Natural Born Killaz 1996: Tyler Turns on Sandman as the Gangstas Survive the Cage

Louie Spicolli versus Devon Storm is a compact opener whose most important material comes before and after the bell. Taz commandeers a camera to challenge Sabu, then Spicolli defeats Storm with the Death Valley Driver in just over five minutes. Damien Kane fires Storm afterward and tries to recruit Spicolli, only to receive three Death Valley Drivers for the offer. C+ rewards a decisive finish, crowd familiarity, and the way the segment gives Spicolli a stronger identity. The actual match is too short to become a major recommendation, but it moves efficiently and creates a memorable post-match statement without needing a separate angle later on the card.

Mikey Whipwreck versus Little Guido is another strong matchup between two wrestlers who already proved they work well together in Reading. Guido again has the Full Blooded Italians nearby, but Mikey survives the interference and wins after a diving elbow drop. The match carries extra tension because Whipwreck injures his knee while attempting the FrankenMikey. B rewards championship stakes, pace, chemistry, crowd investment, and a decisive finish despite the injury. The bout is not one of the night's major storyline attractions, yet it gives the undercard meaningful wrestling and reinforces Mikey's resilience. Guido loses without looking outclassed because the match remains competitive throughout its nearly nine minutes.

The Dudley family tag match finally gives the months-long split a fuller in-ring chapter. Big Dick and Buh Buh Ray represent the established family side, while Axl Rotten and D-Von Dudley continue the breakaway alliance that formed during D-Von's increasingly hostile attacks. Buh Buh scores the decisive pin on Axl after a big splash. B- rewards storyline continuity, crowd heat, a clear result, and the usefulness of finally putting the factions into a normal team match. The wrestling is more functional than exceptional, but the result matters because D-Von cannot simply dominate through surprise attacks. The family conflict now has a competitive score as well as weeks of chaotic confrontations.

Lori Fullington versus Lady Alexandra is barely a match, but it sits inside an important final ECW segment for Missy Hyatt. Hyatt cannot compete because of injury, and Stevie Richards pressures her to denounce Sandman. When she does, Sandman canes her from behind, ending her ECW run. Lady Alexandra substitutes in the scheduled match and loses quickly after Richards hits her with a loaded boot. D+ reflects the almost nonexistent bell-to-bell substance while acknowledging that the surrounding angle has historical value. Viewers interested only in wrestling can skip the official bout, but the segment matters for Hyatt's departure and the continuing Richards-Sandman-Raven orbit.

Terry Gordy versus Brian Lee is a short no-rules Badstreet fight that relies on physical credibility more than complex structure. The two heavyweights brawl outside the ECW Arena and use the setting to make the match feel rougher than a standard singles contest. Gordy eventually wins with the Asiatic Spike. B- rewards atmosphere, opponent credibility, feud adjacency, and the decisive finish, while the five-minute runtime prevents the match from developing into something more substantial. Lee can absorb the loss because his character remains built around violence rather than win-loss dominance. Gordy, meanwhile, continues to feel like a special attraction whose presence raises the stakes whenever he appears on an ECW card.

Rob Van Dam versus Doug Furnas is one of the night's most historically useful matches because Furnas makes his ECW debut as the mystery opponent. Furnas' power and athletic background give RVD a very different challenge from Sabu, while Van Dam's confidence lets the match feel like a genuine test instead of a newcomer squash. RVD wins with the Van Daminator after more than thirteen minutes. B+ rewards debut significance, athletic chemistry, crowd investment, pace, and a clean result. The handshake afterward appears to show unusual respect from RVD, but Furnas immediately attacks him and leaves him to be stretchered away. The angle creates a new rivalry while protecting Furnas after the loss.

Taz versus Tommy Dreamer becomes one of ECW's clearest demonstrations that the Taz push has moved beyond ordinary match results. After the referee is knocked unconscious, Taz traps Dreamer in the Tazmission while Beulah McGillicutty pleads for him to stop. Terry Gordy arrives to protect her, only for the Eliminators and Brian Lee to join the attack. Wrestler after wrestler then tries to intervene and is beaten down. B rewards atmosphere, character dominance, crowd escalation, and historical importance, while the no-contest finish limits the grade as a wrestling match. Dreamer is protected by the chaos, but Taz leaves looking capable of destroying an entire locker room rather than merely one opponent.

Pitbull #2 and Sandman against Raven and Shane Douglas combines two of ECW's hottest personal feuds inside one dog collar match. Pitbull #2 enters late in a neck brace after being injured before the match, giving Sandman an immediate disadvantage. Pitbull #2 eventually fights through the injury and pins Raven with a loaded boot while Douglas abandons his partner rather than stopping the fall. B+ rewards feud intensity, crowd investment, physical storytelling, and the meaningful pin on the world champion. The true historical payoff comes afterward when Raven hides behind Tyler Fullington. Sandman begs his son to leave Raven, but Tyler instead strikes his father twice with the Singapore cane.

The Gangstas versus the Eliminators is a fitting main event because their rivalry has spent months escalating through brawls, title changes, and repeated faction involvement. The steel cage weapons stipulation gives New Jack, Mustafa, Saturn, and Kronus permission to turn the feud into pure spectacle. Shane Douglas secretly assists the Eliminators, while Saturn repeatedly launches himself from the cage. New Jack finally throws a trash can at Saturn as he climbs, knocking him from the top through a table. A- rewards championship stakes, rivalry payoff, crowd intensity, memorable spectacle, and the decisive finish. Mustafa powerslams Kronus, New Jack follows with the 187, and the Gangstas retain.