|Date: June 12, 2005
|Venue: Hammerstein Ballroom |City: New York City, New York
|Attendance: 2,500 |Buys: 340, 000

|tweet me: @BastionBlogger

ECW returns! Albeit just for one night only. Tommy Dreamer and Paul Heyman have been tasked with putting together an ECW show featuring some of the top ECW stars from the late 90’s. Prior to the show there were no match announcements or no build to the matches. Instead the build has been about the WWE stars threatening to ruin the night. On Raw Eric Bischoff has been against the idea from the get-go due to his dislike to Paul Heyman. Bischoff has been proud to tell everybody that it was he that out ECW out of business. He is taking a crew of Raw superstars to One Night Stand which includes the likes of Edge, Christian, Maven, Snitsky and La Resistance to spoil the party. Over on Smackdown John “Bradshaw” Layfield has been open about his distain for the event. Kurt Angle has also said how he hated the ECW product and attacked Tazz, smashing a chair into his face due to Tazz’s allegiance to ECW. Tonight there should be some characters that we haven’t seen in a long time taking to the ring to bring back the ECW style.

The show opens with a shot of the Hammerstein Ballroom. The ECW music plays and Joey Styles is introduced. There’s a huge pop for Styles and as he grabs the mic in the ring a “Joey” chant breaks out. Styles looks quite emotional as he welcomes everybody to One Night Stand. Styles then introduces his broadcast partner for the night Mick Foley. Foley comes out in his Cactus Jack gear to his Cactus Jack music. The titles then roll and they look edited specifically for this show with some of the stars that will feature on it in their ECW days.

Chris Jericho vs. Lance Storm

Lance Storm is joined by Dawn Marie. This is the first PPV meeting between these two men that were once tag team partners. Jericho is dressed in his old school ECW gear and introduced as “Lionheart” Chris Jericho. Storm takes Jericho down in the early going and there’s plenty of chain wrestling between the two. Arm drags, monkey flips and hiptosses end in a stalemate and the crowd love it. Jericho hits a waistlock takedown and then executes a bow and arrow. Storm gets out of it and hits a chop but Jericho catches him with a dropkick off the middle rope. Jericho baseball slides Storm out of the ring and then attempts a double axe handle off the apron but Storm sidesteps it and Chris hits the barrier. Back in the ring and Lance hits a nice dropkick for the first near fall of the match. These two men were the Thrillseekers when they started out together. Lance hits a suplex for a near fall and then applies a chinlock. I think I would have liked to see The Impact Players back together for this show.

Jericho gets out of the chinlock and hits a big dropkick on Storm as he comes off the middle rope. It’s advantage Jericho now as he hits a hiptoss and an enzeguri. A “Chris Candido” chant breaks out, he died earlier this year. Jericho hits a German suplex for a two count. Storm hits a dropkick and then sets up for a piledriver but Jericho hits a back body drop. Storm lands on his feet and hits a superkick for a near fall. Jericho hits a suplex off the top and follows it up with an elbow for a two count. Storm locks on a single crab in a beautiful manner but Jericho gets out of it and attempts the walls of Jericho but instead slingshots Storm into the top turnbuckle. Jericho hits a bulldog and then attempts the lionsault but Storm gets his knees up. Jericho catches Storms knees and tries to get the walls of Jericho on but Jason and Justin Credible appear and get up on the apron! Jericho fights them both off and rolls up Storm but Storm kicks out and Justin Credible leather Storm in the face with a kendo stick! Storm pins Jericho and gets the 3! Lance Storm wins tonight with help from Justin Credible! Great way to start off the show.

Rating: 7/10

We see a shot of the reserved seats for the Raw and Smackdown superstars looking to put an end to this show.

“The Pitbull” Gary Wolfe reflects on some of the ECW “brothers” who can’t be here tonight. There is then a tribute video to some of the ECW superstars who have passed away. Rocco Rock (Public Enemy), Terry Gordy, Mike Lockwood (Crash Holly), The Original Sheik, Mike Lozansky, Pitbull Anthony Durante, Big Dick Dudley and Chris Candido.

