Background: Following World Championship Wrestling’s separation from the National Wrestling Alliance, the NWA was left without a champion or a company to represent the wrestling body. Enter ECW (Eastern Championship Wrestling) and their approval to host a NWA World title tournament featuring some of their best wrestlers. After several bouts, ECW champion Shane Douglas and 2 Cold Scorpio entered the ring to determine who would be the new NWA World champion.
Hardcore TV
Philadelphia, PA
August 27, 1994
Shane Douglas vs. 2 Cold Scorpio
Douglas took his time coming into physical contact with Scorpio, leading to an exchange on the mat where Douglas hooked Scorpio in a modified Indian deathlock. Scorpio powered out of the submission hold, almost pinning Douglas. Another pinning combination seconds later almost ended Douglas’ night as well. Insulating slaps to the face of Scorpio fired up the high flyer, causing him to slap Shane in position for a somersault leg drop. Douglas was starting to show signs of frustration when getting caught in so many pinning combinations.
Using a forearm, Douglas almost turned the tides, but ended up being taken down by a big cross body block. Belly to back suplex by Shane Douglas allowed him to put Scorpio in a camel clutch. Showing incredible leg strength, Scorpio pressed himself off the mat with Douglas on his shoulders for an electric chair drop. Clothesline-slingshot splash by 2 Cold didn’t put Shane Douglas away. Shane rolled onto the apron for some haven, but got dropkicked to the floor for his trouble.
Scorpio sent Douglas flying over the guardrail, into the crowd when Scorpio beat him down. Suplex attempt by Scorpio was turned into a gourd buster that saw 2 Cold be dropped across the guardrail abdomen first. Shane wanted the count out victory, but found nothing but a near fall. Cross body block from Douglas missed, leaving him open for a tombstone piledriver. Instead of going for the pin, Scorpio went for the moonsault. Douglas moved at the last second, leaving Scorpio prone for the Belly-to-Belly Suplex and the three count.
Winner: Shane Douglas (12:51)
After the match, Shane Douglas cut a promo where he threw down his newly won NWA World title belt, casting down the champions who proudly held that title before him before declaring himself the ECW champion and the vanguard of Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Is It A Classic: The promo following the match is more historic than the match itself. But Douglas-Scorpio was a worthy conclusion to the tournament as they mixed some crisp mat wrestling with a hard-hitting, high flying style of wrestling ECW would become known for. This is one of the truly historic matches in wrestling history and deserves to be seen.
