00:00The fans still chant it, the passion endures, the legacy can never be destroyed.
00:09On August 8th, the Hardcore Originals return.
00:14One night, one event, the world is theirs.
00:18Extreme Wrestling is back.
00:21TNA Wrestling proudly presents Hardcore Justice, The Last Stand.
00:26Live Sunday, August 8th, on Pay-Per-View.
00:30Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, please join me in welcoming the president of TNA Wrestling, Dixie Conner.
00:45You know, Taz, I have to admit, last Thursday night on Impact when Dixie admitted that she was behind the invitation of the former ECW stars,
00:55it just set off a chain reaction of questions, and questions that have yet to be answered.
01:02And we've been discussing it, I don't know, I don't, I have no clue why Dixie invited the former ECW stars here to TNA.
01:12But the questions are going to be answered, I've got to put it in a few seconds here,
01:15so, great to see our beautiful president in the house.
01:20Lay it on us, boss, lay it on us!
01:22Remember what she said, she said, have faith, trust me, it's going to be good for TNA.
01:27Let's hear what our president has to say.
01:30Thank you so much, thank you.
01:33You know, I have always said, TNA has the best fans in the world.
01:43You know, as TNA president, I've always said that this will be a company about the fans.
01:49And my favorite part of my job is getting to meet you personally, getting to say thank you,
02:00getting to hear what you want to see in TNA.
02:07Actually, Twitter and Facebook have helped me talk to a lot more of you,
02:11and I love getting to respond, and yes, it is actually me responding to you.
02:15But I've learned a lot through the years, but there's been one common theme
02:20that has been brought up time after time after time,
02:24and that is your love for extreme hardcore wrestling.
02:40So at this time, do me a favor.
02:43Help me welcome five gentlemen who actually made hardcore an art form,
02:48and let's welcome them properly this time to the Impact Zone.
02:53Well, that's Tommy Dreamer, actually, in the front end of the red shirt.
03:09For those who don't know, as you pointed out, he had thrown an MCL in that melee last week.
03:14He left me, I believe it is, and that's Rhino right next to him.
03:17Stevie Richards, Mick Foley returning here, and Raven towing up the back.
03:24And I'll tell you, speaking on behalf of all of us Eastern W Originals,
03:29I'm personally flattered that my new boss here at TNA, our president Dixie Carter,
03:36showed some love to what we did back in the day.
03:38Here we go, Taz.
03:40Moment of truth has arrived.
03:45Here comes the explanation from our TNA president.
03:52Tell us all about it, Dixie.
03:54Listen, I didn't think it was fair for me to hear about
03:57how much you meant to all these people,
03:59the respect they have for you, what you've meant to this industry.
04:03So I wanted you to come here tonight for you guys to tell them
04:08what they've meant to this industry.
04:11You know, Dixie, unless I'm mistaken,
04:15this is the first time you stood out here,
04:18microphone in hand,
04:20addressed the fans in what we like to call a wrestling promo.
04:24I mean, I haven't been here the whole time,
04:26but Raven has been to you almost since the beginning.
04:28You remember Dixie addressing the fans like this?
04:30Well, I have to say this isn't my promo.
04:33This is me being real, okay?
04:34So the bottom line is what Hulk Hogan meant to the 80s,
04:39I really feel like you guys meant to ECW in the 90s.
04:48But what's unique?
04:57But you know what's unique?
04:58You guys deserve that.
05:09But you know what?
05:10It's really not about being hardcore.
05:13It's about honor.
05:15It's about dedication.
05:17It's about respect.
05:19It's about you guys not doing it for fat paychecks.
05:23It's about you doing it because you love this business.
05:28Because you love the guys you stand next to in the ring.
05:32And it's about your love for these fans.
05:35And you always gave them what they asked and more.
05:38And they will never forget that.
05:45You know, I have a history with four of you up here.
05:48And you mean a lot to me.
05:50You've meant a lot to TNA.
05:51Those same traits is what helped TNA survive.
05:56And it's what helps TNA thrive today.
05:59Thank you for setting the bar high.
06:02I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
06:09My turn.
06:10Yes, sir.
06:11Dixie, it's actually should be us thanking you.
06:16I mean, as a lot of you know, the last time I was in the impact zone, I was fired four months ago.
06:22And I appreciate the fact that you're giving me another chance to make a last impression.
06:28Because no one's last moment in any line of business should be walking away, their heads slung low, disappointed, dejected.
06:42You've given us another chance.
06:45And if there's one person who knows about personal closure, as you mentioned, there's four people up here who've meant a lot to this company.
06:53But there's also one person who's been as good an ambassador to our business as there's ever been.
06:59Amen.
07:00Come on over here.
07:04Tommy Dreamer, this microphone is yours.
07:23I have watched TNA since the beginning, when they were at the asylum in Nashville.
07:33And I watched a small company grow.
07:38And my friends would always tell me, Tommy, quit your job, come over here.
07:43And I was scared.
07:44I was a dad with two little kids, and I had financial security.
07:49I kept on seeing so many similarities between the original ECW and TNA.
07:59The original ECW was a place where men and women who were unknown became legends.
08:09Where legends in the wrestling business came to ECW to reinvent their career.
08:18You see, long before Samoa Joe was dumping people on their heads and choking people out,
08:28there was Taz, the human suplex machine, doing it everywhere.
08:31What Ric Flair did for Jay Lethal, Terry Funk did for me, and did for Mick Foley.
08:51Before the beautiful people, there was Francine and Beulah McGillicuddy.
09:02And I saw, when you invited me to Slammiversary, I got to feel TNA.
09:10I got to see a bunch of men and women doing what they do for passion,
09:18doing what they do for the love of this business,
09:22and doing what they do for each and every one of you.
09:25And I have to thank you for bringing back that passion.
09:42Because in 2005 at ECW One Night Stand, I had my closure.
09:47I really did.
09:48And then they brought it back.
09:56And I got to witness my friends who we used to party like rock stars together.
10:05And now I know they're kids.
10:08I got to watch them get fired.
10:10I watched them get destroyed.
10:13For what?
10:17Exactly.
10:25Until it bothered me so much that I had to quit my own job.
10:29And at 38 years old, that was a hell of a risk.
10:32But I couldn't stomach watching something that I love so much.
10:40And I'm seriously, I sat at this crowd, and he would talk to me.
10:49He would talk to me.
10:50He would talk to me.
10:51And he was the final one.
10:54He showed me all the similarities, everything that happened.
10:59And we all put this plan together.
11:02And there is only one person that can make it happen.
11:07And it's you.
11:08This is not about an ECW invasion.
11:17This is not about us taking over.
11:20This is about men and women who lost their jobs, whose lives were affected by it.
11:29I refuse to cry because I'm really happy.
11:34I love you guys too.
11:38This is about...
11:46For the fans that chant it...
11:48For my friends who lived it...
11:54That our legacy is not destroyed.
11:57I beg of you
11:59for one night
12:02give us one night
12:05to show the world
12:07what we had
12:09and our legacy
12:10can live forever
12:12I beg of you
12:15do you guys want one night?
12:20do you guys want one night?
12:27you know how to put a person
12:31in a difficult position
12:32look you can't come out here
12:35and get emotional like that
12:36I believe in you guys
12:37but if we're going to do this
12:38you guys want to do this?
12:43I have one stipulation
12:45you
12:48and you guys
12:49plan this
12:50you plan everything about it
12:52you have complete control
12:53to do it the right way
12:55it's got to be real
12:56it's got to be real
12:58and it's got to be what you want
12:59nothing that has to do with TNA
13:01TNA is giving this to you
13:05Impact Zone
13:09we're going extreme
