[2000-11-25-ECW-Hardcore TV] Sandman vs Steve Corino

[soup23]

Corino cuts a promo offering a challenge and calls out Sandman. Say no more as here he comes five minute entrance and all. They exchange promos and Corino is playing the cowardly heel again. Sandman has enough of Corino’s mouth and punches him down. We come back with Sandman bringing a guard rail into the ring. Corino gets suplexed onto the guard rail for a nearfall. A ladder is also brought in by Sandman. As an overall garbage style brawl, this isn’t bad as Sandman does at least seem motivated to perform his plunder spots well. Corino really bumps well on the spots too as it plays off the back work we saw from Lynn earlier. Finish was shitty as Corino reversed the side Russian leg sweep with a kendo stick into a neckbreaker onto the rail but Sandman ended up landing more on Corino. Again, not a bad match at all but the promotion really is feeling on borrowed time here and out of ideas. **12

[GSR]

Returning from the commercial break, Corino (still in the ring) says that the rules are different now he’s the ECW World Heavyweight champion.  It means that he doesn’t fear anyone (even namedropping the WWF and WCW) and if there is anyone who wants to accept an open challenge he’ll slap them like he slapped the beer out of the Sandman’s hand.  Ooh, I wonder who might be answering this.  The challenge is answered by, shock, horror, the Sandman who proceeds to make his customary lengthy entrance.   Corino immediately starts backpedalling, claiming he never meant he’d take anyone on tonight.  He then starts talking about how he would love to wrestle the Sandman but he’s injured his appendix…again.  This is really weird characterisation of a supposed face, almost as if he’s reverting to the chicken shit manager that he used to be.  The Sandman has heard enough and spits beer in Corino’s face which snaps the champion out of this odd retro stance he’s taken.  One cane shot to the head and we take our second commercial break of the segment.  We return to see Sandman carrying a guard rail from the back to the ring.  He actually throws some good looking punches, something that I wouldn’t normally associate with him.  As well as the railing the Sandman also collects himself a ladder; suplexing, whipping and bulldogging Corino onto and into both.  He buries him beneath the ladder and lands a slingshot senton, crushing him under it.  Everything he throws at the champion isn’t enough to put him away though.  Three cane shots to the head drop him, he calls for the White Russian Legsweep (I do like that name) but Corino counters into the ‘Old School Expulsion’, Sandman landing on the steel, for the win.