Tonight, the very last remnants of a company that I truly loved a decade ago will finally be laid to rest. The letters ECW, which truly meant something to so many wrestling fans before the WWE got it’s hands on them, will finally be put out of their misery at 11:05 PM following a battle for the brand’s championship between two men who never competed in a real ECW match, Christian and Ezekiel Jackson.
Though this contest will be contested under Extreme Rules, it will be nothing like the ECW matches that took place under the watch of Paul Heyman. An independent wrestling promotion that dug and clawed it’s way up from late night showings in the Philadelphia market to become a viable number three (and some would argue number two) promotion in the United States, ECW was a victim of it’s own success. Vince McMahon and Eric Bischoff started to notice ECW, and started to buy up the promotion’s top stars. Heyman couldn’t afford to keep his stars paid and ultimately, ECW closed it’s doors in 2001.
The WWE bought the rights to the promotion, and in 2004 released “The Rise and Fall of ECW” on DVD. The success of that release, and a suggestion from Rob Van Dam, led to a WWE produced ECW Pay Per View titled “One Night Stand” in 2005. Several performers from ECW’s past participated in the event, which was a success for World Wrestling Entertainment. By the time the company put on a followup in 2006, the decision had been made to bring ECW back as a brand of the WWE along with RAW and SmackDown, and at One Night Stand 2006, Rob Van Dam defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship. Two nights later, he was given the ECW Championship on the first edition of ECW on SciFi.
By December, Paul Heyman was released from his World Wrestling Entertainment contract following the failed “December to Dismember” Pay Per View, and from there, the brand started to evolve into what we’ve been seeing on SyFy every Tuesday night, which is a far cry from the gift that Todd Gordon and Paul Heyman gave the world in the mid 90’s. Tonight, the show will air for the last time, and the letters E-C-W will finally be able to R.I.P.
I hate this. I didn’t get into writing about wrestling with the intent of having to write tribute articles – not for guys whose matches I was just reviewing 6 months ago, at least. When Captain Lou died, yes, it was a sad day for me as a fan, but Lou Albano was 76 years old. Eddie “Umaga” Fatu passed away yesterday at the young age of 36, with reports coming in that he died of a heart attack.
It was pointed out that WWE’s obituary, or whatever you want to call it, on WWE.com makes sure to note that Umaga was released from his WWE contract on June 11, 2009. The person who mentioned it was pondering why WWE would point that out. The reason is simple – WWE doesn’t want to have more heat on them about drug use if Fatu’s death turns out to be drug related. WWE let Fatu go because he violated the wellness policy a second time and refused rehab. The company can’t afford bad publicity right now, not with Linda McMahon running for the US Senate.
ECW is set to be re-branded and re-formatted in the very near future. The rumor going around is that the veteran ECW wrestlers will be moved to SmackDown and RAW, while whatever ECW becomes will be a showcase for new talent.
Speaking of which, I went back over the last few days and watched the first three episodes of ECW on SciFi. Not quite the original ECW, but not nearly what it’s become. Anybody else find it funny that Mike Knox made his during a segment set to “Buttons” by the Pussycat Dolls?
I hope TNA can sign RVD. TNA’s guys can work circles around half of the WWE roster, and RVD can work circles around all of them. With the Hogan deal, maybe we’ll see The Whole F’N Show become Mr. Thursday Night again.
Jeff Hardy’s court date has been postponed once again, this time until January. This means we’re certainly not going to see the Charismatic Enigma any time before the end of the year in any wrestling organization.
That’s all I’ve really got for the moment. JT will be here tomorrow with another edition of Random Randomness!
Ok, maybe not, but it is in real-time, so don’t forget to refresh the page every so often if you’re visiting between 10PM and 11PM Eastern on June 23, 2009!
ECW theme plays: Look, new ECW. I just brought up the original ECW, how can I not question your heart?
Five nights away from The Bash, where Mark Henry, Jack Swagger, Christian, Finlay, and ECW Champion Tommy Dreamer will attempt to walk out as champion in a Scramble match!
But tonight, Evan Bourne is here with taped up ribs due to injuries suffered at the hands of The World’s Strongest Man, Mark Henry. Bourne’s opponent is The Hart Dynasty’s Tyson Kidd.
