Test beat Sabu. Before the match, Test complained about the fans voting for Rob Van Dam when he has more wins and is the real number one contender. Test dominated the match with clotheslines, back breakers, a side slam, and a body slam. Sabu came back with springboard leg lariats and a springboard DDT, but Test hit the yakuza kick and TKO for the pin. Elijah Burke and Sylvester Terkay defeated the FBI. The Full Blooded Italians were accompanied to the ring by Trinity. Terkay and Burke worked over Little Guido, with Terkay hitting a big boot and belly to belly. Guido made the hot tag to Tony Mamaluke, but Terkay took over with head butts and slammed Mamaluke into the mat face first. He cranked the arm for the tapout. They announced CM Punk vs. Hardcore Holly for next week. Matt Striker said Holly would beat Punk, and Holly said Punk cant make him tap. Tommy Dreamer appeared via satellite and said he gets his butt whipped all the time because thats who he is. He vowed to chop down Great Khali. Rob Van Dam thanked Lashley for getting rid of Paul Heyman and Big Show and thanked the fans for supporting him. He said he would bring home the title. Kevin Thorn beat Balls Mahoney. The match was a disaster. Thorn hit clotheslines, Balls used punches. Then Thorn appeared to accidentally bust open Balls mouth with an elbow and they immediately went to the pin. The highlight of the match was Brad Armstrongs return, as Tazz and Armstrong went at it again taking constant shots at each other. Backstage, Lashley said he respects Rob Van Dam but will retain his title. Vladimir Kozlov was at ringside and said he could beat Lashley or RVD. Bobby Lashley and Rob Van Dam fought to a no contest. The crowd was dead, although there were light chants for both. Lashley hit a power slam, bear hug, spine buster and gorilla press to the floor. RVD used kicks and a split legged moonsault. Lashley took back over with a torture rack back breaker and delayed vertical suplex but his spear attempt was thwarted by an RVD drop toe hold. RVD hit a kick off the top but missed rolling thunder. RVD dropped Lashley on the announcers table and hit a clothesline off the top to the floor, and the match was stopped.
Hardcore Holly upset CM Punk after ramming Punks shoulder into the ring post followed by an Alabama Slam. Punk went for the Anaconda Vice early in the match. He also missed a dive through the ropes on Holly. Holly connected with a leg drop off the second rope. Backstage, Test complained about not being the one to receive a title shot tonight. He said he and not RVD deserves the shot. Elijah Burke is in the ring saying that Sylvester Terkay can stay backstage because hes feeling confident tonight. He issued a challenge to anyone willing to fight him. If you dont know whos coming out, you havent been watching ECW much lately. The Sandman enters and goes nose to nose with Burke. Styles compared Burkes amateur boxing record to Sandmans drunken bar fight record, which was funny. Sandman caned Burke in the back, leading to Burke making a quick exit. Not an official match. The Great Khali pinned Tommy Dreamer in an Extreme Rules match. Khali won with a choke slam after blocking Dreamers swing of a Right Turn sign. RVD did a backstage promo talking about his past as ECW champion. He said that he will bring the belt home tonight. Kevin Thorn squashed The Reject Shannon Moore with the Dark Kiss. Kelly Kelly is returning to ECW next week. Main Event ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Rob Van Dam ends in a No Contest when Test interferes, first attacking Lashley with a chair and then RVD. He lost his balance in attempting a tackle on RVD. RVD set up Lashley on the announcing table and missed a spin kick, which looked painful.
Air Date: 1/16/07 - Little Rock, Arkansas This week's show opened with the official announcement of tonight's main event: ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Test in a Triple Threat Match for the belt. It was emphasized throughout the show that the champion didn't have to lose in order for the title to change hands. Kelly Kelly made her return to ECW. She made the shocking announcement that she was an exhibitionist and then proclaimed that she was single again and could do whatever she wanted. She said that her Expose would return next week and that she wouldn't be dancing alone. As her music played, Matt Striker interrupted and the insults began immediately. He said she was corrupting the minds of his audience and even brought up how it's a fact that women's feet are smaller than men's so they can stand closer to the kitchen sink. He finished by declaring that he would educate CM Punk. Matt Striker vs. CM Punk. Kelly stayed at ringside for the match. Punk gave a few hip tosses to Striker, followed by a dropkick and a slam on Striker's arm, a move which Joey Styles credited to the Anderson family. Punk continued with a nice bridge before backdropping a charging Striker over the top rope. After a commercial break, Punk and Striker traded stiff kicks with each other. Punk hit several kicks and hard knees before Striker began to take control. Kelly then got on the apron and with her back to the camera, flashed Striker allowing Punk to score the victory with a back slide. It was announced that the Sandman would be facing Elijah Burke later in the show. The Alpha Male Marquis Cor Von [Monty Brown] finally made his long-awaited debut vs. Cassidy Reilly in a matchup between two former TNA competitors. This was hilarious as Tazz said he'd heard a lot about Cor Von. When Cor Von hit the Pounce on Reilly, Styles and Tazz acted like they'd never seen such an incredible move. Reilly tapped out to the Fujiwara armbar. An obvious squash. He had some fun with the crowd by mimicking the "What!" chants as he spoke. His catchphrase was pretty weak as he said, "The hardest, regardless is Marquis Cor Von." Lashley did a boring backstage promo in which we learned that he respects Van Dam, doesn't respect Test, he's entering the match as champion, and he's leaving as champion as well. WrestleMania Recall - WrestleMania 5 - Piper's Pit with Roddy Piper and his guest Morton Downey Jr. The Sandman vs. Elijah Burke. As Sandman made his way through the crowd, Rebecca interviewed Burke, with Sylvester Terkay, backstage. The match started with Sandman caning Terkay off the apron to the floor. This was a quickie as Burke got crotched on the top turnbuckle and then Burke pushed Sandman to the canvas. Sandman fell in an awkward way and it looked like he might have hurt himself as he immediately grabbed the back of his head. Burke almost lost his balance and fell as well but recovered enough to roll up Sandman for the pin. Styles tried his best to act excited as he mentioned that for the first time in history, ECW would have competitors in the Royal Rumble match this year. Kevin Thorn and Ariel did a weird backstage promo about a black rose they were holding. Ariel said that there would be 29 black roses in the Royal Rumble and one red rose, Thorn, and he would win the Rumble. They then made out. Main Event - ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Test in a Triple Threat Match for the title. Van Dam front suplexed Test on the rail and then hit a spin kick from the apron. This took Test out of action for a bit, leaving Van Dam vs. Lashley. When Test eventually attempted to get back in the ring, Lashley knocked him down once again, leading to more of Van Dam vs. Lashley. Test was back in when the show returned from a commercial break. There were a lot of timing issues in the match. Lashley was late on a clothesline on Van Dam to stop a pin on Test. Test tossed Van Dam off the top rope to the floor and we now had Lashley vs. Test for a while. Van Dam eventually returned and hit Test with a 5 Star Frog Splash off the top rope, leaping over Lashley in the process. But Lashley speared Van Dam and then followed with a powerslam and the pinfall victory. Outside the ring, an enraged Test hit Lashley with the belt, knocking him out while screaming, "This is mine!"
