[2000-11-17-ACW] Chris Hero vs Hy-Zaya

[soup23]

More proof that the three way was a blemish of just the guys probably being tired from competing earlier in the night. This was a real good match with Hero in particular embracing the heel role and getting a great reaction from the crowd. Prazak and the valet whose name I don’t know worked better here interfering and Hy-Zaya is a good sympathetic babyface hitting his flash spots when needed and selling the varied attack from Hero. The match really felt up in the balance in the waning moments before Hero was able to pick up the victory. I don’t know where Hero will rank compared to all the other indie darlings in the year 2000 but this was a strong performance which was a relief given my distaste of the 3 way that I watched out of order earlier. ***1/4 (6.7)

[GSR]

A two out of three falls match to determine the first ACW champion, or so I thought.  A highly excitable Dave Prazak accompanying Chris Hero tonight as well as some blonde who is introduced later.  As the two take it in turns to say what they’re thankful for, you hear someone catcall from the crowd “I’ll be thankful when this ends!”  Nice transition from a full nelson into a hammerlock, Zaya snapmaring his way out of it.  Hero tries to stunner his way out of a hammerlock, however Zaya lets go so it doesn’t have the impact he desired.  With Zaya continually getting the better of him he’s out on the floor to be consoled by Prazak and the blonde, doing so more often than once.  While coming across as a “cry-baby” to the fans it is also stopping Zaya’s momentum.  After landing an armdrag he is leaping around as though he’s won the match, not that he’s just gotten his first offensive move in!  Zaya fakes him on the armdrag before catching him with one of his own and then clotheslining him to the outside.  Hero doesn’t quite manage to take the conventional backwards bump over the top rope like 99% of people on this spot so ends up rolling under the bottom.  I actually prefer it that way as it looks way more realistic.  Barmy head first suicide dive.  Hero counters the attempted hiptoss with some indyrriffic move and beckons on the crowd’s boos as they let him have it.  He drops a knee across Zaya’s throat being pretty measured with his attack.  Modified surfboard.  Running elbow smash in the corner.  After kicking out of a sit-out slam Hero goes for it a second time, however Zaya fight his way free and hits a tornado DDT for a near fall.   Hero counters whatever he had planned and throws Zaya to ringside where Prazak puts the boots in while he keeps the referee busy.  He follows him out as the two then trade hard slaps to the chest.  More distraction from Hero, this time so that his valet can get involved, slapping Zaya as he is draped over the ropes.  Zaya counters the Fisherman’s suplex with an inside cradle for a near fall as we get a flurry of flash two counts.  Both throw forearms, which connect at the same time, knocking the other down.  Top rope rana by Zaya.  A dangerously low Swanton and Prazak is up on the apron.  Zaya clubs him, but the additional seconds allow Hero to kick out of the subsequent cover.  As he again heads upstairs the valet shakes the top rope causing him to lose his balance.  ‘Hero’s Welcome’ and Hero takes the first fall.  No, this is over, it’s not two out of three falls afterall.

Why on earth did I have it in my head and written everywhere that this was a two out of three falls match?  That certainly explains why there were all those near falls and kicks out, in what I thought was the first fall, as I was wondering what on earth was going on as it was nothing like any best of three fall match I’d seen previously.  In addition with time running down on the video counter I was thinking how this was going to end.  Flash second fall?  Double KO?  Ideally I should watch it again as expecting three falls, and being conditioned to how those matches usually go, did effect my viewing.  Hero was real good though and I agree that the three-way later in the evening may well have been a result of everyone working twice earlier, even if Punk and Pearce didn’t exactly bust a gut in their match.