ECW on Sci Fi
Date: June 19, 2007
Location: Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, North Carolina
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

We’re still dealing with the fallout of Vince McMahon’s death and that is likely going to be the focal point of this week’s show. However, we are also coming up on Vengeance: Night Of Champions and we need a new ECW World Champion. That could be addressed this week, or at least it should be. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Commentary talks about how serious everything is with Vince McMahon and we hear from some people who were near the explosion.

Chris Benoit vs. Elijah Burke

The winner moves on to the ECW World Title match at Vengeance. Benoit takes him down by the arm to start but it’s too early for the Crossface. They go to a standoff but Benoit slaps him in the face, setting up another failed Crossface attempt. A whip into the corner gives Burke two and he hammers away at the ribs, setting up a seated abdominal stretch.

Benoit suplexes his way to freedom and cuts off a charging Burke with a kick to the face in the corner. A snap northern lights suplex gives Benoit two and it’s time to roll some German suplexes. There’s the Swan Dive but Benoit can’t follow up. Burke is back up with an STO but the Elijah Express hits the corner. The Sharpshooter sends Benoit to the title match.

Rating: C. Benoit was kind of the perfect choice to go to ECW as he was a veteran who could have a good match with anyone. At the same time, someone beating him would mean something as he had the resume to give a victory some impact. Burke’s time already seems to have come and gone though and he never felt like a real threat here.

We look at Stephanie McMahon’s appearance on Raw, where she talked about how much she missed Vince McMahon and swore vengeance on whomever did it.

Boogeyman vs. Sean Alexander

Chokebomb in less than 30 seconds. The post match worming takes about as long.

We see Vince McMahon’s lead investigator…standing at a podium. Apparently he used to work in counter intelligence.

Kevin Thorn vs. Tommy Dreamer

Thorn runs him over to start but Dreamer goes for the legs for a takedown. That works as well as almost anything else Dreamer tries to do as Thorn hammers away at his face instead. Some elbows set up a chinlock as the fans want tables. Dreamer fights up and hits a bulldog before grabbing a sitout spinebuster for two. Back up and Dreamer seems to have hurt his ankle but goes up to rain down right hands in the corner anyway. Thorn punches the leg out though and gets the pin.

Rating: D+. That was a weird ending so Dreamer might have actually tweaked something. It felt like they got out of there pretty fast, but I can’t imagine Dreamer was going to go much longer against Thorn anyway. You don’t put Dreamer in a long match at this point so it isn’t likely to have been a huge switch, even if the injury was legitimate.

We look back at Vince getting blown up (Hogan beating the Iron Sheik didn’t get shown this much) and take a look at the fire being put out. That thing got burned up good.

Johnny Nitro vs. Nunzio

Nunzio headlocks him down but gets caught with a springboard kick to the face for two instead. There’s the break dancing legdrop for two more and Nitro grabs the cravate. Nunzio fights up and stops a charge in the corner, setting up a middle rope dropkick. A backbreaker into a neckbreaker gives Nitro two and the flipping neckbreaker finishes Nunzi off.

Rating: C-. This was another match designed to establish a new star as Nitro gets to make his ECW debut. Nitro is someone who could use a build up on a smaller show like this, though he already has those Intercontinental Title reigns to make him feel that much bigger. Nunzio was game here, and I can see why WWE kept him around as long as they did.

Marcus Cor Von tells Elijah Burke not to worry about it and promises to win the ECW World Title at Vengeance.

The Miz is coming.

Extreme Expose thinks Miz is hot and Brooke wants them to hook her up with him. Brooke leaves and Layla says she already saw Kelly Kelly with Miz last weekend. Kelly tells her to mind her own business.

Vengeance rundown.

CM Punk vs. Marcus Cor Von

The winner faces Chris Benoit for the ECW World Title at Vengeance. Cor Von comes right at Punk to start but gets armdragged down for his efforts. A fireman’s carry takeover gives Punk two but Cor Von takes him down with a flying armbar. Cor Von grabs a Kimura and takes Punk to the mat as Tazz is having a lot of fun calling this kind of match.

A fall away slam sets up another armbar as Cor Von certainly has a target. Back up and Punk gets a boot up in the corner, setting up the running knee to the face. The bulldog sets up the springboard clothesline, which Cor Von counters into a powerslam…which he doesn’t rotate far enough and drops Punk on his head (GEEZ). Punk is right back up with the GTS for a rather quick pin.

Rating: C. That powerslam was a scary spot and they got out of there fast, though they were running out of time anyway. Punk needed to move up the ladder as he has felt like one of the top stars around here for a long time. This would actually be Cor Von’s last match, as he would leave to take care of his nephews and never wrestle again.

Chris Benoit comes out for the staredown with Punk and the aggressive handshake ends the show.

Overall Rating: C. This felt like they were moving forward for the first time in a good while. The Vince vs. Lashley feud went on for a long time but I don’t think there was ever any real doubt about how it was going to play out. Now we have a new direction and some new stars, which is what ECW has been needing. Not a great show, but a show going in the right, and much needed, direction.

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ECW on Sci Fi
Date: June 12, 2007
Location: Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

So everything changed last night as we have a brand new roster for all three shows (with more changes to come tomorrow afternoon), but the bigger story is that Vince McMahon got blown up real good. I think we’re going to have a focal point tonight, which might make for an odd show. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The WWE flag at Titan Towers was at half mast today

We watch the last seven minutes or so of Raw, from Vince coming to the ring, leaving without saying anything, and then getting blown up.

We get a ten bell salute, with the fans not exactly upset that Vince is gone.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Balls Mahoney

Tonight’s matches are dedicated to Vince so naturally this is under Extreme Rules. Commentary talks about how great Vince was for bringing back ECW as Mahoney hammers away, apparently out of dedication to Mr. McMahon. They go outside with Dreamer pulling out the weapons, including a kitchen sink to Mahoney’s head. That doesn’t seem to do much as Mahoney knocks Dreamer down and whips out some weapons of his own.

