ECW on SyFy
Bridgeport, CT
November 23rd 2009
Commentators: Josh Mathews & Byron Saxton
Report by: David Stephens of WrestleView.com
Are you ready? Then stop questioning your heart and join me, because it’s time for ECW on SyFy!
#1 Contender’s Match for the ECW Championship
Shelton Benjamin v. Zack Ryder
The match starts off with Ryder being taken to school be an eager Shelton Benjamin. Ryder is thrown out of the ring, and looks as though he has no interest in returning. Benjamin isn?t about to give him that option as he jumps to the outside and brings Zack back into the ring. Ryder pleads with Shelton not to attack but gets pushed into the corner. Ryder tries for a monkey flip, but Shelton lands on his feet and levels Ryder. Rosa Mendes is on the outside and does not seem thrilled at the lackluster performance of Zack Ryder.
Shelton starts to work on the neck of Zack Ryder, but Ryder manages to extend his elbow and then make several strikes to Shelton’s temple. Ryder attempts an Irish Whip, but Shelton counters and whips Ryder instead. Shelton catches Zack and hits a picture perfect belly to belly throwaway suplex. Shelton puts Ryder on the apron, but Shelton gets caught with a fist to the head. Ryder heads to the top turnbuckle, but Shelton knocks him to the outside as we head to our first commercial break.
****Commercial****
We come back to the action as both men exchange a series of left and rights in trying to obtain the advantage. Ryder appears to make head way and heads all the way to the second turnbuckle. Ryder leaps with a crossbody and tries for the cover, but Shelton kicks out after two. Zack is frustrated, knocks Benjamin around then heads up, but this time he is going all the way. Ryder Is uncomfortably perched on the top rope as he flops down for a crossbody. The referee begins the count, but it is only a two.
Ryder begins to punch on Shelton and Shelton is egging him on. Benjamin is begging Ryder to punch him. Zack does so, but Ryder catches the punch and lays the law down on Ryder. Benjamin leaps with a real crossbody from the top rope to squash Ryder down to the mat. Shelton hits a suplex with a bridge for the pin attempt, but Ryder kicks out. Shelton catches Zack and hits a power bomb. Shelton follows this up with pay dirt and this match is over!
Winner via Pay Dirt: Shelton Benjamin
After the match Rosa Mendes helps Ryder out of the ring. Shelton Benjamin is officially the NEW #1 Contender for the ECW Title. Christian’s music hits and he walks out to stare down Christian as we head to commercial.
****Commercial****
We come back to the show with Christian in the ring with Benjamin. Christian says that at the upcoming PPV there will be one tables match, one ladder match, one chair match, and one TLC match. Christian says that it will be a great night in the WWE. Christian points out that the ECW Championship has been overlooked at the past three PPVs. Christian says he wants to have something more than a regular Title match at the PPV. Christian challenges Shelton to a Ladder match at TLC! Christian says that he doesn?t want to just makes his fans proud, he wants to steal the show. Shelton says that he will gladly be his partner in crime!
In the back we see William Regal talking with Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov. Regal says that people are saying his quest for the Title is over, but that is far from the truth. Regal says that he will be facing Yoshi Tatsu tonight, and that match will put him one step closer to the ECW Title. Regal starts to explain but the show actually fades to commercial while he is talking.
****Commercial****
Vance Archer v. Alex Reynolds
Before the match starts Mathews puts Archer over for his ability to read body language on a higher education level. I seriously have no idea what he is talking about. Archer heads right to work on Reynolds with a couple kicks to the face and a rear headlock. Archer ends this squash match with his finisher, the Bull’s Eye for the win.
Winner via Bull’s Eye: Vance Archer
Still to come tonight: Matt Hardy returns to ECW to appear on the Abraham Washington Show, and it is up next!
****Commercial****
Abraham Washington Show
Tony Atlas makes his appearance and announces the show and says Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Abe! Washington makes his way out and says his many thank-yous to the crowd. The giant applause sign goes up, and the crowd boos. Abe references the new Twilight Movie ?New Moon? and uses it to insult the audience asking them if they want Scooby Snacks. Sorry, I can?t wrap my head around how to explain the connection to you guys, but trust me it somehow happened.
Abe welcomes out Matt Hardy and this segment is apparently about putting over Matt Hardy’s upcoming appearance (which actually aired weeks ago) on SyFy’s Scare Tactics. They show a clip of the show and Abe mocks it. Washington starts going on and on about how he never gets scared. Meanwhile, Tony Atlas is sneaking up behind him. Tony Atlas grabs Abe and he starts to scream!
