ELITE COMBAT PROJECT
Episode II
Joey Styles and John Bradshaw Layfield welcome us to the second show of the ECP era. Styles reveals that the World and TV titles will be won at ECP Initiation in a Fatal Fourway match. The winner will be World Champ and the runner-up will be TV champ. So far, nobody and clinched a birth, but after tonight, at least one spot should be filled.
1. Barry Windham and Dustin Rhodes beat the Powers of Pain w/Heenan at 5:03 (*)
There was little technical wrestling here, the two teams preferring to brawl. Windham gets the pin after giving Barbarian a lariat.
Styles states that The TWC will meet the winner of tonight’s Guerrero/Mysterio vs. Piper/O’Haire match in the next round. JBL is sure that two big tough red-blooded Texans can easily defeat two fence-jumpers or a limey and whatever O’Haire is.
Kurt Angle and Paul Heyman call last week’s match a fluke. Kurt reminds his opponent that he’s still the teacher and Shelton had an important lesson to learn: Don’t piss off Kurt freaking Angle!
Heyman tells Shamrock to go back to his mma bullshit and leave professional wrestling to real athletes.
2. Davey Boy Smith & Owen Hart defeated Marty Janetty and Ricky Morton at 5:15 (**)
Ricky Morton spends a great deal of the match in the wrong corner getting creamed. Finally, he makes it across the ring, and tags Marty. Unfortunately, Jack Doan misses this, and sends Janetty back out. He doesn’t miss Owen tagging in Smith though, and Smith wins with a running powerslam.
Janetty and Morton walk dejectedly to the back where they’re confronted by Raven. He tells them that he’s found another “lost soul”: “Prime Time” Brian Lee.
3. Madusa beat Gail Kim at 4:23 (*)
Madusa pins Gail with a Bridging German Suplex. Afterwards, she puts herself over and demands some real competition. Kim challenges her to a rematch, which is only accepted when she agrees to a stipulation that she gets her head shaven if she loses again.
Maria is backstage with Randy Savage, who states that anyone with half a brain knows that he’s the real champion. He deserved to be in the fourway the most, and if he doesn’t get in, there will be hell to pay. Macho Man also needs a new valet, and Maria is looking awfully good. When he won’t take no for an answer, Booker T comes to the rescue. Savage tells Booker that he made a big mistake.
4. Shelton Benjamin defeated Kurt Angle w/ Paul Heyman at 11:18 (**½)
After another tough fight, Angle resorts to cheating by nailing Shelton with Heyman’s old-school cell phone. However, Ken Shamrock comes out and informs Earl Hebner of what happened. After checking the tape, the ref awards Benjamin the match by DQ.
Mike Awesome, New Jack, Tajiri, Little Guido, and Stevie Richards are hanging out in the locker room discussing ECW and who is owed the most $. Finlay walks in and tells them that ECW sucked and he is more hardcore than any of them. He challenges any one of them to prove him wrong. Except for Tajiri, because he already kicked his ass.
5. Randy Savage beat Brad Armstrong in 2:14 (½*)
This is a basic squash, with Macho Man winning with the flying elbow. After the pin, Savage doesn’t let up, dropping more elbows. Finally, Booker T runs out and brawls with him, allowing Brad to escape.
Jonathan Coachman is backstage with Dynamite Kid, who promises a big surprise. Giant Gonzalez lurches into view, ruining it.
An irate Heyman challenges Benjamin and Shamrock to a tag match against Angle and a partner of his choosing.
Styles informs the audience that the ECP Board have officially added Shelton to the fourway.
6. The Motor City Machine Guns defeat Dynamite Kid & Giant Gonzalez at 2:38 (½*)
What starts off as a promising matchup turns into a disaster when Gonzalez gets knocked out of the ring and is unable to get up and back in on time. Owen and Davey watch backstage and laugh.
Maria interviews Roddy Piper and Sean O’Haire. Piper admits that his opponents got the best of him last week, but he and Sean have worked hard this week and they won’t get beaten quite so easily. Roddy scolds Sean for staring at Maria’s chest and tells him to stay focused.
Eddie and Rey are in the back warming up. Nicole Bass interrupts them to offer them her “services.” They politely turn her down, but she won’t give up that easily.
7. Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio defeat Roddy Piper and Sean O’Haire at 9:20 (**)
As Rey and Eddie seem to have the match in hand, Stan Hansen and Lance Cade attack them, causing Tommy Young to award them the victory by DQ. Piper and O’Haire confront the Texans and get attacked as well. Windham and Rhodes join in the assault. Vader and Terry Gordy make the save.
Next Week:
Tag Team Tournament Semifinals
Eddie Guerrerro & Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) vs. Davey Boy Smith & Owen Hart
Gail Kim vs. Madusa
(If GK loses, she gets her head shaven)
Ken Shamrock & Shelton Benjamin vs. Kurt Angle & ?
Hardcore match: Finlay vs. an ECW alumni
At ECP Initiation:
Fatal Four Way Elimination Match
(winner gets ECP World Heavyweight title, last eliminated gets ECP Television title)
Shelton Benjamin vs. ? vs. ? vs ?
