Credit: PWTorch.com
We start with Bobby Lashley coming out to the ring with the ECW Title belt around his waist. Joey Styles and Tazz hyped Lashley’s win over Umaga at Mania as Lashley posed for the crowd. Lashley took the mic and said Mania was the biggest moment of his life. He said everyone from ESPN to USA Today to the Colorado Springs Gazette was talking about Mania. Lashley showed us a clip of McMahon’s bald head, then we saw a video package on McMahon’s promo on Raw last night before Lashley interrupted and showed off McMahon’s baldness. Lashley then said he knows McMahon is going to try to make his life a living hell going forward, but he doesn’t care because nothing will stop him. One of Lashley’s better promos on a very short list. Good to have a responsive crowd, as well.
Styles discussed the ECW Originals’s win over the New Breed at Mania as a “career affirming victory,” then he plugged the re-match tonight.
[Commercial Break]
They showed a video package on the premiere of “The Condemned.”
[Q2]
1 — C.M. PUNK vs. STEVIE RICHARDS
Tazz talked about Punk being inches away from winning the Money in the Bank match at Mania. We saw Punk sporting taped ribs thanks to the bumps he took in the match. At least someone is selling injuries from Mania. Punk kicked Richards in the back of the leg early on, then caught him with a flying kick to the face for a one count. Richards then nailed Punk in the gut and went to work on the taped ribs. After a few chants for Punk, he came back with running knee strikes in the corner before catching Richards with a bulldog for a close nearfall. Punk then landed backhanded slaps to the face before lifting up Richards for the Go 2 Sleep, which Tazz actually called by name this week. He made the cover for the win.
WINNER: Punk in 5:00. Predictable, formula match. Richards could be a valuable heel on the brand if built up with any credibility. He’s a serviceable enhancement talent, but used sparingly as he’s being used right now, he doesn’t present much of an opposition to someone like Punk, who needs wins over credible opponemts. (*1/2)
Backstage, RVD and Timbaland exchanged pleasantries and RVD told him to find him if he needs anything. RVD walked away, then Extreme Expose walked up to him and said they’re huge fans. Leyla did the talking and told him to watch their dance tonight. Kelly Kelly and Brooke just stood there giggling the whole time. Timbaland pulled out his phone and started sending out some text messages about Expose.
[Commercial Break]
Punk was catching his breath backstage when Matt Striker and Marcus Cor Von walked up to him. Striker told Punk that they’re impressed by his work. Punk then told Striker that he already told Elijah Burke he’s fine on his own. Cor Von stepped up to Punk and made a veiled threat he’s either with the New Breed or against the New Breed. Striker intervened and told Punk to just watch their match against the Originals and consider the offer. Good definition of roles, with Striker being more of the reasonable conscious of the group.
Extreme Expose did their halftime show dance to a Timbaland track.
We saw the recap video of WrestleMania from 3 to 23. A lot of filler tonight. If you actually listen to the lyrics of the Mania theme song, which I’ve tuned out over the course of eight weeks, it’s a rather appropriate greeting for a carnival show.
[Q3]
They showed a graphic for Hardcore Holly vs. Snitsky up next. Possibly the worst graphic of a human being ever shown on TV.
2 — HARDCORE HOLLY vs. SNITSKY
Holly in the babyface role tonight. Snitsky came out with a combination of drool and sweat dripping down his mouth. He went for a big boot right away, but Holly ducked before accepting a hard clothesline. Tazz wanted to know if something happened in Snitsky’s childhood or in his past to make him this demented. TNA’s writing staff would have a field day with this storyline. Snitsky landed knock down blows, then screamed at Holly to get up. Holly teased an Alabama Slam, but Snitsky easily noped out and hit a big boot for the win.
