Fighting for ECW's Heart and Soul
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- When Mr. McMahon won the ECW World Championship from Bobby Lashley, the ECW Originals -- the foundation upon which the promotion was built -- were outraged. They believed that the Chairman had trashed their legacy, and perhaps no one was more vocal about this than former ECW World Champion Rob Van Dam. After winning an Extreme Rules Four Way Match tonight against his fellow Originals, RVD won the opportunity to face Mr. McMahon and salvage some of their legacy and ECW's dignity.
RVD's match with the Chairman next week will not be for the championship. It will be a chance for one of ECW's old guard to get their hands on the Chairman-champion. The Originals, all former ECW World Champions, had vented their rage at Mr. McMahon's championship victory in interviews seen first on WWE.com. The self-proclaimed "King of Extreme" thought that he was punishing Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer, Sandman and Sabu by pitting them against each other in an Extreme Rules Four Way Match for an opportunity to face him.
Though the Originals are friends and are united in their love of ECW, they waged war against each other for the chance to battle Mr. McMahon. They were not confined by rules and showed our fans in Birmingham, Ala., why ECW is called Extreme Championship Wrestling. RVD won with a Five-Star Frog Splash on Sandman. The Chairman looked nervous as RVD celebrated his victory. But as the diabolical billionaire showed Bobby Lashley, RVD should beware -- Mr. McMahon always has something up his sleeve. (WATCH)
A wounded Lashley appeared on ECW on Sci Fi and showed the Chairman and raucous Birmingham crowd that he is determined to regain the ECW World Championship. Lashley conceded that he was still nursing his shoulder, which he injured during his match against Mr. McMahon, Umaga & Shane McMahon at Backlash. However, that didn't stop him from demanding a rematch for the championship tonight.
But that was not to be. Umaga's handler, Armando Estrada -- confined to a wheelchair because of the ferocious beating Lashley gave him last week -- came out to ringside and told the former champion that, per Mr. McMahon's order, he would receive a rematch, but not that night. However, there was one stipulation: if Lashley touched Umaga, Shane McMahon or the Chairman without any physical provocation, he would lose the right to his rematch.
To Estrada's painful dismay, Mr. McMahon made a tactical error -- Estrada was not included in that stipulation. Lashley put his hands on Estrada without fear of losing his rematch and made him pay for being the Chairman's messenger. He got a small dose of revenge for the hell he has endured at the hands of Mr. McMahon. (WATCH)
Elijah Burke and his New Breed were determined to get revenge on CM Punk after the straightedge Superstar made them believe that he was a true member of their group and cost them their match against the Originals last week. At first it appeared Burke was going to exact revenge from Punk himself. But instead, he volunteered fanged freak New Breeder Kevin Thorn to take on Punk.
Thorn wasn't pleased to be fighting Punk. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't able to channel his anger into a victory over the fan-favorite. When Thorn asked Burke why he didn't help him out during his match, the eloquent pugilist berated him, and said no one should question his decisions as leader of the New Breed. With that, Thorn declared that the New Breed "bites" and quit the group.
The New Breed's implosion continued unexpectedly later that night during a tag team match involving Marcus Cor Von and Matt Striker. Cor Von and Striker were expected to put the New Breed back in the win column with a decisive victory against two unknowns, the Major Brothers. But out of nowhere, the Major Brothers pulled off a major upset and defeated Cor Von and Striker. Shocked and disgusted, Burke went on a verbal tirade against Striker. The Extreme Educator took the tongue-lashing while Cor Von merely walked away. Is the New Breed slowly falling apart? (WATCH)
Can't get enough of ECW? Relive all the action on Hardcore Hangover as ECW.com brings you each of the matches from Tuesday night.
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