ECW Recap 08.26.08

ECW Recap from Wilkes Barre, PA:

Tuesday night's show began with ECW General Manager Teddy Long's beautiful assistant Tiffany coming out to the ramp. Tiffany introduced the GM and Teddy came out to the ramp dancing with his assistant. Teddy announced that ECW will also have a Championship Scramble match at Unforgiven. Mark Henry will defend his ECW title against 4 other competitors from the ECW roster. Teddy said ECW will have qualifying matches tonight for the Unforgiven ECW Championship Scramble.

John Morrison vs. Matt Hardy
ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying match

Morrison had control of the match for a bit until Matt countered to hit a Side Effect. Matt went for Twist of Fate, but Morrison tossed him up over the top rope to the apron. Morrison rushed across the ring and rammed into Matt knocking him to the outside as ECW went to commercial.

ECW returned with Morrison still in control, keeping Matt down to the mat with a chinlock. Morrison tried for a pin after a side Russian leg sweep, but Matt kicked out. Morrison continued to pummel Matt, eventually knocking him back to the outside with punches. Morrison went to the outside to continue his attack, hammering Matt on the back. Back in the ring, Morrison continued the beatdown and tried to keep Matt in another headlock on the mat. Matt got to his feet and dropped his weight down to escape from Morrison. Matt held the momentum as he jumped off the ropes, and went for Twist of Fate, but again Morrison countered.

Morrison shoved Matt to the ropes, but Matt held himself, then kicked Morrison. Again Matt went for Twist of Fate, but Morrison grabbed him and tried a pin with his feet on the ropes. The two continued trading moves and pinfall attempts, with Morrison landing his spinkick off the ropes. The two eventually caught each other with a double clothesline, crashing to the mat. Morrison got back to his feet with Matt. As Morrison went for his finisher, Matt smartly countered and finally hit a Twist of Fate to win!

Winner: Matt Hardy wins via pinfall to qualify for the ECW Championship Scramble.

Backstage, Teddy Long talked to Tiffany about how great the opening match was. Tiffany commented how Matt is one of her favorites. All of a sudden, Mark Henry and Tony Atlas showed up to complain about the Championship Scramble. Teddy Long said there could be 3 championships changing hands at Unforgiven and asked Henry "will one of them be yours?"

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ECW returned with a Raw Rewind of highlights. The Summerslam match between Cena and Batista was highlighted with The Animal capturing a tough win. It was announced on last night's Raw by GM Mike Adamle that Cena suffered a herniated disc in his neck, leaving him out indefinitely. This forces Cena out of the Championship Scramble at Unforgiven. Adamle announced that a former World Heavyweight champ will replace Cena in the match, Rey Mysterio.

Todd Grisham discussed how Cena underwent surgery earlier today and according to his neurosurgeon, the surgery was a success. Grisham said the herniated disc was pushing into Cena's spine causing partial paralysis in his right arm.

Evan Bourne vs. The Miz
ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying Match

Todd Grisham remarked how Bourne's beat some impressive talent so far in ECW, and has never been pinned. At one point in the matchup, Miz took Bourne up and slammed him down with a face first suplex to the mat. On the mat, Miz squeezed a legscissors around the torso of Bourne. The two got to their feet wit hMiz trying another move, but Bourne countered and started to gain momentum. Bourne continued his roll, until Miz grabbed his tights and clipped his leg. As Miz came off the ropes, Bourne tripped him up then did a Moonsault flip onto him.

Bourne continued with momentum and charged at Miz in the corner, with Miz elbowing his way out. Miz sat on the corner turnbuckle and Bourne kicked him, then climbed up for a move. Miz ducked under Bourne as he leapt up on the corner, causing Bourne to crash down on the turnbuckle on his groin. Bourne bounced off the corner down to the mat, and as he got to his feet, Miz was quick to hit the Reality Check.

Winner: The Miz wins by pinfall over Evan Bourne to qualify for the ECW Championship Scramble.

Chavo was shown walking backstage with Bam Neely and Tommy Dreamer was also shown walking on the split screen, in anticipation of the next qualifying match.

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Chavo Guerrero vs. Tommy Dreamer
ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying Match

Chavo used unique submission holds to wear down Dreamer like an Abdominal Stretch center ring. Dreamer escaped to start punching back, but Chavo caught him with a foot in the corner. Chavo went to jump off the corner, but Dreamer punched him in the midsection, then gained momentum. Dreamer whipped Chavo to one corner, then bulldogged him to the mat. Dreamer signaled for a finisher, but was holding his side. Dreamer did a running powerslam with Chavo on his shoulder, but Chavo kicked out at 2.

Chavo again elbowed his way out of the corner, but Dreamer was able to knock him off the corner, hanging him upside down. Dreamer ran and dropkicked Chavo, then pulled him down off the ropes. Dreamer hoisted Chavo up for another move, but Bam Neely got on the side apron to distract. Chavo was able to shove Dreamer into the ropes, causing Bam to fall off the apron. The distraction allowed Chavo to yank Dreamer down against the top rope, then hit a Frogsplash off the corner turnbuckle.

Winner: Cavo Guerrero wins via pinfall over Tommy Dreamer to qualify for the ECW Championship Scramble.

Josh Matthews was shown reporting from Denver, Colorado as they held the Democractic National Convention. Batista and Candice Michelle joined Josh at the event.

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ECW returned and Matt Striker ran down the rules for the Championship Scramble at Unforgiven. The match has a time limit of 20 minutes. The match starts with 2 men in the ring and every 5 minutes another competitor arrives to the match. During the match, the title can change hands without the champion being pinned. Whoever scores the final pinfall before 20 minutes is up, will be the ECW champion.

Finlay vs. Mike Knox
ECW Championship Scramble Qualifying match

At one point in the match, Finlay was able to toss Knox out through the ropes, then exited to the side apron. Knox yanked Finlay's leg to pull him down, causing Finlay to hit the apron face first. The two continued the fight with Knox gaining the upperhand as they rolled back into the ring. ECW returned from a commercial with Finlay in control. Finlay grabbed Knox' arm behind his back on the mat. Finlay continued to knee Knox in the back then got just a 2 count. The two went to the outside yet again, with Finlay running at Knox. Knox grabbed Finlay for a quick Powerslam outside. Back in the ring, Knox took control, choking Finlay against the middle rope, then running and jumping onto his back.

With Knox in control, he kept Finlay in a chinlock. Finlay fought to his feet, but Knox rammed him back into the corner, dropping him to the mat. Knox turned his attention to Hornswoggle who was nearby outside the ring. Knox grabbed his coat, but Hornswoggle slipped out of it and ran part way up the ramp. Finlay was able to run and clothesline Knox out of the ring, then began a beatdown outside the ring. Back in the ring, Finlay had serious momentum. Knox eventually got back in control but couldn't score the pin, so he went over and started taking the turnbuckle cover off.

The ref came over to stop Knox from removing the cover. Finlay had grabbed a shilaleigh while he was down on the mat and went at Knox, with the ref still in the corner. Knox kicked Finlay causing the shilaleigh to fall to the mat. The ref turned to see it and took it away, thinking Knox brought it into play. Meanwhile, Hornswoggle slipped another shilaleigh into the ring to Finlay. Finlay clocked Knox over the head, then scored the winning pinfall.

Winner: Finlay wins via pinfall over Mike Knox to qualify for the ECW Championship Scramble.

ECW left the air with its Championship Scramble picture set. Mark Henry will defend the ECW title at Unforgiven against The Miz, Chavo Guerrero, Matt Hardy and Finlay.

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