-Today we look at ECW House Party 1996.
-House Party '96 took place January 5, 1996 from the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, PA. There were 1,150 in attendance.
-TV-MA intro. Joey Styles welcomes us to ECW, but immediately gets interrupted by Bill Alfonzo. He goes off on everything. Styles tells him to shut up. They start arguing. Taz roughs up Styles. 911 comes out. Tod Gordon comes out and jumps Alfonzo. Taz gets on Gordon, and he and 911 are face to face. The locker room empties to get the two separated. Taz attacks Pablo Marquez and Styles until 911 stops him. Taz and the Eliminators attack 911, and the Eliminators do Total Elimination on 911. Rey Misterio Jr makes the save.
-Rey Misterio and 911 vs. The Eliminators Saturn and Kronus with Jason: Misterio keeps the assault on. He takes the Eliminators out. Misterio is a house of fire. He avoids the Eliminators offense. Saturn throws Misterio out. 911 on his feet again and the Eliminators attack him. Taz chokes 911 with his towel. Kronus with a back flip to Misterio for a two count. Back and forth. Eliminators hit Total Elimination on 911 again. Taz comes back and chokes 911 again. The Eliminators powerbomb Misterio. Misterio with a double DDT. 911 gets in and Misterio gets on 911's shoulders and goads the Eliminators into a chicken fight. He then hurricanranas Saturn off the shoulders of Kronus to get the pin. The Eliminators do Total Elimination on Misterio. The Pit Bulls make the save. The Eliminators do Total Elimination on Francine. The Pit Bulls check on her, and Jason hits them with a chair. They take Jason out as Francine is taken out by Medics.
-Rob Van Dam vs. Axl Rotten: RVD's ECW debut. The bell rings, and they circle each other. Rotten taunts RVD. They vie for position. Rotten with the early advantage. RVD comes back with a fist to the midsection. RVD with a double chop. RVD with a series of forearm shots. Rotten with a modified T-bone suplex. Rotten with a flurry of offense. He hits a clothesline to RVD. Rotten with a slam, but misses the elbow drop when RVD moves. RVD with a splash for a two count. RVD with a cannonball to Rotten on the outside. RVD with a thrust kick and a splash for a two count. RVD with a slam and the split legged moonsault to get the pin.
-ECW World Television Championship Match. Mikey Whipwreck vs. 2 Cold Scorpio with Woman: Scorpio and Woman out first. Whipwreck out to a good ovation and Scorpio mimes that he is going to break Whipwreck in half. The introductions are made and the belt is presented. Scorpio gets the mic and tells Whipwreck that Cactus Jack isn't going to save Whipwreck and that he's going to kick Whipwreck's ass and take his belt. Whipwreck hits Scorpio with the belt. Scorpio attacks Whipwreck. He hits a running kick to Whipwreck. Scorpio with a knee lift. He runs Whipwreck into the turnbuckle and hits a forearm. Back and forth. Whipwreck comes back. He hits Scorpio with a plancha to the outside. They fight on the outside. Scorpio ran into the barricade. Scorpio kicks Whipwreck off. Whipwreck hits a German suplex for a two count. Whipwreck hits a FrankenMikey out of a powerbomb attempt for a two count. Scorpio hits Whipwreck. He throws Whipwreck out and hits him with a chair. Scorpio hits a powerbomb. Scorpio sets a chair up and runs Whipwreck face first into it. Scorpio with a scoop slam and a twisting leg drop. He pulls Whipwreck up and Whipwreck reverses a bulldog attempt and runs Scorpio into it. He attacks Scorpio with the chair. Whipwreck puts the bow and arrow on Scorpio. Scorpio with a shot to Whipwreck. Scorpio hits a tombstone power slam and a moonsault. He pulls Whipwreck up, and the fans get on him for it. Scorpio hits a superplex for a one count. Scorpio hits a splash and pulls up at two again. Whipwreck comes back with a swinging DDT for a two count. He hits a FrankenMikey from the top rope. They fight out into the crowd briefly. Scorpio hits a thrust kick. Scorpio hits a belly to back superplex that also takes out the referee. Raven comes down and DDTs Whipwreck. Scorpio hits a spinning leg drop from the top rope to win and once again become the TV Champion. He says anyone who wants some can come get some.
