. Taz joked that they've lost some weight since, well, Tracy Smothers especially looked a tad bit wider around the waste. Mike Tenay is going to handle commentary. Jay Sully apparently wasn't available. Tenay noted when Kash came out that he not only wrestled for ECW, but also TNA in its early days. Kash was known as a real head case. "Little Guido" must be copyrighted as he was introduced by his first and last name. Also Tony Mamaluke was "Tony Luke." And "Johnny Swinger" was introduced simply as "Swinger." Tenay said, "There are certain initials we aren't allowed to use, but those of you at home are so familiar with the ECW talent and the roster, you can fill in the blanks." Taz said: "You just did." The crowd chanted "Where's my pizza!" Kash wrestled Tony and Guido early. Others tagged in, but mostly postured and stalled.

Regarding Simon, who looked to be working toward a King Kong Bundy look-alike contest, Taz said he might want to invest in a singlet. It looked like an ordeal for him to step up onto the ring apron. Simon grabbed the mic and the crowd chanted, "Shut the f--- up!" The crowd is totally living up to the "sixth man" role they played back in the day. Simon said, "Simon has a problem." He said it's obvious they aren't a fine-oiled machine because of Kash. He said while the other team may out-wrestle them, he guarantees he can outdance them. He called for the D.J. to hit the music. Swinger began danciing and posing and wagging his ass. Swinger attempted breakdancing. Smothers said Michael Jackson just rolled over in his grave with that performance. He asked for the music to play and said, "If we can't do better than that, straight up everybody dies." They definitely outdanced Simon's team. Sal E. got a pop when he began dancing. He then clotheslined Simon and Swinger as they charged at him.

Taz said this is how ECW was back in the day - a little fun followed by rough and tumble nasty fighting. Tenay said, "Count me in!" He said he followed ECW from the start. Kas did a huge springboard dive onto a big crowd at ringside. The "ECW" chants broke out again. Tenay even cited the satellite setting he used with his big dish in Las Vegas to establish his authenticity as a fan. At 8:00 the action returned to the ring with Guido and Cash. They all did a big tower of doom group suplex on Tony. Kash gave Tony a really nasty looking underhook leaping piledriver. Simon tagged and lifted Guido. Guido escaped and gave Simon a face-driver for the win.

WINNERS: The FBI in 10:00.

STAR RATING: We may be skipping a few star ratings tonight as that's not really applicable to a typical star-rating system.

-They showed Tenay and Taz at ringside. Taz said Tenay might feel a little out of place since he never called ECW action. Tenay said he has a strange feeling, but if Joey Styles were contractually available he'd gladly step aside for the night. He said he's a student of the game and he appreciates ECW's place in history. Taz said Styles is one of his best friends and he's sure Styles would give him a stamp of approval. Tenay and Taz then noted that Jerry Lynn suffered a "devastating back injury" and couldn't wrestle. Tenay said they're going to turn a negative into a positive. Taz said they did that back in the day. Tenay announced that Sabu would face RVD instead. Tenay said throughout the show they'd be doing "where are they now" segments.

-The first was with Tod Gordon. He said he's glad he can say a final goodbye to everyone. A video clip then aired of "The Pitbull" Gary Wolfe, then Blue Meanie. Gordon said he is sitting the save office where everything started. He said it's come full circle. He said the fans' passion drove his passion. Wolfe said he couldn't make it due to prior commitments. Meanie thanked TNA and Dixie Carter for putting the night on. Wolfe said this won't be the last time you see him. I hope I can say this - Blue Meanie is a lot more gay than I remember.

-They went to A.J. Styles reminiscing about the angle with Sandman caning Tommy Dreamer with Dreamer saying, "Thank you, I'll have another." Styles said he was getting chills thinking about it. He put Dreamer over as a tough S.O.B.

-Angelina Love said she didn't get to see ECW in her hometown of Toronto until the last year, and what stood out was the insane crowd reaction.