Dreamer trashcans him down and sets up a chair, which of course he goes into face first. Another trashcan shot to the head puts Mahoney in the Tree of Woe, setting up the running dropkick to drive the can into Mahoney’s face. Dreamer grabs a table, because it wouldn’t be ECW without one. Mahoney gets put through it in a hurry and a DDT onto a chair gives Dreamer the pin.

Rating: D+. I get why they’re doing it, but dedicating a standard ECW brawl to Vince feels rather out of place given what Vince had been doing to the ECW Originals in recent months. At least they kept this relatively short, even though it was a cold match for the sake of filling time on the show.

Boogeyman vs. Matt Striker

Striker runs away to start but gets in a few shots as Boogeyman follows him inside. Some shots to the back make Boogeyman gyrate as Tazz talks about all the entertainment Vince McMahon gave us over the years. Boogeyman hits him a few times and finishes with the chokebomb.

Post match, Striker gets wormed.

We get some post Raw footage of fire trucks arriving and putting out the limo fire.

Joey and Tazz talk about how you could see the smoke from their hotel a mile away. Those little touches do a nice job of helping put together the big picture.

Chris Benoit/CM Punk vs. Elijah Burke/Marcus Cor Von

Punk and Cor Von start things off with Punk taking him down in a headlock. Cor Von reverses into a headlock of his own before running Punk over without much effort. The power gets Punk into the corner so Burke can come in, but Punk slips away and brings in Benoit. The big elbow to the face puts Burke on the floor and it’s time to beg off back inside. Cor Von comes back in and gets punched in the face over and over.

Punk’s springboard clothesline staggers Cor Von and villains are cleared out as we take a break. Back with Burke dropping an elbow on the back of Punk’s head to cut him off. Cor Von and Burke take turns stomping on Punk and a catapult sends Punk into the buckle. For some reason someone says ring the bell so the bell rings, only to have everything break down. Commentary is really confused until the referee says Cor Von was disqualified for attacking Punk until a five count. Even the wrestlers seemed a bit confused on that one.

Rating: C. The match was a fine way to bring in Benoit, but that ending left a few things to be desired. It’s nice to see the referee follow the rules, but dang it was confusing. It made me feel better when almost no one seemed to know what was going on though, as the wrestlers didn’t seem to know what was going on.

Post match Benoit and Punk beat on them a bit more.

We see the explosion one more time to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. This was a weird show, as it was the day after the biggest angle the company has had in a long time. That had to be the focus of the show, but it also made this week’s show feel a lot less important. As a result, it was a mixture of a debut for some new wrestlers and a weird tribute, with the results not exactly working.

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ECW On Sci Fi
Date: June 5, 2007
Location: Amway Arena, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

We’re done with One Night Stand and some ECW things actually took place on the show. First and foremost, Bobby Lashley got the ECW World Title back from Vince McMahon, which should wrap their feud up for good. Other than that, Rob Van Dam seems to be out of action for the time being after Randy Orton beat the living daylights out of him. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Lashley winning the handicap match to get the title back.

Opening sequence.

Here is Vince McMahon, sitting in a rocking chair on a platform, with a rather annoyed glare on his face. Bobby Lashley comes out as Vince keeps rocking back and forth without doing much of anything.

Bobby Lashley vs. Tommy Dreamer/Sandman/Balls Mahoney

Non-title hardcore match. The trio grabs their weapons and start swinging to put Lashley on the floor. Back in and they do it again, followed by a third time for good measure. For some reason Dreamer thinks a suplex is a good idea and gets suplexed down for his efforts. Sandman and Mahoney drape Lashley over the top with Sandman dropping a leg to the back of the neck. Dreamer is back in for the baseball slide to the chair in the Tree of Woe. It’s table time (because of course) but Mahoney chairs Dreamer by mistake. That’s enough for Lashley to put Sandman through the table and spear Mahoney down for the pin.

Rating: C-. You can only get so much out of something like this as Lashley isn’t going to lose to three people so low on the totem pole. I guess this is the best punishment Vince can muster at the moment and while it wasn’t awful, it was spending a few minutes waiting around for Lashley to beat them up. Just find something better for Lashley to do already.

Post match, Lashley poses in front of Vince, who doesn’t move.

Kevin Thorn vs. Stevie Richards

Richards forearms away to start and sends Thorn outside. The dive off the apron is pulled out of the air though, allowing Thorn to drive him into the apron. Back in and the chinlock goes on until Richards fights up, only to be dropped face first onto the turnbuckle instead. Richards strikes away and sends Thorn throat first into the middle rope fir a change. A spinebuster cuts Richards off though and Original Sin is good for pin.

Rating: D. This was another boring one as Thorn isn’t all that interesting once he gets in the ring. The vampire deal is a cool idea but other than the finisher, he’s just another low level power guy. Richards was trying as always, but there wasn’t much anyone could do in these circumstances.

Extreme Expose, who mix it up this week by adding some dancing on the announcers’ table.

We look at Randy Orton injuring Rob Van Dam at One Night Stand, putting Van Dam on the shelf.

Elijah Burke/Marcus Cor Von vs. Major Brothers

Cor Von charges at them to start and the beating is on in a hurry. Brett starts working on the arm though and Brian comes in with a top rope ax handle. That doesn’t work so well so it’s off to Burke, who gets double hiptossed right back down. Cor Von isn’t having this though and comes back in to run both of them over.

A slam in the corner sets up Burke’s seated abdominal stretch, followed by Cor Von’s waistlock. Cor Von knees Brett in the ribs to cut off the comeback and Burke puts on a standing abdominal stretch. For some reason he lets that go though and knees Brett in the back, sending him over to the corner for the tag to Brian. The comeback doesn’t please Cor Von so he tags himself back in to hit the Pounce for the pin.

Rating: C-. You can definitely see something in the Major Brothers, as they feel like a team who know each other well. It also helps that they have gotten some TV time now and have a bit of familiarity with the fans. The New Breed is all but done at this point, but a win over the Majors isn’t going to hurt anyone at the moment.

We recap the opening match, including Vince McMahon almost looking like he was in a trance.

