Chair Shots & Table Spots: State of ECW , Special Edition

Vince has finally released Francine. This comes as no surprise as it was no
secret Vince never approved of the Queen of Extreme.

In other news, it's rumored that WWE producer Kevin Dunn is going to be making some subtle changes to ECW programming. First, the ECW "Extremists" will now be referred to as ECW Superstars consistent with the other two brands. I for one back this decision. Not even mentioning the socio-political conitations of the word "extremist", I just think it's lame. Plus, what the hell is so extreme about the ECW brand anyway? Rene Dupree and Matt Striker are considered Extremists, yet Edge is considered a WWE Superstar? When have they ever put on half the show Edge has in an "extreme" environment like a TLC match? I say good riddance.

The other change would be the switch from ECW Vixen to WWE Diva. Whatever. It's also rumored that instead of the ECW logo at the bottom of the screen during ECW television, it would be the WWE symbol to avoid "confusion". Again, whatever.

Another rumor going around is that Vince was displeased with the Test vs. RVD match from two weeks ago and is said to be sour on the idea of hardcore wrestling in general. This comes as somewhat as a surprise to me as I thought it was Test's first entertaining match since his ECW debut. As far as making ECW less hardcore, I'm not sure what that would entail as it is already a far cry form the ECW of yesteryear. Without any further ado, here is my official State of ECW address for 2006...

Rob Van Dam: With his victory over Big Show this past week, RVD is once again due for an ECW Title shot. If he is unsuccessful, I fear that RVD may begin to suffer the same affliction he did on RAW. It will be interesting to see if they put the title back on Rob proving that Big Show was only keeping the belt warm while RVD was being punished.

Big Show: Big Show has truly stepped up his game since entering ECW. I am impressed with his new found passion and aggression. Show is truly one of the most dominant champions in the history of the E. Again, time will tell if they only put the belt on Show because RVD was out, or if they wished to build the brand around him.

Sabu: I am thrilled that Sabu is finally gaining the notoriety he deserves as an ECW performer. Nobody deserves it more than Sabu, as he has sacrificed damn near everything to make it to the big time. Vince is said to be impressed with Sabu. If he wasn't, he wouldn't have survived the RVD marijuana incident. As far as cutting promos, I agree with Tazz that this a great opportunity to flesh out the Sabu character. Sabu was said to have thought long and hard over cutting his first promo, as his late uncle and mentor, the Original Sheik, would have been dead set against it. I expect big things for Sabu in the E.

Sandman: Arguably the most marketable of all the ECW performers, the Sandman is a WWE wet dream. Along with Sabu, the Sandman is one of the most important acquisitions for the new ECW brand. The sky's the limit for Sandman's success in ECW, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see the belt around his waist within the next year.

CM Punk: What more can be said about CM Punk? He fits the ECW brand like a glove. He's almost as over as RVD, Sabu, and Sandman, and he never even stepped foot in an original ECW ring! His finishing sequence is one the most legit looking series of moves in the history of wrestling. He exudes the epitome of that notorious "it factor". It's just a matter of time before CM Punk is bigger than ECW.

Test: Test looks like a million bucks. He has upped his intensity level since debuting on ECW television. He's the number two heel in the brand. I wish he'd use the big boot as a finisher over the TKO. It's way more legit.

I'm sure Test has a promising future, but I just can't help but not care.

Paul Heyman: It's no secret that Paul Heyman is a genius. If he's not going to be used in a creative capacity, he's going to put his genius into developing an intriguing on-air role. Heyman is the type of guy that can have the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand on minute and wanting to murder him the next. I wish he had more creative control over ECW, but as on-air heel, Heyman is gold.

Balls Mahoney: Hats off to WWE creative for recognizing Balls Mahoney as more than a one-dimensional ass kicker. Balls may be the only guy on the current ECW roster that is being used more effectively than he was in the original ECW. I was thoroughly entertained by his role in the strip poker debacle. He's currently wrapped up in a pointless feud with Kevin Thorn at the moment, but the E seems high on Balls because they put out his very first t-shirt this week.

Matt Striker: I get it. He's a former school teacher. Where does the Matt Striker teacher gimmick go after he inevitably loses his feud with the Sandman? The exact same feud but this time against Balls Mahoney? Then what? His gimmick has an expiration date. Let it expire.

Tommy Dreamer: Tommy Dreamer's success in the original ECW was company specific. Meaning, I don't see his character getting over in any other company. I don't think his character translates well to WWE. I never have.

He's perceived to be extreme but not as extreme or nearly as entertaining as the Sandman or Sabu. His feud against Test is arguably the most boring segment of the show, as it almost always manifests itself in pointless tag matches. I see little other choice for Dreamer but to embrace his real life mentor Paul Heyman on-air as a heel.

Hardcore Holly: I've said it before. I was never a Hardcore Holly fan. That was until he put on the best match in the ECW brand's short history against RVD. He showed tons of testicular fortitude (thanks Mick) by wrestling with one of the sickest lacerations I've ever seen, and still managed to put on a phenominal match. That performance alone turned Holly into one of the brand's top babyfaces overnight. I'm on board. Hats off to Hardcore Holly.

Kevin Thorn/Ariel: Kevin Thorn is one of the only heels I like in ECW. He's young, big, strong, and very charismatic. That jawbreaker move in the ropes he does is brutal and should definitely be his finisher. Arial is perfect at the vampire chick role and adds a lot to the Kevin Thorn character. After a failed Mordecai character, I think the E struck gold with Kevin Thorn.

Mike Knox/Kelly Kelly: Mike Knox is a throwback bully heel and amazing at playing the jealous boyfriend character. This feud he's involved with CM Punk with can only go one way. After it runs its course, I wonder what's in store for Knox. His and Kelly's relationship reminds me a bit of Macho Man and Elizabeth's circa 1986. As for Kelly, she's young, hot, and loves to take her clothes off. Rest assured her future is secure in the E.

Shannon Moore: Moore is the biggest disappointment of the ECW brand. I had high hopes for Shannon Moore. They built his character up for weeks only to be squashed in his debut. In fact, he's been squashed ever since and has yet to have a win on ECW television. Shannon Moore has gone from the number one Mattitude follower and an amazing cruiserweight performer to a joke.

Rene Dupree: He's in amazing physical condition.

FBI/Trinity: Where the hell is the FBI? When the ECW brand launched, it looked like they were going to push these guys hard. They've all but disappeared off television. As for Trinity, am I the only one repulsed by the pectoral bounce gimmick she does?

Christopher W. Anderson/Stevie Richards: Two of the most misused talents on the current ECW roster need to form a tag team. These two have unlimited potential. They just need a ball to run with.

So there you have it. The first ever Chair Shots & Table Spots State of ECW address. In closing, I would just like to conclude the state of ECW is...well...promising.

Share |