[2000-11-18-MCW Maryland] Joey Matthews & Christian York vs Earl the Pearl & Rich Myers

[soup23]

Of any team in 2000 that I didn’t have a formulated opinion on going into the year, York & Matthews have fallen the most. I had sort of assumed they were a Hardy level tag team at this point that just didn’t have as many opportunities and was in ECW purgatory. Instead, they are just pretty sloppy together and don’t have chemistry with each other or a connection overall with the crowd. The opponents here don’t help matters as Earl the Pearl can go away as quick as possible but still we have seen a nice chunk of MCW matches now and they never reach Backseat Boys vs Bad Crew levels IMO which is a shock to me. The FIP sequence was decent and the hot tag and double team moves were decent as well but there just seems to be something hollow and unnatural with the execution. Finish have the heels winning with a side Russian leg sweep/Blockbuster combo which looked pretty cool. **1/4

[GSR]

“Hallelujah as the Holy Rollers and Platinum Matt are finally back together”.  Tonight was supposed to be a triumphant night for them because they were scheduled to be in six-man action, however MCW couldn’t get their act together so they don’t have opponents.  As that’s the case Matt informs everyone they’ll see them next show then, though just as they’re about to leave out comes Christian York and Joey Matthews, also making their return to MCW.  Earl tells them that he doesn’t know why they bothered coming back, but ECW doesn’t intimidate them one bit.  A PG crowd for MCW who yell “shut the hell up” as opposed to the more offensive version that most wrestling audiences chant.  He goes on to say that it is easy to do flips and hit each other with chairs although wonders if they still remember how to wrestle?  Well those PG chants didn’t last long, the fans now chanting “faggot, faggot” at him.  The Pearl plays on them, getting consoled by Myers but also placing a hand on his backside as he does so.  When the homophobic slurs turn to “boring, boring” as he outwrestles Matthews, the Rollers have heard enough and take off towards the dressing room.  Naturally they have a change of heart and return.  So much for Earl “wrestling” as he’s already resorting to hair pulling.  Lengthy criss cross spot, Matthews changing direction and flattening the Pearl.   He paintbrushes him across the back of the head and then does the same to Ramblin’ Rich, a bit of payback for what Earl dished out to him earlier.  Springboard bulldog by York.  We see some of that ECW influence, a double ‘Tree of Woe’ with York and Matthews climbing the turnbuckles to stand on their groins, a staple of Tajiri’s repertoire.  Stereo suicide dives.  Front superplex/senton combo, a staple of their own.  Earl gets clobbered after kneeing York in the back as he runs the ropes, however the distraction allows Myers to floor him with a superkick.  The Holy Rollers work him over until Earl misses a diving headbutt from the top.  Hot tag and all four men end up in the ring.  Earl telegraphs a backdrop but is able to counter Matthew’s counter and the Rollers with a combination Russian legsweep/blockbuster for the win.

I enjoyed the shtick at the start and Earl doesn’t bother me anywhere near as much as he seems to bother Chad.  The Rollers control segment wasn’t the most exciting but this was alright.  Which probably says plenty just describing it as that.