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ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) - Barely Legal

ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) - Barely Legal

List Price: $24.98
Your Price: $22.48
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: WITHOUT QUESTION THE GREATEST PAY PER VIEW EVER EVER EVER!!!
Review: I got this ppv for two reason I heard too much hype about it and the other reason bein I'm an ecw fan to the end and it didn't disapoint me one bit. here is the rundown of the matches and my ratings with 5 bein the best

Match 1: Tag Champions The Dudleyz vs. The Eliminators - one of the biggest spotfests Ive ever seen!!!!!!! Saturn and Kronus give it their all in this ecw classic. this match is a squash but the things the eliminators do just hypmotise you!!!!!!! you'll scream oh my godd with joey RATING: *****

Match 2: Lance Storm vs. RVD - RVD was a heel here and this is a good one on one match here with a face Lance Storm. every move is exacuted with perfection and good timing.....awesome match RATING: ****

Match 3: Togo, Terryboy, and Taka Michinoku vs. Masato Yakushiji, Great Sasuke, and Gran Hamada - the great six man tag you'll ever see ever!!!!!! and one of my fav matches of all time.......nuff said RATING: *****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*****!!!!!!!!!!!!

Match 4: TV Champion The Franchise vs. Pitbull 2 - good grudge match here that really gets a bad wrap from alot of people but they dont know ECW!!!! so forget them...good match RATING: ***1/4

Match 5: Taz vs. Sabu this is the famous ecw grudge match that set the standard for later feuds to go on. awsome match!!!! with good pshycology RATING: *****

Match 6: Terry Funk vs. Sandman vs. Big Stevie Cool - Stevie is way over here in this awsome hardcore 3-way dance!!!!!! anything with Sandman or Funk is 5-starz!!!!! awsome!!!!!! one of my fav matches RATING: *****

Match 7: World Champion Raven vs. Terry Funk - Funk bleeds like F*ck to begin and this is really a bad match and we didn't expect mcuch after Funk won that 20-min 3-way dance but it served its purpose!!!!! RATING: ***1/2

AWSOMMMME PPV ECW ECW ECW

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: GREATEST WRESTLING DVD EVER IN MY LIFETIME
Review: I WOULD GIVE OR PAY A $1,000,000,000 TO HAVE IT. NOT ONLY ARE
THE MATCHES THE BOMB, BUT THIS IS EXTREME. THIS IS NOT FOR THE LITTLE ONES, BUT IT IS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND CHERISH THE SPORT. ECW IS NOT FAKE IF YOU DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR KID THINKS THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT THEME TO WACTH.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: GREATEST WRESTLING DVD EVER IN MY LIFETIME
Review: I WOULD GIVE OR PAY A $1,000,000,000 TO HAVE IT. NOT ONLY ARE
THE MATCHES THE BOMB, BUT THIS IS EXTREME. THIS IS NOT FOR THE LITTLE ONES, BUT IT IS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND CHERISH THE SPORT. ECW IS NOT FAKE IF YOU DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR KID THINKS THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT THEME TO WACTH.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: New Fans Out There? THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED!!!
Review: If there are any new fans of Extreme Championship Wrestling this DVD is all they need to see what ECW is all about! Next to ECW HeatWave '98, this is the GREATEST ECW PPV EVER!!!

The show started off with an exciting Tag-Team Championship Match between The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh and D-Von) and The Eleminators (Saturn and Kronus). This is a perfect example of what an opening match should be. The Eleminators tag-team work, no art, is incredible! Cool ending to this match too.

Rob Van Dam vs. Lance Storm. This match wasn't even suposed to happen. It was suposed to be Storm vs. Lynn vs. Mikey Whippreck but that couldn't happen. And let me tell you, only ECW could make a replacement look so good!! I love that chair throwing stuff. RVD's always good. Van Dam's my fav. Wrestler and Storm has got to be the Technical Champion of the WWF (currently . . . no Benoit or Shamrock right now though). Awesome match.

Michinuko Pro-Six Man Tag - Incredible Lightweight action! I wouldn't call it the best match of the show because of the length of the match. Thats a bit to long for my taste. But don't get me wronge. This was awesome and its always cool to see examples of other countrys wrestling promotions.

Pitbull 2 vs. Shane Douglas (ECW T-V Title Match) - Shane Douglas at his best!! This is truely the greatest Douglas match I have ever seen and he's incredible. Awesome ending.

Sabu vs. Taz - Technical match of the night that could possibly be the Hardcore match of the night! This had everything including that A+ ending that made it a classic!

Three Way (winner faces Raven) - Terry Funk vs. Sandman vs. Stevie Cool. Never mind. Sabu vs. Taz wasn't the must Hardcore Match of the show . . . THIS WAS!!!! Unreal action in this match that included a ladder, a trash can whrapped in sheet metal, and Barbed Wire! Dreamer was the speical quest commentator for this match and the final match.

