By James Caldwell, PWTorch columnist

ECW TV on Sci-Fi Live Report
May 22 in Des Moines, Iowa
Week 50 on Sci-Fi

We start with Joey Styles and Tazz promoting tonight's main event of Punk & RVD vs. Burke & Cor Von.

Snitsky then walked out sporting the nasty yellow teeth. They cut to a replay from last week when Snitsky KO'ed RVD on the floor after their match.

1 -- SNITSKY vs. TOMMY DREAMER

Dreamer landed a few glancing blows to start, but Snitsky tossed him over the top rope to the floor. Dreamer crashed hard on the floor, then Snitsky tossed Dreamer back into the ring before throwing him shoulder-first into the ringpost. Snitsky then went for a big boot, but Dreamer moved and Snitsky crotched himself across the top rope. Dreamer followed with kicks to the leg before hitting a DDT for a nearfall. Dreamer went for a top rope move, but Snitsky cut him off with a clubbing forearm to the head. He then hit a big boot for the win.

WINNER: Snitsky in 4:00. Eh. Snitsky is Snitsky and Dreamer hasn't been built up as a credible in-ring threat, so fans weren't expecting anything beside a Snitsky victory. Crowd wasn't into the match, and there doesn't appear to be the same energy as there was on Raw last night. (*)

After the match, Snitsky tried to dismantle Snitsky with a chair, but RVD snuck into the ring and hit a thrust kick, sending the chair into Snitsky's face. Snitsky then rolled to the outside as RVD held the chair in the air to celebrate.

Ringside, Joey Styles and Tazz talked about the Vince McMahon vs. Lashley feud. They went to footage from Judgment Day to emphasize the point that Vince makes all the rules.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

Kelly Kelly led out Brooke and Leyla of Extreme Expose. No dancing tonight. Leyla plugged the Timbaland music video, then they played it again.

2 -- KEVIN THORN vs. WYATT LAIRD?

Thorn came out alone and Styles pointed out that Thorn ditched Ariel to go at it alone. Wyatt was announced from Des Moines, Iowa, which did absolutely nothing for the crowd. He went for a side headlock after the bell rang, then followed with a stiff clothesline. Thorn placed Wyatt across the top rope and hit the horizontal ace crusher, now called Original Sin. Quick cover for the win to make short work of Wyatt.

WINNER: Thorn in 2:00. Another squash match. Thorn is going to stay at the same level if he remains by himself. He's big, has a unique look, and looks impressive knocking out opponents, but it's not translating to the audience. We've seen it too many times for the formula to be unique. (1/2*)

Backstage, Elijah Burke and Marcus Cor Von were talking strategy when Matt Striker interrupted. Burke blamed Striker for causing him to lose focus at Judgment Day and lose to C.M. Punk. He said his patience is wearing thin, so it's in Striker's interest to beat one of the Major Brothers tonight. Burke said there would be a problem if he doesn't get it done. Cor Von put a finger in Striker's chest and told him to get it done.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- MATT STRIKER vs. BRETT MAJOR (w/Brian Major)

Striker, with a sense of urgency, went right after Brett. He executed an overhead suplex for a nearfall. Tazz channeled Gordon Solie, which Joey Styles pointed out, when he called Striker's move a su-play.

[Q3]

Brett made a comeback at 3:00, but Striker came back with a suplex attempt. Brett countered it into a small package, though, for a nearfall. Striker side stepped a dropkick, then hit the Golden Rule turnout face buster for the win. Striker was pumped up about the victory and left the ring calling out to Elijah Burke.

WINNER: Striker in 4:00. This show feels more and more like Sunday Night Heat with each passing match. We saw the big ECW angle for the week on Raw last night, and all we're getting are table scraps on this show. We don't know anything about the brothers other than they went to ECW shows back in the day. That doesn't mean anything to the WWE audience. (3/4*)

[Commercial Break]

They aired a two-minute video recap of Bobby Lashley running the gauntlet on last night's Raw to earn the ECW Title shot against Vince McMahon at One Night Stand. Styles and Tazz plugged the match at the PPV.

RVD came to the ring, followed by Punk. They posed for the in-ring camera before the heels came out.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

Punk still has the taped ribs. Burke then came out alone and they did the low angle intro camera shot to make Burke seem more impressive. He stopped halfway down the entrance ramp, then Cor Von came out to his entrance music.

4 -- ROB VAN DAM & C.M. PUNK vs. ELIJAH BURKE & MARCUS COR VON

Cor Von ran over RVD with a shoulder tackle in the opening minute. They had a standoff and Cor Von talked trash before they locked up again. Cor Von with another shoulder tackle to push RVD to a neutral corner to recover. The fans chanted for RVD, then he did the thumbs to the shoulders pose. Cor Von missed with a corner splash and tried to outsmart RVD by ducking a top rope move, but RVD answered with a split-legged moonsault. Burke then took a tag and RVD met him with back elbow smashes. Punk suddenly made a blind tag and nailed Burke with a springboard kick to clear him to the floor. Punk and RVD stood tall in the ring before they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Cor Von was working on RVD's leg while Punk waited for a tag from the apron. They showed a clip from during the break when RVD tweaked his knee on the floor. Back live, Burke took a tag and picked up where Cor Von left off working on the leg/knee. The heels continued to exchange tags working on the knee for a good three or four minutes.

[Q5 -- over-run]

RVD finally made a comeback with a sudden enziguri kick on Burke. He then hopped over to his corner and tagged out to Punk, who came in to clean house. Big chants for Punk, then he dropped Burke with a running bulldog out of the corner, but Cor Von broke up the pin. RVD then hobbled back into the ring and cleared Cor Von to the floor. He went for a plancha on the floor, but Cor Von moved and RVD ate the floor. Back in the ring, Punk was going for the Go To Sleep on Burke, but Cor Von speared him. Cor Von then set up Punk for the Pounce and nailed him to earn a DQ in the eyes of the referee since he wasn't the legal man.

After the match, RVD tried to attack Cor Von, but Cor Von gave him a glancing blow with the Pounce. Burke and Cor Von stood over Punk and RVD's fallen bodies to close the show.

WINNERS: Punk & RVD via DQ in 14:00. The work on RVD's knee was psychologically sound, but on a show with meaningless action prior to the main event, they needed to deliver a more compelling wrestling match. An expected finish with the New Breed standing tall to close the show. (*3/4)

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