Reported by David Stephens of WrestleView.com
On Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 11:22 PM EST

ECW on Sci-Fi
Green Bay, WI
September 30th 2008
Commentators: Matt Striker & Todd Grisham
Report by: David Stephens of WrestleView.com

This historic week in WWE history is continued on ECW tonight as the land of Extreme is now brought to you in high definition from the NEW timeslot of 9pm ET!

Say what you want about me on Smackdown, Mike Tedesco, but you can’t “Question My Heart” so let’s get this ECW train a rolling!

It’s great to have Todd back tonight after what JR called a troubled week in Todd’s life. Tiffany is in the ring with a bouncing Teddy Long and introduces the ECW Champion, Matt Hardy. Once he makes his way down to the ring, Tiffany introduces his opponent at No Mercy, the former ECW Champion, Mark Henry. Tony Atlas accompanies the big man down to the ring.

Teddy gets on the mic and says that he brought the two of them together, so that they can talk face to face, one last time. Henry informs Matt that he will be having a rough week considering his match against Jericho and HHH on Friday even before his match against Henry at Mercy. Hardy says he’ll do fine, Henry says he shouldn’t be there, and the beat goes on.

It looks like the two are about to fight, and Teddy Long tries to calm them down, but before he has a chance to say much, Miz & Morrison make their way down to the ring. These two really need a name for their Tag Team. Miz & Morrison say that they want Bourne and Ortiz in the ring tonight, or as they call them, the nerds. Miz & Morrison then start chanting “Nerds!” over and over again. Teddy Long says fine, but let’s not exclude the Champ and his opponent, so tonight it will be Henry, Miz & Morrison v. Hardy, Ortiz & Bourne!

****Commercial****

Jack Swagger v. Lenny Lane

This can’t be good for Lenny Lane. Swagger starts to lock up with Lane and then just checks him down to the ring. Matt Striker keeps saying “Swagger” in a Sean Connery voice. He informs Grisham that you have to say it like that, Grisham says, no you don’t. Lenny Lane hits a couple of punches but then Swagger hits a huge running knee to Lane’s face. Swagger pounds Lane down to the mat with his signature Blue Thunder Bomb and this match is over.

Winner via: Blue Thunder Bomb

After the match Swagger apparently isn’t done and hits a neck breaker on the poor kid. Tommy Dreamer runs out to make the save but Swagger slides out of the ring before any contact can be made. Tommy Dreamer will be in a match, up next!

****Commercial****

Tommy Dreamer v. Mike Knox

Knox’s beard may have wildlife in it at this point. Just an impressive piece of real estate. The two lock up in the middle of the ring and Knox starts it off with a knee to the gut and a punch to the face. Dreamer is sent to the mat with a shoulder block, but dodges an elbow drop. Tommy is whipped to the corner and blocks a splash attempt. He leaps from the second rope to attempt a shoulder block of his own but is met with a vicious clothesline. Knox jumps and lands knee first on the former ECW Champion and then locks in a chin lock. Tommy is able to get up and land some punches. He actually locks onto Knox’s beard in order to place a couple more punches.

Now Knox is sent to the mat with a bulldog and hit with an elbow drop that connects. Dreamer is in the corner but is able to counter Knox’s rush and sends Mike face first into the second turnbuckle. Dreamer runs at the corner and leaps to hit a spear but is met with nothing but steel post. Knox is able to hit his finisher, which the commentators of course don’t call by name, and this match is over!

Winner via ?: Mike Knox

After the match, Swagger decides it is time for payback and runs out to the ring and hits Dreamer with the Blue Thunder Bomb. It is such an impressive looking move.

****Commercial****

Henry, Miz & Morrison v. Hardy, Ortiz & Bourne

Miz and Evan Bourne will start things off. After the initial lock-up, Miz is able to back him in the corner and lay on the punches. Bourne won’t have any of this and hits a few punches before whipping Miz into the corner and getting laid out by a shoulder block. Miz is whipped again, but this time is laid out with a high spinning kick. Ricky Ortiz gets the tag in, and shortly thereafter so does John Morrison. Ricky Ortiz is whipped into the ropes and hits a huge shoulder block on the former ECW Champion. Ortiz goes for the pin attempt, but Morrison kicks out. Bourne gets tagged in, but Morrison sends him to the apron. Bourne flips back in and tries to bounce off the ropes, but Miz hits the cheap hot and trips him up. Morrison finishes the job by kicking him out of the ring.

Morrison is in the ring with Evan Bourne and locks in a side headlock. Morrison converts this into an arm hold of sorts. Bourne goes for a high spinning kick, but Morrison ducks out of it, and hits one of his own!. Now Miz gets in the tag. Morrison hits a cheap punch on Bourne, and Miz goes for a cover, but no luck. Miz continues the work on Evan Bourne’s arm and lays him out in the middle of the ring. Evan Bourne somehow gets up and hits a hurricarana and then rolls over to the corner and tags in Matt Hardy!

Hardy is going to town on the Miz, complete with punches, an elbow drop and the Side-Effect! Morrison comes into the ring, but is only thanked by being sent down to the mat as well. It seems that the World’s Strongest Man has had enough as he starts to make his way into the ring. Ortiz, Bourne, and Hardy are all starting him down as we head to commercial!