CM Punk vs. Matt Striker

Before the match, Striker promises to teach Punk a lesson to educate these people cheering for him. Punk leg lariats him down to start and a pair of kicks gets two more. Striker comes back with some suplexes and a slam, setting up the half crab. With that broken up, Striker hits a hanging swinging neckbreaker before going right back to the same hold. Punk escapes again and starts striking away, including the running knee in the corner. The bulldog sets up the GTS to give Punk the pin.

Rating: C-. There’s only so much you can get out of Striker, who much like Thorn, is a far better character that he is a wrestler. It also doesn’t help that Punk is one of the biggest stars on this show and isn’t losing to anyone but another big star. Striker put in the effort here, but it was only going to get him so far.

Overall Rating: D+. This was quite the lame duck show as we are less than a week away from the Draft so none of this really mattered all that much. Vince still being broken was the highlight, as he is still one of the best performers in the world. Things need to be shaken up around here so the Draft is coming at the right time, but it didn’t exactly make for a good show this week.

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ECW On Sci Fi
Date: May 22, 2007
Location: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
Commentators: Tazz, Joey Styles

Things are staying interesting around here as we have the continuing issues between Bobby Lashley and ECW World Champion Vince McMahon. Their next showdown is set for One Night Stand, but we have a little time to cover before we get there. In addition, CM Punk is rising up through the ranks and seems ready to break through to the other side. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Snitsky vs. Tommy Dreamer

Snitsky powers him around to start and hits an elbow to the jaw in the corner. A hard toss sends Dreamer outside and he seems to have banged up his shoulder. Back in and the shoulder is sent into the post (THUD) and we hit a front facelock of all things. Snitsky misses a legdrop though and Dreamer grabs a DDT for two of his own. Dreamer goes up top but dives into a clothesline. The big boot finishes Dreamer in a hurry.

Rating: C-. This is all it needed to be as there was no reason to believe Snitsky was going to be in trouble against Dreamer. Snitsky is the local monster and having him beat down Dreamer is a good way to keep him moving up. At the same time though, there is only so much that you’re going to get out of a match like this. The result was fine, but it was a little dull to get there.

Post match Snitsky grabs a chair but Rob Van Dam makes the save with a Van Daminator.

We recap Bobby Lashley beating Vince McMahon and company at Judgment Day but not winning the title due to not pinning Vince.

Here is Extreme Expose to introduce the new music video for Timbaland’s Throw It On Me.

Kevin Thorn vs. Wyatt Laura

Ariel is gone with no explanation (commentary isn’t likely to mention someone being released) but Thorn unloads on Laura anyway. A running kick to the head sets up the Original Sin for the fast pin.

Elijah Burke is excited to team with Marcus Cor Von tonight because Cor Von can get it done. That’s different from Matt Striker, who better beat one of the Major Brothers tonight, or things will go bad. Cor Von also suggests Striker win.

Matt Striker vs. Brett Major

Brian (Curt Hawkins) Major is at ringside. Brett works on the arm to start but Striker quickly takes him down into a cravate. A sunset flip gives Brett two so Striker blasts him with a clothesline and the cravate goes on again. Brett comes back with a small package and Thesz press for two each, only to have Striker hit the Golden Rule. A rolling neckbreaker finishes Brett off.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t quite a squash but it also wasn’t the most interesting match. Striker is a good talker and has a punchable face, but that doesn’t mean I want to see him have matches. The Major Brothers have been a nice addition to the show and certainly seem a bit better than your usual run of jobbers.

We look at Bobby Lashley successfully running the gauntlet to earn an ECW World Title shot at One Night Stand.

Rob Van Dam/CM Punk vs. Marcus Cor Von/Elijah Burke

Punk has banged up ribs coming in, and the fans are very behind Van Dam. Cor Von shoulders Van Dam down with straight power to start and then does it again for a bonus. Back up and Van Dam hits a running clothesline so it’s off to Burke to hammer away. A rollup gets Van Dam out of trouble and it’s off to Punk for the springboard clothesline. We take a break and come back with Cor Von working on Van Dam’s knee.

Burke pulls on a leglock and drives a knee into Van Dam’s knee for two. Cor Von actually takes him down with a drop toehold and Burke rubs Van Dam face first into the mat. A kneebar keeps Van Dam in trouble until Cor Von hands it back to Burke, who gets enziguried. The hot tag brings in Punk, who cleans house on Burke. Cor Von comes in sans tag though and it’s the Pounce to Punk, which is enough for a DQ.

Rating: C. Kind of a dull tag match with a long stretch of the New Breed working on Van Dam’s knee. The ending was a good way to make Cor Von look like a monster but that wasn’t the most thrilling way to wrap things up. This felt like a way to stretch things out without actually doing anything, which is fine enough for a one off, but they’ll need to find a way to finish off New Breed sooner than later.

Post match Cor Von Pounces Van Dam as well, allowing the New Breed to stand tall to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This wasn’t exactly the most thrilling show as you can tell nothing really matters until we get done with Lashley vs. Vince at One Night Stand. It was far from the worst show, but it was certainly dull, which is often worse. Just get us to the stuff that matters and then we can see where this show can really go in the future.

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ECW On Sci Fi
Date: May 8, 2007
Location: Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

It’s another big show as we have the ECW World Title on the line. This time around that means Rob Van Dam challenging Vince McMahon…..with Shane McMahon and Umaga, because that’s how the title goes. Since it’s supposed to be EXTREME though, the stipulation makes logical sense. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Earlier today, Bobby Lashley arrived but ran into Armando Alejandro Estrada, flanked by police. If Lashley tries to get in or touches Estrada, he’s under arrest. That’s fine with Lashley, who shoves Estrada (in his wheelchair) into a dumpster (after a long ride). Lashley: “I guess you guys have to arrest me.” How do you get through this without showing any emotion?

Opening sequence, capped off by Vince McMahon as ECW World Champion.

CM Punk vs. Marcus Cor Von

Elijah Burke, who is facing Punk at Judgment Day, is here with Cor Von. As the match starts, we get a crawler saying that Edge just became the new World Heavyweight Champion. That’s one way to advertise things. Punk knocks Cor Von outside but gets clotheslined down for his efforts. Back in and Cor Von starts hammering away at the ribs, setting up the bearhug.

