Tue 18 July 2006
Venue: 2300 Arena
Attendance: 2,300
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Total Viewers: 6,096,996
Announcers: Joey Styles and Tazz
Stephanie urges RVD on The show starts with Rob Van Dam meeting Paul Heyman and Stephanie McMahon in the back. Stephanie tells RVD that he can beat her brother, but he will have to watch out because she's sure that Shane will have something up her sleeve. Heyman asks Stephanie who she was talking to yesterday on Raw, but she doesn't say who it is... she just says that if things get too hectic, there's someone who can handle it. Then she moves the discussion towards RVD's decision. She tells Rob that all the changes they discussed are being moving forward nicely and agreements should be completed this week. But what she needs right now, is for Van Dam to make a decision.
"After you beat my brother... I need you on Raw, with that title. And I'm hoping you stay there and keep it... because you deserve it, and you know that."Rating:
81 Kurt Angle Vs. Shannon MooreFor the first match of the night, Kurt Angle steps in the ring with Shannon Moore. Kurt works well with these kind of opponents and the match is a fun sprint, clocking in at 5 minutes. Moore does get a few good shots in, and held, but there was never much doubt about the result. Angle wins after reversing a Diving Hurricanrana into a Powerbomb, and then nailing Moore with an Angle Slam.
Winner: Kurt Angle (Pinfall via Angle Slam)
Rating:
81
Angle addresses Dreamer After the match, Kurt Angle picks up a mic. He says he's been thinking about what Tommy Dreamer said last week. He says he knows what Tommy is referring to, Kurt had the opportunity to go to ECW in the 90s and he refused them for WWE. Kurt says he doesn't regret that decision, because it made him who he is today. Still, he understands why Dreamer is upset... but for him it's not about that.
"Tommy this might be personal for you... but I'm just focused on beating you. So you better get ready, because you're gonna be stepping in the ring with a wrestling machine."
Rating:
88 CM Punk Vs. Little Guido Punk tried to continue his hot streak against Little Guido, accompanied by the F.B.I. as always. Guido tried to outgrapple Punk, making for a bout where the Chicago native could showcase his strike based offence some more. A short match ends after about 4 minutes when Punk reversed a hold from Guido and locked in the Anaconda Vise for the submission win.
Winner: CM Punk (Submission via Anaconda Vice)
Rating:
67 CM Punk's demons come out Scott Stanford enters the ring to interview CM Punk. He congratulates them on the win and then asks if he has anything to say regarding Mick Foley's ominous warning last week. Punk says that this whole thing is starting to piss him off. He admires Foley, but he won't let him dictate what he should or shouldn't do... and he won't let himself be threatened. If Foley wants to stop him... he's gonna have to do it by force.
But Punk is interrupted by a video on the titantron. It's Mick Foley, but he isn't at the arena. Foley starts talking
"The people watching this might not know where I am... but you do, CM Punk. You know these streets very well, don't you? Lockport, Illinois. A small city, 30 miles off Chicago. The city where a boy named Phil watched Roddy Piper on the television and decided he wanted to be a wrestler. The city where CM Punk grew up. Where you grew up with an alcoholic father and a mother that you barely talk to. With a family that you abandoned. You're alone in this world, Punk. You're alone and the only one you have is me. I told you, CM Punk, that your demons would haunt you. But you didn't listen. I tried to save you because you need guidance and love... not blood and broken bones. Now that I brought your demons to light, maybe you will hear my advice. If not... then maybe I'll have to force you to hear." The video stops and Punk is angry in the ring, and he storms off to the backstage area.
Rating:
90 Nigel McGuinness Vs. Stevie Richards Stemming from last week's trios bout, Nigel McGuinness has his singles debut in WWE by taking on Stevie Richards. They tried, but their chemistry wasn't great and make for a poorly paced 8 minute match. McGuinness was on top for most of it, but Stevie was ganing momentum until near the end. He had Nigel in position for the Stevie Bomb but Storm and Credible started beating down Balls and Nova on the outside. Stevie tried to go after them, but before he could leave the ring a recovered McGuinness nailed him with a big Short Arm Lariat. Then he propped Richards up on the corner, and nailed him with the Tower of London for the punfall win.
Winner: Nigel McGuinness (Pinfall via Tower of London)
Rating:
61McGuinness and the Impact Players aren't done, but they get run off! Lance Storm and Justin Credible keep attacking Balls and Nova on the outside. As for Nigel, the win didn't seem to be enough either and he puts the boots to Stevie as well. They seem intent on putting Balls and the b.W.o away for good, but... out come Tajiri and the Mexicools to make the save, as they run Nigel and the Impact Players off!
