It's fun covering the A show. Not only because you have A-list stars like Miz and Morrison, but there are the other guys on the cusp of A (or E) list superstardom as far as championships and use. Matt Hardy is on the brink. Mark Henry is right there. This show is so good it's made Tony Atlas relevant again. Plug him in somewhere else and he doesn't matter in the least. Now at this point the ECW Championship revolves around him. Not only is Tony Atlas older in age, but he's old-school. He's a throwback and I welcome it. Gone are the days of the male manager that did what he needed to do to keep the strap on his guy. Bobby Heenan, the Grand Wizard, Jimmy Hart, Lou Albano, Freddie Blassie, James J. Dillon and Paul Ellering. But that's all changing now.
Tony Atlas isn't on their level, but he does have their effect. Matt Hardy and Mark Henry make this show better. Miz and Morrison make this show better. Matt Striker makes this show better and Todd Grisham doesn't hurt it either.
I want to take a minute to talk about Carlito Ortiz. He has the look, and apparently he has the charisma because they are doing all they can to get this guy over without putting him in a match that lasts five minutes. The dude, other than his name is everything Carlito was this time four or five years ago. Carlito Caribbean Cool was Carlito's gimmick, but 'O towels' are Ricky's gimmick. I still don't understand why this dude gets the crazy hair and Carlito has to go cornrowalaz.
Ricky Ortiz was set to take on a new worker in Teddy Long's roster initiative and that guy turned out to be Gavin Spears. I have no problem with the worker, but I question this slew of weaker names. Gavin Spears, Braden Walker, what's next? Todd Johnson? Gimme a Christopher Aguillera and that'll do it. Back to Ricky Ortiz for a second, how big is he? I don't think he's big enough to have a splash as his finisher, and he damn sure isn't good enough to use Tha O as a signature.
While that wasn't pitiful, I guess you could call that the low spot, but it did get better. The structure of this show was even better than the others shows. SummerSlam rematch Henry vs. Hardy was slated as the main event and everyone knew that, so how do you ensure that the match has a main event feel? Build the card around it and make sure you don't take away from it. A tag team match featuring Miz and Morrison with Chavo took on Evan Bourne, Super Crazy and Tommy Dreamer. Don't exactly get the teaming of Crazy and Dreamer other than the Originals thing, but nonetheless it was a decent five minute match. Evan Bourne finally lost without losing, so expect he and Chavo to continue their feud.Finlay and Mike Knox continued their feud. I like the way this one is building, and this should show that Mike Knox has some good things in his future. They are putting him with Finlay, and in the past that means Finlay is going to teach him how to work, and in this case maybe on a bigger scale. Finlay may be preparing Mike Knox for a main event, at least on ECW role. I'm not as down on Mike Knox as some, and I do believe that he has tremendous upside.
The entire premise of this weeks show was to put over the ECW Championship rematch from SummerSlam. Throughout the show backstage clips were shown of Mark Henry lifting those hubcap weights, and Matt Hardy getting ready as well. Anybody who wants to argue that Matt Hardy is over needs to stop doing meth. Listen to the crowd, and adversely listen to the sound of the crowd when Mark Henry comes out. Henry wasn't getting that working Tommy Dreamer folks, and TD is reasonably over.
The main event was referred to by Todd Grisham as one of the most important matches in ECW TV history. It very well could have been and if they keep this feud going the way it should then we could have gold on our hands. Mark Henry appears comfortable in his spot. He doesn't look timid or nervous like he did a year or more ago. Now he looks settled into his role as monster heel and champion and he plays his part perfectly next to Matt Hardy's underdog super babyface role. The championship could change hands a few times during this feud but I doubt they'll hotshot it.
The main event could have had serious consistency issues. SummerSlam had a Tony Atlas caused disqualification, but ECW didn't. Matt Striker did a great job of doing HIS job by explaining that the referee couldn't see past Henry. It's the little things that make it even better. Now with Tony Atlas costing Matt Hardy a few matches now, it begs the question if Hardy will get a non-sibling backup plan anytime soon. Just something else to keep you watching on Tuesday night.
DJB's What to Watch:
Entire Show
Quick Results...
Miz/Morrison/Chavo def. Tommy Dreamer/Super Crazy/Evan Bourne
Ricky Ortiz def. Gavin Spears
Mark Henry def. Matt Hardy to retain the ECW Championship
3 comments: on "Tuesday Night Turmoil: A-List Extravaganza"
good write up and good show, but still not convinced this show is the A show
Yeah, it was a cool show. I really thought Matt was gonna win, which was a nice surprise when he didn't. I noticed something about ECW though, it reminds me a lot of TNA. Compared to RAW and SD, ECW has less talk, and more action. The advantage ECW has over the other brands is that the expectations are low, and they have short roster to work with, which, believe it or not, I think it makes things easier when you make a hierarchy for the show.
On another note, I like Bourne just as much as the next fan, I've been a fan of his for a few years. But in reality, Bourne isn't doing anything that Paul London can't and hasn't done. Paul London was doing all the same things when he first appeared in WWE. So I don't get why Paul is on the back burner, and Sydal is being showcased as "new & innovative".
I would like to see London and Bourne tag together though, and idea I had was, "The Shooting Star Express". Also, London should go back to wearing the tights he wore early on in WWE, the baggy shorts just look goofy.
Another guy in London's shoes, that can do just as much as the guys being used can do, if not more, is Elijah Burke. This guy was cool to watch, yet he's also no where to be seen, which is annoying because I was a fan. He had an original vibe to him, and could put on good matches.
I agree with you on Burke, and I do on London as well but London has pissed several people off backstage, reportedly even Vince McMahon so that's his problem. The Shooting Star Express would be nice to see, but I want to see where they let Matt Sydal go on his own.
As I've said and Casur has agreed with, Matt Hardy owns the rights to old school title chases in WWE right now, so don't expect him to get gold...er, silver around his waist until Unforgiven or even No Mercy.
By the way the ECW rating this week was a 1.5. The show was headlined by Hardy/Henry and the 1.5 is a 25% increase from the 1.2 last week.
Who said Matt Hardy couldn't get ratings?
TNA is officially no longer competitive with ECW and on your point where it reminds you of TNA you are correct that there is less talk and more action, but it isn't like TNA because ECW structures it and doesn't waste time with dumb ideas and repeat the same storyline over and over.
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