Cor Von drives him into the corner and puts on the bearhug again, followed by a waistlock to stay on the ribs. Punk slips out and grabs a neckbreaker for a much needed breather and a rather delayed two. A neck snap across the top rope sets up a springboard clothesline to give Punk two more but the tornado DDT is tossed outside. Burke gets in a cheap shot, allowing Cor Von to hit the Pounce for the pin.

Rating: C. Storyline advancement 201 here and that’s what it should have been. Cor Von gets a win and the Punk vs. Burke match gets a little more advancement. That’s a rather nice way to spend ten minutes and it’s not like Punk is hurt by a cheating loss. I think you know where this is going at Judgment Day and that’s perfectly fine.

We recap Edge becoming Mr. Money in the Bank on Raw.

Here’s another look at the Condemned.

Sandman vs. Snitsky

Given that Snitsky is Raw bound, this might be interesting. The big boot finishes Sandman in less than a minute. This was not interesting.

Vince McMahon is rather pleased with the Sandman being destroyed. Now that Bobby Lashley is in jail, they’re going to crush Rob Van Dam. Umaga screams a lot.

Extreme Expose.

We recap Vince McMahon winning the ECW World Title, Vince tormenting Bobby Lashley last night on Raw and Lashley getting arrested earlier today.

Elijah Burke tells Matt Striker that the New Breed is on a role and takes credit for what they have been doing. Burke wants Striker at ringside for his match tonight.

Elijah Burke vs. Brian Major

Matt Striker and Brett Major are here too. Burke takes him into the corner to start and hits a hard knee to the face to put Major down. A hard right hand puts Major down again and Burke knocks him into the corner again. Major slugs away for a comeback, only to miss a springboard spinning crossbody. The Elijah Experience finishes in a hurry.

Post match Burke tells Striker that’s how it’s done.

Kevin Thorn and Ariel have a bright future (in fresh blood), but it’s not with the New Breed.

ECW World Title: Rob Van Dam vs. Umaga/Vince McMahon/Shane McMahon

Van Dam is challenging and Shane handles his partners’ introductions. Shane starts for the team and it’s time for some shuffling. A rollup and armdrag have Shane in trouble, as he looks like he’s in over his head. Rob starts firing off the kicks, including one to cut off an invading Umaga. The numbers get the better of him though and Umaga shoves him into the barricade to take over.

Back in and Shane works on an armbar before throwing Van Dam back outside for another beating from Umaga. This time Umaga comes in to drop the big leg, followed by the Samoan drop. Van Dam gets pounded into the corner but manages a kick to the head to start the comeback. It’s time to go up but Shane crotches him, setting up the top rope superplex. Umaga adds the top rope splash and the Spike, allowing Vince to come in and steal the pin.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what else you were expecting here as it was Van Dam failing to beat impossible odds. While this match wasn’t great, it did a nice job of making Bobby Lashley look that much better when he pulls off the upset. Van Dam never had a chance here and I don’t think anyone was expecting otherwise, especially with the pay per view already set.

Post match the ECW Originals run out for the save to end the show. Joey: “Has Vince McMahon just killed the spirit of the original ECW?” After everything you’ve seen, that match is what killed ECW?

Overall Rating: C. Pretty run of the mill show here, which was more designed to set things up for the future than anything else. It wasn’t a bad show by any means but it also wasn’t particularly good, meaning we’ll put it right in the middle. There are things set up for the future and now we get to see how those stories play out, which means the plans are working.

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ECW On Sci Fi
Date: May 1, 2007
Location: BJCC, Birmingham, Alabama
Attendance: 5,000
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

Things changed again last week as CM Punk turned on the New Breed almost immediately after joining them. That certainly makes things more interesting, but it also makes Punk that much bigger of a star. If he isn’t a bigger deal than Rob Van Dam just yet, it isn’t going to be long. Oh and in a minor note: Vince McMahon is the new ECW World Champion. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Vince McMahon winning the ECW World Title at Backlash, with some help from Shane McMahon and Umaga.

Opening sequence.

Here is a ticked off Bobby Lashley to get things going. Vince McMahon may be the new ECW World Champion but no one outside of the McMahon family is happy about it. Lashley doesn’t care if his shoulder is banged up because he wants his rematch RIGHT NOW. Cue Armando Alejandro Estrada in a wheelchair and neck brace, saying Lashley isn’t going to ruin a special night.

Lashley is the reason Vince is bald and that Estrada is in the wheelchair (good for a sly smile), plus why he can’t manage Umaga right now. Vince has a message for Lashley though: he’ll get a rematch, but it won’t be tonight. Also, unless physically provoked, Lashley can’t touch either McMahon or Umaga. Lashley realizes that a certain name isn’t on that list and Estrada realizes the same. The wheelchair crashes shortly thereafter.

Elijah Burke gives the New Breed a pep talk, explaining how much CM Punk turned on all of them last week. From now on, follow his lead.

CM Punk comes out for a match so here is the New Breed, with Burke picking his opponent.

Kevin Thorn vs. CM Punk

Riveting choice. Thorn drives him into the corner and kicks away to start before pulling him throat first into the rope. The chinlock goes on as I can’t help but think there is something weird about a vampire/vampire enthusiast wearing a Nike elbow pad. Punk fights up and Thorn charges into some boots in the corner. The GTS finishes Thorn in a hurry.

The ECW Originals are annoyed at Vince McMahon for winning the ECW World Title. This aired on Raw.

Extreme Expose.

Kevin Thorn wants to know where the New Breed was. Elijah Burke doesn’t want to hear it and says any of the team could have beaten CM Punk. Thorn doesn’t want to hear it and quits the team.

More of the ECW Originals complaining about Vince McMahon winning the title. This also aired on Raw.

Snitsky video.

