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By James Caldwell, Torch columnist

ECW TV Report
February 26, 2008
Tucson, Ariz.
Year 2, Week 38 (Week 90 overall) on Sci-Fi

Announcers: Joey Styles and Tazz plugged tonight's main event of C.M. Punk vs. Elijah Burke vs. Shelton Benjamin in a #1 contender match. The winner faces ECW champion Chavo Guerrero enxt week.

In-ring: Kelly Kelly started the action by coming to the ring for mixed tag action. Kofi Kingston came out as her tag partner. So, it's the Dental Awareness team sponsored by Crest Whitestrips. They shared a very happy hug in the ring before Layla came out with that smile turned upside down. Santino Marella came out and cupped his ear to hear the great crowd boos. Layla did her splits ring entrance, then asked Santino to do it. Santino graciously stretched his legs on the ropes and feigned a hamstring injury. Oh, this show is already great.

1 -- KELLY KELLY & KOFI KINGSTON vs. SANTINO MARELLA & LAYLA

The match started with Kelly and Kofi landing a double dropkick on Santino. Kofi then speared Santino in the corner, sending him to the floor. Santino and Layla had a disagreement on the outside, then Kofi yanked Santino onto the apron, but Santino caught him with a back elbow smash. Santino then started stomping on Kofi in the ring. Kofi came back with a roll up, but Santino kicked out and went back on the offensive. Layla took a tag and mocked Kofi's hand clap. She went for a slap, but Kofi blocked and Kelly entered the ring with some exaggerated flying clotheslines. The women did battle, then Kelly went up top and nailed a cross body block. Santino broke up the pin, then Kofi smashed him in the face with a flying forearm. Kelly then dropped Layla with the rocker dropper and covered her for the three count and the win.

WINNERS: Kelly & Kofi in 4:00. Fine tag action. It put Kofi in a different environment to ironically benefit from rubbing shoulders with Kelly. (*)

Announcers: Tazz and Styles plugged the Playboy bunny match of Candice & Maria vs. Beth & Melina at WrestleMania. ... They showed the Maria Playboy video recapping her photo shoot.

[Commercial Break]

[Q2]

In-ring: Hey, look, Mike Knox is already in the ring. Stevie Richards came out to face Knoxy. Haven't I seen this match several times before? Richards is still doing the gracious babyface, as he's just happy to be in the ring.

2 -- STEVIE RICHARDS vs. MIKE KNOX

Knox quickly went to the throat, but Richards came back with kicks to the thigh. Knox caught him off the ropes, though, and slingshot him throat-first across the top rope. Richards clutched his throat with his hands to indicate shortness of breath. Knox settled into a chinlock, but cut off Richards's comeback with a hard lariat to the throat. He then dropped a leg and made a cover for a nearfall. Knox went for a corner splash, but Richards moved and nailed a running splash of his own. Richards clutched his throat in pain, then hit the StevieT - double underhook DDT - for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Richards in 4:00. Fine progress for Richards less than a month into the program. (*)

Backstage: Tommy Dreamer talked to the latest WWE hire, Colin Delaney, about showing heart. He said the injuries are starting to heal! Dreamer said that elbow Colin threw on Miz last week is just the start. Colin with the greatest delivery of a one-liner of all-time: "Hey, Tommy, do you think one day when I become a champion, I get my own entrance music?" Colin just shook his head with this great grin while Dreamer stopped everything he was doing and stared at him like this is going to take some work. Like three years. Oh, the greatness of Colin Delaney has returned. If there's only one segment you watch of this show, or will ever watch on an ECW broadcast, that's it right there.

Video promo: They aired the Say No to Drugs promo feat. John Cena. There are no shortcuts! None!

[Commercial Break]

Raw Rebound: They recapped the beating JBL put on Hornswoggle two weeks ago on Raw, then showed JBL's revelation to Vince about Horny not being a product of Vince's loins, but rather Finlay's loins.

Announcers: Tazz entered serious mode by virtue of taking of his sunglasses to discuss the Hornswoggle angle. Tazz said Hornswoggle didn't deserve the beating. Styles asked if JBL's telling the truth. Tazz shrugged his shoulders and said he doesn't know.

In-ring: The Miz came to the ring by himself. Styles said Miz was embarrassed by Colin landing an elbow smash last week. I can't believe this. They're actually getting over a single blow in the year 2008 after we went through an era where 18 chair shots were needed to have the same effect as one punch. John Morrison came out to next to second Miz. Tommy Dreamer then led Colin Delaney to the ring. Delaney is down to just a single Ace bandage wrap around the left elbow.

