Every WWE ECW Ever - ECW 02 (6/20/2006)

WWE ECW 02 - June 20th, 2006

Going into this show, I was hoping for two things:
1) Rob Van Dam wrestles
2) Sandman murders another mystical creature
I was hoping the first because I believe your champion should be wrestling every single night. I was hoping for the second because Sandman brutally destroying The Zombie was one of the best moments of the hour-long debut for the WWE's ECW. 

Before the show even starts they announce Rob Van Dam and Kurt Angle vs. Edge and Randy Orton. Nice. 

Match #1: Sabu vs. Tony Mamaluke

Sabu comes out almost immediately this time, but he's still pissed off. Tony Mamaluke comes out and I sigh in disappointment. Tony Mamaluke? Seriously? You know what though, Tony Mamaluke wasn't that bad. This was the first match in the WWE's ECW that was even remotely back and forth. Sabu does a nice triple jump outside the ring using a chair too. You know what though? I do have to say that Joey Styles just makes every move sound deadly. Tony Mamaluke half-heartedly threw a chair at Sabu and Joey sold it like he shot him. Also, while I probably don't have to tell you this... Sabu is fucking crazy. The match ends with Tony Mamaluke not even tapping but the ref called it anyway.

Winner: Sabu
Match Rating: Squash
Weapons Used: Chair (1), Table (1)

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Match #2: Big Show vs. Tommy Dreamer

Tommy Dreamer tells Big Show that in order to become a hardcore icon, he has to go through him first. The match doesn't start after Dreamer slaps the Big Show, who proceeds to throw Dreamer around the arena for nearly 5-7 minutes. My goodness. Tommy Dreamer can take a beating. He made Big Show once again look like a million bucks. The guy is massive. Gigantic. They announce him at over 500 pounds in this episode and I believe it. He is just impressively huge. Big Show obviously looks great now, as he lost a lot of weight and seems to be pretty lean, but the weight added onto his frame making him impressive and intimidating. He also never used the choke slam in this "match" but instead does an inverted backbreaker. Tommy Dreamer laughed about it after. You're walking a fine line there, Tommy boy.

Winner: Technically no contest, but really it was Big Show
Match Rating: Squash
Weapons Used: None

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Match #3: The Sandman vs. Macho Libre

Ah yes. Yes sir. Maybe not a mythical creature, but it's good enough. Macho Libre is such an obvious rip off of Nacho Libre, which was the main character of a Jack Black film coming out at the time. Macho Libre is actually Tony DeVito, a wrestler from the Northeast, and from my home state of Connecticut. DeVito also wrestled in Ring of Honor and the original ECW. Sandman once again WAILS on his opponent with his Kendo Stick. He hits the Russian leg sweep again, chugs a beer in the ring, and then quickly makes his way out of the stadium. He busts himself open again.

Winner: The Sandman
Match Rating: Squash
Weapons Used: Kendo Stick (1)

Before the last match, John Cena comes out and talks to the entire ECW Locker Room which is, uh, 8-10 guys? Huh? Anyway, Cena doesn't really do much. He just tells ECW they can't see him. I also didn't realize how short Sabu was until this moment.

I know I said I wouldn't touch on promos and such, and I just talked about Cena's backstage confrontation... but Kelly Kelly comes out and does her Expose and it is ridiculous. It's hot but it is just so out of place, even in this new ECW. Mike Knox covers her with a blanket. Love me some Mike Knox.

We also get a Test promo. Miss you Test.

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Match #4: Rob Van Dam & Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton & Edge

They give this match around 15 minutes. It's a big investment when you realize the show is only an hour long. Anyway, while this may just be because I love Edge so much, I can't help but feel he'd be a natural in ECW. His whole gimmick is that he is Rated R, and he would have fit perfectly. The man was a legend, and of course he deserved to be WWE Champion and all the other titles he won, but I now wish he had an ECW run. Watching Randy Orton and Edge together is cool since you know they eventually team up together in the future. Anyway, this matchup is crazy in terms of the star-power involved. Countless world championships between the four of these men, and lord knows how many other titles and accomplishments. Angle was just out of his prime, while you can still argue that he was in his prime, while RVD and Edge were in their primes, and Orton was just on the cusp. This match deserves 30 minutes, not 15. The match itself is great, as you expect. Everything just seemed so smooth, particularly Angle, who always was smooth, but made some of his arsenal seem like it was easy. He did throw Edge on his neck at one point which, in hindsight, was probably not a good idea. I once again have to wonder where this more aggressive and re-programmed Angle would have gone if he had not left the WWE when he did. We also got some man on woman violence when Angle gave Lita an Angle slam. 

Winner: Rob Van Dam & Kurt Angle
Match Rating: Excellent
Weapons: Chair (1), ECW Title (1)

--

This episode was much better than the first, and was actually a very good piece of television, albeit only for one hour. The man event was spectacular, and while the squash matches were nothing special, they were still acceptable and fun. Not every show has to be packed start to finish with top-tier wrestling, but to see a match like the main event on the show gives some validity. 

Match of the Night: Rob Van Dam & Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton & Edge
Wrestler of the Night: Kurt Angle - Super smooth in the ring
Worst of the Night: Sabu - He is actually a midget
Weapon Count (Total):
Chair: 3
Street Signs: 3
Garbage Can Top: 3
Garbage Can: 2
Kendo Stick: 2
Baking Sheet: 1
Table: 1
Al Snow's Head: 1
ECW Title: 1
Total (all time): 17

Thanks for reading, and be sure to check back for Episode 3.

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