Tajiri vs. Super Crazy vs. Nunzio

This match is two falls to the finish. Tajiri is joined by former manager James Mitchell and former tag team partner Mikey Whipwreck. Nunzio is joined by Big Guido, Tracey Smothers, J.T. Smith and Tony Mamaluke, all his former FBI members. Super Crazy is alone. Super Crazy disposes of Nunzio early and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Tajiri. Nunzio is back in and hits a fujiwara armbar on Tajiri. Super Crazy is in and hits a standing moonsault on Nunzio for a one count. Nunzio is going by Little Guido in this one. Super Crazy hits a basement dropkick on Tajiri sending him out of the ring. Smothers trips Super Crazy from the outside and Nunzio then comes off the top with a Sicilian Slice. Nunzio and Super Crazy fight to the outside where Crazy goes up to the top balcony and moonsaults down on top of Little Guido! Crazy makes his way back to the ring where Tajiri applies a tarantula on him.

Super Crazy hits ten big right hands to Tajiri but the F.B.I then crotch him around the ringpost. All hell breaks loose now as the F.B.I get involved. Mikey Whipwreck hits a stunner off the top rope on Nunzio and Tajiri covers the Guido for the three count! Little Guido has been eliminated. 

Super Crazy hits a springboard moonsault on Tajiri for a two count. Tajiri counters a powerbomb into a DDT for a near fall. Tajiri lays into Super Crazy who the fans are behind. Crazy hits a firemans carry and then two consecutive moonsaults for a near fall. He attempts a third but Mikey Whipwreck stops him. Crazy ducks a kick and then hits a powerbomb and a top rope moonsault for the three! Super Crazy wins the match tonight! Another exciting match!

Rating: 7.25/10

There’s a VT showing some early memories from ECW.

Psicosis vs. Rey Mysterio

Two luchadors in this match. Psicosis makes his PPV debut for the WWE much like Super Crazy did in the last match. The two men chain wrestle in the early going and it’s Psicosis with an arm drag. Mysterio hits a victory roll for a two count. Plenty of history between these two men. Mysterio hits a springboard cross body which Psicosis rolls through and hits a face plant. Psicosis hits a hard Irish whip for a two count. Mysterio hits a springboard moonsault for a near fall but Psicosis takes the advantage with a sleeper which the crowd boo. Psicosis throws Mysterio out of the ring and then throws Rey into the ring barrier before suplexing him on it and then going up top and hitting a legdrop on Mysterio! Psicosis gets a near fall. Mysterio so far the only man to wrestle tonight that wrestled on the last WWE PPV, Judgment Day. Psicosis hits a chop and then misses with a running dropkick in the corner.

Mysterio hits a facebuster for a two count as a “lucha libra” chant breaks out. Psicosis misses with a shoulder charge in the corner and the momentum takes him out of the ring and into the crowd. Mysterio then dives out from the top with a plancha all the way into the crowd. Back in the ring and Mysterio hits a springboard dropkick, a 619 and then a west coast pop which is enough for the three! Mysterio wins the match but he was getting a few boos as he was finishing up there. Another great match.

Rating: 6.5/10

We see some of the Smackdown wrestlers turn up, led by Kurt Angle and JBL. Orlando Jordan, The Basham Brothers, Matt Morgan and Carlito make their way to their seats to a “you suck dick” chant. That chant changes to a “fuck you Smackdown” chant.

There’s a VT showing some more ECW clips featuring Paul Heyman, Tommy Dreamer, Raven, Steve Austin, 911, Chris Benoit, Shane Douglas, The Dudley Boyz, Sabu, Tazz and Rob Van Dam.

Joel Gertner is up in the stand with the smackdown wrestlers. Kurt Angle takes the microphone off him and JBL then lays Joel out. Kurt tells the ECW fans that they are the lowest form of scum. Kurt then says that every ECW that wrestlers tonight will get their ass kicked by them. Layfield then gets on the mic and says that anybody that hits themselves with a kendo stick can be an ECW wrestlers. JBL is then interrupted by Rob Van Dam and Bill Alfonso. Van Dam gets on the mic and tells the Smackdown superstars to shut their mouths. Van Dam says he doesn’t have creative genius’ writing his scripts for him so tonight he’ll be saying more than “whatever” and “cool”. Van Dam says he wants to showcase his actual skills and that he is the whole fucking show. RVD 4:20 means I just smoked your ass. Van Dam says that his TV title reign was the best time of his career. He’s shooting here folks. Van Dam claims that this show was his idea. RVD is disappointed not to be cleared to wrestle for this pay per view. He says that it sucks worse than missing the Japan and Europe trips, Booker T’s wedding or even Wrestlemania.

Rhyno then comes out and gores Van Dam! The lights go out and when they come back on Sabu is standing in the middle of the ring! We’ve got an impromptu match!

