WWECW Year One: The Best Bits

[Y 2 Jake]

ECW has been officially back for a year now. Instead of being negative, look at the positives. What good stuff has actually come from this, over the past year.

No Name Talent Actually Getting An Opportunity:

Striker, Cor Von, Burke, Thorne and to a lesser degree Punk. Non of them would be in the positions there in if it wasn't for ECW. Burk was ''relegated'' to ECW because there was nothing for him on Smackdown. On ECW he's a main player. He wouldn't have been on Smackdown or Raw. Striker had never been given a opportunity on Raw. He was Heat material only. No he's appearing on TV which he wasn't a year ago. Punk wouldn't be a main eventer yet if it wasn't for ECW. He would be feuding with nobodies like Masters otherwise. And Cor Von would be no better off than he is now.

Bobby Lashley:

Yeah he sucks. But WWE have shown a lot of determination in trying to get him over. Weather that happens or not I don't know. But you have to admire WWE's persistence.

 

[joeya51]

As long as I tell myself I'm not watching the original "ECW" but just another wrestling show like raw or smackdown, then actually its a good product. I think CM Punk and Cor Von are a couple guys you could see a world title on. The addition of Benoit is great for ECW as well. I think Burke could be a legit main eventer someday too, I think they are pushing him a little too hard at the moment but thats my opinion. All in all I'm satisfied with the new ECW, I just wish they would call it something else.

p.s. losing Lashley, Sandman, and Hardcore Holly to pick up Boogeyman, Viscera, and Miz?!?!? Unfair. Sorry, I just had to vent real quick.

 

[Why Always Me]

I am sorry, but I am not a fan of ECW, in my eyes no matter how hard WWE try to push it as a 3rd brand after Smackdown and Raw, ECW will always be Extreme Championship Wrestling, a separate organisation from the WWE, which specialises in Extreme hardcore wrestling.

However it has helped Bobby Lashley a lot, and CM Punk has the tools to go far, now Lashley is on Raw, I predict big things for him, for some reason I would like to see him and Cena feud for the belt, and have Lashley win.

I did like the match between Holly and RVD where Holly sliced his back open, that showed what a tough SOB holly is, but I think WWECW should go, and the talent be split evenly between Smackdown and Raw, and the ECW title to be unified with the World title, as they are both world titles.

 

[Luther_Hull]

I think the emptiness of this thread speaks for it's self. I enjoyed the Originals vs. New Breed match the nightafter WrestleMania, whilst it wasn't as hardcore as the old ECW, it was still an enjoyable match that really should hae been on WM23 instead of that match we saw on there, but that's another topic completely.

 

[Shadowmancer]

WWECW has had some highlights over the past year, Chief among them is the development of Elijah Burke into at least a TV main Event Heel. CM Punk we knew was going to be impressive in that he put on a five star match, the First one in the US for quite a few Years, so he doesn't really count. The showcasing of guys like Matt Striker and Kevin Thorne are both positives as it does help in the creation of true stars and not some over pushed crazy shit like they have with Cena, Batista and Lashley. While I will give Lashley credit for his improvements he still isn't a main event worthy guy yet, give a couple more years and then we will talk about whether he was a success or not. The use of the Originals has been pathetic in some counts, but it is slowly improving, or not now since Sabu, RVD and The Sandman have left ECW. But another positive is the Bringing in of Dusty Rhodes as a member of Creative for ECW, I think Dusty should be head of ECW creative because there has been an improvement in the quality of the storylines so far, with Match quality being about the same as a normal WWE event, when it didn't involve Lashley, Snitsky, Test or Khali.

 

[BlackHoleCradleShock]

I totally agree on the idea of not putting over Matt striker.

I think the man has great potential.

He's so good at being a heel, you just can't help but hate him,
and aside from his mic skills he's a fairly exceptional in-ring performer.

I'd definatly like to see hi get a push for better matches and more on-air time.

 

[robwylde90]

how can bobby lashley be counted as a positive? they push him and push him and push him but nobodys buyin it , the guy took the ecw title which should have been given to either rvd or cm punk and really , no matter how much they say that hes an animal and shit , he hasnt got an ounce of intensity in him , and even less of a mean streak. and then you have his mike skills...nuff said.

 

[BlackHoleCradleShock]

I can't really argue with your opinion on Lashley really. I still don't understand why they keep tryin to put him over, I appreciated Andrew Martin way more then I do Lashley. I wish they wouldn't have gotten rid of him, I thought he was doing good in WWECW.