Washington is not too pleased, yet continues on with the show. Hardy uses the rest of the program to make fun of Abe. Washington announces that they are all out of time and heads to the back. Hardy and Tony Atlas pose doing the V 1.0 taunt as we head to our final commercial break of the evening.
****Commercial****
Yoshi Tatsu v. William Regal w/ Kozlov & Jackson
Despite the fact that Regal wants to make a statement, Yoshi is also going to give it everything he has. Yoshi currently holds a pinfall victory over Regal and would like to extend upon that victory. Yoshi is strong at the start with some fierce kicks. Regal manages to catch him with a rear headlock. Regal gives him a couple kicks which sends Yoshi over to the ropes near Jackson and Kozlov. One of them pushes Yoshi which actually puts him close enough to Regal to connect with the KA-RA-TAY kick!
Winner via KA-RA-TAY: Yoshi Tatsu
After the match Jackson and Kozlov enter the ring. Regal stands up and all three men look menacing. Regal wants to know who shoved him and ruined his chance at getting back in line for the ECW Title. Kozlov points at Jackson saying ?he did it?. Jackson pushes Kozlov’s finger down and then hits Kozlov with his finisher! Regal tries to talk his way out of this, but Jackson is going to have none of it as he also hits his finisher on Regal!!
ECW Thoughts
Well, where do I even begin? I?m only half joking when I say that I think WWE creative had myself and JJ Sexay write tonight’s EC W and then wipe our memories. I seriously wouldn?t put it pass Vince to have that sort of technology. Maybe this is the ?conspiracy? that Jesse Ventura was talking about on RAW!
Every Tuesday night on the WrestleView radio network I join the talented JJ Sexay on his program ?Plugged In? to chat a little ECW. Week in and out we have been calling for certain things to happen, and it seems as though they all just occurred.
First of all let’s talk about Sheamus. JJ said that he would be ECW Champion in sixth month’s time. Now the WWE did a bit of a swerve here by taking him off of ECW, but low and behold the WWE is giving Sheamus a Title shot well within the parameters of JJ’s predictions.
We?ve been calling for the head of the not-so-talented Lauren Mayhew. I?m sure she meant well but she just simply wasn?t a good announcer. I?m not going to comment on her singing, actually yeah I will. I forced myself to go on MySpace and listen to her single. In my personal opinion it wasn?t the best. I have a fairly far reaching and eclectic taste in music, but it just wasn?t that good. In her defense my friend who attended a Smackdown taping said that she did a rousing rendition of ?God Save the Queen?, but I honestly think he was more ?aroused? than anything else.
Shelton Benjamin is getting a Title shot. This is less something I wanted to happen, then something which I detailed as inevitable. I went through every available talent on the ECW roster and quite frankly he was the only guy that seemed genuinely next in line.
ECW is FINALLY getting back on PPV. Christian pointed out tonight that they haven?t been featured in over three months. As a result he wants to steal the show! Well done sir, best of luck.
And in the last of the bits that I want to point out tonight: Regal’s fall causes the roundtable to split. Yes Jackson has finally had enough of being the lackey for the British star. This is the one guy on the roster that really has that ?look? of being a star. I?m jumping on the Ezekiel Jackson band wagon right now. I?m pulling for him 100% as the next guy to make a big splash at least on ECW, maybe in all of the WWE.
There are some other eerily similar things which the WWE is doing that mirror my opinion, but I?ll lay them out and where I think they are going as we move along.
To my fellow American readers, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Power Rankings
3 Month Rolling Rankings; ECW Title Win 5, ECW Title Loss 4, ECW Win 3, ECW Loss 2, ECW Appearance 1, PPV Title Win 10, PPV Title Loss 8, PPV Win 6, PPV Loss 4, PPV Appearance 2.
August 18th ? November 23rd 2009
1. Christian ? 54 pts. [l.w. 1]2. William Regal ? 43 [l.w. 2]3. Yoshi Tatsu ? 32 pts. [l.w. 3]
4. Zach Ryder – 29 pts. [l.w. 4]5. Ezekiel Jackson – 26 pts. [l.w. 5]6. Kozlov ? 25 pts. [l.w. 6]7. Shelton Benjamin – 21 pts. [l.w. 9]8. Hurricane ? 18 pts. [l.w. 9]8. Goldust ? 18 pts. [l.w. 9]10. Vance Archer ? 11 pts. [l.w. NA]
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So that’s ECW?. Love it? Hate it? Disagree with everything I said? Just want to chat wrestling? I?m always up for reading your thoughts so send them over to me at jugglernextdoor@gmail.com
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