A New Era Begins 2000: RVD and Kid Kash Topple ECW's Champions

Bilvis Wesley versus Jerry Lynn opens A New Era Begins with one of the card's most unexpected official results. Wesley receives the victory by disqualification, protecting Lynn from a direct pinfall loss while still putting an upset on the record. B- rewards the unusual result, Lynn's importance to the coming world-title picture, and the value of preserving the disqualification exactly as recorded. No reliable runtime or detailed finish is established, which limits how strongly the match itself can be graded. Its main value is contextual: Lynn loses without being pinned only weeks before his push toward the ECW World Heavyweight Championship becomes much more prominent.

Steve Corino versus Scotty Anton brings together two wrestlers whose 2000 trajectories were moving in opposite directions. Corino is increasingly important to the Network and world-title scene, while Anton is coming off the end of his program with Rob Van Dam. Corino earns the official victory. B+ rewards storyline timing, opponent credibility, Corino's upward momentum, and the usefulness of giving him another meaningful singles win. No reliable runtime or detailed finish is established, so the analysis stays with the documented outcome rather than reconstructing the match. The result helps bridge Corino from his summer feuds toward the more important championship role he will occupy later in the year.

Nova and Chris Chetti versus Hot Commodity continues the rapid development of ECW's late-era tag division. Hot Commodity is represented by EZ Money and Julio Dinero, while Nova and Chetti remain one of the promotion's more established young teams. Nova and Chetti earn the official victory. B rewards team continuity, useful roster positioning, a clear result, and the importance of giving both pairings another substantial appearance before the vacant tag-title tournament. No reliable runtime or finish detail is established, which keeps the grade conservative. The match matters more for the shape of ECW's tag scene than for any single documented moment inside the bout.

The Full Blooded Italians versus Christian York and Joey Matthews gives A New Era Begins another meaningful tag-team result. Little Guido and Tony Mamaluke represent the FBI, while York and Matthews are part of the younger team depth arriving in ECW's final year. The FBI earn the official victory. B+ rewards the quality of the team pairing, the value of establishing Mamaluke alongside Guido, and the timing immediately before ECW places renewed focus on the World Tag Team Championship. No reliable runtime or detailed finish is established, so the match is evaluated primarily through its participants, result, and position in the division's evolving hierarchy.

Yoshihiro Tajiri versus Psicosis is the most appealing pure wrestling matchup on A New Era Begins. Both men bring speed, striking, creative offense, and substantial international experience, giving the match a strong foundation without requiring a complicated storyline. Tajiri earns the official victory. A- rewards opponent quality, stylistic compatibility, Tajiri's importance to ECW's late-era in-ring identity, and the value of a decisive singles result. No reliable runtime or finish detail is established, so specific sequences are not reconstructed. Even with that limitation, the matchup has enough demonstrated pedigree to stand as one of the clearest reasons to seek out material from the August 19 card.

Mikey Whipwreck versus Pat Tanaka is a veteran singles match that gives Whipwreck another useful victory before his tag-team role becomes more important. Tanaka provides an experienced opponent with a long résumé, while Whipwreck remains one of ECW's most recognizable original-era names. Whipwreck earns the official win. B rewards veteran credibility, a decisive result, and the timing immediately before Whipwreck's partnership with Tajiri becomes central to the World Tag Team Championship picture. No reliable runtime or finish detail is established, which limits the ceiling. The match is more important for maintaining Whipwreck's momentum than for creating a standalone historical moment.

The Blue Boy versus Pitbull #1 is one of the lower-stakes singles matches on A New Era Begins. The Blue Boy earns the official victory, adding a clear result to a card otherwise dominated by wrestlers more directly connected to ECW's championship programs. B- rewards the decisive outcome, roster variety, and the value of preserving the complete nine-match card. No reliable runtime or detailed finish is established, and the result does not materially reshape the promotion's late-2000 direction. The match therefore remains a secondary attraction. It is useful for completeness and for fans following either wrestler, but it is not one of the event's priority viewing choices.

Tommy Dreamer, Danny Doring, and Roadkill versus Simon Diamond, Johnny Swinger, and C. W. Anderson combines a top ECW veteran with several of the promotion's most active developing tag wrestlers. Dreamer's side earns the official victory. B+ rewards six-man structure, roster depth, storyline compatibility, and the value of giving Doring and Roadkill another meaningful win before the tag-title tournament. Diamond, Swinger, and Anderson also gain another high-profile grouping that keeps their heel presence strong. No reliable runtime or finish detail is established, so the analysis avoids reconstructing a closing sequence. The match stands out as one of the card's strongest pieces of divisional positioning.

Rob Van Dam and Kid Kash versus Justin Credible and Rhino gives A New Era Begins its strongest headline result. Credible enters as ECW World Heavyweight Champion and Rhino as ECW World Television Champion, but neither title is listed as being defended. RVD and Kash earn the official non-title victory. A- rewards star power, championship context, the significance of defeating both singles champions, and the momentum it gives Kash before his Television Championship opportunity later in August. No reliable runtime or detailed finish is established, so the result is not embellished. The match is historically useful because it links RVD's Rhino rivalry with Kash's rapid rise in one main event.