By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S ECW ON SCI-FI REPORT
JANUARY 1, 2008
TAPED SUNDAY IN RICHMOND, VA.

-The show opened with clips of MVP getting DQ'd last week against C.M. Punk in the main event champion vs. champion match, with Chavo Guerrero interjecting himself afterward to start that feud. This is a good spot for Chavo and it'll be good for Punk to work with someone with Chavo's history of good matches (although his best, inspired work was ten years ago).

-The ECW opening aired, followed by an introduction by Joey Styles.

-In the ring, G.M. Armando Estrada stood with mic in hand. He said it was his pleasure to introduce Chavo. He came out to his same intro music, wearing a sombrero with "Warrior" written on it. Tazz said he made a huge statement last week in an opportunistic manner. Chavo said it's great to be back in "the ECW." He said people have been asking him for a week why he did what he did to Punk. He said he did it because he was injured at the hands of Rey Mysterio last year. He said while he was home, he couldn't walk, so he sat there and watched TV. He said he saw the emergence of Punk on ECW. He said it made him sick that people were touting him. Punk's music interrupted.

Punk strode to the ring with a half-smile/half-glare for Chavo. "That's your big reason?" he said. "Because people were talking about me, that there was the tangible buzz about me." He told Punk he's not an emerging star, he's a stepping stone for him in 2008. He said he's going to be a champion again in 2008, then he pointed at Punk's belt. Punk said it's a wonderful New Year's Resolution. Punk said if they're dealing in facts, he wants to let him know another: "I'm nobody's stepping stone." He said if Chavo wants to challenge him for the title, he's standing right in front of him. Armando said if he wants an ECW Title shot, he has to win his match later tonight. He aid his opponent would be Punk. Punk and Chavo both seemed satisfied.

-Styles plugged the upcoming tag match.

[Commercial Break]

1 -- JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ & LEYLA vs. SHANNON MOORE & JIMMY YANG WANG & KELLY KELLY

The Women started. Miz ripped Kelly coming off the ropes. Morrison tagged in and hit Moore and Yang with forearms, then hip-thrusted in front of Kelly. She slapped him and ran under his legs and tagged in Moore. Moore scored a quick two count on Morrison. Miz clotheslined Moore, then Morrison battered him with punches. The heels controlled Moore. At 4:00 Moore hot-tagged Yang. He hit Miz with a top rope dropkick for a near fall, with a save by Morrison. Leyla jumped Yang and hit him with noodle-armed forearms to the back. Yang no-sold it easily and then forced a kiss on her, which fans popped for. Yang eventually hit Miz with a moonsault press off the top rope for the win.

WINNERS: Yang & Moore & Kelly in 6:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Decent TV tag match. By the number stuff.

[Commercial Break]

-Tazz interviewed Colin Delaney. He asked him about his first-ever match against Shelton Benjamin two weeks ago. They aired a clip of Shelton's decisive win. Tazz asked how the match went. Colin said, "Not as I planned." Tazz asked if he felt better about tonight. Colin said he's a lot more confident about tonight. Tazz said before he announced his scheduled opponent, he asked if he had any New Year's Resolutions. He said he wants to be a WWE Superstar. Tazz said his opponent is Big Daddy V. Colin sook his head no and pleaded with Tazz that it wasn't true. BDV came right out.

2 -- BIG DADDY V (w/Matt Striker) vs. COLIN DELANEY

Colin ducked under BDV at the start, but got cornered quickly and collapsed after a hard chop to the chest. BDV stood on him, then pressed him in the air and dropped him. Delaney writhed in pain. BDV lifted and Samoan dropped him to the mat. He finished him with an elbow drop for the win. Delaney is a fun character. In a year or two when he wins his first match, it'll get a big pop. Not sure if there's a big future for him beyond the Barry Horowitz role, though.

WINNER: BDV in 2:00.

-They showed Shelton Benjamin heading toward the entrance tunnel.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. JAMES CURTIS

Having ECW be a place where wrestlers without real direction or a strong slot on Raw or Smackdown get to go and win some squashes and develop their characters in less of a pressure-cooker is a good thing. A promo aired before the match began with Shelton yelling, "Ain't no stoppin' me nowwww!" Not the coolest promo. Tazz touted Shelton's upside and undefeated record. Styles accepted Shelton's impressive amateur resume, but was less willing to predict super-stardom otherwise. Shelton won with his inverted bulldog, an inventive finisher.

WINNER: Shelton in 5:00.

[Commercial Break]

-The Raw Rebound aired.

-Next week's main event was announced: Moore & Yang challenging Miz & Morrison for the ECW Tag Team Titles in a "15 Minutes of Fame" match where the winner is the team to score the most falls in that timeframe.

4 -- C.M. PUNK vs. CHAVO GUERRERO

Stip was if Chavo won, he earned an ECW Title shot. Attacking champions unprovoked pays off, apparently. This was Chavo's first official match in four months. Punk got in early offense including his signature karate kicks. Three minutes in the cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Punk remained in control after the break. Punk sold a hurt knee after hitting Chavo with a knee off the ropes. Chavo fought back with forearms to the back as the crowd chanted "C.M. Punk." Chavo shifted to concentrating on Punk's knee, leading to several leg-based submission attempts. Punk teased a comeback with a running knee, then turned the tide with a bulldog. Chavo fired back with the Three Amigos suplexes, but Punk reversed the third into a Go 2 Sleep attempt. His knee gave out and they tumbled to the floor. Punk returned to the ring first and scored a countout win, costing Chavo a title shot.

WINNER: Punk via countout in 16:00.

STAR RATING: ** -- Solid match, about what you'd expect from these two. This was the start to what could be a good feud on ECW TV in coming weeks.

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