By James Caldwell, PWTorch columnist

ECW on Sci-Fi TV Report
September 9, 2008 - Year 3, Week 14 (Week 118 overall)
Taped in Milwaukee, Wisc.
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist

The show started with a recap of how Matt Hardy captured the ECW Title in the Scramble match at Unforgiven. To start the show in the arena, Hardy came to the ring to verbally celebrate his title victory. He said he never envisioned winning the ECW Title in a crazy Scramble match, but he's unlocked his destiny. Hardy thanked the fans first for helping him out. He also thanked the people who have been critical of him because that's fueled him to work extra hard. Hardy said he's not content just being ECW champion, but his goal is to become the greatest ECW champion ever. He said he knows that won't be easy ---

Mark Henry's music interrupted and Henry stormed to the ring. Well, as much as Henry can storm a ring. Atlas followed close behind as Henry came right up to Hardy in the ring appearing to be near tears or very angry. Henry said Hardy is standing there with his ECW Title and he wants his re-match. Atlas interjected that problems will be arising if Hardy puts his hands on him again. Henry then smashed Hardy in the face before stomping on him. Henry tried to charge Hardy, but Hardy pulled the top rope down and Henry spilled to the outside. Atlas tried to charge Hardy, but Hardy ducked a clothesline and nailed a Twist of Fate. Todd Grisham then announced Hardy & Finlay vs. Henry & Mike Knox for tonight.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Fresh off his star-making appearance on Raw last night, Evan Bourne came to the ring for the opening match of the show. Grisham and Striker then narrated clips of Rey and Bourne on Raw last night. John Morrison then came out with The Miz as the opposition. Morrison did not look very happy after taking the loss last night. Grisham said Morrison went to Teddy Long and demanded this match tonight.

1 -- EVAN BOURNE vs. JOHN MORRISON (w/The Miz)

Really nice mat work early on with Bourne trying to maintain control over Morrison, then he busted out a roundhouse kick on Morrison. Striker earned points saying Bourne has had a meteoric rise in WWE similar to Sarah Palin. Morrison blocked a kick from Bourne, then he tried to ground him. Grisham quoted Morrison that he thinks Bourne is over-hyped and under-tanned. That was great. Action moved to the floor where Bourne flung Morrison onto the mat with a Petey Williams-esque huracanrana leading to break.

[Commercial Break]

Miz gave Morrison the advantage behind the ref's back, then Bourne tried to come back with a springboard splash, but Morrison ducked and Bourne ate the mat. Morrison went on the advantage and used his "chiseled abdominal muscles," as Striker put it, to launch Bourne overhead and throat-first across the top rope. Morrison grounded him again with a Russian legsweep, then he went to work on the upper body with mat work. He then chucked Bourne to the floor and stalked Bourne before punting him in the gut. Back in the ring, Morrison continued to work over Bourne with a nice ground-based attack. Bourne then kicked his way back to his feet and nailed a kick to the head to rally the crowd behind him. Bourne then snapped off a running head scissors and back elbow smash into back kick for a nearfall.

Bourne tried to finish off Morrison with a standing moonsault, but Morrison got his knees up and Bourne ate boot. Morrison tried to finish him off with a running knee strike to the head, but Bourne kicked out in time. Morrison wanted the corkscrew moonsault out of the corner, but Bourne moved. Bourne tried to take advantage by going up top, but Miz jumped on the apron to distract Bourne. Morrison took advantage by giving Bourne a springboard thrust kick to the face that knocked Bourne silly onto the apron. Morrison then dragged Bourne into the ring and made the cover for the win. Grisham and Striker showed concern for Bourne, who sold being knocked out cold. A medic checked on Bourne post-match before they cut to a video package on the Finlay vs. Knox feud.

WINNER: Morrison in 14:00. Nice match. Wasn't particularly flashy, but Morrison played a good heel while Bourne got the crowd involved as the sympathetic babyface character. Good formula match to give Morrison a credible victory and set up Bourne for revenge. (**1/2)

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Unfamiliar, yet generic rock and roll music hit, then we saw the debut of the "All-American American" Jack Swagger. On first blush, he looks like a chip off the Von Erich block. Josh Daniels was in the ring as the opposition. Striker said Swagger is a former amateur wrestler. Pretty tall guy.

2 -- JACK SWAGGER vs. JOSH DANIELS

Swagger was very smiley, which Striker pointed out. Crowd became restless, which made Swagger more aggressive trying to give Josh a piece of his New Super Initiative program. Swagger then pumphandled Josh into a sit-out powerbomb - the Blue Thunder Bomb, as Striker called it - and made the cover for the win.

WINNER: Swagger in 2:00. Interesting. Swagger has a good look to him with size and height, but a WWE crowd in 2008 probably isn't looking to cheer him.

Backstage: Finlay, Hornswoggle, and Matt Hardy were walking to the ring for the main event when Rocky Bobby Atlas Ortiz interrupted and offered a rally towel. Hornswoggle took full advantage of the free swag and started chewing on the towel before waving it around. Ortiz didn't mind, then the trio kept walking.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Mark Henry came to the ring first for the tag main event while Atlas stood ringside. Grisham pointed out that Henry wasn't pinned and basically dominated the Scramble match on Sunday. The bearded-man-mountain man Mike Knox then stormed the ring as Henry's partner. These men are not in a good mood tonight. Finlay and Hornswoggle came out, then Hardy. Henry quickly told Knox that he's got this one. Hardy remained confident while holding out the ECW Title belt for Henry to get a good look at.

3 -- ECW champion MATT HARDY & FINLAY (w/Hornswoggle) vs. MARK HENRY (w/Tony Atlas) & MIKE KNOX (w/unshaven beard)

Henry quickly used his size advantage to pummel Hardy on the mat and in the corner. Henry then telegraphed the giant elbow drop and Hardy moved out of the way in time. They cut to a break with Hardy still in peril.

[Commercial Break]

Finlay took the hot tag out of the break and started going after his rival, Knox. Finlay torpedoed Knox in the corner before landing a rolling gut buster. He absorbed an elbow smash, then clotheslined Knox over the top rope to the floor. Fans chanted "E-C-dub" as Finlay followed on the outside. However, after rolling Knox into the ring, Knox caught him with a bicycle kick smash on Finlay. Heels then started working over Finlay aggressively in their corner until Hardy finally got the hot tag at 10:00.

Hardy hit the side effect on Knox, who was bleeding from the jaw, then Hardy nailed a moonsault from the second rope. Henry broke up a pin, but Hornswoggle and Finlay ran their classic interference to set up Finlay with a shillelagh blow on Henry. Hardy followed with the Twist of Fate Knox for the pin and the win. Afterward, Henry quickly tried to make his exit while clutching his head in pain, and the babyface trio celebrated the win to close the show.

WINNERS: Hardy & Finlay in 11:00. Basic, formula match to close the show. Pretty much went as expected, and we'll probably see Henry with the upper hand on next week's show to keep it even-steven to set up a probable one-on-one title match at the next PPV. (*1/2)

We welcome your 1-10 score and comments on this show for an "ECW Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on ECW TV, click here.

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