The preview for this week includes the fallout from CM Punk’s choice last week, more McMahon and Lashley and finally, some Balls and SNITSKY.
Check back during the commercial breaks for updates in italics. EXTREME ITALICS. Don’t forget about the podcast either. Catch up on the podcast from last week with my ECW podcast.
We open with a recap of Punk’s choice to side with the New Breed. Let’s see how this one pans out…
Let the Bodies Hit the Floor…
The ECW music hits and we’re in in Milan Italy, Joey makes sure we know that he and Tazz are overdubbed. The New Breed is in the ring and Burke talks about CM Punk’s decision. Cor Von has no shirt, Striker has a suit on and Ariel is still going with the greaser/indie chick look.
CM Punk is introduced and he walks out different than we’ve seen him before. Punk’s got a nice way about him as a heel. He’s on his way to having a beard and has a different swagger about him. He gets some attention from Ariel and shakes hands all around. The crowd is split between chanting his name and booing him. Burke says it’s obvious why Punk joined the New Breed, but he wants Punk to tell the world himself.
Punk gets instant heat as soon as he starts talking. He says he’s going to keep his reasons to himself. He says it’s obvious why he made the decision he did. He calls himself an official member of the New Breed.
Rob Van Dam crashes the party and shakes his head disapprovingly. He interrupts Burke and tells him to shut his mouth. I’m not doing it justice, but RVD actually sounds like he cares. RVD reminds Punk of the offer he made last week to join the Originals. RVD says that now the Originals are gonna make Punk regret his choice. Burke calls the Originals old and washed up and he’s got some real heel heat.
RVD has been holding back his feeling and he knows how to get them out, and it involves RVD and Elijah fighting tonight. I’ll see that match. in a heart beat. Punk has some words for RVD, saying that if he wants to challenge a leader in the New Breed, he should challenge Punk. Burke cuts Punk off and accepts the challenge. Damn. I’d rather see RVD vs. Punk, but RVD vs. Burke is a good consolation prize.
Little Guido walks out to the reaction you’d expect from the Italian crowd. Too bad the WWE always crushes people when they are in their home town, or in this case, their home country.
SNITSKY happens to Little Guido by Big Boot
It’s a rule in the WWE that you can’t win a match in your home town. Just ask Rey Mysterio Jr. about that. The guy hasn’t won in San Diego, or even walks out with his own two feet.
This one goes pretty much how you could expect. The crowd chants for Nunzio, but he’s in the ring with Snitsky. He gets a few kicks on SNITSKY and a drop kick to the back of the head, followed by another drop kick to the face.
Nunzio gets thrown around more and Tazz reminds us that when the Italians whistle when Americans would boo. SNITSKY hits a big boot and the crowd DIED. Words can’t discuss how quiet the arena got once SNITSKY hit his boot.
Backstage Punk and Burke are talking about how Burke’s not scared of RVD. Punk thinks he’s scared. Burke tells Punk that he’s gonna have to “fall in line”. Bitch.
Here’s a rule to follow when watching WWE programming. You don’t win in your hometown. You NEVER win in your hometown. As a matter of fact, you’ll be decimated by whatever giant or monster heel your promotion has. When Rey was destroyed in San Diego by Khali, no one batted an eye. Rey had gotten his ass kicked every single time he had been wrestling in San Diego before that. I have time to think about all of this because they’re showing another promo for the condemned.
Meanwhile, Kevin Thorn and Marcus Cor Von are in the ring.
Tommy Dreamer and the Sandman over Marcus Cor Von & Kevin Thorn by sunset flip
The two teams can’t figure out who’s going to be in what corner. They eventually figure it out and MCV and Dreamer start it off. MCV gives up control early to Dreamer and Sandman who get quick tags. Sandman goes for a Heinekenrana but it gets blocked and MCV gets a tag to Cor Von.
Thorn has Sandman in a rear chin lock and the crowd cheers him up, but Thorn takes control once the Sandman fight out. MCV is back in beating down on Sandman as the crowd cheers for him. The problem is the WWE thinks that just because it’s a new crowd they think they can overly abuse the power out of the rest hold spot and the crowd will eat it up.
MCV comes back in and Sandman takes more abuse. Dreamer gets a hot tag and clears house. Dreamer hits a nice series of moves with a neck breaker on Thorn a drop kick to MCV then a sunset flip to Thorn for the pin holding the ropes. The faces win and celebrate with the crowd as they clear the ring. The crowd really loves the Originals.
