The ‘New’ ECW World Championship

[Ben Rodrigues]

I didn’t see a thread made on this – and if there is one – maybe one of the mods can merge it. It occurred to me, as I’m sure it did many of you, that if Rob Van Dam does in fact dethrone John Cena and renames the belt - the ECW World Championship will effectively become the most prized title in professional wrestling due to it’s lineage.

In that effect the WWE’s most prized championship which carries both the history of the WWF/E Championship and the WCW Championship, will be the torch represented by somewhat of a minor brand which will be featured once a week in a one hour timeslot on the sci-fi channel. I know pretty much the entire board is hoping for a RVD victory, as am I – but do we all really think Vince is going to in a sense ‘prostitute’ his #1 Championship and arguably tarnish it’s legacy?

From the Hulk Hogan’s to Steve Austin’s to the Bret Hart’s – will we now see names such as Sandman, Sabu, Balls Mahoney, etc associated with that same distinction?

[Skippord]

They'll more than likely just give that belt the ECW history and keep the same history for another belt on Raw

[icecoldblood01]

{E}xtremly {C}rappy {W}reslters don't deserve the wwe title. its fucking dumb.

[Ben Rodrigues]

...So they can dictate what belt has what legacy? Interesting.

[Ben Rodrigues]

In that respect - why didn't they give the World Heavyweight Championship the WCW World Championship history?

[Skippord]

{E}xtremly {C}rappy {W}reslters don't deserve the wwe title. its fucking dumb.
I hate you I honest to god want you to die

[Nervous Ferret]

No, icecoldblood is a pposting mastermind. And I am not just ssaying that because his vote is probably gunna decide King of the Forum and set off a series of catachismal life altering events for both me and Funky. :shifty:

[Skippord]

Yes not saying that not saying that at all

[dablackguy]

if Rob Van Dam does in fact dethrone John Cena and renames the belt - the ECW World Championship will effectively become the most prized title in professional wrestling due to it’s lineage.


Shut up. :) If anyone in wwe sees that, its just another reason not to give RVD the belt.

[Innovator]

There is no way that Hunter's belt is being moved to ECW. I love HHH, but he won't let that happen.

[The Show Off]

No it'll be a deal like Shane Douglas throwing down the NWA Title, and claiming himself the ECW World Champion. The WWE Championship will show Rob Van Dam as a Champion, then it'll show he vacated the title. The title they used in ECW will then become the old ECW title history.

Or atleat that's what I think/hope they will do.

[Kane Knight]

...So they can dictate what belt has what legacy? Interesting.

I'm wagering the title is discarded or otherwise returned for no sensible reason (If it happens at all).

[FourFifty]

From the Hulk Hogan’s to Steve Austin’s to the Bret Hart’s – will we now see names such as Sandman, Sabu, Balls Mahoney, etc associated with that same distinction?

On one hand I'm looking forward to ECW... but on the other hand, if Sabu or RVD picks up the title at ECW's One Night Stand Part 2 : The Whore Returns, I'm not fucking watching ECW. They could send Mick Foley, Charlie Hass, Goldust, Ric Flair, Triple H, Shane O Mac, anyone, and I wouldn't watch it. Let ECW make their own titles because I'll be damned if I watch the title that Buddy Rogers once held thrown into ECW.

As of the other title, after Sabu bothced the Air Sabu, fuck him.

[loopydate]

Well, that had a little something to do with the fact that the table was way too far away for him to hit an effective Arabian Facebuster. He could reach the middle of an ECW ring, but the WWE ring is a whole lot bigger.

As for the title, I really hope that they do what Shane Douglas did to the NWA Title in the 1990s, win it, then throw it down to elevate the ECW Title. RVD wins the match, but refuses to accept the WWE Title. He opens the MiTB briefcase to reveal the ECW Title.

Although, he'll probably just job and Sabu will probably job, and we'll have a tournament or something starting on Tuesday night.

[Arnold HamNegger]

As for the title, I really hope that they do what Shane Douglas did to the NWA Title in the 1990s, win it, then throw it down to elevate the ECW Title. RVD wins the match, but refuses to accept the WWE Title. He opens the MiTB briefcase to reveal the ECW Title.

The only reason I think that this won't happen is the fact that Heyman has already talked about RVD doing this while he was on the air. He was talking about it as if it was "guaranteed" to happen and was inevitable. Of course, in WWE-land...this means it won't happen.

The one angle I thought of that might make sense is to have Edge (whose pissed off at ECW after losing earlier) do a run in and spear RVD/costing him to lose to Cena. His reasoning would be simple. #1- he hates ECW. #2- He's next in line for a title shot against Cena and he doesn't want the belt going off to ECW.

[Ben Rodrigues]

I know the incident with Shane Douglas throwing down the NWA Title and declaring himself the new ECW World Champion. Would someone care to explain the lineage in that scenario? And how the NWA World Championship came back into effect?

[Ben Rodrigues]

Damn. Where's "The One" when you need him.

[Kane Knight]

Busy learning to snipe like his dad.

[Ben Rodrigues]

Oh well then. Understandable. But in saying that, I'm sure they're terrific people and we wish them all the best.

