How would you have rebooked the rebirth of ECW ?

[arthuradams2002]

We have heard numerous of times how ECW on Sci-Fi isn't the "real" or "authentic" ECW we all had come to love from South Philly years up until times at the Hammerstein Ball Room. In the beginning WWE brought in many originals, from the Sandman to C.W. Anderson. Eventually, there were all squashed, and then released. Realistically, if ECW was going to continue where it left off in 2001, it needed to build new stars. You could only book a promotion around ECW veterans for so long before father time kicks in. The new ECW did make a good attempt with CM Punk from the start. CM Punk came in as a pure indy persona. CM Punk could be considered the last ECW "original." He truly had an ECW fell to him, which was anti-mainstream like the WWE manufactured John Cena or Batista. Also, from some of the early episodes, they covered up all of the WWE logos. Michael Cole even once said on Smackdown that "ECW on SciFi was the alternative to World Wrestling Entertainment. Nowadays, the WWE puts it stamp on all the wrestlers. There is nothing "alternative" about the current ECW roster. To reiterate my question, What do you think would have been the proper way to introduce new talent to ECW, while maintaining its original fan base ?

[Kyle]

I wouldn't. ECW was a failed product. I've never seen the ration behind brining back a failed product. The Nintendo Virtual Boy was a complete disaster of a product... does it make since for The Big N to attempt to 're-establish' that product a few years later? No it doesn't. Not to me anyway. Thats pretty much how I have always felt about ECW.

~Kyle

[Deleted]

I would have handled it the way they appeared to be handling it going in, I just wouldn't have veered off course soon after.

They weren't trying to recreate the old ECW, but Joey Styles' worked shoot promo pretty well explained what they wanted ECW to be...some sort of alternative to the WWE style where we'd see less promos and more wrestling between wrestlers. They were doing stuff like moving Angle over (someone an ECW faithful could get behind), having smaller but skilled workers, and of course some old ECW faces.

It wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it was sensible enough. I would have kept them on exactly that path. They veered from it almost immediately though, due largely to RVDs mishap. Once they put the belt on Big Show and started having him main event against outside wrestlers every show like Taker, Flair, and Batista...that was basically it.

It would be interesting to see what would have happened to ECW if RVD was never arrested. Probably would be a very different show right now.

[>(straightedgepunk)<]

The Zombie defeats RVD for the ECW Championship on the debut episode of ECW on Sci-Fi. The next week Macho Libre defeats the entire ECW roster in an Extreme Battle Royale for the #1 Contendership for the ECW title. A massive fued errupts between Zombie and Macho for the next few months. During this time, CM Punk jobs to Macho Libre on his debut match and is later released a few weeks later along with a whole bunch of ECW alumni. Kevin Thorn and Zombie form the Zombie-Vampire alliance and dominate the ECW roster. The Zombie-Macho Libre fued finally makes its climax at December 2 Dismember in a Extreme Elimination Chamber along with Test, Hardcore Holly, Mike Knox, Paul Heyman's Enforcer # 1, Matt Striker, and Sylvester Terkay. Macho Libre finally defeats his nemisis and captures the ECW championship.

[The Tank]

Jul 30, 2008 18:36:06 GMT -5 >(straightedgepunk)< said:

The Zombie defeats RVD for the ECW Championship on the debut episode of ECW on Sci-Fi. The next week Macho Libre defeats the entire ECW roster in an Extreme Battle Royale for the #1 Contendership for the ECW title. A massive fued errupts between Zombie and Macho for the next few months. During this time, CM Punk jobs to Macho Libre on his debut match and is later released a few weeks later along with a whole bunch of ECW alumni. Kevin Thorn and Zombie form the Zombie-Vampire alliance and dominate the ECW roster. The Zombie-Macho Libre fued finally makes its climax at December 2 Dismember in a Extreme Elimination Chamber along with Test, Hardcore Holly, Mike Knox, Paul Heyman's Enforcer # 1, Matt Striker, and Sylvester Terkay. Macho Libre finally defeats his nemisis and captures the ECW championship.

Well, it's better than the ECW we got, I'll give ya that.

[Jay Peas 42]

Actually, my ideal method is to have Vince tell Paul as long as he maintains a 1.3 and a profit on house shows and has ten weeks to do it, he can do whatever he wants.

