In 2005 the WWE pulled ECW of of the shelf with the reunion show One Night Stand for various reasons several names were absent but a key one was Rob Van Dam. RVD who had been one of the men pitching the show to Vince McMahon was injured and unable to wrestle. The show as a hit with critics, fans and reports were the butyrate was good. But nothing happened in terms of ECW relaunch until 2006. A second One Night Stand was announced and the mani event was Rob Van Damn challenging John Cena for the WWE Championship. And was ECW coming back as a third full time brand for the WWE. The new ECW quickly became just a B-show for the WWE it never really recaptured the magic of the old one. So I'm going to take a look at the first event. Did the new ECW get off to a good start or did it fall out of the blocks?
A few things of note unlike the first ONS that was ECW alum vs ECW alum matches outside of a brawl with WWE "invaders." This card was WWE vs ECW for the most part. I also recommend reading Mick Foley's Hardcore Diary as it documents Foley's time leading up to this match. While I don't agree with everything Foley says in the book about his original ideas and how things played out it is interesting kind of like getting directors commentary on a movie. Also WWE had learned from Hardcore Homecoming the year before and made anyone that going to appear on this show sign a contract that limited the type of outside bookings they could take. Plus with ECW retiring a number of ECW guys were signed anyway. Also a few days before the ECW PPV they did a ECW v WWE special on USA that I felt hurt the show because well we have PPV just days away. Also since ECW was coming back as a weekly show guys like Big Show and Kurt Angle were sent over to it. I get the though process for it being they wanted to have WWE fans that had never seen ECW to tune it but Kurt and Show were just not the right fit for ECW and I would have held off on roster changes until the weekly show. Maybe have Heyman tease he had "convinced" a few Raw and Smackdown guys to come over because they were so impressed with ECW.
Our announce team is Joey Styles and Taz and I like the picks Joey was the voice of ECW and well Taz was a good announcer and a former ECW champion. We open on the Hammerstine Ballroom with the fans chanting ECW. Paul Heyman makes his entrance. Heyman thanks the fans on behalf of those that wanted to be hardcore more than a superstar and declares the "Tribe of Extreme has Risen Again." Heyman says they will pour the koolaid down the throats of Global Audience and it all starts tonight. Heyman also takes a shot at TNN/Spike as he plugs the new ECW show on Sci-Fi. He says this didn't happen because of Paul Heyman or Vince McMahon it was because of the fans that ECW could return and he thanks the fans. He closes its better than Raw or Smackdown it's the Rebirth of ECW! It was a very good moment but it also show why the new ECW failed. See Heyman had zero power he was a writer for the show he was just on air talent. And pretty much all the writing was done by the same people doing Raw and Smackdown so we got just another WWE show. Now I'm not saying "Give Heyman control and let him down what ever he wants." But I do think he should have some power and let different people who aren't the usual WWE people write. Plus Heyman was quickly turned into just another heel GM type turning on the ECW originals.
We get the old ECW intro like they used for the previous One Night Stand. Again I give they credit for not at the time trying to make it seem like an ECW show and not a WWE produced show. Joey Styles welcomes us to the show.
Tazz vs Jerry "The King" Lalwer- When ECW and WWF did there cross over stuff in the 97 King had been anti ECW so that was revived for this show. Tazz had left his job on Smackdown to "return home." Tazz was in a baseball jersey and basketball warmup pants instead of trademark singlet. King comes out and heads right over to Joey Styles and slaps him.This came from a time where Joey briefly replaced JR on Raw. Finally Joey snapped and and quit. Taz just stands in the ring and does't make an effort to go save his buddy. Just as the bell rings Joey jumps on King's back and is thrown off. King goes for the pile driver allowing Tazz to lock in the Tazz Mission for the choke out win. You can tell Joey is about to doing something since you can see his hands at ringside even as they try to hide him with a camera angle. The reason this was so short was the fact Tazz won't take a bump his neck is so bad he won't risk it. So why book a "match" if you wanted Tazz choking out the King there were other easy to do it hell send Jerry out to interrupt Heyman at the start and than have Tazz attack. Did anyone really want to see Joey get revenge for all the stuff King had done to him?
We go back to Joey who is checking his jaw. We than get clips of the WWE vs ECW head to head special. We see Big Show turning on the WWE to join ECW in a battle royal. As I said a guy like Big Show going to ECW didn't fit. We also get clips of Sabu vs John Cena and a massive brawl at the end. Tazz joins Joey at commentary.
