The Night Scott Hall Shocked ECW Fans In Poughkeepsie: Listen To This POP!

If you were lucky enough to be at Poughkeepsie’s historic Mid Hudson Civic Center 24 years ago This Week, you know it was one for the books.

On November 11, 2000, ECW fans were in for the shock of a lifetime when the Scott Hall—yes, WCW’s “Bad Guy” himself—walked through the curtain.

The crowd went nuts. You could feel the energy bounce off those Civic Center walls. This wasn’t a flashy WCW arena; this was Poughkeepsie, and Scott Hall was here in our house.

Hall was technically still under WCW contract, but he was in wrestling limbo, which let him dip into the indie scene and thrill fans who never expected to see him in an ECW ring.

Just the night before, fans at a Schenectady show got their own taste when Hall tagged with Jerry Lynn against Justin Credible and Rhyno. But in Poughkeepsie, it got even wilder.

That night, Hall squared off against Sal E. Graziano, ECW’s 500-pound enforcer for the Full Blooded Italians. Graziano wasn’t exactly known for his wins, so fans assumed Hall would pick up an easy victory.

But ECW loves a good swerve, and after some interference from the FBI, Graziano actually pinned Hall with a bonsai drop, leaving fans stunned.

And here’s the thing: Scott Hall never needed to win to stay a legend. He had this whole “Bad Guy” theory—he could lose clean and then just claim it didn’t happen.

It was classic Hall. He was always there for the show, not the scorecard, and fans respected him even more for it.

That night in Poughkeepsie was another unforgettable chapter in the Civic Center’s history, a place that’s seen its share of legendary moments. If you missed the pop that night, don’t worry. Check out Hall’s entrance and feel the Poughkeepsie energy for yourself.  

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