I thought the New Blood vs. originals angle was pretty good. I mean, for a project like this, you need to get the remaining ECW originals, build them up, and then get them in feuds with the new guys. Seeing the originals is the draw, it's why ONS went so well. But they won't be around forever. Heck, you should probably consider them temporary. Like get guys like Lance Storm, or Raven, who really don't want to work long term, and put them in plain old exhibition matches. You want them to feud with the new guys. That way, they get the ECW rub, and develop a repuation for decent wrestling. I would cement this with a Championship Match where RVD loses the title to either CM Punk or John Morrison.

[Andrew is Good]

As said above, they can only be around temporarily. The Sandman actually took himself off of house shows because of how beat up he was over the years, and only did Raw, ECW and pay per views (and the occasional tour here and there).

When you look back at the first episode, I wouldn't change all that much. The Zombie angle would have been kept, because that was actually an original ECW concept with Sandman playing the role of 911. I wouldn't have Kelly's expose, but I would introduce her in a different way with Mike Knox. I would have Knox debut and bring out his girlfriend, and we would eventually learn more and more about Kelly as time would go on.

I would have given RVD the belt back at the December to Dismember pay per view, and build the entire time on the show for specific angles leading into December to Dismember.

I would have made all matches Extreme Rules, with certain matches being requested as WWE rules matches, which would be strong technical encounters. Or I would have the rules be similar to ROH's relaxed rules concept, where one can be disqualified, but you really have to do something horrible to do that. If it ends up getting too tired, I could have a heel, maybe someone like Elijah Burke, beat Sabu in a match which would turn all the Extreme Rules matches into regular WWE matches for awhile, which would get some heat on Elijah Burke right off the bat.

I would have some stables to build around one guy, which actually was Gabe's idea in his Kayfabe Commentaries video, but to help out guys like Danny Doring and CW Anderson actually do something and be part of something. Bring in a talent from developmental or one guy from Raw or Smackdown to help build around.

I would try to get as many original ECW stars that were in the WWE at the time onto ECW, like Kid Kash, Super Crazy, Rey Mysterio and others that slip my mind. Of course, Rey would be a top babyface on the show, or one of them anyway.

I would eventually bring in a concept where it would be Extreme Rules week, which would happen every couple of weeks, maybe at the end of every month. They can build rivalries to some of these weeks with the lack of ECW pay per views. I could go on, but that would take awhile.

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

Jul 30, 2008 18:36:06 GMT -5 >(straightedgepunk)< said:

The Zombie defeats RVD for the ECW Championship on the debut episode of ECW on Sci-Fi. The next week Macho Libre defeats the entire ECW roster in an Extreme Battle Royale for the #1 Contendership for the ECW title. A massive fued errupts between Zombie and Macho for the next few months. During this time, CM Punk jobs to Macho Libre on his debut match and is later released a few weeks later along with a whole bunch of ECW alumni. Kevin Thorn and Zombie form the Zombie-Vampire alliance and dominate the ECW roster. The Zombie-Macho Libre fued finally makes its climax at December 2 Dismember in a Extreme Elimination Chamber along with Test, Hardcore Holly, Mike Knox, Paul Heyman's Enforcer # 1, Matt Striker, and Sylvester Terkay. Macho Libre finally defeats his nemisis and captures the ECW championship.

You had me at "The Zombie defeats RVD for the ECW Championship". Everything else after that is all just gravy....

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

I wouldn't bring it back.

No matter what you did in order to recapture some of its original spirit, it wouldn't have been enough for old time fans.

[The Tank]

I'd bring it back, and given what happened to RVD, I'd still have Big Show win the title. But, instead of feuding with all of Smackdown's main eventers, I'd have Big Show go over ECW Originals. Dreamer, Credible, Doring, Roadkill, all the ECW Originals that they had under contract.

Test would still get built up as a serious contender, and he'd still be feuding with RVD after Van Dam got back, as a favor to Paul Heyman. (To keep RVD's focus off the ECW Championship.)

During all of this, build up CM Punk relatively similar to the way they did. He'd still use the Anaconda Vice, and he'd have the GTS, too.

December to Dismember would still have the EC, and it'd be Big Show defending against RVD, Sabu, Punk, Test, and...































...The Great Khali, who takes out everyone single-handedly and wins the ECW Championship.

Didn't see that coming, did ya?

