Good news 'rasslin fans!

[VictimSix]

Originally Posted by ComicBookFreak

[SIZE="3"]TESTIFY[/SIZE]



Damn right D-Von is getting bigger!!!

CBF

I wouldn't want to run into him, it be like hitting a brick wall. Bubba should start working out =D

[NCRadioMan]

Things are really moving fast!

WWE issued the following press release today:

WWE Launches ECW As Third Brand

STAMFORD, Conn., May 25, 2006 - World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., today announced the official launch of ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) as a brand extension to its RAW and SmackDown franchises.

After acquiring the ECW assets in 2003, WWE spent the past few years re-introducing ECW to the global WWE audience and increasing the interest in its unique brand of sports entertainment. To date, WWE has successfully released three ECW DVD's, all of which have become best sellers, and produced a very profitable ECW pay-per-view event in June 2005, with another ECW pay-per-view scheduled for this June 11, 2006. With consumer interest at an all-time high, WWE is introducing ECW as a complementary brand to RAW and SmackDown.

"After keeping the ECW concept alive and creating an enormous cult-like following for all things ECW from DVD’s to PPV’s to books, we feel that now the time is right to officially launch ECW as its own stand-alone franchise," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman. "RAW, SmackDown and ECW now represent a portfolio of WWE brands for fans of all ages and interests to enjoy."

Similar to WWE’s RAW and SmackDown brands, WWE will produce, market and promote a full line of ECW products from television programs to pay-per-views to live events to licensed consumer goods.

In a related announcement, The SCI FI Channel today announced it would start airing one-hour episodes of a new ECW live television program, debuting June 13 at 10 p.m. ET.

source: WWE.com

AND THIS:

The time slot agreed upon was actually 9 p.m. and it was going live every week. However, when the press release came out, it said 10 p.m. Sci-Fi officials changed their minds at the last minute and the show will air 10. No decision has been made on whether to go live, or on a one hour or three hour tape delay. Vince McMahon will be making a decision on the matter today or tomorrow.

In Canada, there is no TV deal at the moment. It's being worked on though. In Europe and Australia, ECW will fill the time slot currently held by Velocity.

The "Rise and Fall of ECW" book by WWE is slated to be officially released on June 06. Although, the book is already being shipped on Amazon.com. The book is said to focus on the early "glory years" of ECW. The last days of ECW was said to be condensed in under 75 pages. Tazz, Tommy Dreamer and Paul Heyman were interviewed in-depth for the book.

ECW.com now redirects to an ECW section on WWE.com instead of the faux pas ECW site that was set up in April. The ECW section features profiles on the wrestlers that will be on hand for ECW One Night Stand and much more on the forthcoming PPV.

sources: Wrestling Observer, PWInsider.com


On a side-note, TNA has offered a contract to Bill Goldberg.


NCRM

[VictimSix]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

Things are really moving fast!

WWE issued the following press release today:

WWE Launches ECW As Third Brand

STAMFORD, Conn., May 25, 2006 - World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., today announced the official launch of ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) as a brand extension to its RAW and SmackDown franchises.

After acquiring the ECW assets in 2003, WWE spent the past few years re-introducing ECW to the global WWE audience and increasing the interest in its unique brand of sports entertainment. To date, WWE has successfully released three ECW DVD's, all of which have become best sellers, and produced a very profitable ECW pay-per-view event in June 2005, with another ECW pay-per-view scheduled for this June 11, 2006. With consumer interest at an all-time high, WWE is introducing ECW as a complementary brand to RAW and SmackDown.

"After keeping the ECW concept alive and creating an enormous cult-like following for all things ECW from DVD’s to PPV’s to books, we feel that now the time is right to officially launch ECW as its own stand-alone franchise," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman. "RAW, SmackDown and ECW now represent a portfolio of WWE brands for fans of all ages and interests to enjoy."

Similar to WWE’s RAW and SmackDown brands, WWE will produce, market and promote a full line of ECW products from television programs to pay-per-views to live events to licensed consumer goods.

In a related announcement, The SCI FI Channel today announced it would start airing one-hour episodes of a new ECW live television program, debuting June 13 at 10 p.m. ET.

source: WWE.com

AND THIS:

The time slot agreed upon was actually 9 p.m. and it was going live every week. However, when the press release came out, it said 10 p.m. Sci-Fi officials changed their minds at the last minute and the show will air 10. No decision has been made on whether to go live, or on a one hour or three hour tape delay. Vince McMahon will be making a decision on the matter today or tomorrow.

In Canada, there is no TV deal at the moment. It's being worked on though. In Europe and Australia, ECW will fill the time slot currently held by Velocity.

