WWE - ECW on SyFy TV Report
August 11, 2009 - Year 4, Week 10 (Week 166 overall)
Taped in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The WWE show opened a recap of last week's ECW Title match between Christian and Tommy Dreamer. Extreme Rules. Car doors. Hot dog stand. Kendo sticks. Christian still champ. Cue up the ECW intro featuring Goldust. Live in the arena, they gave ECW a pyro intro.

Announcers: Abraham Washington hosts ECW champion Christian. After the plug, Zack Ryder came to the ring telling peeps in the stands to give him a call. They cut to clips from Washington's show last week where Ryder and Shelton Benjamin had a sing-off. Instead of finding out who the tougher man is, tonight we find out who's the more entertaining man. They sweetened in a babyface pop for Shelton, who came out smirking toward Ryder. We're still missing an explanation for the babyface turn from Shelton. It just kind of happened.

1 -- ZACK RYDER vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN

Very aggressive start to the match. Ryder played the heel by cowering in the corner, then sneaking in an attack when Shelton argued with the ref. Shelton fired off a hard chop to the chest, then a fist to the face before back dropping Ryder to the mat. Shelton followed with a German suplex with a bridge for a two count. Ryder slipped to the floor to recover, then he tripped Shelton from the outside. He followed with a leaping leg lariat for a two count. Ryder wanted the Zack Attack, but Shelton blocked and monkey flipped Ryder into the corner. Ryder tried to counter the counter with a back kick strike, but Shelton caught him in mid-air and gave Ryder a powerbomb into the corner turnbuckles. He followed with the Pay Dirt finisher for the pin and the win. Crowd legit hot for Shelton here.

WINNER: Shelton in 3:00. Probably the fastest three minutes of ECW TV this year. Match needed more time so Ryder looked credible, but crowd was red-hot and helped legitimize Shelton as a babyface despite him never actually turning babyface. Weird dynamic, but very good match for three minutes. (*1/2)

Backstage: Gregory Helms was Gregory Helms. He brought in Paul Burchill and Katie Lea. Burchill told Helms to run along. Helms said he's just doing his job looking for his thoughts on Yoshi Tatsu. Burchill tried to dash the hopes and dreams of all the kids that he's onto Helms's game as The Hurricane. Burchill then reached back and cold-cocked Helms in the jaw with a punch. He bashed him in the gut with a knee, then left him on the ground.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Kozlov came out in his judo outfit. Where's Delirious? (Check the ROH Video Wire.) Already in the ring was Kevin Brooks. Kid took a deep breath and prepared to be eaten.

2 -- KOZLOV vs. KEVIN BROOKS

Kevin ran around the ring, then took a hip toss and a hard clothesline. Kozlov threw Brooks into the corner. Small, but vocal group chanted, "You can't wrestle." I don't think he understood. Kozlov with a helicopter spin out of a backbreaker position, then he lifted up Brooks and gave him the Iron Curtain drop. Kozlov with the win.

WINNER: Kozlov in 1:00. It continues... (n/a)

[Q2] Post-match: Week Four of the Rocky villain continued with Ezekiel Jackson coming to the ring. His ring music is awesome, I must say. Jackson stared down Kozlov, who shot him a new icy glare this week. Jackson then picked up poor Kev and gave him the Iron Curtain. Kozlov then lifted up Brooks and gave him the Iron Curtain. This week, Kozlov walked out of the ring and left. Fans: "One more time." What gluttons! Jackson stared down Kozlov as he walked away.

Tonight: Tommy Dreamer re-re-re-begins his ECW Title quest with a match against William Regal. ... Up next: Josh Mathews and Matt Striker plugged Triple H's quest for Shawn Michaels as if Raw didn't happen last night. Apparently Michaels is still Lost in Texas.