Evan Bourne def. Tyson Kidd
Matt Striker assumes that if he presses Triangle and L1, Kidd or Bourne will do something exciting, since they’re almost like video game characters with their high flying offense. David Hart Smith and Natalya hopped up on the apron at the same time, earning themselves an ejection from the referee. Bourne knocks Kidd out of the ring and hits a high-flying maneuver to the outside, earning himself a classic “ECW” chant! Back in the ring, however, Kidd goes after the injured ribs of Bourne. Kidd stretches Bourne as only a Hart Dungeon graduate can do, but Bourne reverses a back suplex attempt into a pin attempt for one. Kidd doesn’t let this minor setback impede his progress, he goes right back after Bourne’s ribs, driving his knee into them and then draping Bourne across the top rope. Bourne starts to battle back amid “Let’s Go Evan” chants. Bourne uses a unique rollup to score a two count and starts to build momentum. Bourne hits a hurricanrana and a Tito Santana-esque flying forearm before taking Kidd down with a high knee. He climbs the ropes and launches a picture perfect Shooting Star Press for the victory! Excellent match to kick off ECW!
A lot of people are saying Finlay took cheap shots on Tommy Dreamer and Christian last week – but they don’t mention the shot on Jack Swagger. The show a video of the cheap shots in question – including the cheap shot on Swagger that I mentioned.
Speaking of Finlay, he’s on his way to the ring.
<COMMERCIAL BREAK>
For some ungodly reason, Finlay still has Hornswoggle’s music. I know this because he’s on his way to the ring as I type this. And apparently, he’s got something to say. People want to know what his problem is and why he did what he did to Christian and Dreamer. He tried to break up a fight between the two of them a few weeks back, and nobody called him to apologize – they texted him. What he did last week wasn’t a cheap shot, it was an eye for an eye, and this Sunday at The Bash…
Oh radio, tell me everything you know…
Zack Ryder tells Finlay to listen up, because Finlay’s overlooking the fact that he’s got a match with the man of ECW, Zack Ryder. Woo Woo Woo, you know it. Whatever that means.
<COMMERCIAL BREAK>
Finlay def. Zack Ryder
The match is underway when we come back, and Finlay is in control. As Matt Striker says, Finlay is looking to make Ryder’s Woo Woo Woo turn backwards into Ow Ow Ow. Finlay attempts to wear down Ryder with submission holds and fierce strikes. Ryder starts to battle back after he and Finlay inadvertantly cracked heads, which seemed to hurt Finlay’s injured eye. Ryder starts to work over the Irishman with submission holds of his own. Mr. Woo Woo Woo goes after the injured eye, wearing Finlay down. Finlay starts to fight back with a barrage of strikes. He hits the Finlay Roll but only gets a two count. Ryder goes after the eye again, and exposes the steel turnbuckle as the referee checks on Finlay, but Finlay manages to catch Ryder with a surprise roll up for the victory!
<COMMERCIAL BREAK>
RAW REBOUND: Randy Orton and Triple H both failed to answer the referee’s ten count, thus allowing Randy Orton to retain the WWE Championship. Donald Trump sold RAW back to Mr. McMahon for twice what he paid for it. Mr. McMahon then told Randy Orton he’s going to wrestle in Three Stages of Hell at The Bash, defending his title once again against Triple H, who assaulted him in the parking lot after the show.
Josh Matthews and Matt Striker run down the card for The Bash.
Striker gets in the ring and has a blackboard illustrating the ECW Championship Scramble match with him. Your teacher teaches us the rules of the match. He then welcomes Gregory Helms, who is standing by backstage with Mark Henry. Henry starts to talk about tonight’s main event, when a large box falls on a production assistant. When Henry turns back around, Helms is gone, and The Hurricane is saving the production assistant! When Henry turns back around again, Helms is there and asks him again how he feels about his match tonight.
<COMMERCIAL BREAK>
Jack Swagger is the first man out for tonight’s main event, followed by his tag team partner for the evening, Mark Henry. The ECW Champion Tommy Dreamer makes his way out first for his team. Christian makes his way out and we’re set for our main event of the evening.
