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JERRY LYNN CAPTURES 2008 ECWA SUPER 8 TOURNAMENT IN DELAWARE; COMPLETE LIVE REPORT AND THOUGHTS FROM FLAGSHIP ECWA EVENT

Jim Kettner's East Coast Wrestling Association presented the eleventh annual edition of their Super 8 tournament, the event that sparked dozens of similar junior heavyweight tournaments across the United States and world on Saturday 11/10 at the Boys and Girls Club in Newark, Delaware.  

In a departure from the reputation of a springboard for an up and coming talent, such as past winners like Austin Aries, Paul London or Low Ki, this year's tournament featured a new wrinkle in former ECW World champion Jerry Lynn getting the win.  In doing so, Lynn became the first established veteran to enter and win the tournament in something of a lifetime achievement award, creating a situation no one could have predicted coming in.

The event opened with a ten bell salute for the Fabulous Moolah and ECWA  Hall of Famer Sweet Chocolate Thunder (James Blunt) before ECWA champion Aden Chambers came out as the "host" for the evening.  He welcomed everyone to the show, promised some "of the best wrestling you'd see on the circuit" and introduced each competitor in the tournament, who came to the ring for a group photo.

Super 8 Tournament Opening Round

Rob Eckos defeated Billy Bax - Bax is a long-time ECWA regular.  Eckos is from New Jersey and has worked here for some time, plus teamed with current WWE star Matt Striker in 3PW and other promotions.  At one point, the two were tag team champions here and they mirrored moves as the story was who was the better of two in their tag team, the Valedictorians (yep, that was the name of the team - they wore caps and gowns to the ring).  The "which is better" aspect of the bout had been built up for several months in the promotion.  At one point, Bax knocked Eckos off the apron, then hit a dive to the floor.  They battled on the apron.  Bax dove off the apron to the floor onto Eckos, but was instead hit with a superkick  Eckos worked over a side chinlock. Bax scored a two count with a sitdown Tigerdriver.   Bax reversed a flying bodypress for another two count.  Bax nailed a German suplex for a two count.  Eckos hit an enziguiri for 2.  Eckos spit on his partner, enraging Bax, who went into an angry flurry of offense.  Bax cut him off on a charge into the corner, set up Eckos, then hit a top rope frankensteiner which Bax then reversed into a powerbomb for two.   Nice spot. Eckos caught him in a front roll for pin.  Good opener telling a nice story.

Matt Logan defeated former WWE star Rob Conway - You all know who Conway is.  Logan is from Chaotic Wrestling in Massachusetts and was trained by Killer Kowalski.  Conway came out to "Iron Man".   Yep, the old Road Warriors theme.  He had lightened his hair and looked smaller, which somehow made him look years younger than his WWE TV appearances.  The story of the match early was veteran Conway eating up Logan, who was over big-time, in the ring.  Logan nearly scored the win early with a frankensteiner.  Conway retreated outside the ring to stall and break the momentum.  When he returned, he pulled off a classic heel bit where he teased a test of strength, but the second Logan put his hand up, he chopped and mauled Logan.  They went to the floor, where Logan fired back with chops.  Back in the ring, Conway nailed a reverse clothesline but Logan got his feet on ropes to break up the pinfall attempt.  Conway shoved Logan under the ring apron, then nailed a elbow to the back of his neck. Logan made a comeback but was cut off.   Conway kept trying to finish Logan off but couldn't get the pin.  He was getting frustrated.  Logan finally came back with a Fall Away Slam.  Logan nailed a sunset flip for a two count then hit a series of dropkicks.  Conway kicked out of a Michinoku Driver.  Logan fired a series of punches in the corner but was shoved off.  Conway kicked him
down then nailed a legdrop off the middle turnbuckle across Logan's neck (Nunzio's Sicilian Slice) for a two count.  Logan missed a flying bodypress and was speared by Conway.  He went for the Jackhammer but was small packaged by Logan for the surprise win.  A shocked Conway shook and raised Logan's hand after the bell.  Good match designed to build Logan by having him compete and beat a nationally known WWE alum.