[Commercial Break]

Raw Rebound: They showed Triple H losing to Legacy two Raws ago, then finding Shawn Michaels as a short-order cook on Raw last night. The video package included most of the footage from the three vignettes leading to Michaels agreeing to come back at Summerslam. They incorporated the DX graphics and intro as Michaels built up to smacking the Angry Manager with Sweet Chin Music.

In-ring: Bella Twins came out as special ring announcers for the following match. Paul Burchill then came out with Katie Lea. Yoshi Tatsu followed out jumping for joy and overall acting very excited. He bowed in the corner, then entered the ring with the crowd already behind him with vocal cheers. Good crowd tonight. They're into everything. Feels like the Portland crowd the first time they had a WWE show in forever after the WWE vs. Oregon Athletic Commission feud.

3 -- PAUL BURCHILL (w/Katie Lea) vs. YOSHI TATSU

Burchill pounded on Yoshi early on, then started working on the mid-section. He landed two knees to the gut, but Yoshi quickly fired back with right hands. Yoshi with kick strikes, then a front roll into another kick strike. Yoshi ran off the ropes for a diving knee, then landed an elbow drop. Katie smacked Yoshi from the outside as he ran the ropes and the ref called for the bell. DQ finish came out of nowhere.

[Q3] Post-match: Burchill, frustrated, started attacking Yoshi. Suddenly, The Hurricane's music hit. Burchill looked to the ring entrance, but there was no sign of him. Hurricane then appeared on the top rope and splashed Burchill before landing a Thesz Press. Hurricane with a flurry of right hands before giving Burchill the Stand Back pose. Burchill bailed, then Hurricane helped Yoshi to his feet. Yoshi shook hands and bowed, then posed with Hurricane center ring to end the segment.

WINNER: Yoshi via DQ in 2:00. Match was quick and short leading to Hurricane's nice in-ring return that the crowd really bought into. Well done. Seems to be leading to a Hurricane-Burchill feud since Burchill doesn't have a consistent program on ECW. (n/a)

[Commercial Break]

Recap: Mathews and Striker recapped the end of the previous match when The Hurricane made his official return to blast Burchill an save the day.

Backstage: Burchill complained to ECW GM Tiffany about The Hurricane deal. He said he's a professional athlete and Hurricane is not, so he wants him off the show. Tiffany said she will talk to Hurricane, but she does not accept ultimatums from anyone. She sternly told him and Katie Lea to get lost.

In-ring: Tyler Reks came to the ring for a singles match. Opponent tonight was Tom James. TJ had a Fu Manchu moustache to clean up his generic ring name.

4 -- TYLER REKS vs. TOM JAMES

TJ busted out a big forearm smash early on, but T-Reks fired back with a leaping lariat. Reks then nailed a big springboard missile dropkick for the easy pin and the win.

WINNER: Reks in 1:30. Finish looked sweet. Crowd wasn't into Reks as much as they were Yoshi, though. Yoshi just has a natural babyface vibe to him. Reks doesn't quite have that. A little character development could help. (n/a)

Backstage: Abraham Washington walked down the hallway slapping hands with production guys before his show.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

On-stage: Abraham Washington came out for his talk show segment. Crowd was booing before AHam walked out on stage. Washington introduced himself and the "APPLAUSE" sign flashed on the screen. Washington said they want to escape the stench of last week's show...with Shelton Benjamin singing. Washington set up the crowd with an Edmonton name-drop, then talked down to Canada for their love of hockey. "LAUGH" flashed on the screen. Washington name-dropped Hulk Hogan for having a Happy Birthday. Brother, Brother. "APPLAUSE" flashed. Washington then welcomed out Canada's own, Christian, after calling him the Elephant Man.

Christian flashed the ECW Title belt to the appreciative crowd, then sat down on the couch. He stood back up and no-sold a handshake from Washington as the crowd chanted his name. Christian then shook and sat down. Christian said it's great to be back here with Arsenio Hall. Two straight weeks. Seems like a Raw Guest Host for Hall is coming up soon. Maybe he can get the truth out of Hogan. Anyways, cue up a clip from last week's Extreme Rules with Christian beating Dreamer. Five minutes.

