But one stands out as probably the biggest PPV misfire in the entire history of the WWE. A show that all but killed off the already mishandled third brand that was ECW in WWE. A show that ended Paul Heyman's working relationship with the company for 6 years. A complete bomb that left fans, management and the wrestlers unhappy.
That show was 2006's December To Dismember.
In essence, it was a PPV title defense for reigning ECW Champion The Big Show. Set to defend his title in an Extreme Elimination Chamber brawl against Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Bobby Lashley, CM Punk and Test.
Except Sabu, the one true ECW fighter in the mix, was kayfabe injured before the undercard match even started. Sending in Bob Holly as his replacement.
There was also the small goof of Joey Styles spoiling the entire event during the opening commentary, accidentally blurting out there was going to be a new ECW Champion. The PPV never got back on the tracks from there, and the backstage fighting with management was a big factor.
Heyman saw big potential in the then up-and-coming CM Punk, even being backed by Big Show to put Punk over that night. Vince McMahon however was deadset on putting over Lashley, who fit McMahon's famous preference for putting over big, musclebound wrestlers.
McMahon won out in the end, Lashley claiming the title after spearing Big Show, to a Crowd Chant of "Where's our refund?" Paul Heyman would leave the company for the next 6 years, only returning in 2012 on the urging of Brock Lesnar, the WWE ECW brand would putter on until being cancelled in 2010, and December To Dismember would go down as the having the lowest buyrate in WWE history, and a rightful title as one of the worst PPV, if not the worst PPV, of all time.
This event contains examples of:
- An Ass-Kicking Christmas: The general theme of the show.
- Broke the Rating Scale: Dave Meltzer was not kind to the event. Giving the Kevin Thorn and Ariel vs. Mike Knox and Kelly Kelly match a -1. And giving Daivari vs. Tommy Dreamer a rating of "DUD".
- Irony: Vince threw out Heyman's original plans to push CM Punk in favor of Bobby Lashley, who he was high on at the time. Lashley barely lasted another year in the company before being released, having never become a world championnote ; he would return over a decade later and it would take another three years for him to get over enough to justify a world title reign. Punk, meanwhile, lasted another eight years in the company, won multiple world titles (and two Money in the Bank ladder matches), and eventually became the biggest star the company had produced in years, with Popularity Power to rival the likes of John Cena. While Punk's relationship with WWE soured far more harshly than Lashley's did, his tenure with them nonetheless proved Heyman was correct about his potential.
- Spoiler Opening: As mentioned above, what little tension was there was killed early when Styles accidentally spoiled that Big Show would not be keeping his title.
- Take This Job and Shove It: After the mishandling of his former promotion in McMahon's hands, Heyman was gone after the show ended.