Air Date: 1/23/07 - Mobile, Alabama The opening contest was a Special 5-Man Over-The-Top Challenge between Sandman, Sabu, Kevin Thorn, Tommy Dreamer, and Rob Van Dam. It was noted that all five Extremists would be in the Rumble match on Sunday and Joey Styles and Tazz really tried to sell the possibility of an ECW competitor winning the Rumble and headlining WrestleMania. Sabu eliminated Dreamer and himself in the process with a head scissors taking out Dreamer but the momentum carried him out as well. Thorn then threw out Sandman, leaving Thorn and RVD. They went back and forth for a few minutes with a couple of close calls before RVD knocked Thorn out with a kick off the top rope. This was designed to push the idea of Van Dam having a legitimate shot at winning on Sunday. The Alpha Male Marquis Cor Von vs. Wes Adams, who was announced as being from Mobile. Cor Von got mike time again this week but didn't really say much other than your typical cliches like when he comes for you, get out of his way or you'll get run over. Cor Von hit the Pounce, which was once again gushed over by Styles and Tazz but not given a name. Cor Von won via submission with a Fujiwara armbar. This was the second squash in a row for Cor Von so hopefully he'll be put in a program with someone soon. As Test was getting ready for his match, Holly confronted him. Holly was pissed and said that he wasn't going to let anyone stop him from going after the ECW title. He didn't let Test speak. Kelly's Expose returned as she entered the ring with Layla and another diva named Brooke. They did a badly choreographed dance routine that was way too long. It was strange as it ended abruptly when a Test video began to play. Test said he was "God's gift to ECW" on the video. Matt Striker came out for commentary for the next match between CM Punk and Elijah Burke. No mention of the just-released Sylvester Terkay. Styles played up Punk as having serious potential at winning the Rumble, even bringing up past winners Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, and Rey Mysterio. Striker, usually very entertaining in a speaking role, seemed a bit off and wasn't as sharp as usual. Tazz even joked with him at one point, asking him if the cat got his tongue since he was so quiet. Punk rolled up Burke for the win. Nothing special here but at least Punk didn't have to do the job. Main Event - Bobby Lashley vs. Test in a non-title match. Lashley didn't waste any time as he surprised Test with a clothesline outside the ring. Test undid one of the turnbuckles, causing referee Scott Armstrong to go over and fix it, allowing Test to undo another one, which Lashley got rammed into. Test got a chair but Lashley managed to spear Test as he held the chair. Lashley won with a powerslam that came out of nowhere
Air Date: 1/30/07 - Toyota Center - Houston, Texas Vince was making his way through the backstage area to start things off tonight. He ran into Marquis Cor Von first and seemed pleased. Unfortunately, this was Cor Von's only appearance on the entire show. Vince then encountered a disheveled Sandman who was reading a newspaper and drinking a beer. He asked Sandman how he got his name and went on to sing Mr. Sandman. When Vince walked away in disgust, Sandman did his usual beer-bash to his head. CM Punk vs. Matt Striker. Joey Styles noted that Punk lasted 28 minutes in the Royal Rumble, longer than any of the other Extremists in the match. Punk attempted a suplex on Striker out of the ring but Striker managed to block it. Punk hit Striker with a bulldog followed by a backbreaker for a two-count. The finish came when Punk did a sunset flip into the ring over Striker but Striker was able to drop down and grab Punk's tights for the win. Winner: Matt Striker. We've seen this finish way too much for anyone to care. Vince continued his ECW tour as he ran into Tommy Dreamer. He ridiculed Dreamer's name and sarcastically referred to his Innovator of Violence moniker. Rob Van Dam vs. Hardcore Holly. Holly attempted an Alabama Slam but was kicked in the face by Van Dam. Van Dam did a dive outside the ring crashing into Holly. After a commercial, Van Dam hit a legdrop off the second rope on Holly. Van Dam executed a nice spinning heel kick followed by a rolling thunder but only managed a two-count. Van Dam missed a 5 Star Frog Splash, allowing Holly to go for another Alabama Slam. He couldn't quite get Van Dam up at first but was able to nail it after another attempt and get the pinfall. Winner: Hardcore Holly. Vince confronted Sabu and said he thought he was in Texas, not Afghanistan. He called Sabu a member of the Taliban before acknowledging that it was Sabu and warning him to stay away from him. Balls Mahoney was listening to music on his headphones as Vince started his verbal assault. He noted that even though Mahoney was Irish and that he liked his last name, he was probably from Northern Ireland and they are definitely not alike. Kelly's Expose was up next with Kelly Kelly, Layla, and Brooke wasting our time again this week. The only positive here was that it was kept shorter than last week as Vince interrupted, putting that portion of the segment out of its misery. Vince said that he wouldn't be embarrassed like he was on RAW last night. He said the ECW originals sucked, the original ECW fans sucked, and everything about the original ECW sucked. He promised he would transform ECW into something more meaningful, with talent that has charisma and physical prowess, not drunken suicidal misfits. He introduced Elijah Burke as the epitome and future of the new ECW. Burke kissed up to Vince and said that the ECW originals would feel his wrath. This led to Sandman, Dreamer, Mahoney, and Sabu running in and taking out Burke with a Sandman caning, a Sabu dive through a table with a chair, etc. Vince watched from the aisle in disgust. Main Event - ECW Title - Bobby Lashley vs. Test. Test immediately pulled the ring mats up to expose the concrete floor and attempted a piledriver but Lashley blocked it and gave Test a backdrop. They did their best impression of a TNA main event next as they went to a commercial only a minute or two into the bout. During the commercial, Lashley missed a spear and rammed his shoulder into the ringpost. Test worked on his shoulder for a few minutes. Then, out of nowhere, Lashley powerslammed Test and scored the win. Winner: Bobby Lashley. The lights went out and the Undertaker stood in the ring when they came back on. Test went to hit Lashley with a chair but Undertaker stopped him with a chokeslam. The Undertaker stared down Lashley and motioned for the belt as Styles sold it as if it meant Undertaker would challenge for the ECW title at WrestleMania.
