By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

WWE - ECW on Sci-Fi TV Report
May 19, 2009 - Year 3, Week 50 (Week 154 overall)
Taped in Cincinnati, Ohio

After the WWE intro aired, they cut to the ring where Jack Swagger was chilling in a chair dressed in a flashy outfit. Not looking very happy. Swagger said what happened to him at Judgment Day was a tragedy and he wants justice right now. Swagger just paused and looked around, then some individuals approached the ring. Turned out to be refs. They tried to get him to leave, but Swagger continued to sit in his chair. He told the refs he's not budging. Naw, man. Ain't moving. C'mon, bro.

GM Tiffany then came out to the ring without any music looking quite unhappy. She was mic'ed. Tiffany said they can talk about this in her office. Swagger said it's too bad he's disrupting her show. Swagger said he's not leaving until she makes it right after Christian cheated at Backlash, then cheated at Judgment Day. "That's not fair!" Swagger said. Going on a t-shirt soon. He blamed Tiffany for all this mess. He said he's going to be around a lot longer than "Britney Spears" because the people paid to see him. Boos. Swagger said he's the face of the franchise and she's just a temp. Tiffany yanked the mic away from Swagger and said "this temp" has the power to make sure Swagger never receives an ECW Title match ever again. Swagger wasn't convinced. She told him to go right to the principal's office. Right now, little Jack-ey. Swagger sat up, re-positioned his jacket, and slowly walked out of the ring to boos.

With Swagger on the outside, Tiffany apologized for this inconvenience. She promised a great show, then introduced the ECW champion Christian. Christian made his way out to the ringside area and approached Swagger on the ramp. They had a staredown, then Swagger turned around and bumped Christian off the entrance ramp to the floor below. Christian sold the left knee and he reached his feet hobbling as they cut to break.

[Commercial Break]

1 -- ECW champion CHRISTIAN vs. PAUL BURCHILL (w/Katie Lea) -- non-title match

Christian was still selling the left knee, so Burchill kept trying to go after the knee in the early going. Christian shooed him away in the early going, then went to a mat hold to keep Burchill away from his lower body. Action moved to the floor and Burchill finally got the knee by smashing him into the guardrail. Burch then whipped him knee-first into the ring steps and took Christian back into the ring to work the knee. Burchill became frustrated with his inability to put away the champ, but he went back to work on the knee as the announcers sat quietly apparently studying the interaction in the ring. Christian blocked a running charge and followed with a tornado DDT out of the corner for a two count. Burchill tried to make another comeback run, but Christian fought valiantly and nailed the Killswitch for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Christian in 9:00. Good finish after some not-exciting action featuring Burchill on the offensive. We just don't know anything about Burchill out of the ring to make the audience care while he's in the ring. (*1/2)

Post-match: Josh Mathews entered the ring and asked Christian about the deal with Swagger earlier. Christian collected himself and said if he didn't like what happened at J-Day, he's going to hate what he has to say right now. He went back to MSG when Christian faced Tommy Dreamer for the ECW Title, but Swagger interfered and had the match thrown out. So, it's like this. Christian issued a challenge to face Dreamer, whose contract is coming up in three weeks, for an ECW Title match. No date was specified. Striker questioned why Christian would give a title match to someone the caliber of Dreamer. Um...because Dreamer never wins matches. C'mon, Striker.

[Commercial Break]

Tiffany's office: Tiff and Swag were having an argument over the Christian vs. Dreamer ordeal. She's considering it, booked it, and Swagger can take the rest of the night off. Swagger wasn't too pleased. "Whatever," he said. Tiffany wasn't pleased. As Greg Parks said, very second-gradeish with these ECW TV conflicts. Second-graders should be asleep at 10:00 p.m. EST, so perhaps they should book to a more adult male 18-34 audience.

In-ring: Some generic boy band-sounding music hit and Zack Ryder came out sporting half-trunks and half-long pants. Already in the ring was Adam Green, who was sporting generic biker shorts.

2 -- ZACK RYDER vs. ADAM GREEN

Ryder very aggressive in the early going. Ryder landed a kick to the gut, then re-adjusted his headband and hair before landing a neckbreaker. Striker with a line toward the Nuggets that he would like to see Carmelo Anthony pull off a move like a leaping leg smash from Ryder. Ryder with a sort of reverse rocker-dropper for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Ryder in 2:00. Just a squash to get Ryder some TV exposure and an actual victory. Not feeling the ring entrance music, though. (1/2*)

Announcers: Striker and Mathews narrated clips from last week when David Hart Smith made an impact on ECW TV by debuting with a sneak-attack on Finlay.

