By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

WWE - ECW on Sci-Fi TV Report
April 28, 2009 - Year 3, Week 47 (Week 151 overall)
Taped in New York City

The show started with a video package from Backlash when Christian captured the ECW Title from Jack Swagger. ... Inside MSG, Tony Chimel introduced the new ECW champion. Christian, dressed in street clothes, came out to a strong reaction. Cut to a shot of Josh Mathews and Matt Striker on commentary staring a bit too longingly in Christian's direction. Christian briefly absorbed the applause, then he began his promo. Christian said being ECW champion is sinking in right now. He said before Jack Swagger comes out here to interrupt him, he wants to say this is the greatest day of his career. Christian declared that he stands here before his Peeps, inside MSG, as a champion.

Christian paused to let that one sink in, then he called out Swagger to interrupt him. Instead, it was Mr. New York, Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer came out sporting a sharp suit to match the collection of investment bankers similarly dressed in the arena tonight. Dreamer shook Christian's hand as the fans chanted, "E-C-W." Dreamer congratulated Christian on being the first real ECW champion in over three months. Dreamer said they've been friends for a while and he's not coming out here just to congratulate him.

Dreamer re-visited the Quest to capture the ECW Title one more time before his contract expires. He said he only has six weeks left. Dreamer said he's in the building ... pause for "ECW" chant and Dreamer fighting back tears. Dreamer said he's here to challenge Christian for the ECW Title. Christian thought it over, then suggested they do it right here tonight in MSG.

On cue, Jack Swagger's music interrupted. Mr. Swagger strolled out on stage in a suit looking very unhappy. Swagger said he was willing to let this farce go on, but enough is enough. Only reason Christian is champ ... pause for "You suck" chant. ... You, Christian, cheated! "That's not fair!" Swagger declared. He said Dreamer is a joke and he doesn't deserve an ECW Title match. The only thing saving them is that he will be taking back his ECW Title at Judgment Day when he exercises his re-match clause. Swagger said no one is getting a championship match until he does.

Before Swagger could walk away, Torrie Wilson's music hit. Interim GM Tiffany stepped out on stage. She officially welcomed us to ECW before telling Mr. Swagger that he does have a title match at Judgment Day, but he is wrong that no one can have a title match before him. She has the power and she says they are going to have an ECW Title match. And that match is happening tonight. Dreamer pumped his fist in the ring. ECW music hit. No word on whether it's actually Christian vs. Dreamer. Just an ECW Title match. Swagger wasn't happy. Christian and Dreamer talked things over.

Backstage: Natalya stroked Tyson Kidd's "crown" hair cut. She applied plenty of hairspray and ran that puppy through the comb to prep Kidd perfectly for a match against Finlay.

[Commercial Break]

Video package: They tried to sell replays for Backlash, then Mathews talked up the PPV based on the three title changes.

[Q2]

In-ring: Tyson Kidd came out with Natalya for a singles match. Mathews and Striker narrated clips from Superstars last Thursday when Hornswoggle one-upped Kidd with some juvenile tactics. Finlay then came out alone to face Kidd. Mathews then plugged next week having a new start time of 10:00 p.m EST/9:00 p.m. CST. Should have just waited for the ridiculous Sy Fy name change.

1 -- TYSON KIDD (w/Natalya) vs. FINLAY

Finlay powered Kidd to the mat with a shoulderblock early on, then he slapped on a half crab. Kidd tried to reach the ropes, but Finlay pulled him back to center-ring. Finlay really worked the hold before Kidd missed with an enziguiri kick and Finlay clotheslined him to the floor. All Finlay going to break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Finlay was still dominating. Kidd can't even get the "heel always on the advantage coming back from commercial break" advantage in this one. Kidd finally took control with a knee vice and he vowed to break Finlay's leg. Crowd hot with a "Let's go Finlay" chant as Kidd kept working the hold. Finlay broke the hold, then Kidd went right back to it and vowed to break that leg. Finlay came back with a series of clotheslines, followed by a big boot, but he missed with a knee drop.

Finlay absorbed a knee smash and landed a powerslam for a two count. Finlay teased the rolling slam, but Kidd blocked and knocked Finlay to the outside. Kidd tried to follow with a baseball slide, but Finlay wrapped him up in the ring apron to beat down Kidd. Finlay rolled Kidd back into the ring, then Natalya lightly brushed Finlay. Ref distracted, Finlay distracted, and Kidd smashed Finlay from behind right in the knee with his own shillelagh. Kidd with the pin for the win.

