ECW on Sci-Fi
February 24, 2009
Nashville, TN
(taped 2/23/2009)

The Current Champions were as follows:
WWE Champion: Edge (2/15/2009)
Intercontinental Champion: CM Punk (1/19/2009)
Women’s Champion: Melina (1/26/2009)
World Tag Team Champions: The Miz & John Morrison (12/13/2008)
WWE Champion: Triple H (2/15/2009)
U.S. Champion: Shelton Benjamin (7/20/2008)
Diva’s Champion: Maryse (12/26/2008)
WWE Tag Team Champions: Carlito & Primo Colon (9/26/2008)
ECW Champion: Jack Swagger (1/12/2009)

OH MY FRIGGIN’ GOD!!! Christian vs. Swagger for the ECW TITLE!!! It’s gonna be awesome!!!

Your hosts are Todd Grisham and Matt “The Teacher” Striker

Before we get the opening title, we see a video package hyping the big main event tonight. That’s right folks; after only being in ECW for 2 weeks, Christian gets a shot at Jack Swagger’s ECW Title. Could we have a new champion tonight?? Do I really care?? “Probably not” to both questions, but we’ll see how things go. We’re in the arena now and I’m hearing music I haven’t heard in a while. Is that DJ Gabriel?!?!?! Where the hell has he been??

• DJ Gabriel w/ Alicia Fox vs. Mark Henry

Wow…. What the hell did DJ Gabriel do to deserve this? He hasn’t been on TV in 6 weeks and now they put him in the ring with Henry. Either this is gonna be a squash or a big upset, either way, it’s gonna suck for sure. The bell rings and Gabriel is keeping his distance from Henry, I would too. Collar and elbow leads to Henry throwing Gabriel to the mat. After another lock up, Gabriel tries a waist lock but Henry just throws him across the ring like trash. Henry begins to channel George “The Animal” Steele by going over to Alicia Fox as Gabriel hits a drop kick; which wasn’t sold. Henry continues to not sell things as he no sells some punches then CLOBERS Gabriel with a “run at Mark Henry Tackle.” Don’t people ever learn?? DO not run at Mark Henry!!! I would talk more about what’s happening, but it’s the usual BORING Mark Henry offense. Henry eventually locks in a reverse chin lock to kill some time; as if this match wasn’t time killing enough. Gabriel battles out with some elbow but Henry slams on the brakes and throws him back in the corner. Henry goes for an avalanche but no one’s home. Gabriel is trying to mount some offense with a few running forearms that stagger Henry. Gabriel hits a low drop kick to the knee then a running European uppercut and Henry is still up. Gabriel goes to the second rope and hits a double ax handle with little effect. Gabriel, looking as frustrated as I am, goes up top for another double ax handle but runs into the World’s Strongest Slam for the 1-2-3. A total glorified squash for Mark Henry. This match could have made DJ Gabriel look good, but no……. they just feed him to the dogs. ¼*

Before we go to commercial we see another graphic hyping the big main even tonight. I can’t wait!!

Evan Bourne promo…… now that’s something to really look forward to.

• Tyson Kidd vs. Matt Boyce

Here’s another squash match to get Tyson Kidd over. Why would he need to fight three local jobbers in a row?? I’m assuming this was supposed to be Jamie Noble, but I heard somewhere that he was injured by Mike Knox on Raw. I could be wrong…. Which I probably am. Well anyways, I would do a play by play review of this match, but it’s kinda pointless. Tyson Kidd dominates the entire match with his usual offense. Boyce does get a sunset flip for 2 at some point in the match, but that just angers Kidd. Kidd gets the 1-2-3 following his springboard flying elbow drop. I hope this Tyson Kidd sticks around, he’s entertaining.*

Back from commercial and we see a video package showing the feud between Triple H and Randy Orton. Man, Triple H is to Sledgehammer like Jason Voorhees is to machete.

This show is moving along fast. We’re only 24 minutes in and were on to our third match of the night. It looks like they are giving Christian and Swagger plenty of time.

• Tommy Dreamer vs. Paul Burchill w/ Katie lea

This is a rematch from 4 weeks ago. Dreamer is 0-4 since saying he was leaving wrestling if he wasn’t champ by June 6^th. Will Dreamer finally get a win?? We’ll see. Hopefully those rally towels help him here. The bell rings and they lock up leading to Dreamer putting Burchill in the corner. Dreamer hits a few punches and shoulders before whipping Burchill chest first into the other corner followed by a giant hip toss. Dreamer pounds away at Burchill then follows up with a side Russian leg sweep followed by a clothesline out over the top rope. Dreamer goes out to join Burchill on the floor only to roll him back in the ring. Burchill goes for a lariat but ends up eating a neck breaker. Dreamer whiffs an elbow drop then Burchill finally gets that lariat he was looking for earlier. Burchill’s in control now as he pounds away at Dreamer with forearms, kicks, and punches. Burchill hits another lariat and covers for 1. Dreamer crawls to the corner as Burchill looks for his flying knee in the corner but only finds turnbuckle pad…. It’s a good thing Dreamer moved, it might have killed him. Dreamer takes over with a clothesline followed by a swinging neck breaker and hits that elbow drop HE was looking for earlier, 1-2-NO!! Dreamer whips Burchill into the corner and charges right into an elbow. Burchill goes to the second rope for something but ends up getting caught and catapulted into the top turnbuckle. Tree of Woe follows giving Tommy Dreamer time to scream “E-C-W!!” The fans are on fire as Dreamer goes for the surfboard kick but Katie Lea pulls Burchill out of the way just in time. WHAT THE!!! Boogeyman pulls Katie Lea under the ring as his music starts up!! What the hell is going on?? Burchill doesn’t know either as he checks on Katie Lea forgetting all about Dreamer. Dreamer sneaks up from behind…….. DREAMER DDT!!! 1-2-3!!! DREAMER WINS!!! Now I will be honest, I was so excited when Tommy Dreamer won this match, which is weird because it’s wrestling. The fact that I felt that way makes me realize that they are doing a great job selling this “story of the underdog” to me. Even though the match itself wasn’t that great, I felt the pay off was good enough. This match goes from a *½ to **½ because of that.

