[2000-08-27-ECW-Hardcore TV] Steve Corino vs Scotty Anton

[soup23]

This was used as a vehicle to display Steve as a face in front of the ECW arena audience. Match was fine for the amount of time it had and even had some fun moments involving run ins and Cyrus getting beat down by a face Jack Victory. Corino wins pretty easily with the superkick and is probably looking for that one main rival now that he is a face to go up against. **

[AstroBoy]

Anton doesn't really impress besides having some of the worst facial hair ever. Him working the clap into his submission on Corino was a nice spot and helped along Corino's comeback. As for Corino, the fans here have taken to him as a face really well and he gets a great response. He works the Dusty elbow into his repertoire and the match itself is solid enough while not being memorable in any way.

 

**

[GSR]

An electric ovation for Corino from those in attendance at the ECW Arena in what is his first appearance at the Arena since turning his back on The Network.  We’re barely a minute in when Cyrus, the man who paid off Anton to turn on Corino, heads down to ringside.  Scotty reverses the whip out of the corner, Corino with the tip up but Anton catches him over his shoulder and runs him back and forth between the turnbuckles (like the set up for an Oklahoma Stampede).  Jack Victory is next out and Joey Styles is uncertain as to where his loyalties lie, wondering whether he too sold out to The Network.  A low blow puts a stop to ‘The Clap’ and Corino with a nice overhead T-Bone.  Anton counters the suplex and drops Corino chest first across the top rope.  Styles mentions how Scotty had promised to leave ECW if he doesn’t lock on his ‘Clap Trap’, but Corino fights his way out of the first attempt.  ‘Old School Expulsion’ and Cyrus is in the ring putting a stop to the count.  That brings in Victory who attacks Cyrus, answering the question about his loyalties.  As Corino watches on, Scotty catches him with a belly to back suplex before tossing him through the ropes to the outside.  He then goes to Cyrus’ rescue and puts the ‘Clap Trap’ on Victory, while Styles says he never said ‘who’ he would put it on.  Corino is back to his feet quicker than he imagined and with Anton wide open and helpless, he nails him with a superkick for the win.

Styles talks about Corino as a future ECW World champion and my memory fails me as to whether he ever won the belt or not, but after watching this, and especially the way that the audience respond to him, he definitely feels like someone who could carry the company.