Tuesday, June 13, 2006

ECW One Night Stand ‘06

1. Jerry Lawler vs. Tazz - 1
2. Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton - 6
3. Tajiri and Super Crazy vs. FBI - 4
4. Sabu vs. Rey Mysterio - 5
5. Tommy Dreamer, Terry Funk, and Beulah vs. Mick Foley, Edge, and Lita - 5
6. Balls Mahoney vs. Masato Tanaka - 3
7. Rob Van Dam vs. John Cena - 5

I don't think I really need to get into the specifics about the rebirth of ECW, etc. If you're a wrestling fan, it's safe to assume you're already well informed on the subject; whether you love it or hate it, at least temporarily, ECW is back. Last year's One Night Stand pay-per-view didn't feature too many inspired performances, the matches were far too short, but regardless, the crowd was ecstatic and it was an enjoyable event overall. This year, the crowd was hotter than ever, and for the most part, this show delivered in many ways last year's simply didn't. Neither shows will be remembered as great, although both generated a lot of excitement and fan interest.

Lawler and Tazz lasted all of 15 seconds, and only generated a score because I've always been a fan of the Tazmission submission -- even if Tazz is an angry midget, who was only ever half as good as he thought he was. Angle's working a more mat-based style these days to mask his banged up body, which isn't entirely a bad thing, as he looked great here as the viciously intense grappler. Orton generated a ton of heel heat, too; the New York crowd hated his guts, and made him well aware of the fact. I hope the future holds more matches between these two individuals, as this was a joy to watch.

The tag match featured the signature spots we've come to expect from these guys, and little else. Not to say it wasn't a fun match, it just wasn’t engrossing, in that, as good as they are together, we've seen it all before. I was looking forward to Sabu and Mysterio and it was all I had hoped for while it lasted, which wasn't very long. Still, it had the energy and impact I was craving, and featured a few wild bumps that had me knocking tortilla chips and lemonade all over Adam's living room in pure ecstasy.

The tag match featured some nasty bumps, but I felt at best, it was a halfhearted effort -- which isn't to say it wasn't mostly entertaining. My main problem was the major bumps weren't built into the match, but that the match was built around these major bumps. It goes without saying we've seen all four of these guys take nastier shots, but still, it's mildly amusing watching Funk stuck to a barbwire board, withering in excruciating pain, even if we’ve seen it a dozen times before. The last minute inclusion of the women in this match only satiated perverts and pedophiles, as I doubt true wrestling fans welcomed the addition. I hope it's the last time we see either Foley or Funk in a ring, as they're disgracing what remains of their legacies, but I doubt it will be.

I was looking forward to Balls and Tanaka beating the hell out of each other; instead, we got some relatively tame shots with cups of beer and soda outside the ring, and ultimately, a quick and forgettable match. You flew Tanaka, a guy who used to bump into electrified barbwire cages, all the way to New York for a four-minute match? This was like the Date Movie of hardcore wrestling -- a poorly done parody. We knew RVD and Cena was going to be fun for the crowd reaction alone, and they didn't disappoint, hating Cena with all they could muster. In terms of wrestling, there wasn't much of note on display here; in fact, it's fair to say that most of this stunk. I despise both of these guys' strikes. It's hard to gauge who's more overrated overall. Edge interfering while wearing a motorcycle helmet that was right out of Excitebike further tarnished any decency in this one. Rob Van Dam "won", letting the fans in attendance leave happy, and those watching at home the opportunity to put in a video of superior wrestling.

1 comment:

Jessie said...

poor Funk and Foley...unfortunately we would be subjected to the further desecration of their respective legacies...good point about Tazz, the miserable midget