Sabu vs. Rhyno

The crowd are hot right now. Rhyno knocks down Sabu with a shoulder barge and then a belly to belly suplex. Rhyno was fired from the WWE a month before for wrecking a hotel room. Sabe finds a chair from somewhere and leathers Rhyno with it, sending him outside the ring. Sabu then sets up the chair and uses it to springboard to the top rope and then to the outside onto Rhyno. Sabu Irish whips Rhyno into the barricade and then throws a chair at him. Sabu sets up a table and lays Rhyno on top of it but Rhyno stops Sabu from doing anything. Back in the ring and Rhyno hits a shoulder charge and a snapmare. A “you’ve been fired” chant breaks out aimed at Rhyno who gets a near fall. Rhyno hits a powerslam and then heads to the top but Sabu goes up with him and hits a springboard hurricanrana and a slingshot leg lariat for a near fall. Sabu hits a spinning heel kick and a legdrop for a two count.

Rhyno hits a drop toe hold onto a chair and then a TKO style move onto the chair for a near fall. Rhyno hits a fallaway powerbomb and then attempts a gore but Sabu pulls the referee in the way! Rhyno hits a powerbomb on Sabu but in comes Rob Van Dam who throws a chair at Rhyno and then dropkicks a chair into Rhyno’s face. RVD sets up a table and puts Rhyno onto it. Sabu comes off the top and using a chair he legdrops Rhyno through the table! The referee makes the count and it’s a win for Sabu tonight!

Rating: 6.5/10

Al Snow is backstage talking to Head. Snow is blaming Head for the Smackdown wrestlers showing up. He links into a VT with more ECW memories.

The Raw superstars show up led by Eric Bischoff. The likes of Edge, Christian, Tomko, William Regal, Snitsky, Maven, La Resistance and Coach.

Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero

This is the third pay per view match between these two men. Both men have a victory up to now so we’ll call this the rubber match. Eddie plays such a good heel. Benoit hits an armdrag in the early going as a “Lita’s got herpes” chant breaks out. Guerrero leaves the ring and takes a minute. Back in the ring and Eddie hits some kicks on Benoit and then some clubbing blows to the back. Eddie takes Benoit down with a reverse elbow and then the two men exchange some chops. Eddie takes the advantage with a thumb to the eye and then applies a chinlock. The crowd are split on who they want to win this one. Benoit hits a back suplex and Eddie is bleeding from the nose which is a reoccurring injury. Eddie hits a snapmare for a two count and then goes back to the chinlock. Benoit fights out with some right hands and then a shoulder charge but he misses with a second shoulder charge and falls to the outside.

On the outside Eddie throws Benoit into a chair before smashing the chair across his back. Guerrero then hits a superplex back into the ring. Eddie heads to the top and attempts his frog splash but Benoit moves out of the way and Eddie hits canvas. Benoit hits some chops before Eddie reverses the situation and hits some chops of his own. Benoit hits a clothesline and a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Benoit then hits a superplex before crawling over and getting a near fall. Benoit hits three consecutive German suplexes and then heads to the top where he hits a diving headbutt for a two count. Benoit then applies the crippler crossface and Eddie taps out! Benoit wins the match tonight! A good match between these two men which could have been even better had it gone on longer.

Rating: 7.25/10

Joel Gertner is up in the balcony again. He asks Eric Bischoff if he can have a job. Bischoff says hell no and ECW sucks.

Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka

The Raw wrestlers all turn their back on the ring. The two men slug it out and Awesome hits a belly to belly suplex. He then hits a flying shoulder charge as Joey Styles hates on Mike Awesome for leaving ECW as World Champion. Awesome dives to the outside on Tanaka as he shows a lot of athleticism. Tanaka back body drops Awesome into the front row and then smashes a chair into his face. Tanaka throws Awesome into the barricade but Mike hits a big boot and a clothesline and rolls Tanaka back into the ring. Awesome sets up a table on the outside and then clothesline Tanaka onto the apron. Awesome then hits a huge powerbomb off the apron through the table on the outside! Awesome rolls Tanaka back into the ring and then goes up top and comes down with a huge splash for a near fall. Awesome attempts a piledriver but Tanaka counters it. Awesome rolls through though and hits the powerbomb!

Mike Awesome looks under the ring ands doesn’t find whatever he’s looking for. Instead he grabs a chair and smashes it into Tanaka’s face three times. Man that looked rough. Tanaka gets up, kicks the chair in Awesomes face and then hits a diamond cutter off the second rope. Tanaka hits a tornado DDT of the middle rope onto some chairs but only for a two count. Tanaka lays a chair on Awesome’s face and then goes up top with another chair, driving it though Awesome’s face with an elbow drop but again only a two count! Awesome ducks a clothesline and hits a German suplex and then a spear. Awesome climbs to the top with a chair before coming down and smashing it into Tanaka’s head. Mike Awesome pulls another table form under the ring and slides it into the ring before deciding not to and grabbing another table, putting that one into the ring. Awesome sets the table up in the ring and pops Tanaka on the top rope but Tanaka counters a superplex into a tornado DDT, driving Awesome through the table! Somehow Awesome kicks out of the pinfall!

