With the Dudleys back in WWE, tag team wrestling has been revived. But more importantly for us Philly fans, the spirit of ECW has also been rekindled.
On this day in wrestling history, those damn Dudleys defended the ECW Tag Team titles against Tommy Dreamer, flying solo. It was the second episode of ECW on TNN, the cult promotion’s first chance on a mainstream level. Paul Heyman needed something to cause a stir, and throughout the company’s history, no man could make an impact quite like Raven.
You see, the rivalry between Raven and Tommy Dreamer defined ECW. The psychological warfare, the chair shots, the blood, the cronies Raven enlisted, the 2-year length…it was wrasslin’ greatness. Whereas WWE storylines have as much depth as a Tom & Jerry plot, Raven vs. Dreamer had a backstory full of lust, jealousy, pride, and authenticity.
So when Dreamer was double-teamed by Bubba and D-Von, and seemingly ready for the hospital bed, it was unbelievable to see who would save him.
The quality of the video is piss-poor, but you only need to hear the pop of that New York crowd.
John Corrigan
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