Written by: Bob Colling
Extreme Championship Wrestling presents ECW on SCI-FI
Date: 7/4/2006
From: Philadelphia, PA
Matches:
1.)Mike Knox defeated Little Guido
2.)Test defeated Al Snow
3.)Big Show defeated ECW World Champion Rob Van Dam in a extreme rules match to win the title
Angle Developments:
1. Backstage, Paul Heyman talks about RVD losing the WWE Championship but RVD is still the ECW World Champion. Heyman puts over the schedule that RVD has had to deal with. Paul is cut off by the Big Show who storms into the room and reminds Heyman that if he jumped to ECW he would get a title match. Heyman says that RVD needs Show’s support. Show proceeds to demand his title match for tonight.
2. In the arena we are greeted by Kelly Kelly for her Expose. She is decked out in an American flag and dances around showcasing her body. She takes her top off but has her back facing the crowd. She turns around and reveals her chest has been painted on. Mike Knox comes out to cover her up.
3. Guido attacked Knox prior to the bell as Knox was telling the fans he only gets to look at Kelly that way. Mike works over Guido with a series of knee drops and four scoop slams. Knox finishes Guido off with a spinning face buster. (*. Knox is still green but he seems like he could develop into a fine midcard heel for ECW or WWE in general.)
4. Backstage, ECW World Champion Rob Van Dam asks Heyman what happened with Big Show. RVD demands that Heyman make the match with Show. RVD says he will accept the challenge face to face if Heyman doesn’t want to do it.
5. Test will be wrestling on ECW tonight. So, that’s the first sign of ECW becoming WWE lite, right?
6. Tony DeVito comes out playing the role of a priest saying this is his first ECW show he has seen. Any ECW fan would find that comment amusing since DeVito was in Da Baldies for the original ECW. Sandman comes out and takes care of DeVito with his kendo stick.
7. Backstage, RVD meets up with Show and accepts his challenge for tonight. Show looks thrilled yet crazy at the news. Heyman meets up with RVD in the hallway and asks what RVD is thinking. RVD tells Paul they they are ECW and that they go all out. Rob says he has to beat Big Show to be ECW World Champion. Heyman admits he was wrong and says RVD is right. The match is happening and it’s being competed under extreme rules.
8. Test jumped Snow before the bell and quickly went to work on Snow. The fans remind Test that he did steroids. Test delivers his big boot to Snow but only manages to hit him in the lower midsection. Test quickly wins the match with a spinning TKO. (1/2*. I have virtually no interest in Test competing in ECW. He doesn’t have any quality that would work in ECW.) After the match, Test kicks Head into the crowd.
9. A video promoting Sabu is aired. Sabu actually says that he is Suicidal, Homicidal and Genocidal. That should have never happened.
10. Kevin Thorn is standing outside the arena and spits blood onto the camera.
11. Backstage, CM Punk says don’t let the tattoos fool you, he is straight edge. His addiction is wrestling and his obsession is competition.
12. Early on, RVD runs into a clothesline and is sent to the floor. RVD sends Show head first into the ring post to counter a slam on the floor. Show crotches the champ on the guard railing and punches RVD into the crowd. Show begins to chop RVD in the front row. RVD is able to kick Show as he tried to get over the railing. RVD follows up with a spinning leg drop off the apron! Back from commercial, they are in the ring where Show is choking the champ. Show runs into a big boot and RVD hits a springboard side kick. Show headbutts RVD on the top rope to stop the momentum change. RVD hits a springboard side kick. They are fighting on the middle rope where Show hits a superplex for a two count! Show stands RVD up to hit a leg drop across his chest for another near fall. Show steps on RVD in the corner to continue his offense. Show drops an elbow on RVD a few times. Show controls RVD with a bear hug on the canvas. Show drives RVD down with a backbreaker. RVD dropkicks Show on the knee but runs into an attempted chokeslam but RVD countered with a DDT! RVD hits a crossbody on a seated Show and hits a rolling thunder! Show powers out at two on the cover attempt. RVD nails Show with a spinning heel kick in the corner and goes up top only to be caught and sent over the top to the floor. Show grabs the ring steps but RVD dropkcisk Show and Show hits the ring steps face first! RVD looks for a crossbody on the floor but Show catches him and rams RVD back first into the apron. RVD grabs a chair but Show punches it away in the ring. Show hits the chokeslam but RVD kicks out at two! Show viciously tosses the referee out of the ring. He seriously tossed him like he was a rag doll. RVD counters a powerbomb by smashing Show over the head with a steel chair. RVD covers but Show pushes Rob off quickly. RVD kicks the chair into Show’s face and heads to the top rope. RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash and covers but there isn’t a referee. Paul Heyman runs out and stops the count at two. RVD is shocked and can’t believe it. Heyman is just looking at Rob with an evil smile on his face. Heyman leaves the ring and Show gets up. Show nails RVD over the head with a chair and Heyman tells Show to hit the chokeslam, which he does. Heyman makes the count and Show wins the championship! (***1/2. An enjoyable match between these two. Considering RVD shot himself in the foot the ending wasn’t a shock. Show officially makes this a non-ECW program. So, it took all of four weeks or so. Anyway, it was a good match and the beginning of a new era.) After the match, fans toss trash into the ring while Heyman celebrates the win with Show.
Final Thoughts:
Aside from the main event and a CM Punk promo the show isn’t all that good. Thankfully the main event took up more than 25 minutes of the show, so the positives outweigh the negatives. It’s just obvious that the WWE is making ECW what they really want it to be and not what ECW should be.
Thanks for reading.