ECW on Sci-Fi
Memphis, TN
June 2nd 2009
Commentators: Josh Mathews & Matt Striker
Report by: David Stephens of WrestleView.com
Are you ready? Then stop questioning your heart and join me, because it’s time for the ECW on Sci-Fi!
Mark Henry w/ Tony Atlas v. Evan Bourne
We kick off the show with a rematch from last week. Mark Henry clearly is in a foul mood over last week’s result so he is quick to take the offensive advantage. Evan tries to use his speed to duck Henry a couple of times, but Bourne bounces off the ropes and gets demolished by a clothesline. Henry throws Bourne face first into the bottom turnbuckle. Henry then rolls outside the ring and contorts Bourne’s body around the steel post. Bourne is screaming in pain. Henry rolls back into the ring and holds Evan in a devastating chin lock. Henry goes for a pin but Evan is able to get his foot under the bottom rope to break the hold.
Bourne is flat on his back and Henry leaps up for a splash but Evan somehow manages to roll out of the way. Evan follows this up with a couple swift kicks and a dropkick. Evan tries to pin him but no luck. Bourne runs to the rope but Tony Atlas jumps up on to the apron and grabs Bourne’s leg. The referee sees this and calls for the Disqualification!
Winner via DQ: Evan Bourne
Following the match Mark Henry tries to hit Bourne, but Evan pulls down the top rope and Mark falls to the outside. Once there Henry starts verbally demeaning Tony Atlas. Tony is quick to say sorry, but Henry keeps saying over and over that he doesn?t need him, and he now sees why Atlas is the way he is. I however do not know what Henry means so hopefully he fills us in with a promo at some point.
****Commercial****
Zach Ryder vs. Dustin Carwile
We get to see a promo from Zach before the match which was pre-taped in which he tells us that he is more than just a Woo woo woo guy.
This match lasted all of two minutes. Ryder hit a couple quick kicks and then a backdrop. Zach goes to the second rope and connects with a missile dropkick. He connects with his finisher ? which of course the announcers don?t call by name ? and this match is over.
Winner via the Power of Woo Woo Woo: Zach Ryder
We cut to the back in which Finlay appears with a black eye from last week’s encounter with Jack Swagger. He tells us that he is going to get his payback with an eye for an eye.
****Commercial****
Tommy Dreamer v. Paul Burchill w/ Katie Lea
On the way down to the ring Katie Lea is on the mic and tells Dreamer that this is his last match here in ECW [providing he loses this Sunday] and that Burchill is going to leave him in no position to win after their match tonight.
The two lock up and then Dreamer connects with an arm bar which he holds onto as Burchill hits the mat. Paul goes to the top rope to break the hold. Burchill throws Dreamer into the second rope neck first and tries for a cover, Dreamer kicks out. Burchill applies a side headlock to Tommy and just as Dreamer is getting to his feet, Paul throws him hard into the mat. Burchill tries to pick him up, but Dreamer gives him a couple of stingy chops for his troubles. Tommy’s offensive is short-lived however as Paul whips him into the corner and then lays into him with a series of kicks to the gut.
The two make their way back into the middle of the ring and Burchill leaps onto Dreamer’s back to apply a choke hold. Dreamer is able to break free and bounce off the ropes to connect with a bulldog. Dreamer goes for a pin but no luck. Tommy follows this up with a back body drop and goes for another pin attempt but Burchill gets his arm under the third rope. Burchill gets up from the pin and connects with a snap slam, but Dreamer kicks out. Tommy has a burst of energy and hits his signature DDT!
Winner via DDT: Tommy Dreamer
****Commercial****
We come back and Tommy Dreamer is still in the ring. Jack Swagger takes the opportunity to come out and put down Tommy. Swagger says that no one else cares about Dreamer being the last ECW wrestler still on the show and all that jazz. Swagger says the truth is that Dreamer only put the stipulation in effect that he would win the ECW Title or walk away as a pathetic attempt to retain relevancy. Swagger is tired of Dreamer grasping for every bit of glory he thinks he still has.
Dreamer gets a mic and says that this isn?t about glory. This is about something so important to him that he is putting his career and life on the line. Next week he will stand in the ring as the NEW ECW Champion.
****Commercial****
Christian v. Tyson Kidd w/ DH Smith & Natalya
They lock up and Christian backs Tyson into the corner and the ref breaks the hold. The two square off again and Tyson grasps his arms around Christian’s waist. Christian reverses the hold into an arm bar which Kidd quickly counters into an arm lock of his own. Christian bounces off the ropes and hits a shoulder block to send Tyson to the mat. The two are back to their feet and go to lock up again. Tyson grabs the arm of Christian and just begins wrenching on it in more ways than God ever intended a man’s arm to move. Christian briefly has a moment to reverse but Kidd carries it through and throws his legs up to wrap around Chrsitian’s arm and falls to the mat pulling hard with the arm lock. Christian is able to roll through and break the hold.