ECW World Championship - Raven vs. Terry Funk. Another perfect ending!! Bloody and brutal action in this one.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Barely Legal- A must have for ECW fans
Review: If you call your self a ECW fan, you have to have this DVD because it's ECW's very first ppv. And it was a pretty damn good ppv too. RVD is in this ppv, and If your a ECW fan I don't have to tell you why that's a good thing. Plus Terry Funk wins the World Title in two great matches. All in all a great DVD. A must have for a true ECW fan.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The event that made ECW a household name!
Review: No doubt... this is ECW first ever PPV and it made ECW an instant hit to every wrestling fan.. without this show... ECW wouldn't be the greatest wrestling promotion in history!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The event that made ECW a household name!
Review: No doubt... this is ECW first ever PPV and it made ECW an instant hit to every wrestling fan.. without this show... ECW wouldn't be the greatest wrestling promotion in history!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: ECW's first PPV gets mediocre DVD presentation!
Review: On April 13th of 1997, the now-defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling launched its first pay-per-view. It was headlined by the highly-anticipated first encounter between Taz and Sabu. It also featured Terry Funk battling his way through a "Triple Threat" match to eventually face Raven for the ECW World Title. Other highlights from this amazing show included Rob Van Dam declaring himself to the highest bidder, Rick Rude finally unmasking, and the Eliminators winning the ECW world tag team titles.

"Barely Legal" wasn't the greatest ECW event in history but it did have its share of cool moments. An unscheduled match between future WWF alumni Rob Van Dam and Lance Storm had its entertaining moments though Lance displayed some of the poorest chair work I've ever seen. This should be noted as to the match where Van Dam's major push as "Mr. Monday Night" began. Fans of the more aggressive Japanese style of wrestling will love the Michanoku Pro six-man tag. The very underrated Taka Michanoku, who was never used properly during his WWF stint put on a hell of a show with the rest of the guys. And what would an ECW show be without the "Queen Of Extreme" Francine and Beulah on it? They appear on seperate ocassions, Francine during Douglas' match with Pit-Bull #2 and Beulah before the start of the main event but they both come out looking amazing as always.

While the event itself was incredible, this DVD presentation is average at best. In addition to the fact that most of the promos and backstage interviews that aired during the original broadcast are not included, most of the entrance music has either been altered or removed entirely. The Sandman's entrance originally had hundreds of fans singing along to Metallica's "Enter Sandman". Since they had to replace it with the Motorhead cover version, you don't get to experience what truly was a great ECW fan moment. Since this is really the only version of the event on the retail market, you will have to settle with it or try to track down an original copy of the pay-per-view.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It may be Barely Legal, but it's also Totally Extreme!
Review: On April 1997, ECW broke through all rival promotions to present the most grueling PPV of the year, "Barely Legal" 1997. Although lacking the pomp and grandiose of Wrestlemania, "Barely Legal" easily held on its own with terrific hardcore action and ooh-ahh spots that had everyone on the edge of their seats.

1.) Eliminators vs. Dudley Boyz- This is a near-total squash, but what a beautifully done squash! Perry Saturn and John Kronos deliver their most perfect performance ever with a never-ending array of somersaults and brain-busting double-team kicks! This may be more like a Ringling Brs. Circus spectacle than an actual wrestling match, but you will be amazed of the pace so much that you can only thirst for more ECW! ****

2.) Lance Storm vs. Rob Van Dam- The fans on this show don't give enough credit to either man in one of their numerous encounters together. If you think Jerry Lynn is Rob's most common opponent, then you've flat out missed Storm. Both men are harassed with boos and curses on all sides (Lance because he makes pathetic chair shots, and Rob because he messes up some maneuvers with the ropes). Besides that, a healthy does of technical, mid-air mayhem, supplied with plenty of innovative ideas with chairs, makes this match one for fans of Storm and Van Dam. Now that both men are in the WWF, expect them to be the next rivalry since Rock & Austin or Benoit & Jericho. ****1/2

3.) Michinoku Pro- Remember Taka Michinoku, from WWF's Kaientai? If you're one of those people who thinks he's a pathetic Japanese goof-off, you haven't see him back in the days as part of the Lucha-style Michinoku Pro promotion. Along with Dick Togo and Mens Teioh, Taka faces off against Masato Yakushuji, Gran Naniwa, and the greatest Japanese luchadore ever, Grand/Great Sasuke, in the most stratospheric battle you might have ever seen. Forget RVD, these guys take airborne to new heights! It seems ever minute, at least two men are jumping over each other to get the better hand (or foot) over the other. Moonsaults, Lionsaults, Suicide Dives, Triple-team Slams, Piledrivers, Tornado DDTs, Senton Splashes...the list of air moves goes on and on, and that's coming from a cast of fighters with a half of them weighing over 240 pounds! If you are to see only one tag team wrestling match in your entire life, make it this one! This is match of the night. *****++