[Q3]

3 -- WWE Tag champions THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON vs. COLIN DELANEY & TOMMY DREAMER -- non-title match

The match started with Tommy Dreamer battling Morrison. Colin got a little cocky and tagged himself into the ring, which Dreamer was shocked by. He suddenly landed an elbow smash from the apron, but Morrison cut him off with a hard clothesline to humble the young upstart. The heels then ganged up Colin to beat a lesson into him. Colin then slipped out of a suplex and made the hot tag to Dreamer, who cleaned house.

Colin collapsed to the ring apron while Dreamer landed a bulldog on Miz. He then hung Miz upside down in the corner and landed a basement dropkick. Dreamer then snapped off a reverse DDT and clotheslined Morrison to the outside. Miz suddenly bumped heads with an incapacitated Colin when Dreamer shot Miz into the ropes. Dreamer then dropped Miz with a DDT for the pin and the win. And everyone was shocked at the outcome of Colin finally being on the winning side of things.

WINNERS: Dreamer & Colin in 5:00. Now we're back on track with Colin's program. There are so many different ways to go with this now. One element was Colin acting cocky early on before he was humbled. There was also Dreamer using Colin's head to secure a win, but he caused more pain for Colin in the process. This is a good storyline to follow going forward. (*1/2)

[Commercial Break]

Ringside: They showed members of the Chicago White Sox ringside enjoying the action by pretending to fight with each other.

Video package: They showed clips from the WrestleMania press conference yesterday in Los Angeles. I imagine we're going to be seeing this video several thousand more times between now and Mania.

Announcers: Styles and Tazz debated why Floyd Mayweather would put his boxing career on the line against Big Show.

Backstage: Miz and Morrison argued about how in the world they lost to DreamLaney. Suddenly, Lena stepped in and said the rumor is that Miz and Morrison have to defend the WWE Tag Titles next week against Dreamer & Colin. Morrison said he welcomes the challenge. Miz confidently said DeLoser and Dreamer beating them isn't going to happen. He said that would be like Mayweather beating Big Show.

[Q4]

[Commercial Break]

In-ring: Chavo Guerrero walked out on stage with the ECW Title belt around his waist. He was booed pretty heavily. Chavo soaked it up and joined the announcers ringside for some commentary on the #1 Contender main event match. Shelton Benjamin, then Elijah Burke, then C.M. Punk came out for the match.

4 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. ELIJAH BURKE vs. C.M. PUNK -- #1 Contender match

The bell sounded and the fans chanted for Punk. Suddenly, Shelton turned to Burke and blasted him with a kick to the head. Burke rolled to the outside and Punk simply paused in a brief moment of shock at Shelton's tactics. Punk and Shelton then went at it, but Burke pulled the ropes down from the outside and Shelton fell to the floor. Burke and Punk battled in the ring, with Punk clearing Burke to the outside. Shelton then blindsided Punk with a modified codebreaker. He had Punk pinned, but the ref stopped his count, apparently because Burke was trying to pull Shelton off the pin. In any event, Shelton wound up on the outside where he traded blows with Burke leading to a commercial.

[Commercial Break]

They returned with Punk and Burke battling in the ring. Styles pointed out that it's the first man to score a fall who wins the match - not elimination-style. Suddenly, Shelton did a somersault over Punk and gave him a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron onto the floor. Burke then battled with Shelton while Punk recovered.

[Q5 -- over-run]

Punk recovered to his feet and tried to launch Burke off the top rope, but Burke flung him off. Shelton then did his cat-like leap up top and threw Burke half-way across the ring with a super overhead toss. Great spot that got a round of applause. Shelton then dropped Punk with a roundhouse kick to the head at 10:00. The competitors traded control for a few moments.

Suddenly, they went to the finish where Shelton smashed Burke with an elbow from the apron. Shelton kinda fell off the apron as Burke spun backwards into the Go 2 Sleep from Punk. Punk made the cover for a three count before Shelton could break up the count. After the match, Chavo Guerrero hopped into the ring and stared down Punk. Chavo held his belt high in the air as Punk stared back at him to close the show.

WINNER: Punk in 12:00 to earn title shot next week. There were some good spots in this match, but there were moments when the action was disjointed and chaotic without purpose. OK main event to set up Punk vs. Chavo yet again. (*3/4)

We welcome your 1-10 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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