Saw this on another site and tracked down the original story from PWInsider.com:
"WWE IS BRINGING BACK ECW AS A FULL TIME ENTITY, MAKING PLANS TO SIGN TALENT FROM THE GLORY YEARS FOR NEW VENTURE by Dave Scherer @ 2:56:00 PM on 4/23/2006
WWE has made the decision to bring back Extreme Championship Wrestling as a full time entity and has begun talking with former ECW talent about returning to work for the new version of the legendary promotion. As of right now, WWE is targeting a September return for the promotion. No decision has been made as to exactly how the company will be brought back yet. It's possible that it will take over the present OVW territory, that it will be a promotion that gets matches on the Raw and/or Smackdown promotions or possibly in some other manner. Sources have told us that Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer will be booking ECW when it starts up.
WWE has already contacted a number of ECW wrestlers and contracts will be sent out to them this week. The talents are being offered three year deals which consist of a series of one year contracts, with rollover clauses. A number of wrestlers have been contacts so far. We can confirm that WWE has talked with The Sandman, Francine and Balls Mahoney and will be sending contracts out to them this week.
We will have more information on this story later today or tomorrow."
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Meltzer had this to add at WrestlingObserver.com:
"In a story reported on earlier today by Pro Wrestling Insider, WWE is indeed bringing back the ECW brand name for merchandising purposes as well as some form of weekly television and house shows.
The decision appears to have been finalized in the past week as several former stars were offered three-year contracts.
Paul Heyman will be in charge of the brand. It is believed this will be a mix of both former ECW wrestlers and new WWE developmental wrestlers.
It is expected this will lead to some significant changes in the WWE television product as well. The company is not looking to add a third day of television taping. It would likely be handled similar to the Superastros deal in the late 90s, with weekly matches taped before either the Raw or Smackdown tapings."
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I was never an ECW fan while it was on, though I have bought most of the DVDs that are out there. I don't particularly think this is a good idea, unless if it is used to develop new guys. This is what should have been done with Heat and Velocity originally. I wonder what will happen to them if ECW matches will now precede RAW and SD.
HBK: You’re flat broke aren’t you? MJ: Please let me wrestle on RAW! HBK: Fine, but I ain’t wearin’ no fruity tassels. MJ: Are these your mirror pants? HBK: Give me those!
Originally posted by samoflangeit will be a promotion that gets matches on the Raw and/or Smackdown
Because that worked so well for the LAST "promotion" they did this for...
And if they don't have their own shows, is it really a "promotion?" The first line from Meltzer ("In a story reported on earlier today by Pro Wrestling Insider, WWE is indeed bringing back the ECW brand name for merchandising purposes as well as some form of weekly television and house shows.") makes it sound like they're just trying to move some tshirts. I'm interested to hear more as what the WWE has in mind comes out.
Also, this pretty much means RVD has to win the title at One Night Stand, right? Perhaps some stipulation bringing some form of ECW back will be attached.
Originally posted by TheBucsFanAlso, this pretty much means RVD has to win the title at One Night Stand, right? Perhaps some stipulation bringing some form of ECW back will be attached.
Actually, it makes me think that RVD can't win the WWE belt because they would need him free to hold the ECW title when the brand starts up. (Unless they go with him winning, being screwed out of the belt at Summerslam, and therefore "defecting" to ECW in protest.)
The idea of launching the brand via ECW winning a stipulation match at One Night Stand is good. I'd do it with a match besides RVD vs. WWE champ, though. Maybe someone absurdly anti-ECW (JBL sounds good for this) vs. someone like Tommy Dreamer.
Maybe RVD could win the title and vacate it, claiming the ECW Title in its place. Kind of like Shane Douglas did with the NWA Title in '94.
In the real world, WWE believes that no matter what our race, religious creed or ethnic background in America, we all share the common bond of being Americans. American-Arabs are a part of the fabric of America, and they should be embraced by all of us.
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoMaybe RVD could win the title and vacate it, claiming the ECW Title in its place. Kind of like Shane Douglas did with the NWA Title in '94.
That would rule. The mere thought of such a cool angle has made my day. Thanks, Mr. Boffo.