[Schemer]

The ONS PPV was what I would want it to be... The only reason ECW failed was lack of capital and the fact that Paul Heyman was a horrible businessman. What I would do is bring back some of the Originals, like what was done, bring in some top indy talent, and call up some of the better development talent to form the roster. I'd give Heyman the booking and tell him to go as he pleased as long as he kept the 1.4 television rating or better...

It would be just like the original and it would be the next step after development for most of the workers.

[Deleted]

I would've established Sandman as a gimmick killer, and have him dominate characters like The Zombie for so many weeks. Then, once he has the gimmick killer rub, he starts a feud with Kevin Thorn. Thorn wins their feud, but Sandman stays over. Thorn's next feud is with Balls Mahoney, while Sandman battles a debuting Idol Stevens.

I would've used Test as Paul Heyman's muscle. RVD would feud with Test after returning from his suspension, then move on to face Hardcore Holly. Test would've moved on to face Sabu.

I would've pushed Shannon Moore, starting with a feud with CW Anderson. Moore would be ECW's resident "punk".

Danny Doring and Roadkill would be booked in a feud with the FBI, where the FBI would go over in the end. That would lead to a cross-brand feud with London and Kendrick over the WWE Tag Title.

Big Show, Mike Knox, Kelly, and CM Punk? They don't end up in ECW. Punk is immediately put on Raw as Mick Foley's protege. He also engages in a cross-brand feud with Tommy Dreamer. Kelly later shows up on Raw as Punk's girlfriend.

Big Show wins the ECW Title, but he stays on Raw. He would only defend the title against former World Champions, leaving all of ECW out in the cold until RVD returns. RVD will eventually capture the belt, either at D2D, or, if Show's back could hold out, WrestleMania 23.

Knox would've been MVP's bodyguard on Smackdown, and nowhere near the ECW brand.

Stevie Richards, Al Snow, and Justin Credible would all have been given promo time, allowing them to establish characters and all 3 would have been given a few wins to build them up. In the end, however, all 3 would have ended up as jobbers for the brand's more established talent.

Heyman would've stayed until WrestleMania, when Dreamer gets him in the ring for an Extreme Rules Match, and Heyman is run out of ECW forever.

[Dynamite Kid]

I would've done it mostly the same way, but not called it ECW, becuase it's not extreme. Although the early shows were pretty good. I'd have kept it that way, the mix of old and new.

[Tapout]

Jul 30, 2008 18:32:58 GMT -5 @bootytime said:

I would have handled it the way they appeared to be handling it going in, I just wouldn't have veered off course soon after.

They weren't trying to recreate the old ECW, but Joey Styles' worked shoot promo pretty well explained what they wanted ECW to be...some sort of alternative to the WWE style where we'd see less promos and more wrestling between wrestlers. They were doing stuff like moving Angle over (someone an ECW faithful could get behind), having smaller but skilled workers, and of course some old ECW faces.

It wasn't anything groundbreaking, but it was sensible enough. I would have kept them on exactly that path. They veered from it almost immediately though, due largely to RVDs mishap. Once they put the belt on Big Show and started having him main event against outside wrestlers every show like Taker, Flair, and Batista...that was basically it.

It would be interesting to see what would have happened to ECW if RVD was never arrested. Probably would be a very different show right now.

This and McMahon crapping all over the roster and title, and bringing in Lashley, a 100% WWE product, into a product that was billed as original ECW.

Also, had the brand truly been kept separate with with little to no mixing of talent, except maybe the occasional PPV, the company could've built up a real illusion that this was, in fact, its own company and brand.

I would not have put any title on Van Dam, just too untrustworthy and overrated. He's also at his "best," relatively speaking, chasing a title, not reigning as a champ. A smug guy who acts like he doesn't give a smurf on camera because he doesn't give a smurf in real life isn't exactly the strongest profile for a babyface champ, or a great recipe for ratings & buys. In fact, he might've been better used making his apathy an on-camera angle, where he rediscovers his passion for wrestling by continually chasing, and being denied, the ECW title. Might've set up a good babyface-vs-babyface feud with Tommy.

Would've been good to try to get Jerry Lynn and TAJIRI back. I also would've rehired Dawn Marie, no questions asked, and brought back and kept other guys who ended up on the indies who seem wasted out there. CW Anderson. Kid Kash. Maybe...maybe Corino.

They actually didn't smurf things up that bad at the very beginning other than the retarded Kelly Kelly stuff and the zombie. Angle was a huge star and he was into it, at least at the beginning. For a second, it seemed that the company was going to try to recreate 2002-2003 by building a show around him, the way they did on the blue show.