The "Rise and Fall of ECW" book by WWE is slated to be officially released on June 06. Although, the book is already being shipped on Amazon.com. The book is said to focus on the early "glory years" of ECW. The last days of ECW was said to be condensed in under 75 pages. Tazz, Tommy Dreamer and Paul Heyman were interviewed in-depth for the book.

ECW.com now redirects to an ECW section on WWE.com instead of the faux pas ECW site that was set up in April. The ECW section features profiles on the wrestlers that will be on hand for ECW One Night Stand and much more on the forthcoming PPV.

sources: Wrestling Observer, PWInsider.com


On a side-note, TNA has offered a contract to Bill Goldberg.


NCRM

Thanks for the info, I can't wait to see how they take ECW, if the bring it back and it looks like it never changed that would be fantastic. If they make it just another RAW or SmackDown then *shrug* whatever.

Bill Goldberg, man I would not wrestle him, the man is such a crappy wrestler, he's gonna end up killing somebody.

[NCRadioMan]

Seems Vince has given Paul E two draft picks. One from each show. He revealed those picks last night.

1. Mr. Money in the Bank, Mr. Monday Night, Mr. Thursday Night, Mr. PPV the Whole F'n Show Rob Van Dam. Hopefully he wins the belt at the ECW PPV and renames it the ECW Championship Belt, like Shane Douglas did with the NWA Belt.

2. Kurt Angle! I see him being the new Tazz. He don't need weapons, his hands are his weapons. I really like this direction.


ECW -- Coming Soon!

NCRM

[NCRadioMan]

Courtesy of WWE.com...

WWE announces ECW live events summer tour
May 31, 2006

STAMFORD, Conn., May 31, 2006 – World Wrestling Entertainment today released the dates for its first ECW live event tour, following the announcement that it is officially launching an ECW brand and that a live ECW summer television series will be on the SCI FI Channel.

Tickets for all events June through August go on sale June 17, unless otherwise noted.

Following the sold-out "ECW: One Night Stand" pay-per-view event in New York City at the Hammerstein Ballroom on June 11, the ECW live event tour kicks off with a performance broadcast live on SCI FI Channel on Tuesday, June 13, from the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N. J., following the taping of "Friday Night SmackDown®." Tickets for the event in Trenton are currently on sale.

In June, July and August, ECW will perform in the following locations:

June 20 – Albany, N.Y. – Pepsi Arena (already on sale)
June 24 – Philadelphia Pa. – Alhambra Arena (ECW Arena)
June 25 – Elizabeth, Pa. – Court Time Sports Center
June 26 – Beckley, W. Va. – Armory Civic Center Arena
July 1 – Toms River, N.J. – Poland Springs Arena
July 2 - York, Pa. – Toyota Center
July 8 - Racine, Wis. – Memorial Hall
July 9 – Green Bay, Wis. – Brown County Expo Center
July 10 – La Crosse, Wis. – La Crosse Center
July 11 – Minneapolis, Minn. –Target Center (on sale June 10)
July 15 – Tyler, Texas – Oil Palace
July 16 – Huntsville, Texas – Sam Houston Coliseum
July 17 – Austin, Texas – Palmer Event Center
July 18 – Corpus Christi, Texas – American Bank Center
July 22 – Muskegon, Mich. – L.C. Walker Arena
July 23 – Saginaw, Mich. – Dow Event Center
July 24 – Battle Creek, Mich – Kellogg Arena
July 25- Detroit, Mich. – Joe Louis Arena (On Sale June 24)
July 29 – Durham, N.H. – Whittemore Center
July 30 – Fitchburg, Mass. - Wallace Civic Center
August 5 – Poplar Bluff, Mo - Black River Coliseum
August 6 – Jackson, Tenn. – Oman arena
August 7 – McMinnville, Tenn.– McMinnville Civic Center
August 8 – Nashville, Tenn. – Gaylord Entertainment Center (on Sale June 24)
August 12 – Elmira, N.Y. – First Arena
August 13 – White Plains, N.Y. – Westchester County Center
August 14 – Salisbury, Md. – Wicomico Center
August 15 – Washington, D.C. – MCI Center (on Sale June 24)


None near me!

NCRM

[NCRadioMan]

More ECW news!

Local advertisements in the Pittsburgh. PA area are suggesting that there might be an ECW invasion of sorts tomorrow night on RAW. Also, WWE vs. ECW will air Wed night.

It was reported on ECW.com that all contracted Raw and Smackdown wrestlers have been informed that they are free to jump to ECW if they desire. Matt Hardy, Nunzio and Super Crazy are the most likely WWE wrestlers to shift brands.

