page_title: The New Breed (ECW)
section_title: Recruiting CM Punk
hierarchical_section_title: The New Breed (ECW) / History / Recruiting CM Punk
caption_attribution_description: English: CM Punk WWE Monday Night Raw 800th Tampa
context_page_description: The New Breed was a professional wrestling stable that appeared on the ECW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment in 2007. It was originally composed of Elijah Burke and Marcus Cor Von. Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, and Ariel first joined the stable in February 2007, then CM Punk briefly joined the stable in April 2007.
  The faction 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 groups 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.
context_section_description: Just prior to WrestleMania, both the New Breed and the ECW Originals began attempting to recruit CM Punk into their stables. On the April 3 episode of ECW, Cor Von eventually told Punk to choose a side, stating that Punk was either with the New Breed or against them. The following week, Punk made his decision and joined the New Breed, shaking hands with Burke in the ring. The next week, his presence immediately created tension within the group, as he berated Cor Von and Thorn for losing and undermined Burke's position as the leader of the New Breed. Later that episode, Burke faced Van Dam in a singles match. Punk attempted to interfere, sliding a steel chair into the ring, but Van Dam got to it first and hit Burke with it. Afterward, Punk apologized to Burke. The following week, Punk apologized again, but was forced by Burke to miss an eight-man elimination tag team match between the Originals and the New Breed. In retaliation, Punk attacked Burke, causing him to lose the match, and left the New Breed, before defecting to the side of the ECW Originals.
  The following week, on the May 1 episode of ECW, Burke announced a match between Thorn and Punk, which Thorn lost. After the match, Thorn quit the New Breed, as none of the other members interfered during the match to help him. That same night, Striker and Cor Von lost to the debuting tag team of The Major Brothers (Brian and Brett). Striker was pinned and as a result, Burke blamed Striker, berating him for the loss and creating tension between the two. The following week, Cor Von defeated Punk in a singles match following interference from Burke, and Burke defeated one-half of The Major Brothers, Brian. Punk gained revenge at the Judgment Day pay-per-view in late May however, when he defeated Burke in a singles match. On the next episode of ECW, Striker defeated Brett Major while Burke and Cor Von lost to the team of Van Dam and Punk by disqualification when Cor Von attacked Punk despite not being the legal man in the match. After this, Van Dam was moved into a feud with Randy Orton and Punk joined forces with Dreamer and The Sandman to replace Sabu, who had left WWE in mid-May. At the One Night Stand pay-per-view in June, Burke, Cor Von, and Striker lost to Punk, Dreamer, and The Sandman in a tables match.
caption: CM Punk was recruited by both the New Breed and the ECW Originals
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