Tommy Dreamer & Christian vs. Mark Henry & Jack Swagger
Christian and Swagger start off with Christian taking early control. He tags in Dreamer who doesn’t fare as well, until Swagger tags in Mark Henry. Dreamer knocks Henry out of the ring and dumps an incoming Swagger out as well. Dreamer hits the rolling senton from the apron on Henry and Christian hits a cross body from the top onto Swagger, and the “ECW” chants start up again as we head to a…
<COMMERCIAL BREAK>
Swagger is pounding away on Christian as we come back, but Christian starts to battle back. Dreamer gets the tag in, and starts dominating. Christian inadvertently causes distracts the referee, however, allowing Mark Henry to sneak in and attack Dreamer from behind, which gives Swagger the opportunity to take over and tag in the World’s Strongest Man. Swagger and Henry make the ghost of Gorilla Monsoon proud by cutting the ring in half and using frequent tags to keep a fresh man in the ring, but Swagger finds himself caught with a Dreamer spinebuster. Swagger gets to Henry first, but Dreamer gets to Christian soon after. Captain Charisma takes Henry down with a missile dropkick from the top rope and gets a two count. Christian goes for a sunset flip on Henry, but Swagger tags himself in. Henry goes to sit on Christian, who moves, but Swagger, the legal man, goes for a Gutwrench Powerbomb, which Christian escapes before hitting the Killswitch. Swagger was close enough to the ropes for Tony Atlas to pull his foot under the rope. Henry squashes Christian on the outside, allowing Swagger to hit the Gutwrench on a second attempt to pick up the win.
After the match, Henry drops Dreamer with a World’s Strongest Slam, and then gives one to Jack Swagger for good measure.
My Thoughts: THE HURRICANE IS BACK! This show is usually awesome enough, but to actually see The Hurricane on my television made it that much better for me.
ECW is consistently one of the best shows every week. There’s a reason for that – the talent. Twice tonight, ECW chants broke out in the crowd. It may not be the original, as I alluded to earlier in this post, but it’s still an extremely (no pun intended) enjoyable professional wrestling program.
An ECW review? On Bored Wrestling Fan? Yes folks, I’m finally back to watching the silver brand of World Wrestling Entertainment on a weekly basis, and for the first time in quite a while, I’m reviewing it!
I’m in a pretty good mood. I’m six days away from attending a WWE event in Buffalo for the first time since December 2007, and just three days away from moving into my new apartment. I may have a new job on the horizon, and I’m enjoying my life for the moment. Enough about me, though, you guys are here for ECW on SciFi! Christian is the new ECW Champion, what will Jack Swagger have to say about it? Will we find out tonight? Who knows!
Tonight, Jack Swagger finally gets his shot at the ECW Champion, Matt Hardy. Will the rookie from the New Superstar Initiative be successful in his first attempt at WWE gold? There’s only one way to find out! Ok, there’s a bunch of different ways to find out, but if you’re not watching the show, I’ve got a good way for you…
Alright, confession time. I completely forgot to set my DVR for ECW tonight. Not that it really matters, I’m not going to be home tonight to review it on DVR anyway. So, I did a little improvising, and have ECW streaming live on my laptop and I’m doing this review on the work computers in real-time – but not posting it in real-time. I tuned in a few minutes late, but I think I saw enough to accurately give you an idea of what’s going on.
Well, we know that MVP is in action against Matt Hardy tonight. Saves me watching a match, because we all know that MVP is not going to come to ECW and beat the champion on his current streak. Hopefully I’ll get to see that DX ShopZone ad that I missed last night. I’m sure it was hilarious. Other than that, I’m not sure what to expect (ok, I’m lying, I read the spoilers last night after RAW), so let’s get started with ECW on SciFi on DVR!
I’m out of it tonight, so here are the results of ECW on SciFi, courtesy of Rajah.com
* Jack Swagger b. Tommy Dreamer
– The match starts out in the ring but Jack brings in kendo sticks, chairs, and other weapons. He attempts a submission move on Dreamer with a chair. The match goes back and forth until Dreamer brings in a table. Jack uses it against him slamming him through it. He gets the win via pinfall.
* The Miz & John Morrison are shown on the screen talking about Survivor Series. The Boogeyman appears and scares them away.
* DJ Gabriel b. A Local Jobber
– Gabriel got the win via a second-rope shoulder block.
* Finlay vs. Mark Henry
– The match ends in disqualification after a brawl takes place on the outside.
