As Good as It Gets 1997: ECW Creates Future Stars, Famous Violence, and a Tag-Team Title Change

The Full Blooded Italians versus Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney opens the card with a finish that creates more storyline value than the wrestling alone. Mahoney appears to pin Little Guido with the Nutcracker Suite, but Tommy Rich puts Guido's foot on the ropes and referee Jeff Jones restarts the match. Guido then catches Mahoney with a roll-up while he is still celebrating. B rewards crowd involvement, character work, the disputed finish, and the immediate referee-authority angle that follows. The match is not an elite tag-team showcase, but it gives the opener a purpose and keeps both teams connected to ECW's chaotic midcard ecosystem.

Justin Credible versus Jerry Lynn is historically valuable because both men are recent ECW arrivals who later become central to the promotion. Lynn brings smoother athletic offense, while Credible is presented with Jason and a more aggressive edge. Credible wins after That's Incredible! and a swinging DDT. B+ rewards clean execution, future significance, opponent chemistry, a decisive finish, and the usefulness of giving Credible an early important victory. The match is not yet the polished rivalry viewers will associate with later ECW, but it establishes the foundation. In retrospect, the pairing gives As Good as It Gets a major developmental milestone beyond its more violent attractions.

Chris Candido versus Lance Storm is one of the strongest pure wrestling matches on the card because both men can work at a faster, more technical pace than many surrounding bouts. Storm's precision and athleticism create natural counters for Candido's power and experience, while Candido keeps the match grounded with crisp offense. Candido wins after the Blonde Bombshell. A- rewards execution, chemistry, opponent quality, clean finishing logic, and the match's ability to stand on wrestling rather than a major stipulation. The result keeps Candido strong within the Triple Threat while giving Storm another competitive showing against an established opponent. It remains one of the event's best conventional matches.

Bam Bam Bigelow versus Spike Dudley is remembered less for competitive balance than for one astonishing visual. Bigelow overwhelms Spike with his size and power, lifts him overhead, and throws him from the ring into the ECW Arena audience. He later repeats the stunt after winning with a diving splash. B+ rewards crowd reaction, character clarity, memorable spectacle, and the continuing Giant Killer story even though Spike loses decisively. The match is short and one-sided, but that is precisely why the central image works. Bigelow looks monstrous, while Spike's willingness to absorb the punishment strengthens the underdog identity that makes his occasional upsets meaningful.

Shane Douglas versus Phil Lafon gives the world champion a mystery challenger with enough technical credibility to make the defense feel legitimate. Lafon arrives with Doug Furnas, while Douglas has Francine and eventually benefits from Chris Candido's involvement. Douglas retains with a jackknife hold after the interference. B+ rewards championship stakes, opponent credibility, crowd curiosity, and the usefulness of giving Douglas another defense before the fall programs intensify. The outside help keeps the finish from being fully satisfying, but it suits the Triple Threat's established presentation. Lafon looks competitive without threatening the broader hierarchy, and Douglas leaves with the championship intact.

Sabu versus Sandman is built around escalation rather than a decisive finish. Both men bring weapons, brawling, and an established willingness to take dangerous risks, so the match quickly feels less structured than the technical bouts earlier on the card. The defining moment comes when Sabu throws a fireball into Sandman's face, causing the match to end in a no contest. B+ rewards rivalry intensity, crowd heat, unforgettable imagery, and the angle's ability to preserve both men for future conflict. The lack of a winner limits the competitive payoff, while the fireball itself creates obvious safety concerns. Even so, the segment fits ECW's late-1997 escalation culture.

The official intergender tag match becomes one of ECW's most notorious fights after Tommy Dreamer injures his leg, Sabu interferes, Rob Van Dam leaves, and Dreamer is ruled unable to continue. That sequence leaves Beulah McGillicutty alone with Bill Alfonso. Beulah hits Alfonso with a concealed baking tray, triggering severe bleeding that quickly becomes the defining image of the bout. Alfonso later attempts a powerbomb, but Beulah counters into a hurricanrana and scores the pin. A- rewards emotional stakes, crowd intensity, memorable payoff, and historical importance. The excessive blood and legitimate medical consequences are major negatives, but the segment remains one of ECW's most remembered 1997 angles.

The Gangstanators versus the Dudley Boyz gives As Good as It Gets a decisive championship-changing main event. New Jack and John Kronus are an unusual combination created from the remnants of two major ECW tag teams, but their styles fit the promotion's chaotic division. The Dudleys enter as champions with their usual entourage and control much of the early physicality. Kronus eventually hits a 450-degree splash on D-Von and scores the pin to win the ECW World Tag Team Championship. B+ rewards title-change significance, crowd response, team novelty, a decisive finish, and the usefulness of closing the event with a concrete result after several angle-heavy matches.