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THE ECW TV REPORT
by Richard Trionfo

When ECW was in its hey day in the 1990s, nobody probably ever expected that the company would do a show in Madison Square Garden, but it has finally happened. What will we see when the ‘Mecca of Professional Wrestling’ goes extreme? Will Sabu finally get the ECW Heavyweight Title as he faces the Big Show in his first match in Madison Square Garden? What is next in the CM Punk/Shannon Moore feud? Will Sandman get his hands on Matt Striker? 

We are live on tape from New York, New York and your announcers are Joey ‘Yessssss’ Styles and Tazz.

Paul Heyman and his security detail come to the ring as the show begins and Paul has something to say. He says that the prodigal son, the messiah, the savior of the wrestling industry has arrived in the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden. He asks the fans if they realize that they are part of history tonight. They have come together in the world’s most famous arena and are part of a history making moment. Finally, after all of the years, hard work, sacrifice, and dedication; his ECW flag flies high in Madison Square Garden. To a New York boy growing up, this is the center of the universe, the great synagogue, the ultimate temple, the great church, the grand cathedral. There is no other place to a kid from New York like Madison Square Garden. With all humility, he wants to thank himself for this achievement. Paul wonders who else he was supposed to thank. Five years ago, they were the reason why ECW went out of business. He listened to the fans who wanted more Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Sandman, and Tommy Dreamer. He tells the fans ‘screw you’. He listened to himself because he knows better than the fans. He made compromises with Vince McMahon. He took ECW to a global platform and here were are ‘from the bingo hall to the Garden’. For that, he tells his children ‘You’re welcome’ for his hard work and his ingenuity. This is his concept. Tonight, his ECW grows even larger when the Big Show comes down the aisle.

Heyman is interrupted by Sabu, and Paul tells him that if he makes one more step to the ring, he will pin him in the middle, just like he did two weeks ago. Sabu hits the security detail with the chair and he takes down Heyman, but they return to the ring and grab Sabu. Sabu hits them with the chair again and then he gives one of the members of the security detail an Arabian facebuster. 

Heyman tells Sabu that he nearly stepped in it, and he will pay the price in a giant way. Tonight’s match will be an Extreme Rules Match. Sabu with a springboard clothesline onto the security detail and then he returns to the ring as we go to commercial.

Match Number One: Rob Van Dam versus Bob Holly
Van Dam kicks Holly as he enters the ring, but Holly kicks back. Van Dam with a rana followed by a crescent kick. Van Dam tries to clothesline Holly over the top rope, but Holly back body drops Van Dam to the floor and Holly follows that with a pescado onto Van Dam. Van Dam with a moonsault from the ringside barrier and it appears to hurt Van Dam more as they bang heads. Holly rolls Van Dam back into the ring and hits two leg drops for a two count. Holly puts Van Dam in the ropes and he connects with a series of crossfaces. Holly continues the attack as he chokes Van Dam in the ropes. Van Dam fights back with elbows and punches but Holly with a drop kick for a two count. Holly slams Van Dam and then he goes up to the second turnbuckle for an elbow, but Van Dam gets his leg up to stop Holly and both men are down. Van Dam with clotheslines to Holly followed by a step over heel kick and Rolling Thunder for a two count. Van Dam with forearms in the corner followed by an Irish whip and a monkey flip. Van Dam with more forearms and an elbow. Van Dam goes up top, but Holly hits the ropes and that crotches Van Dam. Holly punches Van Dam and he sets up for a superplex but Van Dam punches Holly off. Van Dam sets up for the Five Star Frog Splash, but Stevie Richards, Mike Knox, and Test come to the ring. Van Dam hits a side kick from the top turnbuckle on Richards and then he hits a spinning heel kick on Knox. Test hits a full nelson slam and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Rob Van Dam (by disqualification)

After the match, Richards and Knox hold Van Dam while Holly and Test work over Van Dam. Sandman and Tommy Dreamer come into the ring and Sandman canes away. Sandman canes Richards and then Dreamer with a DDT. While Test, Knox, and Holly leave the ring, Van Dam goes up top for a Five Star Frog Splash.

Joey Styles says that the evening will get more extreme, and Tazz talks about the title match. We see Sandman and Dreamer celebrating in the ring with a few cold drinks.

We see footage of Sabu versus Big Show from three weeks ago when Sabu got disqualified because it was not an Extreme Rules match. Styles points out that tonight’s match is an Extreme Rules Match. We go to commercial.

We are back and before our next match, we see footage from last week when CM Punk called Shannon Moore a poseur and slapped him.

Match Number Two: CM Punk versus Shannon Moore
Moore gets in Punk’s face and he slaps Punk followed by punches and an elbow. Moore with more punches and then he gets on the second turnbuckle and tries for a tornado DDT, but Punk tosses him off on the attempt. Moore charges into the corner and Punk ties up Moore in the ropes. Punk with a springboard clothesline followed by a back kick and knees to Moore. Punk with an Irish whip and a running knee into the corner and a bulldog. Punk with slaps, a back hand strike, and a round kick. Punk with a uranage followed by the Anaconda Vice and Moore taps.
Winner: CM Punk

Rene Dupree is in the back and while he grooms himself, he talks about the ECW title match between Big Show and Sabu. Dupree says that he will be debuting next. We go to commercial.

We are back and the FBI are in the back congratulating CM Punk on his victory. Kelly stops by and she wanted to congratulate CM Punk on his Madison Square Garden debut. Kelly tells Punk that she is a really big fan of his and since she is an exhibitionist, she would love to go to one of those wild, crazy nightclubs. Unfortunately, she is only nineteen years old. She says that they cannot really go out, but they can stay in. Mike Knox stops by and he takes Kelly with him.