Tanaka heads to the top but Awesome meets him up there and hits him with another Awesomebomb through the remains of the table! That was seriously dangerous. There was metal sticking up he could’ve killed him. Mike Awesome sets up another table on the outside and then powerbomb Tanaka through it from the ring before diving to the outside! And he gets the 3 for the win! What a match that was. They nearly killed each other but it was entertaining as hell.

Rating: 8/10

Paul Heyman makes his way to the ring. He’s extremely emotional as he stands in the middle of the ring. Heyman says that he’s not crying, his eyes are red because he was in the back smoking a joint with RVD. Heyman thanks Todd Gordon, a couple of the TV staff at ringside and the fans. Heyman then targets Eric Bischoff who shows him the finger. Hide your wives it’s Edge. Nice line. He has two more words for Edge, Matt “Freakin” Hardy. Technically 3 but we’ll go with it. Heyman then tells JBL that the only reason he was WWE Champion for a year is because Triple H didn’t want to work Tuesdays.

The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von) vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman

The Sandman makes his entrance through the crowd, busting himself open on a beer can as he does. Sandman is in far from the best shape he’s ever been in. Really looks like he lives the gimmick. He pours beer on one girl and licks it all off. Elektra, Chris Chetti and C.W. Anderson are all on the front row too. Sandmans entrance goes on for ages. Must be about ten minutes. The four men show some respect for each other before the bell rings. Before the bell does ring, some music hits and out comes the Blue World Order! Stevie “Big Stevie Cool” Richards, “The Blue Guy” Blue Meanie and Hollywood Nova! Richards gets on the mic and says that the bWo are taking over and then hits The Sandman with the Stevie kick! All hell breaks loose and out comes Kid Kash! The bWo dispose of him but here come Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten! They take out the bWo before the Dudley Boyz dispose of them! All 9 men fight to the outside where Kid Kash hits a springboard plancha taking them all out! Bubba Ray throws a trashcan in the ring and Tommy Dreamer hits him with it!

The bell finally rings and the main event is underway. Bubba Ray hits a belly to back suplex on Dreamer. D-Von lays into The Sandman on the outside whilst bubba Ray smashes Dreamer in the face with a metal tray. Dreamer is bleeding and Bubba mashes his face with a cheese-grater! Bubba Ray misses with a senton off the middle rope but he and D-Von hit a double neckbreaker on Dreamer. Sandman takes out both Dudleyz with a ladder before giving it to Tommy to swing in everyones face. Dreamer then grates Bubba Ray’s face with the cheese-grater. In the ring Sandman hits a drop toe hold on D-Von onto a trash can. Sandman gets a near fall on D-Von. Dreamer smashes a tray into Bubba Ray’s face. Bubba Ray crotches Dreamer onto the guard rail whilst Sandman hits a senton on D-Von. Bubba Ray then swings a chair into Sandmans face. D-Von lays Sandman on a ladder and Bubba Ray comes off the second rope with a frog splash for a near fall.

D-Von swings a singapore cane and accidentally takes out his own partner! Sandman then hits D-Von with a Russian leg sweep. Both Dreamer and Sandman then apply figure four leg leglocks! From nowhere comes Lance Storm and Justin Credible! Credible hits a piledriver on Sandman then out comes Francine who kicks Dreamer in the crotch! Beulah McGillicutty then comes out and we’ve got a catfight on out hands! Lance Storm goes to take out Beulah but hits Justin Credible before Dreamer takes care of them. Dreamer and Beulah embrace in the ring and then take down the Dudley Boyz with DDT’s. Dreamer crushes D-Vons balls with a metal sign and then Bubba Ray takes out Dreamer and Sandman with a singapore cane! The Dudley Boyz set up a table and then powerbomb Sandman through it. Dreamer swings a can at D-Von but The Dudley Boyz take out Dreamer with a 3D! Spike Dudley then comes out from the back! He gives bubba Ray some lighter fluid and the Dudley Boyz set fire to the table before powerbombing Tommy Dreamer right through it! Bubba makes the fall and gets the 3! The Dudley Boyz win this crazy match!

