As the world collectively loses it's mind over the coronavirus(this could be a fun intro to look back on in the future), the only sanity that can be found is in the ring. Let's take a look today at what is often considered ECW's finest outing, Heatwave '98.
- Jokes aside, everyone should stay safe out there. I know it's easy to panic about these mass outbreaks, and I've certainly felt very nervous about everything I've heard and read over the past week. But I think we all need some fun in our lives right now, and this show is the epitome of distraction.
- The opening contest is one of the highlights of the night, as Jerry Lynn takes on Justin Credible. Credible has an entire entourage in his corner, including Chastity, Jason and Nicole Bass, and their involvement in this match at times bordered on excessive. But the match begins to hit it's peak when Lynn puts Credible through a table with a hurricanrana, and it's all fantastic from there. Lynn takes out Jason with a powerbomb and Chastity with a piledriver, before falling to an absolutely insane top rope That's Incredible, a Tombstone Piledriver that is executed to perfection. An outstanding effort from not just these two guys, but everyone involved, as they had the crowd fully invested down the stretch, what a great way to open the show.
- On paper, it seems like we have another absolute banger on the way, as former tag partners Chris Candido and Lance Storm square off in a grudge match. Unfortunately, this match didn't quite click for me, as other than Storm's suplex to the floor and Candido's goofy selling, there wasn't much in the way of highlights. Chris is joined by his fiance, Tammy Sytch, the former Sunny, and her contributions to the match definitely dragged it down. She's just a little too awkward trying to get through her spots, and after so much outside interference in the opening match, it feels a little repetitive. It's not a bad match by any means, just not one that lived up to the talent in the ring.
- In one of the more brutal matches I'll ever cover on this blog, Mike Awesome takes on Masato Tanaka in a legendary encounter. This one gets very hard to watch at points, particularly the absolutely sickening series of chair shots Awesome delivers. Possibly even scarier is Tanaka putting Awesome through a table on the floor, as he struggles to lift Mike up and drops him pretty much entirely on his neck. Obviously, this match is one that's easy to enjoy, but made me cringe quite a few times, especially with correlation of these dangerous chair shots and long lasting brain damage. I can't bring myself to dislike this match, but I do feel like it's one I never want to watch again. I have no idea how Tanaka works this kind of style and still manages to keep going to this day, that man is an absolute badass.
- We continue on with great Japanese talent, as Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki team up to face Rob Van Dam and Sabu for the ECW tag team titles. This match is heavy on tandem offense, just like the Michinoku Pro six man tag from Barely Legal, and features tons of dives and kicks. The powerbomb/450 press combo from Shinzaki and Hayabusa was incredible, as was the Rolling Thunder/leg drop team up from the champs. I will say that I got very annoyed with a lot of the selling down the stretch of this match, mostly at the lack of it. The most egregious example to me was Hayabusa pretty much just shaking off a Van Daminator, getting right back up less than a minute later. I will also say that 20 minutes is probably too long for this type of match, as it meant that all four guys just had to keep breaking up pins and kicking out at two, making me feel exhausted rather than exhilarated down the stretch. It's still a fun watch, but could've been booked a bit better.
- Bam Bam Bigelow and Taz had one of the biggest highlights of 1998 when they pulled an incredible stunt at Living Dangerously, when both men crashed through the ring. They faced off in a Falls Count Anywhere match on this show, and it provided another great spot. The bulk of the match was just a brawl, nothing truly special, though the T-Bone suplex through a table was nice, but it's all just build-up towards the finish. On the ramp, Bam Bam attempts a T-Bone of his own, but Taz counters into a picture perfect tornado DDT, and both men disappear into the ramp! What an awesome moment, and leads to one of the best visuals all night, as you just see a giant crater. Bam Bam stumbles out first, but Taz revives himself to pounce on Bigelow and apply the Tazmission for a quick tap, which I though put the move over very strong. Even though most of the match was not much to write home about, the DDT through the ramp and resulting finish easily make this another great watch.
