ECW on SyFy
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
September 15th 2009
Commentators: Josh Mathews & Matt Striker
Reported 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!
The show kicks off with a video package highlighting the match between Regal and Christian this past Sunday at Breaking Point.
Tiffany makes her way out to the ring, and puts over ECW’s role in the PPV. Regal comes out to the ring demanding to know why Tiffany decided to ban Kozlov and Jackson from ringside. Tiffany says it is because she wanted the match to be one-on-one without outside interference. Regal thinks her decision was brash, but Tiffany will hear none of it. Our lovely General Manager announces that tonight in the main event, it will be an ECW Battle Royal to determine the #1 Contender for the ECW Championship!
Tiffany doesn?t stop there, she announces that Regal will not be involved in the match as he won?t be getting another shot at the Title. Instead, Regal will be in action right now against? The Hurricane!
****Commercial****
The Hurricane v. William Regal
We come back and the match is already underway. Regal is in his full suit as he did not have time to change into his ring gear. Hurricane seems to be dominating as Regal is feeling the pain of his high priced wardrobe. The crowd rises with a chant of Regal sucks as the Englishman is able to get in a couple of punches. Hurricane turns the tide with a nice vertical suplex. Hurricane goes for the cover, but Regal kicks out.
Hurricane follows this up with a reverse neckbreaker. The masked crusader heads to the top rope and connects with a huge crossbody! Hurricane goes for the cover, but Regal kicks out. Following this, William decides that the match isn?t worth it and starts to walk out, but Hurricane runs out after him and pulls him back into the ring. Both men roll in, and Regal hits the Knee Trembler for the win!
Winner via Knee Trembler: William Regal
After the match Paul Burchill enters the ring and beats down the Hurricane.
In the back we see Goldust teaching an English lesson to Yoshi Tatsu. Amusing segment with Yoshi even repeating Goldust’s ‘stutter?. Zack Ryder comes in and starts to mock them. Ryder asks Yoshi to say the word ?loser?. Tatsu replies ?Zack Ryder?. Zack challenges him to a match as we go to commercial.
****Commercial****
In the back our new backstage announcer Savannah makes her second appearance in as many weeks. She sees Burchill and asks him about attacking Hurricane in the ring. Paul says that he is going to expose Hurricane for the phony that he is.
The Bella Twins are in the ring and are apparently our ‘special guest ring announcers? and deliver the introductions for our next match.
Yoshi Tatsu v. Zack Ryder
Both men square off on the mat and get ready to swing away. A lot of athleticism and back and forth between the two before Yoshi does a Dragon Roll around the ring. Ryder kicks out of the pin. Yoshi whips him into the corner, but Ryder is able to move out of the say and follows up with a kick to Yoshi’s head. Ryder liberally applies a boot to Tatsu’s throat. Ryder swings in a kick to the head to continue his momentum. Ryder goes for a cover, but Yoshi kicks out.
Tatsu is in the middle of the ring trapped in a rear headlock by Ryder. Yoshi is almost able to escape, but instead he gets caught and hit with a side slam. Ryder applies an inside headlock, and then switches to a sleeper. The crowd is behind the Japanese phenomenon as he tries to get to his feet. Zack drops him down and puts on another headlock. A lot of variations being whipped out tonight.
Ryder sets him up in the corner, but Yoshi connects with a flying elbow! Both men are on the mat as the referee begins the ten count. Yoshi is the first to his feet and his sets Ryder up in the corner. Zack is seated on the top turnbuckle and Yoshi connects with a Hurricarana! Yoshi goes for the cover, but Ryder kicks out! The crowd is incredibly hot. Ryder hits a leg lariat out of nowhere and goes for the pin, but Yoshi is able to kick out! Both men are staggering as Yoshi hits a nasty buzz saw kick for the win!
Winner via KA-RA-TAY: Yoshi Tatsu
****Commercial****
#1 Contender for ECW Championship Battle Royal
Sheamus, Goldust, Paul Burchill, Shelton Benjamin, Kozlov, Jackson, Tyler Reks, Yoshi Tatsu, Zack Ryder & Tommy Dreamer
1st Eliminated: Paul Burchill
****Commercial****
2nd Eliminated: Tyler Reks
3rd Eliminated: Yoshi Tatsu
4th Eliminated: Sheamus
5th Eliminated: Jackson
6th Eliminated: Shelton
7th Eliminated: Goldust
8th Eliminated: Kozlov
9th Eliminated: Dreamer
Winner: Zack Ryder!
ECW Thoughts
I received a special request this past week to ?evaluate and grade? the members of the so-called ?New Talent Initiative? started by Theodore Long and continued by the current GM Tiffany. Now as many of you know I?m not a fan of ?grading? because for the most part it seems absurdly subjective to me. That being said I think there is definitely validity in this request so I am going to tackle it in my own way.
I am about halfway through that project and it’s shaping up quite well. I am going to put it into this week’s ?That’s a Wrap?, so be sure to read my column when it is published Thursday here on WrestleView. Now then, on to tonight’s show.
Tiffany is really starting to hold her own on the mic. Keeping up with Regal isn?t easy, but she did a decent job. I?m still undecided how I feel about the fact that she is straight up refusing Regal a shot at the Title. Part of me understands why the General Manager would go that avenue, but I was really starting to get used to the idea of Regal as Champion.
Hurricane and Regal had a very nice quick match together. I was actually really impressed by how well Regal handled himself in a three piece suit. For some reason it didn?t even seem that out of place. These are two great workers and the fact that they could turn a short 3 minute match into something fun with even a little bit of a story is mighty impressive.
Yoshi and Ryder had a very nice match tonight. I was surprised to see Tatsu pick up the win, but it is a welcome surprise. The crowd was incredibly hot for this match. I still don?t exactly know why, but Yoshi is absurdly over. I?m a fan and if he keeps wrestling like he did today then I could see him have a fun career. Ryder pulled out a lot of variations on the mat which showcased some skill that I didn?t know he had. I?m not one of those guys that wants to see 10,000 moves every match, but Zack put in just enough to spice things up.
The Battle Royal was incredibly weak, save Shelton’s elimination which was artfully down by a combination of skinning the cat and getting punched in the gut. Nothing happened in the first five minutes except for Paul Burchill getting eliminated very early. The rest of the guys were whittled down until we ended up with our winner? Zack Ryder!
There is so much I could say about Zack Ryder, but I need to seriously figure out exactly what I think over the next couple weeks leading up to his Championship Match. I jumped on his band wagon pretty much as soon as he came to ECW so I want to make sure I take off my tinted glasses of bias in regards to whether he should be the next Champion. It was brilliant to have Yoshi go over him in retrospect because it gave Tatsu a great rub and didn?t impede on Ryder’s progress at all. A great way to end the show.
It is interesting to note that the two most ?over? guys on the roster tonight seemed to be Yoshi Tatsu and Goldust. Hats off to the crowd tonight in general as they were one of the most reactive crowds ECW has had in quite some time.
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 15th 2009
1. Christian ? 66 pts. [l.w. 1]2. Tommy Dreamer ? 41 pts. [l.w. 2]3. William Regal ? 35 [l.w. NA]4. Kozlov ? 32 pts. [l.w. 3]5. Ezekiel Jackson – 27 pts. [l.w. 5]6. Zach Ryder – 26 pts. [l.w. 7]6. Yoshi Tatsu – 26 pts. [l.w. 7]
6. Shelton Benjamin – 26 pts. [l.w. 4]9. Sheamus – 24 pts. [l.w. 6]10. Paul Burchill ? 17 pts. [l.w. 9]
10. Tyler Reks – 17 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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