Slickster

Crimson Mask from Ric Flair! Take a drink.

The Extreme Rules concept makes main events more special by adding that extra element. I'm sure Sabu's matches will be under Extreme Rules; this week was to establish that Sabu works well under Extreme Rules.

How is this "different". Every promotion except Raw/Smackdown does the "boxing" intros. ECW always did them. It's not that special. It's different from the usual presentation on RAW/SD. The objective is to be different from their own brands.

CM Punk says hello.

Boxing intros again! Hooray for making ECW different! The ref can't hold belts correctly!

Who could have ever fathomed this match would take place?

Can you guys think of a way they could kayfabe the addition of Extreme Rules? I'd blame it on SciFi and say it was a condition of getting the TV deal. I doubt the network would care.

I like how Balls was taped in front of a loading dock while Flair is in a well-lit studio. It's little touches that accentuate the differences between WWE and ECW that will help this brand.

I think they're starting to get the hang of this whole 'developing characters' thing.

I like how they brought back the tale of the tape for this match.

See, all the angles are taking shape! It's like Return of the Jedi. Or something.

Yeah, Dreamer jobbing is a throwback to the days of yore, if anything.

I hope Jazz spikes Candice through the stage.

I think WWE sold the "EC F'N W" shirt, if only for a while. I think is the best way to get Tommy over, by essentially re-debuting him and making him the John McClane character he was in ECWv.1.

How hard is it to make an identical one? I doubt it was the same Head all these years.

This SNME will be all right, but it's too light on SD! talent for it to really help the GAB buyrate. It's also too far away from SSlam to make a difference in that show's buyrate, either.

I'd say it's another worked shoot line from Dreamer

New Jack's probably running from the law or stabbing somebody right now. From last night's show in Racine:

The Unforgiven poster is fake as all hell. The logo was cut from last year's poster design.

If anything, they need to continue with this WWE-izing process and get it over with. If Vince is going to remake ECW in his own image, then he'd best do it quickly so the fan backlash isn't as protracted and drawn-out. That way, the fans will accept ECW as a third brand on its own merits instead of endlessly comparing it to its previous incarnation.

Well, there haven't been any DQs or CORs since ECW restarted, so I think it's intended to make the main events appear to have more significance for the fans.

That's almost word-for-word what the press release said, but I haven't found anything else to corroborate that.

I'd expect to have an ECW match on the show, considering they aren't running a house show that night.

-I'd say replacing ECW referees with WWE referees makes no sense in kayfabe or in business. Why not use the OVW referee crew instead? Fans won't recognize them like they'd recognize the SD! refs. -I'd strongly recommend using ECW as the single-A brand for non-wrestling talents (referees, announcers, etc.) so they can get experience on TV with less pressure. -Quietly dropping the 'ECW matches = no DQ' stipulation is a strictly business decision. As WWE learned five years ago, if you overuse hardcore weapons you devalue them and make them less important. Would the Edge-Foley match at WM22 have been as affecting if Al Snow was still hitting Raven with cookie sheets every week on TV? They make it clear that all of the 'important' matches are no-DQ, which are the only ones in which weapons have played a factor in ECW since 94. -Also, I really think a lot of ECW's 'extreme-ness' can be retained simply by making some directorial touches. Instead of having Paul Heyman be in the generic GM-style office, why can't he have a desk in a bare locker room instead? Why can't all ECW promos be cut in the hallway or in the parking lot? You need to keep that underground image however you can, because a high-gloss ECW is an oxymoron.

Ron Simmons