In a summer experiment on the Science Fiction network, Mad Scientist Vincent Kennedy McMahon resurrected Extreme Championship Wrestling once again, and it’s oddly fitting that the Frankenstein-like rebirth of ECW would occur on Sci Fi. Following the success of recent ECW endeavors, to include DVD releases and two annual One Night Stand pay-per-views, WWE officially re-launched ECW as a brand under the corporate umbrella on June 13th, making the new version of ECW theoretically equivalent to the existing RAW and SmackDown! products.
TODAY’S ISSUE: Is it ECW, or isn’t it?
I’ve waited for several months before attempting any type of ECW column. I didn’t want to throw out a gut reaction to an early episode, before ECW found its groove and identity in this new era. I wanted to wait until I’d gotten a feel for the direction of ECW’s new vision before taking a close look at what this latest interpretation of Paul Heyman’s dream was all about.
Well, it’s been about 12 weeks now, and I think I have enough of a taste of this new ECW that I’m ready to discuss it, so here we go. Featuring wrestlers neither WWF or WCW wanted while enjoying the support of a cult-like following, the old ECW was about being different, and challenging the fans’ ideas about what pro wrestling was all about. They made magic in that bingo hall in Philadelphia, thanks mostly to Paul Heyman’s ingenious booking, and a willingness by the performers to throw themselves into the moment and their characters. Seemingly nothing was off limits, and the promotion offered a much more mature, edgier and more dangerous atmosphere than the Big 2 in the mid 1990’s.
There are certain elements of the new show that feel right to me, and remind me of the glory days of the little promotion that could, such as:
– RVD in a prominent position on the card, flying high (pun intended), and winning matches. RVD winning the WWE title from John Cena meant the new ECW had instant credibility, before their first show on Sci Fi ever aired.
– Sabu taking crazy risks, acting like a mad-man, enduring what will no doubt lead to permanent injury later in his life, all for the sake of entertaining the fans.
– A virtually unknown (by the casual fan), young, smaller grappler like CM Punk getting a shot at the big time. If I recall, Benoit, Jericho, Mysterio, Malenko, and the late Eddie Guerrero all made their national debuts in ECW rings. For a time, ECW had the best wrestling of any wrestling show on television.
– “ECW Originals” like Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Balls Mahoney, Little Guido, Stevie Richards, and Justin Credible belong in the new ECW and bring back fond memories for me. I wish some of the current TNA guys like the Dudleys, Raven, and Rhino could be there as well, but that’s the way the business works. If they had enough bodies, they could do an “Original ECW” versus “New ECW” war. Guys like Hardcore Holly and Matt Striker could lead the new faction against the old school guys.
Unfortunately, there are many elements of this new ECW that don’t feel right at all, and seem completely out of place, like:
– Big Show as champ. The only thing extreme about the Big Show is the size of his monthly grocery bill.
– Mike Knox and Test. Also very un-extreme, these two are bland and boring, and using Kelly Kelly Kelly Kelly’s very poor “exhibitionist/stripper” gimmick as a way to generate heel heat for Knox is transparent and weak.
– Rene Dupree? Rene Dupree in ECW? Please feel free to insert your own joke here about how a dancing, French Canadian fop is ANYTHING but extreme.
– Carrying over RAW storylines on Tuesday nights seems desperate, and prevents ECW from developing its own identity. I realize injuries and suspensions have hurt ECW’s booking plans and depleted their roster, most notably in the case of the recently released Wrestling Machine Kurt Angle, but that’s when Heyman is at his best. He’s the wizard of making mid-card jobbers look like serious competitors, simply by coming up with the right approach to their characters. If only he were allowed to truly take over the one-hour slot on Sci Fi.
– Kevin Thorn and Ariel are so strange and gimmicky, they don’t quite sit right with me on the ECW roster. Perhaps they could form a heel stable with the Boogeyman and Finlay’s Leprechaun, as the Scooby Doo Villain Society or something.
– Non hardcore-rules matches? That really seems odd. OK, when Kurt Angle was there to impressively pummel opponents without a steel chair, the new ECW still seemed hardcore. However, Justin Credible and Balls Mahoney NEED the weapons, otherwise they’re just a skinny guy and an overweight guy throwing fake punches at each other.
– The same tired, old “Heel Authority Figure” storyline playing out, with Heyman in the staring role, is far too hackneyed and uninspired in 2006 to have any impact as an ECW angle.
– While it’s good to hear Joey Styles on commentary, his filtered WWE approach is lacking something from the good old days. Also, his teaming with Tazz is too reminiscent of the Cole-Tazz combo from SmackDown!, which again hurts ECW’s ability to develop its own flavor.
My conclusion at this time is that unfortunately, ECW has become a caricature of its former self, and might have been better off dead, like the revived corpses from Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. It’s painful to watch some of the nonsense that goes on Tuesday nights on Sci Fi in the name of Extreme.
I believe Vince and company have all the elements they would need to make ECW a successful new promotion, while allowing it to be enough of an homage to the former version that old school fans could still enjoy it, but I don’t think Vince really wants it to become what it once was: a hardcore, storyline-driven, violent, exciting alternative.
Don’t get me wrong. I want ECW to succeed as much as I want TNA to succeed. As a fan, the more mainstream pro wrestling on national television, the better I like it. Plus, another weekly show and occasional ppvs means more fodder for my column. Also, ECW could be an important step in the careers of younger talent. ECW might fit nicely between “developmental leagues” and “live, worldwide, weekly TV appearances and monthly ppvs”. That is, if WWE makes it into anything worthwhile.
It’s possible that Vinnie Mac only resurrected ECW as a way of toying with Paul Heyman, destroying the legacy of Heyman’s baby while paying Heyman himself to help him do it. McMahon is certainly capable of that type of evil.
ECW’s been picked up through the end of 2007 by Sci Fi, so hopefully Heyman will get some more power behind the scenes and subtly guide the product back to its former heights.
For more on ECW, check out John Cavanagh’s ECW on Sci Fi Report and Rob Blatt’s new BLATT vs. ECW.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality.
p.s. – Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?
