Extreme Championship Wrestling (WWE)

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ECW
Format Sports entertainment
Professional wrestling
Created by Paul Heyman
Vince McMahon
Starring ECW Brand
Opening theme "Don't Question My Heart" sung by Kyle Morrison[1]
Country of origin Flag of the United States United States
No. of episodes 81 (as of December 18, 2007)
Production
Camera setup Multicamera setup
Running time Approximately 1 hours and 5 minutes per episode
(45 minutes and commercials)
Broadcast
Original channel Sci Fi Channel
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
Original run June 13, 2006 – Present
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) is a professional wrestling brand of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), based on the independent Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion that lasted from 1992 to 2001. It debuted on June 13, 2006 with a weekly television series. The ECW brand is one of WWE's three brands, the other two being RAW and SmackDown!.

ECW can be seen on Sci Fi Channel in the United States, X-Treme Sports and Global in Canada, Sky Sports 3 in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, SKY Sport 2 in Italy, Premiere in Germany, FX in Latin America, Ten Sports in India, Astro Supersport in Malaysia, Solar Sports and Jack TV in the Philippines, FOX8 in Australia, SKY 1 in New Zealand, e.tv in South Africa, SIC Radical in Portugal and AFN Xtra and in Saudi Arabia and Middle East on Showtime Arabia ShowSports 4.

Contents

WWE acquired Extreme Championship Wrestling and its video library in 2003 and later began reintroducing ECW through a series of DVDs and books. The enormous popularity of ECW merchandise prompted WWE to organize ECW One Night Stand, an ECW reunion pay-per-view in 2005. The financial and critical success of the event motivated WWE to organize a second One Night Stand the following year. With rejuvenated interest in the ECW product, WWE began exploring the possibility of reviving the promotion full time. On May 26, 2006, WWE announced the launch of ECW as a stand-alone brand, congruous to RAW and SmackDown!, with its own show on the Sci Fi Channel.[2] Despite initial concerns that professional wrestling would not be accepted by the Sci Fi Channel's demographic, network President Bonnie Hammer stated that she believed ECW would fit the channel's theme of "stretching the imagination".[3] Sci Fi Channel is owned by NBC Universal, parent company of USA Network and exclusive cable broadcaster of WWE programming.

The ECW brand initially attempted to differentiate itself from WWE's other brands. The hard cameras were placed in a different location and the ring mat had an ECW logo on it. The male performers were also referred to as "Wrestlers", and later, "Extremists" as opposed to Superstars, and female performers were called "Vixens" instead of Divas. It also featured original ECW talent. Later however, changes were made to differentiate it from the original ECW promotion, including changing the original promotion's rules where weapons were legal in all matches and there were rarely any count outs or disqualifications. WWE now classifies such matches as having "Extreme Rules", and are only fought when specified. The only pay-per-view event hosted exclusively by the ECW brand since its launch was December to Dismember in December 2006. On March 14, 2007, before another one could be scheduled, WWE announced that all future pay-per-views would feature all three brands.[4]

Former ECW owner Paul Heyman served as the on air "ECW Representative". According to an interview in the UK newspaper The Sun, Heyman wrote the brand's weekly scripts and submitted them to writers for possible changes, and then Vince McMahon for final approval. Following the 2006 December to Dismember pay-per-view event Heyman was relieved from both his on and off air duties with World Wrestling Entertainment.[5] After Heyman left, there was no ECW authority figure until August 14, 2007, when Armando Estrada was announced as the General Manager.

The ECW set used from October 31, 2006 - present
The ECW set used from October 31, 2006 - present

ECW's weekly series was originally given a thirteen episode run as a "summer series" on the Sci Fi Channel. The premiere received a 2.79 rating, making it the highest rated show on cable in its time slot.[6] Because of its good ratings it was granted an extended run through the end of 2007.[7] On October 23, 2007, the network renewed the series through 2008.[8]

While the show started out a ratings success, it began drawing criticism from fans of the original ECW early on. This was most evident by the negative crowd reaction "old school" fans gave the main event of Batista vs. the Big Show at the August 1, 2006 show from Hammerstein Ballroom.[9][10]

On October 16, 2007 a "talent exchange" was started between the SmackDown! and ECW brands, allowing their respective talent to appear on either brand.[11][12]

At ECW's launch, WWE.com introduced Hardcore Hangover, a video feature which allowed fans only in the United States to stream or download video footage from the weekly show.[13] On October 16, 2007 it was replaced by a new feature which made full episodes of the show available for streaming on WWE.com the day after they aired. After gathering a list of names from fans and conducting an online poll, the feature was named ECW X-Stream on October 31, 2007.[14]