Randy Orton vs Kurt Angle-Kurt WWE career was drawing to an end and had pretty much had zero direction since WrestleMania. Kurt had been sent to Smackdown and turned face when Batista went down due to injures but after losing the WHC at Mania he was had nothing. So he was sent to ECW and really again it didn't fit. Kurt had been one of the anti ECW guys a year before now he super excited to be in ECW plus he was WWE guy through and through to this point his whole career he was about as anti ECW as you could get. Orton had been suspended for well being an huge jackass and pissing everyone off. In storyline Orton had been injured by Angle and than had jumped in his return. They remixed Kurt's theme so fans wouldn't do the "You Suck" chant. Joey brings up Kurt's one appearance in ECW in 96. Orton bias to the outside and the fans chant Pussy at him. Kurt goes for the Ankle Lock early on but Orton twists free. Kurt works a head lock early on. Orton keeps bailing out stalling. They were really trying to have Kurt rework his amateur style moves having he keep lower and even using a body scissors. Kurt gives Orton the chance to head lock and shoves him right off. Randy tries again another shove a third try and Kurt hits the belly to back. Kurt charges into the corner and Orton moves making Kurt hit the post. Orton starts working the slow style he does using whip and dropping knees. Randy goes for a head lock but Kurt reveres into some pins. Orton locks in the sleeper and the fans start chanting boring. I really wish WWE would have had it end right there just to shock everyone. Orton misses a forearm smash and Angle gives him a release German Suplex. Orton counters the Angle Slam into an awful looking arm drag. Angle drops the straps and than hits the Angle Slam for two. Ankle lock but Orton rolls out sending Kurt into the turn buckle. Orton with a cross body off the top and Kurt rolls through for two as I have said in the bast I don't get that spot because to me it makes no sense it's not like Kurt caught him. Single leg and than Kurt locks in the Ankle lock for the win. The problem is this was your basic Kurt Angle and Randy Orton match. Neither guy went to the higher gear. And it was a match we could see on Raw or Smackdown almost any week. Orton did his slow and boring work while it was clear Kurt was already thinking about leaving.
Two refs come down to help Orton to the back. He wasn't hurt I think they were trying to put over how dangerous Kurt was but it just kind was a dead spot on the show.
The FBI Tony Mamaluke and Little Guido with Big Guido vs Tajiri and Super Crazy- Taijiri had left the WWE to return to Japan. Crazy and Mamaluke start us off moving around exchanging positions. Taijri just comes in and stomps at Mamaluke. Mamaluke gets a short arm scissors but Crazy picks him up and Slams him down. LIttle Guido and Taijri tag in. Big kicks by Taijri Guido works over the arm. The FBI each get put the tree and woe and take some drop kicks by the international team. OSI moonsault by Crazy whips out the FBI. Big Guido gets involved and whips out Crazy. Octopus stretch by Taijri on Mamaluke. Than the hand spring elbow. Double Trantnatuls by Crazy and Taijri. But Guido comes in by a double team is to much or him. The FBI hit a Double Fishmen's Buster on Taijri for the win. Decent tag team match
Big Show comes out and takes out everyone. Yeah it was time for Big Show's latest heel turn/unstoppable monster push. And it failed like all the other times they did this with Big Show. I think it might have worked some what better if they idea was Big Show was forced to go to ECW but no they played like he was happy at first. Also I hate the BS of just burying guys after a big win. Joey and Taz start to hype the two world title matches when they are interrupted by JBL. JBL is up in the stands. JBL cuts basically anti ECW promo he did in 05. And puts over him beating up the Blue Meanie witch the guy did for real. No it wasn't a work JBL legit went after Meanie and attacked him. JBL claims RVD is a star because of Smackdown and Vince McMahon and everyone else that "left" the WWE. He than plugs that he will be taking over for Tazz on Smackdown. Decent promo by JBL and it got good heat but man it went on to long. Hell you were waiting for someone from ECW to come out and shut him up and no one ever did.
