ECW Spoilers *They are taping tonight for some reason*

[KingofOldSchool]

From WNW:

* A WrestleMania XXIV video package is shown.

* The crowd is very lively for the small venue.

Dark Match:
* D-Lo Brown b. Jake Hager
- D-Lo got the win with the lo down.

ECW On Sci-Fi: (Airing Tomorrow)
* Tiffany introduces Theodore Long. A ECW Championship Scramble Match is announced for Unforgiven. Qualifying matches will be held throughout tonight’s taping.

* Matt Hardy b. John Morrison
- Hardy got the win with Twist of Fate.

* Backstage is Theodore Long, Tiffany, and Mark Henry. Mark is upset about being in the scramble. Teddy informs him that one, two, or three belts could change hands -- could his be one?

* The Miz b. Evan Bourne
- The Miz earns a spot in the scramble at Unforgiven.

* Chavo Guerrero b. Tommy Dreamer
- Chavo gets the win with a frog splash. He's now earned a spot in the scramble.


* Finlay b. Mike Knox
- Finlay got the win using his shilelagh. He got the last spot in the scramble. Hornswoggle at ringside to celebrate.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Surprised they gave the nod to Miz over Morrison.

This actually might be the best of the three Scrambles I think</font>

[KYR]

<font color=goldenrod>Surprised they gave the nod to Miz over Morrison.

This actually might be the best of the three Scrambles I think</font>

Gotta agree. Which makes me think Morrison may interfere in some way.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>I'd say SD's is the best, but I really see Kendrick getting booted out in favor of Big Show.

And who knows about the Raw one, Cena might not make it.</font>

[Shadow]

...3 SCRAMBLES!?

I see Vince watched TNA's Lockdown PPV and decided to do that. Next we'll see a IC Scramble and a US Scramble.

[Mr. Nerfect]

What is everyone's big objection to their being more than one Scramble? Sure, matches can be done to death, but it's the fucking theme of the PPV. If you've got the WWE and World Heavyweight Titles defended in Scrambles, it would actually be more uncomfortable to not have the ECW Title defended in one.

That being said, I'm thinking this one is a bit ew. Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy vs. The Miz vs. Chavo Guerrero vs. Finlay? That's lacking some serious John Morrison. Swap out The Miz for Morrison, and you have yourself a winner. I think Finlay and Mike Knox could have worked their own program away from the ECW Scramble, but whatever. Finlay being in a main event match makes me happy.

[Juan]

I would actually boot both Chavo and Finlay, insert Morrison and Bourne.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I would actually boot both Chavo and Finlay, insert Morrison and Bourne.

Bourne is a guy I hope gets elevated, but I don't know, I'd much rather see Chavo. I like it when the WWE tries to do something with him.

[Rammsteinmad]

Ah ha! I get it now! Mark Henry will lose the title in this match, so that Triple H and CM Punk can retain theirs. :nono:

[Afterlife]

No Dreamer? I'm disgusted.

[Juan]

I know, right?

[Mr. Nerfect]

My ideal ECW Championship Scramble was Mark Henry vs. Chavo Guerrero vs. Tommy Dreamer vs. John Morrison vs. Matt Hardy.

Chavo Guerrero and Evan Bourne open up the qualifying matches, with Chavo going over Bourne with a Gory Bomb after anticipating the Shooting Star Press, and rolling out of the way. This furthers the story between them, with Bourne upping Chavo, then Chavo's experience letting him get the better of Bourne when they next meet.

Tommy Dreamer qualifies over The Miz, proving he "still has it" when he gets a DDT for the pin. Dreamer needs to look pretty credible so he can mean something to the brand, and remain sort of a perennial main event stop-gap for them. He's still over, and can still work a match. He adds another former ECW Champion to the list of challengers.

John Morrison defeats Finlay in a match showcasing what these two can do. Finlay looks to have the match won, but Mike Knox comes out and pulls Hornswoggle out from under the ring, and drags him to the back, and Finlay gives chase, getting counted out against Morrison, leaving some unfinished business between the two, and intesifying the shit with Knox, who claims that the real Finlay wouldn't have put a midget over the ECW Championship.

Matt Hardy beats Mike Knox in the main event, cleanly, with the Twist of Fate. Hardy needs to look like a world-beater to re-challenge Henry effectively, and not lose any steam. Finlay is either too distraught to help out, or in a backstage interview says he won't get involved in the match, because he wants to see what Mike Knox can do before he picks him apart and absolutely destroys him.

Finlay and Mike Knox then get a match scheduled for Unforgiven, which would be like the first time ever ECW got two matches on a tri-branded PPV. Chavo Guerrero manages to win his second ECW Championship in the Scramble, when he lies, cheats and steals his way to the victory.

