A BACKGROUND OF EXTREME 

Extreme Championship Wrestling. It's been sixteen years since ECW last held an official show under their banner with Paul Heyman in charge and yet, ECW remains one of the most iconic and inspirational companies that has ever been seen in North American wrestling history. The three letters still chanted anytime anything that is considered 'extreme' is done inside a ring, many tribute shows done every year in honour of the promotion, ECW has most certainly left it's mark on professional wrestling in North America in ways that no other company has ever managed to do. On the outside, ECW may have seemed like any other small-time promotion running in a bingo hall in Philadelphia but to anybody who has seen ECW, who lived through it, who battled with ECW against the two giant companies of the 1990's in World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling, ECW was so much more. Ripe with innovation, with passion and energy like no other promotion, with cutting-edge storylines and characters that had never been done before in professional wrestling, ECW provided fans with a true alternative to the two big major companies in America, providing fans with extreme action of barbed wire, tables, blood, man on woman violence and everything that the rapid and loyal ECW fanbase craved.



But ECW wasn't all about blood and guts, ECW was the home of some of the greatest technical wrestlers to grace America in the 1990's with Dean Melenko, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Lance Storm along with the Lucha Libre style with giving Rey Mysterio, Psicosis, Super Crazy and so any others their first big break in America. ECW was the home to all styles of professional wrestling and took in wrestlers who weren't supposed to make it in professional wrestling and gave them a home, turning Johnny Polo into Raven, turning Mikey Whipwreck from a young ring crew member into a future ECW World Heavyweight Champion. ECW was changing the way wrestling was seen and presented in the 1990's, inspiring the way WCW presented Monday Night Nitro and the Attitude Era in WWF. Despite this, poor management on the half of Paul Heyman, not being able to get a TV deal and a lack of finances ultimately caused ECW to close it's doors in 2001 despite increasing crowds to its shows. With a revival in 2006 by Vince McMahon under the WWE banner as a third brand, ECW seemed to move away from everything that made it what it originally was and eventually became a developmental show, welcoming future world champions Jack Swagger and Sheamus to the main roster before closing in 2010 and being replaced by NXT.





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This Be The Booker looks at what if Vince McMahon, in 2006, had given ECW an actual proper return after One Night Stand. In this booker, Vince McMahon takes ECW seriously and looks to exploit a market of fans from the old ECW who are still willing to buy into the product. In this booker, Paul Heyman is given full control over ECW as a separate entity from WWE, with it's own ninety minute weekly TV show ''Hardcore TV'' on Syfy along with it's own bi-monthly Pay-Per-Views although he won't be given the entire WWE budget or anywhere near close to that, this is after all, a third brand and will only appeal to a niche market at the start meaning Paul will be having to potentially make the best out of WWE's not so wanted mid-carders or those in the proverbial 'dog-house' in WWE along with original ECW wrestlers, something that Paul Heyman thrived under in the original ECW. This booker begins the night after One Night Stand II on RAW on June 12th 2006, after Rob Van Dam defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship with Paul Heyman counting the pin.







ECW One Night Stand II Results

June 11th 2006





Taz defeated Jerry 'The King' Lawler Singles Match 0:35

Kurt Angle defeated Randy Orton Singles Match 15:07

The F.B.I defeated Yoshihiro Tajiri and Super Crazy Tag Team Match 12:24

Rey Mysterio (c) went to a no contest with Sabu WWE World Heavyweight Championship 9:10

Mick Foley, Edge, Lita defeated Terry Funk, Mick Foley and Bealuh McGillicutty Extreme Rules Six-Person Intergender tag team match 18:45

Balls Mahoney defeats Masato Tanaka Extreme Rules 5:03

Rob Van Dam defeats John Cena (c) WWE Championship 20:41

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After the RAW Intro plays along with footage of the previous nights ECW One Night Stand II show, mainly from Rob Van Dam pinning John Cena for the WWE Championship, once the footage ends, the camera fades to the titantron where a grinning Paul Heyman is seen.



Paul Heyman: Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman and I am the executive producer of Extreme Championship Wrestling. Some of you may have been confused with what happened last night, as it was me and not an official referee who counted Rob Van Dam’s pin and while some of you might be confused at such a controversial result, wondering if Rob Van Dam's win over John Cena is official ,let me tell you right now as the man who had complete 100% control over last night’s event and not Vince McMahon ...the result is official, Rob Van Dam is the new champion.



A loud pop is heard around the arena, the fans obviously happy that RVD is the champion over John Cena.



Paul Heyman: Before One Night Stand went on the air last night, myself and Vince McMahon shook hands and agreed that IF Rob Van Dam was to defeat John Cena for the WWE Championship, Rob Van Dam would come out here and vacate the title and we would crown him the new ECW champion tomorrow night with a newly created ECW Championship ...but you see, just like Vince McMahon sr went to every promoter across America and shook their hands, vowing that he and his son would NEVER compete against them and when he died, Vince McMahon jr broke that promise and not only competed but wiped out every other promotion in America, I’m breaking that promise to Vince McMahon tonight because Rob Van Dam will NOT be vacating the championship that he won last night at One Night Stand II and we will NOT be creating a new ECW championship tomorrow night on Hardcore TV.



