[1995-08-05-ECW-Wrestlepalooza] Tommy Dreamer & Cactus Jack & The Pitbulls vs Raven & Stevie Richards & Big Dick Dudley & Dudley Dudley

[PeteF3]

Styles made mention of the events here in the 6-man later on, so I figured I'd better watch what we have of it. Match is clipped, but we get lots of Richards and Dudley Dudley stooging and getting destroyed, and Big Dick working as a no-selling monster. Cactus gets his licks in on everyone else, but keeps tagging out when he has a chance to hit Raven. This is pretty much just the highspots, but the spots are pretty good and Dreamer, from what we see, works an effective enough FIP. As all 8 are brawling, Dreamer drops Raven with a piledriver on a chair and strikes a crucifix pose to celebrate, only for Cactus to drop him with a double arm DDT on the chair, throw Raven on top, and give the heels another win. Even the ECW smark crowd is shocked and aghast at this development--Paul E. would later compare the crowd reaction to Koloff beating Bruno. I wouldn't go that far, and Paul would of course be involved in an even bigger Koloff/Bruno moment decades later, but this was nonetheless a very effective twist in the feud leading to some stuff that I can't wait to revisit.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Yeah definitely worthy to go back and watch. Also watch the promos leading up to this. Raven foresees this in his promo in a dumpster. It is not that it was premeditated like Raven and Cactus were in cahoots. It is like Raven knew how to work his demented empathetic magic to exploit the vulnerabilities of Cactus, who really had not been a focal point of ECW for last month. Sandman was moving on to Mikey, Douglas left the promotion and Funk was nowhere to be found. Cactus was aimless. This was a great move for him and it really unlocked his promo potential. Before the match, he makes standard pro wrestling remarks about beating up Raven's flunkies, but when he gets to Raven he says he digs his vibe. Before the match gets started, Raven starts to work his voodoo talking about how he understands Cactus and can create a safe place for Cactus.Just when Dreamer is about to pin Raven for the first time BANG! Cactus turns! It makes sense because it was not a plan hatched before. It was Cactus wrestling with the the thought and deciding mid-match what to do. 

Cactus gives a very Mankind-esque promo huddled in a warehouse behind some framing. He talks about abandonment and how he feels pain and that people dont realize how much pain he is in but Raven does. Now he will serve Raven and ensure that Raven's world comes into being even if that means laying waste to his ex-friends Dreamer and Mikey. Awesome angle!