Marcus Cor Von/Matt Striker vs. Major Brothers

That would be Brett/Brian Major, better known as Zack Ryder/Curt Hawkins. Brian works on Striker’s wrist to start but gets pulled down by the hair for his efforts. The second attempt at arm cranking goes a bit better and it’s Brett coming in with a middle rope ax handle. Cor Von comes in and sends Brett outside so the beating can begin.

A gorilla press dropped back into a fall away slam gets two, with Brian having to make a save. The chinlock goes on to keep Brett in trouble but Cor Von misses a charge in the corner. The hot tag brings in Brian for two off a powerslam to Striker. Cor Von pulls Brett to the floor, leaving Striker to clothesline Brian. Back up and Brian hits a middle rope spinning crossbody for the completely clean pin on Striker.

Rating: C-. Not much of a match but dang that is a heck of an upset as the New Breed continues to fall apart. At some point you have to just give someone a win and that’s what they did here with the Major Brothers. The team was certainly more polished than your usual team from the corner to my left and it was a very nice surprise, especially with no interference.

Post match Striker claims a fast count but Elijah Burke doesn’t want to hear it. Striker walks away.

We look back at Umaga beating Rob Van Dam in a good match on Raw.

Here is Vince McMahon, and yes he does the open the jacket to reveal the belt thing (which he refers to as “exposing himself”. Vince is willing to defend the title against Lashley but Vince is going to decide on the details. We’ll get to that later though, because first up we have the ECW Originals. They aren’t happy with him as champion, but they should come say that to his face. The fans think someone sucks but Vince thinks they’re talking about the ECW Originals.

Vince invites the team out here and then gets in Van Dam’s face, with Van Dam saying Vince killed ECW. The title on Vince’s shoulder is a disgrace and it makes Van Dam sick. Vince moves on to Sabu….who we’ll talk to later as Sabu doesn’t talk. Sandman smells bad but he holds up three fingers and tells Vince to read between the lines.

Finally, Vince asks why Tommy Dreamer is wearing gold shoes and then asks what he thinks. Dreamer talks about the fans demanding the return of ECW and says the people at home pay his salary. They know about the spirit of ECW and that’s what matters. Vince asks which of them is ready to challenge him and all four are ready, but let’s have a four way #1 contenders dance instead. And let’s make it Extreme Rules! This idea makes sense on paper and it’s glorious to see Vince trolling ECW like this, but it’s a little hard to believe that Sandman or Sabu is going to work with Vince in any serious way.

Rob Van Dam vs. Sabu vs. Tommy Dreamer vs. Sandman

One fall to a finish and Extreme Rules and Vince provides all kinds of weapons. We get some rollups to start until they pair off, with Van Dam being kicked out to the floor. The weapons are brought in and Sandman clotheslines Sabu down for two. They start heading outside, with Sabu hitting a dive to take Van Dam off the apron for a nasty crash. Back in and Sandman bulldogs Dreamer onto a trashcan for two.

Vince is rather pleased that Dreamer is outside getting a chair to put Sandman in the Tree of Woe for the dropkick. Van Dam is back in to clean house with the chair but Dreamer hits him with a piledriver (giving us Van Dam’s bouncing sell). Sabu takes Sandman down and gets two off the triple jump moonsault. It’s time for the required table (Vince applauds), with Dreamer superplexing Sabu through Sandman through said table. Van Dam adds the Five Star to pin Sandman for the title shot.

Rating: C. This was about what you would expect from these four in this kind of a match, including a pretty obvious winner. Again, who else was going to be any kind of a realistic opponent for McMahon? Even in a one off match, it’s not like there is a ton of star power around here. This Vince vs. ECW deal sounds good on paper, but it kind of falls apart once you look at the ECW roster.

Overall Rating: C. They were focusing on setting things up for later here and you have to do that every now and then. I don’t know how much doubt is there for what is coming from these stories, but we got some nice steps on the way there. The show itself wasn’t bad, but this was about the future rather than the present, which worked out about as well as could be expected.

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ECW on Sci Fi
Date: April 3, 2007
Location: Allen County War Memorial, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Attendance: 4,500
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

We are done with Wrestlemania and ECW actually had more than a bit of a presence. Not only did ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley take out Umaga so Vince McMahon could be shaved bald, but the ECW Originals beat the New Breed in the big eight man tag. Neither seems to be over though so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results is you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Here is Bobby Lashley to talk about how big a night Wrestlemania was for him. Everyone is talking about the Battle of the Billionaires and we see some shots of Vince McMahon being shaved at Wrestlemania. We also see Lashley taking Vince’s hat last night on Raw, leaving Vince to hide his bald head under various things, including Lilian Garcia’s skirt. Lashley knows Vince is coming to end his title reign, so bring it on.

We look at the Condemned movie premiere in Detroit, which is the largest premiere of the century or whatever their latest title is.

CM Punk vs. Stevie Richards

Punk goes with a hammerlock into a headlock to start and Richards is in early trouble. Richards gets smart by going after Punk’s taped up ribs and a suplex gets two. We pause so Richards can mock the X pose before Punk grabs the abdominal stretch. Richards gets a bit too cocky though and charges into a knee to the face. The ribs are too banged up for Punk to try a suplex so he strikes away at Richards’ face instead. The (first time ever) officially named GTS finishes Richards.

Rating: C-. Richards always had some energy to him in these matches, even if he had a complete lack of a chance of winning anything. Punk gets back to winning after the Money in the Bank loss and that should be part of his way up towards the main event, either around here or elsewhere. ECW isn’t keeping Punk for long, so they should get what they can out of him while they can.

Rob Van Dam is in the back with Timbaland (music producer) and pleasantries are exchanged. Van Dam leaves and Extreme Expose comes in to suggest they get a spot in his new music video. Timbaland seems intrigued.

Matt Striker and Marcus Cor Von offer CM Punk a spot in the New Breed. Punk says no, but Cor Von says you’re with us or against us.

Extreme Expose.

Wrestlemania music video.

Snitsky vs. Hardcore Holly

Holly slugs away to start and gets knocked into the corner for the hammering/choking. The big elbows set up some stomping but Holly gets a foot up in the corner. A suplex is countered into a failed Alabama Slam attempt and Snitsky kicks him in the face for the easy pin.

