And, to shift gears a little bit, last week I told you about www.factcheck.org  to check out candidates’ claims. Some other folks also passed along the following web sites as well: http://votesmart.org and http://www./ontheissues.org for your electoral surfing pleasure.
 

You know, the ECW theme is growing on me. Sorta live from Nashville, TN with, yeah, I’ll say it, the best announce team in WWE, Striker and Grisham.

Oy. Knox is wearing a scab on his cheek from last week’s match. Let’s see if we can add to it. Typical start, some lock ups, some holds, some pushing around, both men switching who’s in control fairly regularly. First cover comes after Knox slams Hardy to the canvas, then bounces off the rope for a flying knee drop. But it’s early yet, and Hardy kicks out. Some more back and forth, then it’s Hardy’s turn. He whips Knox into the corner, and then bulldogs him to the middle of the ring, for a 2-count. Then it’s Knox’s turn for the whips (ha!), and he slams Hardy at the end of that for 2. Knox tries to go for a suplex, but Hardy counters and rolls him up into a small package for another 2. Knox tosses Hardy into the corner and then does what everyone does. He runs into Hardy’s elbow. Not having learned his lesson, he then runs in for a double kick from Hardy. He’d probably do it a third time, but the double kicks have knocked him down and in the perfect spot for Hardy to go up top and hit an elbow drop. While Knox is recovering, Hardy does the kick set up for Twist of Fate, but Knox tries to counter. Doesn’t matter, as Hardy just turns it into a DDT instead. The ref counts one-two-thr-no, Knox’s leg is on the ropes! Knox rolls out of the ring, and the Hardy climbs out after him. The two men double clothesline each other, and then we go to commercial while they lay there.

After commercial, and remarkable recoveries, Knox is in the ring, and it’s hold-central. But Knox has been practicing or something, because as Hardy breaks the hold, Knox does a missile drop kick! He gets a pin, which Hardy counters, and then he’s back in the holds. But Matt! Hardy! Will! Not! Die! Not even after an attempt at a German suplex of the second ropes? No! Matt powers out of that, sending Knox to the canvas. Then he climbs up to the top rope, and Moonsault!! Hardy misses and appears to have made it a Moonsault head butt instead. (This was a Knox screw-up, as I think Knox was trying to roll out of the way, but didn’t get far enough.) He tries to pin, but Hardy kicks out. He whips Hardy into the corner, and then splash! He tries to do it again, but Hardy counters with a drop toe hold sending Knox into the turnbuckle. Knox staggers out and into the Side Effect. Will this be it? No, Knox kicks out. Knox and Hardy stand and exchange some blows, but this bit is all Matt, as he hits a neck breaker on Knox. Knox and Hardy get to the corner and Hardy goes to the second turnbuckle, and gets another DDT on Knox. He waits…waits…waits….Finally Knox gets up and Twist of Fate! Winner: Matt Hardy

Knox is sporting yet another cut on his face. He bleeds easily. I bet that saves a fortune on razor blades.

Backstage, Mark Henry and Tony atlas are WATCHING~! Atlas tells Henry that Hardy looked pretty good. Henry says the only reason he looked good there was because he wasn’t in the ring with Henry, and no-sells the legitimacy of the scramble. And the whole shillelagh thing! Don’t forget that.

Backstage elsewhere, Miz and Morrison (shirtless) step dramatically off a freight elevator. I’m liking where this is going! Right out into the ring, in fact.