Tyson kicks Christian in the side and then bounces off the ropes and connects with a shoulder block. Tyson grabs Christian’s head and bashes it into the top turnbuckle. Kidd retains his grasp and carries Christian over to the next turnbuckle and repeats. Tyson goes to the second rope for a crossbody, but Christian converts it into a slam. Tyson is able to get to his feet and throws Christian out of the ring. Kidd goes to the apron but Christian pulls him off and Tyson whacks his head on the way down. Despite being slightly stunned Tyson turns to Christian and spears him into the steel steps!
****Commercial****
We come back with Christian and Kidd both in the ring. Christian bounces off the ropes but Tyson grabs him and locks on the Canadian Shrimp (one legged Boston Crab, seriously). Christian is trying to spin and break free but Tyson is very effective at keeping him down. Christian finally finds the right moment and rolls Tyson for a small package, but Kidd kicks out. Tyson then locks on a headlock which Christian is able to struggle his way out of. Christian runs at Tyson and both men go for a clothesline which sends them both to the mat hard. Both men are able to get to their feet before the ten count. Christian sees Kidd leaning on the second rope and stands on his back to apply pressure. Christian goes to the apron and pulls down on Tyson’s back to slam him into the top rope hard. Kidd kicks out of the pin attempt.
Christian goes for a sunset flip but Tyson sits down on him for a pin of his own! Christian kicks out. Tyson goes for a hurricarana but Christian turns it into a sit-down Powerbomb pin. Tyson kicks out! Kidd heads to the outside and springboards right into a scoop slam! Kidd is somehow able to kick out. Jack Swagger makes his way down to the ramp which catches Christian’s attention. Tyson heads to the top rope and connects with a leg drop onto Christian! This match is over ? no! Christian kicks out!
Swagger is making his way closer and closer to the ring, but Dreamer comes running down and hits him from behind! Tommy then jumps onto the apron and then hits a cannonball on to The Hart Dynasty and Swagger!
Back in the ring Tyson sees the opportunity and tries to get the jab in at Christian, but Christian throws him head first into the top turnbuckle. Tyson bounces off and Christian connects with the Killswitch!
Winner via Killswitch: Christian
Following the match Christian celebrates in the ring holding his Title. Dreamer comes in and joins him. The two go to shake hands ? but Dreamer turns it into a DDT! The show ends with the hopes and career of Tommy Dreamer on the line this Sunday at Extreme Rules!
ECW Thoughts
First of all I have to take my hat off to the ECW booking/writing staff for getting almost the entire roster on the show once again. And more importantly they do it in a way that you don?t realize they are all there. The only guys not present tonight were Ezekiel, DJ Gabriel and Kozlov. We haven?t seen the first two in quite some time so if you ask me they are probably on their way out. It’s kind of sad at least for DJ Gabriel because I thought the guy had a lot of potential and enjoyed watching him in the ring. [I don?t mean that as a knock to Zeke, I simply never really saw much of his work so I can?t comment on it].
Kozlov on the other hand was probably left off the show because he didn?t need this week’s build. They gave what probably would have been his squash match to Zach Ryder this week which works for me. Kozlov isn?t on the PPV so this won?t hurt him at all. Honestly though, if the announcers don?t call Zach Ryder’s move by name I?m going to go insane. It drives me nuts.
They are really doing a great job with the whole Bourne/Henry storyline. The truth is I hate these types of matchups. I think I?m still scared by Big Show slamming Mysterio who was on a stretcher into the steel post. But hey if they want to do it, this is right way to go about it.
Regarding the PPV match this Sunday, I really have not yet decided on who will win the match. I?m definitely between Christian and Dreamer. I just don?t see Swagger walking out with the belt. The match isn?t about him and if Dreamer is going to lose it makes the most storyline sense for it to be Christian that wins. Jack can then go on to say that he was screwed again and keep the storyline going.
The reason I?m stuck is because Dreamer HAS stated that he isn?t leaving wrestling. I believe he has already signed with the WWE so the question is, do you give him the belt and keep him in the ring or have him lose and switch to another role. Personally I really hope that they don?t give him the ECW GM role because I?m really starting to dig Tiffany. Guess we?ll know within the next week!
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.
March 3rd ? June 2nd 2009
1. Christian ? 57 pts. [l.w. 1]2. Jack Swagger ? 33 pts. [l.w. 2]3. Finlay ? 29 pts. [l.w. 3]4. Tommy Dreamer ? 24 pts. [l.w. 4]5. Tyson Kidd ? 22 pts. [l.w. 5]6. Evan Bourne ? 21 pts. [l.w. 7]7. Natalya ? 19 pts. [l.w. 6]8. Paul Burchill ? 16 pts. [l.w. 8]
9. Kozlov ? 11 pts. [l.w. 9]9. DH Smith ? 11 pts. [l.w. 10]
Look for ?That’s a Wrap? on WrestleView Wednesday!
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