10 Underrated PPVs From WWE's Ruthless Aggression Era
8. ECW One Night Stand 2005
Match of the Night: Tajiri vs Super Crazy vs Little Guido
Before its reboot a year later, ECW came back for what was supposed to be one last show. Under the guidance of Paul Heyman, One Night Stand showcased the essence of what made ECW a serious rival of WWE for four years. The Hammerstein Ballroom was welcomed for their attendance by a visibly emotional Joey Styles and kicked off with Lance Storm vs Chris Jericho. The PPV was seen by fans as an honest homage to the chaos and mayhem that defined its unique brand of wrestling, and it could not have been better received by those attending.
The card was mediocre at best, but what brought the magic was seeing matches many thought were no longer possible in the United States. Seeing Balls Mahoney back in a ring swinging chairs at anything that moved, Justin Credible help his old friend to a victory over 'Lionheart' Jericho: it all felt homely to the extreme audience. The best match of the night had to come from a place where it maybe wasn’t expected, and whilst a good case can be made that the moment of the night came at the end when Eric Bischoff received his comeuppance, the cruiserweight three way dance reminded everyone that ECW did ‘unique’ better than anyone.