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By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

Extreme Championship Wrestling
May 6, 2008
Upcoming PPV: Judgment Day (second-to-last episode before PPV)

ECW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the thirty-fourth edition of ECW Storylines and Feuds.

For those wondering about the Intrigue Level system that I employ, you can refer to the numbers as follows:

10 (excellent), 9 (great), 8-6 (very good, good, pretty good), 5 (decent; has its good and bad qualities), 4-3 (needs work, poor), 2 (bad), 1 (terrible)


ECW Champion KANE vs. CHAVO GUERRERO (w/Bam Neely) (6 weeks)

In ECW's main event, Kane teamed with CM Punk to face Chavo Guerrero and Bam Neely in tag team action. On commentary, Miz and Morrison joined Tazz and Adamle. The match ended when Punk hit the GTS on Chavo for the immediate three count. After the match, Punk held up his Money in the Bank briefcase as Miz and Morrison hoisted their WWE Tag Team Titles into the air.

This could actually mark the end for both the Kane-Chavo feud as well as the Miz/Morrison-Yang/Moore rivalry. It looks as though WWE is pushing forward in a slightly new direction with a bigger storyline involving the ECW Champion, the winner of the Money in the Bank Match, and the WWE Tag Team Champions. That could be a very smart move to make the main event much more intriguing. Miz and Morrison were great on the mic mocking Mike Adamle, although I don't know if that is considered a heel gesture at this point. Kane and Punk were fine in their roles, and they are strong babyfaces to face the heel champions in the upcoming weeks.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [same as last week]

Previous Feuds
Kane: Finlay, Big Daddy V, Shelton Benjamin, Chuck Palumbo
Chavo Guerrero: Rey Mysterio, CM Punk

THE MIKE ADAMLE & TAZZ STORYLINE (4 weeks)

ECW began with Tazz introducing us to the show; that's pretty odd after hearing play-by-play guys handling that job forever. Then Tony Chimmel announced Mike Adamle by referring to him as the new voice of ECW. As Adamle approached the ring to audible boos, Tazz mentioned that he walked out in support of Adamle last week. The crowd soon transitioned into a faint "We want Joey" chant. Adamle entered the ring and talked about how he "lost his cool." He said that he needed to apologize for walking out last week. He ran down his credentials from his time in the NFL to hosting American Gladiators. After cutting the full promo, he concluded by saying, "Despise me if you will, but enjoy the 100th episode of ECW…." Wouldn't it be difficult to do both?

This likely turned out to be a narrative dud. Did something change within the writing to make WWE reconsider a particular track last week? What was the purpose? It seemed to be going somewhere with the implication of big changes ahead. Now it sounds like they changed their minds and decided to just send out an apology before continuing the same old thing. There are two ways to look at this: through a reality perspective and through a storyline perspective.

The reality might have won here. First of all, it seems as though there was some type of change in plans, otherwise things wouldn't have be reestablished this week. By the middle of the show, ECW once again had Mike Adamle on commentary as though nothing had been different from the middle of the show last week. Also, reality was emphasized in that it doesn't make sense for WWE to write that scenario. In a way, Adamle's departure and return almost feels real (as if it weren't written) because it is almost illogical that it would be written the way it was.

Through the storyline perspective, this was a complete waste. It didn't do anything for anyone; nothing has changed. It was entertaining last week because of the prospect of something new, different, or exciting happening in continuation. The fact that Adamle is back with no change may indicate that the original storyline purpose may have been pulled. And if WWE decides to bring this up again, it probably won't be as effective as it could have been had they done something this week.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a

Previous Feuds
Mike Adamle: n/a
Tazz: n/a

COLIN DELANEY vs. ECW General Manager ARMANDO ESTRADA (7 weeks w/ 2 weeks hiatus)

As Colin walked toward the entrance ramp in the back, a group of babyfaces clapped and gave him pats on the back for support. The match eventually began, and the announcers discussed how surprised they were about Armando's physique. The bout ended when Colin came under the ropes to roll up Estrada for the win. After the match, Colin ran laps around the ring high-fiving energetic and cheering fans.

Tazz caught him with a mic and asked Colin what he has to say for himself. Colin responded, "Tazz, I did it. All those weeks of beatings…this is what makes it all worth it." He thanked everyone including Tommy Dreamer for being his mentor. He continued, "And I want to especially thank everyone who's doubted me because they're the ones who make me come out here every week." He then gave fives to all the front row fans as he made his way to the back.

Okay, this is what the storyline needed. Colin is connecting with people now, which is great. He's still very vulnerable, but he proved that he can win a match and that he deserves an ECW contract. From here, things can go in many directions. Perhaps the best bet is to have Armando Estrada seek revenge against him specifically after being bitter from this week's loss. For the next few weeks, Colin probably is going to suffer at the hands of ECW's General Manager. But hey, for now, fans are happy that Colin earned his contract fairly. The post-match interview was a nice touch. The energy from both Tazz's question and Colin's response was exactly what was needed for the moment. And Colin's answer felt very realistic.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [up 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Colin Delaney: John Morrison & The Miz
Armando Estrada: n/a

CM PUNK vs. CHUCK PALUMBO (2 weeks)

Last week, Chuck Palumbo fought CM Punk one-on-one. This week, Palumbo had a backstage interview with Lena Yada, and he said when referring to Punk, "You get in my face like that again, I'm knocking you out."