Jerry Lynn defeated Brian Fury - Lynn is the well traveled journeyman worker, last seen as part of TNA.  Fury is from New Hampshire and was trained by former WWF developmental talent Steve Bradley (who spent forever in Memphis and was never brought to the main roster despite showing promise; he later opened a training school in New England).  The crowd chanted "ECW" at Lynn.  They started on the mat exchanging armbars and other classic back and forth reversals.    Fury and Lynn did a series where they avoided the others' moves.  Fury worked over Lynn's arm for awhile, getting a two count following a hammerlock bodyslam.  Fury picked up Lynn for an atomic drop, then slammed him down facefirst onto the the turnbuckle.  As Lynn snapped back, he was caught with a back suplex.  Lynn came back with a guillotine legdrop while Fury was caught in the ropes.  He hit a springboard dropkick off the middle rope to Fury who was on the apron, then did a flip dive off the apron to the floor.  Lynn went back to the arm.  He continued to work over Lynn including a powerbomb into a bridge pin attempt.  Lynn grabbed a Fujiwara armbar but Fury made it to the ropes.  Fury went for a piledriver but it was reversed into an Emerald Frosion by Lynn for a two.  Lynn teased the cradle piledriver but Fury escaped and they went into a bridge and backslide sequence.  Lynn speared Fury and then nailed the cradle piledriver for the pin.  A little slower paced than the previous two bouts.  OK match.

Sonjay Dutt defeated The Human Tornado by submission - Tornado was seen on MTV's Wrestling Society X and is a West Coast based performer who originally broke out in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and in recent years has started to brand out to ROH, CZW and JAPW.  Dutt, well known to this audience, didn't play his TNA guru persona, but was Sonjay Dutt, babyface wrestler, coming out to his old Bollywood music.  The crowd loved Tornado's persona and break dancing based offense early.  They did some comedy early including Dutt trying to jump up to reach the much taller Tornado's hand to do a test of strength.  Tornado slammed Dutt off the top but he landed on his feet.  Dutt nailed a Lionsault for a two.  Dutt worked over Tornado on the mat, then elbowed him in the mush.  Dutt nailed an Arabian Press for a two.  He caught Tornado with a clothesline complete with 360 bump.  Dutt scissored Tornado with his legs.  The crowd rallied behind Tornado as he fought his way out.  Tornado came back with a series of kicks and splash combinations.  Tornado tried a tornado DDT bur was shoved off.  He kicked Dutt in the face, then nailed kicks while shucking and jiving.  Dutt nailed a reverse Diamondust for a two.  They went back and forth until Dutt hit an Ace Crusher and locked on a camel cluch for the submission.  Crowd seemed let down by Tornado losing.  Crowd chanted Tornado's name after the bout, the biggest reaction anyone had gotten to this point.

At this point, we had seen four different style stories in each bout of the opening round.  You had the Valedictorians mirroring each other with the story of which member of the team was better.  You had Conway as the veteran being outsmarted by the younger Logan.  You had the straight technical wrestling of Lynn vs. Fury.  Then, ECWA closed out the round with a mix of ga-ga and highspots in Tornado vs. Dutt.

After a 15 intermission, which only last 15 minutes, it was onto round two.

ECWA Semi-Finals

Sonay Dutt pinned Rob Eckos with a 450 splash.  The crowd chanted "Thank you" to Dutt.  A decent back and forth bout.

Jerry Lynn pinned Matt Logan - The crowd was pretty behind Logan.  Logan nailed a baseball sliding kick on Lynn, then hit a pescado to the floor.  Logan scissored Lynn for a near fall, then hit a frankensteiner. Lynn came back with a tiltowhirl backbreaker and a bow and arrow.  Lynn missed a guillotine legdrop and Logan nailed a top rope flying bodypress for a near fall.  Lynn hits a back suplex but Logan got his shoulder up.  Lynn got a two count after a top rope frankensteiner.  Logan nailed a spinebuster for a two count.   Logan escaped the emerald frosion, but was caught with a kick to the gut.  Lynn nailed a killer cradle piledriver for the pin.

