In 2006, Vince McMahon looked to capitalize on the hugely successful ECW: One Night Stand pay-per-views and a wave of nostalgia surrounding the extreme promotion by re-launching under the WWE umbrella. The company secured a television slot on SyFy and employed some of most recognizable names in the history of ECW. Tommy Dreamer returned to television and Rob Van Dam became the face of the brand. Kurt Angle and Big Show were drafted to the brand to help lend credibility to it and Paul Heyman was tapped to work with the creative team. All of the ingredients appeared to be in place to helped resurrect one of the most beloved promotions in wrestling history. The company in had in place plans to bring young talent into the fold in an attempt to fuel the future of the brand. There was a great deal of money to be made if it was success and to guarantee its success, it needed Superstars to carry it into the next decade. To say the re-launch was bumpy, however, would be an understatement. The elements that made ECW a success were almost immediately stripped away. Only certain matches featured the extreme rules and fans were asked to buy someone like Matt Striker as a legitimate threat to the edgy, violent competitors such as Sandman and Sabu. Test, Hardcore Holly and Big Show were regularly put over at the expense of the hardcore originals and the fans quickly became disenfranchised with Vince McMahon's vision of the show. That SyFy had specific elements it wanted in the shows did not help the brand succeed. It was against that backdrop that the brand presented its first, and only, exclusive pay-per-view on December 3, 2006. With tensions between Heyman and McMahon boiling over prior to the show, matches were booked at the last minute. Only the Extreme Elimination Chamber match for the ECW Championship and the battle between the Hardy Boyz and MNM were announced prior to the event. Contests between Balls Mahoney and Matt Striker, Daivari and Dreamer and tag bouts pitting Elijah Burke and Sylvester Terkay against the FBI and Kevin Thorn and Ariel against Kelly Kelly and Mike Knox failed miserably to get the fans excited about what they were watching. By the time Bobby Lashley captured the ECW title despite fan favorites Rob Van Dam and CM Punk appearing to be better and more popular options, the crowd in Augusta, Ga. turned on the show. Almost immediately, the event was recognized as one of the worst ever produced by WWE and a major detriment to the new ECW. Heyman would quit the company the following day, his baby a shell of what it once was.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
