On Tuesday, July 31, 2007 at 11:31 PM EST ECW on Sci Fi
July 31, 2007
Phoenix, AZ
Commentators: Joey Styles & Tazz
Reported By: Hunter Golden of WrestleView.com
ECW World Champion John Morrison came out to the ring and gave us a promo that sounded like he chomped down about ten bags of shrooms. Great stuff. Morrison said tonight, just like last week, he’d give a guy a chance at making a star out of himself. Morrison then proceeded to run down the Arizona sports teams before introducing us to the greatest athlete in all of Arizona.
The Greatest athlete in all of Arizona was an incredible specimin indeed.
John Morrison v. The Greatest Athlete in all of Arizona
Morrison kicked him in the balls and hit the cork screw neck breaker for the win. Awesome.
Winner: John Morrison via pin fall
Morrison challenged the second greatest athlete in all of Arizona to a match, but no one seemed to be biting. Morrison said no one was worth fighting anyways. Tommy Dreamer’s music hit and he came out to the ring supposedly to take advantage of the opportunity.
Dreamer said he had been around a lot longer than 15 minutes in this industry and he wanted, more than anything, to be ECW World Champion. He said he could beat Morrison before Elijah Burke’s music hit and he came out to the entrance way.
Burke said Dreamer was pre-historic by ECW standards these days. He said Dreamer was 15 YEARS past his time and the champ needed someone a little more his caliber. Burke put his good looks, athleticism and other wonderful qualities over before challenging Morrison.
CM Punk’s music hit and now all four guys are in the ring. Punk said Morrison didn’t want to face him and if he was so confident he could beat him, he should face him one more time. If he was so confident, then he asked Morrison for one more shot and if he lasted 15 minutes, he’d get one last shot. If he lost, he’d never be able to challenge Morrison again.
Morrison said all the offers were nice, but he just wrestled a grueling match and couldn’t compete tonight. He suggested the three wrestle a triple threat match tonight. The winner would have him next week and if they could last longer than 15 minutes with him next week, they’d get a title shot at Summerslam. It’s a shot at a shot. All three exchanged words while Morrison walked away.
****Commercial****
Stevie Richards v. Kevin Thorn
Thorn rushed Richards and began slamming him off the corner turnbuckles. He tossed Richards to the mat and clubbed away at him before stretching his back over the top rope.
Richards fought back with some kicks and eventually scored with a drop kick to the chest that knocked Thorn on his backside. Richards went for a monkey flip in the corner, but Thorn tossed him aside and hit a sit out back breaker before slapping on a neck vice.
Thorn cinched in the camel clutch, working the back and neck of Richards. Thorn broke his own hold before saddling up Richards and briefly holding Richards in a torture rack before dropping down, leaving Richards a mess on the mat. Thorn hooked the leg but only got a two count on the cover attempt.
Thorn flopped Richards on the top buckle in the corner and punted him in the back before lining up Richards and charging him. Thorn bull rushed him, but missed the spear and crashed into the ring post. Richards rolled the dazed Thorn up and Stevie Richards has the most wins he’s had maybe ever.
Winner: Stevie Richards via pin fall
Big Daddy V is in action next!
****Commercial****
3 on 1 Handicapped Match
Big Daddy V v. Jeff Michaels, Brandon Gatson and John Orstrom
V head butted everyone of these fools before press slamming one guy into another. He grabbed a headlock on another one before taking him over hard way and squashing him. He hit a huge chop on one jobber before laying him out with a fall away slam. I love Big Daddy V.
He choke slammed one sucka before whipping one jobber into another and then the third before hitting an avalanche on all three. He hit three lariats in succession before body slamming on on top of the other and then hitting the tilt a whirl sidewalk slam on the last one of to the pile of people for the win.
Winner: Big Daddy V via murder
That might have been the greatest squash match ever. V celebrated in the ring before the Boogeyman’s music hit and he came out to the ring while V laughed at him and waited for him in the ring. Boogey had a different look and I kind of like it.
****Commercial****
The Extreme Expose Girls did their boobie dance for the night before introducing the man who gave them a heck of a show last week, The Miz. Miz said he was a chick magnet and that chick digged him and men feared him.
Balls Mahoney’s music hit and he came out to the ring for a match. I mean heck, why not right?
The Miz v. Balls Mahoney
The two locked horns and Mahoney grabbed a side head lock. The traded hammer locks before Miz ran Mahoney to the apron through the ropes. Mahoney hit a shoulder block on the way back into the ring before going to spike the pUnk’s head off the buckles. Miz cut him off and Mahoney clattered into the corner.
Miz went for a cover but only got a two count. Mahoney fought out of a headlock and hit his balls punches before decking Miz one last time and flooring him. He hit a nice neck cracker but Miz was able to get his foot on the bottom rope.
Mahoney went for a big splash in the corner, but Miz avoided him and hit his kick to the gut-neck breaker combination for the win.
Winner: The Miz via pin fall
A video putting over Tommy Dreamer aired.
Burke was clapping in the back and cut a short promo putting himself over.
****Commercial****
Triple Threat Match
Tommy Dreamer v. CM Punk v. Elijah Burke
We joined the match in progress as Punk almost got a rolled up. Dreamer kicked him off and Burke yanked the top rope down as Punk crashed and burned. Dreamer sling shotted Burke into the ring and hit a vertical suplex. Punk hit a sling shot senton but Dreamer recovered quickly and got a two count on the cover attempt.
Burke hit a flying European uppercut to the back before slapping on a rear chin lock. Punk was able to fight out of the hold and hit a back suplex for a two count. Punk began nailing Burke with kicks before whipping Burke to the corner. Pun charged Burke and was back dropped off the apron and to the floor.
