Jay Povo of Sturbridge, Mass (6.5): Best: Main Event Worst: Boogey-Striker. Another entertaining show tonight. ECW has been pretty consistent lately. The storylines are moving along ever so slowly, but that's necessary with the smaller roster and they're doing it very well. I am a little confused about what the payoff will be with the three undercard feuds, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. The main event was easily the best match I've seen on ECW television since they brought it back. Morrison looked like he was wrestling for his spot once he comes back from suspension, (that split-legged moonsault was awe-inspiring) and I thought that raised Punk to an even higher level than he's usually on. I'd be more enthused for his title reign if he had won at Summerslam and not via Wellness, but such is life as an internet wrestling fan. Heres hoping for an excellent series of matches between Punk and Burke.
Forrest Mahaffey of Des Moines, Ia.: I know there's a format to follow here, but I can't do it right now as there's only one thing that I took from tonight's ECW show. C.M. Punk is a god among men. If they can't figure out that he's a gold mind then the WWE is grossly misusing their talent. In the midst of the Wellness Policy controversy, the one guy who can end up being a household name is sitting holding the ECW heavyweight championship. It's a great start for him, but put him on Smackdown or Raw and I bet he would get one hell of a reaction. I was not a C.M. Punk mark until tonight. I believe he could save the company, if they use him correctly.
James Smith of Redding, California (6.0) Best Match: C.M. Punk vs. John Morrison. Worst Match: Big Daddy Viscera (whoops, V, I mean) vs. Boogeyman. First half of the show was nothing to write home about, but the second half picked it up with the main event reminding me why I watch wrestling. Despite the background behind the title change this week, it was a fantastic showing by both Punk and Morrison with an exciting, emotional and yes, decisive finish.
Will M. of Phoenix, Ariz. (3.0): Best match: Richards/Dreamer vs. Burke/Thorn. Worst match: Boogeyman vs. Matt Striker. The saddest thing about ECW isn't the fact that it's not extreme and it's barely championship level, but that these terribly-written, one-dimensional characters like C.M. Punk and Big Daddy V keep getting push and TV time while it's best talent wallows in mid-card hell. Any opportunity to see Balls Mahoney on TV is worth watching, and the Stevie/Dreamer-Thorn/Burke match was refreshingly entertaining. The saddest thing is that we all knew the belt would change hands, and thus made the match completely irrelevant. Overall, it was predictable and disappointing, with no sign of change in the future. All we have to look forward to now is more Punk face time (they might have to go two hours now) and months of Joey Styles screaming every fifteen seconds of "HIS ONLY ADDICTION IS COMPETITION." No wonder Ric Flair wants to quit. I'd quit, too, if this was the direction the company is going in.
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