By Mr. Mal Occhio

E-C-W! E-C-W! E-C-W! E-C-W! E-C-W!

You just can’t keep a good league down: hardcore wrestling’s best-known brand is coming back to life, ECW - thanks to Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

A true original destroyed initially by financial peril – front man Paul Heyman still allegedly owes dozens of wrestlers great sums of money from its previous run – Extreme Championship Wrestling is set to return to the wrestling scene as a separate brand of World Wrestling Entertainment.

Plans have already been announced this week that cover several key aspects its resurrection, among them being the signing of a three-year contract with the Homicidal, Genocidal, Suicidal Arabian Assassin - Sabu. The deal is reportedly one-year guaranteed, with each year thereafter available for renewal at the WWE’s choosing. 

Let Mr. Mal be the first to rise to his feet in applause – not only at the news of ECW’s return – but more so at the more-than-deserving Sabu actually getting a guaranteed deal. Few performers have put their own body on the line (not to mention those of his opponents) for longer and a greater clip than Sabu. No more will he have to travel town to town, working for peanuts in front of a few dozen fans, only to barely be able to limp off to his car after the show, dragging his suitcase behind him.

He has earned this contract in true blood, sweat and tears, not to mention battling back from a near-fatal illness only months ago. If ever you have seen a live performance from Sabu, and Mr. Mal has been lucky enough to see him work probably a half-dozen times, it is not something you soon forget.

Some guys grimace to sell their opponents offense, others show that they are in pain from taking a difficult bump – but Sabu? I’m sure even brushing his teeth some mornings, or even just getting out of bed, are tasks that must seem Herculean at first thought. 

This man deserves his day in the sun. Say what you will about McMahon – and God know, Mr. Mal has said a lot – but he too, is worthy of plaudits in this signing. In a related deal, Sabu is also going to have his own likeness included in the upcoming line of WWE Classic Superstars line. Again, well-earned, and sure to join my collection along with his previous ECW edition (in two colors – and yes – Mr. Mal has them both).

Does his legend even need recalling? If you are reading this blog, surely you should be familiar with some of his most-classic work. And if not? Shame on you – go get some tapes, somewhere, somehow, and get caught up on one of the sports’ true unheralded icons.

Really, you could almost start and end with the clash from August 9, 1997 at ECW’s Born To Be Wired PPV, with Sabu opposing the equally-insane Terry Funk. Capturing the ECW title proved to be too-attractive of a prize to resist, and Sabu (after becoming entangled in the wire, shredding his bicep in the process) literally taped his detached arm muscle back together to finish the match. It has to be seen to be believed, as is the ending when attendants have to literally cut-away the wire in order to remove Sabu. Unbelievable guts for little glory.

Somewhere, the Original Sheik is surely smiling at the good fortune now presented to his nephew after years of grinding it out for whoever paid to see him. Let’s hope it brings this wrestling warrior everything he so-rightfully has coming to him.

So much to talk about with this ECW return – stay tuned to Wrestler’s Ramblings for all the latest with special analysis that only your pal Mal can provide. And tell your friends! Thanks for reading!

sources:
official sabu.com
lords of pain.net

All photos copyright Wrestler’s Ramblings and Mr. Mal Occhio - all rights reserved

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 30th, 2006 at 4:00 pm and is filed under WWE News and Views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.