ECW TV report by Ryan Capuano
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Date: 7/1/08, live from (And who would have thought that I owe it all to) Tulsa, OK
Pre-Show Thoughts:
The good news is that CM Punk is now the champion on the highest rated wrestling show on television. The bad news is that he won it in such an unconvincing fashion that what could have been an even grander moment is reduced to a mark out moment for die hard fans of the man himself and of his work in the indie leagues. If they book his run properly from here on out, then I will forgive this hasty rush to put the belt on him in the first place.
As for the Intercontinental Championship, it might as well not even exist after the way it was won and successfully defended last night. Absolute crap. I know its importance has been buried in the past, but to make your champion look that wee is absolutely unforgivable.
I can't comment fully on Night of Champions because I was sick this weekend and was so hopped up on pain killers and the grease from the sweet potato fries I ordered at the bar that even attempting to review the show would be fruitless, because I probably shouldn't have even been there in the first place. So I can comment only on the results. But that would essentially be repeating everything Todd Martin put in his report yesterday, which is the disadvantage to recapping a Tuesday show. I like the new youthful direction they're going with the product, but I'm skeptical of how they're doing it right off the bat. Hopefully they don't blow it and another Golden Age is right around the bend.
Oh, and Eyeless McGee is the new ECW Champion. How grand.
Show Review:
Mark Henry is out to start us off this week, all smiles. You know, at least he made it seem like his title win meant a damn. It's one positive. He calls himself the savior of ECW, as he has kept the ECW title from going to RAW. He says he is the epitome of what a champion is. And nobody-- cue Tommy Dreamer and Colin Delaney. Dreamer challenges for the title. Henry talks about his time passed in 1998. He's one to talk, isn't he? He says he and his friend should take a walk. Dreamer says that Delaney represents the heart and soul of ECW: every time he gets knocked down, he gets back up. Every time he gets beaten in a fight, he comes back for more. Dreamer points out Tazz and the fact that he broke his neck for that belt. He puts over the history of the belt. Henry says Dreamer doesn't deserve a shot. He has to earn it. So if Delaney beats Henry tonight, Dreamer gets a title shot. Wow. Just... wow. All things considered, Henry showed a lot more personality on the mic here than I think he has in his entire career. But seriously.
Matt Hardy, Hornswoggle, and Finlay are backstage walking to the ring.
This arena is very small.
Matt Hardy, Finlay, and Hornswoggle vs. Chavo Guerrero, The Miz, and John Morrison w/ Bam Neely
I'm going to go the way of Todd Martin and only recap big spots tonight because my computer is acting screwy and I want to get this in on time. The faces work over Miz to start off the match, but Finlay is eventually backed into the corner, and Morrison tags in. Finlay takes back control with an atomic drop shortly afterwards. He works over Morrison a little more, but Morrison tags to Chavo and now Chavo goes to work. The heels triple-team Finlay in the corner, and he is tossed to the outside. Chavo goes for a baseball slide, but Finlay does the pulling the ring apron spot. Hornswoggle hits a plancha on Miz and Morrison as we go to commercial.
Back from commercial Chavo is working over Hardy, leading to the heels beating him down for a good while. Hardy is eventually able to hit the Side Effect out of nowhere on Morrison and makes the hot tag to Finlay. Finlay does his thing until Morrison interrupts. Hornswoggle hit the tadpole splash on Chavo behind the ref's back, and Finlay followed up with the Celtic Cross. The good guys win.
FINAL RATING: **1/2 Pretty basic stuff, but a lot fun and the crowd heat was great for it. Adding a Hardy brother and Finlay to this show really did wonders, but they might be better off not using them in the same match, as they need to maintain interest for a full hour, and Delaney and Henry as a main event match won't do it.
The RAW Rebound focuses on Punk winning the title. Just remember who was there when he first won that ECW belt last September.
Delaney and Dreamer are backstage. Delaney reassures him that he'll do just fine ni the match tonight. Right.
Atlas Dabone of FCW and OVW fame is backstage with Teddy Long and Tiffany. Apparently Dabone is the newest acquisition for the show, an he's wrestling under the name of Atlas Ortiz. Armando Estrada interrupts. He wants a contract. So he's wrestling Ortiz next. Long mentions a new Superstar Initiative, meaning he's bringing up a bunch of guys from developmental to this show. So hopefully, they bring up Ortiz's tag partner from FCW, Colt Cabana.
Atlas Ortiz vs. Armando Estrada
Ortiz uses the offense Al Snow taught him (re: headlocks), but misses a shoulder thrust in the corner. Estrada takes control and works him over with a series of armbars and wrist locks. A "Let's go Atlas" chant breaks out. He's able to power out of an armbar and nail some arm drags of his own. He hits a big back body drop and a high dropkick for two. He headbutts Estrada and rolls him up with a backslide to get a three.
FINAL RATING: DUD Ortiz has a lot of charisma and is a complete showman. I saw him wrestle a dark match against Nick Nemeth at a RAW taping back in January and this match was almost identical in its layout, so if it wasn't good enough to get on HEAT, what does that tell you? If Ortiz can tighten up his offense and add more complex moves to his repertoire, he will have absolutely no problem getting over.
WWE Did You Know: The WWE is broadcasting in 23 languages in more than 130 nations worldwide. An aside about that. In a recent documentary called Where In the World Is Osama bin Laden? (from the director of Super Size Me), there are several scenes where the director comes across people watching it in their homes, as well as several street vendors in Middle Eastern countries selling John Cena and Rey Mysterio merchandise. They have no idea that it's fake in that part of the world. Also, there was a Lebanese movie I saw back in April, featuring a kid watching an episode of RAW with Chris Masters and Shelton Benjamin. It's all the more humorous because it was actually produced last year. Either way, if nothing else, the WWE provides entertainment to every type of person you could imagine, and I give them credit for that.
Colin Delaney w/ Tommy Dreamer vs. Mark Henry
Henry actually uses that move that Stacy Keibler used on Trish Stratus by stepping on the hair and pulling the arms up, stretching the body. Delaney gets some offense in, but Henry just tosses him around in an impressive display of power, eventually finishing him off with the World's Strongest Slam.
FINAL RATING: DUD Were you expecting anything higher?
Final Thoughts:
It's very obvious that the show is in a transitional period because there was very little going on here tonight, even in terms of the main event program, which was booked horribly tonight. We know Henry is the World's Strongest Man, but wouldn't they have benefited more from Dreamer going over a credible superstar in the quest for his title shot instead of handing us a squash match as a main event?
That'll do it for this week. I don't have anything else to add, but go see Wall-E. It was excellent. See you next week.
{plug}
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