NEWS: |Matt B| ECW starts with a moment to remember Mike Awesome.

In the arena the New Breed come out. Burke says last week the New Breed beat the Originals using brutality, skill and brilliance. Striker says the lesson will continue this week because the New Breed picks Kevin Thorne to wrestle tonight. Sabu, Dreamer, RVD and Dreamer come to the aisle and discuss who’s going to wrestle Thorn. They choose RVD and the bell rings. Knee to the gut, right hands and an Irish whip by Thorn. Thorne runs into a reverse elbow and RVD takes him down with a body scissors. Forearms and right hand by Thorne followed by a reverse elbow. The two fight in the corner with exchange of right hands. Stiff kick to the face by RVD and an over the top rope clothesline. RVD then jumps over the top rope and splashes Thorne. Thorne thrown back into the ring and RVD hops on the apron. But Burke attacks RVD from behind and a brawl ensures between the New Breed and Originals. Referees run out to maintain order as we go to commercial. We’re back and RVD kicks out of a cover. The Originals and the New Breed have been sent to the back to regain control. RVD hits a flying kick after being thrown against the ropes. Right hands by Thorne and some from RVD. Two clotheslines and a kick by RVD and then a spinning heel kick. Rolling Thunder by RVD and a cover…One…Two…Shoulder up. Another kick to the head by RVD and he hops on the top rope. Jumping side kick by RVD makes it mark and he then hits a flying cross body. Samoan Drop by Thorne, but he can’t get the pinfall. Throne lifts up RVD, but RVD counters into a roll up. Another kick to Thorne takes him down and RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash…One…Two…Three. Winner, Rob Van Dam.

Our next match is a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match between CM Punk and Johnny Nitro w/ Women’s Champion Melina. Bells rings and match starts with a roll up by Punk. Nitro kicks out quickly. Head lock take down by Punk into a choke. Nitro reverses it, but then Punk reverses it into a hammer lock. Elbow by Nitro and a head lock on Punk. Leg lariat by Punk, but no pinfall. Kicks to the body by Punk, but a Irish whip by Nitro. Punk hits the turnbuckle hard and Nitro follows with a springboard side kick. Crossfaces by Nitro and again no pin. Uppercut by Nitro. Nitro goes for a hip toss, but Punk reverses it into a roll up. No pin for Punk. Punk taken down by Nitro and a spinning leg drop. Forearms by Nitro over and over again. Head vice by Nitro, but Punk gets to his feet. Right hands by Punk and some from Nitro too. Running forearm, clotheslines, reverse elbow and stiff kick by Punk. Knees by Punk and a running knee to the face. Bulldog by Punk. Double underhook backbreaker by Punk…One…Two…Shoulder up. Punk goes to the apron and looks for a move, but Melina grabs him. This allows Nitro to get on him with a knee to the face. Punk hung up on the middle rope and Nitro hits a buzz saw spinning kick! Punk is flat on his back and Nitro goes for a corkscrew moonsault, but Punk Moves! Punk lifts up Nitro on his shoulders, pops him up and then drops him. On the way down, Punk blasts Nitro in the face with a knee…One…Two…Three! Winner and participant in the Money in the Bank Match, CM Punk.

Backstage, Kennedy is interviewed by Rebecca. Kennedy beat Lashley at No Way Out (02.15.07) and he has beaten several world champions, but Kennedy cannot understand why Hardcore Holly is in the match. It should be Kennedy vs Lashley, not Kennedy vs Lashley vs Holly. Holly interrupts Kennedy and tells him this is ECW and life is not fair.

Our next match is a tag match between La Resistance and The Luchos (sp?). La Resistance win within 10 seconds with a double suplex-neck breaker combo. As La Resistance walk to the back, Snitsky runs out and kicks the fallen tag team straight in the head.

Video of Lashley’s family talking about the ECW Champion and is early years.

Our next segment is Kelly’s Expose.

Video of the imminent inductino of Curt Hennig into the 2007 Hall of Fame.

Our main event is here and it’s a Triple Threat Title Match between Bobby Lashley (c), Ken Kennedy and Hardcore Holly. The bell rings and Lashley jumps Holly. Right hands by the champ on Holly until Kennedy joins the fight. Holly and Kennedy take turns beating Lashley in the corner. Lashley explodes out with clotheslines and reverse elbows on Kennedy & Holly. Shoulders to the gut on Kennedy. Rake to the eyes by Kennedy and he throws Lashley into the ring post shoulder first. Kennedy delivers a side suplex on Holly and covers…One…Two…Shoulder up. Kennedy beats on Lashley in the corner as he stomps and chokes the champ with his boot. Running kick to the face by Kennedy straight to Lashley’s face. Holly grabs Kennedy and hits a power bomb. Lashley gets to his feet and clotheslines Holly and hits a back body drop. Kennedy trips Lashley and pulls him to the outside. Kennedy thrown into the steel steps. Lashley tries to get back into the ring, but Holly hits a low drop kick which knows the champ back to the floor. Lashley thrown back inside by Holly and Holly locks on a choke hold. Lashley gets to his feet nad has Holly on his back. Kennedy runs in and Lashley punches him and then pushes Holly into the corner to get him off his back. Lashley on the offense with clotheslines, presses and a back body drop. Kennedy thrown out of the ring and Holly hangs up Lashley on the top rope throat first. Holly brings a chair and slides it to Lashley. Lashley picks up the chair and Holly kicks it into Lashley’s face. Alabama Slam by Holly…One…Two…Kennedy pulls the ref out. The match continues and Kennedy tries to hit Lashley with the chair, but he hits Holly when Lashley ducks it. Lashley grabs Kennedy and hits the running power slam…One…Two…Three. Winner and still ECW Champion, Bobby Lashley.

Good opening match to the show. I was expecting Thorne to win, but I’m glad RVD got the win. But I’m assuming WWE had RVD win to keep up his popularity since he lost last night to Edge. I could be wrong about that, but either way RVD won in ECW and that’s how it should be.

Overall this was a good night. It was pushing close to PPV quality matches and Nitro/Punk was the highlight of the night. Again, good night of wrestling. The crowd was hot all night and they loved all the faces, including Lashley. I’m sure Vince’s ego is even bigger right now because the fans are playing into his hands, Lashley is getting more popular.

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