Air Date: 2/6/07 - Omaha, Nebraska the show started with Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, Balls Mahoney, Rob Van Dam, and the Sandman standing in the ring. McMahon then came out and quickly began his verbal assault on the originals. He called them derelicts, misfits, and has-beens but quickly corrected himself and said they were actually never has-beens. He went on to claim that they all had criminal records and the only reason they were ever in ECW was because they couldn't fit in with nay other wrestling organizations. He even compared them to dinosaurs in Jurassic Park who would become extinct. Throughout McMahon's entire diatribe, Sandman looked like he wanted to cane the hell out of him. McMahon announced that some of the originals would see action tonight. but if any of them touched the officials or interfered in each other's matches, they would hear the words that Donald Trump stole from him, You're Fired! Joey Styles announced Bobby Lashley vs. Hardcore Holly for later tonight. A Snitsky promo aired advertising his upcoming debut in ECW. Kevin Thorn vs. Tommy Dreamer. Matt Striker was the guest referee. Thorn mostly worked on Dreamer's jaw until Dreamer attempted a comeback. Striker faked a knee injury and pretended to be unable to count as Dreamer covered Thorn. This allowed Thorn to clothesline Dreamer over Striker's body and Striker then made the quick three count. Winner: Kevin Thorn. Rebecca conducted a quick interview with Holly. He basically said that Lashley had been fighting everyone except him and tonight he would be the ECW Champion. Lashley vs. Holly: Lashley hoisted Holly up for an over-the-shoulder press slam and got the win. A baldheaded Snitsky then hits the ring with a clothesline, followed by a boot to the head on Lashley. Holly gave Lashley an Alabama Slam. Winner: Bobby Lashley. Balls Mahoney vs. Marcus Cor Von. Striker was the timekeeper. Cor Von again hit the unnamed Pounce and followed it with a Cobra Clutch/Japanese Sleeper type submission. Winner: Marcus Cor Von. Matt Striker came out to announce that he would be the ring announcer, Cor Von would be guest commentator, and Thorn would handle timekeeping duties for the next match. Rob Van Dam vs. Elijah Burke. Striker announced Burke as the epitome of the new breed. As Van Dam went up for his Frog Splash, Thorn and Ariel rang the bell. The referee restarted the match but Burke gave Van Dam a low blow and rolled him up for the win. The new breed all attacked Van Dam until the originals made the save. Winner: Elijah Burke.
Air Date: 2/13/07 - Key Arena - Seattle, Washington The show got off to a fast start with an Extreme Rules match between ECW Champion Bobby Lashley and Hardcore Holly. Joey Styles noted that this was Lashley's first time competing in a match of this type while Holly was a six-time Hardcore Champion. Lashley executed a belly-to-belly suplex on Holly on the outside. He then pulled a table out from under the ring but was stopped by a vicious Holly clothesline. In an unusual spot, Holly got a ton of heat as he proceeded to slide the table back under the ring. The announcers gave the possible explanation of Holly being wary of tables after his serious injuries in his match with Rob Van Dam from many months ago. Lashley recovered to clothesline Holly over the guardrail into the crowd. Holly set up a chair in the corner but Lashley reversed it, tossing Holly into it instead. Lashley followed with some bad-looking clotheslines, a one-arm delayed suplex, and an over-the-shoulder backbreaker. Holly still managed to kick out. Eventually, Holly went for an Alabama Slam on a chair in the ring but Lashley blocked it and used a powerslam on the chair for the win. This was a solid brawl and a good way to kick off the broadcast. After watching this, one wonders if all of Lashley's matches should be fought under Extreme Rules. Extreme Rules matches in Extreme Championship Wrestling, what a concept. Winner: Bobby Lashley. A Snitsky vignette aired. The Extreme Expose was next as Kelly Kelly, Brooke, and Layla did their thing to the sounds of 50 Cent. It's segments like this that actually make you wish for the days of when Kelly was paired with Mike Knox. This week, it was Kevin Thorn and Ariel's turn to interrupt. Kevin Thorn and Marcus Cor Von vs. Tommy Dreamer and Sandman. This was notable for Taz's commentary. He strongly put over the new breed of ECW talent saying they will only bring out the best in the originals. He even said that the Sandman's best days were behind him and that his body was beat up. Could this be an initial tease of Taz turning heel on the originals? Ariel threw Sandman's cane in the ring, allowing Thorn to hit Sandman in the neck and cover him for the pin. Winners: Kevin Thorn and Marcus Cor Von. Theodore Long met up with Lashley in the dressing room. Long told him how proud he was of him and Lashley replied that he owed Long a lot. Long said that since he was a guest on ECW tonight, he'd like Lashley to be his guest on this week's SmackDown, the show that gave him his start in WWE. Lashley accepted the invitation. CM Punk vs. Mike Knox. I guess one should be careful what they wish for. It was strange since Knox hasn't been around for so long and no explanation was given as to why. It was a glorified squash as Punk made Knox tap to the Anaconda Vise. After the match, Snitsky attacked Punk with a tackle into the corner, a clothesline, and a stiff kick to the head. Snitsky looked impressive in his new role as monster heel. Winner: CM Punk. Members of the Seattle Sonics were shown in the front row. Next was Part Two in the Four Part series on Lashley's life, focusing on his Olympic training, his jumping on the ring apron, and his goal to be a household name. Rob Van Dam and Sabu vs. Matt Striker and Elijah Burke. Taz mentioned that the bad blood between the new stars and the originals was legitimate, which was a strange thing to say. Burke pinned Sabu after Sabu went for a springboard off the second rope but was kicked by Burke who held Sabu's tights for the pinfall. Cor Von and Thorn came out to join Striker and Burke in the aisle as the New Breed had a staredown with Van Dam and Sabu in the ring. Winners: Matt Striker and Elijah Burke.