-Al Snow yelled at a manniquin telling it to stop chanting those letters because it's going to get them sued. Stevie Richards asked Snow if he's okay. Snow said he's under a lot of stress of legal issues. He asked if Stevie knows a therapist. Nova walked in a blue shirt. No "BWO" letters. Snow said, "You can't even wear the letters, we're so sued." Nova called in a fake Blue Meanie who hugged Stevie and begged to be accepted. He wore a "BWO 2.0" t-shirt. Stevie said tonight is a chance for him to prove something to everybody including his peers and the fans what he's capable of. In walked someone else picking his nose. He and Meanie picked each other's noses. Thirty minutes into the show at this point. I checked to see if Jason Powell remembered who that guy was, since he covered ECW's latter days for the Torch, and he doesn't remember him, either.

2 -- C.W. ANDERSON vs. TOO COLD SCORPIO

Tenay said Anderson was part of the New Dangerous Alliance. Taz said he's a throwback type of wrestler. He said he's not officially related to Ole, Gene, Arn, or Lars, but he wrestles that Anderson style. Taz said he has the same haircut as Arn. Scorpio danced his way to the ring. Tenay said he could have won the dance-off from hour no. 1. Tenay said the Impact Zone is the Extreme Zone tonight. Taz said Scorpio revolutionized his style of wrestling in the U.S. He said athletes of today such as Styles and the Machine Guns, they followed in his footsteps. Scorpio was the first to use the 450 splash (which I'm proud to say I named, by the way - the one time someone picked up on my idea for a name for a move; Scorpio debuted it in the U.S. and called the "'Dis that Don't Miss"). Tenay noted that ECW wasn't just a hardcore style wrestling. He said they had Lucha, Japan, and MMA styles. Taz said they were a hybrid. Taz put over the "Mad Scientist" Paul Heyman. Scorpio hit Anderson with a slingshot corkscrew dive at ringside. Tenay said Scorpio wrestled in Japan for All Japan and NOAH. Scorpio scored a near fall at 2:00 with a top rope crossbody block. Anderson made a comeback with a superkick. Tenay said Scorpio just wrestled in Japan for Vader's new promotion. Anderson ducked some Scorpio kick attempts. Scorpio came back with a flip legdrop for a near fall at 5:00. Scorpio went for a moonsault, but Anderson lifted his knees. Scorpio came back a minute later with a sidekick and then a backflip legdrop for the win. Cool finisher and, well, best match of the night! Scorpio then danced. The replay of the kick didn't look great, but the legdrop did. Scorpio called Anderson back into the ring and asked for a handshake. They shook hands. Tenay said it was a great sign of mutual respect.

WINNER: Scorpio in 7:00.

STAR RATING: *3/4

-Madison Rayne said ECW was the start of what's known as "hardcore wrestling." She said they gave pro wrestling an edge and a twist to captivate a whole new audience. She said there's a lot of similarities between ECW and TNA such as the hot women and the bad-ass guys and being fearless and giving it you're all.

-Matt Morgan said he was lucky because he went to college in Hawaii but spent summers on the Jersey Shore and was a bartender at the Bar Anticipation, "or Bar A." He said "the Philadelphia promotion" came in and ran a show there at a volleyball sand pit. He said he got a free seat and talked to the guys afterward.

-Mr. Anderson said at the time pro wrestling characters were campy (unlike that first match) and PG, and "that Philadelphia-based wrestling promotion" was sexy, edgy, and violent, and went places others were afraid to go.

-RVD chatted with Bill Alfonso backstage. He said the thought of being able to have another match with him would be a real highlight. He said he's been stoked. Alfonso said those matches were outstanding, athletic, and unbelievable. He said Lynn trained too hard and hurt himself. RVD asked what they do because "the show must go on." RVD said he gave it a lot of thought and wants to live up to the hardcore spirit they expressed back in the day. He dragged out revealing that the person who could represent the legacy of that timeframe is Sabu. Alfonso said he couldn't have picked a more hardcore wrestler than Sabu. RVD said it puts him on the spot because he managed both he and Sabu. Alfonso said it'll be one of the greatest matches of all time. He vowed to "call it right down the middle."