Some people assumed that Kurt Angle's move to ECW would reduce his scheduled and give his body a better chance to heal, however, ECW actually has more house shows scheduled this summer in contrast to Smackdown. Angle was not exactly thrilled when he learned of the decision that he was moving over to ECW, but he is willing to be a team player as ECW is under pressure to succeed early. Also, Angle and Heyman have a good chemistry, so that helps.

ECW fans in the UK will able to see ECW on Sundays on Sky Sports 3. In Germany, ECW can be seen on Saturdays on Premiere Sport.

-- Despite recent reports, there is not expected to be a major Sci-Fi influence on characters in ECW. Right now, WWE is planning to introduce only one "unusual" set of characters -- a vampire faction.

sources: Pro Wrestling Torch, PWInsider.com

BTW: WWE stock closed at $18.54 yesterday, its highest closing number in several years. Vince McMahon is back to being a real life billionaire again as opposed to a fictional billionaire.

NCRM

[[OT] Loki]

I had my RVD ECW shirt on today. Does anyone have any of the ECW dvds? I have a few comming from netflix, but I'd like to have the pre-vince versions

[Alpedhuez55]

Originally Posted by Cigar Jockey

30 Yr fan here

About the same here. I date back to Bruno Sammartino and Superstar Billy Graham

[Alpedhuez55]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

2. Kurt Angle! I see him being the new Tazz. He don't need weapons, his hands are his weapons. I really like this direction.

Kurt seems a strange pick to me. But I guess they wanted a big name. I just do not see him fitting in. Too much high risk stuff for him. Angle makes a lot of mistakes in the ring. He was very sloppy in his farewell match against RM Jr. He missed a few moves. And he cannot miss those moves when tables, chairs and barbed wire are involved.

That Sabu RM Jr. match should be a good one. Vince has been going after the Latino Fans big time in recent years.

Anyway, I am sure this will work out better than the XFL did. I miss ECW. I do not agree with the Raw/Smackdown Split. It weakens the overall quality of the shows. But ECW will allow some great wrestlers some airtime who are now pushed aside in favor of a HHH reading a 20 minute rant off a teleprompter.

[MrINMENSO]

I go back to the Rock N' Wrestling days in the mid 80s. I love the fact that they are bringing back ECW. If done correctly, it could provide an alternative to the current product. With Dreamer and Heyman booking, it has loads of potential. However, I can't help but have cautious optimism with this one, as ultimately, Vince's fingerprints are all over this project and he will certainly have the final say in the finished product when all is said and done. I had very high hopes when Vince ressurrected the NWO and WCW and neither lasted longer than a couple of PPVs. Here's to hoping that Vince sees the potential of bringing back the ORIGINAL ECW.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by Alpedhuez55

Kurt seems a strange pick to me. But I guess they wanted a big name. I just do not see him fitting in. Too much high risk stuff for him. Angle makes a lot of mistakes in the ring. He was very sloppy in his farewell match against RM Jr. He missed a few moves. And he cannot miss those moves when tables, chairs and barbed wire are involved.

I disagree, greatly! It's a great move. ECW wasn't all about chairs and tables. It was also about great wrestling. I envision his character to be like Tazz. Tazz didn't use weapons, for the most part, he used superior wrestling skill. And, no way Angle is sloppy in the ring. He is olympic class and has great technical skills. The match with Rey was a squash and he was supposed to be throwing him around. Looked like the old intensity to me. Angle will do just fine.

NCRM

[[OT] Loki]

Originally Posted by MrINMENSO

Here's to hoping that Vince sees the potential of bringing back the ORIGINAL ECW.

Vince needs to just sit back and let ECW do it's thing and collect the money from it.

[VictimSix]

Like it was said above I hope they use Kurt as a Tazz. Kurt is very solid in the ring, probably the most solid wrestler the wwe has. In no way is Kurt sloppy, I've hardly ever seen him miss a spot. Though everybody does have their off and on days. I just hope we see ECW and not RAW. No long promos, no 4 minute matches and crappy half ass fueds. ECW were the best at fueds hands down. I think i read somewhere that Rey jr. was going to be taking on Sabu, THAT would be a really cool match. I'm surprised Sabu can still walk.

[NCRadioMan]

Here are the current matches that are set for the PPV.

World Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Sabu
WWE Champion John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam
Kurt Angle's Open Challenge
Mick Foley & Edge vs. Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer

I'm surprised Terry Funk can walk. Talk about bad knees.

NCRM

[[OT] Loki]

Rey vs Sabu is going to be INSANE. I need to find a decent place to watch the PPV here.