Let’s dive into ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999 from Poughkeepsie, NY. The show drew 2,800 for a main event between ECW World champion Taz and Chris Candido.
The Best
The World Tag Team match saw the Dudley Boyz defend against Balls Mahoney and Spike Dudley in a brief but good brawl. The pace was really good as there wasn’t any meandering time where guys have to get to their opponent or take more time than necessary pulling stuff from under the ring. It was a violent, digestible match. Thumbs up.
Super Crazy taking on Taka Michinoku was also a pretty good match. It wasn’t Super Crazy vs. Tajiri but it was still a well-paced, exciting match. Had Taka been in ECW longer, he probably would’ve had chemistry with both Crazy and Tajiri. Speaking of Tajiri, I found his match with Little Guido to be pretty good as well.
It was a little longer but it worked. These two would also show some chemistry once a few more junior heavyweights join the company and mix it up with him, Crazy, and Tajiri. Of the two, I enjoyed Crazy-Taka more.
The straw that stirred the drink on this show was another showdown between RVD and Jerry Lynn over the Television title. These two fought over that belt for almost 27 minutes as if it were the World champion and this was the final match of the evening. While some RVD-Lynn matches are noticeably stronger than others, they always lift the PPV whether the show is live, dying, or dead.
Their match from Hardcore Heaven 1999 is no different.
The Rest
ECW’s PPV opening shenanigans results in Taz and Candido meeting in the ring and Candido has goons: the Dudley Boyz. Taz ends up spanking Chris Candido in about a minute. He must be done for the night.
Dreamer taking on Lance Storm was a better-than-solid match. The best thing about it is that it was a digestible match time-wise. This wasn’t Dreamer in one of those endless ECW brawls that go 18 minutes plus or anything. No, this was…tight. They kept things tight and that really worked here.
Sid Vicious vs. Justin Credible was really nothing to discuss. It ran for two minutes and ended in a no contest. I will say that I love Sid in ECW. He’s like a pushable version of Heyman’s old goon 911. After Candido’s defeat earlier in the show, the Dudley Boyz have been terrorizing the back.
Taz is lured back out and takes up the Dudleys’ challenge but it’ll be in a Falls Count Anywhere match. In the late 90s, I loved hearing that the match was Falls Count Anywhere. Even if it was short, something wild was going to happen! Nothing wild happened here but this was another solid-ass match and not a bad one to end the PPV on. Also, it didn’t ear up more time than necessary.
It wasn’t a brief match but wasn’t a Shane Douglas or Triple H main event in length. They kept it as tight as possible. I dug it.
ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999 Verdict: Silver Medal (6.5/10)
I can’t remember if ECW has ever gotten a silver medal in “Into the Vault” but they deserved it for this show. There were a few strong matches and the matches in “The Rest” are actually all solid or better except for the opener. The strength of Hardcore Heaven 1999 is that the matches were kept tighter than usual and didn’t just…ride until it was time to wrap it up.
It was as if production was being really severe about time in the back and I greatly appreciate it. Our match of the show honors goes to RVD vs. Jerry Lynn.
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