ECW '01 - A World in Jeopardy

It's finally started! Good luck with your diary! I'm expecting a betrayal from the Originals team. One name will join Shane's side. I think this might be Mike Awesome. It's good to see good old Terry at the tournament. I don't think he will win, but he will definitely add more excitement. I actually expected the main event rating to be a little higher. Like 65-70. I think a general storyline with Heyman trying to break ECW away from the WWF would be outstanding for this diary. I agree with the decision to abandon the use of Heyman as a road agent.

Helluva first show, man! Love the tension between Heyman and Shane.

Here's some thoughts while reading. Please do continue posting this diary! You've got something really good going. The graphics are on point, the presentation's easy on the eyes, and the writing's pretty damn good too!

Shane & Heyman kick-off the show - Enjoyed this format. Sweet, simple, to the point. Heyman's the savior, McMahon is a filthy stain to the ECW faithful. I very much like the idea of McMahon being the main heel authority and having the ball in his court with Rhyno. He has the potential to really kick up his snotty, rich attitude, and possibly be an even more hated figure then The Network.

Tajiri & Super Crazy - Good stuff, Tajiri's got more of an interesting gimmick and record in ECW. Curious to see if another title will be added for the mid-card scene.

Six-Man Tag - Personal taste but I never cared much for the Doring/Roadkill team, but it's better then having either man run solo. Sinister Minister doing back to back duty though, what a work-horse.

Candido & Diamond - Not too sure the angle here, but I'm gonna assume this is to help revitalize some tension and to make this unit more cohesive. Either way I dig it, maybe a bit more focus on both Candido and Diamond would've been what I would've preferred, but it's much better that their managers aren't hogging the spotlight with a feud.

Who Betta Than Kanyon? - Kanyon, **** yes, great fit. Very likeable as a face, but a nice suprise to see him as a heel. It's fitting too see him here, especially to an ECW crowd who would've sympathized with his limited potential in WCW. ECW would've been a great fit for him overall and would've been a greaaaat playground for him. Guys like Pillman or Douglas built on their previous runs and treated the fans fair for keeping up with them. Sorry about that rating though, it's tough getting decent ratings with any ECW save on EWR.

A stoner, an alcohlic, Dante from Clerks, and LSD (didn't have a funny one for Spike) all walk into a bar... Sad to see no Tracy Smothers on the roster, not sure what he was up to at this point, but either way, having the FBI in general is cool. RVD and Spike are a hell of a tag choice but I can see the appeal. Sandman's approach of being a slobbering drunk is dandy, I don't see him going far in the tournament, but we'll see.

THE AWESOME STYLE - Steve Corino, Rhyno, Mike Awesome, and Shane McMahon, hell of a potential alliance. Team ECW has the players, but not the unity amongst their strongest just yet. I'm very curious on Corino's thoughts on McMahon aswell, I'm sure he's glad to see it, and hearing ECW's going to be cleaned up sounds like music to his ears. Rhyno and him have a history, so it'll be fun to see that dynamic played out. Nice way to wrap up the first episode, Mike Awesome's "redemption" arc could be a great storyline, but if he's a heel, that's a fine route aswell, someone's getting Awesome Bombed either way.

Great first show, a lot to keep building on, keep it up Moore!

EDIT: Just seen you had a lenghty AJPW thread, so hell yeah, we're guranteed something special here. 

ECW on MTV #2
Friday, May 12th, 2001
Attendance: 784 – Pierce Field – East Providence, Rhode Island, USA
TV Rating: 0.74 on MTV

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EZ MONEY & JULIO DINERO [HOT COMMODITY] (w/ELEKTRA) DEF. CHAZ TAYLOR & JASON BLADE – PIN (MONEY > BLADE) – 5:42
RATING: 34

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FULL-SHOW RECAP
MATCH #1
AIR PARIS & AJ STYLES & ELIX SKIPPER vs. CHRISTIAN YORK & CROWBAR & JOEY MATTHEWS (w/JOEL GERTNER)
Three former WCW additions to the roster showed up and showed off in a very exciting fast-paced trios opening match. Crowbar, also a former WCW wrestler was already announced and paired with Young Blood. However, in the end, Skipper and Aerial Assault won following Skipper’s Sudden Death on Crowbar.
RESULT: ELIX SKIPPER DEF. CROWBAR – PIN – 7:20
RATING: 29

»» HEYMAN’S STATEMENT + TOURNAMENT LINE-UP ANNOUNCED
»» Following the opener, Paul Heyman came to the ring and praised the fast-paced action on display in the match, welcoming the new faces to the ECW ring and guaranteeing that he’ll give it his best to make sure that ECW on MTV is the right choice for anyone seeking exciting wrestling.
»» Then, he officially kicked off the ECW World Title tournament and stated that the championship will come back to its place: Extreme Championship Wrestling. «Mark my words!»
»» A graphic with the brackets (available - with the night's results - at the bottom of the post, under a spoiler) aired as Joey Styles and Kevin Kelly hyped up tonight’s clashes and, specially, Mike Awesome vs. The Sandman.

