RAVEN VS. TERRY FUNK (ECW CHAMPIONSHIP)
ECW Barely Legal (13th April 1997)
We begin with Funk on the mat, and Raven holding his belt standing over him. Raven dives at Funk, braining him with the belt, before asking for a chair. Raven sets the chair up in the middle of the ring with the fans firmly behind Funk. Funk is sent across the ring before Raven drop toe holds him onto the chair.
Tommy Dreamer asks Styles politely to leave him alone to focus on the match. Raven boots Funk, who's now bleeding from a chairshot. John Finnegan calls for the doctor and Raven gets more shots in whilst he gets to the ring. Dreamer says Funk won't go out like that, and the doctor is attending to the cut as Raven sits in the corner. Loud “Tommy” chants have started, Dreamer holds back tears saying the people don't understand he promised Terry he would do it himself. Funk is asked if he wants to continue and the crazy old bastard, of course, says yes. Raven goes back to laying the boots in. Raven slams Funk's face into the canvas and hits him with straight rights on the mat.
Terry Funk gets to his feet and he swings at midair before dropping back down, Raven sets up a table outside of the ring and the doctor's back checking on Funk. Again Dreamer tells them to get the doctor away because Funk won't go out like that. Raven brings Funk over to the table and I think a fan might have tipped it over, but it was off-screen. Raven suplexes the table on Funk and grabs a second one from under the ring. Raven forces it between the ring apron and the guardrail and lays Funk on it. Running plancha sends Funk through the table on the outside. The doctor checks on Funk again as Raven waves for someone to come out. He decks the doctor before he can wave off the match. Raven sends Funk back in the ring. His stable (apparently called Raven's Nest, although I've only heard of Raven having “The Flock” stable wherever he went.) come down and most of them set up tables below Dreamer and Joey Styles. Reggie Bennet, a female wrestler attacks Funk in the ring and almost drops him on a sitout powerbomb.
Raven grabs a mic and looks straight at Dreamer basically saying he'll end Funk at Dreamer's feet. Dreamer rips the chain from the top of the Eagles Nest staring at Raven. Big Dick Dudley appears from nowhere! Dreamer takes a trashcan to the head. Back in the ring Raven hits the Even Flow on the referee! Big Dick Dudley grabs Dreamer around the throat, but Dreamer kicks him in the gut and shoves him from the platform through the tables! Dreamer makes his way to the ring, taking out Ravens' cronies. He throws a trash can but Raven catches it and throws it back, catching Dreamer on the head as he climbs over the guard rail. Raven has the jump on Dreamer as he's getting in the ring and sends him across with an irish whip, but Dreamer hits a DDT! Funk covers, 1, 2, 2.999! The fans celebrated early! Funk rolls Raven up, inside cradle! 1, 2, 3!
WINNER: TERRY FUNK
That was an emotional end to ECW's first big event. Through the three way dance that preceded it, Dreamer said he wouldn't help Funk. Raven goaded Dreamer into breaking the promise, advancing their feud further. Funk was able to win the championship with Dreamer's aid, with Raven still showing he couldn't be pinned off Dreamer's DDT. A lot of story and emotion in this match, it's impossible not to get invested. – Rating: 8.2/10
After the match Dreamer celebrates with Terry Funk in the crowd as Styles holds back tears on commentary.
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