- Main event time, as it's a six man street fight, pitting the Big Dick, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley against Spike Dudley, Tommy Dreamer and the Sandman. The story heading in is heated, as Bubba and D-Von delivered a 3-D to Beulah McGillicutty, kayfabe breaking her neck. In spite of that, the opening minutes of the match are just a straight wrestling match, weirdly, as Tommy seems to have forgotten that the Dudleyz maimed the love of his life. I will give credit to the Dudleyz, who absolutely carry the final half hour of this show, drawing bucket loads of heat with a pre-match promo, before continuing to work the crowd through the main event. This match is again nothing special, but does include some weapon spots to pop the crowd. The finish is a bit meek, as Tommy gets the win in amongst the chaos, pinning D-Von after a DDT on a ladder. It looks cool and all, but the Dayton fans didn't even seem to realize the finish was upcoming, and the resulting reaction is a bit mute as a result. At least the post-match fracas is great, as noted a**hole and psychopath New Jack storms proceedings, turning the tides while "Natural Born Killaz" plays the entire time, a nice added touch. Unfortunately for those on the Network, the moment is somewhat less fun due to dubbed music, but it's still a great way to end the show.
8/10
It's beautifully poetic that ECW's likely greatest pay-per-view in company history is a little rough around the edges. Sure the final two matches don't really enthrall, Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka doesn't find modern sensibilities and the lack of selling and reliance on big spots can be seen as massive negatives, but this show has earned it's legendary status. I loved watching Heatwave '98, and I think it's a great representation for everything that made ECW great. When even the worst match on the card is still entertaining, it says a lot about the product this company was putting out. I suggest everyone watch this show, and at least try to enjoy it. I promise, these two and half hours will be the time of your life.
Although international travel may be getting complicated these days, no one is going to stop me from exploring, at least in the virtual sense. Up next on Henry's Pay-Per-View Reviews: it's time to take a look at two of the WWF's most highly regarded events, Summerslam 1992 and In Your House: Canadian Stampede.
- Jokes aside, everyone should stay safe out there. I know it's easy to panic about these mass outbreaks, and I've certainly felt very nervous about everything I've heard and read over the past week. But I think we all need some fun in our lives right now, and this show is the epitome of distraction.
- The opening contest is one of the highlights of the night, as Jerry Lynn takes on Justin Credible. Credible has an entire entourage in his corner, including Chastity, Jason and Nicole Bass, and their involvement in this match at times bordered on excessive. But the match begins to hit it's peak when Lynn puts Credible through a table with a hurricanrana, and it's all fantastic from there. Lynn takes out Jason with a powerbomb and Chastity with a piledriver, before falling to an absolutely insane top rope That's Incredible, a Tombstone Piledriver that is executed to perfection. An outstanding effort from not just these two guys, but everyone involved, as they had the crowd fully invested down the stretch, what a great way to open the show.
- On paper, it seems like we have another absolute banger on the way, as former tag partners Chris Candido and Lance Storm square off in a grudge match. Unfortunately, this match didn't quite click for me, as other than Storm's suplex to the floor and Candido's goofy selling, there wasn't much in the way of highlights. Chris is joined by his fiance, Tammy Sytch, the former Sunny, and her contributions to the match definitely dragged it down. She's just a little too awkward trying to get through her spots, and after so much outside interference in the opening match, it feels a little repetitive. It's not a bad match by any means, just not one that lived up to the talent in the ring.
- In one of the more brutal matches I'll ever cover on this blog, Mike Awesome takes on Masato Tanaka in a legendary encounter. This one gets very hard to watch at points, particularly the absolutely sickening series of chair shots Awesome delivers. Possibly even scarier is Tanaka putting Awesome through a table on the floor, as he struggles to lift Mike up and drops him pretty much entirely on his neck. Obviously, this match is one that's easy to enjoy, but made me cringe quite a few times, especially with correlation of these dangerous chair shots and long lasting brain damage. I can't bring myself to dislike this match, but I do feel like it's one I never want to watch again. I have no idea how Tanaka works this kind of style and still manages to keep going to this day, that man is an absolute badass.