Extreme Rules Match for the World Heavyweight Championship Rey Mysterio © vs Sabu- Unlike the old ECW where all the matches were Extreme Rules only a few in the new ECW were This was pretty much the single to fans the new ECW was not going to be like the old one. I also never got why this match. I get it was kind of a dream match at one point but they already had the big title match with Cena and Orton why add this one? Rey had won the WHC at Mania 22 but he never really caught on as champ I think due to WWE's habit having him get beat up every week and than retaining at the PPV by a fluke. Rey had learned form the year before and game out in gear more like the kind he wore in ECW and had ECW on his mask. Joey mentions that Rey had turned down a chance to jump to ECW with the title. Both men had chairs at the start. Smackdown referee forces them to drop at the start. Witch I wonder why given the rules. Finally the pick them up and start whacking them together and toss them at each other. Air Sabu than a botch spot where its clear Rey is going to drop toe hold Sabu into a chair but Sabu is out of position. 619 misses and than Sabu tosses the chair into Rey's face. Sabu sets up a table on the guard rail and apron. Rey Moves at the last second and we another moment with Sabu slipping. Moonsault press by Rey. Leg drop gets two for Sabu. West coast pop by Rey buts Sabu through a table. Triple jump moonsault by Sabu gets two. Rey goes for the west coast pop on Sabu but he moves and Rey crotches himself on a chair. Sabu has Rey set up on that first table and comes off with a springboard DDT. Both men are down giving us the first "OH MY GOD!" Some guy in a suit who the never explain who he is comes out and calls off the match. This was like a briscoe brother match where they ran through 100 high spots but at least those matches have finishes. Again why have this match when you already had the WWE championship match.
We get a video recapping Edge and Mick Foley's WrestleMania 22 match and Foley turning heel on Tommy Dreamer and than beating up Terry Funk. We also get footage of Foley, Dreamer, and Funk in there heydays. (well Funk in ECW heyday) Its a pretty good video. Foley comes out with a nasty black from an attempted hard way by Funk. Again I recommend reading Foley's Hardcore Diary. Foley apologies for the comments he made about ECW and talks about when he loved and respected ECW… When it was owned by Stephanie McMahon it was attempt to get heat but the fans just sat on there hands since I think they knew where Foley was going. Edge had the old WWE Hardcore title witch he and Foley were the "Co-Holders" of. Edge mocks Heyman and the fans. Lita than ran down Dreamer and Funk. Now Edge and Lita lines did get heat.
Mick Foley, Edge and Lita vs Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer and Beulah- This had been set up and marketed as tag match so had Lita insult Beulah before the match and Beulah challenge her. It was done so Beulah could be the one to get pinned and have Edge get heat again. Beulah came out in heels and spent most of the match on the apron. Honestly I don't get why Tommy or Terry couldn't take the fall. Lita's a great wrestler and Beulah could do a little but if they don't do anything other than the finish why add them.Tommy and Edge start us off. Edge is not in his usual ring gear given the rules I like that since he was dressed for a fight. Tommy and Edge actually do some wrestling to start. Quick tag to Foley when Dreamer gets the advantage. Tag to Funk. Foley suddenly declares its a bad idea and tries to leave. It breaks down Foley vs Funk on one side and Dreamer vs Edge on the side. Funk and Dreamer take control with weapon. Baseball slide into a trashcan into Foley's face by Dreamer. Edge gets a ladder and rams it into Dreamers face. Edge sets up the ladder and goes for the spear but Dreamer hip tosses Edge into the ladder. Whirley bird time by Funk takes out Edge and Foley. Funk climbs the ladder but Edge trips it sending Funk crazing F-Trop style. Dreamer sets for the DVD but Lita low blows him. Meanwhile Beulah just stands in her corner. Again why add the girls outside of the pin? If you wanted Beulah how about she comes towards the end gets in a cat fight Edge goes to spears her Tommy or Funk saves her and eats the spear for the win. Foley and Edge get a massive board covered with barbwire and drop it onto Dreamer. They go to do it again but this time Funk trips Foley causing the board to land on Foley and Edge. Foley sent crashing into the barb wire board. Foley throws the board into Funk's face. Lita hands Foley a spool of Barb wire. Foley wraps it around his arm. Foley starts dropping formats in Funks face and than grind the wire into his face. Funk screams "My Eye!" The trainers take Funk to the back. Fans start chaining for Sandman. Lita joins in triple teaming on Dreamer and Beulah still watches as her real life husband gets beat up. I hate to keep harping on this but they add her to the match she just stand there doing nothing . Yes you could argue she's not a wrestler but she's asked to be added to it in story. Foley locks in the claw on Beulah but Tommy saves her. Claw on Tommy and than the spear. Edge start to head over to Beulah and forces her into a pump handle slam position. Funk comes back out his eye wrapped with a 2x4 wrapped in barb wire. Problem is Terry is so slow there is no reason Edge couldn't hit the move on Beulah. Instead Edge lets her go and watches Funk. come in. Shots by Funk on both Edge and Foley. Funk lights the 2x4 on fire but it takes forever. Flaming shot on Foley sends him crashing into the massive barbwire board on the outside Than Edge send Funk crashing into Foley. DDT by Dreamer on Edge and than he uses barbwire to choke Edge. FInally wet the cat fight with Beulah and Lita. Tommy hits the Death Vally Driver on Lita. Edge takes out Dreamer and than spear Beulah and rolls her up looking like he's humping her for the pin.