Kevin Thorn and Ariel come to ringside and join Tazz and Styles at the announce position.

Match Number Three: Rene Dupree versus Balls Mahoney
Dupree attacks Mahoney as he enters the ring and then he punches and kicks Mahoney. Mahoney blocks Dupree’s attempt to slam Mahoney into the turnbuckle and Mahoney responds with punches and an Irish whip but he charges into the corner and Dupree moves out of the way. Dupree kicks Mahoney and he follows that with a springboard elbow and a kick to the back for a two count. Dupree with a kick to Mahoney’s head and then he hits an elbow drop from the second turnbuckle for a two count. Dupree does the Rick Martel Hop followed by a fist drop for a near fall. Mahoney punches Dupree but Dupree throws Mahoney to the mat. Dupree slaps Mahoney but Mahoney punches Dupree and then he hits a sit out spinebuster for a two count. Mahoney with jabs followed by an uppercut. Mahoney with a spinning heel kick that sends both men over the top rope to the floor. Thorn approaches Mahoney and Balls punches Thorne. Mahoney gets a chair but the referee takes it. Dupree distracts the referee and that allows Thorn to hit Mahoney with his cane and Balls hits the ring steps. Dupree rolls Mahoney back into the ring for the three count. We go to commercial.
Winner: Rene Dupree

We are back with Matt Striker and he reminds us that he is a New York City teacher. For the past few weeks, he has been teaching Sandman some valuable lessons. He says that he is concerned about the amount of ‘giggle water’ that the fans have been consuming while enjoying the proclivity of the Sandman’s pugilistic endeavors; or as the fans would say it, enjoy drinking beer while the Sandman beats people up with a Singapore Cane. If he looked at Sandman’s permanent record, he is sure that it would be littered with examples of truculent, trepidatious, trench mouthed truancy. Striker tells everyone if they don’t know what those words mean, they should look them up. Striker mentions that he saw earlier tonight when Sandman corralled some of his cronies for some extreme violence. Striker says that a man is judged by the company that he keeps, and he says that he keeps some interesting and intelligent company. You can drink beer with the Sandman, or come to class and learn from Matt Striker.

Styles reminds everyone that Matt Striker was banned by the New York Board of Education. Tazz and Joey talk about how regardless of the result of the match tonight against Sabu; he will be part of the Hell in a Cell match at Unforgiven. We see footage from last night’s Raw when Big Show attacked Shawn Michaels.

Before our main event, we see footage from Sabu’s attack on Paul Heyman and his security detail at the start of the show.

Match Number Four: Big Show versus Sabu for the ECW Title in an Extreme Rules Match
Before the bell rings, Sabu brings out two tables and sets them up outside the ring as we go to commercial.

We are back and Sabu has a chair and he tosses it at Show, but Show just swats it away. Show throws Sabu to the mat. Sabu with a waist lock but Show uses his rear end to get Sabu to release the hold. Show with a chop in the corner followed by a head butt. Show throws Sabu out of the ring and Heyman’s security detail attack Sabu on the floor. Show with more head butts to Sabu and then he picks up the chair and Show destroys it. Sabu punches Show but Show responds with a clothesline when Sabu comes off the ropes but Show only gets a two count. Show punches Sabu while the fans show Big Show their disapproval with his performance. Show steps on Sabu’s chest. Sabu with a low kick to Show and then Sabu gets a chair and he throws it at Show’s head twice and then he hits a drop kick to Show’s knee. Sabu with a camel clutch on Show, but Show is too big and Show turns it into a side slam. Show tries for a big boot but Sabu moves out of the way and Show crotches himself on the top rope. Sabu hits a side kick and Show goes over the top rope to the floor. Show returns to the ring and he head butts Sabu. Show tells the security detail to bring him a table and Show sets it up. Sabu gets a chair but Show still grabs Sabu and he tries to choke slam Show through the table, but Sabu counters with a DDT through the table, but Sabu can only get a two count. Sabu hits Show in the back with the chair and then he hits Show in the head with the chair. Sabu hits Show in the back with the chair and Show falls through the ropes and through a table on the floor. Sabu attacks the security detail and then he sets up another table. Show picks up Sabu but Sabu sends Show into the ring post. Sabu gets a chair and he hits Show in the back and that sends Show to the table. Sabu comes off the top rope but Show catches Sabu and then he choke slams Sabu through the table. Sabu is thrown back into the ring and Show with the cobra clutch back breaker and the step over leg drop for the three count.
Winner: Big Show

Segment Summary:
Segment One: Paul Heyman promo and confrontation with Sabu
Segment Two: Rob Van Dam defeats Bob Holly by disqualification
Segment Three: CM Punk defeats Shannon Moore; Rene Dupree promo
Segment Four: FBI/CM Punk segment; CM Punk/Kelly/Mike Knox segment; Rene Dupree defeats Balls Mahoney
Segment Five: Matt Striker promo
Segment Six: Big Show defeats Sabu

ECW Thoughts:

I wonder if they had Paul Heyman make the ‘bingo hall’ comment because of the way that everyone reacted to Triple H’s bingo hall comment last week.

I guess if you have Bob Holly, Mike Knox, Test, and Stevie Richards and one of them has to be beaten up; it would be Stevie Richards who would get the brunt of the attack.

Did most of the matches appear to be more deliberate tonight? 

Who would have thought that Kelly could dance better than cut promos?

Is Ariel supposed to be ECW’s version of Melina?

It is funny to have Matt Striker ‘teaching’ everyone a lesson when he is unable to differentiate between ‘is’ and ‘was’ when he talks about his teaching career.

Feel free to send feedback to richard@pwinsider.com.

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