[2000-08-12-ECW-St. Petersburg, FL] Tommy Dreamer & Joey Matthews & Christian York vs Chris Hamrick & E.Z. Money & Julio Dinero

[soup23]

I liked seeing Dreamer mixing it up with these guys and it was a fun way he was inserted as the heels were trying to bail in typical Southern style. Hamrick is always going to bump and do neat things to get noticed and Money does a lot as well. That actually kind of makes Matthews/York look a little rough in this one as while they were fine, I did think they were outshined in the basic premise of this match which was all energy and shtick mixed in. I am guessing by the cagematch card for this show that this was the first match back from intermission which was a good placement. *** (5.9)

[Migs]

I keep noticing all the empty seats at the Bayfront Center, but according to Wikipedia, it held 8000, so ECW could have a pretty good crowd for them and still not be close to filling the place. This apparently drew 1700, which was in-line with the upper tier of ECW crowds at the time.

 

The setup here, with a DQ threatened and then Dreamer being brought out, is cute but pretty non-sensical. In kayfabe, if he's watching your back, why not bring him out to start?

 

The match was mostly late ECW Dreamer junk, with the standard spots. The other 5 guys do fine but feel pretty overshadowed by Dreamer's presence. They all hit their spots, but Dreamer does the biggest damage. At least they let York and Matthews get the pin.

 

I do like the crowd member who calls Hamrick a "Michael Bolton motherfucker."

[AstroBoy]

This was a little more fun than I thought it would be. Money and Hamrick looked good, Hamrick especially was all over the place. Dreamer may have been the biggest star but I had no real use for him here. Matthews has played a really good babyface throughout the year and he was solid again here working with Money. Short and sweet and a good little match.

 

**1/2

[GSR]

Well Julio Fantastico wasn’t long for ECW as his surname has already been changed to Dinero.  This actually starts off as a tag match as opposed to a six man, with Money and Dinero representing Hot Commodity, although nothing of note happens bar a bad miscommunication between Money and York, the former expecting a headscissors while the latter goes for a tornado DDT and the pair just fall to the mat.  After Chris Hamrick is caught interfering for a second time, referee Mike Kehner is about to disqualify the heels when Joey Matthews stops him from doing so.  He says that they didn’t come all the way to one of the greatest wrestling cities in the world to get a disqualification win and if they want to do this three-on-two bullshit they have someone in the dressing room watching their back.  So the same Mike Kehner who several times a match will let Bill Alfonso and Sal E. Graziano interfere right in front of his eyes is now threatening disqualifications?  Anyway, Matthews’ speech was the signal for Tommy Dreamer who arrives as Hot Commodity are heading up the aisle.  They back off on seeing him and Money and Dinero are taken out by stereo suicide dives.  Dreamer with a powerslam on Hamrick, combination Russian leg sweep/flying forearm for E.Z. and a double inverted suplex on Dinero.  Triple ‘Tree of Woe’.  The match settles down and a blind tag by Hot Commodity allows Money to catch Matthews with a slingshot somersault clothesline.  He settles into his regular role of playing the FIP, while in amongst the action you here someone call Hamrick ‘Michael Bolton’.  Top rope elbow by Hamrick gets a two count, before tagging in Money for a double wheelbarrow suplex.  Somersault leg drop to the back of the neck followed by a standing moonsault.  ‘Money in the Bank’ and this time York is in to break up the pin.  Matthews avoids Hamrick’s leg drop off the top and hot tags Dreamer.  Hot Commodity all bump for him and he empties the ring after a DDT on Hamrick and a ‘Cactus clothesline’ to Money.  That leaves Fantastico all alone with York and Matthews who hit a top rope rana/flying elbow combination for the win.

Although he’s got the star power Dreamer, with his laboured and basic offense, feels like the odd man out in this company.  York was rough in his few moments in here and it’s pretty clear why Matthews does the bulk of the work for them.  While Hot Commodity are never going to reach the upper echelons of any card, they’re always entertaining and quickly becoming one of my favourites to watch.