Air Date: 2/20/07 - San Diego Sports Arena - San Diego, California Rob Van Dam b Kevin Thorn with a frog splash C.M. Punk b Johnny Nitro with a Go 2 Sleep to get into the Money in the Bank match Rebecca interviewed Mr. Kennedy. Hardcore Bob Holly came out telling him he'll teach him about ECW. La Resistance - Rene Dupree & Sylvan Grenier debuted as the greatest tag team of modern times beating Los Luchas in 31 seconds. After the match, Snitsky destroyed both Luchas More Bobby Lashley video. Story was that his family never saw him wrestle. They showed clips of him winning his third NAIA title and mentioned he had no family members in the stands. The family was all over and never explanied this. Lashley won a three-way over Kennedy and Holly. Holly had Lashley pinned after an Alabama slam, but Kennedy pulled ref Scott Armsrong out of the ring. Later Kennedy went for a chair shot on Lashley, who moved, and hit Holly. Lashley then pinned Kennedy with the Oklahoma Stampede to keep the title
Air Date: 2/27/07 - HP Pavilion Arena - San Jose, California ECW kicked off with the announcement of tonights main event of Bobby Lashley against Hardcore Holly in a steel cage for the ECW title. Joey Styles and Tazz noted that it would be the first cage match in the history of ECW on SciFi, a statement which undoubtedly caused mass hysteria everywhere. The opening contest was an Extreme Rules Money In The Bank qualifying match between Mr. Kennedy, representing SmackDown, and Sabu of ECW. Tazz mentioned that Sabu never thought he would get to appear at a WrestleMania but he has a chance tonight. Sabu did a flip dive over the top rope onto Kennedy on the outside and then went for a table. He set Kennedy up on the table and put a chair in the ring to use as a springboard but he overshot and wound up leaping over Kennedy out of the ring. Kennedy tossed the table into the ring but was met with a guillotine legdrop from Sabu. Sabu attempted to put Kennedy through the table but Kennedy moved, Sabu crashed through, and Kennedy managed to execute a DDT on the table for the win. While I believe Kennedy will be a quality addition to the Mania bout, it would have been fun to see Sabu in a match of that type. Kennedy has joined Edge, Jeff Hardy, CM Punk, and King Booker as the latest Money In The Bank Qualifier. Winner: Mr. Kennedy. Mr. McMahon was shown exiting his limousine, about to enter the building. Balls Mahoney vs. Matt Striker. Mahoney nailed a nicely executed legdrop off the top rope just before Snitsky did his weekly run-in, kicking Mahoney in the face to end the bout. It appeared like Snitsky was going to continue to beat down Mahoney but he instead attacked Striker as well. Snitsky looked great again this week. Winner: Balls Mahoney via disqualification. McMahon was backstage talking about the main event. He said that Donald Trump succeeded in surprising him last night with his Lashley pick but that tonight he had a surprise of his own. He announced that if Lashley couldnt defeat Holly in five minutes or less, Holly would be crowned the ECW Champion. Kevin Thorn and Marcus Cor Von, with Ariel and Elijah Burke vs. Tommy Dreamer and Rob Van Dam,with Sandman. Styles said that Dreamer had his jaw dislocated over the weekend in New Zealand by the New Breed but he insisted on wrestling tonight. Cor Von again wore his Pounce trunks. Van Dam did a split-legged moonsault on Thorn, followed by a windmill kick. Sandman prevented Ariel from interfering with a cane to the butt as Van Dam stood on the top rope. But Burke crotched Van Dam, allowing Thorn to hit the Dark Kiss for the win. Winners: Kevin Thorn and Marcus Cor Von. Rebecca interviewed Holly who said No one can beat him in five minutes, tonight hell be the champion. A promo for this weekends Deal Or No Deal with John Cena, Edge, Randy Orton, and, Lashley aired. CM Punk vs. Stevie Richards. Styles noted Richards was an ECW original. Richards started off strong on offense as they tried to get across the story that he was pissed and taking out his frustrations since he was jealous of Punk, a relative newcomer, going to WrestleMania. Punk dropped Richards stomach first onto his knee for the victory. Winner: CM Punk. The Extreme Expose with Kelly Kelly, Layla, and Brooke was thankfully kept short. No interruption this week. Main Event: Bobby Lashley vs. Hardcore Holly in a steel cage for the ECW Championship. The 5:00 clock appeared on the screen as Lashley went for several pin attempts early. Umaga and Armando Estrada came to ringside and Umaga threw a chair into the ring. Holly picked it up and hit Lashley but Lashley kicked out. Lashley then hit Holly repeatedly with chairshots and followed them up with a powerslam and a pinfall at about four and a half minutes. The broadcast ended with Lashley leaping through the side of the cage, knocking it down with Umaga buried underneath.