Flawed match with some cool spots. Again I hate to harp all over Beulah because I actually like her and enjoyed her work. But she in the story she asked to make the match include her and Lita but she does nothing most of it . I again think the best think would have been to have her run into take out Lita at some point and have Edge try to take her out and allow Tommy take the shot getting him pinned. Hell I actually though they were setting up to keep the Dreamer and Edge feuding going. Also I know Terry is a legend but that doesn't ' change the fact he can barley move and the thus guys have to make wait around for him to catch up. I think the best would have been to have it be Edge vs Dreamer with Funk and Foley in the corners. We get post match Footage of everyone limping to the back.
We see John Cena holding the WWE title backstage we than cut to RVD warming up backstage. Tazz says Cena has no idea what to expect.I actually like this as the main event was the big selling point for the main event. The ultimate ECW guy vs the Ultimate WWE guy.
Balls Mahoney vs Masato Tanaka- Joey reminds us these guys used to be ECW tag team champions. Tanaka had his shoulder tapped up. Tanaka has control early on until Balls hits a sloppy power slam. Balls over over the top rope and yells oh shit when he lands wrong. Tanaka with a piscado that looks like it hits but than Balls on top pouring on Tanaka. Plastic cup shots by Balls and Tanaka that they each sell give me a break it's plastic that my actually be worse than the plastic bottle shots WWE was doing few years ago. Both duliering chars that make it clear they are swing at the chair. Balls hits a big chair shot that dents the chair for a win. One of those matches you kind of forget about as your watching it.
Joey tells us we are moments away from the main event. We get a video package detailing RVD's Money in the Bank win. And him telling Cena he was cashing the MITB at One Night STand. This got a massive pop that night and from a story stand point it made sense. RVD played up he never got a fair break in the WWE. And they idea was if he won the WWE title he could rename it the ECW title. We also get footage of RVD in ECW. Just as the entrances were about to made out came Eugene. I hated the Eugene gimmick than and I hate even more now. The gimmick was insulting and it was done for bad comedy and they kept it going for ever. Of course the fans hated every second of this as Eugene read his pome about ECW. Sandman made his entrance. Man the WWE theme Sandman had really killed the magic of entrance they couldn't get something closer to Enter Sandman. Sandman slipped at one point as he was making his way to the ring than again it being Sandman he might have been a case in a this point. Sandman cracked Eugene with the cane a few times and than he got a second Cane and double caned Eugene all the way to the back. I guess this segment worked because it's goal was to piss off the fans and than have Sandman run off something stupid (and that was gimmick for a while in the new ECW) but we already had that chance with JBL.