Back live to the Washington Show, Christian liked what he saw. Washington laughed and chuckled to himself. "Oh God, that was horrible! One of the most tragic things I have ever seen in my life." And he's just talking about Christian's face, he said. Washington asked if Christian got hit with a Singapore Cane or the ugly stuck. Christian just sat and smirked. He said him and Dreamer are still friends after all that. Cue up Washington's fat jokes. Christian cut him off and said they remained friends by promising Dreamer would never have to be on Washington's lame talk show. Christian mock laughed. He said if he hears one more negative word about him or Dreamer, he'll knock Washington and his teeth out right here, right now.

Christian cut a promo on the Extreme Rules match, saying he's still feeling the effects from last week. He said he's the man here on ECW and he's ready to carry this brand. Washington paused for applause, then said he has some breaking news. He welcomed out the new #1 contender to the ECW Title, William Regal. How did Regal earn that distinction? Winning a tag match on Superstars? Regal then walked out very happy with himself. He said Christian hasn't seen anything yet if Christian thought what he did last week was extreme. Regal told Christian to watch what he does to Christian's...friend...Tommy Dreamer. Regal and Christian went nose-to-nose to close the ten-minute segment.

[Commercial Break]

Raw plug: DX is live with Shawn Michaels and Triple H taking over.

In-ring: William Regal was in the ring with his arms folded as Tony Chimel introduced him. Regal so great just standing there. After a pause, Dreamer came out sporting an Ace bandage over his left arm, which is apparently where he took the crutch shot from Christian that caused him not be able to move his arm. Arm just hung next to Dreamer's side as he entered the ring.

[Q5 -- over-run]

5 -- WILLIAM REGAL vs. TOMMY DREAMER

Bell sounded and Striker referenced Dreamer taking a screw into the left arm from Christian's crutch shot last week. Match moved to the floor early on and Dreamer smashed Regal into the announce table. Dreamer then took his eye off the ball trying to suplex Regal from the apron to the floor and Regal sent Dreamer head-first into the ringpost. Dreamer fell to the apron, then Regal kicked Dreamer's left arm as it was next to the ringpost. Dreamer sold it like a gun shot, then Regal tried to capitalize with in-ring offense. Dreamer made a comeback at 3:00, but Regal cut him off with a knee to the face and went back to working on the bandaged and injured arm. Matthews said Dreamer was limping around all day and he questioned whether Dreamer should have wrestled, but he knows Dreamer is an ECW warrior. Dreamer showed grit with a flying right arm from the second rope before firing off body punches and a flurry of offense. Dreamer landed the D-Lo Brown sky high move, but Regal kicked out at two. Dreamer then hung Regal upside down in the corner and landed the E-C-W basement dropkick. Dreamer followed with a scoop slam, but Regal had a foot on the bottom rope to break up a pin. Regal snuck to the apron, then slingshot Dreamer's injured arm across the top rope. Regal immediately followed with a running knee to the head for the pin and the win.

Afterward, Regal wasn't done. He wanted to inflict more punishment, so he slapped on the old-school Regal Stretch in center ring. Dreamer sold tremendous pain, then Christian stormed the ring and chased Regal away. Regal bailed to the outside and begged off with a sly grin as Christian scolded him. Regal did a slight throat slash gesture, then Christian checked on Regal to close the show.

WINNER: Regal in 5:00. Regal and Dreamer had very good chemistry in the ring. Nice, crisp five-minute match where Dreamer still came out looking good wrestling a solid match one week after the brutal Extreme Rules match. Regal look very inspired with his position as #1 contender with a potential PPV match down the line (we assume). No announcement on whether Christian vs. Regal will take place at Summerslam, but they have the match ready if needed. (**)

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