Air Date: 2/27/07 - Tucson, Arizona Mr. McMahon got ECW started this week as he strutted down to ringside with a confident smirk on his face. He boasted that if Donald Trump gets out of line at the WrestleMania contract signing this Monday night, he would be the recipient of a billionaire snitch slap, something that Bobby Lashley can tell Trump all about. Vince showed the footage from this past weeks SmackDown of him slapping Lashley in the face over and over again. He said that he could smell the fear on Lashley when he arrived at the building tonight and that Lashley apologized and shook Vinces hand but Vince insisted he would only accept if it was a public apology. At this point, the ECW Champion made his way to the ring. Lashley admitted that he did indeed wish to apologize to Vince to which Mr. McMahon responded, Did you just call me Vince? They shook hands but Lashley tightened his grip and clarified that he wanted to apologize for not beating the hell out of him after being slapped. He issued a warning to Vince that if he ever put his hands on him again, hed break him in half. Balls Mahoney vs. Hardcore Holly. This was mainly punches and kicks being traded back and forth. Mahoney missed a legdrop off the top rope which led to Holly giving him the Alabama Slam for the win. Snitsky did his weekly run-in at this point, kicking Holly in the head, so it looks like the idea is that Snitsky will go after anyone, face or heel. Winner: Hardcore Holly. Rebecca interviewed C.M. Punk, who put over his opportunity in the Money in the Bank WrestleMania match. He noted that hed be wrestling Mr. Kennedy, one of his Mania opponents, on this weeks SmackDown. Elijah Burke interrupted and offered Punk the chance to join the New Breed. This brought out Rob Van Dam, who brushed off the idea and mentioned that Burke couldnt even spell E-C-W. Rob Van Dam with Sandman, Sabu, and Tommy Dreamer vs. Elijah Burke with Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, and Ariel. Tazz again gushed over the New Breed while Joey Styles sided with the Originals, mentioning how they paid their dues wrestling in buildings with no air conditioning or heat. Tazz responded by saying that the New Breed didnt have to respect that if they chose not to. Van Dam attempted a rolling thunder but got caught by Burkes knees. Burke executed a near-perfect dropkick to the head of Van Dam. He then set Van Dam up in the corner facing the turnbuckles and drove his knees into his back. Van Dam made a comeback with a split-legged moonsault and put Burke away with a Five-Star Frog Splash for the victory. Then Dreamer challenged the New Breed to a four on four match at WrestleMania.Winner: Rob Van Dam. The Nick Bockwinkel Hall of Fame video aired. Extreme Expose with Kelly Kelly, Layla, and Brooke. They danced to Sean Paul and it actually wasnt completely terrible this week. Styles mentioned that Mick Foley would appear on ECW next week. Stone Cold Steve Austin made his way to the ring. He said it was good to be home, noting that technically, he lives in Texas, but that wherever theres a WWE ring, its home to him. He said the dry heat in Arizona made him thirsty and asked for and received some beer to quench his thirst. He then claimed he would call the Mania match down the middle even though Vince made his life hell since he got to WWE. He went around the ring asking various fans whether they wanted to see Vince or Trump bald. At this point, it was pretty clear there really was no purpose to this segment and the writers had nothing for Austin to do here other than hopefully spark a nice rating. Austin said that he would stun anyone who got in his way and that he would be at the contract signing on this weeks RAW. Before capping the night off with a few more cold ones, he joked that when Vince and Trump are in the ring together, youd have about two billion dollars of buttholes.
Air Date: 3/13/07 - Sovereign Bank Arena - Trenton, New Jersey Tonights edition of ECW began in the backstage area as Randy Orton confronted Edge about the match Edge set up between Orton and Bobby Lashley. Orton said that Edge was just kissing Vince McMahons butt and questioned whether or not Edge had his back. Edge assured him that he would. Joey Styles announced that tonights main event is Lashley vs. Orton. The opening match was an Extreme Battle Royal between the New Breed of Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, and Kevin Thorn vs. the ECW Originals of the Sandman, Sabu, Tommy Dreamer, and Rob Van Dam. This wasnt a typical battle royal as only members of one team could eliminate members of the other until there were individuals from only one side left. Sandman was the first to go, courtesy of Striker, who shoved him over the turnbuckle causing him to hit his head on the barricade in the process. Next was a horribly botched elimination as it appeared Sabu was supposed to toss Cor Von out but the timing was way off and Cor Von wound up eliminating himself. It was so bad that it was the only elimination not to get a replay and Styles even questioned Cor Vons actions. Thorn threw Sabu out next, followed by Van Dam executing a cross body into Thorn, eliminating him but also going over himself. He was supposed to hang on to the top rope but it appeared like his feet touched the floor. Striker quickly kicked at Van Dams hands until he let go. It was down to Dreamer vs. Burke and Striker. Dreamer tossed Striker and shortly after did the same to Burke to win the match for his team. The rest of the Originals came back in the ring to celebrate. Winners: ECW Originals Mick Foley entered the ring before the Originals left. He said he was there to plug his book and get a cheap pop. He mentioned hitting Dreamer with the barbed wire baseball bat in the past and then gave him his book. He said he would be at WrestleMania as a fan and would chant E-C-W. Styles tried to explain Foleys point by saying that Foley apparently is looking to embrace his ECW past. An impressive Snitsky video aired saying he was up next. The Extreme Expose was back to being interrupted this week, this time by Snitsky. It was a rapid squash over Mike Deek and Danny Jackson. Winner: Snitsky. C.M. Punk was again asked to join the New Breed by Burke. Punk said he hadnt made up his mind yet. Burke tried to entice him by bringing up Punks Money in the Bank WrestleMania match. He insinuated that the New Breed would help him win if he decided to hook up with them. Main Event: ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Randy Orton. Edge came down to ringside separately from Orton. Lashley threw Orton out of the ring to Edges location and an Edge/Orton argument ensued before a commercial break. Orton had Lashley in a boston crab but Lashley made the ropes. Orton went for the RKO but Lashley blocked it. Edge then attempted to interfere but it was right in front of the referee, who proceeded to eject Edge from ringside. Styles wondered if Edge got himself ejected on purpose. During another commercial break, Lashley gave Orton a belly to belly suplex on the outside as well as a spear in the ring. Eventually, Orton got Lashley into another boston crab. Finally, Lashley gave Orton two spears in the corner, followed by a backbreaker and a running powerslam for the win. McMahons music played as he stood in the aisle and stared with hatred at the ECW Champion as Lashley urged McMahon to get in the ring.
