ECW On Sci Fi – September 16, 2008: They Fixed The Problem
ECW On Sci Fi
Date: September 16, 2008
Location: Sommet Center, Nashville, Tennessee
Commentators: Todd Grisham, Matt Striker
Matt Hardy’s reign continues around here and that means he still has to deal with Mark Henry. That’s quite an issue in its own right but tonight Henry has his hands full with Finlay. Other than that, last week saw the debut of a newcomer named Jack Swagger, who made quite the impact in his first match. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
Opening sequence.
Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry is confirmed for No Mercy.
Matt Hardy vs. Mike Knox
Non-title. For some reason Striker talks about the lyrics to Hardy’s theme song as Hardy and Knox fight over a headlock. Knox goes with the power by slamming him down and dropping a knee to the ribs for two. The chinlock goes on so Hardy fights up to make the comeback. One heck of a clothesline drops Hardy, who pops right back up with the middle rope elbow to the head.
The Twist Of Fate is blocked so Hardy switches to a DDT for two instead. They head outside for a double clothesline and we take a break. We come back with Hardy fighting out of another chinlock but Knox hits a not so great dropkick. Knox takes him to the corner but Hardy elbows out and….I think misses a moonsault, though he still grazes Knox anyway. Either way, Knox covers him for two and we’re back to the chinlock. Back up and Hardy’s Side Effect gets two, followed by a tornado DDT. The Twist Of Fate finishes Knox off.
Rating: B-. This turned into a pretty decent match, though they would have been better off with less time, as Knox went to the chinlock too many times. There is always a place for a hero coming back from behind against a monster and that’s what you got here. Hardy has bigger problems coming soon enough, but at least he did well against a lower level villain.
Tony Atlas thinks Matt Hardy is looking good but Mark Henry says it’s only because Hardy isn’t in there against him. Henry blames Finlay for the title loss.
Miz vs. Evan Bourne
John Morrison and Ricky Ortiz are here too. Miz takes him into the corner to start but Bourne ducks a left hand and kicks away. Bourne is sent outside, meaning the seconds can yell at each other a bit. Back in and Miz forearms away in the ropes as commentary discusses the stock market.
An arm and leg crank have Bourne in more trouble but he fights out, only to get dropped with a heck of a clothesline. Bourne is back up with a kick to the head and a running hurricanrana. Miz goes up and gets thrown back down, only for Morrison to trip Bourne. Ortiz cuts that off and Bourne gets a rollup pin.
Rating: C+. Miz was clearly getting better in the ring at this point and was turning from a joke to a joke who could do some things between the ropes for a change. That’s the kind of development you do not see very often and it’s nice to see it happening here. At the same time, Bourne is already looking like someone worth watching and Ortiz…well have you seen Miz and Bourne?
Raw Rebound.
Jack Swagger vs. Chase Stevens
Swagger wrestles him down to start but Stevens manages to get in a shot of his own. That earns him a drive into the corner, followed by a running knee. The belly to belly drops Stevens again and the Blue Thunder Bomb finishes Stevens fast.
Finlay vs. Mark Henry
Hornswoggle and Tony Atlas are here too and this is fallout from Finlay hitting him with the shillelagh last week. Finlay circles him a bit to start before getting knocked down with an elbow to the head. Henry goes with the power but Finlay is back up to forearm away. That earns him a standing body block as Henry isn’t having any of this. Finlay gets knocked into the announcers’ table and we take a break.
We come back with Henry sending Finlay into the apron as Striker talks about people crying at the ocean. Henry slams him down again as Striker moves on to Undertaker beating Hogan in this town six years ago. Finlay fights back and hits some forearms to the chest but Atlas shoves Hornswoggle. That lets Henry go after Hornswoggle so Finlay gets in a Shillelagh shot to the arm.
Finlay works on the arm back inside and gets two off a rollup. It’s so close that the fans pop for the count but the referee has to wave it off. Finlay sits on the chest and goes after the arm again but Henry powers him into the corner. The splash sets up the World’s Strongest Slam to give Henry the pin.
Rating: B-. Finlay is one of those unique stars who can make almost anything work and he pulled it off here. There is only so much that you can do with someone the size of Henry, though he’s rapidly figuring out how to be a monster. Keep that up and he can play his role well, especially with a veteran like Finlay.
Overall Rating: B-. Nice enough show here, as there are some fresh stars around here to spice things up a bit. Swagger has done well to start so far and Miz and Morrison are getting that much better rather quickly. Throw in Hardy as the big star of the show and fighting the monster that is Henry and I had a good time with this one.
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