Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Entertainment & Extreme Champion Wrestling present ECW on Sci-Fi
Date: 8/1/2006
From: Manhattan, NY
Opening Contest: the Sandman & Tommy Dreamer vs. Test & Mike Knox in an extreme rules match: Dreamer and Knox started the contest. The match quickly breaks down as Test broke up Tommy’s offense. Why even start off with traditional tag team rules? Test crotches Dreamer on the guard railing before going back to Sandman to double team with Knox. Test is getting a “you can’t wrestle” chant. Dreamer saves Sandman from a kendo stick shot. Dreamer DDTs Knox and Sandman hits a side Russian leg sweep on Test. Sandman and Dreamer get a board that has barbed wire on it! Test whacks both Dreamer and Sandman with a kendo stick to save Knox from being suplexed through the board. Tommy is busted wide open. Test misses a spear and hits the ring post. Dreamer with a trash can shot on Test. Kelly is protecting Knox from Sandman. Sandman moves her out of the way and hits Knox with the kendo stick several times. Dreamer has Kelly in the ring and is sweet talking her. Dreamer acts like he was going to kiss her but instead spanks her. The Riot Squad enter the ring and attack Dreamer. Dreamer gets tossed onto the barbed wire board. Test is back in the ring and slams Dreamer into the board a second time. Test hits the TKO and wins the match. (**1/2. A good brawl between these four men to open the show. The crowd was into it, as expected. A big win for Test and Knox. It would appear that Test is being set up for a major run on this brand.)
Backstage, Paul Heyman is walking past the original ECW guys, but they all turn their back to Heyman. Sabu appears and wants a title match, but Heyman refuses again. I really hate Sabu speaking, ever.
Second Contest: Justin Credible vs. CM Punk: This is the debut of CM Punk. Punk starts off with some mat wrestling until Credible delivers a few shoulder rams in the corner. Punk ties Credible up in the ropes and goes for a springboard but is slammed instead. Credible with a couple of snap suplexs and a northern lights suplex. Credible locks in a single leg Boston Crab. Punk fights back with some kicks and hits a springboard clothesline for a near fall. Punk hits a running knee and a running bulldog out of the corner. Punk with several strikes and a side slam before locking in the Anaconda Vice for the win. (*1/2. A fine little match here and it’s great to see a fresh, young talent like Punk arriving in ECW. The fans are well accustomed to Punk and they made that evident here.)
A vignette of Shannon Moore sitting on a train staring into the camera is shown.
The Brooklyn Brawler cuts a promo saying he is too extreme for RAW or Smackdown so that’s why he is in ECW. Brawler thinks he will be the ECW World Champion. Here comes Kurt Angle.
Third Contest: Kurt Angle vs. the Brooklyn Brawler: Angle head butts Brawler and locks in the ankle lock to quickly win the match.
Kevin Thorn and Ariel say that the blood of ECW would be theirs.
Main Event: ECW World Champion the Big Show vs. Batista: “You both suck.” Is chanted by the fans to start the match. “Same old shit.” Is chanted moments later as Show works over Batista with right hands. Batista gets out of a choke slam and attempts a clothesline with no success. The fans are chanting “change the channel” which is just hilarious. Show slams Batista and taunts the fans saying he is rich. Batista cuts Show off on the middle rope. Batista hits a suplex off the middle rope. Batista tries to knock Show off his feet with a clothesline and does so with a spear for a near fall. Show hits the choke slam but Batista kicks out at two. Show grabs the ECW World Championship and misses a shot with it. Batista plants Show with a spine buster. Batista is going for the Batista Bomb but Show counters with a backpack driver for another two count. Show picks the title up again and nails Batista with it. The fans crap on that finish. (1/2*. Honestly, a bad match that only had a little entertainment thanks to the crowd speaking their minds on how the show has been going lately.) After the match, Sabu comes to the ring with a chair and hits Show in the head. Sabu comes off the top to hit an Arabian Facebuster! Sabu leaps off the top to kick a chair into Show’s face and Show falls off the apron and crashes through the table at ringside.
Final Thoughts:
The opening match was nice and it was great to have CM Punk arrive in the company. It’s actually not a bad show, just the main event is really bad. Still, I’ll give this show a mild thumbs up.
Thanks for reading.