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TV Reports
CALDWELL'S ECW TV REPORT 1/13: Matt Hardy vs. Jack Swagger ECW Title match, Tommy Dreamer's retirement speech Jan 13, 2009 - 9:59:19 PM
WWE's ECW on Sci-Fi TV Report
January 13, 2009 - Year 3, Week 32 (Week 136 overall)
Taped in Sioux City, Iowa
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist
Tonight, Jack Swagger gets his chance at the ECW Title. In the arena, Todd Grisham and Matt Striker welcomed us to potentially the biggest ECW show ever.
In-ring: D.J. Gabriel and Alicia Fox were in the ring dancing to warm us up for a mixed tag match. Let me guess - another match against Burchill and Katie Lea. Yep, out they came.
1 -- PAUL BURCHILL & KATIE LEA vs. D.J. GABRIEL & ALICIA FOX
Women had a double head-to-head collision early on, then the men entered the ring to pick up the action. The action broke down, with the divas knocking each other out of the ring. Gabriel then smashed Burchill with the leaping European uppercut from the second rope for the pin and the win. Afterward, Gab and Fox danced to celebrate.
WINNERS: Gabriel & Fox in 3:00. Short match without much to write home about. (1/2*)
Hall of Fame announcement: They re-aired the Steve Austin announcement for the 2009 Hall of Fame in Houston. ... Up later: Swagger vs. Hardy.
[Commercial Break]
In-ring: Dressed in a suit, Tommy Dreamer was on the way to the ring for a little chat. Grisham asked Striker what's on Dreamer's mind. He said let's listen. Dreamer took the mic and quietly said there's a lot of buzz about tonight's ECW Title match and he wants to say his piece. He said he's been debating for a while what he's going to do tonight. Dreamer said it's tough for him to express his emotions after stepping inside the ring for 19 years. He went the choke-back-tears route talking about how much those three "E-C-W" letters mean to him. Waiting for the interruption...
Dreamer said he wouldn't change a thing about his journey. The "E-C-W" chant came up as Dreamer talked about needing a time of reflection in their lives. He said he doesn't think he's the same man he used to be. Dreamer said the competition is younger, stronger, and faster. And he doesn't feel he has what it takes to compete in ECW anymore. His WWE contract expires June 6. That gives him about five months to prove to everyone that he can still compete here. And the only way he can do that is if he becomes ECW champion before his contract expires.
Dreamer said he's been training harder than ever to achieve that goal because if he doesn't, then he's leaving ECW. He said this is the hardest decision of his life, but he needs to be able to look in the mirror with pride and respect. This is the only way to do this, he said. Dreamer thanked the fans, then left. The quest to ECW One Night Stand begins...
Video package: They focused on Jack Swagger with highlights of his action moves and a voice-over of Swagger saying he'll be the new champion.
[Commercial Break]
Backstage: Ricky Ortiz grabbed Tiffany's hand and pulled her in close. He wanted a kiss, but Hornswoggle interrupted banging something before mocking them going for a kiss. Finlay gave chase, then Tiffany turned back to Ortiz. Even without saying a word, Ortiz managed to be not great.
In-ring: Boogeyman came to the ring for another squash. His opponent was a bald-headed dude who was more Gillberg then Goldberg. Sammy SaBor?
2 -- THE BOOGEYMAN vs. SAMMY SABOR
Sammy landed a right hand blow on Boogeyman to annoy him, then Boogey tossed Sammy across the ring through the smoke hovering over the ring from his ring entrance. Boogey with a standing powerslam for the easy win. Striker scored major points with a Monty Python reference: "And now for something completely different." Boogey grabbed the worms and proceeded to shove them in young Samuel's mouth.
WINNER: Boogeyman in 1:00. Striker saved this one. I understand the art of building up a monster via the squash, but unless Boogey has developed a magical ability in the last year to work a competitive five-minute match, I don't see him being in a position to ascend to a main event level in ECW.
Smackdown Rebound: They focused on Jeff Hardy in the hit & run angle from Friday's show.
Backstage: Matt Hardy was brought in by Grisham to ask him how he's feeling with the Jeff Hardy distraction. Hardy said it won't affect him and he feels Swagger has earned his chance to compete for the ECW Title, but one thing he hasn't done is beat him. He said one thing he is that Swagger isn't is the ECW champion.
[Commercial Break]
In-ring: Jack Swagger came out first for the ECW Title match main event. Striker referenced Cael Sanderson picking up pointers from Swagger in his amateur days. Hardy then came out to a huge pop to defend the belt. Ref Scott Armstrong is the assigned ref tonight. Tony Chimel handled the formal ring intros with Swagger bouncing up and down in his corner before soaking up the boos. Hardy had a customary big round of cheers. Let's get it on.
