"ECW" 7-1-08 Talkback (Spoilers)

[The Penguin]

As the show begins, Mark Henry has just proclaimed himself the savior of ECW after the new ECW Superstar bested Kane and Big Show at Night of Champions to become the ECW Champion and return the belt the brand that bears its name rather than let it stay with Kane who had been drafted to RAW.

And in the battle for the WWE Tag Team Championship between ECW teams, John Morrison & The Miz retained over Finlay & Hornswoggle.

ECW Championship comes home
July 1, 2008

It was an incredible Night of Champions for the World’s Strongest Man Mark Henry, who overcame the onslaught of the Big Red Machine Kane and the World’s Largest Athlete Big Show in a Triple Threat Match to bring the ECW Championship back to the Land of the Extreme.

Kane showed tremendous fortitude as he fought through an injury during the match, suplexing the gigantic Big Show off the top rope. But, while both men were feeling the effects of the devastating move, Henry splashed his way in, picking up both the win and the gold. With Big Show still a SmackDown Superstar and Kane drafted over to Monday Night Raw, who will dare challenge the gigantic new ECW champion?

Newly-drafted United States Champion Matt Hardy made an extremely strong statement by defeating the self-proclaimed “Mexican Warrior” Chavo Guerrero. After Guerrero grabbed the No. 1 contender’s spot thanks to his aunt, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero, Hardy stopped him in his tracks, hitting the Twist of Fate. Will Guerrero come back for more? Or, will Matt Hardy find new prey on Tuesday nights?

WWE Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison retained their titles in a whirlwind match against the father-son duo of Finlay and Hornswoggle, which ended with Morrison hurling Hornswoggle from the top rope to pick up the win. Will the brawler from Belfast and his son seek retribution for this attack now that they are officially members of ECW? Or will they bow to the Palace of Wisdom?

Find out the answers to all of these questions and more on the next ECW on Sci Fi, Tuesday at 10/9 CT.

[VCXZX]

Nice to see Atlas Da Bone get called up and make his debut. However someone like him needs a few vignettes to help the fans be aware of his debut. Have him do something that makes him stand out instead of just debut without any fanfare.

Hopefully this new Superstar Intitiuve doesnt end up like the Smackdown one which quietly flopped. Perhaps this will be how Colt Cabana gets called up.

I do like Mark Henry giving the ECW Belt lots of treatment. Like kissing it a lot. He seems to be proud of holding a title moreso than others who hold titles and just use it like a prop.

Overall, an okay ECW.

[The Penguin]

Was it just me or is Mike Adamle getting better? He knew Finlay’s and Chavo’s unofficial nicknames, had that good line at the end about Henry being champion as long as he wants and just generally seemed to do a better job. Either he was being fed some lines, Jim Ross took him aside or he started doing some actual research. Based on how he’s been I was almost impressed. Adamle was a ‘legit’ sports guy for years, he should be able to adapt to wrestling quicker than Michael Cole coming from regular news did.

Like Mark Henry or not, he certainly has paid his dues in WWE and I don’t mind seeing him get this upgrade. ECW has become a good place to “test” people and I hope Henry finally passes. Every time he’s been close, he’s gotten hurt. Tommy Dreamer coming out to defend the spirit of ECW is a perfect start for Mark Henry as Champion. Someone like Henry needs to be challenged by an Original. Henry pointing past Dreamer to Delaney was great.

Hardy & Finlay managed to pulled it out in their handicap match against Morrison, Miz & Chavo… I mean their 2½ on 3 match… I mean in the 6-man tag. Seriously, why is this sideshow considered a full tag team? If you taped ECW or watch it ECW.com, try muting the sound and then play Doink & Dink’s theme song over the top of the Finlay-Hornswoggle entrance. It pretty much fits. They’re smiling on the way to the ring and giving away crap to the kids at ringside.

Colin and Tommy talking backstage was a cool moment. Tommy has done so much to get Colin on track in ECW that the student wanted to try to do something against impossible odds for his teacher.

So is Atlas Ortiz like a Latino Harlem Globetrotter? Not sure how I feel about this guy yet, but I bet Armando Estrada isn’t a fan. Things usually turn out well when Teddy Long initiates a “new Superstar initiative” so I’m excited about that.

I loved how Tazz was like ‘don’t move this ain’t gonna last long’ when it came to the main event. Delaney did a little bit better than I think some expected in that the match was not literally all Mark Henry, but the end result was no surprise.

[bigddan11]

Give additional time, Colin is going to thrive as a wrestler. It was great to see him get some offense and actually look like a threat to Mark Henry, albeit for a very short time. I'm glad they're starting with Dreamer/ Henry instead of going straight to Hardy as well.

I'm one of those people who thought the talent initiative of SmackDown! was great, so I'm glad it's been brought back now to ECW. After losing Punk, Kingston, and Kane to RAW, ECW badly needed some new talent outside of Hardy, The Miz, and John Morrison. Estrada, Evan Bourne, and Atlas Ortiz are only the beginning of that group. Lets hope it keeps up great.

Speaking of contracts under review, did anyone else get the idea that the talent exchange could be one of those under review? If so, then The Miz and Morrison get stripped or lose the title on the last day of that talent exchange.

To me Ortiz/ Estrada actually stole the show.

[hobbyfan]

What worked:

Mark Henry finally getting a "brass ring" as ECW champ. As with J-Me-L winning the WWE title 4 years ago, this was as much about rewarding Henry for his patience and loyalty as it was for the foolish remarks Michael BS Hayes made to him backstage a while back. You still have a monster at the top, exchanging Kane for Henry, but let's see how long Henry hangs on to the title, as there really isn't a credible challenger out there----yet.

La Familia's problems continue, as Chavo loses again, and Bam Neely's no help, easily taken out with a shillelagh to the gut.

It's a funny thing. When Finlay came out of retirement 2 years ago, who was his first opponent? Matt Hardy. So now, Finlay & Hardy tag up (w/Hornswoggle) to dismiss Chavo and Team Tough Enough. Easily the best match on the show, which in this case isn't saying much.

What didn't work:

Atlas Ortiz (DaBone) looked plenty nervous in his first match. Haven't heard the city of Paradise Valley, Arizona announced since the glory days of Superstar Billy Graham 30+ years ago, and strangely, Tazz & Adamle didn't make the connection.

Henry v. Colin Delaney, the sequel. Yes, they met before, and this time the result was the same, though it took longer.

Super Crazy was drafted, and you'd think they'd have had him on the show, but I guess they'll wait at least another week with him.

[The Penguin]

Speaking of contracts under review, did anyone else get the idea that the talent exchange could be one of those under review? If so, then The Miz and Morrison get stripped or lose the title on the last day of that talent exchange.

I didn't think there any implication of that. Of course we're all just kind of waiting for something to happen on it. One would think Teddy is within his rights to cancel any agreement Estrada has made, but I don't think we've been given any indication that he is looking to switch or just cancel it.

[bigddan11]

I didn't think there any implication of that. Of course we're all just kind of waiting for something to happen on it. One would think Teddy is within his rights to cancel any agreement Estrada has made, but I don't think we've been given any indication that he is looking to switch or just cancel it.

What he said was that Estrada was only one of the contracts under review. To me this means the talent exchange contract could be under review. I could easily see them make it where the new talent initiative succeeds, so he cancels the talent exchange with SmackDown! Since the WWE Tag Titles belong to SmackDown!, then The Miz and John Morrison would have to forfeit them since they could no longer attend via the talent exchange. I'm not saying this is how they will do it, but him saying that other contracts are also under review makes it where this is a possibility.