[mrslackalack]

I could see RVD winning the belt and saying hes renaming it the ECW belt. Then WWE would have a tournament and the winner gets the WWE title.

[Mr. JL]

The only way I will accept Rob Van Dam losing to John Cena, is if Sabu or someone from ECW comes down to sabotage RVD's match in order to give Cena the win.

It would make sense if it was Sabu, so long as Sabu won the World Heavyweight Championship from Rey Mysterio earlier in the night. Sabu's motivation is that he would be the one to revive ECW and the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, not Rob Van Dam.

Have Alfonso turn on RVD at the end of the match and since Sabu doesn't talk... Alfonso can cut the promo to explain Sabu's actions to the crowd.

Paul Heyman could book and promote the Sabu versus Rob Van Dam match for the ECW Championship as ECW's first angle.

[Mr. JL]

The only way I will accept Rob Van Dam losing to John Cena, is if Sabu or someone from ECW comes down to sabotage RVD's match in order to give Cena the win.

It would make sense if it was Sabu, so long as Sabu won the World Heavyweight Championship from Rey Mysterio earlier in the night. Sabu's motivation is that he would be the one to revive ECW and the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, not Rob Van Dam.

Have Alfonso turn on RVD at the end of the match and since Sabu doesn't talk... Alfonso can cut the promo to explain Sabu's actions to the crowd. Have him say RVD will never be a World Heavyweight Champion. He will never win the big one. That he's a mid-carder, etc, etc.

Paul Heyman could book and promote the Sabu versus Rob Van Dam match for the ECW Championship as ECW's first angle.

[loopydate]

I know the incident with Shane Douglas throwing down the NWA Title and declaring himself the new ECW World Champion. Would someone care to explain the lineage in that scenario? And how the NWA World Championship came back into effect?

Douglas won the NWA World Title by beating 2 Cold Scorpio in a tournament final at the ECW Arena. The title had been vacated when WCW withdrew from the NWA (Ric Flair was the champion at the time and became the WCW Champion).

Douglas held the Eastern Championship Wrestling title at the time, so he basically turned the ECW Title into a World Title by refusing the NWA World Title (which had a half-century's worth of history behind it) in its favor. The ECW Title, which had been in the promotion for two years already, retained that lineage (Terry Funk, Sabu, Tito Santana, etc.), with none of the NWA history added

NWA set up a tournament to decide a new champion that Chris Candido wound up winning, beating Tracey Smothers in the finals. This title retained all of the NWA lineage going back to Orville Brown in 1940. It's the same title that TNA uses now.

Here's how both tournaments went.

NWA Title Tournament - August 27, 1994 (Philadelphia)
Quarterfinals
2 Cold Scorpio over Chris Benoit
911 over Doink (Matt Borne)
Dean Malenko over Osamu Nishimura
Shane Douglas over The Tazmaniac
Semifinals
2 Cold Scorpio over 911
Shane Douglas over Dean Malenko
Finals
Shane Douglas over 2 Cold Scorpio

NWA Title Tournament - November 19, 1994 (Cherry Hill, NJ)
Quarterfinals
Tracey Smothers over Devon Storm
Eddie Gilbert over Johnny Gunn
Chris Candido over Al Snow
Dirty White Boy over Jerry Lawler
Osamu Nishimura and Lou Perez fought to a draw
Semifinals
Tracey Smothers over Eddie Gilbert
Chris Candido over Dirty White Boy
Finals
Chris Candido over Tracey Smothers

(Pieced together with information from prowrestlinghistory.com and wrestling-titles.com)

[Ben Rodrigues]

Douglas won the NWA World Title by beating 2 Cold Scorpio in a tournament final at the ECW Arena. The title had been vacated when WCW withdrew from the NWA (Ric Flair was the champion at the time and became the WCW Champion).

Douglas held the Eastern Championship Wrestling title at the time, so he basically turned the ECW Title into a World Title by refusing the NWA World Title (which had a half-century's worth of history behind it) in its favor. The ECW Title, which had been in the promotion for two years already, retained that lineage (Terry Funk, Sabu, Tito Santana, etc.), with none of the NWA history added

NWA set up a tournament to decide a new champion that Chris Candido wound up winning, beating Tracey Smothers in the finals. This title retained all of the NWA lineage going back to Orville Brown in 1940. It's the same title that TNA uses now.

Here's how both tournaments went.

NWA Title Tournament - August 27, 1994 (Philadelphia)
Quarterfinals
2 Cold Scorpio over Chris Benoit
911 over Doink (Matt Borne)
Dean Malenko over Osamu Nishimura
Shane Douglas over The Tazmaniac
Semifinals
2 Cold Scorpio over 911
Shane Douglas over Dean Malenko
Finals
Shane Douglas over 2 Cold Scorpio

NWA Title Tournament - November 19, 1994 (Cherry Hill, NJ)
Quarterfinals
Tracey Smothers over Devon Storm
Eddie Gilbert over Johnny Gunn
Chris Candido over Al Snow
Dirty White Boy over Jerry Lawler
Osamu Nishimura and Lou Perez fought to a draw
Semifinals
Tracey Smothers over Eddie Gilbert
Chris Candido over Dirty White Boy
Finals
Chris Candido over Tracey Smothers

(Pieced together with information from prowrestlinghistory.com and wrestling-titles.com)

Thanks for that.