Dreamer hit a series of punches before Dreamer hit the home run right for a two count. Burke fought back hammering away at Dreamer in the corner. Burke hit his leg sweep-clothesline combo for a two count. Dreamer was whipped to the buckles only to get some boots in the back. Burke hit his power-dive elbow drop for a two count, thanks to CM Punk breaking it up.
Punk tossed Burke into the ring steps and got a sunset flip for a two count. Punk dropped a knee on Dreamer’s face before tossing Tommy to the outside. Punk was feeling frisky and launched himself through the middle rope and hit a suicida.
Punk was favoring his knee as he brought Burke into the ring and hit a hanging neck breaker for a two count. Burke hit a small package out of nowhere and got a second near fall on Punk before just eating a kick to the face. Tommy Dreamer popped up and hit a great back suplex on Punk to break the fun up before getting a two count of his own.
Dreamer came off the ropes and nailed his DDT. Dreamer went for a cover before Burke dropped an elbow on Dreamer’s back. Burke started dropping elbows and stomps on both baby faces before stomping on Punk’s mellon. Burke snapped a bit before eating a boot to the back of his head.
Dreamer capitalized and cinched in a Texas Clover Leaf and almost got the tap out but Punk absolutely murdered him with a kick to the back of the head. Punk hit “Welcome to Chicago” before Burke kicked out yet freakin’ again.
Punk sat Burke on the top rope but was punched off. Tommy hit a vicious right to Burke’s face and went for the super plex. Punk sneaked underneath and we got a nice three way combo move that really popped the crowd. Punk hit his knee in the corner into a bulldog combo, but Burke shoved him off. Punk clattered into Dreamer, sending Tommy tumbling to the outside.
Burke went for a roll up, but Punk shoved him off and loaded him up for Go 2 Sleep and connected. Three seconds later, Punk is your winner.
Winner: CM Punk via pin fallECW Round UpShow Thoughts-- Wire to wire, this is probably the best ECW show yet for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, let’s face reality: ECW is an hour long. It’s never going to have the structure and depth as a brand like Smackdown and Raw do and won’t until they get a second hour.
Right now ECW should just be a really fun wrestling show and that’s basically what they tossed together tonight. We’re getting more characters: Big Daddy V, Boogeyman, The Miz, Morrison, Thorne, Richards… all these guys are so colorful and it’s cool to have a fun almost fire company fund raiser fun type show. The main event was a lot of fun while the Big Daddy V squash was flat out awesome.
Richards-Thorn was fun for what it was, too. The show really sort of centered around the ‘shot at the shot’ and developed nicely around it. This is what I think ECW should be every night and more or less was in the 90s: Fun characters with good action. This was easily the best ECW episode of this year and maybe the best all around show they’ve ever put on. ECW seems to be on the right track, especially since the draft.
Overall Grade: B-
Quick Results
John Morrison def. Arizona’s Greatest Athlete
Stevie Richards def. Kevin Thorn
Big Daddy V def. Jeff Michaels, Brandon Gatson and John Orstrom
The Miz def. Balls Mahoney
CM Punk def. Tommy Dreamer & Elijah Burke
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
Biggest Pops
1. CM Punk
2. Tommy Dreamer
Most Heat
1. John Morrison
2. Big Daddy V
Match of the night: CM Punk v. Tommy Dreamer v. Elijah Burke **1/2
ECW Power Rankings5 Points= Title Win
4 Points= World Title defense/win
3 Points= Singles PPV Win
2 Points= Tag PPV Win
2 Points= TV Singles Win
1 Point= TV Tag Win
0 Points= Loss
ECW World Champion: John Morrison 7-2, 18pts. (Last Week: ECW World Champion)-- Morrison’s promos have been nothing short of great the past few weeks. They border on that weird trippy-ness of the real Jim Morrison and are full of cockiness at the same time. Morrison’s been pretty great so far as ECW Champ.
1. CM Punk 7-2, 12 pts. (Last Week: 1) --Tonight was the first really good performance I’ve seen from Punk since he came to the WWE. While the match had some gaps in it here and there, Punk was spot on and all the high spots centered around him. What I think helps is this guy being on the mic a little bit more. More promos will draw the crowd to him.
2. Big Daddy V 2-0, 6pts. (Last Week: 2)-- God Dammit that was an incredibly awesome squash match. I ADORE this character.
3. The Miz 3-0. 6pts. (Last Week: 5) -- Something about Miz just doesn’t do it for me. I feel like the character is so incredibly forced at this point and I can’t get past it. I think Mizanin may have some potential in the future, but for now, they’ve either got to get him in a feud, or send him back to developmental. He just doesn’t feel ready.
4. Stevie Richards 2-1. 4pts (Last Week: NR)-- Yes, you’re reading it right, Stevie Richards is in a top five of something. It’s great to see a guy whose really put everyone /* before himself in his career getting a little bit of the spotlight, even if it might be two meaningless wins in the big picture.
5. Tommy Dreamer 2-4, 3 pts.(Last Week: 3)-- While the triple threat may have been all about Punk tonight, Dreamer held this together and really made ya think Punk might not pull out the win tonight. He was incredibly solid again tonight, despite the fall.
Others
The Boogeyman 2-0, 4pts. (Last Week: NR)
Elijah Burke 1-6, 2 pts (Last Week: NR)
Matt Striker 0-1, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Balls Mahoney 0-2, 0 pts (Last Week: NR)
Mike Knox 0-0, 0 pts. (Last Week: NR)
Rob Van Dam 0-0, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Nunzio 0-3, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Marcus Cor Von 0-2, 0pts. (Last Week: NR)
Kevin Thorn 2-2, 4 pts. (Last Week: 4)