Tuesday, January 31, 2017

ECW 07/11/2006 Review

ECW Review
Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

We open up the show with a video package showing different segments from last week between Rob Van Dam and Big Show, all leading to the big main event. We see highlights of the match, and the screw job finish by Paul, and the backlash by fans. Then the show intro starts.
After the intro ends, we get an announcement from Joey Styles and Tazz that Big Show will be taking on Ric Flair in the main event of the show.


Paul Heyman comes out to explain his actions last week. He claims that the people are the reason Rob Van Dam is no longer the ECW champion, and that they are also the reason that he had to suspend him for 30 days. I assume this is a semi-clever way to cover up the wellness policy violation. Paul begins talking as if he is a God, using religious vocabulary to try to put over himself. The crowd seems confused on whether or not to cheer or boo him. Paul goes backstage, and walks through a crowd of visually frustrated superstars, and at the end is Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer claims he doesn't know what Paul is thinking, and Paul responds that he would love to explain, but Tommy is in action next.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Test
Test is revealed as the mystery opponent of Dreamer. The bell rings and the two go face to face, and Dreamer is met with a huge slap, two to be exact. This lights a fire in Dreamer as he begins pounding away on Test, and clotheslines Test over the ropes. Test hits a big shot though and the match's momentum immediately goes to Test. He beats Dreamer around the ring, and mocks him, degrades him. Dreamer starts to get a bit of a comeback going, but fails as Test rolls him up and puts his feet on the rope to win.

Winner: Test in 3:54
Why have a monster like Test in a match, but have him almost lose and only have him win by cheating with a roll up? I don't get it. Bad match. ¼*

We see a backstage segment with Kelly and Candice where they say things will get extreme. And as we come back from commercial, Ariel is shown saying the future holds blood, and Kevin Thorn spits blood at the camera. Literally wtf. Kelly and Candice begin dancing and yet again, Mike Knox comes out to cover up Kelly. Sandman comes out however, and beats up Knox with a Singapore Cane. This was a better twist to a useless segment.

Back from commercial, and CM Punk gives a convincing promo about his tattoos.

Sabu vs. Justin Credible
The match starts out with fast paced action, and the two go back and forth. Sabu starts to get the upperhand, so Justin slides out of the ring. Sabu goes right after him with a huge dive to the outside, and follows up with a leg drop to the inside of the ring. Sabu goes back outside again and sets up a table, and sets Justin Credible on top of it and hits a leg drop through it, ending the match.

Winner: Justin Credible in 1:50
Again... what's the point? The entrances were longer (and a little more entertaining) than the match itself. DUD

Balls Mahoney gives an odd promo, saying just because his name may seem all fun and games, he certainly, is not.

Ric Flair is shown backstage, and he is fired up. He dirty mouths Mick Foley, and says his 17th world title will come tonight when he beats down the Big Show.

ECW Championship Extreme Rules Match: Big Show (c) vs. Ric Flair
The match starts out dull, with an inexperienced ref, it seems anyway. I did laugh however, when Ric Flair rolls out of the ring, you can hear a guy in the crowd yell out, "This is very ECW." We come back from commercial and see Big Show dominating, and Flair is already busted open. Despite Flair's best efforts, his chops have no effect on Show. Show then clotheslines Flair over the rope, and the ref says something to Show, which pisses him off. Flair brings out a couple weapons, but Show stops him in his tracks. Ric starts a comeback, but again gets stopped by a few big strikes from Show. So far, the match is extremely slow. Flair begins hitting multiple low blows on the giant, and after he takes him off his feet, he grabs a trash can filled with weapons, and brings it in the ring. The first weapon we see is the classic barbed wire baseball bat. Flair starts to go to town with the weapon, and busts open Big Show. A bunch of other weapons are used on Show, but he still kicks out, with power, at 2. But then! Flair grabs a sack, this can only mean one thing. Thumbtacks! The most ECW thing since the revival. Flair smacks Show with a chair and he lands in the tacks. But this, this only angers the giant. Show hits Flair with a cobra clutch backbreaker, and then proceeds to choke him out.

Winner: Big Show in 13:22
A very, very boring match. Relying on the use of weapons to get any sort of crowd reaction, a little one at that. One of the worst title matches I have ever seen. DUD

After the match, Show picks up Flair and dumps him into the thumbtacks. After the "highlights" of the match are shown, Flair is helped up and out of the ring, and he receives an ovation from the crowd.

Overall: 0/10. This is perhaps the worst show I have ever watched. There was no upside to this show at all (the Punk promo was too short). Two 0 star matches on the same show, and one barely above that. This revival has reached an all time low.