By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S ECW ON SCI-FI REPORT
FEBRUARY 26, 2008
AIRED ON SCI-FI NETWORK

-Joey Styles introduced the show by hyping Elijah Burke vs. C.M. Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin as the TV main event with the winner getting an ECW Title shot next week. I know ECW isn't a priority for WWE, but promoting a match like that on Raw with a series of brief soundbites, or perhaps even better, Tazz - who has credibility with fans - analyzing the match-up in a sports announcer manner talking about the ramifications of the match - could add some viewership. The ECW commercials that do air are okay, but those heavily-produced spots can be zoned out by some, whereas Tazz speaking or wrestlers giving brief soundbites can make the match feel more important and relevant.

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

Styles noted that this was Santino's first appearance on ECW. He thanked G.M. Armando Estrada for putting this unique mixed tag match together. After Laya's sexy ring entrance, Santino tried to emulate it and almost tied himself up into the ropes. Layla was going to start the match, but Kelly was so aggressive in approaching her, she immediately tagged in Santino. Just as Styles explained that the men can only wrestle the men, Kelly and Kofi gave Santino a double-dropkick. Styles said, "Oh-kay then. I didn't expect that." Santino bailed out to ringside a moment later. Kofi dragged Santino back into the ring by finger-hooking his mouth from behind. Santino took Kofi down with a leg sweep and a clothesline. Styles asked Tazz if he'd be upset like Santino is if his girlfriend posed for Playboy. Tazz had the line of the week in respond: "The person who'd be most upset if my girlfriend posed in Playboy is my wife." Kelly blindsided Layla with a clothesline, then hit a crossbody block and went for a pin. Santino broke it up. Kofi knocked Santino out of the ring, then Kelly finished off Layla for the win.

WINNERS: Kelly & Kofi in 4:00.

STAR RATING: 1/2* -- Not great. Kelly's offense looks like that of a Playboy centerfold more than a pro fighter.

-The video feature on Maria aired.

[Commercial Break]

2 -- MIKE KNOX vs. STEVIE RICHARDS

Knox dominated the opening two minutes with a methodical attack including a choke/chinlock aimed at Richards's throat. Richards came back and finished Knox quickly with the Stevie-T (double-underhook DDT).

WINNER: Stevie Richards in 3:00.

-Tommy Dreamer gave Colin Delaney a pep talk backstage. He said it's all about his heart and passion. Colin stood and got excited. Dreamer said even he can be a champion. Colin asked, "Tommy do you think one day when I'm a champion, I can get my own entrance music?" Dreamer just stared at him. Not sure why, though. It was as if Dreamer thought Colin becoming a champion was ridiculous, yet he just planted that seed seconds earlier. The Dreamer-Delaney dynamic has some potential, though, and is a nice addition to ECW.

[Commercial Break]

-A video recap aired of the JBL-Vince McMahon segment on Raw the night before. Styles and Tazz commented. Tazz said Hornswoggle is "a great kid, but he didn't deserve what happened to him." Way to go out on a limb, there, Tazz. Styles wondered if JBL was telling the truth.

3 -- THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON vs. TOMMY DREAMER & COLIN DELANEY

I'm glad they give Miz and Morrison separate ring intros. It keeps them as equals and gets across their future singles personalities better. Styles noted this is the first time Delaney and Dreamer are officially teaming. Dreamer yanked the top rope to send Colin backflipping into the ring onto Morrison. You don't see the rope yank often these days, but it's usually been done by a babyface to send his reluctant heel opponent back into the ring while he's stalling on the ring apron. Nice spot. Perfect for Delaney's character. Morrison came back and then he and Miz cornered him. Miz catapulted Delaney into Morrison's fist in a cool spot, followed by Morrison leaping into the ring and elbow dropping Morrison as he was bent over backwards over Miz's knees. Nice sequence. These are wrestlers not just going through the familiar motions, making sure what they do stays interesting because it's not numbingly routine and familiar. Delaney snuck under Miz's legs and hot-tagged Dreamer at 4:00. Dreamer hung Miz upside down in the corner and the basement dropkicked him. In classic Dreamer fashion, even with a running start, he lacks any lift at all and dropped to the mat as if the gravity worked twice as fasts on him and he barely made it to Miz's chest. Miz attempted a comeback with a chinbreaker a few seconds later, but Dreamer knocked Miz's head into Delaney's on the ring apron. Dreamer followed with a DDT for the win.

WINNERS: Dreamer & Delaney in 6:00.

STAR RATING: ** -- That was a really entertaining TV tag match. Dreamer has a real purpose now on ECW and the chemistry with Delaney is a fun ongoing mid-show story to follow. Plus Miz and Morrison were really solid throughout in keeping their offense interesting and selling their asses off when appropriate.

-Styles plugged that Chavo Guerrero would join them on commentary for the main event.

[Commercial Break]


-A video recap aired of the WrestleMania press conference. Styles wondered why Floyd Mayweather would risk his boxing career to face Big Show. He said he can't wait to see it.

-Miz and Morrison argued backstage over the loss. They were told they have to defend the tag titles next week on ECW TV against Dreamer & Delaney. Miz said De-loser and Dreamer beating them would be about as likely as Mayweather beating Big Show at WrestleMania.

-They showed a tri-split screen of each of the main event wrestlers heading toward the entrance tunnel.

[Commercial Break]

-Chavo Guerrero made a full ring intro as he joined Tazz and Styles at the announce table. Chavo said they were lucky to have him there.

4 -- SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. C.M. PUNK vs. ELIJAH BURKE

Immediately all three men faced off in mid-ring. Shelton blindsided Elijah with a roundhouse kick to the side of the head, knocking him out of the ring. That allowed Punk and Shelton to start the match one-on-one. Burke yanked the top rope down a minute in when Shelton ran the ropes, so Punk then battled Burke for a minute. The fans chanted for Punk as he sold for Burke. After a miscommunication, both ended up just staggering backward, then Punk charged at Burke and improvised with an overhead suplex. He really powered him over without much help and Burke really had to tuck to save his neck. Punk hit a dropkick off the second rope, sending Burke to the floor. Shelton gave Punk an inverted bulldog for a near fall, but Burke yanked Shelton off of Punk. Those two fought on the floor as they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Shelton leaped from inside the ring over the top rope and sunset flipped Punk off of the ring apron as Punk was trying to suplex Burke. Great, athletic spot by Shelton. It shouldn't be a transition move in a match, though. It should be a move that ends a match. Burke followed up in the ring with a swinging elbow off the ropes, then showboated, which Styles and Tazz questioned. Shelton broke up the pin attempt at 8:00. Burke small packaged Shelton, but Shelton escaped before one. Chavo's commentary was dry and uninspired, as usual lacking the gravitas of a top personality in the pro wrestling context. Comments like, "These three are good, but I'm better" aren't going to sell tickets, and that's one of his better lines. He's just miscast in this spot. Shelton suplexed Burke of the top rope, then spin hook kicked Punk in the face leading to a two count. Burke kicked Punk from behind as he worked on Shelton in the corner. Punk kicked out of Burke's pin attempt. Everyone began selling exhaustion at this point. Burke knocked Shelton awkwardly onto the ring apron. Punk then lifted Burke for his GTS for the win.

WINNER: Punk in 11:00 to earn an ECW Title shot next week.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- It was a two-star-plus match for the positives, but a full star gets substracted because they never had their timing down and missed several spots badly or executed some awkwardly. Not good in that respect at all.

-Chavo entered the ring and stared down Punk as the show ended.

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