The fact that WWE replayed footage from last week's Punk-Palumbo match and then gave Palumbo time to cut a short promo on Punk is indicative of a future feud. The most interesting part is that Punk and Kane seem to be involved now with Miz and Morrison after this week. How does Palumbo fit into that equation? And are Chavo and Bam Neely still involved in some way with Punk and Kane too? This one will need a few weeks to flesh itself out.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5

Previous Feuds
CM Punk: Elijah Burke, John Morrison, Chavo Guerrero
Chuck Palumbo: Chris Masters, Kenny Dykstra, Jamie Noble & Michelle McCool

WWE Tag Team Champions JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ vs. JIMMY WANG YANG & SHANNON MOORE (3 weeks)

Well, there was no sign of Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore this week beyond their short cameo backstage wishing Colin Delaney luck in his match against Armando Estrada. And since John Morrison and The Miz scouted the main event match as well as held their titles in the air while Kane and CM Punk looked on, it seems as though a new feud is upon us.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a

Previous Feuds
John Morrison & The Miz: Jesse & Festus, Yang & Moore, Dreamer & Delaney
Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore: Morrison & Miz

KOFI KINGSTON vs. SHELTON BENJAMIN (3 weeks)

This week, Shelton Benjamin joined Tazz and Adamle on commentary as his rival, Kofi Kingston, went head-to-head with Matt Striker. The match didn't last long, as Kofi eventually hit the Trouble in Paradise kick for the very clean victory. After the match, Benjamin jumped Kofi while off-guard, hitting a finisher of his own. Benjamin stood tall this week as Kofi lay on the mat disoriented.

Well, this midcard feud finally got around to putting some heat behind Shelton Benjamin. You'd think it would take a little more than a single move to give Benjamin some credibility after losing for two straight weeks to Kofi Kingston, but this segment really helped. Benjamin snuck in and landed a cheap shot on a guy who didn't see it coming. It also doesn't hurt that Kofi hasn't been in any feud prior to this one, so his reactions in the next few weeks will really tell the audience a lot about his character. Also keep in mind that the announcers continue to tout the fact that Kofi remains undefeated in ECW. Look for that to play some kind of role as this rivalry moves along.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Kofi Kinston: n/a
Shelton Benjamin: Kane, CM Punk, Money in the Bank

TOMMY DREAMER vs. MIKE KNOX (4 weeks)

This week, ECW Original Tommy Dreamer continued his ongoing feud with Mike Knox by kicking off the 100th edition of ECW on Sci Fi with an Extreme Rules Match. Stevie Richards joined Tazz and Adamle on commentary. During his entrance, Dreamer pulled a shopping cart full of useless junk to the ring as weaponry, while Knox came empty-handed. Throughout the match, items such as a hockey stick, kendo stick, boat oar, shopping cart, garbage can, cookie sheet, steel chair, and what Adamle called a "picnic" table were used by both Dreamer and Knox while battling it out for the victory. The win came when Knox hit a low blow on Dreamer before nailing his corkscrew faceplant finisher onto a chair for the three count.

This is probably a good feud for Knox to grow. WWE is giving him more of a push than they have in quite some time—since the very early days of ECW on Sci Fi. Extreme Rules Matches are unique when they are used this infrequently, and the crowd really got into some of the action with vociferous "E-C-W" chants. The win for Knox helps him, but probably not the feud as a whole. People have seen Dreamer lose enough matches against him, so WWE probably should move along to something new at this point. The announcers alluded to Colin Delaney during the match, so perhaps he's up next to take on Knox. There would at least be a logical tie-in with Dreamer being his mentor.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Tommy Dreamer: John Morrison & The Miz
Mike Knox: n/a

KELLY KELLY vs. LAYLA (1 week)

Kelly Kelly began dancing in a rare edition of Kelly's Expose on the 100th episode of ECW. Soon after strutting around the ring, she was pushed aside by Layla, who started dancing herself. Both women went back-and-forth pushing one another out of the way in order to dance seductively for the fans. Eventually, things broke down when Kelly had enough and slapped her former dance partner in the face. That soon gave way to a brawl between the two, which had to be stopped by referees.

Well, because of the shallow depth of the ECW roster, it's time once again for another Kelly-Layla feud. This could just be a short-lived tiff between a jealous heel diva and her equally beautiful counterpart, but nothing is certain. These two women have had an on-off rivalry since Layla first arrived in ECW. Their pull-apart brawl may indicate a storyline continuation from here, but I'm not sure what could be done that hasn't been seen already.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5

Previous Feuds
Kelly Kelly: Miz, Layla, Victoria
Layla: Kelly Kelly


CONCLUDED FEUDS

(1) Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero
(2) John Morrison & The Miz vs. Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) CM Punk vs. Chuck Palumbo
(2) CM Punk & Kane vs. John Morrison & The Miz


Thanks for reading, everyone. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, feel free to email me at newthtorch@hotmail.com. I greatly appreciate all the feedback that I receive, and I will respond to every email. Please insert a word in the subject line that deals with a wrestling topic or write something such as "WWE," "feud," or "Nunzio" so that I know it's not junk mail.

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