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THIS DAY IN HISTORY: CACTUS JACK'S FINAL ECW MATCH, ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING AND MORE

By Buck Woodward on 2009-03-09 08:00:00

March 9th 

On this day in history in .... 

1991 - Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Michael Hayes & Jimmy Garvin to become the NWA World Tag Team Champions in Montgomery, Alabama. During this title reign, the titles would become known as the WCW World Tag Team Championship. 

1993 - Eddie Creatchman, best known for his work as a manager in Canada and Detroit, where he handled such stars as Abdullah The Butcher and The Sheik, passes away of a heart attack at the age of 66. 

1996 - Night two of ECW's "Big Ass Extreme Bash" weekend took place at the ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Results from the show saw: 
- JT Smith defeated Axl Rotten after hitting a low blow and pinning him by using the ropes for leverage. 
- Bad Crew vs. El Puerto Ricano & Damien Stone ended in a no-contest when Brian Pillman and Philadelphia Eagle Harry Boatswain came out and ran off both men. Pillman and Shane Douglas engaged in a verbal confrontation, but Pillman left when Douglas came to the ring. 
- ECW World Tag Team Champions The Eliminators defeated Buh Buh Ray Dudley & Hack Myers when Saturn pinned Myers after Total Elimination. 
- Chris Jericho defeated Taz via disqualification when refused to release the Tazmission following a submission win. Taz finally released the hold when Brian Pillman ran in, although the two never locked up. Shane Douglas then ran out, and Pillman escaped through the crowd. 
- Rey Misterio Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera in a best two-out-of-three fall match when Mysterio reversed Splash Mountain (second rope Razor's Edge) into a rana for the win in the third fall. Post match, Mysterio powerbombed Guerrera through a table. 
- In his final ECW match, Cactus Jack defeated Mikey Whipwreck with a piledriver on a chair. Following the match, Cactus was given a standing ovation from the crowd, then he gave a heartfelt speech about ECW, before fulfilling his "last wish", which was strutting out of the arena with Stevie Richards and The Blue Meanie. 
- The Pitbulls vs. The Bruise Brothers ended in a no-contest after interference from Stevie Richards and The Blue Meanie, then interference from Tommy Dreamer. 
- Sabu defeated Big Titan with an Arabian Facebuster after reversing a spinebuster into a DDT on a chair. 
- ECW World Champion Raven defeated Shane Douglas after a DDT onto a chair.  Post match there was a brawl with Raven and The Bruise Brothers facing off against Tommy Dreamer, Sandman and Shane Douglas, who had temporarily agreed to work together against Raven despite their past issues. 
- The Gangstas defeated The Sandman & 2 Cold Scorpio and The Headhunters in a Three Way Dance. Scorpio pinned Headhunter B when B missed a top rope legdrop and Scorpio hit a superkick followed by the 450 splash. New Jack pinned Scorpio with a top rope headbutt after a Mustafa powerslam. 

2001
- ECW officially cancels the March 11th "Living Dangerously" Pay-per-view, which comes as little surprise, since there was no venue booked, no television to promote it and obviously no tickets available. It  was well over a month since the last ECW show had been held, and ECW owner Paul Heyman was appearing on Raw as color commentator. Living Dangerously, at that point, was simple three hours of PPV airtime that had been reserved.  Several cable companies still accepted orders right up until airtime, which were later refunded. While the official announcement would not come until April, even the most diehard supporters were coming to the realization that Extreme Championship Wrestling was finished.

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