Punk is talking to Striker saying that they don’t need to fall in line, they need independent thinkers and people with moral fiber. Nice touch. I wish that they’d wait a little bit before teasing the tension here, but oh well.
Lashley’s music hits and the crowd goes relatively crazy for him. Why do they give this guy the mic on a regular basis? Can’t he practice at house shows? Why does he have to do it on live TV? Lashley intro the video recap from last night, which saves him from having to actually to tell the crowd about what happened last night. By the way, Santino Marella is no unknown. How do I know this? He already has his own music. At least they’re giving him a backstory that he’s an actual wrestler and not just some guy. I doubt they’re going to talk about how this is the guy who got Cornette fired from OVW. Check out the OVW profile of Boris Alexiev.
He speaks some Italian and I don’t understand a word. I wonder how good his Italian is, cause he was billed as Russian in OVW. Lashley’s music plays and… that’s it? That’s all we get?
commercials
Matt Reed: Can I get you to plug Smokin’ Aces?
Consider it done.
Backstage Punk is giving MCV and Thorn a pep talk. Burke is looking from a distance and Burke looks bothered. He says Punk needs to fall in line. Punk says he has Burke’s back tonight and walks away. Where are the wrestlers walking backstage all the time?
Rob Van Dam over Elijah Burke by five star frog splash
No Sabu tonight. I wonder if he’s able to cross the borders or if the WWE kept him home just in case he gets arrested again.
Commercials…
Burke comes to the ring solo, and he doesn’t look to happy about it. The crowd is firmly behind RVD to start and certainly not behind Burke. Burke does some finger poking to start, followed by a slap. RVD returns with a spin kick to the head. Burke regains composure and takes control of the match going after RVD’s shoulder. RVD reverses a back body drop with his flip followed buy a spinning heel kick. RVD hits a springboard splash off the second turnbuckle and can only get a two. TWO!
RVD hits some shoulder blocks in the corner, misses one and Burke has control again. Burke has a reverse wrist lock on RVD, trying to get the crowd to rally behind RVD. Do I need to remind you that you don’t simply get out of a rest hold? Burke hits a flying arm bar but can only get a two. TWO!
Burke gets a Cobra Clutch as RVD powers out. Burke maintains control attacking the shoulder.
Burke and RVD trade blows and Burke sends RVD into the steel post and a belly to back suplex. Burke can only get a two (TWO!) and keeps an arm bar on on RVD. Burke can only get a two and he complains to BG James brother about it.
The crowd is chanting something in italian, and I barely speak English. Burke goes tot he shoulder in a rest hold again and RVd powers out once more. RVD ducks a clotheslines and hits a few of his own. RVD gets ten punches in the corner and the crowd counts… in English? RVD whips Burke into the corner and hits a monkey flip. RVD goes in again and hits the ref. Burke ducks a kick and RVD hits the ref again.
Joey has a nice call. “We’ve got a zebra down in the corner”
RVD attempts to wake the ref up, and it gives Burke time to wake up. RVD misses a rolling thunder and instead hits Burke’s knees. CM Punk makes his way out to the ring and goes to throw Burke a chair but it goes right by him and to RVD, who uses the chair on Burke’s face instead. RVD hits the frog splash and his tour of good will continues.
Punk looks.. somewhat remorseful about the chair toss and goes into the ring to talk to Burke and apologize.
The Inside Pulse
An interesting show. It looks like they’ve finally allowed the writing staff to actually write for the show. They know what they’re doing with Punk, giving the marks a reason to cheer for him even though he’s with the New Breed and giving the smarts an angle that’s actually intriguing. Is he trying to destroy the New Breed from within? Is he just playing mind games? Or is he actually a heel? I suppose we’ll find out soon.
A pretty good show overall. I think the SNITSKY match could have been better if he was fighting Balls, as that would have made sense, but you can’t have everything. And besides the cheap pop for Marella with Lashley, I can’t see a reason that was on the show besides the cheap pop and some wasted time. This one’s a good show. If they keep this up, they might actually make ECW enjoyable on a weekly basis.
- SNITSKY happens to Little Guido by Big Boot
- Tommy Dreamer and the Sandman over Marcus Cor Von & Kevin Thorn by sunset flip
- Rob Van Dam over Elijah Burke by five star frog splash
