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Rob Van Dam
Websites
Rob
Van Dam official website TNA
Wrestling
Mr
Monday Night
ECW
Legend
2010
News
April
2010
Rob
Van Dam Wins TNA Heavyweight Championship
Robert
"Rob" Alexander Szatkowski (born December
18, 1970), better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam
(frequently shortened to RVD), is an American professional
wrestler who is currently signed to Total Nonstop
Action Wrestling.
In
the original ECW, he was a two time World Tag Team
Champion with Sabu and a one time (and the longest
reigning) World Television Champion. During his time
in WWE, he was a two time world champion, having won
the WWE Championship and ECW World Heavyweight Championship
once each. He was the first ECW World Heavyweight
Champion under the WWE banner, and the only man to
hold both the ECW and WWE Championships at the same
time. Additionally, he was a six time Intercontinental
Champion, a four time (and the final) Hardcore Champion,
a one time (and the final) European Champion, a two
time World Tag Team Champion, and a one time WWE Tag
Team Champion. He was also the winner of the Money
in the Bank ladder match in 2006. (Credit:
Wikipedia)
Extreme
Championship Wrestling
Profiles
John
Morrison Paul
Heyman Terry
Funk Mick
Foley "Cactus Jack"
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[5],
Sky Italia in Italy, Premiere in Germany, in Finland
on MTV3 MAX, FX Latin America in Latin America, Ten
Sports in India, Astro in Malaysia, Solar Sports in
the Philippines, FOX8 in Australia, The BOX in New
Zealand, e.tv in South Africa, SIC Radical in Portugaland
AFN Xtra and in Saudi Arabia and Middle East on Showtime
Arabia ShowSports 4.
Show
history
Original format
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. 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". 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 "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.
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 December to Dismember 2006 Heyman was
relieved from both his on and off air duties with
World Wrestling Entertainment. After Heyman left,
there was no ECW authority figure until August 14,
2007, when Armando Estrada was announced as the General
Manager.
ECW
on Sci Fi
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. Because
of its good ratings it was granted an extended run
through the end of 2007. On October 23, 2007, the
network renewed the series through 2008.
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.
On
October 16, 2007 a "talent exchange" was
started between the SmackDown! and ECW brands, allowing
their respective talent to appear on either brand.
Online presence
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. 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
Production
ECW's version of the universal WWE HD set has been
used since January 21,
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.[30] The show generally airs live on Tuesdays
directly before — when touring the west coast
— or after SmackDown! has taped, though it has
been recorded and placed on a broadcast delay until
later in the night depending on what circumstances
dictate.
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.
Since then the theme song has changed between a number
of different songs before settling on "Don't
Question My Heart", sung by Kyle Morrison of
the band Shattersphere. A remix of "Don't Question
My Heart" by Saliva featuring Brent Smith is
now used.
Starting
with the January 22, 2008 edition, ECW began broadcasting
in HD, along with a new HD set, which is shared among
all three WWE brands. (Credit:
Wikipedia).
Website
ECW
Press
Release
WWE(R)
Launches ECW(R) As Third Brand
STAMFORD,
Conn., May 25, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- World Wrestling
Entertainment, Inc., today announced the official
launch of ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling(R))
as a brand extension to its RAW(R) and SmackDown(R)
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.
For
more information go to ECW.com.
World
Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated
media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford,
Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles,
Toronto and London. Additional information on the
company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
Trademarks:
The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised
and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses,
slogans and wrestling moves and all World Wrestling
Entertainment logos are trademarks which are the exclusive
property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All
other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
Forward-Looking
Statements: This news release contains forward-looking
statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions
of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which
are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These
risks and uncertainties include the conditions of
the markets for live events, broadcast television,
cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, entertainment,
professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance
of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within
those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation;
risks associated with producing live events both domestically
and internationally; uncertainties associated with
international markets; risks relating to maintaining
and renewing key agreements, including television
distribution agreements; and other risks and factors
set forth from time to time in Company filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results
could differ materially from those currently expected
or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties,
our dividend is based on a number of factors, including
our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow,
strategic plan, our financial results and condition,
contractual and legal restrictions on the payment
of dividends and such other factors as our board of
directors may consider relevant.
SOURCE:
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
World
Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
Media:
Gary Davis, 203-353-5066
or
Investor:
Michael Weitz, 203-352-8642
Copyright Business Wire 2006
Press Releases 2008
WWE(R)
Smackdown (R) / ECW™ Live! Superstars Confirmed
To Tour In June
Mediaman
ECW Hall of Fame
Terry
Funk
Mick
Foley "Cactus Jack"
John
Morrison
Profiles
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World
Wrestling Entertainment
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