Air Date: 3/20/07 - Quicken Loans Arena - Cleveland, Ohio Rob Van Dam and Sabu (ECW Originals) vs. Marcus Cor Von and Kevin Thorn (with Ariel) (New Breed). Styles mentioned that a lot of original ECW fans havent been happy with Tazzs constant recent praise of the New Breed but Tazz denied it and said he had respect for both sides in the war. Cor Von clotheslined Van Dam off the apron to the floor. After a few minutes of double teaming on Van Dam, he managed to make the hot tag to Sabu, who did many of his trademark high flying moves. Eventually, Van Dam took Thorn over the top rope with a headscissors. Cor Von then hit a vicious still-without-a-name pounce on Sabu, launching Sabu several feet across the ring, and scored the victory. Styles and Tazz referred to the move simply as a cross body but they put it over huge. Winners: Cor Von and Thorn. Snitsky vs. Mike Tolar. Tolar was announced as being from Cleveland. Just a boot to the face and a quick pin. Winner: Snitsky. The Sheik was announced as the latest inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. This was a bit of a coup for ECW as this wasnt announced on RAW last night and I believe it was the first time ECW was given an HOF announcement before it aired on either RAW or SmackDown. C.M. Punk vs. Hardcore Holly. Burke came out as the match got underway to scout Punk from the aisle. Styles and Tazz speculated that Burke could be watching Holly as well. He eventually made it to ringside as Punk executed a legdrop on Holly from the top rope. Thorn came from out of nowhere on the opposite side of the ring and snapped Hollys neck on the rope. Punk looked confused and a bit annoyed but lifted Holly up and dropped him face first into his knee and got the pin. Winner: Punk. Backstage, Punk told Burke that he didnt need anyone's help. Burke agreed but told Punk to think about the Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania and how the New Breed could help him in the match. As Burke walked away, Punk seemed to be contemplating Burke's offer. Extreme Expose with Kelly Kelly, Layla, and Brooke. At least we got a change of music genre this week as they did their routine to Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar On Me. Tommy Dreamer (with Sandman) vs. Elijah Burke (with Matt Striker). A lot of offense by Dreamer in the beginning of the match. Dreamer caught Burke doing a cross body and hit a fallaway slam, followed by a dropkick in the corner. Dreamer then attempted a DDT but Burke managed to block it and catch Dreamer with a knee for the win. Winner: Burke. ECW Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Chris Masters (RAW). Before the bout started, we got a plug for Mr. McMahon vs. Lashley on RAW next week. A lot of power moves in this one. Lashley clotheslined Masters over the top rope but missed a shot on the outside and ran into the ringpost. In the ring, Masters suplexed Lashley and went for the masterlock but Lashley escaped. Lashley got Masters up for the running powerslam and got the pinfall. Winner: Lashley
Air Date: 3/27/07 - Van Andel Arena - Grand Rapids, Michigan Kicking off the broadcast was Rob Van Dam vs. Elijah Burke in a battle of team captains in the ECW Originals vs. New Breed bout at Mania. Van Dam used a nice bridge but Burke countered it and crashed down hard on Van Dams face. Burke elbowed Van Dam but Van Dam managed to execute a kick to the face, followed by a backdrop. Van Dam then crotched Burke on the top rope, setting him up for a spin kick that knocked him to the floor. Van Dam did a nice running flip over the top onto Burke. When they got back in the ring, Van Dam attempted a rolling thunder but Burke got his knees up. This allowed him to gain control with a sharpshooter-type submission move. Burke eventually tried an elbow off the top rope but Van Dam caught him with a kick to the head. Burke missed a high knee in the corner, which allowed Van Dam to hit the Five-Star Frog Splash for the win. The New Breed came in and beat down Van Dam until the Originals made the save, running them out of the ring. Winner: Rob Van Dam. Extreme Expose. No interruptions this week. Edge confronted the Hardys and Punk backstage. He conceded that things got out of hand last night but said they should make an effort to get along tonight because it would improve their odds on Sunday. Snitsky vs. Balls Mahoney. As I suggested in last weeks report, Snitsky was at least given a semi-name opponent in Mahoney. Snitsky barreled into Mahoney and knocked him out of the ring to start the match and then rammed him into the ring post spine first. Snitsky won again with the kick to the face in a short squash. Winner: Snitsky Orton and Kennedy were whispering in the back when Finlay asked what was going on. Booker entered as Orton and Kennedy split and asked what they were talking about. Finlay replied that they were talking smack about Booker, prompting Booker to say that he never trusted Orton and Kennedy and that he and Finlay should make a pact and work together. Finlay seemed to agree but quickly added that you cant trust him either. The Point/Counterpoint was a spit-screen of McMahon in the WWE studios in Stamford and Lashley in Grand Rapids. It was basically McMahon gloating over his win against Lashley last night. McMahon said that Lashley was lucky he wasnt there and that Umaga would destroy him at Mania, causing him to let Donald Trump and everyone else down. He said Lashleys future looked bleak after Sunday. Finally, Lashley spoke. He called McMahon an old bastard and said that hed be a bald-headed son of a snitch after WrestleMania. They were smart here in that Vince did 90% of the talking and Lashley only really had one line. Main Event:Mr. Kennedy, Randy Orton, King Booker, Finlay vs. The Hardys, C.M. Punk, Edge. Orton appeared to be laughing out of character as they went to a commercial before the bout started. The story of the match was whether or not Edge could co-exist with his team. The Hardys did a lot of double teaming on Kennedy and Orton. Jeff did a nice whisper in the wind on Orton, followed by a leg drop by Matt of the top rope as Jeff held Orton in place. Tazz referred to Finlay as Fit Finlay several times. Punk connected with a knee to Bookers face in the corner, followed by a bulldog. Edge eventually entered and acted as if he was going to spear Booker but quickly tagged out to Punk instead and left the ring. Finlay hit Punk in the back with the shillelagh, allowing Booker to score the pinfall. The celebration didnt last long as the winning team quickly started brawling with each other as the Hardys came back in with a ladder. They cleaned house, set the ladder up in the middle of the ring, and both climbed up opposite sides. As their Mania opponents, including a bloodied-up Finlay, looked on, Matt and Jeff each held onto the briefcase as they exchanged words. Winners: Kennedy, Orton, Booker, Finlay.