Rating:
58
Homicide is where he belongs, but there's a fight coming Danny Doring comes out for a match, it's the first time we've seen him in a while. However, before anyone comes out to face him... we see Homicide come from the crowd agai, with a Singapore Cane. Once Doring realizes this he tries to fight Homicide but the Puerto Rican gets the better of him, takes him down and starts hitting him with the cane viciously, breaking it over Doring's back.
Then Homicide gets a mic.
"Y'all were so shocked to see me here last week, right? I wonder why? Afterall, ECW is the place to be if you're hardcore, isn't it? And there ain't nobody more hardcore than Homicide! For all these years since ECW folded... while these has beens like The Sandman have been sitting on their asses and cashing in their checks, the one keeping hardcore wrestling alive was me! But they're the ones that get to come here and get the big bucks, while I'm putting my body on the line in the indies every night? Nah, that ain't right. So I came here to prove to everyone that ECW is where I belong... and I'm gonna prove that I'm the toughest son of a b*tch in this locker room!"
We see The Sandman walking to the rng, but he's stopped by Heyman, and it's the GM that comes out to face Homicide as well. Heyman gets a mic and tells Homicide that... he's right. Heyman says he respects Homicide's talents, and he says Homicide is exactly where he belongs in ECW. Now, Heyman would rather have discussed terms before he attacked two of ECW's top stars last week... but he tells Homicide that he can consider himself signed.
"But Homicide... when you come in the way you did, you ask for trouble. So make sure you didn't bit off more than you can chew... because it's gonna be you vs The Sandman... at Heatwave!"Rating:
68Shane brings chaos before the main event! It's time for the main event, and challenger Shane McMahon enters the ECW Arena to loud boos. While Vince isn't with him, he's accompanied by 4 security guards. Before RVD comes out, Shane grabs a mic.
"Rob, you should cherish your final moments as WWE Champion, because when you cross a McMahon there's no way you keep that title for long. You came running back to this sh*thole and made me follow you here, but tonight I'm gonna kick your ass and I'm taking McMahon property back! And then, this dump will never be relevant again!"
RVD comes out and he and Shane start trading shots right away, before the bell rings. But then... Shane's security guards jump RVD and beat him down! He tries to fight back but the numbers game is too strong... until Sabu, Dreamer, Sandman and Lynn come out from the back! And now they help RVD fight off the security guards. The 4 of them then brawl all over the arena! Mercury comes out to fight Jerry Lynn as well! It's chaos all over the place! Then Shane hits RVD with a chair! The bell rings to start the match!
Rating:
74 
Rob Van Dam Vs. Shane McMahon - WWE Championship The match starts with Shane on the offence, landing some good shots on Van Dam. He hits a DDT on a chair for a very early nearfall, and there's a feeling that the match is in danger for the champion very soon. Shane doesn't really let up and keeps bringing more weapons, it's chaotic and hardcore from start to finish. Shane signals for the coast to coast and places Van Dam in the corner with a trashcan. Shane climbs the ropes, but Van Dam gets up and throws the trashcan lid at Shane who stumbles off the turnbuckle. Van Dam nails a big kick on Shane sending him to ringside, and then hits him with a huge Sommersult Dive.
"OH MY GODDDDD!" It's clear that RVD got his poise back after the false start and he brutalizes Shane all over ringside. The referee is doing the countout... but RVD asks him not to, saying he wants to give Shane the beating he deserves, and the official acquiesces. Shane tries to escape into the crowd, but RVD follows after him, grabbing some weapons from the fans and hitting Shane with them as the elder McMahon son tries to crawl away and can only land some cheap shots. But Shane runs into a dead end and Van Dam has him exaclt where he wants him. But from behind... there's the Big Show with a chair! He nails Van Dam in the back and the champion is down! Show and Shane double team him and Big Show hits a massive Chokeslam on the concrete. Show motions Shane to go to the ring, but McMahon has a different idea... he points to a balcony and tells Show to throw RVD off of it. Big Show lits the unconscious WWE Champion onto his shoulders and he and Shane make their way up. Van Dam is defenseless, these two might end his career right now! Show is gonna Chokeslam Van Dam off the balcony through a stack of tables! He grabs him by the throat and lifts him... but RVD slips out of it and lands a big kick! Big Show stumbles but he doesn't fall... he almost went through the tables! Shane charges RVD... but he moves out and Shane almost crashes into the Big Show but he manages to stop himself! Van Dam grabs a chair... Van Daminator to Shane! Shane stumbles... but Big Show holds him and prevents him from falling off the balcony! But now Big Show is holding Shane and can't block Van Dam... he hits a dropkick! SHANE AND BIG SHOW FALL OFF THE BALCONY THROUGH THE TABLES!!
"OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDD!"
Big Show is completely out but Van Dam grabs Shane and leads him to the ring... Shane is completely out. RVD gets him in the corner and grabs a chair... he climbs the turnbuckle... VANTERMINATOR! That's how it's done! Van Dam goes for the cover... 1...2... NO! The pin gets broken up... by Vince McMahon! What the hell?? The chairman is here after all! Van Dam is incensed... and he grabs Vince by the collar! The chairman begs for mercy but Van Dam isn't letting go! but Vince kicks him in the balls! What a cheap shot from the chairman, taking a momentary distraction! Vince is beating down Van Dam now, he hits him with the chair! Shane is stirring back up... and Vince tells him to go up top! Shane does RVD's taunt... FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH!! WHAT?? Shane covers RVD... 1...2...NO! VAN DAM KICKS OUT! Vince and Shane can't believe it! Vince is threatening the referee! He tells Shane to go back up and tells the ref that if he doesn't count to 3 this time, he's fired! What the hell is the chairman doing?? Shane is climbing up, he's gonna hit it again!!
WHAT??? STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN IS HERE?? WHAT THE HELL!! Steve Austin enters the arena and Vince and Shane can't believe it!!
"OH MY GODDDD!" Austin is face to face with Vince! Vince is screaming at him! STUNNER TO VINCE!! The ECW arena explodes! Shane is squaring up to Austin... but from behind... RVD nails Shane with a thrust kick! STUNNER TO SHANE! RVD goes to the top... Five Star Frog Splash! But Van Dam doesn't go fot the cover yet... it's not enough! Van Dam signals to Austin... and Austin gets a table, while Van Dam goes for a ladder! Shane is out, Vince is out, Big Show is out! Austin places Shane on the table while RVD clumbs the ladder! FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH!!
"OH MY GODDDDDDD!!" 1...2...3!
Winner: Rob Van Dam (Pinfall via 5-Star Frog Splash)
Rating:
100 Austin has a message for RVD Rob Van Dam celebrates the win, but everyone is shocked that Austin is here! We haven't seen him in a wrestling ring in almost a year! Austin signals for the beer throw, gets 2 beers and gives one to RVD and they toast.
Then, Stone Cold grabs a mic.
"Rob, I got something to say to you... so you hold on right there. But first... God damn it's good to be back! Old Stone Cold has been away for a little while, but I've been watching. And I watched you Rob, when you whipped John Cena's ass all over Hammerstein and you won that belt. And goddamn son, I gotta tell ya... you deserve it. All the work you put in... all the years you've been in this business... you finally did it. And I was damn happy for you, because I saw myself in you. Whether you were in ECW, WWE, Japan or anywhere else.... son, you always worked the hardest and you were always the freakin' highlight. And the people recognized that, and they cheered you on. But now I hear you're thinkin' about giving that title up. That title that you worked for over a decade to get. And you wanna give that up... for the sake ECW? I mean,I get it... because I was once here too. Steve Austin was born in Texas... but 'Stone Cold' was born right here in the ECW arena. And if it weren't for ECW, I wouldn't have done what i did. But Rob... what I did is also part of ECW's legacy. Every mudhole I stomped, every beer I drank... and every time I held that damn title, I did it as the man that I became in ECW! So... I'm gonna tell it to you straight... if you give that up, you're the one that is doing a disservice to ECW. Because when you won that title, even more that when I did it... it was a win for ECW. For the ECW fans for the locker room. For all of them. So you can't give that up. And I know you're sick of all the bullshit that comes with that title... but I also know that you can go out there on Raw and beat the hell out of anyone in that locker room. Right now, Rob Van Dam is the best wrestler in the damn world! And the best don't give up what they earned. So you're gonna take this title, you're gonna go back to Raw, and you're gonna be the freakin' man! And you're gonna have all of ECW cheering you on while you do it! And that's the bottom line... because Stone Cold said so... and because Rob Van Dam knows I'm right!"RVD stares down Austin for a moment, reflecting on what he just said... and then shakes his hand! RVD and Austin celebrate together to end the show... but what does this mean for the WWE Championship? What does this mean for ECW?
Rating:
97Total Rating: 86
(I'm kidding... the decision is what it needed to be, even if I do think Punk is now overrated).