QUESTION - Could ECW work as a "niche'd" show? (i.e. devoted to Cruiserweights, etc.)

**Mr. Nerfect** · 11-04-2009, 08:22 AM

I think ECW could use a bit more credibility, don't get me wrong. I don't really like the idea of it being a "niche" show, though. I'd like it to be a forceable entity, though.

What I think ECW could use, is a big star. Not just a bigger guy in a small pond, but an actual big fish to make ECW seem like an ocean. Rey Mysterio, in my opinion, would be perfect for this. When he got suspended, I thought bringing him to ECW would be a good move. It lets him "pay off" his dues a bit, and it also helps out ECW tremendously by giving them a former World Heavyweight Champion, and a guy that the fans genuinely care about now and not someone they will care about later.

When Legacy splits, I wouldn't mind seeing Cody Rhodes moved to ECW. He has main event-level exposure on RAW, so people know who he is now. There would just be less of a roof for him on ECW. I feel that he would pull the show up more than he would pull it down. Cody and Goldust could also have their feud there.

I'd also like to see the ECW Title treated like an actual World Title. Why the fuck not? If they ever do another Champion of Champion Match, I'd like to see the ECW Champion get the win while the WWE and World Heavyweight Champion cancel each other out. Maybe shake up the belt design a bit. I know the 17lbs of platinum is new, but give it a distinct, but unmistakeably gold design, and I think it will help the belt out a lot.

I still maintain that ECW could benefit from a Television Title. Some say there are too many championships, but with three separate brands, I think that should be expected. ECW essentially has two levels: The guys involved in the ECW Title picture, and those who aren't. The guys who aren't could use something to put on their resume. It looks better for a guy like Paul Burchill to be able to call himself a three or four time ECW TV Champion when he moves to RAW or SmackDown!, instead of having nothing there. I actually believe this has been why the ECW Title has moved down in stature a bit.

To kill both the lack of big stars and lack of title credibility problem, you can use one man: Edge. He's won every single title there is to win. When he returns, people will take notice. If Edge returned to ECW, and said that he wants to be the ECW Champion because it's the only thing he is yet to achieve in his WWE career, then people will take notice of both him and the ECW Title. If Christian is holding the ECW Title, then even better. There is a history there, and a match like that could actually get time on the WrestleMania card, for example.

ECW is a developmental brand, no doubt about it, but there are different layers they can develop through it. You can have the really new guys, who get their start there; but you can also have guys that have nothing else really pressing to do, or are caught between being a main eventer and mid-carder on RAW or SmackDown!. R-Truth, for example, seems to be someone the WWE wants to push. Why not push him on ECW, where the competition is thinner? Then use the ECW Title to launch him into the WWE or World Heavyweight Title pictures as he'd be a "former World Champion."

11-04-2009, 08:22 AM	#30
Mr. Nerfect Posts: 61,565	I think ECW could use a bit more credibility, don't get me wrong. I don't really like the idea of it being a "niche" show, though. I'd like it to be a forceable entity, though. What I think ECW could use, is a big star. Not just a bigger guy in a small pond, but an actual big fish to make ECW seem like an ocean. Rey Mysterio, in my opinion, would be perfect for this. When he got suspended, I thought bringing him to ECW would be a good move. It lets him "pay off" his dues a bit, and it also helps out ECW tremendously by giving them a former World Heavyweight Champion, and a guy that the fans genuinely care about now and not someone they will care about later. When Legacy splits, I wouldn't mind seeing Cody Rhodes moved to ECW. He has main event-level exposure on RAW, so people know who he is now. There would just be less of a roof for him on ECW. I feel that he would pull the show up more than he would pull it down. Cody and Goldust could also have their feud there. I'd also like to see the ECW Title treated like an actual World Title. Why the fuck not? If they ever do another Champion of Champion Match, I'd like to see the ECW Champion get the win while the WWE and World Heavyweight Champion cancel each other out. Maybe shake up the belt design a bit. I know the 17lbs of platinum is new, but give it a distinct, but unmistakeably gold design, and I think it will help the belt out a lot. I still maintain that ECW could benefit from a Television Title. Some say there are too many championships, but with three separate brands, I think that should be expected. ECW essentially has two levels: The guys involved in the ECW Title picture, and those who aren't. The guys who aren't could use something to put on their resume. It looks better for a guy like Paul Burchill to be able to call himself a three or four time ECW TV Champion when he moves to RAW or SmackDown!, instead of having nothing there. I actually believe this has been why the ECW Title has moved down in stature a bit. To kill both the lack of big stars and lack of title credibility problem, you can use one man: Edge. He's won every single title there is to win. When he returns, people will take notice. If Edge returned to ECW, and said that he wants to be the ECW Champion because it's the only thing he is yet to achieve in his WWE career, then people will take notice of both him and the ECW Title. If Christian is holding the ECW Title, then even better. There is a history there, and a match like that could actually get time on the WrestleMania card, for example. ECW is a developmental brand, no doubt about it, but there are different layers they can develop through it. You can have the really new guys, who get their start there; but you can also have guys that have nothing else really pressing to do, or are caught between being a main eventer and mid-carder on RAW or SmackDown!. R-Truth, for example, seems to be someone the WWE wants to push. Why not push him on ECW, where the competition is thinner? Then use the ECW Title to launch him into the WWE or World Heavyweight Title pictures as he'd be a "former World Champion."