Post match, Snitsky unloads on Holly with a chair and crushes it in the steps for some hard chair shots. That’s certainly an injury angle to get Holly off of TV for a staph infection.

Hall of Fame induction ceremony video.

New Breed vs. ECW Originals

Extreme Rules, which was going to happen sooner or later. We’re joined in progress with Sabu dropping Striker to set up the one armed camel clutch and everything breaks down in a hurry. The weapons are brought in to clear out the New Breed, meaning it’s time for some dives. Dreamer whips Striker into a trashcan in the corner but Cor Von gets in a cheap shot so the New Breed can take over.

The rest of the Originals are held outside but Dreamer manages a DDT/neckbreaker combination to get a breather. Now the rest of the Originals can come back in to clean house with Sabu getting two on Striker. Burke knocks a swinging Sandman down without much effort but Dreamer hits the baseball slide into the chair into Striker’s face in the Tree of Woe. Sandman cleans house with the kendo stick but Cor Von is back up to suplex Dreamer onto an open chair.

There’s the Pounce to send Dreamer outside so Sabu comes back in to throw a chair at Cor Von’s head. Van Dam slips out of a Razor’s Edge through a table and rolls Thorn up for two. Ariel crotches Van Dam on top but Sabu makes another save. Van Dam and Sabu drive Thorn through the table at the same time but the Van Dam is sent outside. The Elijah Express sends Sabu through a table in the corner though and Burke gets the pin.

Rating: B. This was actually a heck of a sprint and that is what this should have been. Once they came back from the break, this was a pretty awesome match with all eight guys working hard and beating each other up. Odds are this sets up a tables match at Extreme Rules for the big blowoff, though the Punk factor is going to be interesting as well.

Overall Rating: B-. The main event carried the thing, though the rest of the show was little more than a way to have a breather after Wrestlemania. That’s all they needed to do here and it worked quite well, mainly due to one match. Sometimes you need to see something hard hitting and fun, which is what we got on this show. Nice job, though it’s more of a stand alone episode than anything else.

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ECW on Sci Fi
Date: March 20, 2007
Location: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

We are just about to Wrestlemania and even ECW is picking up a lot. This time we are going to be seeing more from ECW Champion Bobby Lashley, which means there might be some guest stars coming after him. That could help things out a lot, and the ECW Originals vs. the New Breed should be enough to keep things going. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

In Memory of Arnold Skaaland.

We open with a recap (as in near replay) of Bobby Lashley breaking Chris Masters’ Masterlock last night on Raw.

Masters is here and promises to break Lashley tonight.

Opening sequence.

Sabu/Rob Van Dam vs. Marcus Cor Von/Kevin Thorn

Ariel is here with Cor Von and Thorn. Van Dam kicks Thorn in the face to start as the crowd is oddly quiet. Sabu comes in for a double Arabian facebuster and a dropkick to the leg cuts Thorn down again. A missed kick ties Van Dam in the ropes though and Cor Von blasts him with a clothesline to the floor. The villains (as in the stronger guys, which does go against most old ECW stars) take turns crushing Van Dam in the corner and we hit the chinlock.

With that not working for Thorn, Cor Von comes in for a chinlock of his own. Van Dam finally fights up for a kick to the head and Sabu comes back in to pick up the pace. A springboard leg lariat sets up a springboard DDT for two on Cor Von as everything breaks down. Van Dam headscissors Thorn outside, leaving Cor Von to hit a heck of a Pounce for the pin on Sabu (he went FLYING for one of the best looking Pounces I’ve ever seen).

Rating: C-. The match was the usual stuff from this feud but that ending made my eyebrows go up. You don’t get a collision like that very often and it looked awesome. That’s how you use someone’s natural talents to their advantage, because no one else was going to be able to hit like that.

Video on Snitsky.

Snitsky vs. Mike Tolar

Big boot finishes Tolar in just over thirty seconds.

The Sheik is going into the Hall of Fame. The look at the fireball is worth it alone, though it’s weird to hear him referred to by his real name.

CM Punk vs. Hardcore Holly

They start fast with Punk getting kicked away but coming back with an armdrag into an armbar. Cue Elijah Burke to watch as Punk hammers away in the corner. A hot shot cuts Punk off though and Holly chops away against the rope. Holly hits a clothesline to set up the chinlock and the CM PUNK chants start up.

Punk fights up with the usual collection of shots to the face but a glare at Burke lets Holly break up the bulldog. It’s time to take Punk up top, where he kicks Holly away. Burke gets on the apron for a distraction so here is Kevin Thorn to snap Holly’s neck across the rope (which Punk sees). The yet to be named GTS finishes Holly.

Rating: C. This was much more about advancing the Punk/New Breed stuff and it worked fine in that regard. Other than that though, it isn’t like there is a ton of drama to Punk beating Holly outside of some interference. They still need to upgrade some of the roster around here, or at least rotate people like Holly into something other than this. We’ve kind of hit Holly’s limit on this show and someone else WWE isn’t using could be a nice change.

Post break Punk comes up to Burke and says he doesn’t want any help. Burke says imagine what they can do for him at Money in the Bank.

Extreme Expose.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Elijah Burke

Sandman and Matt Striker are the seconds. Dreamer knocks him down to start before heading to the apron, where Burke hits him into the post. The chinlock is already on with Dreamer fighting up in a hurry. A neckbreaker and fall away slam put Burke down but he counters the DDT. The Elijah Express finishes Dreamer in short order.

Same Masterlock Challenge video which opened the show. That shouldn’t be needed in an hour long show.

Celebrities pick Trump vs. McMahon.

Chris Masters vs. Bobby Lashley

Non-title. They go with the power shoves to start until a shoulder makes Masters think twice. Lashley unloads in the corner and there’s a clothesline to the floor. Masters gets in a ram into the barricade though and it’s a suplex to drop Lashley back inside. The Masterlock is countered into a full nelson slam to plant Masters and the running powerslam finishes Masters in a hurry.

