[2000-10-01-ECW-Anarchy Rulz] Steve Corino vs C.W. Anderson

[soup23]

I did my cursory check around the reviews of this show and saw that this match was pretty panned. That makes sense in the way of what Dave and SK generally look for in a match they enjoy but for my enjoyment and mixing the hardcore elements of ECW with the old school psychology, this was pretty spot on and worked for me. The shoulder work on Corino was really good and him getting cut open always adds drama. I also thought Corino timed his kickouts really well and it was fun to see how in the course of the year he transitioned from heel to face. Corino makes a big comeback and hits the Old School Expulsion for the pin. ***1/4 (6.7)

[GSR]

I’m not feeling Dawn Marie as a regular part of Corino’s entourage.  It was fine when she was used to counteract Francine, but in a match like this, when Corino already has Jack Victory in his corner and C.W. is out on his own, it just comes across as finding something for her to do.  The two men are evenly matched and it’s not long before they start trading punches and knife edge chops, the fans irritatingly “Whooo’ing” along with each one.  Corino runs into a back elbow but C.W. ducks the clothesline and drops him with a superkick.  He collects a chair from the outside only to decide against using it when he climbs up to the apron, throwing it back down to the floor.   Modified T-Bone suplex by Corino and then he collects one, somehow I can’t see him throwing it away!  Of course not, he busts C.W. open after cracking him in the head with it.  The action spills out to ringside where Anderson launches a chair at Corino and now he’s bleeding too.  Well it is an ECW PPV what do you expect!  Back inside C.W. wedges a chair between the turnbuckles, hammerlocks the arm and then rams Corino shoulder first into the chair.  He meticulously goes about attacking that arm, stomping away on it as his opponent is forced to fight with just the one good upper limb.  Each counters the other’s finisher and C.W. with that cool looking Ferris Wheel suplex.  Corino escapes the sleeper hold and crotches ‘the Enforcer’ on the lip of an upright chair.  Bionic elbow.  Simon & Swinger are out but are beaten to the back by Victory before they can interfere in proceedings.  Quality looking superkick by Corino floors C.W.  The Irish whip is reversed, Anderson goes for a spinebuster onto the chair, however Corino counters with the ‘Old School Expulsion’, winning the match and also becoming the number one contender to the World title.

A similar match in structure to the Danbury house show from a week ago, only with the addition of blood.  My thoughts on this are similar to that, although this did start to lose my interest as it went on.  Similarly, whilst not bad or anything, when you think of Steve Corino PPV matches in 2000 you’ll say 5/14 vs Tajiri, 7/16 vs Lynn, you won’t be remembering this one.