Let's Watch ECW #45

I'm taking a trip back in time to the early days of ECW. I'm starting with the first episode of Hardcore TV after "The Night The Line Was Crossed", which occurred on February 5, 1994. This is before "Extreme", back when ECW was still Eastern Championship Wrestling. Consider this your viewing guide to the ECW archives on the WWE Network.

ECW #45

We get a recap of the feud between Shane Douglas and Terry Funk. The hype is directed toward a match between the two at the ECW Arena.

Joey Styles begins the episode with a look at the ECW Tag Team Championship scene. Kevin Sullivan & The Tazmaniac are the champs. The top challengers on their trail are the Bruise Brothers (Ron & Don Harris) and The Public Enemy (Flyboy Rocco Rock & Johnny Grunge). A backstage skit shows P.E. breaking into Tod Gordon's office, looking for the contract for the next title match to see if they going to get the shot. The payoff is that the two potential challengers will meet in a Falls Count Anywhere match, with the winner getting the title shot later that same night. Styles promises total mayhem.

The matches include the debut of Mike Awesome, and Sabu defending the ECW Television Title against Pat Tanaka. It's mostly window dressing. This episode's purpose is to build up the ECW Arena show on March 5, 1994.