WINNER: Kidd in 10:00. Nice TV match. Kidd's mat-based attack was unique and sharp with him really grinding that knee vice and adding some running commentary to the action. Finlay now has a quest to figure out how to win matches without Hornswoggle. Good opener. (**1/2)

Main event: Mathews plugged Christian vs. Dreamer tonight for the title.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Kozlov walked out on stage in a costume. He was sporting apparently a black Russian military outfit with a beret. Kozlov spoke on stage about the Russian Army and skills and Russian athletics. There is no one in this here E-C-Double, Double Double E, or entire world who can compete against him. He'll achieve global domination. Where's Sheik Bashir and his anti-Americans over on TNA when you need them for a good ol' fashioned xenophobic angle?

Announcers: Mathews and Striker sent it backstage to Gregory Helms, who was in a suit as the new backstage interviewer. He brought in Evan Bourne to talk Draft. Bourne said things are happening hot in ECW. He said he has championship aspirations ... Paul Burchill interrupted with Katie Lea. Burchill said he just talked to Tiffany and they have a re-match on Superstars this week. Bourne vs. Burchill. He said Bourne got lucky last week, but his luck is about to run out. Katie lingered a bit long on Helms's shoulder, then he posed a firm question to Bourne: "Whattsupwidat?"

In-ring: Tommy Dreamer came to the ring for the ECW Title match. We'll get it after the break.

Smackdown plug: They changed the Championship Scramble #1 contender's match. Four wrestlers competing now. Rey Mysterio vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kane vs. Chris Jericho. So, scratch John Morrison and Great Khali.

[Commercial Break]

Note: With the addition of the Superstars taping, apparently ECW TV's wrestling match quota is shrinking to two-or-three matches rather than three-to-four per broadcast. With a plethora of wrestlers on the roster via the Draft, that's going to hurt some folks in the TV time department, although WWE found a way to incorporate Bourne, Burchill, Kozlov, and Helms into non-wrestling segments tonight.

In-ring: Dreamer was warming up, then Christian came out to defend the title. Mathews reminded us that Christian was away from WWE for three years, then he returned to become ECW champion within three months of his return. With both participants in the ring, Tony Chimel handle the formal ring intros to stretch the time a bit. Dreamer with the hometown reaction part II. Christian is billed from Toronto, Canada. Dreamer clapped for Christian, who held up the ECW Title belt for everyone to get a good look. Nice build-up to the bout.

[Q4]

2 -- ECW champion CHRISTIAN vs. TOMMY DREAMER -- ECW Title match

Bell sounded and Striker said the last time a title changed hands at MSG was in 2004 "with Triple H." He added that John Cena won the U.S. Title. Chris Benoit's name shall remain never uttered on WWE TV, as Striker was obviously referring to WrestleMania 20 when Benoit won a three-way over Hunter and Shawn Michaels, while Cena won the opening match over Big Show to win the U.S. Title. As for the action, both men teased their finishers in the first two minutes. Christian then collected himself before they locked up again. Christian won the advantage, then he slapped Dreamer to begin an attack as they cut to break.

[Commercial Break]

Christian was in advantage out of the break. Christian was working with a little more of an edge tonight to make Dreamer the underdog babyface. Announcers played into that a bit by posing the question of whether Christian is going to start acting differently as champion. Christian went up top and nailed a missile dropkick for a two count before settling into an armbar to take away Dreamer's left arm and shoulder.

Christian went up top at 10:00, but Dreamer blocked him and nailed a top rope superplex. Dreamer couldn't make an immediate cover, though, and Christian kicked out of a pin attempt. Christian went back on the offensive while selling a back injury, but Dreamer blocked a whip to the ropes and clotheslined Christian to the outside. Both men barely made it back into the ring, then Dreamer started a fiery comeback. He landed a reverse DDT, but Christian escaped a pin attempt. They went into a pin attempt exchange on the mat, then Dreamer blasted Christian with an inside-out clothesline.

Dreamer stalked Christian, then he hung Christian upside down in the corner. Crowd knew what was coming as Dreamer fired up for the "E-C-W" basement dropkick, but Jack Swagger blind-sided Dreamer with a clothesline. He gave Dreamer a belly-to-belly suplex before ramming Dreamer's head into Christian, who was still hanging upside down. Swagger then scooped up Christian and gave him a gut wrench powerbomb to put an exclamation mark on the attack. Swagger stared toward the hard camera with a mean look on his face as his music played. They replayed the non-finish as Striker plugged Christian vs. Swagger for the ECW Title at Judgment Day.

WINNER: No Contest in 13:00. Good TV main event with something tangible on the line for this week's show. Crowd was into the action and both men put in a good effort until wearing down a bit at the end. Swagger's run-in was effective for continuing to build him up as a top heel in the company. Swagger is a future star for this company and he seems to grow a little bit more each week. (**3/4)

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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