3 -- ECW champion MATT HARDY vs. JACK SWAGGER -- ECW Title match
Only a few moments aired of the feeling-out process before an abrupt commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
They returned from break with Swagger locking Hardy in a side headlock. Striker said Percy Harvin of the Florida Gators is here and Marisa Tomei is here to find out how it really goes down. Hmm. The action moved to the floor where Swagger whipped Hardy into the ringpost to inflict damage on the left arm. Swagger scored a series of nearfalls before going to the final break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Swagger nailed a superplex and made a cover for a two count. Swagger went for a second superplex, but Hardy fired off a series of forearm smashes. He then nailed a sunset flip powerbomb after Swagger ripped off the top turnbuckle pad in mid-air trying to hold on to block the hold. Hardy scored a nearfall, but Swagger came right back with a belly-to-belly suplex for another nearfall. Hardy came back with a Russian legsweep (two count) and side effect (another two count).
Swagger suddenly rolled up Hardy and hooked the tights for a two count. Swagger yanked down on Hardy's left arm to cut him off, then Swagger went for a leaping Vader Bomb from the second turnbuckle for a two count. Swagger then followed right up with an arm bar that Hardy escaped. Hardy came back with the Scorpion death drop (Striker called it the slop drop) for a two count. They had a meeting of the minds in the corner at 15:00, then Hardy went up top, but Swagger threw him forehead-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Hardy was woozy and Swagger hit the gut wrench powerbomb finisher. He made a cover and scored a three count to win the ECW Title. Afterward, Swagger gloated to the fans about the victory to close the show.
WINNER: Swagger in 16:00 to capture the ECW Title. Excellent title match. Swagger has certainly earned his spot as the champion of a WWE brand. Now, it's a matter of seeing how he fares with the belt in hand. The upside for Swagger is enormous. (***)
We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for an "ECW Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on ECW TV, click here.
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who was it who said hardy was a top level main eventer? looks like uncle
eric was right.
Tom
13 Jan 2009, 18:30
The quest to ECW One Night Stand begins..
_____
Uh James ONS is on the 7th, Dreamer said he will retire by the 6th so it
isn't the quest to ONS.
JK
13 Jan 2009, 18:41
He could win the title by the 6th (now that there's a heel champ), drop it
on ONS, retire afterwards. Read before you decide to try to insult people
that have a job you wish you had.
Tom
13 Jan 2009, 19:14
He says the quest to One Night Stand begins which is wrong because Dreamer
can't win the title at ONS. I know what I'm talking about.
JK
13 Jan 2009, 20:17
No. . . no you don't. The quest to ONS line doesn't say anything about him
winning the title at ONS. . . it simply means that the angle plays out
there. Caldwell knows what he's talking about. You need to take a reading
comprehension course.
povo
13 Jan 2009, 20:19
Swagger was awesome and so was his match. Time to move Matt Hardy into the
"who attacked Jeff" storyline... did you notice how dismissive he was when
they asked him about Jeff tonight?
and the winner is....
13 Jan 2009, 21:55
Tom, I'm sorry, but JK gets the win on points.
Seriously, why does everyone feel the need to dump on everything written
on this website. It does not make you look smart or cool, just somewhat
pathetic. If you don't like, don't read.
ian
14 Jan 2009, 02:54
there's nothing wrong with having an opinion based on what you've read. the
contributors to this site base their opinions on what they're seeing on tv.
and while it does not make you look smart or cool (neither does trying to
be big and bad on the comments field on a wrestling website, btw) - they
have the comments fields down here for the exact reason of people offering
their opinions, whatever they may be. douchey, or informative.
just an fyi. an internet comprehension course would teach that.
BwanaBob
14 Jan 2009, 03:16
Caldwell wrote:
"He [Dreamer] went the choke-back-tears route talking about how much those
three "E-C-W" letters mean to him. Waiting for the interruption..."
Still waiting?
I don't think it was a routine - at least not this time - and I think
they'll give him the belt, briefly. The WWE rewards its loyal people.
Hold on. They released Sgt. Slaughter yesterday after nearly three decades
with the company.
So maybe Dreamer won't get the belt...
Rabid
14 Jan 2009, 05:04
I agree povo, time for Matt to admit he attacked Jeff and tried to run him
off the road, then the showdown at WrestleMania.
Let me get this straight. Hardy works hard, put's up with all the politic
BS for 10 years, and finally gets a "major" singles championship that is
over like hell with the crowd....only to be jobbed out to a young "up and
comer" who's been on the main roster less than a year?!!? That's gotta
hurt.
Asheesh
14 Jan 2009, 10:25
Exactly Joseph. If Matt had to lose to a young upcoming wrestler, at least
they could have made the title change on a PPV, no matter how good the ECW
Main Event was. Its sad
It's amazing how you guys take this so seriously. It's wrestling
people!!!! Wrestling was so much more "pure" before these wrestling sites
became so prevelant. The whole idea of a wrestling internet reporter is
stupid, but the comments made by you losers who take this so seriously is
even more pathetic. Newsflash nerds, there are other things to focus on
such as women, women and more women!!!! Fucking virgins, living in your
mother's basement.....ha ha!!!!
BwanaBob
15 Jan 2009, 04:41
Actually, Big Black Kev, I was just in YOUR mother's basement, and thank
the Lord, I ain't a virgin no more...
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