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ECW TV Report
September 4, 2007
Taped on 9/1/2007 from Cincinnati, Ohio
Aired on the Sci-Fi Channel
By Jason Combs, PWTorch.com Contributor

I am back after a week of being ill, and this week I am fortunate enough conduct this ECW Television report following a chaotic week within the WWE. Tonight we will see another confrontation for the ECW World Title between John Morrison (c) and C.M. Punk.

A video recap airs of the Fatal 4-way from last week for the number one contender ship to the ECW World Title. Joey Styles and Tazz conducted a voice-over of the action.

(1) The Boogeyman defeats Matt Striker via Disqualification. The Boogeyman comes down to the ring. His opponent for this week will be Matt Striker. Striker says that he is omnipotent (that means all-knowing), and then he introduces the most dominant force in ECW, Big Daddy V. V distracts Boogeyman, and that allows Striker to take advantage. Boogeyman hits a sloppy clothesline, and Striker retreats to the floor. You never hear the commentators mention liken that tactic to a quarterback running out of bounds anymore. Boogeyman intercepts an attempted kick by Striker and hits another clothesline, followed by a body slam, and a flying clothesline. Carson Palmer, I mean Matt Striker ducks out to the floor once more. Striker takes out the legs of Boogeyman, and then begins to pound on him with punches. The offense is short-lived as Boogey hits a splash in the corner. Striker goes to the floor again, only to be followed by the Boogeyman, who is clotheslined by Big Daddy V while chasing Striker. That earns Striker a DQ, but also earns him a measure of revenge on The Boogeyman thanks to a Samoan Drop by Big Daddy V on the floor.

General Manager Armando Estrada informs C.M. Punk that he is looking forward to the title match tonight, but that Punk has had plenty of chances to win the title, and tonight will be his last chance. He wishes Punk good luck, but Punk reminds him that "luck is for losers".

I certainly hope they are leading to an eventual one-on-one match between The Boogeyman and Big Daddy V, because their constant interaction every week has to go somewhere. With ECW likely to only receive one pay-per-view match a month, the feuds that are cultivated on Tuesday nights will also have to be resolved on Tuesday nights.

(2) The Miz defeats Balls Mahoney via pinfall. Balls McMahoney makes his way to the ring. I am currently reading Scott Williams' book "Hardcore History", and there are some interesting stories about Mr. Mahoney back in his hardcore chair swinging freak days. Extreme Expose swoons as The Miz makes his way down the aisle. The Miz is still sporting his doo rag and fedora, which is certainly a mixing of genres. Balls and Miz lock up, and Miz his struck with several punches, followed by a reverse elbow. Balls positions Miz in the corner and mounts the second rope and delivers a series of punches, while saying he doesn't appreciate Miz's ego. Miz runs Balls throat first into the top rope, and hits a clothesline. Miz executes a side Russian leg-sweep and gets a two-count for his efforts. Kelly Kelly is shown at ringside with a very concerned look on her face for Balls' well-being. Balls hits a flying forearm and his signature Balls' punches. McMahoney gets a two-count after a belly-to-back suplex. Miz hits "the reality check" which is nothing more than a running knee lift followed immediately by a neck breaker. Miz picks up the three-count and Brooke and Layla are shown celebrating. Miz grabs the mic and announces Balls as the loser, while Kelly kneels over him. Miz and the other girls are able to convince Kelly to go with them, and she does.

John Morrison conducts a backstage interview. He says he has provided the people with "an avatar" which has to raise the ire of Al Snow, who provided the people with Avitar back in 1995! Morrison's promo was very cold, but also very flat. Something tells me he'll have some free time coming up to work on that.

McMahon angle from RAW airs. I am stumped as to who the illegitimate child will end up being now that it appears that Mr. Kennedy is out of the picture. There are a couple of people who would fit the position greatly, and could make for some great television over the next few months. I just hope that they don't fill this crucial spot with The Great Khali, or even worse (if that's possible), Triple H.

