Every WWE ECW Ever - ECW 04 (7/04/2006)

WWE ECW 04 - July 4th, 2006

Paul Heyman announces to start that Rob Van Dam lost the WWE Title to Edge on RAW. I forgot this is where Rob Van Dam was suspended for some kind of violation and lost his titles as a result. Big Show then comes out and says he wants a match. I have an idea who is gonna win.

Match #1: Mike Knox vs. Little Guido

Little Guido doesn't get an entrance, and came out while Mike Knox once again cut short Kelly Kelly's dance I guess. I've always liked Little Guido for some reason, probably because he looks JUST LIKE your classic mobster. He really doesn't have a chance against Mike Knox though, who promptly squashes 1/3 of the F.B.I. Mike Knox never looks all that good though, really. I think there is some potential there at this point, but there's no doubt he can be awkward with his moves, and the crowd chants "boring" throughout, which I can't particularly detest to. Not much you can do in a squash match, though.

Winner: Mike Knox
Match Rating: Little Guido
Weapons Used: None

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Match #2: The Sandman vs. Preacher

Here it is. My favorite part of the show. A Preacher comes out and starts to tell everyone that they are vile individuals for watching ECW. It is an immoral show! Kelly Kelly almost shows her boobs and... well that's it I guess. He preaches on for two minutes and then sits back in his seat. Sandman comes out and the crowd goes NUTS. They are in Philadelphia, after all, but man, this crowd goes insane for Sandman. Too bad he didn't have his old Metallica theme because the crowd would be singing along. He celebrates for a good bit before laying his eyes on the Preacher. He pulls him over the barrier and slaps him a few times, then beats the shit out of him with the kendo stick. It is still as satisfying as it was the first time. Love me some Sandman, although I do wonder how this man was able to pass the drug screening. He looks awful, which is his whole deal I guess, but you can tell he is doing something... extracurricular. Maybe Vince decided for Sandman (and the other originals) that they will just turn a blind eye to it, although Rob Van Dam was being suspended for the exact thing I'm talking about so... I don't know. I really don't.

Winner: No contest technically, but really The Sandman
Match Rating: Squash
Weapons Used: Kendo Stick (1)

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Match #3: Test vs. Al Snow

Test finally makes his debut after some vignettes the past two weeks. I remember seeing him at the time and being quite stunned. He looked nothing like the Test I remember from the Attitude Era. Not only is the long hair gone, but he is RIPPED. No shocker that he eventually would be released for failing drug tests. Al Snow gets a big pop when he comes out. He looks good, actually, though apparently in 2017 he is in the best shape of his life. Test makes quick work of Al Snow, which is what you'd expect. After the match, he... HE PUNTS HEAD INTO THE STANDS. MY GOD. DAMN YOU TEST. YOU SIR HAVE CROSSED THE LINE. 

Winner: Test
Match Rating: Squash
Weapons Used: None

Before the match, Kevin Thorn is shown. Another one of my favorites from WWE's ECW.

They also show a CM Punk promo. I get people love CM Punk... After his actions following his 2014 departure, I'm not as big a fan. However, at this point, the talent and potential is undeniable, so I will definitely try my best to enjoy his early work.

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Match #4: ECW Championship Match - Rob Van Dam (c) vs. Big Show

This match gets nearly twenty minutes which is fantastic. Another thumbs up to the WWE for that one. Three straight weeks, the main events have been a big deal and have been treated as such. The match itself is pretty great. Big Show is once again impressive, not only because of his size but his ability in the ring. At one point, Big Show does a superplex from the second rope, which is insane given he's seven feet tall and five hundred pounds. He had come a long way from his early days and proved he could more than carry a match, which is basically what he has to do given his size. Big Show and RVD fight in the crowd at one point which I think is cool, and by fight in the crowd, I mean literally the first row, no security pushing everyone back. It felt real. RVD does get some good offense in on Big Show even with the size difference, and the match felt like a good back and forth between two good wrestlers rather than just the usual David vs. Goliath story that Big Show matches usually follow. Big Show does look to get a little winded at one point. He performs two of possibly the least emphatic elbows to RVD I have ever seen. However, he recovers well going into the end of the match. We go a good ten minutes before we get weapon action, and this match was advertised as an "extreme rules" match throughout the show. I thought that ECW was all about being extreme? How are matches only extreme rules if they say so. The match ends when RVD hits Big Show with the Five Star Frog Splash. The ref is indisposed, so Paul Heyman comes out to make the count. He stops at 2. Big Show then murders RVD with a chair, before Heyman counts to 3. Big Show is the new champion. Wow. I remember watching this as a 12 year old and being in disbelief that Heyman did that to RVD. I know now that RVD was going to be suspended soon, so it had to happen, but man, was it crushing at the time. Regardless, this match did work the audience, who started throwing their beer and water at Big Show and Heyman. It was pretty awesome to see. All in all, it was a pretty great match. 

Winner: Big Show (New ECW Champion)
Match Rating: Great
Weapons Used: Steel Steps (1), Chair (1)

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Another episode in the books, and this was another show that was carried by the main event. The main event was great once again, and I think that Big Show definitely deserved the championship, although I do wonder where Rob Van Dam as champion would have gone had he not been arrested with weed on him. This was, in the long term, a big blow to the ECW brand. The face of the brand being suspended thirty days and having all of his momentum be put out at his own fault definitely hurts the product. Plus, while the main event was good, I just felt unfulfilled by the other matches (aside from the Sandman segment). Two squash matches from guys who really don't have much going for them. Why not get the originals out there? How about Tommy Dreamer? Balls Mahoney? Justin Credible? Sabu? Danny Doring? I know that most of the fans at the shows in 2006 might not know them, but they've all got a little bit going for them rather than Mike Knox and Test. But hey, what do I know?

Match of the Night: Rob Van Dam vs. Big Show
Wrestler of the Night: Big Show - He looked great and finally got superstar treatment
Worst of the Night: Al Snow's Head - Rest in peace.
Weapon Count (Total):
Chair: 5
Kendo Stick: 4
Street Signs: 3
Garbage Can Top: 3
Garbage Can: 2
Table: 2
Baking Sheet: 1
Al Snow's Head: 1
ECW Title: 1
Steel Steps: 1
Total (all time): 21

Thanks for reading. Just like that, four episodes in the books. I might do an article for ECW matches at the PPV's, but I need to do some research. One Night Stand, December to Dismember, and the other ECW-led shows will be included, but the ECW title is defended on some RAW and SD! PPVs. We will see.

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