ECW brand shows are held in large arenas as a part of the SmackDown! brand's Tuesday taping schedule. This is in sharp contrast to the original Extreme Championship Wrestling which ran most of its events in smaller venues.[15] The show generally airs live on Tuesdays directly before — when touring the west coast — or after SmackDown! has taped[16][17], though it has been recorded and placed on a broadcast delay until later in the night depending on what circumstances dictate.[18]

ECW's initial theme song was "Bodies" by Drowning Pool, which had been used by WWE for Extreme Championship Wrestling since before the brand was established. Currently however, the theme song for the ECW brand is "Don't Question My Heart" sung by Kyle Morrison of the band Shattersphere.[1]

Championship Current champion Date won Date aired
ECW Champion CM Punk September 1, 2007 September 4, 2007

General Manager Date Started Date Finished
Paul Heyman1 June 7, 2006 December 4, 2006
Armando Estrada2 August 14, 2007 Present

1 ^  Served as "ECW Representative".

2 ^  Announced by Jonathan Coachman as an order from Mr. McMahon.

Commentators Year(s)
Joey Styles and Tazz June 2006-Present

Ring announcer Year(s)
Justin Roberts June 2006-September 2007
Tony Chimel September 2007-Present

Segment Segment Type Host Years Active Notes
Kelly's Exposé Strip Tease Kelly Kelly 2006 The first segment in ECW, featuring Kelly Kelly performing a short striptease for the crowd.[19]
Extreme Exposé Dance Performance Kelly Kelly
Layla
Brooke		 2007 When Kelly Kelly returned in January, she was joined by fellow divas Layla, and Brooke, forming a three woman dance troupe. The new group took over the Kelly's Exposé spot, dancing in costume to a different song nearly every week.[20] Brooke was released from the company on November 1, 2007[21] dissolving the team.
Striker's Classroom Interview/Other Matt Striker 2006-present A segment where Matt Striker, acts as a pompous teacher (his former real-life profession) and insults the audience and his fellow wrestlers' intellectual capacity. The segment is used as a promo or an interview segment.
15 Minutes Of Fame Wrestling Challenge John Morrison 2007 While Morrison was ECW Champion, if a challenger—either a "hometown wrestler" or someone from the roster—could defeat him, or last a full 15 minutes without being defeated by him, they would earn a future championship match.[22]

  1. ^ a b Shattersphere Frontman Kyle Morrison on Extreme Championship Wrestling. Shattersphere.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-10. “Shattersphere frontman Kyle Morrison has been chosen to sing the brand new Extreme Championship Wrestling theme song titled "Don't Question My Heart."”
  2. ^ WWE brings ECW to Sci Fi Channel. WWE. Retrieved on 2006-06-02.
  3. ^ Sci Fi grapples with summer wrestling series. Retrieved on 2006-05-21. “"It will have a nice little twist that will fit in the brand"”
  4. ^ WWE Pay-Per-Views to follow WrestleMania format. Retrieved on 2007-03-21.
  5. ^ Heyman out. Retrieved on 2006-12-23.
  6. ^ Sci Fi Channel pins the competition with ECW's triumphant return to television. The Futon Critic. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  7. ^ Sci Fi Channel Extends ECW. Retrieved on 2006-10-11.
  8. ^ SCI FI Channel Reups WWE®’S ECW® Through 2008. WWE (2007-10-23). Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
  9. ^ The New ECW? "End that Chanting, Now!". Online Onslaught. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  10. ^ ECW on SciFi Reax #1. Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  11. ^ Partnership Forming?. WWE (October 16, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  12. ^ Setting the night on fire. ECW results. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  13. ^ Hardcore Hangover. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  14. ^ Watch it Again Exclusively on WWE.com. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-10-17.
  15. ^ The History of Extreme Championship Wrestling. Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  16. ^ WWE Makes Changes To Compete With WSX. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
  17. ^ ECW TV Staying Live. Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
  18. ^ WWE Smackdown! & ECW Tapings (12/12/06). Retrieved on 2007-02-07.
  19. ^ Hoffman, Brent. An Extreme Debut. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-03-29.
  20. ^ Kelly Kelly profile. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  21. ^ Brooke released. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
  22. ^ Medalis, Kara A.. John Morrison Challenges All. WWE. Retrieved on 2007-08-08.

v • d • e
Current World Wrestling Entertainment programming
Primary television RAW · Friday Night SmackDown! · ECW
Secondary television A.M. RAW · Afterburn · Bottom Line · The WWE Experience · MSG Classics
Television specials Pay-per-view · Saturday Night's Main Event
Webcasts Byte This! · Heat
On-Demand 24/7
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_Championship_Wrestling_%28WWE%29"
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