"I tear my quadracep all the time! I tore it this morning, I'm fine! I'm here, I'm jumpin' around..." -- Kurt Angle
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoMaybe RVD could win the title and vacate it, claiming the ECW Title in its place. Kind of like Shane Douglas did with the NWA Title in '94.
IF he wins the title at ONS, I'm sure they'll do something similar. If not vacating the title, they'll thave him win it, get screwed out of it somehow, and then have Heyman present him with the ECW title.
TO BILL BRASKY!
My LiveJournal, where you can read tons of stuff that you don't give a crap about.
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoMaybe RVD could win the title and vacate it, claiming the ECW Title in its place. Kind of like Shane Douglas did with the NWA Title in '94.
IF he wins the title at ONS, I'm sure they'll do something similar. If not vacating the title, they'll thave him win it, get screwed out of it somehow, and then have Heyman present him with the ECW title.
I wasn't really much of an ECW follower when the promotion existed, but from what I gather an RVD World Title win was something that Heyman kept putting off and putting off, saving it for either a rainy day or when he just had no other alternative. He of course went out of business without ever getting to pull the trigger. I would imagine most of the ECW fans still around would feel kind of cheated if RVD was just "awarded" the title. Vacating it to make a statement I can understand, but I don't think Heyman naming him champion would be acceptable.
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoMaybe RVD could win the title and vacate it, claiming the ECW Title in its place. Kind of like Shane Douglas did with the NWA Title in '94.
IF he wins the title at ONS, I'm sure they'll do something similar. If not vacating the title, they'll thave him win it, get screwed out of it somehow, and then have Heyman present him with the ECW title.
I wasn't really much of an ECW follower when the promotion existed, but from what I gather an RVD World Title win was something that Heyman kept putting off and putting off, saving it for either a rainy day or when he just had no other alternative. He of course went out of business without ever getting to pull the trigger. I would imagine most of the ECW fans still around would feel kind of cheated if RVD was just "awarded" the title. Vacating it to make a statement I can understand, but I don't think Heyman naming him champion would be acceptable.
I agree, they can't just hand him the title, the same annoying way that Long just handed Rey's title shot back. He should spit on the spinny belt, say that it's worthless to him, and proclaim himself ECW world champ.
"I tear my quadracep all the time! I tore it this morning, I'm fine! I'm here, I'm jumpin' around..." -- Kurt Angle
Hopefully not the wrestling style. Spotfests like Sabu/2 Cold from Cyberslam 1996 is fun once in awhile, but is not something you can build a sustainable promotion on.
The E needs to get back to the Southern Wayne Ferris v. the Gibsons style of armbar, hiptoss then a heelish closed fist punch to re-educate fans.
I just remembered that im absent minded wait i mean i lost my mind, i cant find it.
Originally posted by TheBucsFanI wasn't really much of an ECW follower when the promotion existed, but from what I gather an RVD World Title win was something that Heyman kept putting off and putting off, saving it for either a rainy day or when he just had no other alternative. He of course went out of business without ever getting to pull the trigger.
Basically, the idea was that RVD's title chase was the money angle for the (hypothetical) new audience the company would get on TNN. And rather than start the new show with Rob already annointed as champ, the fans would get behind him in his title hunt and they'd build to the win. But just as the RVD/Mike Awesome title program started, Van Dam broke his leg.
If this happens, do you see a majority of the ECW fans returning to the audience? I'm not saying that it will be an instant flop (certainly not compared to the "invasion", at least), but ECW had a cult-like following. Will they be drawn to a product that might just end up being a watered down version of WWE or will they end up embracing the return?
I'm just curious what everyone else thinks about how the fan base could possibly react to this.
Personally, I feel that they should just let it go. I loved ECW back in the day, but WWE needs to focus on getting people to watch their own brand before they start trying to launch a "seperate entity".
(On edit: Besides, which "big names" will be left to draw for them? Dudley Boyz and Rhyno are in TNA, Sabu is, well, who knows, Shane Douglas is in TNA, Tommy Dreamer is working as a road agent, Tazz is a colour commentator, The Sandman could possibly come back, but I'm not sure where he's been. I mean, other then RVD, who is left? I'm not trying to immediately cast this idea aside, but it does raise questions.)
Man, it's a money angle, but you guys are out of your minds if you think Vince McMahon would let RVD throw down the WWE title because it "wasn't good enough." That is not EVER going to happen. That said, I'm at least curious to see what the new ECW is going to be like. Could be interesting, could suck. Too early to say if you ask me.
You wanted the best, you got... Out of Context Quote of the Week.
"I know, I know you are saying "sure there was some bad calls, but Jake Gyllenhaal obviously dropped too many easy catches and Ang Lee had some horrible clock management at the end of each half!"" (krakken2000)
The only way I could see it lasting is if Undead ECW tries to embody the spirit of ECW, rather than just being a legends showcase. But I wouldn't put too much faith in anyone to do that, not just WWE. There just isn't enough talent available to keep it with just people that were in the original ECW.
If this is true (and all the "experts" are saying that there is something out there), where do they go on TV? Right now, there are 3 slots on USA (RAW, and the two runnings of AM RAW), and one on the CW/UPN, and ratings are nowhere near where they would need to be to get another slot, I would think.
If this is going to be ECW, and not just a stepped-up version of OVW, they can't really put them in the 9 am Saturday slot for TV, they have to stick them somewhere else, probably a late-night Friday or Saturday slot, right?
For reasons of creative incompetence, this space will be left blank. Advertising opportunities are avaliable though!!! Contact (Number removed due to pending litigation) for details!
Who are the offering contracts to? I like ECW as much as the next ECW fan, but come on a lot of these guys are getting a little long in the tooth here.
Ballz Mahoney, Francine, and Sandman, for three, according to the PWIns article. They all bring, uh, quite a bit to the table. OR SHOULD I SAY THE TABLES~!
edit: Torch adds Sabu, Lance Storm, and Justin Credible.
Originally posted by Mr. BoffoMaybe RVD could win the title and vacate it, claiming the ECW Title in its place. Kind of like Shane Douglas did with the NWA Title in '94.
Yeah, but when Shane did that, the NWA wasn't the one booking it to launch ECW. WWE isn't going to allow RVD to bury their title, and if he did (in the same kind of shoot that Shane did), you'd think WWE would just scrap the relaunch to show him who's boss.
It's a great idea, and the WWE title could easily withstand the trashing, but WWE would have to grow a pretty big set to allow something like that.
Originally posted by TheBucsFanI would imagine most of the ECW fans still around would feel kind of cheated if RVD was just "awarded" the title. Vacating it to make a statement I can understand, but I don't think Heyman naming him champion would be acceptable.
It's all dependent on how they present it. If they were just to "award" the title to RVD, as they did with Hunter when they decided to have two separate "main" titles, then the ECW fans would crap on it. However, if they do an angle where HHH (and maybe with assistance from McMahon) do a total screwjob on Van Dam, where it's made abundantly clear to the fans that RVD should still be champion, then it could be do-able and the fans would accept it. They could even play up that RVD is realistically the face of the old, current, and new direction of ECW; therefore the title is rightfully his. Additionally, Heyman (in character) could also throw it in McMahon's face that he's giving the ECW World Title to someone who should rightfully be the WWE champion, rather than simply refusing to recognize a legitimate title switch like WWE did when it split from the NWA all those years ago.
Though it came out as such, I didn't intend for that to be fantasy booking or a suggestion as to exactly what the WWE should do. I just wanted to present that as an example of how something like that could be done without compromising the integrity of the title.
Then again, perhaps it's all a moot point, because if the potential fanbase would be that hardcore to the point where they wouldn't buy Rob Van Dam's legitimacy because he didn't pin someone to win it (especially since the last ECW champion is still technically Rhyno), then they're not going to accept an ECW brand that's equal parts nostalgia and a (third) developmental territory.
TO BILL BRASKY!
My LiveJournal, where you can read tons of stuff that you don't give a crap about.
I'm going to throw my two cents in with this just being a money angle (like they say, they want to put "ECW" shirts out). Fans keep chanting ECW at shows, so Vince knows that he's got an audience within his already established audience. Now he's just giving them something (else) to buy.
Although I can't wait to see headlines like the yearly "Big Show sent down to OVW for conditioning" saying "Big Show sent down to ECW for conditioning"
I tend to agree with all of this. Don and/or Mike mentioned something about how AJ was "much more confident" when Cage wasn't around. Subtle portent, or random blather? Oh, also: BEST LINE OF THE NIGHT: Matt Morgan:
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