[kemps]

Simple, have the Zombie "infect" a few wrestlers, then the outbreak gets worse, and soon, ALL the ECW wrestlers are zombies except for Sandman and RVD. Each week Sandman would cane everyone and everything, cussing up a storm, while RVD smokes weed and laughs nonstop. Eventually, even they are infected so Raw/Smackdown superstars are brought in to "bury" the ECW zombies.


Then on the final episode of ECW, Vince comes out and forces a 1-hour "Kiss My Ass" segment, the victims being ... the entire past and present ECW roster.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Well this is how I would have done ECW. The first thing would be to never relate to the WWE. Try and establish it as it own brand like that started with. No WWE logos anywhere. Just give it the feel that hey this is an alternative wrestling show.

Now the talent itself. I think the WWE had something but could been done better. Being in the orginals and bring up new talent, good idea. Now I would done this. The WWE vs. ECW event before ONS, there should be a full draft a lot like 02. Where Teddy Long, Heyman, and Coach pick anybody they wanted, Then after the show the lotto draft happens on the WWE.com.

Now after this the ECW roster would end up looking more about guys who fit the ECW style. The ECW roster would end up being.

Angle, RVD, Sandman, Sabu, Dreamer, Balls, Little Guido, Mamaluke,Credible, Crazy, Kash, Doring, Roadkill, Anderson, Finlay, Burke, Punk, Thorn,and Matt Hardy

Then Cor Von and Test enter later as well as Holly from injury. So the roster look a lot the same with a could changes. No Striker or Knox. They went to Raw or Smackdown.

Now The new breed vs. Orginals was a great idea and a good storyline. We still can do that with it being Burke, Vor Von, Thorn, and Finlay. Four guys who are new to ECW but the the orginal. In the storyline however there is some changes and a new twist. One RVD would be the ECW Champion. So the new breed would not only be trying to show the orginals that there better then them but try and take the belt as well.

The twist is CM Punk and Angle. They are in the middle and not taking sides. Angle being the wrestling machine just wants to be champion and doesn't need backup. Punk disagreeing with the new breed but respects the orginals. But not being an orginal just leaves him as a middle man. But wants to make a name for himself.

So you got Burke, Finlay,Cor Von and Thorn vs. RVD, Dreamer, Sabu, and Sandman. With CM Punk and Angle in the middle.

Mean while Test is being built up with having a feud with Matt Hardy. Kid Kash and Crazy could have a series of matches much like Tajiri and Crazy did.

Now the booking of the show would be different. Most of the matches would be No DQ or No Countdown like the orginal ECW.

This is good because to draw heel heat. The New Breed would make challenges to have matches under "standard" rules. Not allowing in some matches to orginals do things there way. Fans hating it because they want hardcore.

So now you have some star power. Raising stars and a good angle. Heyman in control up to the PPV. Vince allows Heyman to have more control of it. Instead of new matches hyped for the PPV. More matches are advertised. December to Dismember what was a failed PPV because how it was booked, and the lack of hyped matches. The PPV would look like this. The feud with new breed and orginals is hot. Been going down all summer and fall. The feud itself has been even matches results wise. They still go with the Elimantion Chamber ME. Now Angles doesn't leave for TNA because lets say WWE made him happy and he was given time off though the fall. Allowing CM Punk to raise up as a star as the middle man. Angle Returns as the Survivor Serives after Storyline Angle was taken out by new breed just before SummerSlam.

So the Chamber Match is RVD, Sabu, Angle, Punk, Finlay, and Burke. Two orginals vs Two New Breed vs. The Two wild card in the rivalry.

They also advertise Test (On a role at this point) Vs. The Sandman in Singapore Cane match

The FBI vs. Doring and Roadkill *Interducing the Tag Titles for ECW*

Matt Hardy vs. Kid Kash (Kash hot off a summer fued with Crazy)

Tommy Dreamer vs. Kevin Thorn in an Extreme Rules match.

So they advertise five matches instead of two. Which most part looks like good matches. Plus they can throw in one or two not advertise matches to fill in the card. Big thing is the winner of the ME be Burke or Punk so a new star gets a rub.

Main thing is that there keeping the orginals as stars as well as building up new talent. Giving the show the ECW feel. Keep going with this, ECW would be a good show for the WWE and makes some money.