 

[chocomatt12]

this is my first post and i have to say i wasnt looking forward to ecw being a weekly program as i did enjoy the one night stand pay per views. but i now enjoy watchin this instead of raw and smackdown. just due to the fact that you have a roster there where everyone wants to work had to prove they can make it on the big two shows. i think Burke, Cm punk, cor von and Johny Nitro are really enjoyable to watch. i like the fact that big vis is now on ecw as he could be a really good heel. i just wish they make the ecw world title as big as winning the wwe and world title. all in all i love the new ecw.

 

[Skrilla]

The one thing I hated when Lashley was ECW Champion is that he never defended it against ECW guys. He was rarely if ever even involved in storylines with the ECW guys. I liked ECW when it first started up but I think they should have kept The Zombie, he would be champ by now(just playin). But seriously, if they kept Heyman there I guarantee there would be ALOT more interest involved because Heyman always makes for a good storyline. The fact they burried the originals does make me sick though. Comeon now. Cor Von, Striker, CM Punk , Burke, And Nitro are the future.

 

[kieran_devlin]

Bring back Heyman, Sabu, Dudleys, Rhino I liked not really much about the New ECW but i liked it when Big Show was champion and challenged others to matches from other shows it was good when Taker was invited to fight him. Big Show as champ was a good idea but should have ditched Heyman and the 2 guards, Big Show should have dropped the belt to RVD and then won it back later.

 

[Mad Metal]

I think the best thing is/was that it gave opportunities to many newer stars such as John Morrison, CM Punk, Marcus Cor Von, Kevin Thorn, Elijah Burke etc. If it weren't for the ECW brand, I'm sure majority (not all) of the new wrestlers would have been jobbers in either SmackDown! or Heat.

I think it's good how ECW separates from RAW and SmackDown!'s star power or any top names pre-established from other brands and the entire brand is about establishing new stars getting the show over instead of using Cena, Undertaker, Kane, HBK, HHH etc. to help the show. It's all about oppertunity.

 

[Freedom 35]

i agree with madmetal thhat the best part is its giving young guys like burke and cm punk lots of low experience on a big time stage before their big breaks. the originals vs new breed was also a very good long back and forth feud

 

[ocelot4]

the highlight for me was the hammerstein ballroom tv show where the crowd shat all over it and chanted for the viewers to change the channel, but they enjoyed CM Punk's debut, yet Vince McMahon obviously didn't listen.

 

[Rokitka]

The highlight of ECW on Sci for me was October 3, 2006, the best Hardcore match the new ECW has put on between RVD and Test. It was a nice middle between Old ECW and what we feared it would become. Unfortunatly, They decided to go with what we feared in the sense of wrestling style, but this is a thread of ECW positives, so we'll save that for another thread.

 

[ImpactPlayer27]

ECW has been officially back for a year now. Instead of being negative, look at the positives. What good stuff has actually come from this, over the past year.

No Name Talent Actually Getting An Opportunity:

Striker, Cor Von, Burke, Thorne and to a lesser degree Punk. Non of them would be in the positions there in if it wasn't for ECW. Burk was ''relegated'' to ECW because there was nothing for him on Smackdown. On ECW he's a main player. He wouldn't have been on Smackdown or Raw. Striker had never been given a opportunity on Raw. He was Heat material only. No he's appearing on TV which he wasn't a year ago. Punk wouldn't be a main eventer yet if it wasn't for ECW. He would be feuding with nobodies like Masters otherwise. And Cor Von would be no better off than he is now.

Bobby Lashley:

Yeah he sucks. But WWE have shown a lot of determination in trying to get him over. Weather that happens or not I don't know. But you have to admire WWE's persistence.

Y2 Jake, that was probably the best points to come out about ECW and it's cool that you pointed them out. I agree with you that if it didn't exist, Punk would not be where he is and Lashley would still be buried on Smackown. Striker I feel would have been let go if it didn't exist as would most of the ECW alumni. And Monty Brown (refuse to call him Marcus Cor Von), probably wouldn't be signed. And this year, I gotta admit, I like Stevie Richards getting the push and I like this Morrison/Punk rivalry and I'm hoping he wins the ECW belt.

 

[Lil Wes]

I brought this statement here as it fit's this thread in a way..Sorta..

Is that a serious statement? Look at who old ECW has brought us... Many crowd favorites

Yes it is. Where are they now? Where were they ever?