4.) Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull #2- You've seen one match between these guys, you've seen them all...That's the best I could say about this confrontation for the TV title. Douglas is okay, but Pitbull #2 is awfully messy and keeps making mistakes in this match (Hence, the audience keeps chanting "B.S." and Pitbull #2 never gets to stick around in the ECW universe for long). The closing sequences to the match are very similar to the 4 Corners TV match almost 6 months before, so if you've seen that classic, you won't be surprised who'd win this match in the end. The subplot involving a masked man is bound to confuse newbies to ECW. ***

5.) Sabu vs. Taz- Just about any ECW fan would say this match, involving the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal high-flyer Sabu and the suplexing machine Taz, is very disappointing by the standards of both men. In a way, they're right. The weardown holds Taz keeps doing to Sabu are way too long, and Sabu keeps getting too vulnerable to Taz's hits. There are a few highlight moments, though, such as Sabu's leaps off of chairs and a messed-up table spot that has him tasting wood. Hardcore Sabu/Taz fans would diss this as an amateur accomplishment, but it is important in introducing Bill Alfonso as the hilarious manager of Sabu and Sabu's partner, none other than egomaniac Rob Van Dam. ***1/2

6.) Big Stevie Cool vs. The Sandman vs. Terry Funk- The Innovator of Violence, Tommy Dreamer, sits down next to announcer Joey Styles in the hopes that mentor Terry Funk would vanquish archenemy Raven off his World Heavyweight Championship. The problem for the Funker is that he first must survive this hardcore Three-Way Dance against the popular leader of the Blue World Order and the ultimate ECW hardcore icon, and what a confrontation it is. It's a 20-minute war as chairs, tables, a ladder, a garbage can, and barb-wire streamers are the weapons of choice in this insane brawl. (How many times did the fans go "Ooh" when a ladder slammed down on a poor luchadore?) Highlight moments include a loud slap fest, a ladder landing on everyone's noggin every few moments, even some brutal see-saw action with the ladder thrusting up on someone's chin!) Very illogical, but truly brutal and worth looking at for its unbelievable content. ****1/4

7.) Terry Funk vs. Raven- The Funker survives the battle, but all battered and broken, he must take on a fully fresh slacker who is also the World Heavyweight Champion. This is more of a spot fest than a total wrestling match, but the story being told here is well done. Raven begins severely blading Funk with a chair, causing the 53-year old to bleed in sickening pints (Makes this THE scariest moment in this show). Although a doctor tries to help out Funk, Raven continues to assault the man with his cronies and even smashes him through a table on the outside. Raven then begins to taunt ole Tommy Dreamer that he'll end the career of Dreamer's tutor right before the Innovator. Dreamer is incensed and demands to fight Raven, until Big D. Dudley comes up and attacks him from behind. The burly Dudley then grabs Dreamer and prepares to level him with 3 stacked tables below. But Tommy kicks out and sends Big D. crashing right through the tables into unrecognizable splinters! ("Oh my GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDD!!") Raven is stunned that the plan backfires, and suddenly, Dreamer pursues his opponent and lands Raven with a DDT! In due time, Funker is able to pin the slacker and become the first man to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championsip on a PPV! Dreamer and Funk warmly hug each other as the crowd proudly shouts, "ECW! ECW! ECW!..." This was just too cool an ending. ****1/4

So there you have it. The mid-card may be slightly weak, but the earlier matches and the double main-event makes this again an ECW video worth the money. You won't regret it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling - Barely Legal
Review: On April the 13th, 1997, the folks at Extreme Championship Wrestling staged the most important event in their short history - their first pay-per-view. For a company that started out as a non-profit regional promotion, this was a crucial date indeed - if the PPV didn't succeed, chances are neither would ECW. Thankfully then, for both Team Extreme and their fans, they didn't disappoint. In a full run-down of the card...

ECW World tag team champions The Dudley Boyz (Buh-Buh Ray & D-Von) defended the gold against The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) in an entertaining, yet psychology-lacking opener... Lance Storm took on (substituting for the injured Chris Candido) Rob Van Dam in a decent outing... The Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada and (subbing for the injured Gran Naniwa) Masato Yakushiji locked horns with Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo and Terry Boy in a tremendous Six-man match... World Television champion "The Franchise" Shane Douglas battled Pit Bull #2 in a sloppy disappointment... Taz faced (after a year and a half's worth of hype) Sabu in a hard-hitting, enthralling bout... And finally, Terry Funk bested bWo leader Stevie "Big Stevie Cool" Richards and The Sandman in a great Three Way Dance to advance to take on World heavyweight champion Raven in the brutal and bloody finale.

A memorable, if not entirely satisfactory, card; Barely legal is available commercially on video and DVD for the first time and, if I were you, I certainly wouldn't pass up the chance to own this fantastic piece of wrestling history.


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