Big Apple Blizzard Blast 1996: The Eliminators Break Through as ECW Keeps Expanding

Taz versus Shark Attack Kid is another compact demonstration of the submission monster ECW has been building since November to Remember. Shark Attack Kid has almost no chance to establish offense before Taz takes control with suplexes and finishes with the Tazmission. C rewards clear execution, decisive character presentation, and the value of making Taz feel increasingly inevitable. The match itself is a squash, but the aftermath gives the segment historical weight. Taz calls out 911, Tod Gordon and Bill Alfonso become involved, and Bam Bam Bigelow makes a surprise debut when Taz attacks Gordon. The wrestling is minor; the angle is major. As a complete segment, it successfully turns a predictable opener into the introduction of another future ECW centerpiece.

The Headhunters against Axl Rotten and El Puerto Riqueño is a simple heavyweight-versus-speed tag match. The Headhunters have the obvious size advantage, while Axl and Riqueño supply enough movement and crowd familiarity to keep the match from becoming a pure squash. One of the Headhunters eventually pins Riqueño after a moonsault, giving the larger team a clean and visually impressive finish. C rewards the contrast in styles and the athletic surprise of a heavyweight moonsault, but the bout has limited storyline importance and does not significantly alter the direction of either team. Its main value is pacing before the tag-title match that follows. It is competent ECW undercard material rather than a match that defines the event.

The Eliminators against Cactus Jack and Mikey Whipwreck is the card's most important match because the championship change and the partner betrayal happen together. Cactus is already behaving like a hostile anti-hardcore sellout, and he repeatedly sabotages Mikey during the defense instead of working as a normal partner. Whipwreck tries to keep the match competitive while Saturn and Kronus steadily isolate him. Cactus creates the decisive distraction, allowing the Eliminators to hit Total Elimination and win the ECW World Tag Team Championship. B+ rewards storytelling, crowd heat, championship significance, and the payoff of the Eliminators' rise. Cactus then attacks Whipwreck with a double-arm DDT onto a chair, making the betrayal explicit. Francine and the Pitbulls attacking the new champions afterward immediately creates their first post-title rivalry.

Shane Douglas and Tommy Dreamer against Raven and Stevie Richards is a long storyline tag that gives Douglas an immediate place in ECW's hottest rivalry after his return. Dreamer remains obsessed with Raven, while Douglas brings a stronger technical base and star presence than many of Dreamer's previous partners. The match stretches close to twenty minutes, giving the teams enough time to build around interference, crowd heat, and Dreamer's repeated attempts to reach Raven. Beulah eventually ties a frying pan to Dreamer's boot, and Dreamer uses the loaded enzuigiri on Richards for the pin. B rewards duration, crowd investment, feud continuity, and Douglas' reintegration. The finish is character-driven rather than clean, but it gives Dreamer's side a meaningful victory without ending the Raven rivalry.

Rey Misterio Jr. versus Juventud Guerrera is another valuable ECW lucha showcase and Juventud's debut for the promotion. Juventud replaces Psicosis and immediately matches Misterio's speed, making the bout feel like a natural extension of the style ECW introduced in late 1995. The match is compact but fast, with enough counters to make both men look dangerous rather than simply spectacular. Misterio wins by reversing a sitout crucifix powerbomb into a hurricanrana. B+ rewards pace, innovation, athletic difficulty, crowd response, and debut value. Taz's confrontation with Misterio afterward adds storyline heat without contaminating the match finish. ECW continues proving that lucha libre can function as a major attraction alongside its brawls and faction stories.

The Pitbulls against the Headhunters is a physical tag match that was omitted from the original VHS release, giving it less historical visibility than much of the card. Both teams rely on size and power, so the bout has fewer stylistic contrasts than the earlier Headhunters match. The Pitbulls' victory keeps them strong immediately after their post-title-match attack on the Eliminators, which is the most important booking function. C+ rewards physicality, team credibility, and the usefulness of preserving the Pitbulls as serious challengers. The match has limited documented detail and does not produce a defining spot or major angle of its own. It is solid roster positioning rather than essential viewing, but it helps ensure the Eliminators-Pitbulls program has momentum after the championship change.

Chris Jericho versus Rob Van Dam is historically fascinating and competitively disappointing. Both wrestlers have similar size, athletic ambition, and international experience, which should make the pairing work, but the match develops visible timing problems and never finds a comfortable rhythm. Later recollections describe the crowd turning against the bout, and that reaction matters because both men would soon become major stars. Jericho wins with the Lionsault after just under eleven minutes. C- reflects execution problems, poor chemistry, and a hostile audience while preserving some credit for effort and historical interest. This is not a hidden classic; its value comes from seeing two future stars before either fully establishes his ECW identity. The failure is almost more instructive than a routine good match would have been.

Buh Buh Ray Dudley versus J.T. Smith lasts less than a minute and exists almost entirely to keep Buh Buh's momentum moving. Smith's comic persona makes him a natural opponent for a quick power display, and Buh Buh finishes with the powerbomb before the match can develop into anything competitive. D+ reflects minimal wrestling content but gives credit for a decisive finish and clear character purpose. The Dudleys are becoming more independent from Raven's Nest and increasingly recognizable as their own act, so another forceful Buh Buh victory has some developmental value. Still, there is no suspense, no meaningful back-and-forth, and no major angle attached. It is a squash between much more important pieces of the card.

Sabu versus Mr. Hughes is an interesting contrast because Hughes' size and deliberate pacing force Sabu to work around a larger opponent instead of simply racing through another athletic match. Sabu uses movement and weapon-assisted offense to create openings, eventually landing a spinning heel kick with a chair for the pin. B- rewards crowd response, stylistic contrast, and the value of keeping Sabu strong after his late-1995 return. The match is not one of Sabu's most memorable performances, but it gives him a credible opponent and a decisive victory without overcomplicating the finish. Positioned late on the card, it also restores energy after Jericho-RVD and the Dudley squash before the main event.

2 Cold Scorpio and Sandman against the Gangstas closes Big Apple Blizzard Blast with familiar ECW star power but a relatively weak finish. Scorpio provides the athleticism, Sandman brings the crowd connection, and New Jack and Mustafa supply the brawling chaos expected from the Gangstas. The match never reaches the intensity of the strongest Gangstas-Public Enemy fights, and the finish relies on Scorpio spraying hair spray into Mustafa's eyes before using a roll-up. C+ rewards recognizable names, crowd energy, and a functional main-event atmosphere while penalizing the cheap ending and limited historical consequence. The event's most important developments have already happened earlier. This match sends the crowd home with major personalities, but it is not the reason to seek out the show.