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Posted in In My Head by Jack at 03:52, Dec 04 2006
2006 ECW December to Dismember PPV Review
The pyro hits, the crowd erupts and the show is under way. Joey Styles and Tazz welcome us to the show. ECW promises to give us what is perhaps the ultimate in gimmick matches with the Extreme Elimination Chamber, along with some ?for one time only? tag team goodness. Is that enough to build a show around? I know of only one way to find out?
Match 1: M&M w/ Melina vs. The Hardy Boys
The match starts off with a slow pace and a little ?old school wrestling?. As the match progresses the pace picks up slightly, but with a surprisingly limited number of high spots. M&M maintain control for the majority of the match, setting up a dramatic comeback for the Hardys. However, even when the action picked up, it still did not seem like the competitors were going full speed. The crowd seemed to pick up on this, as they settled down from their rowdy initial reactions. The slower pace combined with the length of the match made things seem to drag on too long, despite the competent work done by all. In the end a swanton on both members of M&M gave the Hardys the win. There was solid work here, but it was just too slow and too long.
Following the match is an ecw.com ?exclusive? video clip with RVD talking about his upcoming Extreme Elimination Chamber match.
Match 2: Matt Striker vs. Balls Mahoney
Striker takes to the mic prior to Mahoney?s entrance to generate some cheap heat prior to the match. Things get underway with Mahoney choosing to do a little mat wrestling, but again we are presented with another slowly paced match. The two trade holds throughout the match, and it was a spine buster that gave Balls the win. Again, this was a solidly worked match, although it was also uninspired.
We then go backstage where we see an unconscious Sabu, being attended too by medical staff and being placed on a stretcher. It seems ECW is setting the stage for a last minute run-in near the end of the main event.
Match 3: Elijah Burke & Sylvester Terkay vs. F.B.I. w/ Trinity
For the first time tonight, a match starts out with a little speed as the F.B.I. start off with some quick action. The match quickly slows down a bit however, although it?s pacing is still an improvement over the last two matches. Pacing sadly was the only thing that stood out in this match, (well pacing and Trinity?s ring attire). The in ring action was standard free TV fair, with Burke and Terkay eventually getting the win. I should however note that Terkay, made use of Samoa Joe?s Muscle Buster at the end of the match and Styles referred to it with same name.
Once again we go backstage just in time to see Sabu being loaded into an ambulance and about to be taken from the building.
Match 4: Daivari w/ The Great Khali vs. Tommy Dreamer
This match starts out with a nice mix of wrestling and brawling, with Dreamer taking the early lead until interference by Khali, interference that gets Khali ejected from ringside. Once Khali leaves the arena, the match slows down to the point that the crowd begins to entertain themselves by starting various chants. In a tepid match, Daivari wins with a rollup in the center of the ring. Following the match Khali delivers his two handed choke slam to Dreamer on the steel entry ramp, which is followed by an ?I can?t feel my feet? injury spot, (a little much considering they just stretchered out Sabu a few moments before). Miraculously dreamer makes a full recovery and leaves the arena under his own power.
Backstage Paul Hayman meets with Bob Holly, and informs him that he will be Sabu?s replacement in the main event.
Match 5: Mike Knox & Kelly Kelly vs. Kevin Thorn & Ariel
The match starts out with Knox and Thorn in a typical ?big man? match. The two brawl for several minutes before Ariel tags herself in, and demands Kelly tag into the match as well. Once she enters the ring, Kelly acts as Ariel?s punching bad, in between the spots designed to allow Ariel to give the crowd a good look at her thong. Once Kelly makes it to her corner to get a tag, Knox leaves the ring, (to the cheers and applause of some), leaving her to fend for herself. Ariel gets the pin soon after. Following the match, Ariel ?takes liberties? with her beaten opponent, prompting the Sandman to make his way to ringside, and administer a thorough caning to Thorn.
We then go backstage for an uber quick interview with Bobby Lashley, followed by Paul Haymen taking to the ring and introducing the main event.
Match 6: Big Show vs. C.M. Punk vs. Test, vs. Bobby Lashley vs. RVD vs. Bob Holly ? ECW Heavyweight Championship match
The match starts off with RVD and Holly in the chamber. The two use the chamber as a weapon very early on, much to the delight of the crowd, but despite their brawling, one gets the sense that they are primarily killing time until the first contestant is released from one of the pods. C.M. Punk and his steel chair gets his freedom first, and does some nice work with RVD. However once again, after a few minutes you get the feeling that it?s ?kill the clock? time. Test gets the nod next and goes after Punk and RVD with crowbar in hand. Strangely however, it is again interaction between Punk and RVD that steals the show. RVD pins Punk, followed by a quick pin of Holly by Test. RVD is then eliminated after Test hits an elbow from the top of the pod. At this point it seems less of a match, and more of a series of scripted pin spots. Lashley is due in next, but is prevented from leaving his pod by Hayman?s ?goon squad?. Eventually, Lashley is able to break out of his pod and meets Test in the ring. Things return of a more typical match flow at this point, with Lashley brutalizing Test and then pinning him, leaving Lashley in the ring and Big Show trapped in his pod. Big Show is finally released, and the last fall of the main even begins. The two do a good job of telling a power vs. power story, throwing each other around the ring and through parts of the chamber. Things end rather quickly however with Lashely hiting the spear, to beat Big Show and win the ECW championship.
So there you have it: December to Dismember. Overall, I though this was a fairly bland show which ended a good 20 minutes sooner than most WWE PPVs. Frankly none of the matches felt important except for the main event, and only the RVD vs. Punk portions of the match really stood out. The Hardys made minimal use of their trademark high flying antics, so their ?final tag team match? wasn?t very memorable, and all the other matches belonged on free TV. The only redeeming quality I found in any of them was that the WWE saved the Kelly Kelly/Mike Knox break up for a PPV. I don?t think there is any reason to buy this show, not even Trinity?s outfit or Ariel?s thong can make this PPV worth seeing.
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