Styles announced that Richards injured his neck at Buffalo Invasion would be unable to wrestle at the event and would be replaced by Chris Candido as Funk's challenger for the title at Wrestlepalooza. At Barely Legal, The Eliminators defeated The Dudley Boyz to win the World Tag Team Championship. The two teams feuded with each other and competed in several matches for the next few months over the title. On the May 29 episode of Hardcore TV, it was announced that Dudleys would face The Sandman and Balls Mahoney at Wrestlepalooza, with the winning team earning a title shot against Eliminators later at the event. Later that night, Dudleys interfered in a match between Sandman and Mahoney by attacking both men. On May 31, Perry Saturn tore his ACL during a title defense against Dudley Boyz and PG-13 and Saturn was examined to be out of action for a year. At Barely Legal, Taz defeated Sabu in a match and then offered a handshake to Sabu until Rob Van Dam attacked Taz from behind and Sabu joined him in the assault. Taz's manager Bill Alfonso turned on him and sided with Sabu and RVD in the assault, leading to a double turn as Taz turned face and Sabu and RVD turned heels. Sabu and RVD turned on ECW and joined World Wrestling Federation (WWF). At Chapter 2, Taz and Chris Candido defeated RVD and Sabu in a tag team match. On the May 29 episode of Hardcore TV, it was announced that Sabu would be returning to ECW at Wrestlepalooza. The following week on Hardcore TV, it was announced that Sabu would face Taz in their rematch from Barely Legal at the event. At The Buffalo Invasion, Shane Douglas defeated Chris Chetti to retain the World Television Championship This led to a rematch between the two for the title at Wrestlepalooza. Event Preliminary matches In the opening match, Shane Douglas defended the World Television Championship against Chris Chetti. Douglas nailed a belly-to-belly suplex to Chetti to retain the title. Next, The Pitbulls (Pitbull #1 and Pitbull #2) took on The F.B.I. (Little Guido and Tracy Smothers). Pitbulls superbombed Guido to win the match. Next, the makeshift team of The Sandman and Balls Mahoney competed against The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) to earn a title shot for the World Tag Team Championship later in the show.