****Commercial****

We come back and it is Matt Hardy and Morrison in the ring. Matt Hardy has Morrison down in the middle of the ring with an arm bar locked in. Morrison gets up in the corner and attempts to reverse, but Hardy rolls through to keep the hold in place. Hardy tags in the undefeated Ricky Ortiz who continues the work on Morrison’s arm. Hardy gets tagged back in and hits his EPIC elbow before locking another arm hold on. Now Evan Bourne gets in the tag. Hardy whips Morrison to the corner and then Hardy drops to all fours and Bourne jumps off his back into Morrison for a splash. The pin attempt fails, and Bourne tags in Ricky Ortiz.

Ortiz barely touches Morison before locking up Morrison’s arm and tagging back in Evan Bourne who hits a mushroom stomp with shades of Paul London. Ortiz is tagged back in and Morrison hits a couple punches followed by a kick to the gut and tags in Mark Henry!

Mark Henry just starts to demolish Ricky Ortiz. He is knocked down over and over and Henry backs him up into the corner. Miz gets the tag in now and locks in a side headlock. Ortiz is dropped down to the mat with a clothesline and then Morrison gets in the tag. John straddles Ortiz and lays into him with one punch. Morrison locks in a head scissors hold and things aren’t looking good for Ricky Ortiz as the fans start a “You Suck” chant. Ortiz is able to stand up and hits an electric chair drop and heads to the corner, but Miz gets tagged in first and stops Ortiz’s tag!

Miz isn’t even wrestling Ortiz as he just punches Ricky in order to drive home the point before tagging in Morrison. The headlock is locked on Ricky, front style, and he is desperately trying to get to the corner. Morrison takes the second to hit a cheap shot on Hardy which allows Ricky to tag in Bourne. Evan leaps over the top rope and hits a hurricarana on Morrison!

Bourne just keeps hitting Morrison with kick after kicks from every angle imaginable. Bourne climbs to the tope rope as Morrison stands up and hits him with the double knee around the head and goes for the cover. Miz comes in to break it loose as Hardy comes in to take out the Miz, but Miz is able to toss out Hardy. Ortiz comes and decks Miz which sends them both out of the ring as Morrison makes the tag to Mark Henry. This leaves Evan Bourne and Mark Henry as the legal men, and this doesn’t look good for the high flyer!

He is able to dodge a few swings from the big man and hits multiple kicks, but Mark Henry catches him mid air on a hurricarana attempt. Henry hits the World’s Strongest Slam, and that’s all she wrote.

Winners via World’s Strongest Slam: Henry, Miz & Morrison

ECW Thoughts

How many other people are fans of the new time slot? I have to say that it makes it a lot easier for me to recap the show, and besides maybe ECW will not be open to a broader audience especially in the youth demographic that may have been unable to watch it at 10pm.

Smackdown should be really good this Friday. They are going really far to push it, and that announced matches look stellar.

If the WWE plays their cards right, I could definitely see Jack Swagger having a future of some sort, quite possibly an Intercontinental or US Champion. He has the moves and ability, the only thing that worries me is that they have avoided allowing him much mic time. I hope that’s not for a reason because I’m really hoping to see this character go places. Backstage reaction is reportedly high for the American All-American, so let’s see what he can do in a non squash match.

I think it is almost time for Mike Knox to get a title shot of some kind. He is not really in any sort of feud right now, since the Finlay saga seems to be over, so now would be a good time, maybe if Henry loses he could at least make Hardy look good for a storyline or so. As for the other man in this match, Tommy Dreamer, I’m looking forward to the Swagger/Dreamer feud that is sure to come because both men strike me as great workers. It surely can’t hurt to have a veteran like Tommy Dreamer helping you out during your first real feud.

The main event was as great as could be expected. It is very interesting to note that Miz & Morrison are involved in two completely different feuds at once. I’m really enjoying their work with Crime Time. I can’t remember the last time I saw a WWE Tag Team Feud that didn’t involve the Titles, this is great. They do however need a name by now. E-mail me your suggestions and I will pick my favorite and refer to them by that in my recaps from now on!

STOP! Why on Earth:

- Is Elijah Burke a phantom on ECW?
- Does ECW, a pretaped show, always run over?
- Are WWE.com videos impossible to play in my firefox?
- Does Hunter’s rating system still make no sense whatsoever?

Power Rankings

3 Month Rolling Rankings; ECW Title Win 5, ECW Title Loss 4, ECW Win 3, ECW Loss 2, ECW Appearance 1, PPV Title Win 10, PPV Title Loss 8, PPV Win 6, PPV Loss 4, PPV Appearance 2.

June 29th – September 30th 2008

1. Matt Hardy – 71 pts.
2. Mark Henry – 66 pts.
3. The Miz – 58 pts.
4. Finlay – 53 pts.
5. John Morrison – 49 pts.
6. Chavo Guerrero – 34 pts.
7. Hornswoggle – 31 pts.
8. Evan Bourne – 30 pts.
9. Tommy Dreamer – 30 pts.
10. Ricky Ortiz – 22 pts.

If you can fit it in try and incorporate the build up for the ECW Title in your e-mails this week. How do you feel about the build up for the match at No Mercy? Too little, too much, just right? Are these even the right men to be in the Title picture?

jugglernextdoor@gmail.com

-David Stephens

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