Brian Pillman had the wrestling world talking in February 1996.
Listen to our February 1996 ECW podcast, reviewing ECW Cyberslam and Pillman's appearance on the show.
Subscribe to the podcast via: iTunes | RSS Feed | Email Newsletter
Subscribe to the podcast via: iTunes | RSS Feed | Email Newsletter
10. The Nasty Boys & The Public Enemy – Ok, a cop out for tenth, but all four guys deserve a lot of credit for putting on a barnstorming match, even if it was one that left selling at the door. An immensely watchable brawl – crowd enjoyed it. Fun stuff.
9. Shane Douglas – A nod too, not only for his half of the angle with Cactus Jack (easier to swing the chair than be hit with it, I suppose) but also for Shane's best match probably since February 1994 – the famous triangle match.
8. Owen Hart – Another reminder of what might have been, Owen Hart was the foil for Shawn Michaels – a tune up match ahead of Wrestlemania. Owen showed once again that, in-ring at least, he had all the tools, and charisma to boot.
7. The Undertaker – OK, he was the man involved in the cop out finish of Bret Hart and Diesel, but what a finish it was. Reaching through the mat from under the ring and pulling Diesel under, before doing an eagle like pose on the top of the turnbuckle to finish. Finally an Undertaker feud that might not end in a stinker of a match.
6. Roddy Piper – Tasked with filling the time between Shawn Michaels and Owen Hart and the assembly of the cage for the main event, Roddy Piper came out and did what Roddy Piper does best – talks! His promo ribbing Vader before being confronted by Jim Cornette in somewhat of a dream promo battle (OK, maybe not) was still something special on a largely flat show.
5. Sabu – Here for a good time, not for a long time. Sabu and Too Cold Scorpio engaged in a 30 minute time limit draw that had Philadelphia on its feet, a 30 minute match that included a ludicrious amount of awe-inspiring spots – topped off by a running somersault plancha off of the top rope (via a chair) over the barricade through the table that Scorpio had vacated. Awesome spot.
4. Cactus Jack – He and Shane Douglas worked a traditional ECW brawl at Cyberslam before he and Douglas worked an early version of what would become his angle with the Rock at the 1999 Royal Rumble – it was no less violent, with the handcuffs meaning Jack had no defence to Douglas' brutal chair shots.
3. Ric Flair – Back a top the tree, again, for the second time in three months. Flair may be a fading light and a greatest hits merchant by this stage, but he is still a compelling performer and still one of the most popular acts on the WCW roster.
2. Shawn Michaels – A reminder, if we needed it, of just how good Michaels can be. Burning charisma, and a great worker to boot. Given how he and Bret Hart seemed to be sliding in opposite directions, his inevitable coronation at Wrestlemania would be a sweat moment.
1. Brian Pillman - "Because you, Eric Bischoff, are a piece of fucking shit". Six days after his supposed firing by WCW, Brian Pillman had arrived in ECW with a bang. A superb promo with a ton of weaknesses, but Pillman was absolutely compelling.
9. Shane Douglas – A nod too, not only for his half of the angle with Cactus Jack (easier to swing the chair than be hit with it, I suppose) but also for Shane's best match probably since February 1994 – the famous triangle match.
8. Owen Hart – Another reminder of what might have been, Owen Hart was the foil for Shawn Michaels – a tune up match ahead of Wrestlemania. Owen showed once again that, in-ring at least, he had all the tools, and charisma to boot.
7. The Undertaker – OK, he was the man involved in the cop out finish of Bret Hart and Diesel, but what a finish it was. Reaching through the mat from under the ring and pulling Diesel under, before doing an eagle like pose on the top of the turnbuckle to finish. Finally an Undertaker feud that might not end in a stinker of a match.
6. Roddy Piper – Tasked with filling the time between Shawn Michaels and Owen Hart and the assembly of the cage for the main event, Roddy Piper came out and did what Roddy Piper does best – talks! His promo ribbing Vader before being confronted by Jim Cornette in somewhat of a dream promo battle (OK, maybe not) was still something special on a largely flat show.
5. Sabu – Here for a good time, not for a long time. Sabu and Too Cold Scorpio engaged in a 30 minute time limit draw that had Philadelphia on its feet, a 30 minute match that included a ludicrious amount of awe-inspiring spots – topped off by a running somersault plancha off of the top rope (via a chair) over the barricade through the table that Scorpio had vacated. Awesome spot.
4. Cactus Jack – He and Shane Douglas worked a traditional ECW brawl at Cyberslam before he and Douglas worked an early version of what would become his angle with the Rock at the 1999 Royal Rumble – it was no less violent, with the handcuffs meaning Jack had no defence to Douglas' brutal chair shots.
3. Ric Flair – Back a top the tree, again, for the second time in three months. Flair may be a fading light and a greatest hits merchant by this stage, but he is still a compelling performer and still one of the most popular acts on the WCW roster.
2. Shawn Michaels – A reminder, if we needed it, of just how good Michaels can be. Burning charisma, and a great worker to boot. Given how he and Bret Hart seemed to be sliding in opposite directions, his inevitable coronation at Wrestlemania would be a sweat moment.
1. Brian Pillman - "Because you, Eric Bischoff, are a piece of fucking shit". Six days after his supposed firing by WCW, Brian Pillman had arrived in ECW with a bang. A superb promo with a ton of weaknesses, but Pillman was absolutely compelling.
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