3 -- P.J. POLACO vs. STEVIE RICHARDS (w/Blue Meanie 2.0, Nova)

Tenay talked about Polaco's history as a tag team wrestler and eventually heavweight champion. Taz noted that Stevie is in tremendous consition and said he trains 23 hours a day. It's so strange Stevie never got a anything close to a serious push anywhere he went. The crowd chanted "Justin Credible!" at P.J. which he ate up since they couldn't offiically say it since someone (not WWE) copyrighted that name in recent years. It's worth nothing they changed the look of the Impact Zone with a new camera angle of the entrance ramp and different crowd angles. It's a solid reproduction of what the ECW Arena felt like. Taz said P.J. was a serious player and the real deal. Taz talked about Stevie being in Raven's shadow. Taz said he loves hearing current wrestlers (he called them "superstars") have to say about their memories of ECW. Stevie dropped P.J. over the top rope head-first over the ringside steps. Stevie hit a sitout powerbomb for a two count at 5:00. P.J. came back with a near fall of his own. P.J. hit a spining tombstone. Nova stuck his head into the ring, so P.J. got up during his cover to yell at him. Stevie then caught P.J. with the Stevie-kick for the win.

WINNER: Richards in 6:00.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Decent action.

-As Stevie celebrated, P.J. bashed him with the cane over and over. Nova and Meanie just stood at ringside watched at first. The lights went out. When they came back on, Sandman stood in the ring with his own cane. He ducked a P.J. cane swing and then slammed him to the mat. Sandman then bashed him over the head. Then he broke P.J.'s cane and stood over his body.

-They showed Francine who said she has a new career. She says she has a one year old Molly, whom they showed on camera. She thanked TNA, Paul Heyman, and all the guys in the locker room. She said she wishes them all well and said they were her extended family. She said she had the best time, whether you cheered her or booed her. She said she loved performing for everyone, but is done with wrestling now. He looked great. Her pregnancy filled her out! Taz really put her over as having a great work ethic. "She took it like a man, and then some," he said. Taz hoped new fans who never saw ECW before are enjoying this. Honestly, had they not seen ECW before, there hasn't been much to enjoy as it's all retrospective clips and below-average nostalgia matches.

-Tenay threw to a video screen message which said: "To all the men and women who are no longer with us, our thoughts and prayers will always be with you. Our hearts go out to you and your families. Your contributions to the company will never be forgotten." Nice that they did this. They've largely avoided showing pictures or mentioning by name the dead, including Mike Awsome, Pitbull #2, Chris Candido, and The Public Enemy.

4 -- AL SNOW vs. BROTHER RUNT vs. RHINO -- Three-Way Dance

They cut away to the TNA wrestlers watching backstage on the monitor. Runt pinned Snow, but then Rhino speared him and scored the winning pin.

WINNER: Rhino in 4:00.

-Mick Foley was reading Hulk Hogan's book. He said he knows this Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer feud better than anyone. He said he endorsed Dreamer as being the next Hardcore Legend. He said he followed Raven, but he's not traditionally a follower, so he knows the type of mind control Raven has. He said it is billed as the Final Showdown, so you need someone who can be there physically and mentally to make the three count when the smoke clears. He said he is prepared for it and looking forward to the possibility of things getting out of hand.

-Brutus Magnus and Chris Sabin talked about what ECW meant to them. Sabin said he called himself Josh Van Dam growing up and his friend was Matu after Sabu.

5 -- BALLS MAHONEY & AXL ROTTEN vs. TEAM 3D

Axl had dark hair. Balls said fans are looking at the most hardcore tag team in the history of wrestling and they don't have a match scheduled. He issued an open challenge. Balls has lost weight and Axl has gained weight. Both looked like people you'd cross the street to avoid walking past, especially Balls. "Well, well, well!" said Joel Gertner. He walked out with the Dudley Boyz wearing their tie-dyed t-shirts. Gertner wore a huge fur coat. Gertner said: "I am her bacon in her eggs, the man for whom she begs, and the face between her legs, the lyrical miracle, the sexual intellectual, and the quintessential stud muffin, Joel - Lady Ga Ga advocates celibacy, what an absolute disgrace, if she won't me stuff her muff, then I'll just poke her face." The crowd chanted, "That's Hardcore!" He said he is back together with the biggest, baddest, sickest, and most vicious hardcore extreme severe tag team in the wrestling business yesterday, today, and forever. The crowd chanted "Dudleys." WWE should sue the fans. Gertner then formally introduced the Dudleys, as "Team 3D" of course.