Confusion is spread around the arena, nobody quite sure where Paul is heading with this.



Paul Heyman: In 1994, Shane Douglas threw down the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship, a championship that was once held by the likes of Lou Thesz, Harley Race, Ric Flair, Ricky' The Dragon' Steamboat, Dusty Rhodes and more, he threw it down because he refused to accept the torch handed down to him from a promotion that died seven years earlier ...And Rob Van Dam refuses to accept the torch handed down to him by a promotion that DIED five years ago in 2001 when Vince McMahon bought out the competition. Ever since Survivor Series 2001 – when Vince McMahon’s WWF defeated the Alliance of WCW and ECW, I’ve had to watch Vince McMahon use MY wrestlers, MY ECW wrestlers like Raven, like Tommy Dreamer, like Stevie Richards, like Rhyno, like Rob Van Dam and I’ve had to watch him feed them to HIS WWF wrestlers ...I’ve had to watch Joey Styles, one of the greatest play-by-play commentators in this industries history and I’ve had to watch him get ridiculed by jokes like Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler. I’ve had to watch ECW get thrown off its only television deal because TNN wanted to throw Vince McMahon another 100 million his way, like he needed it and I had to watch my company die, I had to watch my ECW wrestlers become unemployed as a result and have to leave the business that they loved all because of Vince McMahon. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, this is the moment that for the last five years I’ve been waiting for. Ladies And Gentlemen, this is Rob Van Dam and the ‘WWE Championship’.



A graphic appears on the screen from last night after One Night Stand II showing several ECW wrestlers –Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Stevie Richards etc – with the WWE Championship and spray-painting the letters ‘ECW’ on the title.



Paul Heyman: Just like Shane Douglas proclaimed the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to be dead and urshered in the NEW era of Extreme Championship Wrestling, twelve years on Rob Van Dam is doing the same thing! The WWE Championship is now the EXTREME Championship Wrestling Championship and we recognize Rob Van Dam as our champion. And Vince McMahon, there is absolutely nothing you can do about. The contract that you have given me gives me complete, one hundred percent control over ECW, you can try and fire me, you can try and throw us off the air but Vince, there is nothing that you can do that will give you back the most prestigious prize in YOUR company. This is now ECW’s property and you can send whoever the hell you want Vince ...send of your ‘’superstars’’ to ECW, send your John Cena’s or your Triple H’s or your Randy Orton’s to the land of extreme and Vince, we’ll send them back to you with broken bones and torn up bodies.



Paul Heyman: This is not a game, Vince, this is not a ‘storyline’, this isn't some stunt to gain attention for ECW, this is real. This is the revenge that ECW seeks for Vince McMahon killing ECW in 2001. THIS is OUR revenge.



A smirking and laughing Paul Heyman fades off from the titantron to a shocked crowd, some chanting ‘ECW!’ while others completely shocked at the defilement at the WWE Championship, now ‘ECW’ Championship’, by Paul Heyman and his ECW wrestlers.

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Later in the night.



The Camera fades back to the arena as ‘Metalingus’ blares out through the arena to loud boos as Lita walks out along with the ‘Co-Hardcore Champions’ Edge and Mick Foley. All three sporting bandages and even a noticeable limp in them from arguably the biggest bloodbath that had ever been seen in a WWE ring one night ago against Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer and Bealuh McGillicutty. All three enter the ring, with Edge taking the microphone and giving off the biggest shit-eating grin alive.



Edge: I might as well recap what happened last night because I’d hope you idiots would have at least a tiny bit of common sense to not want to pay for a Pay-Per-View run by Paul Heyman ...Last night, myself and Mick Foley along with Lita proved just WHY we are the true Co-Hardcore champions, why WE are better than all those bingo hall ‘wrestlers’ and why they couldn’t lace our boots. Last night at ‘One Night Stand’ myself, Mick Foley and Lita took part in what might have been the most hardcore match in history and we won. No ..we just didn’t JUST win, we destroyed Tommy Dreamer and Terry Funk, we ENDED the career of Tommy Dreamer and finally put to rest Terry Funk!



Boos continue to fill the arena with small 'Tommy Dreamer!' 'Terry Funk!' 'ECW!' chants breaking out as Mick Foley takes a new microphone.



