ECW On Sci Fi – December 16, 2006 (2021 Redo): Try Again After The Holidays
ECW on Sci Fi
Date: December 16, 2006
Location: TD Banknorth Garden Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 5,500
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz
It’s a special Saturday show as I’m assuming ECW is airing a holiday movie marathon to raise money for the metric system or something. Bobby Lashley has beaten the Big Show, meaning we need some new challenges for the ECW World Title. That might mean bringing in some new names, which would be a lot better than using what we have available. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We look at Bobby Lashley beating Big Show twice in a row to firmly establish himself as champion. That would be it for Show for over a year.
Opening sequence, now minus Paul Heyman’s “The tribe of extreme has risen again.”
Rob Van Dam vs. Test
They take turns driving each other into the corner to start until Test elbows him in the face. That earns Test a kick to the face into a standing moonsault for two, meaning it’s time for a breather on the floor. Back in and Test gets smart by going to the eyes and then makes Van Dam’s shoulder go to the post. Rob tries to get up top but gets shoved down for the crash (as tends to happen to him) and we take a break.
Back with Test diving into a raised boot, allowing Van Dam to fire off the kicks for two. The rolling monkey flip is countered by a hard clothesline but Van Dam crotches him on top. Rolling Thunder gets two and there’s the windmill kick to drop Test again. The Five Star only hits mat but Van Dam counters a powerbomb into a sunset flip, only to have Test sit down on it and grab the rope for the pin.
Rating: C-. Pretty by the book match here as Test used the power and then Van Dam used the kicks and high flying before they would do the same thing again. Test as the next challenger to Lashley would not be the worst way to go, if nothing else to give Lashley a win over someone who could be a little intimidating. Van Dam continues to just kind of be here without much of anything to do, which is kind of astounding given his status.
It’s time for Striker’s Classroom, with Matt Striker mocking….well pretty much everything about Boston, from college students to politicians to sports. With that out of the way, he brings out Balls Mahoney, who Striker says reminds him of Boston itself. This includes his looks, his skin care and his girth, meaning the beating is on, or at least it is until Striker kicks him low. Striker: “What’s the matter? Feeling a little blue, Balls?”
Elijah Burke brags about how he and Sylvester Terkay will knock you out or tap you out.
CM Punk vs. Hardcore Holly
Punk elbows and armdrags him down to start and grabs a suplex for two. Holly gets in a shot of his own though and ties Punk in the ropes for the forearm to the chest. A swinging neckbreaker gets Punk out of trouble and it’s time for the rapid fire strikes. The running bulldog out of the corner gets two but Holly knocks him into the corner and hammers away….for the DQ.
Rating: D+. Oh yeah Heyman must be gone, as this would seem to be the kind of thing that Heyman would fight to avoid. This would have been a lame ending on any show but it is especially lame in ECW. Holly is not likely a big name around here for very long and odds are Punk will beat him again in the rematch, as he should.
Post match, Punk grabs the Anaconda Vice to make Holly tap.
Here is Tommy Dreamer to call out the Great Khali. Cue Khali and Daivari, the latter of whom accepts the challenge instead.
Tommy Dreamer vs. Daivari
Daivari hammers away in the corner but Dreamer fights out, shrugs off a chop from Khali, and hits the DDT for the pin in less than a minute.
Post match, Khali pulls Dreamer outside to hit the double chokeslam on the floor.
We look at Mike Knox dumping Kelly Kelly and giving her a swinging Downward Spiral last week.
Bobby Lashley vs. Paul Heyman’s Personal Enforcers
Non-title. The Enforcers stay in their helmets and #2 tries to sneak in for a cheap shot. That has no avail as Lashley sends him outside and grabs a delayed vertical suplex on #1. A nightstick shot puts Lashley down and the stomping in the corner gets two. There’s a double clothesline to set up more stomping but Lashley avoids a charge into the corner. A backdrop sends #1 into #2 and a spear sets up the Dominator for the pin.
Rating: D. This felt like they remembered they needed Lashley to do something on the show and checked catering to see who was available. The ending was never in doubt and they didn’t do anything to make it that much more interesting. Lashley being all dominant is fine but this wasn’t exactly make me want to see more of him.
Post match Lashley spears #1 and gives him a Dominator as well. Lashley grabs the nightstick and beats them both down to end the show.
Overall Rating: D. I would be really curious to know how the creative aspect of this one went, as there was very little to suggest that much effort was put in. What we got here felt like it was mainly thrown together at the last minute, which isn’t the most inspiring effort. It wasn’t a good show and felt completely skippable, though maybe they were just burning through a weekend show.
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You noted how Big Show wouldn’t return to the WWE for over a year shortly after losing the ECW Championship to Bobby Lashley. What was the reason he was gone from the company during this time?
Contract was up. He hit the indies for a bit, including a match against Hulk Hogan in Memphis.