Rating: D+. They didn’t waste time here as this was all about beating up Masters to show what Lashley can do in a squash. It wasn’t good and it wasn’t technical, but why would you want something like that here? Lashley looked dominant and it isn’t like Masters has anything to lose in the first place.

Overall Rating: C-. They didn’t do much here as this show was about moving the ECW Originals vs. the New Breed forward with Lashley there too. It isn’t like there is a lot of depth to the two main matches on this show, making this a little more than a skippable week. It isn’t like WWE was focusing on most of ECW at this point though, as there are more important things going on.

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ECW on Sci Fi
Date: March 13, 2007
Location: Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, New Jersey
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

Wrestlemania is on the way and ECW will actually be doing something on the show. Not only will CM Punk be in Money in the Bank, but we get the big eight man tag between the New Breed and the ECW Originals. That alone should be more than enough to carry ECW TV, but this week gets a bonus with a special appearance by Mick Foley. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

In Memory Of Ernie Ladd.

Edge is in the back when Randy Orton comes up to yell at him for setting up Orton vs. Bobby Lashley tonight. Orton says Edge is kissing up to Vince McMahon and tensions are rather high.

Opening sequence.

Battle Royal

Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Sandman, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, Elijah Burke

The teams come out together but it’s one winner only. It’s a brawl to start (as it should be) with Sandman hammering on Striker in the corner. The posing is a bit too much though and Striker tosses him out without much effort. Sabu and Van Dam get rid of Cor Von, which probably should have been a bigger deal. Thorn blocks Sabu’s hurricanrana to toss him out as the eliminations are starting fast.

Van Dam kicks away at Thorn, including the step over kick to put him down. Striker cuts Van Dam off though as we’re into the everyone brawls without tossing anyone stage. A kick to the face rocks Thorn and some clotheslines get rid of him but Striker is right behind him to toss Van Dam as well.

We’re down to Striker, Burke and Dreamer, the latter of whom has to fight out of the corner. For some reason Striker charges at Dreamer in the corner and gets backdropped out, leaving us with Burke vs. Dreamer. Burke dropkicks him off the top but Dreamer hangs on and gets up on the apron. Back in and Dreamer blocks a big boot and shoves Burke out to win (with the Originals being announced as the winners).

Rating: C-. They kept this moving fast enough and that’s always appreciated in a battle royal with so many losers. Dreamer winning is a good idea as you need to give someone other than Van Dam some momentum in the feud and it’s not like losing in a battle royal is some kind of career death sentence. This feud is more than enough to carry ECW for the time being and this was a fine way to go for the week.

Post match the Originals all get back inside and here is Mick Foley. Post break, Foley says you might think that he is here for a cheap pop…..and you would be exactly right! He is here to talk about his new book, but he is also here to talk about Wrestlemania. Foley talks about turning on Tommy Dreamer last year and it made him unpopular with some of the boys.

Yes he is here to talk about his book because he has never been so honest before. He talks about everyone and everything in it and he wants Dreamer to look at it. Dreamer drops the book but Foley talks about how he turned on Dreamer last year. Yeah he loves the pop and the crowd reaction but One Night Stand meant so much to him that he wanted to shine the spotlight on Dreamer.

Sabu deserves the attention as well and that’s why we are getting to Wrestlemania. It is time for the Originals to face the New Breed in front of 70,000 people. Foley never got to do that and he is going to make it 70,001 by being at Wrestlemania in the stands. He will somehow squeeze into a seat and let his voice be heard as he chants ECW. The chant starts up again….at least a little bit. This was Foley trying as hard as he could to get an idea over but it is only going to get so far when it’s ECW in 2007.

Video on Snitsky.

Extreme Expose….is cut off by Snitsky.

Snitsky vs. Michael Deek/Danny Jacks

Total destruction, with Snitsky pinning Deek after a big boot in about forty seconds.

Elijah Burke wants CM Punk’s answer about joining the New Breed. Punk isn’t ready to answer but Burke asks him about his bad night on Smackdown. That’s not cool with Punk, but Burke wants to make sure Wrestlemania is a good night for Punk. Just think about it, and Burke hands him a New Breed shirt.

Celebrities offer their hair cut picks.

Long video on the Battle of the Billionaires contract signing from Raw.

Bobby Lashley vs. Randy Orton

Non-title and Edge comes out to watch. Lashley powers him into the corner to start but Orton gets smart by taking out the leg. A chop block puts Lashley down and the knee drop keeps him in trouble. Back up and Lashley sends him outside where Edge yells at Orton as we take a break.

We come back with Orton holding Lashley in a Boston crab, meaning it’s time to crawl to the rope. Orton stomps away but Lashley fights up, earning himself a poke to the eye to cut him off again. The RKO is blocked so Edge grabs the title, which is enough for an ejection. Edge seems rather happy as Orton yells at him and we take another break.

Back again with Orton hitting a suplex on the floor for a near fall, followed by the Orton Stomp. Another Boston crab goes on, with Orton being smart enough to face the ropes this time. Orton even bends forward to push onto the ropes….which I’m assuming adds some kind of extra pressure in heel logic.

Lashley gets out and the fans are not pleased with anything about Orton. They are a bit more appreciative of Orton being sent shoulder first into the post and getting torture racked. Lashley drops to his knees for the backbreaker and it’s time to unload in the corner. The running powerslam finishes Orton clean in a pretty flat ending.

Rating: C. The ending really sucked the life out of this one, which is impressive as it didn’t have a ton of life in the first place. Lashley has all of the tools you could need but he really isn’t feeling it in the ring with these matches. It wasn’t so much a hot comeback as much as Lashley hit a few moves and then won with his finisher. Not bad, but it got a very big “that’s it?”.

Vince McMahon, looking snazzy in a black pinstripe suit with a black tie, comes out to glare at Lashley to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. Not their best show here, but what matters is they have something big to focus on with the faction warfare. The problem is I’m not sure what the rest of the show is going to do when Lashley is out of the real Wrestlemania main event slot. The show wasn’t great, but it kept things moving, albeit fairly slowly, on the way to Wrestlemania.