Damn it won't let me rep you.

[Arnold HamNegger]

The only way I will accept Rob Van Dam losing to John Cena, is if Sabu or someone from ECW comes down to sabotage RVD's match in order to give Cena the win.

It would make sense if it was Sabu, so long as Sabu won the World Heavyweight Championship from Rey Mysterio earlier in the night. Sabu's motivation is that he would be the one to revive ECW and the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, not Rob Van Dam.

Have Alfonso turn on RVD at the end of the match and since Sabu doesn't talk... Alfonso can cut the promo to explain Sabu's actions to the crowd.

Paul Heyman could book and promote the Sabu versus Rob Van Dam match for the ECW Championship as ECW's first angle.

I like this :y: (I mean if RVD has to lose that is).

[Shaved Monkey]

The only way I will accept Rob Van Dam losing to John Cena, is if Sabu or someone from ECW comes down to sabotage RVD's match in order to give Cena the win.

It would make sense if it was Sabu, so long as Sabu won the World Heavyweight Championship from Rey Mysterio earlier in the night. Sabu's motivation is that he would be the one to revive ECW and the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, not Rob Van Dam.

Have Alfonso turn on RVD at the end of the match and since Sabu doesn't talk... Alfonso can cut the promo to explain Sabu's actions to the crowd. Have him say RVD will never be a World Heavyweight Champion. He will never win the big one. That he's a mid-carder, etc, etc.

Paul Heyman could book and promote the Sabu versus Rob Van Dam match for the ECW Championship as ECW's first angle.

I was thinking along the same line as you. But, in my scenario, if Vince really wanted to put ECW over for one night, then have both Sabu, and RVD win their respective matches.

You have Sabu beat Rey first, then have RVD beat Cena, and after RVD's match Sabu runs into the ring, and they start an impromptu match between Sabu and Van Dam for who will be ECW champion, as they both won the titles in their first matches.

Who wins from there? Doesn't really matter. I'd like to see RVD win it, and get the huge ovation at the end of the night holding up both titles. But in the end I guess it doesn't really matter.

The best part about this whole situation is that after this is all said and done, it does'nt really matter, RVD, Sabu and the rest are packed off to ECW.

From here, and once again, this is purely my opinion. I'd have two tournaments to crown new champions on Raw and Smackdown, and have the finals take place at SummerSlam and that might not be too bad, as it would crown tow new world champions, and kinda give a whole new face to both brands. (Hopefully)

Or, if reuniting the rosters is the idea, you can do the same thing, but for one title and keep the split until just after Summerslam.

[Crippla]

In that respect - why didn't they give the World Heavyweight Championship the WCW World Championship history?

It usually is considered having WCW Championship history brcause it is the WCW belt and they originally renamed the WCW title the World Title back in 2001 before it was brought back and given to Triple H on Raw a year later.

[Stickman]

All credible history has been thrown out the window. The belts basically have no lineage anymore. I mean, one company has two champions, yeah that's credible.

[Innovator]

Sabu wins the World Title, costs RVD his match.

His reason? Sabu was the man ECW was originally built around, the guy to draw in new fans. He was ECW, not RVD

[Kane Knight]

Sabu wins the World Title, costs RVD his match.

His reason? Sabu was the man ECW was originally built around, the guy to draw in new fans. He was ECW, not RVD

That's a bad idea, as Sabu's no longer a valid choice for building a promotion around.

[Xero]

That's a bad idea, as Sabu's no longer a valid choice for building a promotion around.
The way they've buried him, neither is RVD.

Truth be told, if Heyman has just enough say in this, he could build it around anyone and get it over.

[Kane Knight]

The way they've buried him, neither is RVD.

Truth be told, if Heyman has just enough say in this, he could build it around anyone and get it over.

RVD's still massively over. He's one that Vince can't bury. Which is why he's one of the only people who's been able to speak frankly and still keep his WWF/E job.

[Skippord]

RVD is UNBURYABLE

[Ben Rodrigues]

What are the chances we'll see an Impact Players reunion?

[Kane Knight]

Pretty much.

[Skippord]

I hate you I honest to god want you to die
I mean I dislike you and I want you to stop posting here

[Impeccable]

In all likelihood, someone will win the hardcore title off the joint holders (Tommy Dreamer, anyone?), and that could be what they fight for as the top tier title.

It just seems wierd that it be bought back and be co-held, with practically no build up, that's my reason for saying it.

It would also give ECW more reason to be pissed with WWE..."we get a crappy channel...a crappy 1 hour timeslot and a broken up cast off belt!!!"

[TerranRich]

Vince: Look, due to legal reasons you can't rename the WWE title as it's the property of World Wrestling Entertainment. But I'll tell you what... You can have THIS... Yeah I know it's banged up and broken apart and held together with 8-year-old duct tape....but.... it's a title! :yes: :y: