[1995-08-05-ECW-Wrestlepalooza] Cactus Jack & Dean Malenko & 2 Cold Scorpio vs Rick & Scott Steiner & Eddy Guerrero

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

This is paced more like a Japanese match than an American match. It's not really a face/heel divide, and there is a build to Eddy getting a hot tag, but that's really secondary to the highspots. It's more about the pairings than the teamwork, and about getting a chance to see all the various wrestler vs wrestler combinations the match provides. Some of them are pairings I've never really seen outside of this match -- like Scott vs Malenko, which has some nice matwork -- or they haven't made much of a lasting impression outside of this match -- like Rick vs Cactus, which has some fun brawling. The series of Eddy highspots off of the Steiners' shoulders was great, although Dean botched the Frankensteiner by not taking the bump. That was a pretty nutty move to even try though. Dean getting the pin after taking all that from Eddy was frustrating, but this was really fun.

[jasch]

I believe that this match was put together at the last minute because Marty Janetty no-showed a title match against Sandman and the card was shuffled around.

[Tim Evans]

Is this Scott's only ECW match? If so, what a match to have your only match in a company. This was a fun spotfest type match. Steiners were awesome. Especially the bulldog from the top. Cool to see Cactus in this.

[PeteF3]

I think the Steiners worked some of the Florida cards together.

 

I guess ECW wasn't paying for Mick's food bills, because he looks as skinny as he has since the Cactus Jack Manson days. He sure sticks out like a sore thumb here. Eddy and 2 Cold work a fantastic sequence together that has the crowd going nuts for Eddy by the end of it. The Steiners work well in this setting, since they're all about big crowd-pleasing bombs. Rick busts out an incredible bulldog *off* the top turnbuckle on Scorpio (both guys on top). Then we get Cactus vs. Eddy which is a fun little "This match-up actually happened" bit. Once again somebody attempts to hit a top-rope huracanrana off their partner's shoulders and once again it's blown--people need to just give up trying that. It sort of effectively plays into the finish though as Malenko quickly counters and steals a pin. More wrestling junk food, but this was all fun.

[Microstatistics]

Best ECW match ever and maybe my favorite trios of all time. High impact action, awesome heel and face work, interesting pairs; this has a little of everything. Eddie's babyface work and Scorpio's heel charisma stand out in particular. The best non-All Japan match of 1995. ****1/2

[SmartMark15]

Finally saw this and it was a wonderful and simple six-man tag. Big bumps that get bigger and bigger all leading to a hot tag from Eddy to get the three babyfaces destroying the heels. It was fun seeing the heels rag doll for the Steiners. Incredibly fun stuff.

 

****1/4

[Beast]

I like how earlier this was described as wrestling junk food. I'm a big fan.

Maybe the most well known "WAR 6-Man"-type match in a major US setting?

All 6 guys are on and the Dean-Scott, Rick-Cactus, Eddy-Cactus segments are really fun and cool to have on tape. Really good use of the Steiners putting them with guys like Eddy, Dean, and Scorpio. Rick especially was hanging right with everyone. Eddy's a good face-in-peril and the Steiners/Cactus add legitimacy to the smaller guys, especially because they  treat them like real threats and sell for everything.

I believe the original match had Benoit in place of Cactus, but Benoit had visa issues (maybe "visa issues"?). Also Luna Vachon no-showed for the Dreamer/Luna/Pitbulls vs. Raven/Richards/Dudleys match. So they had the Cactus heel turn pushed forward with him replacing Luna, turning on Dreamer and joining Raven, and then Raven providing Cactus as the replacement for Benoit all in one night.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Eddie Guerrero & The Steiners vs Dean Makenko, 2 Cold Scorpio & Cactus Jack -ECW Wrestlepalooza 1995

Taz had befriended the Steiners in an effort to train after his neck injury to get revenge on Scorpio. Eddie/Dean/Scorpio were all kind of feuding over the TV Title. Benoit was the original tag partner as he was Malenko’s regular tag partner. There’s a Steiners  vs Benoit/Scorpio is it any good? I don’t see anyone talk about it.

it is funny listen Joey Styles swing from the Steiners’ nuts when they typically represent what he loves to mock. Once the Luchadors come in doesn’t he start mocking Scotty’s Frankenstein’s compared to the Hurricanarana? Am I remembering that right?

Given this lineup there’s going to be some great offense! Scotty/Malenko have a way better exchange than I guessed. It was my favorite of the match and maybe the best Malenko have ever looked. Great amateur stuff at the beginning and they threw up some good bombs. Scotty took a wicked duplex over the top to the floor but returned the favor with a nice belly to belly throw. Scotty took a backseat the rest of the Match. 

Rick/Scorpio didn’t have the best chemistry. Clunky on the Rana and not as much snap as usual on Rick’s powerslam. They did pull off a great top rope bulldog. Rick vs Cactus was solid but yeah this is not Cactus’ forte. Lots of big bombs and highspots. He did a take a overhead belly to belly by Rick on the floor that was wicked.

Cactus hit an electric chair on Eddie and then Eddie missed a Frogsplash. Here comes the heat segment. Great stuff lots of ring cutting off, hope spots, I really like how hard Eddie was working to get the tag but kept getting cut off. Scorpio shines the most here. The Drop Da Bomb Legdrop is most impressive for crushing his opponents face with his ass and not tearing his quad. The powerbomb was great. Eddie using the Frankensteiner was very fitting to create the space for the hot tag.

Steiners hit their big fun spots. It’s a Doomsday Device for Scorp, Doomsday Device Dropkick for Cactus and they go for a Doomsday Device Frankensteiner ok Malenko but he chumps our and doesn’t do the flip. In 2020 there are plenty of wrestlers that could pull off this spot but in 1995 they weren’t ready yet. Hell I couldn’t do it. 

After that Eddie looks brainbustee but Malenko gets a rollup/cradle for the win.

As someone put a very Japanese match heavy on the action and highspots and less on character work. Not surprising as the Steiners were very Japanese oriented as were Eddie & Malenko. A fun slugfest with some cool unique pairings. ***3/4