ECW and WWE on a collision course
It will be hard to live up to last year's ECW One Night Stand, but if Monday's RAW is any indication, this year's incarnation of the extreme pay-per-view will have no problem exceeding expectations. In fact, two matches were already made official by the time RAW went off the air. Mick Foley & Edge, the self-proclaimed co-Hardcore Champions, will face ECW icons Tommy Dreamer & Terry Funk and Mr. Money in the Bank Rob Van Dam will cash in his championship opportunity on his home turf against WWE Champion John Cena on June 11.
After laying out both Dreamer and Funk over the last two weeks, Edge and Foley probably thought they would never hear from ECW again. But when the duo proclaimed themselves as the new co-Hardcore Champions, their celebration was interrupted by former ECW owner Paul Heyman. He said that since they were in Las Vegas, it was pretty ironic that, live on RAW, there was prostitution. Everyone assumed Heyman was talking about Lita, but he was actually talking about Foley.
"Mick Foley, you're a prostitute. You gave your blood, your sweat, your tears and your sacrifice to these people," said Heyman on RAW. "You took time away from your family for these people, and you prostitute yourself away from them for Edge and Lita? You prostituted their love and their admiration for them? You prostitute your name and your legacy, but I'll be damned if I'll sit here and see you prostitute the name of hardcore."
Heyman followed up his diatribe with a challenge for Foley & Edge. He sarcastically said that he would try to drag two of ECW's slime out of the bingo hall for a tag team match at One Night Stand. Foley & Edge protested at first, but Heyman was able to get under their skin when he said, "I look at Mick Foley, I look at Lita, I look at Edge, and Lita's the only one with any nuts."
The comment made Edge snap, and he accepted the challenge. Foley and Edge then stormed up the ring to attack Heyman, but instead, the former ECW owner introduced them to their One Night Stand opponents -- Tommy Dreamer & Terry Funk. The ECW icons started to lay a hardcore beating on the WWE Superstars, sending them in a retreat through the crowd. But at ECW One Night Stand, there will be nowhere to run.
Unlike last year's One Night Stand, Rob Van Dam will be ready for in-ring action for this year's event, and he plans on making an extreme impact. After a controversial loss earlier in the evening against Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin, an extremely frustrated RVD addressed WWE Champion John Cena after his match against Chris Masters. Van Dam said that he's going to cash in his Money in the Bank championship opportunity where he's comfortable -- on his home turf at ECW One Night Stand. The two competitors stood face to face in an intense stare-down before Mr. Money in the Bank slapped The Champ across his face. Cena fought back, but Chris Masters, who was on the outside recovering from a previous STFU, came back in the ring causing Cena to be distracted. RVD took advantage of the situation and tossed Cena his Money in the Bank briefcase and connected with a Van Daminator. Is this a sign of things to come for One Night Stand? RVD will have the ultimate home-field advantage. How will The Champ be able to combat the rabid ECW fans?
While all of the ECW news helped whip the Las Vegas fans into a frenzy, not everyone was happy with the ECW developments. RAW color commentator Jerry "The King" Lawler had a few choice words about ECW on WWE.com Unlimited.
"Another ECW One Night Stand? Believe me, this is no dream. This is a nightmare," said Lawler on WWE.com Unlimited. "You're all drinking Paul Heyman's kool-aid. He's brainwashing you people. That's all ECW's ever been. It's extremely crappy wrestling."
Will Lawler be at One Night Stand on Sunday, June 11 to back up his words? That remains to be seen, but for now, there are at least two certainties. Mick Foley & Edge will face ECW icons Tommy Dreamer & Terry Funk, and Rob Van Dam will cash in his Money in the Bank championship opportunity and face WWE Champion John Cena.
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