WWE - ECW on SyFy TV Report
November 10, 2009 - Year 4, Week 23 (Week 179 overall)
Taped in Sheffield, England
By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The show started with, of course, the Abraham Washington Show. He said the show has truly gone international being in the U.K. Abraham with the "jacked up teeth" stereotype. Two more jokes on it. Abraham acknowledged he's taking the easy way out making jokes on teeth. And a third joke on it. Finally, Washington brought out Yoshi Tatsu, who came out sporting a sharp suit. Yoshi said he's a bit nervous because his English isn't great. Yoshi did a bow and "thank you" that generated cackles from Tony Atlas. Washington kept saying "thank you" and Yoshi kept bowing. Washington finally asked Yoshi for his thoughts on the ECW Title match tonight. He said Christian will win tonight. Washington brought him closer and asked what in the world he just said. Cue up the late 1990s material from Rush Hour. "Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?" Yoshi said Washington is a stupid Chris Tucker. Tony finally signed them off after Washington shouted insults his way. Washington and Yoshi traded bows before Wash finally left and Yoshi waved to the crowd. Yoshi is popular because he's a nice, good-looking babyface who is easy to cheer for, but this was at the same level of Henry & MVP & Kofi vs. Legacy in terms of building a segment on racial stereotypes and caricatures. Really playing to the lowest common denominator.

Announcers: ECW's Josh Mathews and Byron Saxton introduced a video package on William Regal's obsession with the ECW Title.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

In-ring: Paul Burchill and Katie Lea came out for a nice home country reaction. Burchill looking confident before Goldust came to the ring. Burchill vs. Gregory Helms next week in the mask vs. ECW career.

1 -- GOLDUST vs. PAUL BURCHILL (w/Katie Lea)

Burchill worked heel despite being in his home country. Crowd didn't appreciate Burchill's heel work on the popular Goldust. Announcers talked up Burchill vs. Helms on next week's ECW as Goldust fired up with a comeback including the drop-down uppercut and a series of clothesline. At 4:00, Hurricane Helms's music hit and he started running around the ring to distract Burchill. Burchill then walked into the Final Cut suplex from Goldust to give Goldy the win. On the outside, Helms smiled and mocked Burchill in the Bart Simpson era of babyfaces acting like heels. "Next week!" Burchill shouted.

WINNER: Goldust in 5:00. Slow, plodding, methodical match. Announcers did a fine job of building up Helms vs. Burchill on next week's show. (1/2*)

Superstars plug: Zack Ryder vs. Shelton Benjamin after Shelton used a distraction by Rosa Mendes ringside to score a win over Ryder on last week's show.

Backstage: Zack Ryder was taking deep breaths trying to gather himself. Rosa Mendes then came walking down the hallway and Ryder approached her to be his valet. Rosa talked and talked, then said she would think about it. Ryder again went into fantasyland thinking about what he wanted to do with Rosa. Some slow piano music played as they frolicked down the hallway in slow-motion. Back to "live," Ryder continued to stare off into space like a goof.

[Commercial Break]

Backstage: William Regal talked to ECW GM Tiffany about how wonderful it will be for ECW GM Tiffany to have a "virtual god" as her new ECW champ. Tiffany laughed and said they seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot, so she looks forward to a fresh start...whether he's ECW champ or not. Regal smiled and walked away.

In-ring: Vance Archer a/k/a Lance Hoyt came to the ring with a cocky smile and a generic head-banging rock theme. Already in the ring was his opponent from Sheffield, Jason Blackwell. Vance just smiled at his prey. Inset promo: Vance said his opponent is about to find out who he is. Well, that was brief.

[Q3]

2 -- VANCE ARCHER vs. JASON BLACKWELL

Vance is intense. That's the marketing. Vance opened with a round of hard clothesline, then Jason fired off a right hand that drew a quick cheer from the crowd. Archer looked around the crowd mockingly looking for approval, then he smirked and finished off JB with his finisher for the win. Post-match: Vance stared a hole into the hard camera with a sideways "intense" look. No reaction for Vance from the crowd, though, as WWE is slowly establishing who Vance is.

WINNER: Vance in 2:00. Squash to keep building up young Archer. Just fine. (n/a)

Backstage: They showed ECW champ Christian walking down the hallway with a determined look on his face. Main event is up next.

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: William Regal's music hit to a strong reaction from the home country crowd. Regal peered into the audience as he came to the ring feeding off the energy from the favorable crowd. Regal took his time entering the ring and letting his music play out. "Regal, Regal" chant from the crowd before a pause led to Christian's music hit. Nice camera shot of Christian on the stage with the ECW Title belt around his waist. Nice commentary from Saxton setting the stage for the match as Christian slowly came to the ring. ECW ring announcer Lauren Mayhew handled formal ring intros with Regal slowly raising his left finger in the air to identify himself. So great. Christian received an even stronger reaction. Lauren has improved tremendously from week one with more authority in her voice announcing on WWE TV. Our ref tonight is Scott Armstrong. Seems like a distraction considering the Punk program on Smackdown.

3 -- ECW champion CHRISTIAN vs. WILLIAM REGAL -- ECW Title match

I liked Saxton's early commentary suggesting Christian was given a rough time in England going through customs at the airport and checking into his hotel, suggesting a stacked deck against Christian in Regal's home country. After an early feeling out process, the show faded to commercial with the wrestlers standing off across the ring from each other.

[Commercial Break. Coming back from the break, WWE put some serious emphasis on Hulk Hogan. Yes, Hogan. Why? Because WWE has some money to make off a Hogan DVD coming out next Tuesday. They showed all kinds of old-school clips on Hogan. I think we can fully expect some Hogan references from Raw in MSG next week.]

[Q4]

Back from break, Christian was the aggressor with a flurry of offense before going up top and being crotched up top by Regal. Both men battled up top for a few moments before Regal executed a double underhook suplex from the top that took the life out of both men. And back to another commercial break. Enter sarcasm - should have just stuck a commercial break in the middle of Archer's match.

[Commercial Break]

Back from break, Regal tried stretching out Christian on the mat to make him tap out, but Christian fought back after avoiding several pin and submission attempts. Christian then went up top, but Regal shoved him off the top rope to the floor. Ref began a ten count, but Christian re-entered the ring and punched Regal on the apron before landing a missile dropkick.

[Q5 -- over-run]

Christian made his full comeback at the top of the hour and scored a close nearfall following another missile dropkick. Christian warmed up the Killswitch, but Regal avoided and tried the Knee Trembler, only to have Christian avoid it. Regal then hit a lighter knee strike and Christian kicked out. Christian tried to come back with the Killswitch, but Regal countered with the Regal Stretch. Christian teased reaching for the bottom rope while also teasing tapping out, then Christian elbowed out of Regal's hold. Christian then came back with a running dropkick and went to the second rope sucking air to land a leaping European Uppercut. Christian wanted the Killswitch again, but Regal countered with a rolling t-bone suplex. Regal then measured Christian for the Knee Trembler, but Christian moved, kicked Regal in the chest, and nailed the Killswitch in center ring for the pin and the win. After the announcers recapped how it all went down, Christian celebrated with the belt to close the show.

WINNER: Christian in 24:00 to retain the ECW Title. Good TV match. Match didn't move out of second gear and wasn't as exciting as Christian vs. Yoshi two weeks ago, but this was still a good, fundamentally sound wrestling match with two real pros in the ring. Christian is being built up as a very strong ECW champ after running through all of the potential contenders.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for an "ECW TV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on ECW TV, email to pwtorch@gmail.com using our Feedback form.

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