Brother Ray took the mic and said the fans are looking at four of the most hardcore men to ever step foot into the ring. He said the last thing the fans want to see is them having a wrestling match. He made finger quotes when he said "wrestling match." He said it's time to give the people what they paid to see. "Old school South Philadelphia street fight!" he declared.

They brawled all over the ring, ringside, and in the crowd for several minutes. Ray and Balls did comedy spots with the mannequin heads and Three Stooges style eye pokes. Ray hit Balls with a frying pan. Axl hit Ray with a cookie sheet. They returned to the ring at 7:00. The crowd was into all of the comedy spots, including when Balls pulled out a green Star Wars light saber. Brother Ray grabbed a red one and hit Balls with it between his legs. Taz chuckled his way through the match. There's not much else he can do, but there was a time where brawling and weapons were effective at conveying a grudge being settled, not a stand-up act for crowd chants and a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" environment. It's tough to hit that switch after this and take a match sold as a true grudge between Raven and Dreamer seriously. They each grabbed a chair and had a chair fight which led to Ray and Devon taking unprotected chairshots to the head. Balls and Axl attempted to attack the ref, but the ref ducked and tried to clothesline them. They no-sold it. Ray and Devon then gave Balls and Axl unprotected chairshots to the head for stereo near falls. Team 3D went for the pin. The ref stopped his count for some reason even though Ray had Axl covered and he didn't kick out. Devon and Ray gave Balls the "What's Up" top rope diving headbutt. At 11:00, after several minutes of fans chanting, Team 3D brought in the table. The fans chanted "Fire! Fire!" Ray squirted lighter fluid all over the top. Devon set it on fire and then Ray powerbombed Balls through the table and Devon made the cover for the pin. Nobody seemed to be burned this time as the fire burned itself out after the powerbomb, and nobody caught fire in the mean time.

WINNERS: Team 3D at 12:00.

STAR RATING: * -- The crowd ate it up, but technically it was Three Stooges comedy mixed with "Rocky Horror Picture Show" mixed with dangerous stiff chairshots to the head that affects TNA wrestlers who have been trying to change fan expectations for that type of violence and pull back.

-Brother Ray declared that Team 3D is the greatest tag team in the world. Then Gangsta-style music played and out walked Mustafa with a kitchen sink. Behind him came New Jack. They danced their way around the stage and had a weapons brawl with Team 3D. Mustafa hit Ray over the head with a steel kitchen sink. Ray did some comedy selling after a stiff shot to the back with a crutch. When Gertner entered the ring, Jack hit him with a guitar over the head (that was his gimmick before Jeff Jarrett made it his trademark).

Then suddenly the tone of everything changes. The Gangstas music played throughout the whole brawl. When the music stopped, Team 3D began hugging the Gangstas. Then Balls and Axl entered the ring and all six raised each other's arms. That was just strange. It's like actors in a play coming out onto the stage in front of the curtain afterward and bowing to the audience. I'm quite sure that's a terrible idea in the context of pro wrestling after a brawl like that. It's one thing for two babyfaces who have a technical match to shake hands afterward, but for various reasons that just didn't make any sense.

-Raven gave his signature tortured soul interview. He said as a kid, he wasn't popular, but Dreamer was. He said he wasn't a good athlete, but Dreamer was. He said he was a skinny little Jewish kid and people would pick on him. Dreamer defended him. He said they bonded over their love of pro wrestling. He said he grew up and got tougher and then incredibly tougher. He said his career took off while Tommy ended up wallowing in obscurity. He said Dreamer couldn't accept not being the top dog. He said Dreamer learned that hurting someone physically doesn't last long, but emotional pain can last forever. He said he stole his women and had the family that he should have had. He said he waited for the right moment and he is going to get the betrayer back. He said Dreamer is a glory hound, and this night is supposed to be his night of glory, but he's going to take it away and cripple him. He said he broke his heart, but he's going to shatter his soul. "Quote the Raven, nevermore," he concluded.

