Tha A List Analysis: Vote Or Die

Matt Hardy, the A champ opened Tha A Show. I'm not particularly fond of requesting the fans chose an opponent for you if you're a babyface, but it seemed to make sense here. He wants the biggest, toughest opponent with the most history. Seems like a sure shot anyway, but I'd watch out, this race could be tighter than the Bush/Gore election, and this time around there are no recounts.

I popped for the Boogeyman making his return to the ring a few weeks ago. Now I don't know. They could easily do this return worse than the original run. He's a gimmick. Use him as such. He doesn't need to be on TV every week. He's a special attraction, make him seem like one. So far that hasn't happened. If they do it could be awesome. If not, same smell different year.

Jack Swagger went from nowhere to Goldberg in about three seconds. His winning streak is still in tact. He has the Oklahoma Sooner thing going for him. He has the look. He has the size. I need a little more out of the charisma department. Sure he didn't say much, but that's fine. "Tommy Dreamer." "Who?" It's working towards something and I get it. He exudes confidence, he just doesn't exude the charisma that sends some guys to the next level.

The Cryme Tyme/MnM rivalry is one that is building. I like this angle because a good portion of it is happening online in their blogs. It's fresh. Everybody else uses blogs, so WWE is a little behind the curve, but congratulations to them for finally figuring out that taking two hot commodities and putting them together in an unconventional way will gain interest. Chemistry doesn't hurt either.

The broadcast team of Matt Striker and Todd Grisham, well I don't even have to tell you how good it is. You can see it and hear it for yourself. It adds something completely different to ECW that none of the other three television wrestling products have. If you watched "Raw", TNA or "SmackDown!" on mute you wouldn't feel like you were missing anything. You watch ECW on mute you know you've missed something.

Matt Hardy's potential opponents for Cyber Sunday competed in a triple threat match. Usually matches like this end in some sort of schmoz that doesn't make anyone happy, and explains nothing. This one, well, it was a definite change of pace. I didn't expect Evan Bourne to pick up the win on ECW this week, but was pleasantly surprised when he did.

I don't think this will help him get his title shot at Cyber Sunday. There are too many people out there who want to see Hardy take on Henry one more time. Or two, or three. I for one doubt that there are many people voting since it's limited to US cell phone customers, and it actually costs something to vote which is absurd. The few that vote may be trying to incite arguments or they may want to see one of these matches. With low voter output however, I see Henry getting the shot be it from votes or from management.

*Jack Swagger def. Brett Badery
*Shad def. The Miz
*Evan Bourne def. Mark Henry and Finlay

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