By Greg Parks, PWTorch Contributor

ECW on Sci-Fi review
September 16, 2008
Taped 9/16/08 from Nashville, Tenn.
Aired on Sci-Fi
Report by Greg Parks, Torch Team Contributor

-WWE Open.

-ECW Open.

-Todd Grisham and Matt Striker opened the showing, plugging the main event of Finlay vs. Mark Henry.

1- MATT HARDY vs. MIKE KNOX

They announced Matt vs. Mark Henry for No Mercy before the match. Knox had a huge gash on his cheek, given to him by Hardy last week. Knox shoved Hardy in the corner after a ref-induced break. Shoulderblock took Hardy down, but not for long. Big boot by Knox that showed a lot of light. Kneedrop got two for Knox. Matt came back with a flying forearm and a bulldog out of the corner. Powerslam by Knox, as Hardy couldn’t continue with the momentum. Matt responded with an elbow off the middle rope, but Knox blocked a Twist of Fate. Hardy turned it into a DDT, but Knox got his foot on the rope to break the pin. Striker dropped Jake Roberts’ name when referring to Hardy’s DDT. Not exactly the week to mention him. Both Matt and Mike were down on the mat outside the ring when the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

Knox had Matt in (what else) a chin-lock out of break. Once Matt got out, Knox nailed him with a dropkick. Impressive. Knox set Hardy up on the top rope, but Mike was knocked off. Hardy hit a moonsault, but Knox moved out of the way. Hardy caught a bit of him anyway. Knox splashed Matt in the turnbuckle, but Matt caught him with a drop-toe hold on the second attempt. Side Effect by Matt registered a two count. Tornado DDT by Matt, and he started getting the crowd behind him. Twist of Fate and it’s over.

WINNER: Hardy, at 12:55. Pretty good opener. Knox is getting better.

-Mark Henry and Tony Atlas were watching what just happened backstage on TV. Atlas said Hardy was looking good, but Mark took offense, saying he looked good because Hardy wasn’t in there with him. Henry said he didn’t lose the title in the Scramble. He then blamed Finlay and Hornswoggle for costing him the title.

-The Miz and John Morrison walked out from behind some fence and were heading to the ring.

[Commercial Break]

2- THE MIZ vs. EVAN BOURNE

Since John Morrison accompanied Miz to the ring, Bourne had Ricky Ortiz with him. Going from tagging with Rey Mysterio to being seconded by Ricky Ortiz....that’s quite a drop.

Bourne kicked away at Miz to start. Unique arm-drag, then a dropkick for two. Miz kicked Bourne out of the ring. Ortiz and Morrison did some trash-talking, then Miz came out to continue his attack on Bourne. Miz stretched Bourne in the middle of the ring, hooking the leg and arm. Bourne got clotheslined and did the 360 degree sell. Another arm-bar by Miz. Bourne kicked Miz right in the face once he broke free. Knee to the chin was next. Hurricanrana, then a standing moonsault for two. Bourne to the top, but Miz flipped him off. Springboard leg-drop by Miz got two. Morrison tripped up Bourne behind the ref’s back, so Ortiz attacked. That distracted Miz, and Bourne rolled him up for three.

WINNER: Bourne, at 5:30. Fine match. Bourne is always exciting to watch and Miz was able to keep up.

-Later tonight, Finlay faces Mark Henry.

[Commercial Break]

-The Raw Rebound aired.

3- JACK SWAGGER vs. CHASE STEVENS

Swagger simply picked Stevens up and slammed him. Stevens got a few shots in, but Swagger picked him up and ran him into the buckle. Gut-wrench suplex by Swagger. Big knee-lift followed that up. Swagger finished him off with the Blue Thunder Bomb.

WINNER: Swagger, at 1:47. Jamie Noble called; he wants his entrance music back. Swagger looks good, except for the constant smiling.

-Finlay and Hornswoggle were backstage, headed to the ring for the main event.

[Commercial Break]

-Striker & Grisham plugged ECW’s move to 9pm in two weeks.

4- MARK HENRY vs. FINLAY

Finlay tried a go-behind, but Henry backed him into the corner. Scoop slam by Henry. Finlay tried some forearms to the back of Mark’s head, but that didn’t accomplish much. After Henry stood on Finlay’s chest, Tony Atlas got a cheap shot in for good measure. Finlay was pushed out of the ring and back-first into the announce table. He screamed in pain as the show went to break.

[Commercial Break]

Henry had Finlay in the nerve hold out of break. Henry went for a cover, to no avail. Bear-hug by Henry. Another scoop slam. And another. Really showing off his moveset tonight. Henry missed an elbow and Finlay covered Henry’s face with the apron, punching away at him. Atlas distracted Finlay by pushing Hornswoggle. While the ref was distracted by Atlas, Finlay hit Henry with the shillaleigh (even though it looked like he hit Hornswoggle). Back to the bear-hug in the ring. Finlay slid out the back and tried for a roll-up. Henry went for the butt-drop but it didn’t hit. Sit-down splash by Finlay right on Henry’s gut. Henry shoved Finlay off on an arm-bar attempt and hit a splash in the corner. Another one, then the World’s Strongest Slam. That’ll do it.

WINNER: Henry, at 14:10. About 10:00 too long. Not necessarily bad, just boring.

Henry and Atlas walked up the ramp together in victory as the show faded out.

Greg Parks has been covering Smackdown for PWTorch.com since February of 2007. You can also hear him every-other-week in the post-Raw audio show Monday nights in the Torch VIP audio section. Check out his new column in a PDF-exclusive version of the Torch Newsletter. Comments, questions and feedback is welcome, and can be sent to g_man9784@yahoo.com.

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