-Jesse Neal reminisced about watching ECW as a kid. He said seeing ECW in person as a teenager, he got the feeling of what wrestling could be like. He said it was like Nintendo wrestling with all of the weapons. He said it sparked something in him, and now his friends can't believe Brother Ray and Devon actually trained him. He said he can't get away from it now. Kaz said he was trained by Killer Kowalski in 1998. He said he remembered being in the ring with Chris Candido, Lance Storm, and Jerry Lynn and chain wrestling with them. He said he was blown away because he was such a fan of that era. He said it was like living a dream just six months into his training. He said the roots of the X Division are visible in the RVD vs. Jerry Lynn matches He said people see similarities between ECW and TNA. ECW was bleeped.

-Brother Ray said he wishes Joey Styles was there. RVD said as real as it feels to pay tribute to the hardcore part of their lives, but without Joey, it's not the same. He said he's the best in the business at what he does. Lynn said he has to channel his inner-Styles at times with an "Oh my God!" Diamond, Rhino, Sandman, Stevie, and Dreamer also commented. Dreamer said he hoped Styles liked what he was watching.

6 -- RAVEN vs. TOMMY DREAMER with Mick Foley as special referee.

They showed Dixie Carter sitting with Theresa (Beulah's real name) and her and Dreamer's twin daughters who appeared to be well under age 10. Raven shot them a look. Taz said Dreamer is wearing the same boots he wore in his last match against Raven. Dreamer's t-shirt said "Tommy F'n Dreamer" on the front and "Thank You" on the back. Taz talked about Dreamer's terrible won-loss record against Raven over the years. Taz said Dreamer worked his rear end off to put the show on. It's not the same without the authentic music, of course. The crowd chanted "Tommy! Tommy!" after ring entrances. Foley gave pre-match instructions. He said he's going to give them a lot of room, but someone will win or someone will lose. He demanded one thing - they keep the match between them.

Raven opened with a low blow and controlled the first minute. Dreamer made a comeback at ringside. Taz said Dreamer was the heart and soul of the original ECW. He said he drove with Dreamer and Paul E. on long trips and he soaked up Paul's stories. "It was just great times. I miss those times. They're gone now, obviously. We're all grown up and big boys now with families." Raven sent Dreamer head-first into a chair with a drop toe hold at 3:00. The crowd chanted "Oh my God!" The camera showed Dreamer's daughters looking on concerned from the front row. Taz said: "This might not be a good situation for Tommy's girls to be out here to witness." Ya' think. Having young kids at ringside for violent wrestling worked so well for Mick Foley, it's nice to see Dreamer and his wife bring it back. At ringside Raven shoved a chair straight into Dreamer's head four feet from his young daughters watching from their mom's lap. Raven threw a barrage of punches at Dreamer as the girls were lifted and carried away. I don't care what you tell kids that age, it's confusing and scary to have their father hit in the head with a chair right three feet away from them and see him bleed. I'm really uncomfortable that Dreamer and his wife put those little girls there for that spot. I'll just leave it at that.

By 6:00 both men were bleeding. They used tables and ladders and a sign a fan gave Dreamer. For some reason Dreamer and Foley were curious what the sign said under the taped on message "Tommy Dreamer Use This Sign." The crowd chanted, "This is hardcore!" Both were a bloody mess at this point. Taz said the promotion back in the day wasn't built on just violence; it was also built on their work ethic and passion. After Dreamer crotched a ladder, Taz said he remembered having to help Dreamer in and out of cars. He said he had a ruptured testicle at one point, and that could be damaged again. Dreamer came back again with a Dreamer Driver. He then hung Raven upside down and stood on his crotch. He followed with a slidekick into the "Dead End" sign in the corner. Dreamer then wrapped barbed wire in Raven's mouth and yanked backward. Raven tapped out. Nova and Meanie 2.0 attacked Foley, though, so he didn't see it. The crowd chanted "You Fat F---!" at Meanie (I assume it was at Meanie and not Foley). At 12:00 Meanie 2.0 went for a top rope splash, but Dreamer moved. Tazz made a Hindenburg reference. Raven speared Dreamer. Foley made the count, but Dreamer kicked out at two.

