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ECW on Sci-Fi TV alt. perspective report
January 13, 2009
Report by Dominick Mayer, PWTorch contributor

Immediately, a video package on Jack Swagger runs. He faces Matt Hardy for the ECW Championship tonight.

Title sequence.

Already in the ring are D.J. Gabriel and Alicia Fox doing their dance routine. Striker refers to Gabriel as the "chieftain of cha-cha," which is hilarious. Next out are Paul Burchill and Katie Lea. Is it just me, or is Katie Lea looking more and more like Ariel -Kevin Thorn's vampire manager - with each passing week?

1 -- D.J. GABRIEL & ALICIA FOX VS. PAUL BURCHILL & KATIE LEA

Fox comes out with the early offense. Grisham points out that a mixed tag with men against men and women against women is "the way it should be." A dig at TNA, perhaps? Burchill tags in, and so does Gabriel, and Burchill hits a running knee into the corner. Burchill hits a snap vertical suplex for a quick one-count. Burchill hangs Gabriel over the top rope and knees Gabriel again. Modified dragon sleeper on Gabriel. Gabriel gets a nice baseball slide counter out of an irish whip attempt and hits a belly-back suplex for two. Lea attempts to get involved, but Fox tackles her to the outside. Gabriel hits the spinning European uppercut off the second rope (which really needs a name) for the pin and the win.

WINNERS: Gabriel & Fox in 3:00. Pretty good match, actually. Burchill adopting the rough-edged offensive style of William Regal works for him, and Gabriel's baseball slide counter was impressive, especially for a man his size. ECW has been in need of a steady undercard program like this for a while now, and there's probably a week or two more to be wrung from it.

The video package from Raw introducing Steve Austin as the first WWE Hall of Fame inductee for 2009 airs again. I'm still amazed by how well-done this really was. It fits with his badass character, but still makes him look iconic.

Later tonight: Hardy vs. Swagger for the ECW Title.

[Commercial Break]

Tommy Dreamer is on his way out, in a suit. This doesn't look promising. Dreamer says there's a lot of buzz about the title match tonight, and he has something to say. He's been debating for a long time what he's going to do tonight. Oh, man.

[Q2]

For nineteen years, he's come out to entertain every one of the fans. They've always supported him, and they have an amazing connection. He's always been the heart and soul of ECW, because those three letters mean the world to him. Everything he has in life is because of ECW. If he had to do it all over again, he wouldn't change a thing. Massive "ECW" chant going on.

There comes a point when a man has to dig deep within himself. He doesn't see himself as the same man he used to be. The competition is younger and better now. He doesn't feel like he has what it takes to compete in ECW now. His WWE contract expires June 6. This gives him about five months to prove that he still belongs here, in the only way he knows how: becoming ECW champion before his contract expires. He's been training harder than ever, because if he doesn't do it...(he genuinely chokes up here)...he's leaving ECW. He has to do this, in order to look at himself in the mirror with pride and respect. He will be ECW champion again.

Man, that was a promo. I got into ECW before I even discovered WWE as a kid, and I've been a huge fan of Dreamer since the beginning. I'd love to see Dreamer win at WrestleMania. Even if it's just the ECW Title, him having one more run would be phenomenal, especially if they play the underdog angle. Best way to do this: Swagger wins the title tonight. Build to a triple threat at Mania, between Swagger, Hardy, and Dreamer. With the right writing, it won't matter that Dreamer has been doing jobs for a while now.

Another video package on Swagger recapping his big wins, and his quote from last week to Teddy Long about him being the new face of ECW.

[Commercial Break]

Backstage, Ricky O and Tiffany awkwardly hold hands. Aww. As they're about to slowly kiss, to an inexplicably big pop, Hornswoggle interrupts. Finlay goes chasing after him. That was interesting.

Considerably less interesting: The Boogeyman is on his way to the ring. His being from the Bottomless Pit is still the best thing about his character.

2 -- THE BOOGEYMAN VS. SAMMY SAVARD

Tonight's jobber looks a little bit like Bob Backlund. Boogey headbutts him and does the strange strut into the corner. Stinger splash with Savard turned around in the corner. Pumphandle slam ends it.

WINNER: Boogeyman in 1:00. Shorter than last week's squash. The trouble with these squashes is that ECW's few regulars are all far more talented in the ring than Boogeyman. Where do they think he's going to go from here?

Post-match: Worms. Striker refers to it as a "gastronomical delight," which I don't understand, but somehow am amused anyway.

Smackdown Rebound: The Jeff Hardy hit and run angle. I hope it's Christian, because turning Matt heel seems pointless, mostly because there's no way anybody's going to ever fully buy either Hardy as a heel, at least a heel of this variety.

[Q3]

Backstage: Matt Hardy isn't going to worry about his brother's situation, nor use it as an excuse to not perform at his highest level tonight. Swagger's done a lot, but he hasn't beaten him yet. There's one thing that he is that Swagger isn't: the ECW champion. The match is next. A lot of time for this one.

[Commercial Break]

In case you forgot, Vince McMahon is back on TV next week.

Jack Swagger is out first, to pretty good heat, for the ECW title match. Hardy comes out, to a huge pop. Striker told us to be ready for it, too.

3 -- ECW champion MATT HARDY VS. JACK SWAGGER – ECW Title match

Full ring intros before we get started. Swagger wins the initial lockup. They go again, and Hardy counters into a northern lights suplex. Swagger backs into the corner, looking surprised. Break time.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

Swagger has Hardy in a headlock out of break, to the tune of a massive "Hardy" chant. Hip toss and a corner clothesline by Hardy, followed by a bulldog for two. Hardy ends up on the apron, but as he goes for a springboard, Swagger hits him with a forearm and sends him to the floor. Swagger pulls Hardy's shoulder into the ring post before slamming him into it. Striker points out that Hardy's leading arm for the Twist of Fate is the one Swagger's going after. Back in the ring, Swagger corners Hardy. Hardy gets his feet up, but when he tries it again, Swagger slams him headfirst onto the canvas for a two count. Swagger remains in control, pummeling Hardy on the mat. I missed the action for a second, but Hardy's down as we go into the final commercial break. Slow so far, but they've had to pace for a 20-minute match.

[Commercial Break]

Swagger is still working the left arm out of break. Hardy gets free and hits a clothesline, but immediately goes down himself. He heads up top, but Swagger intercepts him. Swagger gets a superplex, though Hardy's feet were only on the second rope. Two count. Swagger returns to the arm. He corners Hardy with some stomps, then sits him on the top rope. Swagger goes for another superplex, and Hardy goes for a sunset flip powerbomb. Swagger fights it, but eventually goes over; however, it's only good for a two count. Huge "Hardy" chant still going on. Hardy looks for the Twist of Fate, but Swagger takes him down for two. Swagger calls for the gutwrench powerbomb, but Hardy counters into a Russian legsweep for two. Hardy goes for the corner bulldog, but Swagger escapes, and Hardy comes right back with a Side Effect for two. Hardy goes for another Side Effect, but Swagger rolls him up, using the tights but only getting two. Swagger hits a reverse splash out of the corner, and then applies an armbar. Swagger picks Hardy up into the powerslam position, but Hardy hits an inverted neckbreaker for a near two count. Hardy heads up top , but Swagger picks him up in the electric chair and throws him into an exposed turnbuckle. Swagger hits the gutwrench powerbomb for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Swagger in 19:00 to capture the ECW Championship. Not quite the dynamic match I was expecting, but a relatively clean finish given that they're putting a new talent over one as established as Hardy. I'm glad they're giving Swagger the ball; now let's see where he runs with it.

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