AS I SEE IT
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
PWBTS.com
The heavily promoted Extreme Reunion took place this past Saturday night at the Northeast National Guard Armory in Philadelphia.
To call it a disappointment would be a start.
Things began from bad and went to worse. Sabu was rushed to the hospital after Trevose, PA Police were dispatched after the hotel manager where Sabu was staying said they felt he was “intoxicated” when paramedics were called. His room was checked Shane Douglas and others couldn’t get in touch with Sabu. TMZ.com reported that Sabu “had a bad reaction to a medication he’d been taking” (likely translation was either an accidental overdose of something he was taking).
So there’s the main event with one less participant.
Then Justin Credible was in no condition to perform backstage, to the point that he was kicked out of the locker room. Those backstage report he had passed out.
So…two major names. not there.
As hyped the week before, the show turned out to be a sell-out, crowd estimated at 2,100 fans.
The show started 30-45 minutes late due to the State Commission doctor arriving late; and one would assume, the need to rebook the show.
* The Dramatics defeated Philly’s Most Wanted via pinfall
* The FBI defeated the BWO via pinfall
* CW Anderson defeated Al Snow via pinfall
* Axl Rotten defeated Balls Mahoney via pinfall
* Angel of The Baldies cut a promo. The Gangstas hit the ring, followed by a brawl, and Philly’s Most Wanted came in to make the save. New Jack made a comeback and brawled with Ruckus. Angel worked over Mustafa as Jeez and Ruckus worked over Jack.
* Raven vs. Pitbull Gary Wolfe was up next. Raven came out with Flock version 4.0 (my phrase), including a physically challenged wrestler, called him “Cripple H.” Raven cut an anti-ECW promo, saying “reunions are for “f**s and morons.” Raven’s “Flock” jumped Wolfe. Raven kept on with his anti-ECW promo and worked over Wolfe some more. “Enter Sandman” played and out came Sandman for his grand entrance and the save. Sandman was laid out and beaten with by a large muscular guy. Wolfe and the muscle guy brawled which became the “match”. The finish saw Wolfe hit a sitdown slam for the pinfall.
* In the one match that approached what the crowd thought it was getting last night. Jerry Lynn defeated Devon Storm via pinfall. Both worked as they both still can and gave an old-school ECW style brawl with spots, which is all they wanted all night.
* Given Sabu’s absence in the main event, Shane Douglas defeated the replacement 2 Cold Scorpio. The match had a cluster$#@k finish with two masked men, namely Kevin Sullivan and Tod Gordon. Shane won via pinfall after a twisting sunset flip and pinned Scorpio.
Understandably, the reaction of the crowd was not good, based on the late start, and Sabu’s no-show for the main event, with chants of “F*** you Shane” and “Refund.” At one point earlier on, there was even a chant of “End this show”. Douglas fired back on the mike with telling the crowd “he works them, not the other way around.” In the middle of all this, Douglas did acknowledge what had happened with Sabu.
OK…rule one. If you have a pissed off crowd… egging them on, even if some of what happened to piss them off wasn’t your fault, is not the smartest thing to do. In the early days of ECW, no-shows were announced early, so that those who wanted to get refunds could get them. Most times, they never did. Waiting until the end of the show to announce what anyone with a smartphone had found out, either before or during the show…. is unacceptable.
Rule two: apologize to fans and tell them how you’re going to make good…as best you can. Most times they’ll cut you a break.
But as much as this show was hyped…and it was hyped well, even with local spot TV advertising; God only knows what will happen with the second announced show in early summer. Given the online reaction, many won’t be back, save bringing someone in like Terry Funk, or at least getting Tommy Dreamer to change his mind about doing further reunion shows.
It’s sad that this could have had so much potential for future shows to slowly swing from ECW talent, to featuring other local talent; such as Philly’s Most Wanted (who were used on this show)
Until next time…
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