Afterward, Snitsky kicked Holly while he was down, then he threw him to the floor. He then grabbed a chair from ringside and stalked Holly before jabbing it into Holly’s gut repeatedly. He then placed Holly’s right arm in between the ring steps and smashed the ring steps with the chair. Holly finally freed himself and grabbed his arm in pain. Styles called for medical attention as Snitsky left ringside and Holly sold a broken arm.
WINNER: Snitsky in 3:00. We know where this is going. Snitsky vs. Lashley coming to a TV set near you in oh, about a few weeks. It looks like Holly will be taking some time off. (1/4*)
[Commercial Break]
[Q4]
They recapped the Hall of Fame ceremony from Saturday night.
The New Breed came out and Tazz did a nice job of getting the New Breed’s heat back after they lost to the Originals at Mania. The Originals came out, then they cut to a break.
[Commercial Break]
3 — ECW ORIGINALS (RVD & SABU & THE SANDMAN & TOMMY DREAMER) vs. NEW BREED (ELIJAH BURKE & MARCUS COR VON & MATT STRIKER & KEVIN THORN w/Ariel) — Extreme Rules match
Sabu and Striker were battling in the ring out of the break, with Sabu landing a springboard DDT right off the bat. The action quickly broke down, then RVD went under the ring and brought out the weaponry. Dreamer smashed men with a trashcan lid, then the New Breed retreated to the outside. The New Breed recovered in the ring and Dreamer took a drop toe hold into a chair from Cor Von. Striker and Burke then took turns bashing Dreamer with various weapons. The fans rallied with a “New Breed sucks” chant, then Burke covered Dreamer for a nearfall. Out of nowhere, Dreamer caught Burke and Thorn with a dual DDT. RVD and Sabu then double-teamed Cor Von before setting up an aerial combo on Striker for a nearfall. Sabu went for a springboard move on Sabu, but Cor Von caught him in mid-air with a powerbomb on a chair. Dreamer grabbed Burke and hung him upside in the corner, then hit a basement dropkick sending a chair into Burke’s face.
[Q5 — over-run]
Dreamer fired up, but Cor Von caught him in the back with a chair, but Sandman cut him off with cane shots to the head. Cor Von quickly recovered and smashed Dreamer into a chair with a fallaway slam. Cor Von then gave Sandman the Pounce, sending him rolling to the outside. RVD and Sabu then followed with a chair shot before Thorn entered the scene and ran over both RVD and Sabu with knock-down clotheslines. Thorn and RVD battled and teased table spots, but Sabu ended the exchange with a chair shot blow to Thorn’s face. Sabu then placed Thorn on a table and went up top. Sabu and RVD then came off the top turnbuckle together with a dual leg drop on Thorn, sending him through the table. Sabu turned his back after dumping Striker over the top rope to the floor, then he gave Sabu a sick double knee smash to the back of Sabu’s head, sending Sabu crashing through a second table in the corner. Burke came up limping, then quickly covered Sabu for the win.
Afterward, everyone limped around while selling the effects of a stunt brawl. RVD, who had a cut on his left shoulder, checked on Sabu. The New Breed stood tall on the outside while Sabu seemed the freshest of the Originals despite taking the loss. Styles asked how the Originals would come back from this after losing at their own game. Intriguing.
WINNERS: New Breed in 9:00. This type of giant stunt brawl is like a soft, comfortable bed. Easy to get into, but hard to get out of. In other words, this isn’t the type of match WWE can depend on, despite it being an easy formula to get a rise out of the crowd, to maintain the longevity of this brand. Used sparingly and as a special attraction match, though, and it can help enhance a feud. In this case, they enhanced the feud by getting the heat back on The Originals to set up the rubber match down the road, whether on PPV or on a heavily-hyped edition of ECW. WWE still needs to build up the wrestling content on the show, otherwise fans will only get involved when they’re fed a chaotic dish of tables, chairs, and trashcans. ECW can’t maintain that with a roster full of aging wrestlers. In and of itself, an exciting main event to stir the pot in the Originals vs. New Breed feud. (**1/2)