Rating: 6/10

All hell seems to break loose and Sandman asks for a beer! His prayers are answered as Stone Cold Steve Austin makes his way out! Austin says that Sandman needs a case of beer. Austin invites all of the ECW wrestlers out for a beer bash. All of the ECW wrestlers come out including the likes of Danny Doring, Roadkill and Johnny Swinger. Stone Cold then invites the Raw and Smackdown wrestlers down to the ring. They head down to the ring led by Eric Bischoff. Tazz’s music then hits and out walks the man that’s been having his issues with Kurt Angle as of late. All hell then breaks loose! Tazz and Kurt Angle go at it when Tazz locks the Tazzmission on Angle! JBL and The Blue Meanie shoot fight on each other and Meanie is bleeding down his face. ECW clear the ring of the WWE guys. Austin then asks Foley to bring Eric Bischoff to the ring, which he does. The Dudley Boyz hit Bischoff with a 3D, Benoit hits him with a flying headbutt and Mysterio hits Bischoff with a 619. Austin puts a microphone in Bischoffs face to which the Raw GM says “Fuck ECW”. Austin then hits Bischoff with a Stunner and his music hits. The Dudley Boyz throw Bischoff out of the arena as the rest of the ECW alumni celebrate with beers in the ring.

Well that was some pay per view. I knew it was going to be good but I don’t think I thought that it would be that good. There wasn’t a bad match on the card, the crowd was hot and there was some insane spots that we haven’t seen since the attitude era. The Chris Jericho and Lance Storm match was a really solid match to kick things off. This is probably Lance Storms final match in a WWE ring and I’m glad that it was with the man he started out with. I also like that Lance Storm won as he was much more of an ECW guy than Jericho was. Super Crazy then beat Nunzio and Tajiri and for the second match in a row, current WWE superstars were beaten by somebody not contracted to the company. Super Crazy looked great though and I wouldn’t be surprised if he earned himself a contract tonight. There was a lot going on in this match, mainly due to all the outside shenanigans from the FBI, Mikey Whipwreck and The Sinister Minister James Mitchell. Crazy’s moonsault off the balcony was one of the best spots of the night. An interesting result this one as it could have gone any way but as a betting man I probably would have backed Tajiri.

Psicosis and Rey Mysterio were up next and I was a little surprised by the placement of this match, coming so soon after the previous high-flying affair. Rey Mysterio won this match and a small vocal percentage of the crowd clearly weren’t happy. Mysterio is one of the top WWE babyfaces currently so he wasn’t losing. I liked Psicosis, he was a solid talent and someone who would really benefit the Cruiserweight division on Smackdown right now. The Rob Van Dam shoot promo was great. I’m not sure how much of it he meant but he really stuck it to the WWE in any case. Sabu then beat Rhyno in a match right out of the ECW playbook. It was a combination I wasn’t necessarily expecting but it worked. Rhyno worked the best I think I’ve ever seen him. Shame he got fired a month earlier. Sabu got a big pop when he came out and still has a bit of name value but I don’t think he would really fit into the current WWE landscape.

Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero met in the only match we had seen on WWE PPV before. This was a decent match but not their best. Chris Benoit won the match but I don’t like Eddie Guerrero tapping out. I guess he has been on a losing streak as of late but still. Eddie is the hotter commodity at the moment. Still, an average match for them is better than a good match for a lot of guys so still worth a watch. Mike Awesome and Masato Tanaka would probably fill me with the least excitement from the matches on this card but it was an absolute showstealer. The two men nearly killed each other out there and although it was a bit of a spotfest, it was still a lot of fun. Awesome nearly killed himself at the end, landing on his head. An unexpectedly great match. Paul Heymans shoot was brilliant. Then all hell broke loose in the main event. It was chaos from the beginning but still a lot of fun. The Dudley Boyz won after powerbombing Tommy Dreamer through a flaming table. It doesn’t get much more extreme than that. The aftermath went on a bit long for my liking. This might have been better if it happened before the main event. Overall one of the best pay per views of all time. If you haven’t seen it then I urge you to go and watch it right now. Top to bottom a fantastic event.

Overall Rating: 69.28/100 (ranked 8th out of 180)

Match Of The Night: Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka
Worst Match Of The Night: The Dudley Boyz vs. Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman
Surprise Of The Night: Two WWE stars lose to Super Crazy & the Awesome/Tanaka match
Worst Booking Of The Night: N/A
Superstar Of The Night: Tommy Dreamer
ECW One Night Stand 2005 Will Be Remembered For: Being a great show from top to bottom.