Mick Foley: I warned Tommy Dreamer and I warned that dumb son of a bitch Terry Funk what would happen! I warned the two of them that when me and Edge stepped into the Hammerstein Ballroom, we would unleash a beating on Tommy Dreamer and Terry Funk that had never been seen before ...I once blew Terry Funk up in Japan, I once set Terry Funk on fire in Philadelphia but what I did to Terry Funk last night, that might have been more serve than anything I’ve ever done to anybody ...Terry Funk set my jacket on fire last night and threw me onto a barbed wire board, that hurt me in more ways than I could ever imagine but what I did to him might just have been the worst of the lot. I wrapped that barbed wire around my fist and I relived every time Terry Funk hit me, every time he hurt me and I RAKED THAT BARBED WIRE ACROSS HIS EYE AND MADE HIM BLEED! I almost ripped the eye out of my idols head and I WARNED YOU TERRY FUNK! I WARNED YOU GODDAMNIT! ..Terry Funk didn’t listen to me and now his blood is spilled, his blood is spilled all across the Hammerstein Ballroom with those sick monsters called the ECW fans cheering him on, encouraging Terry Funk to continue on, to come back down to the ring with ONE EYE and I had to put my idol to rest. I had to KILL the career of one of the greatest of all time.



Mick Foley hangs his head down in shame, clearly not expressing the same delight at the destruction of Terry Funk and Tommy Dreamer like Edge and Lita are.



Edge: Mick ...Mick ...It’s okay, we had to do what we did last night to not only prove that you are the greatest hardcore wrestler to have ever lived, but to get your revenge for Terry Funk and Tommy Dreamer. You think Terry Funk is awake at night worrying about setting Mick Foley on fire? You think Terry Funk is feeling remorse for throwing you in barbed wire? You think Tommy Dreamer feels any remorse for what they did to you? I get it Mick, I do, Terry Funk might be your idol but you have to realize what you did last night was necessary, you think Terry Funk wouldn’t have done the exact same thing to you if he had the chance?



Before Mick Foley can even reply, ‘’No Chance’’ plays through the arena as Vince McMahon stands out on the top, to the confusion of Edge, Foley and Lita. Vince doesn’t have that usual strut or confidence to him tonight, but rather one of a man who’s been double-crossed and embarrassed.



Vince McMahon: Now, before I begin ...I’m gonna let you Edge explain to me why you not only speared John Cena last night but allowed Rob Van Dam and the rest of that ECW FILTH to take the WWE Championship and defile it as the ‘ECW Championship'.



Edge: Look, Vince, I didn’t know what Paul was going to do, I didn’t know Rob Van Dam was going to go back on his word. I wanted revenge on John Cena fo—



Vince McMahon:YOU EMBARRASSED ME AND MY COMPANY FOR REVENGE ON JOHN CENA? FOR SOME PETTY RIVALRY WITH JOHN CENA? ...Edge, you were the number one contender to the WWE Championship at Vengeance, if you wanted your ‘’revenge’’ on John Cena for Cena holding what you believed was your title, you should have waited until Vengeance because now, because of YOU ...Paul Heyman and his bingo hall workers have this companies most prestigious championship! A championship my father, Vince McMahon Sr, created and held dear to him, you have not only disrespected me, not only disrespected WWE but you have disrespected my late father and I ...



Edge: Vince, look, I’m ...



Vince McMahon: SHADDUP! I have a good mind to fire all three of you right now and make you none of you work another day in this business ...but I’m not gonna do that, because that would be too easy. That would being too nice and Vince McMahon doesn’t let people have it easy, no ...instead, I’m officially sending you to the ECW roster, I’m sending all THREE of you down there and personally, I hope they eat all three of you alive for all that I care.



‘’No Chance’’ plays again through the building as Edge, Lita and especially Mick Foley look horrified at the prospect of going to WWE’s newest brand, ECW, where the trio know they are hated at.

ECW Roster

Executive Producer: Paul Heyman
Commentator: Joey Styles
Interviewers: Maria Kennels, Joey Styles ( for pre-taped interviews/in ring )
Ring Announcer: Stephen D'Angelis

'ECW' Champion: Rob Van Dam
ECW Television Champion: Vacant
ECW Tag Team Champion; Vacant

‘The Hired Gun’ Brent Albright
Brian Kendrick
‘The Straight-Edge Shooter’ C.M Punk
Charlie Haas
‘Rated-R Superstar’ Edge
Elijah Burke
Jamie Noble
Joey Mercury
Johnny Nitro
Juventud Gurrera
Lita
Melina
‘The Hardcore Legend’ Mick Foley
Paul London
Psicosis
Sabu
Sandman
Shelton Benjamin
Stevie Richards
Super Crazy
Rob Van Dam
Terry Funk
Tommy Dreamer

Tag Teams:
Brian Kendrick & Paul London
Edge & Mick Foley
MNM ( Johnny Nitro, Melina, Joey Mercury)
World's Greatest Tag Team ( Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas )

Pay-Per-View Schedule:
Heat Wave - August 13th 2006 - Hammerstein Ballroom
Anarchy Rulez - October 15th 2006 - Hammerstein Ballroom
December 2 Dismember - Decemebr 17th 2006 - 'ECW' Arena
Living Dangerously - February 11th 2007 - Hammerstein Ballroom
A Matter Of Respect - April 15th 2007 - 'ECW' Arena
Gangster's Paradise - June 17th - Hammerstein Ballroom