Sandman,Dreamer,Stevie etc.. all jobbing weekly. RVD was a damn good wrestler though. Stevie is ok. I'll admit that. One is gone and the other is getting squashed by Thorn.

Gimmick matches are some of the most memorable matches.. HIAC, Ladder, Cage, TLC.. Those matches really stick out compared to some of these boring matches when most of the times it's just a kick, punch, and submissions to kill the time until the final 10 minutes when there is actual wrestling.. Or attempted wrestling with some of these guys

Gimmick matches cover up alot of the flaws in a wrestlers ability. I like Gimmick matches don't get me wrong but you can excel in gimmick matches but during 1 on 1 matches you can be shit. There's a big difference.

Gimmick matches are memorable but when you take away all the spots what good wrestling did you actually see?

That was my point about ECW bringing up the younger stars by placing them in an on-air enviroment to build them up for the future.

 

[E C Dub]

I brought this statement here as it fit's this thread in a way..Sorta..



Yes it is. Where are they now? Where were they ever?

Sandman,Dreamer,Stevie etc.. all jobbing weekly. RVD was a damn good wrestler though. Stevie is ok. I'll admit that. One is gone and the other is getting squashed by Thorn.

The Hardys burst onto the scenes with the amazing ladder matches... Dudley Boyz are notorious and a huge crowd favorite b/c of tables and their violence..

Can't blame the jobbing on the wrestlers ability.. It's what the writers want..

I'll admit that Sandman is terrible though.. He really can not wrestle a match..

Gimmick matches cover up alot of the flaws in a wrestlers ability. I like Gimmick matches don't get me wrong but you can excel in gimmick matches but during 1 on 1 matches you can be shit. There's a big difference.

Gimmick matches are memorable but when you take away all the spots what good wrestling did you actually see?

That was my point about ECW bringing up the younger stars by placing them in an on-air enviroment to build them up for the future.

The matches can cover up a lot of flaws but also highlight skills.. Wrestlers like Shelton B showed his high flying ability in ladder matches.. Guys like Sabu showed his creativity with triple jump moonsaults.. It all depends on the wrestler and their ability as well

I agree on ECW using this as a developmental league.. It's a pretty good idea too.. i just wish they would portray it as Extreme Championship Wrestling and i don't think it would ever touch what old ecw used to be

 

[Lil Wes]

The Hardys burst onto the scenes with the amazing ladder matches... Dudley Boyz are notorious and a huge crowd favorite b/c of tables and their violence..

Jeff is nothing more than a in-ring spot monkey. Matt is alright at best but will never make it over the hump to become a solid main eventer. Same with Jeff.

The Dudleys are no body's just a waste of space on the TNA roster. Devon's singles run in WWE failed miserably. The may be good crowd favorites but they deserve the respect of being so insane but they are all lackluster in the ring in 1 on 1 action.

Can't blame the jobbing on the wrestlers ability.. It's what the writers want..

Because the writers see them going nowhere. The see them contributing zero to the brands/company.

The matches can cover up a lot of flaws but also highlight them.. Wrestlers like Shelton B showed his high flying ability in ladder matches..

Agreed which is good for entertainment. Shelton is an all-around good wrestler. We really cannot say the same for a Sandman or Tommy Dreamer.

Guys like Sabu showed his creativity with triple jump moonsaults.. It all depends on the wrestler and their ability as well

Sabu is a spot monkey with the in-ring skill of a turnbuckle.

I agree on ECW using this as a developmental league.. It's a pretty good idea too.. i just wish they would portray it as Extreme Championship Wrestling and i don't think it would ever touch what old ecw used to be

Well they need a name change or something. The small population of ECW fans believe Vince is shitting on the company but when really he isn't. When Punk is one of the bigger names in WWE in a few years people will remember his 1st win and run as ECW Champion. It already has been done with Bobby Lashley. No need in bringing Hardcore Wrestling just too one brand when the brand's goal is to build them into solid wrestlers for the future.

 

[RoyalSkull]

The best part of ECW so far was the four way dance between the Originals. It made it seem like we were at least watching something that was really ECW.

 

[Bobby B]

As long as I tell myself I'm not watching the original "ECW" but just another wrestling show like raw or smackdown, then actually its a good product.

Couldn't agree more.

