Day 4 2021

 

ECW Hostile City Showdown 1995

Terry Funk vs. Cactus Jack

I believe this would be quintessential ECW. This is the shit that got them so much publicity in the early days. And it’s ugly from the word go. 

Terry basically tells the ring announcer to fuck off because the fans know who both men are. Cactus one ups his mentor and invites Terry into the crowd to fight. Terry obliges but goes to a different side of the crowd and calls Cactus over. Theoretically this should work in Funks favor but he has back turned to Cactus so the One Eared Wonder takes early control. 

They brawl up to the commentary position and proceed to will on each other with chairs. After a table spot, they go back through the crowd and to ringside. The Funker continues to lay into Cactus with a chair he brought back as a souvenir. Cactus attempts to counter this with a crutch, a cookie sheet, and a frying pan. Funk no sells the pan because he’s the goddamn Funker and Betty Cocker ain’t got shit on him. 

The chaos continues into the ring and for no reason Cactus brings a RubberMaid trash can into the mix. Because that’s what the match needed. Funk finds beer bottles in the garbage over and breaks one over Cactus’ head which brings us our first drop of blood. Funk finds two more bottles…and breaks them. He then channels Nick Gage and drags them across Cactus’ face, chest, and arm. 

Poor Mikey Whipwreck and Hack Myers attempt to subdue The Funker to no avail. It’s for all for nought as Cactus gets a near fall when Funk tries for the Spinning Toe Hold and then DDTs Funk onto a chair…then I’m pretty sure Sandman fucked up. 

He comes down and attempts to hit Cactus with the kendo stick but gets Funk instead. The bell rings but Cactus takes out Sandman and DDTs Funk on the chair again and the ref counts the fall. So either Sandman came out too early or this is was just classic ECW car crash booking. 

If you like crazy hardcore brawls then this is exactly for you. Funk and Foley revolutionized this style of wrestling state side and for better or worse left a lasting impact on the business. This is exactly what it was advertised to be, a bloody, dirty grudge match and it’s so good.