Prince Nana won the 100,00 man ECWA Summit Royal Rumble.   This featured all of the ECWA regulars, all of which had differing levels of skill.  Some of them, like ECWA stalwart Mr. Ooh La La, played their performance for laughs while others were trying to bust out as many moves as they could out there.  Involved were Freak Nasty, Ace Darling (billed as the "Indy Icon"), Mr. Ooh La La,  J.J. the Crew Guy, Sean Royal, Kermon the German, Mr. Scott Wright (I guess he's gone heel and added the Mr.), Max Von Bauer, Mike Tobin, Mozart Fontaine, Brian Soscia, Glen Osbourne (yep, that Glem Osbourne from early ECW and CZW), Bryan Logan. Frederick of Hollywood (great name), Guy with Red Hair (the new Japanese Pool Boy I guess, as he was barefoot wearing the Seinfeld "Puffy shirt" and pinkish red hair, biting everyone on their rear ends), Hot Shot Mike Reed, Dan Eckos, Mega (who was pushed as the big monster here with everyone having to work together to get him out), Chase Del Monte, the masked  El’ Trouble, J.J. Cruz,  Corey Blaze,  Jason Leigh, Alec Chance, Timothy Richards, Gus Grand (who looked and wrestled like your average coach potato), and Jim Shorts.  Nana was last man out and tossed the two "final" competitors.  Nana, who is playing the role of heel owner here, did some mic work about running the company and got a ton of heat from the crowd.  Nana has lost a ton of weight.  Nana said the next time he came back, everyone was too get on their hands and knees to show respect to him.  The crowd playing off Nana was hysterical.  You really had this feeling like some of the audience wanted to kill him.

ECWA Super 8 Finals

Jerry Lynn defeated Sonjay Dutt to become the 2008 ECW Super 8 champion - Dutt came out selling his ribs from the previous bout.  Lynn was limping.  He had hurt himself taking the spinebuster in the previous bout but it wasn't anything serious.  Still, he sold it.   They shook hands at the bell.  Dutt nailed a spinning DDT for a close pin early.  They went outside where Lynn slammed Dutt facefirst into the canvas out of a waistlock.  Lynn nailed a spinning faceplant for a two count.  Lynn cinched in a Mexican surfboard.  Dutt nailed the reverse Diamondust for a two count.  Lynn nailed a sunset flip powerbomb for a two count.  Lynn picked up Dutt for a powerbomb and turned it into a TKO.  Lynn went for the cradle piledriver but Lynn drove him into the corner.  Lynn escaped and charged but Dutt used the ropes as a springboard to kick him in the face.  They went back and forth until Dutt locked on the camel clutch, which had already gotten him one win, so the crowd was looking for a submission.  Lynn got to his feet and dropped backwards.  Lynn went for the cradle piledriver but Dutt backdropped him over and dropped down catching him in a pinfall combo.  Lynn kicked up.  Dutt went to the top for a moonsault but Lynn caught him with a back superplex.  Dutt nailed an enziguiri.  He drilled Lynn with a 450 splash off the top but Lynn got his shoulder up.    Lynn finally nailed a cradle
tombstone, a nice twist on his usual finisher, for the pin.

When the bout was over, Lynn was awarded the tournament trophy as the other competitors came to the ring.  He gave a speech joking that when he was called by promoter Jim Kettner to take part in the tournament, he asked what took Kettner so long to call him.  Kettner told him he was always under contract somewhere and Lynn said, "Oh yeah.  I took so many hits to the head, I forgot!"  Lynn thanked everyone who worked the tournament, saying there is a lot of great talent out on the indies.  He said that he wanted to thank the fans for always supporting him, even when there was political factors holding him back in other companies.  Lynn said that he was coming up on his 20th anniversary in the ring this March and always thought that 20 would be a good time to hang it up, but as he gets closer, said he'd like to make it 25. 

The speech added a classy ending to a fun evening of old school wrestling stories.  This was a good fun throwback night of wrestling.   All of the matches with the exception of the ECWA Summit were solid to good wrestling bouts while the Summit was the usual mix of young stars getting a chance to be on the company's "big show".  While the tournament didn't feel like the "must see" event that it has been in the past on paper going in, it more than delivered for the $10-$15 price and would be worth checking out on DVD.  It was a fun night of wrestling, which is what wrestling on this level should be about.

Notes: The crowd appeared to be 350-400, made up mostly of regulars for the promotions with very few out of town fans, a departure from years past....As was the norm, the entire Super 8 lineup and the ECWA roster were available for free photos and autographs prior to the show.  The promotion even gave out free programs to everyone who entered the venue....The promotion announced a 12/1 return to the venue....Sonjay Dutt was a substitute for ROH's Matt Cross, who suffered a groin injury and didn't want to work the tournament if he couldn't go at full speed....For more about the promotion, visit www.ECWAProWrestling.com.

Mike Johnson can be reached at Mike@PWInsider.com.

 

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