By Dominick Mayer, PWTorch contributor

ECW on Sci-Fi
October 21, 2008
Aired on Sci-Fi Network

Title sequence, right after the end of the Dawn of the Dead remake on Sci-Fi. That movie has the most terrifying end credits sequence ever. Now for some wrestling.

Grisham sells Cyber Sunday as the most interactive pay-per-view of all time. I have qualms with that for a lot reasons.

Matt Hardy is introduced, in what I think is the first time in two weeks he's been on the show he's the champion of. Maybe my short-term memory is failing, but I'm pretty sure that's the case. Striker runs down the options for his opponent. If Bourne doesn't win, it proves that the whole system is rigged.

Hardy kicks off a promo by referring to "Fit" Finlay. Weren't they not supposed to do that? He and Bourne get brief mentions, before Hardy begins to cut a promo on Mark Henry. I suppose they have to even the voting push out somehow. Hardy says that Henry has his vote for Cyber Sunday, because he wants another shot at Henry. Good argument from the fighting face champion, but it seems like a clumsy ploy on WWE's part.

Out comes Finlay, who can't be taken seriously with the Hornswoggle music. The crowd is dead for Finlay talking about how he'll be champion if voted in. Dead. Evan Bourne comes out next, to a big pop, and it'll be interesting to hear him on the mic. Bourne says he's young, but he won't be overlooked. Finlay makes some heelish remarks about Bourne's height. Bourne: "You can have your jokes, I'd rather have the votes." Not solidly written, whoever's idea that was. Mark Henry comes out talking about a triple threat that I haven't heard about as of yet. The crowd is giving him Austin's "What?" chant, and he actually points this out, unlike most heels, for major heat. The setup is awkward here, because Hardy is standing in the ring next to two of his three opponents. That's what happens when you tease face-face matches, I guess. The triple threat with the three candidates is tonight's main event.

[Commercial Break]

Out of break, Jack Swagger is on his way to the ring. Brett Badery is already in the ring, and he is a tiny man, made to look more so by Swagger.

1 - JACK SWAGGER vs. BRETT BADERY

Swagger is manhandling the designated jobber. At one point, Badery actually gives him a shove, but Swagger just throws him around some more. The squash ends with Swagger hitting his underhook powerbomb for the pin.

WINNER: Swagger in 1:00.

[Q2]

After the match, Grisham asks Swagger about his words on Tommy Dreamer last week, and what will happen when they collide. Swagger responds with "Tommy who?" and leaves the ring.

Backstage, Lena is with Miz and Morrison, and they're tearing it up as usual. Morrison: "My abs alone...eyes up here, Lena...my abs alone will win us the vote." Miz is facing Shad tonight, and ends his promo on Cryme Tyme with "I'm awesome. Be jealous." I've said it before and I'll say it again: If Miz and Morrison showed up a decade earlier, they'd have been legendary. This is a tag team in desperate need of a division.

[Commercial Break]

Cryme Tyme comes out to continue killing the brand split. Miz and Morrison come out as the opposition.

2 - SHAD (w/JTG) vs. THE MIZ (w/John Morrison)

823 Shad throws Miz around early. Striker gets his nerd reference in for the evening by mentioning Galactus and the Silver Surfer. He also compares Shad to Kerry Von Erich as Shad gets dropkicked into the barrier outside. The man is gold. Shad gets run into the barrier, and Miz takes over back in the ring. Miz locks in an armbar, and then slings Shad's left arm over the top rope. Shad comes back with some hits in the corner and a pair of clotheslines. Shad drops Miz across the top and then hits him with a running elbow. Morrison distracts the referee, but JTG evens the sides. Shad hits a spinebuster for two and tries to come off the ropes, but Morrison kicks him in the back. The ref sees, and disqualifies Miz.

WINNER: Shad in 6:00 by DQ. For a match involving two guys who don't often compete in singles action (especially Shad), this wasn't half bad.

After the match, JTG shoves Miz out of the ring for a staredown.

[Q3]

Another plug for the triple threat main event tonight.

[Commercial Break]

The Cena video from last night with the celebrities re-airs. At least they're making him out to be a big deal upon his return. However, they'd better use this opportunity to rehab his character in a big way.

More pushing of the text message numbers. Nope, still not okay with it.

Ricky Ortiz is back with Tiffany. Hornswoggle comes around trick or treating, with Finlay, and Teddy Long comes out of his office, dressed as Shaft. He needs to wear that costume every week. Another awkward backstage segment ensues. This seems to be becoming a recurring thing with ECW.

[Commercial Break]

Finlay comes out first for the main event. The crowd is getting noticeably quieter for Finlay and Hornswoggle with every passing week. A recap airs of Mark Henry's attack at the end of last week's show. Bourne is out next, and Mark Henry is the last.

[Q4]

3 - FINLAY (w/Hornswoggle) vs. EVAN BOURNE vs. MARK HENRY (w/Tony Atlas)

This match is like this Berenstein Bears book I had as a kid, which taught about the concept of progressions like "good, better, best." This is small, bigger and Mark Henry. Mark Henry takes over, and the crowd is nearly mute. Tony Atlas is the loudest thing in that arena. There's some minor heat on Henry, but mostly silence. Finlay takes a lame leap off the second rope and gets bodyslammed for his trouble. Bourne finally low-bridges Henry to the outside, but gets jumped for his trouble. Finlay gets a quick two count on Bourne, and hits an uppercut and then a shoulderbreaker. Bourne gets dropped on the top rope, and Henry is still outside. Finlay tackles Bourne into the corner. Bourne hits a hurricanrana, sending Finlay headfirst into Henry. Bourne gets two, but then Henry gets involved. There's a great spot where Finlay throws Bourne into Henry, Henry puts Bourne up into powerbomb position, and Bourne moonsaults off his shoulders onto Finlay for two. Henry lays Bourne out, and it's off to the last commercial break.

[Commercial Break]

Out of commercial, Bourne's on the ground trying to avoid Henry's stomps. He gets sat on. Henry then goes over to attack Finlay in another corner. Hornswoggle gets the crowd behind Finlay, a bit. Bourne tries to bring Henry down, but gets headbutted. Finlay chopblocks Henry to finally take him down, and hits a seated senton. Bourne and Finlay hit a double baseball slide to send Henry to the outside, and Finlay then clotheslines Bourne. Bourne goes for a hurricanrana, but Finlay counters into a backbreaker and follows up with a hard powerslam. Finlay gets a close two for absolutely no pop. Only when Mark Henry comes back is there noise. Finlay goes for the pin, but Henry intercepts him. Finlay attempts to backslide Henry, and Bourne jumps onto Henry's front, but gets both Henry and Finlay's weight on top of him. No pin, though; Bourne's shoulders are up. Finlay is favoring his shoulder heavily at this point in the match, and now Bourne's out of the match for the moment. Henry whips Finlay into the corner, and Tony Atlas grabs Hornswoggle after Hornswoggle distracts Henry. Finlay lays Henry out with the shillelagh and kicks Atlas down, but then, Bourne comes out of nowhere and takes Finlay down with a west coast pop out of the corner. He then runs to the corner by Henry and hits the Shooting Star Press for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Bourne in 15:00. The crowd was absolutely dead for the whole match, but it wasn't bad. Mostly slow action when Bourne left the match, but an exciting enough finish, if standard for Finlay at this point, and a vote of confidence for Bourne going into Cyber Sunday.

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