- We continue on with great Japanese talent, as Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki team up to face Rob Van Dam and Sabu for the ECW tag team titles. This match is heavy on tandem offense, just like the Michinoku Pro six man tag from Barely Legal, and features tons of dives and kicks. The powerbomb/450 press combo from Shinzaki and Hayabusa was incredible, as was the Rolling Thunder/leg drop team up from the champs. I will say that I got very annoyed with a lot of the selling down the stretch of this match, mostly at the lack of it. The most egregious example to me was Hayabusa pretty much just shaking off a Van Daminator, getting right back up less than a minute later. I will also say that 20 minutes is probably too long for this type of match, as it meant that all four guys just had to keep breaking up pins and kicking out at two, making me feel exhausted rather than exhilarated down the stretch. It's still a fun watch, but could've been booked a bit better.
- Bam Bam Bigelow and Taz had one of the biggest highlights of 1998 when they pulled an incredible stunt at Living Dangerously, when both men crashed through the ring. They faced off in a Falls Count Anywhere match on this show, and it provided another great spot. The bulk of the match was just a brawl, nothing truly special, though the T-Bone suplex through a table was nice, but it's all just build-up towards the finish. On the ramp, Bam Bam attempts a T-Bone of his own, but Taz counters into a picture perfect tornado DDT, and both men disappear into the ramp! What an awesome moment, and leads to one of the best visuals all night, as you just see a giant crater. Bam Bam stumbles out first, but Taz revives himself to pounce on Bigelow and apply the Tazmission for a quick tap, which I though put the move over very strong. Even though most of the match was not much to write home about, the DDT through the ramp and resulting finish easily make this another great watch.
- Main event time, as it's a six man street fight, pitting the Big Dick, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley against Spike Dudley, Tommy Dreamer and the Sandman. The story heading in is heated, as Bubba and D-Von delivered a 3-D to Beulah McGillicutty, kayfabe breaking her neck. In spite of that, the opening minutes of the match are just a straight wrestling match, weirdly, as Tommy seems to have forgotten that the Dudleyz maimed the love of his life. I will give credit to the Dudleyz, who absolutely carry the final half hour of this show, drawing bucket loads of heat with a pre-match promo, before continuing to work the crowd through the main event. This match is again nothing special, but does include some weapon spots to pop the crowd. The finish is a bit meek, as Tommy gets the win in amongst the chaos, pinning D-Von after a DDT on a ladder. It looks cool and all, but the Dayton fans didn't even seem to realize the finish was upcoming, and the resulting reaction is a bit mute as a result. At least the post-match fracas is great, as noted a**hole and psychopath New Jack storms proceedings, turning the tides while "Natural Born Killaz" plays the entire time, a nice added touch. Unfortunately for those on the Network, the moment is somewhat less fun due to dubbed music, but it's still a great way to end the show.
8/10
It's beautifully poetic that ECW's likely greatest pay-per-view in company history is a little rough around the edges. Sure the final two matches don't really enthrall, Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka doesn't find modern sensibilities and the lack of selling and reliance on big spots can be seen as massive negatives, but this show has earned it's legendary status. I loved watching Heatwave '98, and I think it's a great representation for everything that made ECW great. When even the worst match on the card is still entertaining, it says a lot about the product this company was putting out. I suggest everyone watch this show, and at least try to enjoy it. I promise, these two and half hours will be the time of your life.
Although international travel may be getting complicated these days, no one is going to stop me from exploring, at least in the virtual sense. Up next on Henry's Pay-Per-View Reviews: it's time to take a look at two of the WWF's most highly regarded events, Summerslam 1992 and In Your House: Canadian Stampede.
Comments