Foley pulled out Mr. Socko. Taz asked if they could call it by name. They couldn't. Then Raven's lackey came out. Fans chanted "Lupus" after he legdropped Raven off the top rope. Taz said he looks different from back then. Foley wrapped Mr. Socko in barbed wire and applied the Mandible Claw. The crowd chanted "Holy sh--!" Taz chuckled when saying this is clearly "an alternative to what the other companies are doing." Raven handcuffed Dreamer's hands behind his back as the fans chanted "Foley! Foley!" As Raven grabbed a chair and readied a swing, Bealah ran out. She begged Raven to stop . It appeared he was considering it. She hugged Raven, but then he dented a chair over Dreamer's unprotected head. Raven was going to swing the chair at Beaulah, I mean Theresa, but Foley intervened. Raven mule kicked Foley. She ran over to check on Dreamer. Raven hit Foley across the back with the chair. Beaulah then gave Raven a low blow. Dreamer had enough slack to give Raven a DDT with the cuffs on. Foley counted, but Raven kicked out before three. "That's the damnedest thing I've ever seen," said Tenay. Dreamer set up another DDT. Raven escaped and hit Dreamer with a chair in the knee. He then DDT'd Dreamer. Foley counted to three. As Dreamer walked away with Beulah, the crowd chanted "ECW!"

WINNER: Raven in 16:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- An antiquated garbage style match without much athleticism. More of a geek show than art. Again the crowd's willingness to embrace this as nostalgia kept it from totally bombing as without them chanting and popping, I'm not sure the average viewer would have popped for this type of grotesque and excessive violence paced so methodically and executed so unathletically.

-A commercial aired hyping that Thursday would feature a PPV-style show with six huge matches, no interviews, and three titles on the line. Uh, there were six big matches on Impact last week and three titles on the line.

-They cut backstage to Jeremy Borash and So Cal Val. New Jack and Mustafa walked in. New Jack harassed Val. Mustafa dragged her away. New Jack said to Borash, "It's just us. You know what that means. You're my bitch." Borash plugged TNA's website. Okay, that was awkward.

-A video segment aired on Paul Heyman. Taz said he's the Godfather of Hardcore Wrestling. Snow said he was a man who gave the Island of Misfit Toys the opportunity to use their passions the way they wanted to use them. Rhino called him a Mad Scientist. Foley said he just inspires confidence and brings out the best in everyone around them, plus gives people the freedom to create on their own. Raven said Heyman meant everything to hardcore and to him. Stevie said he passed on his contagious passion. "It was like a virus you actually wanted to get," he said. Raven said he and Heyman were like Scorses and Deniro. Diamond said Heyman brought the Internet into wrestling. Sandman said he was the best booker in wrestling at that time.

7 -- ROB VAN DAM vs. SABU

Alfonso came out with RVD, but then ran to the back and also walked Sabu to the ring. Taz said his career wouldn't have been where it is if not for competing with Sabu. Taz noted that Sabu's head was shaved. The crowd chanted, "This is classic!" Tenay talked about Sabu's uncle, The Sheik. They paced themselves for a long match early. At 3:00 Alfonso slid a chair into the ring right between them, showing his objectivity. At 4:00 Sabu leaped off a chair and springboarded onto RVD over the railing in the crowd. Taz said they were an alternative back in the day, doing things that the other promotions weren't doing by design. "The big companies went left, we went right. They went right, we went left." Tenay said, "That's what we're celebrating tonight." At 8:00 the collided with each other in the corner with simultaneous springboards. Tenay said that had to go back to training together years ago. Alfonso entered the ring and gave each of them a bottle of water. The crowd chanted "Water break! Water break!" That was a very clever way to get the wrestlers hydration mid-match. They each slide a table into the ring on opposite sides, noticed each other, and ran to fight at ringside with one another. RVD got the better of that exchange. They continued to do a nice job playing up that these two not only know each other very well, but mirror each other's styles and strategies and strengths.