Air Date: 4/3/07 - Allen County War Memorial Coliseum - Fort Wayne, Indiana ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley got things started this week as he came down to ringside and grabbed a microphone. He called WrestleMania 23 the biggest moment of his life and said that everyone was talking about the battle of the billionaires except for him. He then said a picture was worth a thousand words and showed a still shot of Vince McMahon getting his head shaved at Mania. He followed that up with clips of a baldheaded McMahon being humiliated on last nights RAW, set to some really melodramatic, hokey background music. The promo ended with Lashley saying that he realized McMahon was probably going to make his life a living hell but it wouldnt deter him. This was a total waste of time and Lashley really had nothing to say, similar to the Austin in-ring promo several weeks back right after it was announced he was the special referee for the Mania match. C.M. Punk vs. Steven Richards. Punks ribs were taped up as a result of the Money in the Bank match at Mania, prompting Richards to go after them in the early part of the bout. He suplexed Punk and tossed him hard into the corner. Richards then went for an abdominal stretch but Punk escaped. Richards eventually locked one on but Punk managed to power out of it and hit Richards with a flurry of knees in the corner, followed by a bulldog. Punk used the Go To Sleep for the win, which Tazz mentioned he also referred to as the GTS. Winner: C.M. Punk. Rob Van Dam was backstage chatting with music producer Timbaland. Exit Van Dam. Enter Layla, Kelly Kelly, and Brooke. They were excited that Timbaland knew who they were and told him they wanted to be the divas featured in his new music video. They said they would impress him with their Expose tonight. Matt Striker and Marcus Cor Von confronted Punk and again tried to recruit him into the New Breed. He said that hed already been through this with Elijah Burke and he didnt make his decision yet. Cor Von said that you were either with them or against them before leaving as Punk looked on intriguingly. Hardcore Holly vs. Snitsky. Snitsky went for the big boot at the onset but Holly ducked and got in a few punches before Snitsky took over with a clothesline and some blows of his own. Snitsky gave Holly a side slam but Holly eventually gained control and got Snitsky up for his Alabama Slam finisher. But Snitsky powered out of it and connected with the boot to the face for the victory. After the match, Snitsky tossed Holly out of the ring and put his arm between the ring steps. He then slammed a chair down onto the steps twice as Holly screamed out in pain. Winner: Snitsky. Main Event: The New Breed (Cor Von, Striker, Burke, Kevin Thorn) vs. The ECW Originals (Sandman, Sabu, Tommy Dreamer, Van Dam) in an Extreme Rules match. This was exactly what youd expect. It was a messy brawl with a lot of weapons and missed spots. Garbage cans, lids, stop signs, chairs and tables all played a part here at various times. Dreamer came off the top rope with a drop-kick of a chair into an upside down Burkes head in the corner. Cor Von hit the Pounce with no name on Sandman, knocking Sandman out of the ring. Tazz just said that he 'loved that move.' Van Dam and Sabu used a lot of double team maneuvers including a double legdrop on Thorn through a table. The finish saw Burke use a running knee into Sabus back, causing Sabu to crash into a table. Burke then scored the pinfall. Winners: The New Breed
Air Date: 4/10/07 - Dunkin' Donuts Center - Providence, Rhode Island This weeks ECW kicked off with a Mr. McMahon in-ring promo. McMahon complained that the greatest humiliation he ever faced was at WrestleMania when his head was shaved bald. He vowed to extract revenge and regain his dignity. However, he cant get revenge on Steve Austin because Austins busy promoting The Condemned. And he cant get revenge on Donald Trump because Trumpss back in his ivory tower. So McMahon decided that left Bobby Lashley as the fall guy. He boasted that Lashley was barred from the arena tonight but even if he wasnt, he wouldnt have been able to appear because of a severe concussion. McMahon then showed the video footage from last nights RAW of the Lashley/Shane McMahon match. When it was over, he noted that Lashley stated WrestleMania was the greatest night of his life. But McMahon said Backlash would prove to be the worst night of Lashley's life. He said he would win the ECW Championship and vowed to make Lashleys life a living hell. McMahon concluded on a humorous note as he said that because all of the fans have been laughing at him, he wished he could make all of their lives a living hell as well. Rob Van Dam confronted C.M. Punk backstage. Van Dam complimented Punks performance at WrestleMania and said his style suited the ECW Originals. Elijah Burke walked in and disagreed, saying Punk was New Breed material. Burke claimed that Punk would make his decision next week and as Burke and Van Dam argued, Punk spoke up and promised to end the speculation tonight. Punk left, followed by Van Dam, as Burke looked on with concern. Tommy Dreamer vs. Kevin Thorn: Dreamer (limping) and Thorn (favoring his neck) were both selling injuries from last weeks Originals vs. New Breed extreme rules match. Dreamer clotheslined Thorn out of the ring and followed it up with a sliding kick. In the ring, Thorn went after Dreamers back as Joey Styles mentioned that Dreamer originally broke his back during the original ECW days. Dreamer hit a spinebuster and climbed up to the top rope but Thorn crotched him as Ariel distracted the referee. Thorn used the Dark Kiss off the top for the win. Tazz again put over the New Breed in his commentary. Winner: Kevin Thorn. Kelly Kelly, Brooke, and Layla were backstage, horsing around in front of a mirror, when Snitsky entered the room. They were all terrified as, one by one, they ran out. Snitsky just stared them down in a menacing way. Footage of Snitsky destroying Hardcore Hollys arm in the injury angle from last week aired. C.M. Punk vs. Stevie Richards: Matt Striker and the Sandman came down to ringside to support Punk. Striker