[1997-01-18-ECW-TV] Ricky Morton & Tommy Rich vs The Gangstas / Ricky Morton vs Tommy Rich

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Ricky Morton in ECW! I can't wait!

 

I've never seen someone sell a garbage can shot so much. I think this environment and style of match is beneath him, but it's not like there were plenty of good places for someone like Ricky Morton to work at this point. Rich accidentally decks Morton during the match and then eats the pin. Short, but fun.

 

Morton was a little upset at Rich over the punch and the two ended up in a bloody brawl. Joey Styles even called it Southern style (*roll eyes*). Rich got a cheap win with his feet on the ropes.

 

I wasn't expecting a lot, but I was hoping for a lot. If I want to see Ricky Morton do his thing, I should probably just watch JCP.

[soup23]

I was conditioned to hate this just the way it was worked with the Gangsters introducing Morton and Rich to the ECW style of things. We get around 5 minutes of pure garbage chaos and its not terrible but not terribly exhilarating to me seeing Mroton and Rich pinball around. We then get a bloody brawl with Morton and Rich. I detest Joey Styles so much as an announcer.

[FLIK]

I think this environment and style of match is beneath him,

You guys so should have included his Barbed Wire match from FMW

[RazorbladeKiss87]

When I was younger I thought the Gangstas were really cool. As I got older I have really soured on them.

 

I still have an affinity for some ECW garbage wrestling every once in a while, which makes something like this a good deal since there's not enough in a row to wear me out on it. So yeah, it was fun and I don't regret watching it but I doubt it's something I'll revisit.

 

I second the Joey Styles dislike. I had the volume down so I didn't disturb anyone in the house and I'm sure it was much better than hearing his commentary. Again, it's something that I thought was really cool when I was younger but over time it's revealed itself to be pretty annoying.

[Death From Above]

Someone will have to explain to me how a guy in his 40's with no muscles rocking a mullet still doing an 80's teen blowjob gimmick is "above" working in a strange but successful indie.

 

Fuck if there's one thing you can praise ECW for it's that they gave a lot of older dudes that didn't fit in the big two at least a short run. Morton, Rich, Tommy Rogers, Terry Gordy, Williams, Johnny Smith, Eddie Gilbert, Jack Victory etc etc etc.

[Loss]

Someone will have to explain to me how a guy in his 40's with no muscles rocking a mullet still doing an 80's teen blowjob gimmick is "above" working in a strange but successful indie.

Because ECW wasn't really a promotion where smart workers past their physical prime who still had something to contribute were going to get a chance to shine. He's Ricky Morton, he's one of the greatest wrestlers ever ... he should be able to find a consistent, well-paying gig where he can work standard FIP tags. That he couldn't is a reflection of wrestling changing for the worst, not a reflection of old Morton having nothing to offer.

[Kevin Ridge]

Morton feels so out of place in this type of match against the Gangstas in ECW. Though I do remember their matches from SMW which war not bad. This is just guys hitting each other with weapons for a few brief minutes. Nothing that will get the needed sympathy on Morton with this crowd.

[PeteF3]

Rich and Morton form the team of Whiskey Bent & Hellbound, and they fare okay but not much better than that. They lose, split up, and Morton does the job again in an impromptu match with Rich. Rich can still work moderately well but looks absolutely horrible. I didn't mind Morton working a match like this, but I did have to shake my head at Rich still apparently needing the money badly enough to bleed for 200 bucks.

[KB8]

I actually thought this was a really fun five minutes when it was Rich/Morton v the Gangstas. Obviously it's not the perfect use of Ricky Morton, obviously you'd rather him work a proper FIP segment, but fuck it, he's Ricky Morton and there aren't many guys who'll sell getting a crutch broken over their back better than him. Rich looks pretty rough here and the short impromptu match with him and Morton was maybe a little sad (the crowd didn't seem terribly interested in the two old dudes in 80s ring gear bleeding and punching each other around), but Tommy's run in ECW does end up having some scuzzy awesomeness. He looks very fish out of water here, though. 80s blowjob babyface (if you could even call him that at this point) isn't really something that was likely to fly in 1997 ECW.