Remember when people were excited ECW was coming back : One Year Later

[K.C.]

It's almost been a year since it was announced ECW would be brought back as a third brand.

I remember thinking to myself when this happened: "Heyman - WWE Money - A roster with guys like RVD, Sabu, Sandman, Angle, Punk, Show...this thing can't miss."

I remember thinking they had an infinite number of possibilities with Angle alone, based on the fact that he walked out on ECW in the 90s and publicly denounced it after the Raven/Sandman crucifixion angle.

I also remember the two One Night Stands...the first was about as great a farewell to the old days as possible at a WWE show...the second was everything that the new ECW should have been. Again, I remember thinking it couldn't miss.


Well....it missed...it missed big time. A year later, Heyman's gone, Sabu's gone, RVD is out the door, and ECW is now a show written by Dusty Rhodes, starring Bobby Lashley and Vince McMahon.

Can anyone honestly say this show is good at this point? Or that they're glad it was brought back at all? Or that there's any hope of it amounting to anything entertaining? They won't even run in Hammerstein Ballroom anymore because of fear that the fans will show up just to try and ruin the show because they hate it so much...and there's no chance in hell they'll ever go near New Alhambra in Philly.

The whole thing has been a huge disaster.

[Devo37]

ECW by way of WWE was destined to be terrible. the original was legitimately dangerous, with fans handing the wrestlers frying pans and nintendos to smack each other over the head with and guys flying through flaming tables. it was pretty nuts compared to WWF/WCW at the time.

the revival ECW is subject to WWE insurance and to the idea of guys not getting seriously hurt. any big spots are more planned out and less 'life threatening' (ex. no New Jack style stuff).

plus, connecting ECW to Raw and Smackdown just turns it into another WWE product. it's way too watered-down to even be interesting!

[Graham86Lynn77]

How could you not be a fan of the Zombie.....
Anyways they had some good main events then it all went downhill. Ugh typically drug dealer tatics, reel ya in then bam!!!! Dead.

[Hosp]

People are still talking about ECW?

Boy, I miss Extreme Championship Wrestling.

[Death Metal Moe]

I remember when questions were ended with a question mark.

[K.C.]

I remember when questions were ended with a question mark.

Oh that Death Metal Moe...always one step ahead :smile:

I'm an English major for christsakes....leave the fact that the educational system failed me alone!!

[ralphbxny]

I remember when questions were ended with a question mark.

NiCE!!

[foodcourtdruide]

It's almost been a year since it was announced ECW would be brought back as a third brand.

I remember thinking to myself when this happened: "Heyman - WWE Money - A roster with guys like RVD, Sabu, Sandman, Angle, Punk, Show...this thing can't miss."

I remember thinking they had an infinite number of possibilities with Angle alone, based on the fact that he walked out on ECW in the 90s and publicly denounced it after the Raven/Sandman crucifixion angle.

I also remember the two One Night Stands...the first was about as great a farewell to the old days as possible at a WWE show...the second was everything that the new ECW should have been. Again, I remember thinking it couldn't miss.


Well....it missed...it missed big time. A year later, Heyman's gone, Sabu's gone, RVD is out the door, and ECW is now a show written by Dusty Rhodes, starring Bobby Lashley and Vince McMahon.

Can anyone honestly say this show is good at this point? Or that they're glad it was brought back at all? Or that there's any hope of it amounting to anything entertaining? They won't even run in Hammerstein Ballroom anymore because of fear that the fans will show up just to try and ruin the show because they hate it so much...and there's no chance in hell they'll ever go near New Alhambra in Philly.

The whole thing has been a huge disaster.

Great post. ECW reminds me SO much of the WCW Invasion angle. The original ECW were in the background to homegrown WWE talent. It's really sad because there is some GREAT talent currently in ECW, but instead we get the COMPLETELY unrealistic Lashley/McMahon feud.

If I was booking ECW I'd have 2 divisions and 2 titles:
Heavyweight Championship:
Lashley
CM Punk
Elijah Burke
RVD
Snitsky

Hardcore Title (hardcore matches):
Striker
Marcus Cor Von (his running tackle is the coolest move this side of Carlito's backbreaker)
Thorn
Dreamer
Stevie Richards

I think this would work. The McMahon/Lashley feud in context of the heavyweight division would be far more interesting than the current JUST McMahon (Shane and Umaga.. YAWWWWN) and JUST Lashley feud.

[cougarjake13]

Great post. ECW reminds me SO much of the WCW Invasion angle. The original ECW were in the background to homegrown WWE talent. It's really sad because there is some GREAT talent currently in ECW, but instead we get the COMPLETELY unrealistic Lashley/McMahon feud.

If I was booking ECW I'd have 2 divisions and 2 titles:
Heavyweight Championship:
Lashley
CM Punk
Elijah Burke
RVD
Snitsky

Hardcore Title (hardcore matches):
Striker
Marcus Cor Von (his running tackle is the coolest move this side of Carlito's backbreaker)
Thorn
Dreamer
Stevie Richards

I think this would work. The McMahon/Lashley feud in context of the heavyweight division would be far more interesting than the current JUST McMahon (Shane and Umaga.. YAWWWWN) and JUST Lashley feud.

the problem is and many others have suggested this also is that the ecw was never vince's brainchild and therefore doesnt want it to completely succeed, only just enough to be lucrative but not so much that people want ecw more than raw or smackdown

[K.C.]

I agree with the two divisions, but I would have moved the Cruiserweights over to ECW. Send London, Kendrick, Chavo, Helms...then you bring in guys like Super Crazy, Tajiri, Little Guido...and maybe an import from another federation overseas every so often like Heyman used to do with the original.

That's what ECW was, as much as the hardcore wrestling...great Cruiser matches.


Then they should have build their heavyweight division around RVD, Angle, Sandman, Dreamer, Lashley, Punk, Big Show, and Sabu.

WWE can say the originals like Sandman, Dreamer, and Sabu are old and can't work anymore, but can anyone honestly say the slop they've brought in is much better? Kevin Thorne? Snitsky? Matt Stryker?


I think it would have gone over well.


Also, I don't believe Vince wanted to see it fail or wanted to bury it...I just think he REALLY believes his way of doing business is the only way you can be successful. He's wrong about that, but as far as making money goes, he's the last promoter standing pretty much.