ECW World Heavyweight Title
STAIRWAY TO HELL

    Raven and Rob Van Dam.  One is perhaps the most hated and despised competitor to ever wear the ECW World Title.  However, the other is perhaps the most beloved ECW superstar to ever step inside the ring.  And on Sunday, July 21st, these two ECW icons will clash in what will be a match that no one will forget.  The two will go head to head in a Stairway to Hell match.  A steel chair, wrapped in barbwire will hang from the ECW arena's roof.  The first one to climb the ladder and grab it...gets to bash his opponent's skull in with it.  Better put the kids to bed.

    The rivalry began just weeks ago on the July 2nd edition of Hardcore TV.  Raven and Rob Van Dam were set to square off in a battle that would surely bring in the viewers.  As the two fought it out, it soon degraded down into an all-out streetfight.  Raven, content on showing Rob Van Dam what it took to make a name for yourself in Extreme Championship Wrestling, laid Mr. Pay Per View's arm out across the guardrail, and proceeded to slam a steel chair down across the openly exposed shoulder of Rob Van Dam, nearly snapping his arm in half!  Rob Van Dam would show his resiliency, coming out with the victory.  However, it was The Martyr who had the last laugh as his crony Stevie Richards jumped in after the bell, catching Rob Van Dam in the jaw with his infamous Stevie Kick.  RVD was easy pickings for Raven, who Evenflowed Van Dam's skull not once, but TWICE into the steel chair. 

   That Friday on TNN, Raven made an unscheduled appearance at the opening of the show.  He took the microphone, telling Van Dam that if he thought what he did to him on Hardcore TV was bad, wait until what was to come.  Rob Van Dam interrupted Raven, telling him that if he wanted to settle things once and for all, to do it now.  Raven remained in the corner, until Stevie Richards once again tried to blind The Whole F'n Show.  But Van Dam saw it coming, and laid out Raven's henchmen with a Van Daminator.  But it was too late, as Raven grabbed an unsuspecting Mr. Pay Per View and drove his skull into the mat with an Evenflow DDT.  Not stopping there, Raven used barbwire to grate the flesh off of Van Dam's forehead, leaving his face in a pool of his own blood!

   On July 9th's Hardcore TV, Raven and Rob Van Dam were once again scheduled to meet in a 'Revenge Match' after Van Dam nearly got his arm broken.  After RVD had made his way to the ring, Raven offered RVD a spot in The Nest, telling him not to deny his fate and to stand side-by-side with his Martyr.  Van Dam turned down the offer, first shaking Raven's hand and then pulling him in to a Spin Kick!  But waiting in line were Raven's dark knights, Perry Saturn and John Kronus, the returning Eliminators!  They slid into the ring, nearly taking Van Dam's head off with a 'Total Elimination' and thus leaving Mr. Pay Per View easy pickings for Raven who Evenflowed his opponent into the mat and scored the pinfall victory.

   Raven claims he has only tried to help Rob Van Dam.  He claims that he feels the pain RVD lives, the facade that is his life.  And at Heat Wave, The Martyr promises to help him, even if that means beating the holy piss out of him.  But Rob Van Dam will have nothing of it, and is going into Heat Wave with revenge on his mind!