Tuesday Night Turmoil: Going For Gold

While ECW has been under some criticism recently, tonight presented a pretty strong line-up. Santino and Layla against Kofi and Kelly, as well as CM Punk against Burke and Benjamin, in my eyes those are two solid matches. The first match not as much, but Kofi and Santino are both solid in their own right.

Tommy Dreamer and the newly signed Colin Delaney against M’n’M 2.0 and Stevie Richards and Mike Knox were the two other matches slated for ECW tonight. Mike Knox isn’t that good but Stevie is Stevie. I still don’t know where they are going with the Delaney gimmick, but I am curious to see where they do go.

If you’d have told me a month ago that Colin Delaney would be a part of a pretty big storyline I’d have laughed. Obviously though, he is. I liked the segment backstage where he asked Dreamer if Dreamer thought he could have his own music one day. That was awesome. I’m no longer in the anti-Colin camp. I’ve converted to in the middle.

I wonder though where they are going to take him. I don’t see him as a top guy, and I really don’t see him as a solid mid-carder. I can see it happening, but at the same time I don’t. You could play xylophone on his ribs and unless he gets on the steroid diet, I don’t see that changing either. Wrestlers takes no shortcuts…right, I have no detractors either.

As far as M’n’M 2.0 goes, I’m glad to see them lose, but I honestly don’t think it was time for them to lose to Dreamer and Delaney. I guess though Delaney can get his own entrance music now because he’ll be a tag team champion within two weeks. My major problem with M’n’M 2.0 is that they don’t come out together.

Morrison’s entrance is apparently really cool, so he needs the spotlight, but why not have Miz stand out of the way or join in for it? Make them look legitimate. Don’t make them that team that had a long run with the tag belts because there was nobody else to put them on. There are several teams could hold the belts and be better. Miz and Morrison live their gimmicks and that is fine, but make them look like a true team, not a random pairing.

Big Stevie Cool, what more needs to be said? I know a lot of people probably get seeing me mark out for Stevie, but dammit I don’t care. The verdict is still out on Mike Knox I guess. He came in strong when ECW returned then trickled out. I liked his gimmick, but word is he was a Heyman guy with nothing else going for him, so that may explain it.

As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t mind seeing Santino and Layla against KKKK. Kelly Kelly and Kofi Kingston, that’s a lot of Ks, Roger Clemmons like even. The match itself wasn’t bad, but the highlight of the night before the triple threat was Santino trying to get into the ring like Layla. That was awesome.

The match itself wasn’t bad, and Kelly using a modified fame Asser was a nice touch. I don’t like how the Playboy angle is what caused this match. It’s Playboy, not a serious storyline. I’ll look at the Playboy, but it’s not going to make or break anything for me, so it’s not going to add anything to any storyline for me.

The triple threat match pretty much speaks for itself. Three of the best workers out there right now going at it, and by doing so added value to the ECW title. I also liked Chavo on commentary. He kept putting himself over, but he also put those guys over, and put the title over. That’s what should be done in this situation.

It was one of the better triple threat matches I’ve seen from WWE or TNA in quite some time, but the finish wasn’t one I wanted. I realize that Punk is what draws right now, but why not have Burke pin Benjamin, or vice versa. Leave Punk out of it so he still looks strong and it gives the other two a shot at the title.

Doing this means that there will be another cheap finish, or Punk will win the belt back. That’s fine, but don’t have him lose it clean before going to “SmackDown!” The E backs themselves into a corner here, unless they can work something where Punk loses because of someone he’s going to feud with on Thursday or Friday nights, depending on when “SmackDown!” is on following the network switch, or being stripped JUST LIKE Lashley.

I don’t mind Chavo being ECW Champ, as I’ve said numerous times before. I actually like it for several reasons. I think Chavo is an underrated worker, and I also think that a guy like Chavo puts the ECW title over. He knows how to do it. Chavo/Punk for a third or fourth time won’t be bad, but I’d rather see Benjamin or Burke in that spot.

I had spoke of Benjamin and Punk at Mania, and now I don’t see it happening, but it can still happen. That’s what I’ll be pulling for, because I want to see it, and I think a strong match like that from those two workers could put ECW over at WrestleMania. Last year Bibby Lindsey didn’t defend, and hopefully this year Punk or Chavo can defend the strap at Mania.

Tha Results…
*Kofi Kingston & Kelly def. Santino Marella & Layla
*Stevie Richards def. Mike Knox
*Tommy Dreamer & Colin Delaney def. M’n’M 2.0
*CM Punk def. Shelton Benjamin & Elijah Burke to become #1 contender

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