ECW Rules WWE Championship John Cena © vs Rob Van Damn- RVD makes his entrance and place goes wild just to note All night Joey and Taz have mocked the "sports entertainers" for having pyro and than RVD comes out with pyro. Joey asks if RVD wins do they have to keep the spinner on the belt good line Joey. Problem is Joey and Taz now have to go into Cena hype mode even though back in the day Cena would be the guy Joey would take pots shots on every chance he could get. Cena comes out and the fans boo him than again that happens to Cena all the time any ways. Cena tosses his shirt into the crowd and the fans throw it back and to Cena credit in a nice move he keeps tossing the shirt out to keep bating the fans. The problem is WWE as they remain today refused to let Cena be a heel for even one night. He's got to be White Meat as White Meat can be. On the old site my buddy Patrick Kelly pointed it out "I love ECW! I like what you like!" That's pretty much what Cena said in a promo leading up to this event. What he should have said is something like "Your right RVD! I'm not an ECW guy. I'm the proudest damn WWE Superstar you will find!" Hell if there was one night Cena should have heeled up a little this was it but WWE wasn't willing. So we had a problem of it being clear Cena wanted to since sometimes he he was hinting at but never could pull the trigger. Its like of like an actor when go really over the top at times but never full blown so instead of it being the gimmick its just these random moments. Real awkward spot early on where it looks like Cena just stopped running on a criss cross. We get that dumb Cheer/boo/cheer/boo punch exchange. All Cena early fans chant same old shit. Cena jumps off the top rope tagging RVD in the back with a single fist. They try to sell it like some amazing spot. Finally RVD hits a move with a moonsault press off the ring steps. Cena gets right up and punches RVD. Way to much Cena early on it's not even even it's all Cena outside of a few moves. Brawl into the crowd and Vince tell Joey and Taz to keep putting over Cena. Corkscrew leg drop by RVD. Baseball slide followed by a leg drop by RVD I'm stunned he's gotten to hit three moves in a row. Skateboarding the chair into Cena's face gets two. Cena goes for a the split legged moonsault but Cena gets the leg up. Awful looking DDT on the chair. That awful looking belly to back power bomb by Cena.Five knuckle shuffle by Cena and it does seem like he played into it a little more. RVD counters out of the FU and hits a spinning drop kick. Still though right back to Cena in control. RVD tries to set Cena up on the ropes and I'm not sure what happened if RVD screwed up or if Cena mistimed it but Cena drops right to the ground. RVD set a table up in the corner Cena locks him in the STFU. This is one of those moves Cena uses a lot and for a while he was using it as a finisher but the problem is it's never looks like Cena has it locked in where it's doing damage Watch guys that know how to do the hold you will see what I mean. RVD reaches the ropes and Cena won't break the ref pulls him off and Cena nails him but he still isn't acting like a full heel and Taz defends his actions. And Joey says the ref shouldn't put his hands on Cena. Cena levels RVD with the ring steps out comes WWE referee Nick Patrick but RVD kicks at two. And the stupid finish Cena FU's RVD to floor Edge in a motorcycle helmet (that he takes off right away) comes out and Spears Cena through a table and levels Patrick. RVD gets up and hits the five star. Paul Heyman runs and counts the fall and calls for the bell. Heyman presents RVD the WWE championship.
Bad main event. As I said there were times Cena wanted to go heel but never could do it. I think he had turned full it would have helped also way to many times with Cena in control and not selling RVD's big moves so the usual Super Cena stuff. As always a lot of Cena moves looked bad I have seen worse wrestlers than Cena usually it's young guys that are learning not a guy that's on top and never gets better and the finish is stupid. RVD doesn't win because on this night in his company pulled it out he won because Edge gave it to him. So yeah RVD's big moment was more about restarting the Cena and Edge feud. Plus it was clear Vince was in Joey and Taz's ear screaming at them to put over Cena. I could undersea little bit but at times it was like King and JR were calling it and not ECW guys. What I think this match should have been was even at the start but RVD takes control as it gets extreme selling the point of this being out of Cena's element. But than RVD misses a big move. Cena gets control and hits a few moves. But than it starts to get extreme again and RVD is in control if you want Edge out there I'd have it be he hits Cena but we aren't sure he was after him and have RVD take out Edge. RVD hits the Van Damantor than the five star for two knowing he needs something special he does the Van Terminator for the win.
Post match we see RVD go into the crowd and head up to his wife Sonya and to celebrate. the ECW locker room empties to celebrate hell we even see Bill Alphonso RVD's long time manager. RVD returns to the ring as the ECW locker room picks him up. We than get a replay of Edge's attack and the five start instead of anything else you know that might make RVD look good. But it is a nice getting to see RVD finally win a major world title.
One Night Stand 06 was supposed to be the kick off of the new ECW sou ideally you wanted a great show to get people watching on Tuesdays. But we never get going into a great show instead we get a pretty boring one only the main event and the six person had any real energy to it. Also we have two segment that just stop the show dead. The opener could have been removed to give time to anything else. Even the best match on the card the six person tag has major problems with it. Much like Barley Legal it didn't' age well.
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