My reasoning for this is as follows: Mark Henry retaining would sell the idea short. If he goes over, then what is the point of the whole "champion has the odds stacked against him" thing? Overcoming the odds is a face thing, too. Plus, better as Henry is, he's still not good enough to be the top man of a brand. Matt Hardy doesn't win, because it would look sneaky, and blow-away the big moment of a Hardy winning a World Title for the first time. Tommy Dreamer never needs to be ECW Champion again. It could be fun if built up properly, but a younger guy could use the rub. It's also a heel's stipulation to win. That leaves it between Morrison and Guerrero. I love Morrison, but I feel his second win should be more built up. He's also younger, with a lot more time left. Plus it would be sort of weird, because he's still got his stuff with The Miz going on. Chavo wins, and makes the Guerrero name look as actively credible as possible for when Eddie's DVD comes out.

[Mr. Nerfect]

To be honest, I think at least two titles need to change hands with the Scramble Matches -- to really sell them as matches where the title's fate is thrown into the wind. If Mark Henry loses it, and then both Triple H and CM Punk retain (which will probably happen), then that's already a 66.6% retaining rate in these sort of matches. There isn't much to market in the future, then.

My opinion is that two titles need to change hands, and using those givens, I'd have to go with Mark Henry dropping the ECW Title, and Triple H losing the WWE Championship. CM Punk losing the World Heavyweight Title in this sort of environment would probably bankrupt a lot of his momentum and value in the fans' eyes. It's all set up nicely, too. The ECW Title obviously goes first, and let's say Chavo wins the belt. Then the WWE Title goes to MVP, or something. The match with the most legitimate main eventers, and the first confirmed Scramble goes last, with CM Punk beating it out and retaining the World Heavyweight Title, and being the only face to win the match.

[Gertner]

Besides myself and Thrilla who the hell would want Finlay vs Knox on ppv?

[Hanso Amore]

Sorry Noid, no way does HHH drop the belt to anyone in that match. No one in it is even remotely main event material at this point.

Henry will retain to further his push as invincible.

Punk loses the belt to Bats.

[Indifferent Clox]

That sounds like the worst possible scenario..

[Mr. Nerfect]

Sorry Noid, no way does HHH drop the belt to anyone in that match. No one in it is even remotely main event material at this point.

Henry will retain to further his push as invincible.

Punk loses the belt to Bats.

I don't know...I mean, all that I have learned indicates Triple H retains, but it seems the WWE is going on a rush elevating talent. They do have a lot of catching up to do.

After Summerslam, MVP did cut a promo talking about the WWE Championship, and when you really think about it, where else is there left for MVP to go on SmackDown!? He's been WWE Tag Team Champion, he held the US Title for a helluva long time. As an egotistical heel, it's not like they need to do a really big epic build for his win. It'd sort of be like how they moved the WWE Title onto Kurt Angle originally. He just sort of won it out of nowhere.

I'd also make a case for Shelton Benjamin. The man has pretty much done all that is possible in the mid-card. It's time to finally get serious with the guy, which is what all this "Gold Standard" stuff has been about. He's also changed his style, and the WWE are putting it over as a much more effective way of wrestling. I mean, the biggest hold-back on Benjamin right now is that he is US Champion. To fix that, all you have to do is have Benjamin lose the US Title to R-Truth due to Jeff Hardy or Triple H interference, and he's freed up for some higher singles gold.

The Brian Kendrick seems like the only guy who is not "main event material" in the match, and the most pipe-dreamy as WWE Champion. Winning here would fit his gimmick though, and cement him as a fixture of SmackDown!. It's more my heart wanting to go with Kendrick than brains, though. It's got the least chance of happening, however.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Batista winning the World Heavyweight Championship actually seems like a really likely scenario, though, to be honest. I mean, out of all the challengers, he has the best chance.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Besides myself and Thrilla who the hell would want Finlay vs Knox on ppv?

I would. With all his silly leprechaun dancing, it's surprisingly easy to forget how awesome Finlay is. If Mike Knox has some kind of talent within him (and I suspect that he does), then Finlay is the man to get it out of him.

Plus the story (in which Knox is ripping into Finlay for basically being the pussy he has become) is none too bad, and if it leads to an evolution of Finlay's character, into something cooler, then I'm all for it.

It'd be a fun brawl. Plus it means more Matt Striker commentary on PPV.

[Gertner]

there'd be like 5 people

[Mr. Nerfect]

there'd be like 5 people

Well, widen the question to "who would rather see Mike Knox on PPV than Snitsky?" and you'd get a few more nods.

[Mr. Nerfect]

By the way, it seems like Mike Knox is getting some really good heat on ECW. Finlay also has the fans behind him. From a mark's standpoint, I think the match is PPV worthy. Actually, it seems that a lot of guys on ECW are actually getting quite over, in one way or another.