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ECW for June 19th opened with a revamped opening video that now includes the new ECW stars. They showed the ECW title belt at ringside, and the announcers talked about the matches tonight (CM Punk vs. Marcus Cor Von, Chris Benoit vs. Elijah Burke) with the winners facing each other at Vengeance on Sunday for the title. Joey Styles and Tazz then talked about Vince McMahon getting blown up last week, followed by footage that we all saw already on Raw of the aftermath of the big boom.
Chris Benoit vs. Elijah Burke
They locked up at the bell, and Benoit took Burke down to the mat. Burke managed a front facelock, but Benoit reversed it into a hammerlock. Burke got to his feet and got a headlock, but Benoit broke out. Benoit grabbed an arm for a Crossface attempt, but Burke tripped out of it and rolled over Benoit for a two count. Benoit slapped and chopped Burke. Burke ducked a shot and went for a cradle, but Benoit reversed into a crossface, only for Burke to make the ropes. Burke hit some shots in the corner and whipped Benoit across the ring hard into the opposite corner. Burke stomped and punched Benoit, then kicked him in the gut. Burke applied a Stretch Plum variation, then as Benoit turned into it, Burke switched to a front facelock. Benoit flipped Burke with a Northern Lights suplex for two. Burke kicked out and dropped Benoit gut first on the top rope, then knocked him to the floor. Burke rolled Benoit back in for a one count after realizing he wasn't going to get a countout win.
Burke put Benoit against the ropes and went for a straddle, but Benoit moved and Burke hit the ropes. Benoit hit a running elbow and a snap suplex, then another Northern Lights for a two count. Benoit hit three consecutive German suplexes, knocking some of the beads out of Burke's hair. Benoit went to the top rope, but as he dove off for the flying headbutt, Burke got his knees up and caught Benoit in the head. Burke hit an STO for a two count. Burke went for a vertical suplex, but Benoit hit a knee to the head while elevated to stop it. Benoit went for a German suplex, but Burke blocked it. Benoit tripped Burke and went for the legs, but Burke kicked him into the corner. Burke went for the Elijah Express, but Benoit moved and Burke went knees first in the corner. Benoit then applied the Sharpshooter for the submission win at the six minute mark.
Winner: Chris Benoit.
Benoit went over to the title belt and touched it before leaving ringside.
They promised we would get to see Stephanie McMahon "promising vengeance" from Raw, and after the commercial, we got to hear the whole promo from Monday again. Joey Styles and Tazz then informed us that the fans can go to WWE.com tomorrow to give their opinions on who committed this "heinous act". Oh, the "heinous act" is who blew up Mr. McMahon, not who wrote Stephanie's promo.
The Boogeyman vs. Sean Alexander
Boogeyman grabbed Alexander by the throat with both hands, hit the double chokeslam, and pinned him in about ten seconds.
Winner: The Boogeyman.
Boogeyman spit worms all over Alexander before exiting.
The showed footage of Daniel Beck, the "lead investigator" making his statement on WWE.com last week, while Joey Styles talked over him and basically made it sound like Beck is some sort of superstar federal agent.
Tommy Dreamer vs. Kevin Thorn
They locked up at the start and traded waistlocks. Thorn hit a back elbow and slammed Dreamer, then hit a shoulderblock. Dreamer tripped Thorn and applied a leglock, but Thorn grabbed the bottom rope to break it. Dreamer went for a whip, but Thorn hit a spinebuster then stomped Dreamer. Thorn hit some punches, then stomped Dreamer in the back. Thorn dropped two elbows, then applied a rear chinlock. Fans were chanting for tables for some reason. Dreamer fought up and tried a sunset flip, but Thorn stomped him. Thorn missed an elbowdrop, then a charge in the corner. Dreamer dropkicked Thorn in the face while Thorn was on his knees. Dreamer hit a bulldog, then went for a DDT. Thorn pulled out of the DDT, but then walked into a Dreamer spinebuster for a two count. Dreamer went for some punches in the corner while standing on the second rope. Thorn got out from under him, then knocked out Dreamer's legs. Dreamer fell to the mat, catching his legs in the ropes. Dreamer clutched at his ankle, and Thorn pinned him at the four minute mark.
Winner: Kevin Thorn.
As Thorn left, Dreamer was still clutching the ankle.
Footage of the wreckage of Mr. McMahon's limo was shown.