When did Bourne and Backslide get so chummy? The ‘seconds’ head out of the ring, and we’re ready to go. Miz powers Evan into the corner but Evan counters with the Bitchslap of Disrespect. We go back and forth into the corners, and Miz whips Evan who goes over the ropes then under the second for a shoulder block on Miz. He flies over the rope for an armdrag on Miz, followed by a flying spinning kick. Miz is frustrated and pokes Bourne in the throat. He pushes then kicks Bourne who flies through the ropes and onto the floor. Morrison goes over to have some fun, but Ortiz is there to put a stop to that. This gives Miz time to come around, and gives the mic the opportunity to pick up someone, maybe Morrison saying “Give Carlito his hair back” to Ortiz. Ha! Meanwhile, there is wrestling, and Miz drops Bourne ribs-first on the guardrail. Then he rams those ribs into the edge of the ring. Back in the ring, Miz works the ribs with a kick. Miz bends Bourne backwards over his knee to keep working the ribs, but Bourne kicks up twice to break the hold. Miz tries to pick Bourne up for the slam, but Bourne counters and gets Miz into a schoolboy roll up, who keeps going backwards to roll through for his own schoolboy, but he grabs the ropes at the end, so he has to break. As Bourne is recovering, Miz rushes him, but Bourne gets his elbow up. Miz comes again, hitting a clothesline that flips Bourne over. Another pin but Bourne kicks out. Miz goes back to stretching the ribs. Bourne powers out and then two exchange blows and kicks for a bit, ending with a very nice, very high roundhouse kick, to Miz’s head. It’s now Bourne’s turn, as he does his thing, with a hurricanrana that lands Miz on the mat. He follows it up with a standing moonsault that got amazing height. Spinning back mule kick, and then up to the turnbuckle we go. But no, Miz recovers in time to pull him off. He bounces off the second rope and then leg drops on Bourne. Miz tries to pin, but Evan! Bourne! Will! Not!….er, he kicks out. Now Miz tries the run into the corner, but he doesn’t get the standard elbow to the face. No, this is AirBourne, so we get a knee to the face instead. Bourne starts to follow through, but Morrison grabs his foot from behind. Ortiz sees this and comes running around, leaping off the steps to knock Morrison over. Miz is distracted enough that Bourne can do that neat wrap-around roll up he does and we are done! Winner: Evan Bourne

Chase Stevens, your jobber du jour, was part of The Naturals. The announcers (and I’m still having a hard time telling voices apart) are having fun exaggerating Jack Swag-gaaaaah. Squash match. Welcome to the WWE, Chase. Winner: Jack Swaggaaaaaah.

Finlay opens a trunk and Hornswoggle jumps out! And then they are walking towards the ring, for the main event.

Well, the era is over, but he still gets the main event. Finlay uses his speed to stay out of Mark Henry’s grasp for the first bit, but continually demonstrates a lack of knowledge of physics in getting Henry to do anything. Still, Finlay gets some good punches in. However, he doesn’t go for the weak knees. Duh. Finlay powers Finlay to the mat and kicks him towards the ropes. He does the “I’m going to stand on you” move until the ref pulls him off. Finlay stands and shoulder blocks him through the ropes, then Henry shoves Finlay back so hard he bounces off the announce table. Hornswoggle is beside himself.

Back from commercial and Finlay is back in the ring. Henry has him in Vulcan neck pinch on the mat. Henry continues to dominate Finlay, using his weight to his advantage. Mark goes for the pin but somehow Finlay kicks out. Henry gets Finlay in the Bear Hug of Doom for what seems like days. Finlay starts to get out, but then he gets rammed into the post back-first. And then slammed to the canvas twice in a row. No, wait…three times. The ref checks on Finlay, but Finlay tells him to get out of the way. Henry comes “flying” in, but Finlay moves, so Henry gets to eat the ring post. He throws some punches but it’s not enough, as Henry clotheslines him. Another slam to the mat, followed by an elbow drop, but Finlay moves. Finlay hops out and puts Henry’s head under the ring apron, and begins punching him. Atlas has had enough and comes running around to help. He shoves Hornswoggle, which draws the ire of Finlay. He walks towards Atlas who wisely backs off. Atlas rolls in the ring followed by Finlay, but that leaves Henry outside with Hornswoggle. Finlay gets out of the ring and brings the shillelagh down hard on Henry’s arm, breaking his hold on Hornswoggle. Hornswoggle crawls under the ring as Finlay and Henry get back in the ring. Finlay starts to work the arm he hit with some arm bars. Finlay tries for a roll up but again…physics. It gets Henry into the perfect position for a Samoan drop, but Finlay gets out of the way. Finlay looks like he hits a DDT on Henry from his knees, and then goes for the pin, but Henry kicks out. Finlay does his own Samoan drop, and then tries for a modified Fujiwara armbar (thank you Mr. Striker), but Henry gets out of it. Finlay heads for the corner. Bad move, because Henry follows him in for a Stinger splash. He gets him up for the world’s strongest slam, and this one folks, is mercifully over. Winner: Mark Henry

Hardy/Knox was a fairly good match, ring psychology-wise. I still don’t think Knox is all that great, but maybe he isn’t supposed to be. He plays the role of burly brawling heel pretty well. Bourne/Miz was fairly entertaining, and the use of Ortiz as a second was good. Jack Swagger does the leaping knee to the head way better than Orton ever could. About the only clunker of a match was the main event, and really, I didn’t expect anything less. Still, two mostly enjoyable ECWs in a row? The world must be ending!