-Hack Meyers vs. Taz with Bill Alfonzo: Alfonzo comes out with an Emmitt Smith Jersey on to antagonize the fans. Meyers with a wrist lock. Taz reverses it. They break. Taz gets an arm bar, but Meyers gets to the ropes. All Taz at this point, but Meyers fights back. Taz hits a judo throw. Taz hits a T-bone Taz plex. He hits another Tazplex and Meyers lands ugly. German Tazplex. He puts on the Tazmission, and Meyers gives up immediately. Alfonzo attacks Meyers after the match. Taz says Sabu is hiding from him and that this is just the beginning.
-Joey Styles hypes the House Party 96 video. He then recaps what we just saw.
-Styles then talks about Shane Douglas returning and previews Jimmy Del Ray with Mr. Hughes vs. Bubba Ray Dudley with Sign Guy, DW, Chubby, and Big Dick Dudley: This is the early stuttering hickish version of Bubba Ray. He grabs the mic, and the crowd chants, What's your name? He starts to go into his stuttering routine, and Del Ray dropkicks him from behind. Back and forth, and Bubba Ray gets Del Ray into the corner. Del Ray begs off. Styles making references to Tom Prichard becoming Zip of the Bodydonnas on commentary. Bubba Ray with a series of forearms to Del Ray in the corner. He follows that up with an Irish whip and a dropkick to Del Ray. Bubba then mocks Del Ray. Del Ray comes back with a strike to Bubba Ray. Bubba reverses a corner whip and hits Del Ray with a corner splash. Del Ray down on the mat. Bubba gets a two count. Bubba is arguing with the ref over the count. Del Ray with a low blow kick to Bubba. He follows that up with a scoop slam. He then hits a swinging DDT off the second rope on Bubba. This match is clipped and next shows Bubba go for the Bubba Bomb and Mr. Hughes gets up on the apron, and Bubba goes after him. Del Ray takes advantage and gets an Irish whip, but he drops his head too early, and Bubba comes back with a DDT to get the pin. Hughes gets in the ring, and they cut to him with a mic, and he tells Bubba that he can teach him proper English. He says come on out here and Shane Douglas comes out. He gets a good ovation. He gets in the ring and grabs the mic. He mocks Bubba's stuttering and says what in the hell is that? He then says there are a whole lot of things that need fixing around here. He says he is the world's greatest wrestler and the world's greatest English teacher. He then says he is going to teach Bubba some proper English and slaps Bubba. He said that there are a lot of things to fix around here, and it starts tonight because the Franchise is back.
-Rey Mysterio with a promo in Spanish, but he gets cut off by DW Dudley. He talks in a mixture of Spanish and English about how great Mysterio and Psychosis are while Mysterio keeps trying to leave.
-Joey Styles is in the ring to interview Stevie Richards, who has The Blue Meanie with him. Richards says he is now Studly Stevie Richards and the King of Swing. They then showed Beulah in the ring. They show Missy Hyatt making out with Richards, and he tells Styles that he is the original babe magnet. He then says that Beulah has been neglected by Raven. He says that right here Studly Stevie Richards is going to be kissed by Beulah, but Beulah says no, she doesn't want to be touched. He says, Oh come on, and she says she is serious; she doesn't want to be touched. He tells her she is making him look bad in front of everybody, and she says he doesn't understand. She doesn't want to be touched. He tries to kiss her, and she pushes him away and screams no. Stop it, and this is uncomfortable to watch. He says, Oh, what's the matter, is it because you're Raven's girlfriend? She says no, I'm pregnant. The crowd is shocked. Richards starts screaming this is awesome and jumping up and down. Raven gets in the ring, pushes Richards, and says you're what to Beulah. He says what are you, stupid? The pills say one at a time moron. Are you an idiot? She says what do you care, it's not yours, and Raven immediately attacks Richards, thinking it must be his. Beulah says stop it, it's not his either. She says it's Tommy's, and Raven grabs her by the throat and pushes her into the corner. Tommy Dreamer comes into the ring and attacks Raven from behind and gives him the DDT. Dreamer then attacks Richards and Meanie and clotheslines Raven over the top rope, and they both spill out to the floor. One of the fans gives Beulah a frying pan, and she hits Meanie and Richards with it as a Beulah chant goes out. Dreamer grabs a chair and hits Raven with it. Dreamer then runs Raven into the barricade. He then hits Raven with a metal sign and throws him back in the ring. He grabs a sign that says Tommy, use my sign, hits Raven with it, and tears away the sign to reveal a stop sign underneath. He then DDTs Raven on the sign. He grabs a slice of pizza from someone, takes a bite, and piledrives Raven onto the slice. Beulah then comes back into the ring and they hug.
