1997 ECW Invasion of WWF

[Only The Strong Survive]

I vaguely remember this whole angle, where Jerry Lawler touted Rob Van Dam as "Mr. Monday Night" and I remember Sabu doing some sort of somersualt over the top rope through a table and missing the ring bell by about two inches. After that the rest is hazy, since I was only about eleven at the time. What was the whole angle about and what became of it, if it even went anywhere?

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

From what I recollect, it was a short term deal to get talent on Raw while the WWF was touring overseas.

[cawthon777]

The Raw at the Manhattan Center in which ECW invaded could have been because of the European tour but the overall angle - which lasted for months in both the WWF and ECW - was basically Vince throwing a bone to Paul E by putting over ECW during WWF broadcasts.

 

Lawler made some appearances in ECW, where the angle finally ended.

[razazteca]

ECW also invaded USWA around the same time? I remember Tommy Dreamer getting a title shot against Dutch.

[Robert]

I think they did. Wasn't there gonna be a invasion of WCW in 1994 too? I think this was the show's stuff that happened:

 

WWF @ New York City, NY - Manhattan Center - Feburary 24, 1997

Monday Night Raw - featured in-ring action from the stars of ECW after being invited to Raw the previous week by Jerry Lawler:

 

The New Blackjacks defeated Henry & Phinneas Godwinn when Windham pinned Phinneas following Bradshaw's lariat, even though Phinneas' foot was on the bottom rope during the cover; after the match, the Godwinns hit a Slop Drop on the referee

 

Stevie Richards (w/ Super Nova, the Blue Meanie, & 7-11) pinned Little Guido following the Stevieknife powerbomb and Stevie Kick; Paul E. Dangerously did guest commentary for the match

 

Marlena defeated Sunny via disqualification in an arm wrestling contest

 

Goldust defeated Savio Vega (w/ the NOD) via disqualification in an impromptu match when Crush interfered; after the bout, Miguel Perez - who had been doing guest commentary for the bout - sent Vega out of the ring with a missile dropkick

 

Taz (w/ Bill Alphonso & Team Taz) defeated Mikey Whipwreck via submission at 3:33 with the Tazmission; late in the bout, Sabu lept off the Raw sign onto Taz' enterage but was soon dragged off by Team Taz; Paul Heyman did guest commentary for the bout (Before They Were Superstars Vol. 2 DVD)

 

The Legion of Doom fought the Headbangers to a double count-out; after the bout, Road Warrior Hawk hit the flying clothesline on one of the Headbangers (LOD's surprise return match after more than a four-year absence)

Tommy Dreamer (w/ Beulah) pinned D-Von Dudley (w/ Bubba Ray Dudley) with a

 

DDT onto a steel chair placed inside the ring after Beulah hit a low blow on D-Von after being dragged into the ring; after the bout, the Sandman made the save against the Dudleyz; in a post-match altercation, Paul E. - who did guest commentary for the bout - had to be restrained by the ECW contingent of Taz, the Eliminators, and the Sandman when Dangerously attempted to get at Jerry Lawler at the commentary table

 

The Undertaker defeated Farooq (w/ the NOD) via disqualification when Crush and Savio Vega interfered; after the bout, the Legion of Doom made the save; prior to the match, Farooq had words with Ken Shamrock who was sitting ringside (Shamrock's first appearance on WWF TV)

 

My friend has a tape of this that he's willing to sell me for a couple of dollars. I know it's nostalgic and all but it is it worth it? Cna anybody tell me about what happened in the end with the whole brawl and I remembered a staredown between Sid and Raven. Could anybody tell me waht happened?

[Guest MikeSC]

The show really isn't worth the money. It was not a good show.

-=Mike

[Guest JMA]

I was disappointed that they didn't do more with the angle. At the time, WCW was having a faux-invasion of sorts. And here was the WWF, where a REAL promotion was "invading" them. The angle really could've benefitted both the WWF and ECW had it gone on longer.

[Guest netslob]

that was the night i first saw ECW. that Saturday morning, i watched my first episode of ECW tv, and was hooked ever since. god i miss those days.

[Mole]

I miss the days when of turning Raw or Nitro on and wondering what wrestler would be jumping next.

 

Rude being on Nitro and Raw was one of those amazing moments.

[Corey_Lazarus]

The angle really could've benefitted both the WWF and ECW had it gone on longer.

It did benefit both. The WWF now had "Attitude," obviously based on ECW's more adult-oriented product, and ECW got national exposure.

[Guest JMA]

The angle really could've benefitted both the WWF and ECW had it gone on longer.

It did benefit both. The WWF now had "Attitude," obviously based on ECW's more adult-oriented product, and ECW got national exposure.

Yeah, but I think even more benefits could've been reaped from the idea. Vince could've actually had a LEGIT invasion angle instead of WCW's faux one.

[JoeDirt]

Since this is a related topic and I really don't want to start a new thread...is there any place online where I can something written up on the history, rise, and fall of ECW?

[UseTheSledgehammerUh]

You could wait for the "Rise and Fall of ECW" DVD that WWE is releasing in 2 months.

[Dobbs 3K]

I think ECW guys appeared on RAW a couple other times. I remember a Chris Candido match where he was wrestling someone (might've been Scott Taylor but I'm not sure). Paul Heyman was on commentary again and putting over how smart Candido was as a wrestler. I remember him making a really smart comment about Candido going for a lateral press pin; "see, he's wearing the man down, making him exert effort to kick out."

[Only The Strong Survive]

Yeah, I saw a screenshot of Candido on Raw during the invasion on Obsessed With Wrestling, so that's true. Sad how he had the lamest gimmick in the world only two years prior.

[Guest ian.]

Wasn't there also a Flash Funk vs Sabu match? Or did I read the show recap wrong?

[Guest JMA]

Fun fact: It was actually Paul Heyman who first revealed on-air that Brian Christopher was Jerry Lawler's son.