Sunday, June 11, 2006
I give it a mild thumbs in the middle. I guess with last year's One Night Stand being such a hard act to follow, my expectations for this were unreasonably high. But really, apart from a few memorable moments, it came across as very much a B show.
Here are my thoughts on the show:
Tazz vs. Jerry Lawler. I was hoping they were going to keep the match short but this was way too short. I was looking forward to some good Memphis mic work but it never happened.
Angle vs. Orton. Technically this was a good match but it came acroos as more of a WWE TV match than anything ECW associated. This really killed my enthusiasm for the first half of the show.
FBI vs. Super Crazy/Tajiri. I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately the WWE road agents appeared to have gotten in these four's ears before the match. The fast paced style that made these guys so interesting to watch six or seven years ago was nowhere to be seen. Don't get me wrong it was a good match, just not the match I was expecting.
Sabu vs. Mysterio. A mixed bag. Sabu was the spot blowing Sabu of old during the early going, but he managed to get back into the game during the second half. I loved the chair/springboard/DDT through a table spot by Sabu, but felt ripped off when the heel New York State Athletic Commission official (I guess that's what he was) threw out the match. I would have preferred a decisive finish.
Dreamer/Funk vs. Foley/Edge. Total blood bath with all the weapons spots thrown in. It was great seeing Funk have one final match on the big stage. A lot of sick spots. This left me fairly well satisfied.
Balls Mahoney vs. Masato Tanaka. Is it just me or does the future look fairly bright for Balls? This couldn't hold a candle to their Hardcore Heaven 2000 match, but was reasonably acceptable.
Sandman caned the crap out of Eugene. Okay, I consider myself an ECW hardcore fan, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for the Eugene character. It contained two of my favourite lines from the show: Eugene saying that he'd like to hug Balls Mahoney and picnic with Sabu. Absolutely priceless! Don't think much of Sandman's new theme.
RVD vs. Cena. Cena got the expected hostile reaction during this match. And when I say hostile I mean down right barbaric. I have something I want to admit. I don't rate John Cena as a wrestler but having met him in person at a house show last year I have to say I like the guy. He stayed outside in the pouring rain signing autographs and taking pictures with kids when all the other Superstars just high tailed it. The guy has my respect. Now as for the finish, it came across as really silly. Edge, the number one contender for the WWE title at Vengeance, attacks Cena during the match. Paul Heyman makes the three count on Cena and RVD becomes the new WWE/ECW champion. Hmmmm, let me guess what will come of all this. I'm going to make a bold prediction. ECW must return to title to WWE because Heyman was not a sanctioned official. Edge, who kept his heat with Cena during the match, then goes on to face Cena at Vengeance. I guess they could throw a curve ball by adding RVD to the match. But ECW will continue to recognize RVD as the ECW champion and thus the new title is created.
I'll be honest. I loved the heck out of Wednesday's WWE vs. ECW show. But this show just left me feeling ripped off. If this had been the Wednesday show I would have been disappointed but having not paid forty bucks I wouldn't have felt ripped off. But as it was I did. I rate the WWE vs. ECW show above One Night Stand. Any momentum the Wednesday show built for me has definitely worn off. I hate to admit it but I'm looking less forward to the Tuesday night debut than I was four hours ago...
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