ECW on Sci-Fi: November 11, 2008
by Samoa Rowe
They are airing from the United Kingdom. Our hosts for the festivities are Todd Grisham and Matt Striker.
John Morrison, The Miz, and Jack Swagger vs. Tommy Dreamer and Cryme Tyme
Dreamer chases Swagger out of the ring. Miz tags and aggressively goes after Dreamer. Dreamer fights Miz off and tags JTG, who immediately connects with a sunset flip. JTG overwhelms Miz and gets a near fall. Swagger tags but is soon outsmarted b y JTG. Swagger asks for Dreamer, but gets Shad instead (the modern day Ernie Ladd, according to Striker). Swagger cuts off Shad’s momentum with a body slam. Shad knocks Swagger over the ropes. Miz and Morrison get involved, and Shad clotheslines them both to the floor. Shad press slams JTG onto Swagger. Dreamer somersaults to the floor. Time for a commercial.
After the break, Morrison is working over the neck of JTG. Miz tags and assists Morrison in a double team. Cover by Miz gets 2. Striker makes a comment about being happy about Proposition 8 passing (“the voters got one thing right“)and I am considering turning the volume off. Seriously, Striker, fuck you. Back to the match, the heels are keeping the tags coming fast, and JTG is in trouble. Dreamer finally gets a hot tag and cleans house in spectacular fashion. Dreamer earns massive crowd approval with his power offense. Morrison manages to reverse Dreamer and hit the moonlight drive at 7:00 (shown) for the win. Solid match, though I have to admit I was distracted by Striker going all Fox News on commentary, **½.
Winners: John Morrison, The Miz, and Jack Swagger
-Striker and Grisham talk to ECW Champion Matt Hardy by camera. Hardy says Finlay will need all the luck of the Irish if he wants to take the title from him.
-Did you know: WWE superstars visit the troops a lot.
-Cue the John Cena documentary. He will return to challenge Chris Jericho for the World Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series.
Mark Henry (with Tony Atlas) vs. Oliver Biney
Biney is hailed from London, England, and his name is Biney, so you know he’s losing. Henry smashes and kicks. Henry corners Biney but misses a charge. Biney runs into a clothesline and eats the World’s Strongest Slam, giving Henry the win at 1:24. Nothing to see here, DUD.
Winner: Mark Henry
-Todd Grisham enters the ring and congratulates Henry for his victory. He asks who he feels will win the ECW title match tonight. Henry just breathes heavily (squashing Biney was hard work, eh?) and leaves without saying a word.
ECW Championship:
Matt Hardy © vs. Finlay (with Hornswoggle)
Both men receive great pops from the crowd during their entrances. They lock up and have a shoving contest. Finlay makes a clean break in the ropes. Finlay works the head, Hardy reverses and goes after the arm. Finlay reverses with a hammerlock and transitions to the head. Finlay is shoved off, but hits a shoulder block for a near fall. Side headlock takedown by Hardy. Finlay escapes and strikes the head. Finlay is in control while a dueling chant breaks out. Hardy fights back, knocking Finlay to the floor. Hornswoggle hides under the ring and we head to a commercial.
We’re back, and Hardy is in control in the ring. Bulldog gets a cover for 2. Hardy signals the finish, but Hornswoggle distracts from the apron. Finlay knocks Hardy into Hornswoggle by accident, sending his son crashing to the floor. Finlay is pissed and knocks Hardy in and out of the ring. Back to the ring, it’s time for an Irish chinlock! The fight returns to the floor, where Hardy throws Finlay into the barricade. Finlay strikes the throat and hits a short-arm clothesline. Finlay is in control and it’s time for another commercial.
After the break, Finlay is bruising Hardy in the ring. Cover by Finlay gets two. Hardy fights back with the side effect and gets a near fall. Sometime they should consider letting Hardy win with that move. Hardy hits a second side effect and gets another two count. Finlay blocks a third side effect and gets a roll-up for 2. Finlay counters the twist of fate with a backslide for 2. Senton by Finlay gets another near fall. Finlay counters again with the Rolling Hills. Hardy catches Finlay off the top rope with an Alabama Slam. Scoop slam by Hardy and a moonsault! Cover by Hardy gets 2. They bump heads and Finlay lands in a pinning position, but Hardy gets a rope break. Twist of Fate by Hardy gets the win at 11:46 (shown). Well, that certainly came out of nowhere. Okay match, but I was expecting a lot more, **¼.
Winner and still ECW Champion: Matt Hardy
Final Thoughts: Someone needs to tell Matt Striker that this is a wrestling show, not politics, and I don’t want to hear his bigoted beliefs regarding Proposition 8. Whether it was fair or not, that soured the rest of the show for me. The wrestling was solid, but considering the buzz I’d been hearing about Finlay/Hardy on the internet all week, I was expecting a great match, and instead received a mediocre one. All around, just a flat edition.
Thumbs in the middle.
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