RVD leaped off the ring apron with a spinning legdrop, hitting Sabu was who was lying over the guard rail. At 11:00, as RVD climbed to the top turnbuckle, Sabu threw a chair at his head. He then hit a springboard huracanrana, sending RVD flipping back-first onto a chair. Sabu hit an Arabian facebuster where he legdrops a chair onto RVD's face. The crowd chanted, "You still got it!" RVD crotched Sabu over the top rope at 13:00. Alfonso brought a chair into the ring and held it up to Sabu's face. RVD then leaped off the top rope and dropkicked it. It was supposed to hit Sabu in the face, although it looked like it missed. No "You F'd Up!" chants tonight. RVD hit a split-legged moonsault for a two count. As RVD set up a table in the ring, Sabu recovered and threw a chair at RVD's skull. Taz said that was "freakin' nasty." Sabu went for the pin, but RVD's leg was under the ropes. Taz joked about the total lack of rules in the old days, without any rules. A chant of "This is Awesome!" broke out.

RVD hit Rolling Thunder on a chair draped over Sabu's body. The crowd chanted "RVD! RVD!" Taz said it was like this match night after night all the time. He said it didn't matter if it was 100 or 1,000 people in the building, nobody mailed it in. He said it was competitive in the locker room. He said everyone tried to outdo each other, but it was a team attitude. Sabu hit a twisting DDT onto a chair for a near fall. Tenay noted that Sabu beat both Shane Douglas and Terry Funk for the ECW Title. Taz plugged the "Whole F'n Show" title defense RVD has to make in four days. Sabu leaped off the top rope and legdropped a chair setting on RVD's face leading to a two count. Sabu set RVD on a table and tried to Arabian legdrop him on the table. RVD moved. The crowd chanted "ECW! ECW!" RVD came back with a Five-Star Frogsplash for the win. Tenay wondered how this match would impact his performance on Thursday.

WINNER: RVD in 19:00.

STAR RATING: *** -- Good main event for this show. Sabu really came through in a tough situation on short notice with Jerry Lynn being scratched due to injury. This didn't have a great flow to it, but it had a decent enough flow to it with some clever and innovative spots, most of which had passable timing.

-RVD gave Alfonso his title belt, then moved over to Sabu and offered a handshake. Sabu didn't want any of it, but then he moved in for a hug. Sabu raised RVD's hand, but then clutched his ribs as if they were injured (and maybe they were, but he often did that when they weren't).

-Almost everyone walked to the ring to celebrate and drink together. The crowd chanted "Thank you! Thank you!" Taz said this is what it was all about, at the end of the night they were a team and a successful team. Dixie teared up at ringside and had a beer in hand. Dreamer entered the ring with his head bandaged. He said, "Excuse me. Excuse me." He called Taz to the ring. He thanked everyone for watching. He said this couldn't have happened without Dixie Carter. Brother Ray held Dixie in his arms as she let out a big "whoo!" Dreamer said: "To all the men and women in TNA, we set the bar and we expect you raise it. God bless everyone there. For everyone who said we were old, for everyone who said we couldn't do it, that was one hell of an f'n PPV. Thank you so much, I love you." They cut abruptly to a commercail for Bound for Glory on 10.10.10.

-Let us know what you thought of this event. Send your name, hometown, a 0-10 score, picks for best and worst matches, and a paragraph of comments to: pwtorch@gmail.com. We'll publish comments in the Torch Feedback section.

-If you're not a PWTorch VIP member, you can sign up right now and listen to the post-show VIP Audio Roundtable with Bruce Mitchell, Pat McNeill, and me which we do right after every PPV. For VIP details and sign-up info, www.pwtorch.com/govip.

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