-ECW World Heavyweight Championship Match. The Sandman with Woman vs. Konnan: Sandman and Woman out and do their entrance. It goes on way too long. Konnan comes out looking all business. The introductions are made. The fans antagonize Konnan. Sandman stalls getting in the ring to start. Konnan ties Sandman up in a complicated hold and stretches him. Sandman reverses it and gets out. They circle each other. Konnan gets a headscissors on Sandman. Sandman gets out and goes outside to regroup. Sandman comes back with a clothesline. Back and forth. Konnan with a hip toss. Konnan with a series of moves. Sandman comes back with an elbow to the head. Sandman hits a tope to Konnan on the outside. Konnan hits Sandman with a chair. Sandman drops Konnan on the barricade. They fight out into the crowd. They get back in the ring, and Sandman bites Konnan on the forehead. Sandman throws Konnan out, and Konnan is bleeding heavily from the head. Sandman sets up a table in the ring. Konnan blocks a superplex attempt and puts Sandman through the table. Woman slaps Konnan, and Sandman canes Konnan from behind. He canes Konnan repeatedly. Rey Misterio comes out and gives Konnan a cane, and they take turns caning each other. They both collapse. Sandman answers the 10 count briefly to win before collapsing again.
-Stevie Richards with The Blue Meanie vs. Sabu: Sabu comes out and Richards and Meanie bail out. The introductions are made. Sabu dives for Richards, who avoids him. Richards rolls out to regroup, and Sabu hits Richards and Meanie with a suicide dive. Back in, Sabu with a rear chin lock. Sabu hits a spin kick for a two count. Sabu goes back to the rear chin lock. Back and forth. Richards hits a powerbomb. He mocks Sabu, who hits Richards in response. Sabu puts an arm bar on. Richards puts a chair on Sabu and goes up top, but gets caught. Sabu hits Air Sabu. Sabu hits a sunset flip from the apron to the concrete. Sabu runs Richards into the barricade. Sabu sets a table up, but gets attacked by Meanie. Richards misses a corner charge and Sabu headscissors Richards to the outside. Richards pulls the rope down, and Sabu crashes through the set-up table. Meanie and Richards attack Sabu. Richards hits a powerbomb. Richards hits a fist drop. Sabu hits a FrankenSteiner, but Richards gets his foot on the ropes. Sabu hits a guillotine leg drop. Sabu over the top rope and hits a FrankenSteiner on the Meanie and then one on Richards. Meanie runs Sabu into the barricade, but misses a splash when Sabu moves. Sabu sets a table up and puts Richards on it. Paul E attacks Meanie as Sabu hits a leg drop to Richards through the table. He goes to cover Richards, but Richards gets his foot on the bottom rope. Sabu beats on Richards. Sabu with a clothesline for a two count. Richards hits a super kick. Sabu hits a twisting DDT. Sabu hits an Arabian Face Buster with a chair to get the pin.
-Public Enemy Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge vs. The Gangstas New Jack and Mustapha: The swan song for Public Enemy in ECW before they go to WCW. Grunge says this is the house that Public Enemy built. Rock says they'll never take ECW out of Public Enemy. The Gangstas' music then hits. The teams stare each other down. The introductions are made. The bell rings, and they start brawling right away. Grunge attacked with a chain. The action is fast and furious and hard to track. They hit each other with a variety of weapons. Rock with a sunset flip for a two count. New Jack busted open. Grunge with a DDT to Mustapha. Grunge and Mustapha fight to the outside. Mustapha splashed through a table by Rock. All four battle on the outside. They fight out into the crowd. All four are bloody. Back and forth with weapons. Rock gets a two count on Mustapha. New Jack piledrives Grunge below the broadcast position. They battle all over. Mustafa with a figure four on Rock. New Jack hits Grunge with anything he can find. They fight towards the ring. Mustafa with a splash to Rock through a table for a two count. Mustafa with a leapfrog body guillotine to Rock. New Jack gets a two count on Grunge. Back and forth. Rock moonsaults Mustafa through a table. Mustafa with a suplex to Rock. Rock hits the Drive By on Mustafa to get the pin. The crowd gives them a standing ovation and says thank you. Rock gets on the mic and says they're the greatest wrestling fans in the world. Public Enemy video of some of their highlights in ECW.
-Final Thoughts: A good show highlighted by Public Enemy leaving, Douglas coming back, and RVD debuting.