The first ever WWE.com exclusive Heat opened up like any other with the package and what-not. Hopefully, with it being on WWE.com and separated by matches, we won’t have to sit through those painful Raw recaps.
Tajiri Vs. Tyson Tomko
This was easily Tomko’s best match I’ve ever seen. Tajiri was in rare form tonight and started it off with working Tomko’s leg to a huge pop from the crowd. He even got some ECW chants, for good measure. Tajiri, from the get go, set the tone and standard for the match while also making Tomko look like gold. Hard to do, don’t you think? Match continued as Tomko kept using his brute strength while Tajiri kept weaseling out of situations to nail Tomko in the leg. I thought Tomko should have softened up the neck/head area a bit more, but I still dug his power offense. Tomko in charge was a little weak too, but still not enough to dampen the whole match. Match started getting pretty good when Tajiri got in control for the second time with his well-placed kicks. Finish came when Tajiri went for the back spring elbow and Tomko just hit a huge boot to Tajiri’s back knocking him out. Crowd was definitely into this match which was a good way to start off the night. No one wants to keep watching a show if the crowd is dead.
Winner: Tyson Tomko
Star Wrestler: Tajiri
This may have been Tomko’s best match, but it’s easy to see that Taijiri is the one who carried him to that level. Match was pretty good and while Tomko did some of his best work tonight, the psychology, offense, selling, and overall skill of Tajiri was way more than I expected for a lowly Heat match.
Matt Striker Vs. Johnny Parisi
Wow, I enjoyed this match and I do mean really enjoyed. Crowd was literally dead in the opening part of this match, but towards the end, both guys got the crowd feeling what they were doing. I was digging Striker’s offense in the beginning like his unique pinning predicaments, but I wasn’t really feeling Parisi’s selling. I did start to get into Parisi when he started to work on the leg of Striker. It was a good opening leg work spot too. Parisi was in the corner and Striker rushed at him. Instead of nailing a big boot, Parisi nailed his leg into the thigh of Striker. There’s something you don’t see every day. Parisi stayed on the leg pretty well, I thought, with nice offense and nice psychology. Striker sold it well and went for quick roll ups here and there. Finish came when Parisi said it was over and went for some kind of move (I feel a bit embarrassed I don’t know what it is too), but Striker reversed it and rolled Parisi up for the win.
Winner: Matt Striker
Star Wrestler: Matt Striker
I enjoyed Parisi in control, but not as much in the defensive mode. Striker here was great at both, especially in the selling aspect. The guy sold the leg like there was no tomorrow and even managed to get the crowd behind him when it was dead silence in the beginning. Striker’s use of the quick roll ups because he couldn’t stand to do anything else really sold the story well too. Striker was great here. Just great. I can see why WWE quickly hired him after his Angle match.
They then show a WWE Rewind of the Hardy-Edge segment with the ladder from Raw on Monday night. Edge’s promo in that segment was definitely entertaining and great, but Hardy totally killed the segment by botching his cocky/taunting tendencies while trying to push the ladder over. Hardy may be a god in the ring with Edge, but he is not even a mortal in segments.
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AIM – Douglas Nunnally
E-mail – douglasnunnally@thewrestlingvoice.com
