New Breed (ECW)

The New Breed was a professional wrestling stable that appeared on the ECW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2007. It was initially composed of Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, and Ariel. CM Punk briefly joined the stable in April 2007.

The stable was created to feud with wrestlers who had been a part of the original Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) promotion in the 1990s. WWE revived ECW as a third brand in 2006, and hired several former ECW wrestlers – the ECW Originals – to compete on the brand. In early 2007, the New Breed was created when Vince McMahon, the WWE chairman, touted Burke and Cor Von as the epitome of the new ECW, while insulting the ECW Originals. Striker, Thorn, and Ariel joined the following week.

The New Breed instantly began feuding with the ECW Originals. They faced off in several matches throughout the year, including at WrestleMania 23. After this, both factions began recruiting CM Punk, who elected to join the New Breed. Two weeks later however, he turned on Burke during a match. Thorn and Ariel left the stable shortly afterward as well. The New Breed continued to feud with the Originals and Punk, and also with The Major Brothers, a new tag team who had defeated Striker and Cor Von in their debut match. By June 2007, the stable had dissolved, with the three remaining members quietly separating.