Background: The rumors of Lance Storm heading to World Championship Wrestling caused the ECW World Tag Team champion Justin Credible to throw down the title and challenge the new ECW World champion Tommy Dreamer. With the help of Dreamer’s valet Francine turning on the then-champ, Credible was able to become the new ECW champion.
This event’s top match was scheduled to be Credible defending against the former champion in Dreamer and his exiting partner, but Dreamer was attacked before the match. Credible declared he’d trash the ECW World title like he did the Tag Team title if Tommy was allowed into the match. Dreamer tried to make a liar of Credible, but ECW owner Paul Heyman stopped things from going downhill by forcing Dreamer to the back.
Hardcore Heaven 2000
Milwaukee, WI
May 14, 2000
Justin Credible vs. Lance Storm
Lance Storm – as usual accompanied by Dawn Marie – took the fight to the champion immediately, sending him to the floor with some right hands. When Credible reentered, Storm dropkicked him to the floor. Credible grabbed his trademark Singapore cane, swinging his stick to knock the airborne Storm out of the sky. After pushing Storm back in, Credible went to set up a table on the entrance ramp. Storm stopped whatever the champ had in mind, but ended up running into a pair of boots and that sit-out power bomb in the corner. The fans were voicing their want for Tommy Dreamer as Credible used the rear chin lock. When Storm fought out of the hold, Credible took the wind out of Storm’s sails with a clothesline.
Credible bounced off the ropes, running into a head scissors that left him prone for some Storm right hands and a springboard back elbow. The athleticism of the challenger left Credible reeling and unable to hit his That’s Incredible tombstone piledriver. Sadly for Storm, he ran into a super kick. Grabbing a chair, Credible slammed Storm face first against the chair’s seat. When Credible went for an abdominal stretch following the failed pin attempt, Storm hip tossed Credible over the top rope so the champion when through the table he set up minutes ago.
Storm couldn’t get the pin, but was able to slip Credible into the Maple Leaf. Francine saved her man by whacking Storm in the head with her shoe. For the first time in the match, the fans rose to their feet as Dawn Marie and Francine circled each other for a wicked catfight. The champ separated the two warring women, hitting That’s Incredible on Dawn Marie!
Storm took advantage of Credible’s lapse of judgment, cracking him on the head with the champ’s cane. Credible countered Storm’s attempt at That’s Incredible, hitting his finisher … for a near fall!
The crowd quickly deflated following the near fall, even when Credible went for the Pedigree. Storm scaled the ropes, only to get caught with another That’s Incredible. Credible fell on top of his old partner, pinning him to successfully defend the gold.
Winner: Justin Credible (12:29)
After the match, Dreamer slipped in to cane Justin Credible before threatening to do the same to Francine. Instead, Dreamer put her lights out with the Death Valley Driver.
Is It A Classic: For two guys who worked so well as a team, you’d expect more that what was given. They tried hard, but something was missing. Add an apathetic crowd to the mix, and you have a very dull main event. But as a match, it was solid, yet forgettable.
