ECW on SyFy
Tulsa, OK
September 22nd 2009
Commentators: Josh Mathews & Matt Striker
Report by: David Stephens of WrestleView.com
Tonight Zack Ryder takes on Christian for the ECW championship! Are you ready? Then stop questioning your heart and join me, because it’s time for ECW on SyFy!
The Abraham Washington Show
Tony Atlas does the introduction and provides the almighty laugh track for the evening. Abraham Washington introduces tonight’s guest: Sheamus! Abe points out his absurd whiteness which I have been blinded by for weeks. It is necessary to point out that recapping cannot capture the glory of Tony Atlas, you must find video of this.
Sheamus puts down Shelton and then Abe decides to introduce Benjamin. Shelton comes out and says that he is surprised Washington’s show hasn?t been cancelled yet. Shelton explains that he and Sheamus were on a team last week so by Shelton winning, Sheamus won. Sheamus says that where Shelton comes from people believe in stealing and taking the easy way out. Sheamus says that he is from a line of Celtic Warriors and honor.
Shelton explains that he did a little bit of history and learned that Sheamus comes from a long line of legends. On the Titan Tron they showed Sheamus? ?Family Tree?, which included: Ronald McDonald, Wendy, Carrot Top, Pippi Longstocking, Doink the Clown and others. Sheamus did not take kindly to the illustrations and a fight breaks out on the set of the Abraham Washington Show.
Up Next: Yoshi Tatsu in action!
****Commercial****
Paul Burchill w/ Katie Lea v. Yoshi Tatsu
Burchill starts the match off by locking in an arm bar and getting behind Yoshi. Tatsu is able to pull in his arm and wrench in a side headlock. The power of Burchill proves too much as Yoshi is whipped into the ropes, but cannot knock Burchill over. Tatsu trips him and goes for a pin, but Paul kicks out. Yoshi follows this up with a sunset flip, but Burchill once again kicks out. Both men get to their feet and Yoshi hits a dropkick to send Burchill out of the ring. Yoshi hits a springboard Crossbody to the outside. Tatsu rolls Burchill into the ring, but Paul kicks out!
Back in the ring, Yoshi begins to scale the turnbuckle. Paul counters by turning it into a fishermen’s suplex. Burchill goes for the pin, but Yoshi kicks out. Burchill hits a lateral press and again goes for the pinfall only to have Yoshi kick out. Paul locks in a rear headlock which strains the Japanese Superstar. Yoshi briefly escapes but is met by a Samoan drop which leads to another rear submission hold. Yoshi flips to convert the move into a pin, but Paul kicks out.
Both men are now on their feet as Yoshi lands a series of stiff kicks. Yoshi hits a rolling snapmare followed by a kick to the face. Yoshi heads to the top rope for a spinning wheelkick. Burchill is covered, but he kicks out! Back to his feet Burchill is now the one to head to the top rope. The referee urges him down, but Paul leaps and connects for a knee drop from the top rope! This match is over ? but Yoshi kicks out!
Burchill is frustrated as he lifts Yoshi to his feet. Tatsu senses the brief advantage and hits his KA-RA-TAY kick! Put the books away, because this match is over! Er, this session of school is out! Forget it, I?ll think of a good line for next week.
Winner via KA-RA-TAY: Yoshi Tatsu
Backstage Savannah interviews Zack Ryder. Ryder says that tonight he will not squander his Championship shot, he will walk out with the belt!
****Commercial****
In the back we see Katie Lea and a not too pleased Burchill. Paul walks away and Gregory Helms comes up to interview Katie. She isn?t thrilled and blames Helms for her troubles. Burchill comes back and beats Helms down. Paul tells his sister to stay away from Helms and they walk away.
Kozlov & Ezekiel Jackson w/ William Regal v. Dustin Brady & Brandon Young
A standard squash match to put over the two monsters. Very little offense puts this match to bed early.
Winners via Genetic Domination: Kozlov & Jackson
****Commercial****
In the back we see William Regal along with his Roundtable walking over to Goldust. The two have a match this week on Superstars, and Regal assures the golden wrestler that he does not have a chance.
Video Rebound Package of this past week’s Smackdown
Christian is in the back admiring his Title, his match and our main event is next!
****Commercial****
ECW Championship Match
Christian v. Zack Ryder
It is worth noting that tonight Zack Ryder removed his headband prior to the match, he means business. Both men square off and exchange several barbs. Christian is finally able to seize the momentum and throws Ryder out of the ring. Christian bounces off the ropes for a nice baseball slide. Christian follows this up with a very nice slingshot crossbody to the outside on Ryder. Christian rolls him back into the ring, and goes for the cover, but Ryder kicks out. Christian heads to the turnbuckle, but Ryder yanks on his leg pulling him to the match .