Backstage: D.H. Smith was warming up, then Tyson Kidd and Natalya entered the locker room. Natalya smiled and told Smith his dad would be so proud of him. Smith said he should be because he's already better than he ever was. Smith slapped himself on the shoulders, then walked off. Kidd looked him up and down off camera for some reason.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Kozlov came out on stage sporting his Russian military outfit. Kozlov spoke in his language. Greatest fighting force is the Russian army, therefore he is the greatest fighting force around. He will dominate. That punching bag is going down. I will win. Kozlov saluted himself and suggested he would dominate. Ringside, announcers critiqued the promo, then suddenly had something in their earpiece. To the back!

Backstage: Gregory Helms was standing outside Tiffany's office. He just spoke with Tiffany and said the ECW Title match between Christian and Dreamer will take place this week on Superstars. Helms brought Dreamer in and he said Christian didn't have to give him the title shot, but he appreciates it. He's not going to waste his opportunity to become ECW champion.

Backstage: Finlay was shown walking backstage to prepare for the main event.

[Commercial Break]

Superstars on WGN preview: Chris Jericho vs. C.M. Punk. Expect everything, folks.

In-ring: Cue up Bret Hart's theme music with a new-school twist bringing out David Hart Smith, flanked by Natalya and Tyson Kidd. Striker said the "massive off-spring" of the British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith is here to intimidate. Mathews plugged the Extreme Rules PPV. ECW could use a match or two. Finlay then came out to face Smith.

3 -- DAVID HART SMITH (w/Natalya and Tyson Kidd) vs. FINLAY

Finlay dominated early on as Natalya asked him what's wrong. Complete domination by Finlay to start, then Smith rolled to the floor to take a breather. Announcers tried to talk up Smith as being bigger, stronger, and more vicious than Bulldog ever was. Means absolutely nothing to about 80-90 percent of the audience that has no idea who Davey Boy Smith is, unfortunately. After five minutes of first-gear mat wrestling, action moved to the apron where Smith landed a running powerslam off the apron to the floor for his first piece of offense of the match. Cut to break with KiddNat clapping it up for Smith.

[Commercial Break]

Next Monday: Ric Flair may be retired, but he's far from gone. Classic Flair clips, Randy Orton blasted him, and now Flair is calling out Orton. Maybe in a parking lot? Flair vs. Orton brawling into the Pepsi Center during halftime of Game 4? ...

Back from break, Smith was in control working the back with a submission hold. Kidd, thankfully, checked in with his "Ask him ref!" scream to add some life to this. Finlay tried to mount an attack at 13:00, but Smith cut him right off and went back to work on the back. Crowd tried to rally behind Finlay as he fought an abdominal stretch, then Finlay fired off a round of punches on Smith until Smith landed a big boot to the face. Announcers asleep, specifically Mathews. After the quick highspot from Smith, he went back to working on the back before settling into a chinlock.

Finlay finally came back with an escape of the powerslam before ramming Smith into the corner turnbuckle. Finlay made his full comeback as the crowd came to life. Finlay tried a Rolling Hills, but his back went out after Smith's work. Finlay then clotheslined Smith over the top rope to the floor. Natalya then slapped Finlay, but Finlay rammed Kidd into the guardrail. Kidd, upset, tried to run after Finlay, but ref stopped him. Meanwhile, Smith used Natalya's shoe to smash Finlay right in the head. Ref came back around as Smith landed a rolling side belly-to-back suplex for the pin and the win. Post-match: They replayed the finish and the Hart Foundation celebrated the victory as Finlay recovered in the ring to close the show.

WINNER: Smith in 19:00. Very slow pace to this one. Perhaps it would have been more tolerable if there was a high-flying match on the undercard this week to balance out the "Finlay style" of ECW wrestling. But, Evan Bourne was nowhere to be found for the second week in a row, Tyson Kidd wasn't in action, and Jack Swagger was sent to the principal's office. Having to sit through a Paul Burchill match was tough, but couple that with 20 minutes of slow-paced action in the main event, and you have a channel-changing night of action.

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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