We then got to watch, that's right, the footage of the limo blowing up last week on Raw. We got to watch the firemen put it out, again. We got to see the hollowed out limo, again.
Johnny Nitro vs. Nunzio
Why is it WWE can't decide if his name is Nunzio or Little Guido Maritato? Nunzio took Nitro to the mat and out wrestled him at the start, then brought him down again with a side mare. Nitro shoved Nunzio into a corner and hit a springboard kick off the second rope to Nunzio's face. Nitro stomped him and hit a twisting legdrop to the back of the head. Nunzio fired off a punch to the gut, but Nitro applied a cravate. Nitro hit a knee to the head, then went for a neckbreaker, but Nunzio shoved him off and hit a forearm to the back of the head, then one to the front. Nunzio hit a spinning headscissors. Nitro caught Nunzio on a leap and seated him on the top rope, but Nunzio jumped right off the second rope with a dropkick to the face, then a side cradle for a two count. Nunzio grabbed Nitro's arm, but Nitro mulekicked him, then hit a backbreaker into a neckbreaker for a two count. Nitro hit a flipping neckbreaker for the three count at the three minute mark.
Winner: Johnny Nitro.
Backstage, Marcus Cor Von approached Elijah Burke. Cor Von told him not to speak. Cor Von gave Burke his condolences on the loss ("too bad"), then said he would defeat CM Punk tonight, then beat Chris Benoit at Vengeance to become the ECW Champion. Cor Von then slapped Burke on the back and said "too bad" before walking off. Burke looked annoyed as they went to commercial.
A video package on The Miz was shown, noting "The Miz Crashes ECW".
Backstage, Extreme Expose was watching a monitor and remarking how they think the Miz is hot. Brooke said she was hoping to hook up with him, then walked off. Layla mentioned to Kelly Kelly that she saw her with the Miz last weekend. Kelly told Layla to mind her own business and walked off. Layla started to giggle, I guess over the impeding love triangle.
Some of the matches for Vengeance were reviewed.
Marcus Cor Von vs. CM Punk
Cor Von made his entrance, then we went to commercial. After the break, we saw CM Punk's entrance. Punk stared at the title belt before entering the ring.
Punk started out with right hands, but Cor Von nailed him with a clothesline and hit his own punches. Cor Von rammed Punk into a corner, then whipped him across the ring. Punk jumped off the second rope with a reverse bodypress, then hit a pair of armdrags. Punk went for a keylock, but Cor Von punched out of it. Punk took Cor Von down with a fireman's carry, then hit a series of kicks. Punk went for a backslide, but Cor Von was too strong. Cor Von then hit a flying armbar and started hitting Punk in the shoulder. Cor Von threw Punk shoulder first into the ringpost, then went outside and whipped Punk's arm into the post. Cor Von pointed at the title belt before reentering the ring. Punk tried to traded blows with Cor Von, but Cor Von applied a hammerlock and took Punk to the mat with a drop toe hold. Cor Von rolled Punk over on the mat for a two count, then applied a standing Fujiwara armbar. Punk cradled Cor Von to escape and get a two count, then Cor Von nailed him with a lariat.
Cor Von went back to work on the arm on the mat. Punk go to his feet while in the hammerlock. He flipped over Cor Von then bounced off the ropes and went for a cross bodyblock, but Cor Von caught it and hit a fallaway slam. Cor Von applied a traditional armbar to Punk. Punk tried to punch out of it, but Cor Von hit a knee to the gut, then whipped Punk into a corner. Cor Von ran into a Punk elbow, then Punk hit a boot to the face and a second rope clothesline. Punk hit two clotheslines and a side kick, then delivered some knees to the body. Punk hit the jumping knee in the corner, then the bulldog. Punk went for the springboard clothesline, but Cor Von caught it and powerslammed Punk. Actually, it looked like Cor Von dropped Punk right on his head. Pretty scary. Punk kicked out at two. Cor Von gave Punk a double underhook suplex. Cor Von then charged Punk, but Punk moved and Cor Von ran into the corner. Punk hit the Go To Sleep for the pin at the seven minute mark.
Winner: CM Punk.
CM Punk was staring at the ECW Title belt. Chris Benoit came to the ring, and he and Punk had a face to face staredown. Benoit offered a handshake, and Punk took it. They went nose to nose, and stared at each other to end the show.
At Vengeance, it will be Chris Benoit vs. CM Punk for the ECW World Title.
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