was holding his ribs to put over last weeks match. Punk unleashed a flurry of hard kicks to Richards in the corner but missed a springboard crossbody. He back suplexed Richards and connected with a round kick. As Striker and the Sandman had a confrontation on the outside, Sandman swung his cane at Striker but missed and accidentally hit Punk. Richards tried to capitalize with a rollup but Punk reversed it and scored the pinfall. Punk questioned the Sandmans motives but Sandman claimed it was an accident and that Punk should trust him because theyve known each other for a long time. This was a strange thing for Sandman to say since hes playing the role of a veteran while Punk is supposed to be a relative newcomer. Winner: C.M. Punk. Extreme Expose. Snitsky again interrupted as Brooke and Kelly escaped. This left Layla as it appeared Snitsky was about to attack her but Balls Mahoney showed up and hit him with a chair shot to the head. The blow didnt faze Snitsky who proceeded to lay Mahoney out with a boot to the face. Rob Van Dam vs. Marcus Cor Von: Sabu, wearing a neck brace, seconded Van Dam while Burke accompanied Cor Von. Cor Vons music is awful and doesnt fit him at all. Tazz put over Cor Von by saying he had the potential to be a big star in the business. Van Dam missed an enziguiri. Cor Von connected with a release German suplex, followed by a snap suplex. Van Dam gave Cor Von a corkscrew leg drop. Burke grabbed Sabu by the neck on the outside, getting Van Dams attention. Burke then planted Sabus head on the floor. As Van Dam attempted to go after Burke, Cor Von caught him with the Pounce with no name and got the victory. Punk came out and checked on Sabu and Van Dam. He then entered the ring and teased that he was going to hit Burke and Cor Von. However, his expression changed and he wound up embracing them, apparently turning heel. Striker and Thorn came down to join the celebration. The show ended with Punk on the shoulders of Cor Von and Thorn. Winner: Marcus Cor Von
Air Date: 4/24/07 - Earls Court - London, England NON TITLE: Bobby Lashley b. Umaga via DQ This lasted about 5 or 10 minutes, and the crowd reacted to Lashley well. Umaga had most of the match, but Lashley came back, and as he clotheslined Umaga over the top rope, Estrada clocked him with the ECW belt for the DQ. It didn't faze Lashley, as he speared Estrada, and threw him over the top rope. Vince McMahon came out to stop Umaga going after Lashley for revenge. Snitsky b. Balls Mahoney Very one sided - Snitsky didn't even give us a chance to do all of Balls' chants. Big boot to the face won it for Snitsky in about a couple of minutes. 4 ON 4 SURVIVOR SERIES RULES MATCH: ECW Originals b. New Breed Before the match, Burke decided to play fair and have it four on four instead of five on four, and told CM Punk to sit at ringside and watch. Lengthy match, with Sabu more over than he's been lately, and a few people actually cheering for Tommy Dreamer. There seemed to be a bit of a misunderstanding over Dreamer eliminating Marcus Cor Von at one point, as swear that Dreamer got the three after a DDT. Cor Von went back to his corner, and later did the crotching Dreamer on the guardrail spot, after which the ref told him to leave, so they might say he got DQ'd for it. In the end, it came down to RVD and Burke, and after RVD kicked Burke off the apron, Punk blindsided Burke with a kick of his own. RVD then hit the 5 Star Frog Splash for the win. After the match, Punk gave Burke the Go To Sleep, and posed for the fans.
Air Date: 5/1/07 - Birmingham Junior Community College - Birmingham, Alabama CM Punk d. Kevin Thorn The Major Brothers d. Matt Striker and Marcus Cor Von Four-Way Dance: Rob Van Dam d. The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, and Sabu
Air Date: 5/8/07 - Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Marcus Cor Von d. CM Punk Snitsky d. The Sandman Elijah Burke d. Brian Major Umaga/Shane-O-Mac/Mr. McMahon d. Rob Van Dam
Air Date: 5/15/07 - 1st Mariner Arena - Baltimore, Maryland Via satellie studios - ECW champion Vince McMahon reminds us that its Bobby Lashley's fault he has to wear something on his head to cover his crome dome. Mr. McMahon then cuts a Judgment Day promo, and said he'll leave the PPV still ECW champion. Rob Van Dam vs. Snitsky. RVD missed rolling thunder. On the outside, Snitksy clotheslined RVD onto the arena floor. Snitsky is disqualified when he hits RVD with a chair. Fans chant "you suck" at Snitsky. CM Punk vs. Stevie Richards. Punk wrestled with his rib wrapped up selling the New Breed beat down from last week's ECW on Sci Fi episode. Richards was able to get Punk's rib protection off, and worked on his sore ribs. Punk wins with his go to sleep. Kevin Thorn (with Ariel) vs. Nunzio. Thorn wins with the dark kiss. Handicap match: Matt Striker, Elijah Burke and Marcus Cor Von vs. Bobby Lashley. Lashley wins the match via the spear on Striker. Cor Von and Burke teased of a break off with Striker from the New Breed.
Air Date: 5/2/07 - Wells Fargo Arena - Des Moines, Iowa Snitsky vs. Tommy Dreamer. The bell rings, and fans start a "Dreamer, Dreamer" chant. Snitsky rammed Dreamer's shoulder into the ring post. Snitsky hits a massive clothesline on Dreamer, followed by the big boot, and Snitsky wins the opening contest. After the match, Snitsky grabs a chair and tosses it into the ring. Rob Vam Dam comes out and hits a Van Daminator on Snitsky. Fans chant "RVD, RVD." Kevin Thorn vs. Jobber. Thorn wins with the Original Sin. Backstage, Elijah Burke and Marcus Cor Von talk game plan, but are interrupted by Matt Striker. Burke tells Striker caused him to lose focus, and his patience is running thin. Burke stated that Striker has a match against one of the Majors brothers. Striker said he wouldn't disappoint. Matt Striker vs. Brett Major. Striker scores the pin fall victory. Rob Van Dam and CM Punk vs. Marcus Cor Von and Elijah Burke. Fans start a "RVD, RVD" chant as the match started, and continued the chant during the contest. Cor Von causes a DQ when he disrepected referee Scott Armstrong, thus RVD and Punk win by disqualification. After the match, Cor Von gave RVD the pounce.