(3) Elijah Burke & Kevin Thorn defeat Stevie Richards & Tommy Dreamer via pinfall. Elijah Burke & Kevin Thorn make their way to the ring, in a mini-reunion of half of The New Breed. Quick recap of Thorn finally picking up a vicotry over Stevie Richards from last week is shown. Stevie Richards enters the arena, but chooses wisely to wait for tag team partner Tommy Dreamer to come down the aisle before getting into the ring. It's a little Old School vs. New School here on ECW tonight! Thorn and Richards begin, and Thorn hammers on Richards in the corner. Stevie and Dreamer execute a double team single leg take down accompanied by a Dreamer elbow drop. Burke checks in and hits Dreamer with a modified STO. Thorn comes in dropping some elbows, stomping on Dreamer, and then taking him into the corner. Thorn clamps on a rear chin lock, with legs wrapped around Dreamer to increase the effectiveness. Dreamer gets a boot up to a charging Thorn, and follows that up by single leg tripping Thorn into the second turnbuckle. Dueling hot tags, as Burke and Richards come back in. Richards is a house of fire, but finally sucumbs to the Elijah Express after being rammed into the post by Thorn.

Pretty solid tag team match, and really the only way to incorporate these four men without making their issues seem stale. Burke has a lot of upside, and if a shift to smaller, more athletic wrestlers takes place it could be his best chance to shine.

Mr. Bonsignore and Mr. Senerchia introduce a video package highlighting the recent events in the Morrison-Punk dynamic.

(4) C.M. Punk defeats John Morrison via pinfall to become the New ECW World Champion. Just a quick note to WWE Creative, C.M. Punk is really over with the people! Punk waits in the ring for the ECW World Champion John Morrison to enter. Morrison has a slow motion and wind effect that accompany his entrance. Tazz does a good job of getting over the point that there's no other reason to be in ECW other than wanting to be the champion. The match begins and Morrison locks in a quick half-nelson cradle that nearly gets the three-count. The two exchange chain wrestling holds, and Punk picks up a two-count with a schoolboy. Punk locks in a headlock, and hits a shoulder tackle followed by a high hip toss. Punk goes to work on the left arm of Morrison with an arm bar. Morrison fights out of it and stomps away on Punk. Morrison hits a European uppercut. Joey mentions that "Hardcore Legend" Terry Funk once held the ECW title. Punk reverses an irish whip into the corner, then hits a very nice looking springboard drop kick. Punk drops the leg, but can only get a two-count. Punk with a stiff front kick to the chest out of an arm bar. Punk whips Morrison hard into the corner, and then delivers a very text book snap suplex with a float over into a pin for another two-count. Morrison drives Punk throat first into the middle rope. Morrison attempts a sunset flip powerbomb from the ring to the floor, but Punk hangs onto the ropes. Punk kicks Morrison back and hits a springboard crossbody block on the floor. Commercial. We're back and Punk has Morrison locked in a rear chin lock. Morrison attempts to fight out of it, but Punk is able to use a Pat O'Connor roll for a two-count. Morrison uses a press slam to block an attempted springboard clothesline. Morrison uses a high kick to a prone C.M. Punk laying on the apron. Morrison uses an outside-in slingshot dropkick to Punk. Morrison gets a two-count, and then puts on a modified cobra clutch. Morrison hits half of the "break on through" backbreaker, but Punk is able to counter with a schoolboy pin for a two. Morrison puts on another chin lock, which is more of a modified camel clutch. Morrison drops Punk by using the hair as he attempted to escape the chin lock. Morrison climbs to the top, but he is caught by Punk, who hits a hard superplex! Both men are down, as Scott Armstrong administers a 10-count. Both men are up by 8, and Punk hits a round kick and several clotheslines to build momentum. That leads to a high leg lariet, which earns Punk a two-count. Punk hits the running knee on Morrison in the corner, then the running bulldog. Another two-count, and the crowd is right there with every count. Punk attempts the butterfly suplex into a backbreaker, but Morrison drives him into the corner. Morrison with a beautiful split-legged corkscrew moonsault. Morrison attempts to "light Punk's fire" but it is reversed into the GTS for the three-count! C.M. Punk is the NEW ECW World Champion!!! Very emotional scene as Punk is handed the title. He definitely shows emotion and that the belt still means something to some wrestlers. Crowd is going absolutely nuts, which adds to the big match, big moment feel. That is something that is missing in today's WWE, and on this night it was given to the fans for free!

The C.M. Punk era begins! Maybe it's because of a possible wellness violation, but it was going to happen at some point anyways that Punk would be given his chance to represent ECW as its World Champion. The acsention of Punk has been one of the only bright spots in the WWE this year, and this is the culmination of that. I certainly hope WWE doesn't use Punk as a transition champion until Morrison returns from suspension (if he is really being suspended). The WWE claims they know what the audience wants more than the audience does, well this audience wants C.M. Punk on top and we'll see just how long the WWE gives that to them!

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