ECW: Barely Legal DVD-R

It should be noted that I don't have the actual RF Video release of this event as I watched either the original PPV broadcast or the Pioneer Home Video release of this event so I have no clue to any edits (music/entrances/interviews/ect.) that may or may not be on this release.This was ECW's first (and only) PPV from the bingo hall known as the "ECW Arena" and really the event that put ECW on the map. The main event was Raven defending the ECW Championship against the winner of the ECW original double elimination match called the "3 Way Dance" where everyone had a storied past against Raven himself in Sandman vs. Terry Funk vs. Stevie Richards that was a hardcore war that saw trash cans & ladders & barbed wire amongst other things used while Tommy Dreamer & Beulah were doing commentary. The other main event of the show was Taz vs. Sabu in what was called "The Grudge Match Of The Century" as this match was build for over a year dating back to their issues going on 2 years earlier to the point where Sabu came straight to the ring without his typical entrance in what was a very physical intense match between both men that had a just as memorable aftermath that changed the careers of everyone involved. Other matches include Tag Team Champions Dudley Boyz vs. Eliminators which really showed by Eliminators were one of the best teams back then, a young Lance Storm fought Rob Van Dam in a match that ended with a promo that planted the seeds for "Mr. Monday Night", a six man tag match with stars from the Michinoku Pro promotion in Japan, and Television Champion Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull #2 with the special stipulation that the "Ravishing" masked man who was stalking Shane & Francine for weeks would reveal himself if Douglas won.This was a very emotional show as ECW delivered everything you could possibly ask for on this PPV as you saw all different types of wrestling styles via their regular roster to the international stars from scientific to high flying to brawling to hardcore so this was the show that saw "the little engine that could" finally make it to the big leagues so it's a show that anyone who's a fan or wants to know anything about ECW needs to have in their collection.

Being a huge ECW fan it's hard to review this PPV without being honestI remember saving up money to get this on a two VHS master tape set direct from ECW (after it aired live on PPV)This was there first PPV and it's really average and anti climaticBy this time Paul E. was already in bed with the WWFYou can tell by the booking and production of this PPV (it's Not ECW)It looks like a typical WWF/WCW PPVBecause of the "Mass Transit" incident PPV companies were gun shy about getting in bed with Extreme Championship WrestlingWhich i find a little hinky since during this time UFC (was close to underground pit fighting) and PPV have been airing hardcore adult content prior to 1997.....So why would this first PPV be so bland and lacking any real ECW spiritAlso the ring that is used during this event is terrible it's to lose and look like a trampoline when they try to moveThe first time i seen this back in 1997/1998 i was shocked how average it wasMatches:The Eliminators vs The Dudley Boyz (ECW World Tag Team Championship) Less then 5 months later Perry Saturn would end up on WCW Nitro and join Raven's groupRob Van Dam vs Lance Storm (This is one of Storm's first appearances in ECW)The Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada and Masato Yakushiji1 vs bWo Japan (Taka Michinoku, Terry Boy and Dick Togo) Great Japanese Style stiff match why it was on here who really knows it was really odd Safe fillerShane Douglas vs Pitbull #2 (ECW World Television Championship)Taz vs Sabu (This PPV was built around this feud/match) this fight was built for 6months maybe longer and you get here it's very anti climatic Sabu carries almost the entire match they tired to sell this match as a shoot fight but, it was done so lazily it drags on way to longThree-Way Dance match to determine the number one contender for the ECW World Heavyweight ChampionshipTerry Funk vs The Sandman vs Stevie Richards (This is a solid three-way dance but, the wrong guy went over Both Sandman and Richards did a lot this is the closet Extreme style match within this PPVTerry Funk vs Raven (ECW World Heavyweight Championship) One of the worst matches Raven ever had in ECWThis match is just terrible and makes no real sense (You can't help but, wonder if Paul Heyman made Raven drop the bell over the crucifixion incident which made Kurt Angle sign with WWF)This PPV was a sign of things to come in ECW short lived futureThis is one of there worst PPV it runs neck and neck with the last handful of PPV before ECW folded in 2001 5/10