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ECW on Sci Fi
Date: February 27, 2007
Location: HP Pavilion, San Jose, California
Attendance: 13,511
Commentators: Joey Styles, Tazz

The big stories continue to be Bobby Lashley and the ECW Title, plus the New Breed vs. the ECW Originals. Both stories are likely to get a lot of time this week, though Vince McMahon showing up to deal with Lashley should tell you what the focus of this show should be. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Donald Trump picking Bobby Lashley as his representative in the Battle of the Billionaires. This set up a pretty awesome Lashley vs. Umaga brawl on Raw.

Tonight: Lashley has to defend the ECW World Title inside a cage against Hardcore Holly.

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Sabu vs. Mr. Kennedy

Extreme Rules. They actually go to the mat to start until Kennedy hits a slam. The running elbow misses but Kennedy is fine enough to whip him into the corner. Sabu knocks him outside and hits the baseball slide, followed by the dive. A chair is thrown in and a table is set up, with Kennedy being knocked into place. Kennedy gets out of the way, so Sabu just dives onto him anyway.

Back in and the Triple Jump Moonsault is countered with a drop toehold into the open chair, allowing Kennedy to kick him in the face. Kennedy awkwardly puts the table inside but the delay lets Sabu hit a legdrop to the back of the head. Sabu goes up but dives through the table by mistake, allowing Kennedy to hit a DDT onto the table for the pin.

Rating: D+. What were you expecting from this kind of a clash of styles? There was no drama on the winner as Sabu isn’t getting anywhere near a match that big. Sabu needed all of his weapons though and that isn’t Kennedy’s thing, making this quite the mess and not very good in any sense.

Vince McMahon arrives and isn’t happy about being late.

Balls Mahoney vs. Matt Striker

Striker actually hits him in the face to start but hurts his hand. Mahoney shows him some better technique and goes up top for the legdrop. Cue Snitsky to jump Mahoney for the DQ in less than a minute.

Snitsky lays both of them out.

Vince McMahon welcomes us to the show and talks about tonight’s cage match for Bobby Lashley’s ECW World Title. Vince doesn’t like Lashley, so we’re changing things up a bit: if Lashley doesn’t win in five minutes, he loses the title. SURPRISE SURPRISE!

Marcus Cor Von/Kevin Thorn vs. Rob Van Dam/Tommy Dreamer

Ariel and Elijah Burke are with the villains while Sandman is with the ECWites. Van Dam drop toeholds Thorn down to start so Dreamer can drop an elbow for two. A hiptoss sends Thorn down as well and Dreamer hammers away in the corner. He even gets in a right hand to cut off Cor Von in a nice save. The distraction lets Cor Von come in and hammer away though, setting up the chinlock.

That’s broken up in a hurry and it’s off to Van Dam for the assortment of kicks. The split legged moonsault gets two and Rolling Thunder gets the same. Everything breaks down and Dreamer dives off the apron onto Cor Von. Ariel tries to throw in the walking stick but Sandman spanks her with the cane. The distraction lets Thorn crotch Van Dam on top and the Dark Kiss is enough for the pin.

Rating: C-. This needed more Cor Von as it wasn’t the most energized match. What mattered here was continuing the New Breed’s advantage over the Originals, which should be the case. The Originals aren’t exactly interesting and other than nostalgia, why should I cheer for any of them other than maybe Van Dam? The New Breed might not be great, but what they’re saying makes sense.

Hardcore Holly knows he’s winning tonight because no one can beat him in five minutes.

CM Punk vs. Stevie Richards

Richards shoves him out to the floor to start (that might not have been the plan) but Punk is right back in for an exchange of kicks to the legs. More kicks have Punk down and we hit the neck crank. Punk kicks his way out and gets two off a rollup but Richards kicks him right back into the chinlock. With that broken up, Richards takes him up top for the superplex but gets shoved down in a crash. A top rope clothesline sets up the running knee in the corner and the yet to be named GTS finishes Richards off.

Rating: D. This was really weird as Richards started off in control, put on a bunch of chinlocks and then waited for Punk to beat him. It felt more like a Richards match with Punk winning in the end, which isn’t likely what they were going for here. Punk should have come off looking more dominant here, as it’s just Stevie Richards.

We look at Donald Trump picking Bobby Lashley last night, setting up the brawl, again.

Extreme Expose.

Jerry Lawler is going into the Hall of Fame. This isn’t on Peacock for some reason.

ECW World Title: Bobby Lashley vs. Hardcore Holly

Lashley is defending inside a cage and we have a five minute time limit. As you might expect, Lashley starts fast and hammers away with right hands on the mat. Holly is busted open but avoids a charge so Holly can go up. Lashley goes up too but here are Vince McMahon and Umaga. They fall off the top and Umaga throws in some chairs. Holly clocks Lashley in the head for two with two minutes left. Lashley fights up with a belly to belly suplex and a bunch of chair shots of his own. Another chair to the head drops Holly with a minute left and the running powerslam retains the title in time.

Rating: C. This was angle advancement rather than a regular match and given who was involved, that’s all you could ask for. Holly isn’t a serious threat to win the title and Lashley is on to far bigger and more important things. They got in and out here while doing their thing and that’s the right move for a match like this.

Post match Umaga and Lashley stare each other down. Lashley gets a running start and launches himself into the cage wall, knocking it over and crushing Umaga in the process. Both guys are down to end the show as Armando Alejandro Estrada panics. I’ve always loved this ending as not only is it different, but it makes Lashley look like the kind of monster who can go toe to toe with Umaga.

It’s different from the John Cena feud, as Cena was able to fight enough until he could find a way around Umaga. Lashley is someone who might be able to just beat him one on one through straight power. Awesome ending, if nothing else due to the cage wall knocking Umaga down so fast.

Overall Rating: C-. The ending helped a lot but this was one of their weaker shows so far. The matches weren’t working for the most part and it just kind of kept going. What helps here is that the Originals vs. New Breed and McMahon involvement makes the show feel important. That has been lacking since ECW debuted and while it isn’t going to last forever, it is nice to see for the moment.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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