following week, on Hardcore TV, Mike Awesome returned to ECW, having wrestled last for the company in a losing effort against Louie Spicolli at Crossing the Line Again in 1997. In his return match, Awesome lost to Tanaka and then decided to execute an Awesome Bomb on him through a table, thus beginning a rivalry between the two and a match was set between the two at Heat Wave. On July 29 episode of Hardcore TV, Tanaka teamed with Jerry Lynn to defeat the team of Awesome and Justin Credible in a tag team match. At It Ain't Seinfeld, Jerry Lynn defeated Justin Credible in a match to begin a feud between the two. At A Matter of Respect, Credible defeated Lynn in a two out of three falls match. The feud continued as Lynn defeated Credible in an "I Quit" match on the June 17 episode of Hardcore TV. On the July 15 episode of Hardcore TV, Credible and Jason defeated Lynn and Pablo Marquez in an elimination tag team match. The feud led to a match between the two at Heat Wave, with their final encounter taking place on the July 29 Hardcore TV, where Lynn and Masato Tanaka defeated Credible and Mike Awesome. Event Pre-show Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, The Hardcore Chair Swingin' Freaks (Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten) defeated The F.B.I. (Little Guido and Tracey Smothers). Preliminary matches In the opening match, Justin Credible took on Jerry Lynn. Lynn started the match with a sunset flip and a crossbody for near-falls. Credible attempted to execute an early That’s Incredible on Lynn but Lynn countered with a hurricanrana to toss him out of the ring and then delivered a diving splash. Credible hit a powerbomb onto a steel chair to get a near-fall. Credible then tossed Lynn out of the ring where his bodyguards Jason and Nicole Bass attacked Lynn, allowing Credible to gain advantage. Lynn made a comeback with a double underhook powerbomb and a hurricanrana from the top rope. Lynn then delivered a tornado DDT on a steel chair and covered Credible for the pinfall but Chastity put Credible's foot on the rope. Lynn then delivered a hurricanrana to Credible from the top rope through a table outside the ring. Lynn returned to the ring where Jason hit him with a steel chair but Lynn countered with a double underhook powerbomb and