****Commercial****
We come back as Christian is met with a back body drop to the mat. Christian manages a sunset flip and pin attempt, but Ryder kicks out. Zack is able to throw Christian out of the ring, and then sends him into the steel steps. Ryder knows that he cannot win the Title on a count out, so he rolls the Champ back into the ring. Christian kicks out of the cover. Ryder locks in a leg vice in the middle of the ring. Christian eventually gets to his feet and escapes via a series of jabs to Ryder’s gut. Zack knees him in the stomach and goes for the pin, but Christian kicks out.
Ryder lifts Christian up and drops him gut first onto the top ropes and goes for a cover ? Christian kicks out. Zack Ryder locks in another leg vice. The crowd is strongly behind the Champion as he screams with pain smack in the middle of the ring. Christian rolls over to reduce the pressure, and escape the hold. Ryder heads to the second rope and leaps, but Christian counters with a flap jack.
Christian is hoping that the momentum is going his way, but fails to make any sort of strong offensive move. Christian hits an inverted neckbreaker followed by the flashpoint! Christian heads to the second rope and hits a missile dropkick. Christian then goes to the top for another, but Ryder dodges. Ryder goes for the Zack attack, but Christian counters. Ryder counters into a pin, but Christian kicks out.
Christian heads to the corner, and Ryder heads after only to be hit with a see-saw kick. Christian then gets to the top rope and hits the missile dropkick! Zack Ryder kicks out! Christian heads to the top rope again after Ryder counters a Killswitch. Christian connects and goes for a pin, but to no avail. Ryder rolls up the Champ and has both of his feet on the ropes! Christian kicks out of the pin! Christian once again goes for the Killswitch, and this time he hits it!
Winner via Killswitch: Christian
Following the match William Regal made his way down to the ring. He knows that Tiffany did not allow him to have the last Title shot, but now that the match is over, he will soon be the #1 Contender. Regal says it is only a matter of time before he will be the ECW Champ?Christian wants to hear none of it and wrestles Regal down to the mat! Regal rolls out of the ring and heads up the entrance ramp as we go off the air.
ECW Thoughts
Last week in my column ?That’s a Wrap? I analyzed a ‘state of the brand? for ECW. Utilizing several methods of ranking led to an interesting study. Be sure to head over and check it out: click here.
Tonight’s opening match was a nice. That’s a lame description, but fitting. Burchill was missing something tonight, and has been lacking ?it? recently, but I just can?t put my finger on ?it?. I am struggling to understand what purpose Katie Lea is currently serving his character. Her wrestling ability is wasted as a manager on ECW. Generally, a wrestler wants to impress his valet in the hopes of winning her heart, but considering the fact that she is his sister, I sincerely hope that isn?t the case. She has more value than she is being utilized for on Tuesday nights.
The Abraham Washington Show was not great, but it was not terrible. There is just something about Tony Atlas that makes me laugh every week. A brilliant role for him as he makes the segment entertaining. It did not do much for the Shelton/Sheamus feud, but I do think it did more than a match would have, so it was worth bringing out the set. According to Wikipedia, Sheamus was once a personal bodyguard for Bono. I wonder if that is actually true.
There isn?t much to say about the Jackson/Kozlov squash? so I shall move on.
The Title match tonight was fun. (Apparently I?m the king of lame one word descriptions tonight, sorry!) It was tough to get overly into because it seemed almost impossible that Zack Ryder would be walking out of the building with the Title. Which isn?t to suggest that the WWE WOULDN?T do that. Ryder may not have walked out with the belt, but what he did have was his second main event match on ECW. That alone shows that management has growing face in the character and wrestler.
It is worth mentioning something I noticed which impressed me about Zack Ryder tonight. Whether out of the ring in promos, on the apron, or during the match, he is always in character. There are many people who abandon ?character? once they get into the ring and just wrestle a standard set match. As bizarre as it sounds, Ryder is able to capture his ?Long Island Bro? gimmick while wrestling and trash talking. I have to tip my hat in appreciate to him for mastering his gimmick.
I?d expect a Regal/Christian feud to take off again soon, but I?d also like to see Ryder challenge him for the #1 Contender’s slot. In many ways Ryder could find himself teamed up with Christian. The Championship match did not seem to be fought with animosity, but instead respect? and a little trash talk thrown in for good measure. This will definitely not be the last we hear of Zack Ryder.
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.
June 16th ? September 21st 2009
1. Christian ? 69 pts. [l.w. 1]2. Tommy Dreamer ?39 pts. [l.w. 2]3. William Regal ? 36 [l.w. 3]4. Kozlov ? 35 pts. [l.w. 4]5. Ezekiel Jackson – 30 pts. [l.w. 5]5. Zach Ryder – 30 pts. [l.w. 6]7. Yoshi Tatsu – 29 pts. [l.w. 6]
8. Shelton Benjamin – 27 pts. [l.w. 6]9. Sheamus – 25 pts. [l.w. 9]10. Paul Burchill ? 19 pts. [l.w. 10]
Look for ?That’s a Wrap? on WrestleView Thursday!
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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.
– David Stephens
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