MATCH #2 – ECW WORLD TITLE TOURNAMENT 1ST ROUND
JUSTIN CREDIBLE (w/FRANCINE) vs. MIKEY WHIPWRECK (w/SINISTER MINISTER)
There was no doubt on the crowd’s mind regarding their favorite here. And Credible and Francine didn’t bother with that at all. The valet tried to interfere and that led to some interactions with Minister scaring her off.
In the ring, Credible dominated most of the match, using his cane to help him, but ultimately, fan favorite Mikey hit him with a Low Blow (he’d been a victim to one before) and rolled him up with a School Boy for the upset win – another in Mikey’s ECW career.
RESULT: MIKEY WHIPWRECK DEF. JUSTIN CREDIBLE – PIN – 7:44
RATING: 48

»» IMPACT PLAYERS: A LOSER’S REACTION
»» The problem of winning with a quick pin is that your opponent isn’t out yet. Mikey Whipwreck found it the hard way when Justin Credible jumped him, jumping Sinister Minister too when he got too close for his liking. Of course, Yoshihiro Tajiri ran to the ring to help his Unholy Alliance teammate and they seemed to be on control while Francine looked shocked.
»» However… Lance Storm returned, surprising Tajiri with a huge Superkick and hitting Mikey to allow Credible to hit his Tombstone Piledriver. That’s… incredible! This week, Mikey triumphed over Credible, but will Tajiri triumph over Storm next week?

»» CANDIDO, DIAMOND, KANYON: CRITICS OVER TOURNAMENT EXCLUSION
»» Backstage, we got a glimpse of Dawn Marie and Tammy Sytch again. And, of course, they were along their clients: Chris Candido and Simon Diamond, who were complaining about not being included in the World Title Tournament by Paul Heyman and how they should complain directly to Shane McMahon. Then, they were joined.
»» Chris Kanyon got into frame, also criticizing Heyman for his participant-choosing methods. The three seemed to get along, because well… jerks do usually get along.

MATCH #3 – ECW WORLD TITLE TOURNAMENT 1ST ROUND
JOHNNY SWINGER vs. STEVE CORINO
Swinger was the underdog in this tournament match-up and Corino made him sure that his favorite label fits him. Both played the heel role. In the end, the ‘King of Old School’ hit his Old School Expulsion to advance to the next round.
RESULT: STEVE CORINO DEF. JOHNNY SWINGER – PIN – 5:31
RATING: 43

»» CORINO: FIGHTING FOR HIMSELF?
»» After the match, Steve Corino actually took time to answer the question on every faithful’s mind: «Is Corino aligned to Shane McMahon?» According to the man himself, he’s not. He claimed not to know about last week’s attack and guaranteed he’s fighting for himself in the tournament.
»» Terry Funk, a participant in the next match, came out earlier and confronted Corino about the veracity of his words. Corino denied the allegiance to Shane again and left scene.

MATCH #4 – ECW WORLD TITLE TOURNAMENT 1ST ROUND
SPIKE DUDLEY vs. TERRY FUNK
It could have fallen either way in this unpredictable match. Two underdogs in their own manner squared off for a spot in the next round. Both shook hands in the beginning, but the respect was thrown out of the window until the match was over, as the duo used chairs and tables to do battle. The match ended when Funk countered an Acid Drop by throwing ‘Little Spike’ through a table, hitting a Funkin’ Moonsault to get the pinfall win.
RESULT: TERRY FUNK DEF. SPIKE DUDLEY – PIN – 8:11
RATING: 49

»» CORINO: REAL FAIR PLAY?
»» After the match, Steve Corino came back, storming to the ring and teasing an attack on the old man, Terry Funk. As Terry turned around, though, Corino extended his hand for him to shake. Funk was reluctant, but he ultimately did it, as he was trying to see what Steve would do. They shook and Corino left. The two will face each other in the next round.
»» The tournament bracket then aired again as the commentators hyped next week’s matches, specially the ECW World Heavyweight Title match between Rhyno and Balls Mahoney.

MATCH #5 – ECW WORLD TITLE TOURNAMENT 1ST ROUND
MIKE AWESOME vs. THE SANDMAN
Perhaps the biggest clash in this first round, as one of two heavy favorites would fall. It was an heated fight as Sandman had lost the previous week by interference and doubted Awesome’s innocence in all of that. Both men bled, thanks to cane and chair shots and even the fans’ objects were used in good ECW fashion.
During the match, Awesome stopped Shane McMahon from interfering and, in the end, he managed to take charge of the match after taking advantage of some painful mistakes by The Sandman. He was then able to pin Sandman for the second week in a row after a big Awesome Bomb through a table.
RESULT: MIKE AWESOME DEF. THE SANDMAN – PIN – 10:29
RATING: 63

»» ENTER RHYNO, ENTER MAYHEM
»» After the match, Shane McMahon congratulated Mike Awesome again, but the big man, once again, seemed confused and not completely having it. The moment was stopped by The Sandman, who tried to get on Shane’s face.
»» He did, at first, but he was soon stopped by Rhyno! The ECW World champion hit a devastating Gore to restore some McMahon supremacy. Tommy Dreamer got to the ring as well to defend his friend, but he chose to hit Awesome first with a chair, confirming he thinks Awesome is along in the plan. Bad mistake. Rhyno hit a Gore on Dreamer as well and tried to put him through a table with a Rhyno Driver!
»» However, he was stopped by some of the ECW originals: Balls Mahoney, Rob Van Dam, Terry Funk and the Tag Team champions, Danny Doring and Roadkill, all reached out to Dreamer’s rescue, running Rhyno and McMahon off. A bruised Awesome also left, pissed off, after the WWF alliance, ending the show with the same questions as the previous one.

FINAL RATING: 59

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TOURNAMENT BRACKET

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