Wow, Kane will be on ECW next week. Maybe he’ll win a match for once.

And we’re off to our main event!! This show is not playing around.

• Christian vs. ECW Champion Jack Swagger

So this is for all the marbles!! Christian, after only being in ECW for 2 weeks, gets a shot at the ECW Title. This just seems a little premature in my book, but we’ll see how this match goes. The bell rings as my TiVo tells me we are only 38 minutes into the show, giving this match at least 20 minutes. Why can’t they give ECW Title Matches that much time on PPV…….. Oh that right, they normally suck on PPV. Well here we go!!! We have a little feeling out process to start off leading to a collar and elbow tie up. Christian gets a waist lock but Swagger reverses into one of his own that puts both men on the mat. After ‘waist locking’ around for a bit, Christian finally breaks the hold and rings Swagger’s arm. That doesn’t last long as Swagger hits a power slam then gloats, drawing some serious heat from the crowd. Christian’s back up now and they lock up again as Swagger over powers him into the corner. Swagger goes for a right hand but Christian ducks and connects with a few of his own. Swagger reverses a whip to the ropes and looks for a clothesline as Christian ducks out of the way and hits a spinning heel kick. Christian covers for 1 then locks in a side head lock. Swagger powers out and picks Christian up off the mat. Christian wiggles his way out and looks for a sunset flip but Swagger grabs him by the throat, picks him up, and throws him into the corner. Swagger hits a few shoulder blocks followed by a turnbuckle smash and some forearms. Swagger whips Christian into another corner and charges in but nobody’s home as Christian gets out of the way and kicks him in the face. Swagger charges again but Christian pulls the top rope down spilling him out to the floor. Christian hits a pescado as we go to a commercial break. Back from commercial and Christian is doing some crazy stuff but Swagger levels him with a clothesline. They show us some replays as Swagger hits a Vader Bomb for 2. Christian rolls out to the apron which gives Swagger the opportunity to clothesline him off the apron to the floor. Swagger prances around the ring for a bit before going out to the floor. Christian tries to take control but ends up charging face first into the steel steps; that was a sick looking bump. Christian is selling an arm injury as Swagger rolls back in the ring and tells that ref to count him out. Christian makes it back to the ring at 8 which receive a pretty big pop. Swagger goes to work on Christian’s arm with a hammer lock scoop slam followed by a key lock. Christian tries to get up to his feet, but Swagger just slams him back to the mat and locks in an arm bar. After about a minute of that, Christian reverses out of the arm bar and locks in a side head lock that Swagger reverses into a hammer lock. Christian elbows his way out but runs right into a shoulder breaker. Christian rolls out to the apron and Swagger gloats some more as we go to another commercial break. Back from commercial and Christian has Swagger in a sleeper hold. Swagger backs Christian into the corner to break the hold, then snap-mares him over followed by a front face lock takedown. Christian makes it to the ropes to break the hold then slaps Swagger right in the kisser. That seems to only piss Swagger off as he pounds away at Christian in the corner. Swagger puts Christian up top and looks for a superplex but Christian knocks him down to the mat and nails a missile drop kick. Double KO ensues. Both men are back up at 8 and Christian looks like he has a second wind. He pounds away at Swagger while still selling his arm. Swagger runs into a drop toe hold that puts him on the ropes for the “Christian second rope choke.” Christian follows up by snapping Swaggers head over the top rope. Christian’s up top now and completely WHIFFS the flying head butt. Swagger’s up and hits a northern lights suplex, 1-2-NO!!! Super mega reversal spots ensue with both men looking for finishers. Eventually Christian connects with a reverse DDT!! 1-2-NO!!! Christian tries to pick up Swagger but ends up eating a Belly to Belly suplex, Swagger covers for 2. Swagger goes for another Vader Bomb but Christian gets the knees up followed by a sunset flip!!! 1-2-NO!!! Swagger tries to throw Christian out over the top rope but he lands on the apron then goes up top. Swagger joins Christian up top and looks for a belly to belly superplex but gets knocked to the mat, FLYING HEAD BUTT CONNECTS!!! 1-2-NO!!! So many near falls….. Will it ever end??Christian goes at Swagger but ends up eating second turnbuckle. Swagger charges in but runs into an elbow, SPINNING DDT connects!! But Christian’s arm is hurting too bad, slow cover gets 2!! Another super mega reversal spot ensues with Swagger finally nailing the GUTWRENCH POWERBOMB for the 1-2-3!! This match was definitely better than their other 2 matches. So many near falls with Swagger looking like a champion, and Christian looking like a formidable opponent. I’m just curious to see where the WWE decides to go from here. I’m actually glad Swagger retained cleanly because it makes him look like a real champion for once.  Great match. ***¼

Final Thoughts:

This was a great ECW show. The Tommy Dreamer pay off was nice and made you feel good about life. The main event was the best ECW match I’ve seen since Hardy vs. Swagger. The only thing that stunk up the joint and really didn’t make any sense was Henry vs. Gabriel. But whatever, you can’t win them all. This show gets *** from me.