[2000-03-31-ECW-TNN] Rhino vs Super Crazy

[soup23]

I continue to be impressed with how well Crazy is presenting himself in ECW this year. Taijiri gets a good amount of wrestler of the year worldwide buzz for 2000 and he has been fantastic but I would only place Super Crazy a half step behind. This match is good evidence why. He is presented as the flag bearer for ECW holding the tv title and goes up against the Network wonderfully. He gets bumped around and uses tables before finding a flash power move to win. ECW was outright burying stuff like RollerJam and the like on air by this point which seems incredibly dumb to me. ***1/4

[Loss]

Cyrus is a great talker, loathsome and witty to boot, so I can't figure out why he doesn't work as a manager. Maybe it's because the whole thing seems really insincere because everyone knows this Network thing is just a gimmick? The match itself is really good, primarily because the size and style difference between them gives them an obvious path to work a match and build sympathy on Crazy. I love how the mutants rally for his comeback. In terms of psychology, this is one of the better ECW matches I can recall, in that it worked because of Crazy's selling and Rhino really working as a strong monster heel, and the crowd buying into an old school story and not realizing it because it was garnished with a couple of table spots. Sandman laid out yet again when he tries to make save after the match. I guess my concerns about Corino not getting enough heat put on him were for naught. ***1/2

[GSR]

Super Crazy is already in the ring when out wanders Cyrus who says that now’s the time ‘The Network’ takes control. He removes his jacket and Joey Styles believes he’s actually going to wrestle. Cyrus claims he’s ready to beat Crazy for the TV title tonight, but he’s not going to soil his hands on him and his opponent will be Rhino. Rhino is out followed by Steve Corino and Jack Victory and takes it right to Crazy. Whip to the turnbuckle, Crazy avoids the charge though and a hip toss takedown. Lionsault, Rhino moves out the way and although he lands on his feet, Rhino immediately takes him off them again with a clothesline. Corino passes him a table which he props up in the corner. A second whip to the turnbuckles, this time Crazy steps through the ropes and onto the apron avoiding the onrushing ‘manbeast’. Forearm to the face and a great springboard spinning leg lariat. Rhino takes to the floor, and when Corino and Victory are around to check on him, Crazy with a plancha off the top onto all three. Swinging DDT for two. Crazy goes for the ‘ten punch’ spot in the corner, but Rhino counters with a sit out powerbomb for a two of his own. Rear chinlock as he looks to ground his high flying opponent. Backdrop over the top rope, however Crazy lands on the apron. Shoulderblock to the mid-section followed by a series of forearms which drop the big man, and a springboard moonsault off the middle rope for two. It looks like something (probably a fight!) is going on in the crowd, so Crazy slows the action down until the fans are back watching them instead of what’s going on out there. Crazy tries to counter a powerbomb, but Rhino lifts him over his shoulder and drives him through that table which he’d position in the corner earlier. The Network celebrate thinking that the TV title is coming to them, only for Crazy to kick out of the pin. Huge powerbomb, but it’s still not enough to put him away. Victory passes Rhino another table and he then sits Crazy up on the top turnbuckle. As he sets himself for a superplex, Crazy gets in first with a low blow. Sunset flip into a powerbomb off the top through the table, and Crazy with the upset three to retain the TV title. He’s jumped by Steve Corino after the match and The Network beat on him, whilst Victory sets up yet another table in the corner. Sandman comes to Crazy’s aid (only after chugging down a beer) and canes Corino and Victory. He does the same to Rhino but he doesn’t go down. Rhino then ducks out the way of the swinging cane and Corino drops Sandman with a superkick. The ‘manbeast’ picks up Crazy and drives him and Sandman through that third table. Rhino then canes the snot out of Sandman and drinks his beer as Cyrus says how no-one stands up to The Network.

 

Good match here with Crazy defeating the odds of the Network to retain the belt and get a surprise pinfall over Rhino. The Network get their heat back at the end leaving everyone laying, and on the back of the Tajiri/Guido match this was a great episode of TNN.