Personally I'd have gone with a completely new brand , rather than trying to focus it on the old ECW. And It gained alot of heat , even from me , because it wasn't "Extreme". But its not going to be. It works excellantly as a feeder brand. Giving new talent real exposure before moving across to the bigger shows. OK I think guys like CM Punk , Lashley , could have built their way up the other way , because they are big big talents (Lashley in the ring anyway). But the guys like Burke , Thorn etc... can be developed , and show what they can do.

 

[Big Ace]

Well many ECW original fans have argued that this ECW is nothing compared to the old ECW. While I won't argue with their point there, you should look at all the positives that ECW has made, such as CM Punk actually being in the Main Event on WWE television. Johnny Nitro's tranformation into John Morrison, and the rising of Monty Brown and Elijah Burke.

My case is, unless you've actually SEEN the old ECW, you have completely no argument when you say 'This ECW sucks ass. ECF'NW #1!!!'

That's pointless. ECW has done fairly well, and even WITH that 1.3 rating, they get higher ratings today than they did back then. They actually make a profit now. From what I understand, Heyman was losing money every month back then. Sure, they had quality wrestling, SOMETIMES. They had quality wrestling when guys like Austin, Benoit, Guerrero, Jericho, and Malenko were there. Before and after that, ECW was nothing but a promotion who thought they were too cool for television.

Good for them. It lost them money. No money is equal to no performers. No performers equals no show. So you tell me what was destined to go out of business since DAY ONE?

Did they have quality guys? Sure they did. Jake Roberts. Rob Van Dam. How many more? Not really. Sandman was a shit performer who needed beer, smoking, and a stick to get over. Sabu was nothing more than a spot monkey. Rhino? lol. I laugh at that. Anyone else who actually made it on a platform? Raven. Ah. Tremendous charisma, but couldn't wrestle a match unless it included weapons of some sort.

See, all these guys. Where did they end up? Nowhere. TNA? Hahaha. Who wants to see these ''extreme'' wrestlers on a poorly produced one-hour clusterfuck? Not me.

To me, this ECW is MUCH better than the old ECW. This is coming from a guy who saw it. Yes, I've seen ECW matches and promos. I laugh at all the bullshit too. ''WWE and WCW took their best ideas from ECW and made them popular''. To a point, yes. But did the Attitude Era really come from ECW? A dying indy promotion? Yeah. I think if they were THAT good, more people would've known about it, and ECW would've gotten a MAJOR tv deal, not drawing 0.5's on TNN. I don't see what all the hype is about. ECW is the be all of Pro Wrestling? Bullshit. If it was, they'd be here today, not WWE.

This ECW is so much better than the old ECW. Their wrestlers, for starters. If you thought at the beginning of this new ECW that it was going to be anything like the old one? Fuck no. Just like if Heyman brought back the WWE, it'd be nothing like the original one. So get over it. Anyway, the wrestlers. Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, CM Punk, John Morrison. Talk about quality wrestling. That's all you really need. You can do 2 matches a week with those 4, and ECW only has 3 or 4 matches anyway. They're always going to be solid.

Second of all, their promos. With the exception of Jake Roberts, Raven, and occasionally RVD, the old ECW promos suck, and look horrible. The ECW promos are solid now. There's no smoking. There's no drinking. FFS, that's how it should be.

Thirdly, the most annoying part of ECW, the die-hard fans. I absolutely loathe them. ''You fucked up!'' That...is the very beginning of all the bullshit we get today. You don't yell that. It's friggin' immature. Wrestling used to be about one clear cut good guy against one clear-cut bad guy. ECW changed that, and not in a good way. There used to be classic encounters where everyone loved the face, and most hated the heel, now it's split, and it takes me out of it all. They're the ones who started this internet crap, and all the spoilers, and all the backstage fights that no one should've known about.

Finally, the conclusion. The crap about Steve Austin being a rip-off Sandman. I've laughed about that for years. Is the gimmick the same? Meh. The truth that no ECW fan wants to admit, is that before Austin chugged his beer in WWE, he was a GREAT wrestler. He broke his neck, and that's where the gimmick change REALLY happened. Did WWE really want that, at a time where their fanbase was virtually all kids?

No.

Sandman wouldn't have gotten over in WWE, sorry. Maybe to you ECW maniacs, but not here in WWE. The company that took all your ideas. The company that was living off ECW, just with different initials. The company, that quite frankly, is still standing today.

 

[eddieuk]

The best bit of ECW this year has been CM Punk and Elijah Burke if it wasnt for these would you guys still watch the show, I know I wouldnt. Marcus Cor Von is another I really think he can be a big player in the WWE I just hope he is able to sort out his family problems and come back.