Transposing the servo and ESC connections into the TX, does the servo respond to the TX stick that was the throttle?
If not does it respond to any other stick?
Does the ESC still just show a red light on power-up?
If so, then the BEC in the ESC is supplying power to the system, but the control electronics in the ESC is not seeing a control signal from the RX.
Since the motor works direct to battery, that should be OK, and it is obviously a brushed type. I'm not familiar with it, and the only references that turn up on a google are to a company that makes joysticks and suchlike, but I assume that it is within the capabilities of the ESC.