This is not without it's flaws. Match has some really sloppy moments and some awkward communication on a key spot down the stretch. It is way to back and fourth for my taste at times as well. But I really liked the opening mat exchanges as they were very different for U.S. wrestling from that period. I also really liked Scorp's control segment which was deliberately paced, but featured him nearly taking Jericho's head off with a few kicks. It also made the inevitable back and fourth segment more tolerable as it was built to more than usual for an ECW match. Couple of crazy floor bumps in this, a Jericho diving dropkick to the floor, and perfectly executed sunset flip powerbomb, and an awesome Scorp shooting star for a decisive finish. Low end nomination.

Like Dylan, I really enjoyed the mat exchanges. It was so different than what I was used to seeing in an ECW ring that I was paying attention the entire time. Hell, the crowd didn't really shit on it either. That's a plus. Even after they moved out of the matwork, I was digging this and kept looking for Jericho to be sloppy but the only thing that I caught early on was a standing dropkoick that didn't get full extension but it sent Scorp down with force. My favorite sequence was Scorp hitting a NASTY T-Bone followed by a hard bicycle kick followed by a NASTIER bicycle kick that shoots Jericho outside. Scorpio's "Buzzsaw Kick" sorta looked blown but you could argue it hit Jericho's shoulder. Getting too fancy there Scorp. I was loving the stretch run and I think Dylan is really underestimating how great this was. I think you are pre-conditioned to think Jericho is sloppy so anything that isn't picture perfect is sloppy when this had very little sloppiness out of Jericho. Just as I type that, they have a brief miscommunication spot where Scorp sort of falls down after a shoulder block. However, it kind of reinforces that Scorp was sloppier in the match. Anyway, I think this was a Slam Dunk Nomination and something I will fight for.

Man I"m gonna have to rewatch this because at this point this is one of the five or six WEAKEST matches on my depth chart. I nominated it early but thought the other Scorp matches so far have been clearly better in virtually every respect (yes even with the interference). I also liked Jericho a lot better in the Van Dam match and actually I've been pleasantly surprised with him so far. I can't say I'd fight against this at this point, but on first viewing this didn't strike me as anything that would even be in the running at the end of the day.

I only saw 2-3 weak/sloppy spots that bugged me and 2 were from Scorp not executing. The rest was gold in my eyes. Add the clean finish and lack of weapons and I am sold.

I will say that watching this pre-weapon centric stuff v. post-weapon centric stuff could explain at least part of the disconnect.

2 Cold Scorpio vs. "Lionheart" Chris Jericho (8/3/96)

 

Good matwork to start by both men with Jericho having Scorp frustrated so he dropped to the floor then kicked him in the balls followed up by an axe kick and a big clothesline to take the advantage. Jericho would come firing back though with kicks of his own before Scorp just stuffed him with a T-Bone Suplex. Scorp would then hit some awesome bicycle kicks sending Jericho over the top rope to the floor and then when Jericho had Scorp on the ropes, he missed his springboard dropkick falling right back on the floor Scorp would then barely hit his cartwheel buzzsaw kick on Jericho sending him back to the floor then nuking him with a powerbomb when coming back in the ring. Jericho comes firing back though and this sets up the stretch run which was pretty damn awesome and Scorp breaking out the Shooting Star Press to win. I agree with Will and this is a slam dunk nomination.

#46. Chris Jericho vs. Too Cold Scorpio - Philadelphia, PA 8/3/96 (78 points, 2 votes, 1 first-place vote)