On this week’s episode of The Pro Wrasslin’ Reflection Podcast episode 7… ECW's Barely Legal 1997!
Big Ray, "The Professor" Anthony Quintana aka “Ricky Freestyle” and Ryan Boman review this classic Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) event!
Barely Legal was the first professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event held by Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). It took place on April 13, 1997, at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In one of the show's main event's, Terry Funk defeated The Sandman and Stevie Richards in a Three-Way Dance to earn an immediate title match against ECW World Heavyweight Champion Raven, which Funk also won to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
Difficulties getting pay-per-view companies to air Barely Legal arose in late 1996 when Request TV initially canceled the show after wrestling journalist Wade Keller alerted Request of the November 1996 "Mass Transit" incident during an interview about the event. Another company, Premiere, expressed concern over the amount of violence ECW showcased, and that its programming was not suitable for children. Eventually, through the efforts of e-mails from hundreds of fans, Premiere decided to carry the event. However, e-mails sent to Viewer's Choice and Cablevision were unsuccessful in convincing the companies to air the show, as they were unhappy with visual imagery used in ECW's television, including young Tyler Fullington's involvement in the Raven/Sandman feud. After further discussions with ECW owner Paul E. Dangerously and ECW GM Steve Karel, Request TV reversed their earlier decision and agreed to carry the event under certain conditions which included, among other things, an advanced script of the show, pushing back the scheduled start time from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and no excessive amount of blood.
Event information:
Name of the event: ECW Barely Legal
Date: April 4, 1997
Promotion: Extreme Championship Wrestling
Type: Pay Per View
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Arena: ECW Arena
Attendance: 1,250
Broadcast type: Live
Broadcast date: 4/19/97
Commentary by: Joey Styles & (Special Guest Commentator) Tommy Dreamer
PPV buyrate (relative): 0.26
Full match card & results:
Dark Match: Louie Spicolli defeats Balls Mahoney
Dark Tag Team Match: Chris Chetti & JT Smith defeat The FBI (Little Guido & Tommy Rich)
ECW World Tag Team Title Match: The Eliminators (John Kronus & Perry Saturn) defeat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley) (w/Joel Gertner & Sign Guy Dudley) (c)
Singles Match: Rob Van Dam defeats Lance Storm
Six Man Tag Team Match: Gran Hamada, Masato Yakushiji & The Great Sasuke defeat Kaientai DX (Dick Togo, Taka Michinoku & Terry Boy)
ECW World Television Title Match: Shane Douglas (c) (w/Francine) defeats Pitbull #2
Grugde Match: Taz (w/Bill Alfonso) defeats Sabu
ECW World Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Three Way Elimination Match: Terry Funk defeats Big Stevie Cool (w/7-11, Hollywood Nova, The Blue Meanie & Thomas Rodman) and The Sandman
ECW World Heavyweight Title Match: Terry Funk defeats Raven (c)
