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By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S ECW REPORT
MARCH 18, 2008
AIRED ON SCI-FI FROM BILOXI, MS.

-Kane's ring introduction kicked off the show with no intro from Joey Styles and Tazz until after Kane was announced. Styles then plugged the 24-man battle royal at WrestleMania to earn an ECW Title shot. Styles said Kane will be among the 24 in the match.

1 -- KANE vs. ELIJAH BURKE

Burke bailed out to the floor after an early barrage of offense by Kane. Kane followed Burke to the floor and rammed him back-first into the ring. Styles said he's sending a message to Chavo. Kane gave Burke a backbreaker back in center-ring and continued to dominate with a chinlock. Kane missed a charge into the corner at 3:00, but Kane came right back with a chokeslam.

WINNER: Kane in 4:00.

STAR RATING: 1/2* -- More Smackdown destruction of ECW originals. Kane was more lumbering in movement than usual, but he otherwise seemed into it.

-Armando Estrada shook Mark Henry's hand backstage. He said he'd do well. Henry said he sure would. He turned and bumped into Chavo. Chavo asked Armando was that was about. Armando said he just told Henry he'd be in the battle royal along with Kane, Great Khali, and Big Daddy V. Colin Delaney walked in. Chavo gave him a hard time for interrupting him. Colin stammered and said he was there to try to get a contract. Chavo said maybe he should win a match and stop embarrassing ECW by going to Raw and getting destroyed. "Where's your fat friend, Tommy Dreamer?" asked Chavo. Colin said with an air of resignation, "I'll just come back." His delivery and body language as spot on. Armando asked Chavo if he's like to blow off some steam in a non-title match later against Delaney. Armando said if he wants a contract, all he has to do is beat the ECW Champion. Chavo wished him luck and laughed.

[Commercial]

-The same video package on Floyd Mayweather that aired on Raw re-aired here.

2 -- KOFI KINGSTON vs. JAMES CURTIS

After opening with a two minute headlock, during which Tazz said Kofi has no ego and just has fun, Curtis escaped and kneed Kofi to take him down. Curtis went to an armbar creatively applied between his legs while standing. Kofi flipped out and upkicked Curtis to the mat. Tazz said in response to something falling on the mat, "Did someone's nose fall off? What was that? Something fell off of somebody's face." His delivery was so understated, it was pretty funny. It looked like a nose-shaped piece of dark tape, actually. Kofi won shortly thereafter with his 360 degree roundhouse kick, or the Jamacan Buzzsaw as it's now called. He overshot it a bit, though.

WINNER: Kingston in 3:00.

-Backstage C.M. Punk waved his hand in front of a stoned-looking Fetus. He asked Jesse if he'd be ready when the bell rang. Jesse assured him he would.

[Commercial Break]

3 -- JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ & SHELTON BENJAMIN vs. C.M. PUNK & JESSE & FESTUS

Tazz said Morrison told him he signed 45 autographs a day on average, he's that big of a rock star. Styles announced that Jesse & Festus would challenge Miz & Morrison for the WWE Tag Titles on Friday. The bell rang and Festus transformed. He took early control of Morrison, then tagged in Jesse. Morrison came back and tagged in Miz. Miz and Morrison both flew to the floor when the top rope was held down. Punk dove onto both of them. Shelton then took down Jesse and flip dove onto Miz and Morrison on the floor himself. They cut to a break at 2:00.

[Commercial Break]

Punk took a beating for several minutes, then hot-tagged in Festus. He went to work on Miz with a brutish barrage leading to the pin.

WINNERS: Punk & Jesse & Festus in 12:00.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Solid TV six-man tag.

[Commercial Break]

-A recap aired of Raw's main event. Then Styles and Tazz hyped the entire WrestleMania line-up.

-A Hall of Fame video aired announcing the induction of Eddie Graham. Dusty Rhodes said he made him who he is. Other soundbites came from Jim Ross and Ric Flair. Dusty will do the induction.

-They showed Colin heading toward the entrance tunnel.

[Commercial Break]

-A video package aired featuring Big Show talking about the Floyd Mayweather fight. He was filmed at home. He said his wife is larger than Mayweather. Show noted that after throwing a series of free shots at him when he was on his knees, Mayweather fled the ring. Show said Mayweather entered WWE expecting to win over the WWE fans, but they rejected him. He said he feels bad for him. He said if Mayweather didn't have all that money, those people wouldn't hang around him. Show said he knows who he is and he doesn't change. "I'm the Big Show," he said. "I have my wife and I have my dogs. There's no gimmicks, no hoolah, no posse." They went to Show eating dinner and his dog licking his face, pretty much at the same time. He said his speed is a lot better now because he's lost a lot of weight. He said he hasn't felt this good since his early 20s. "I wouldn't want to be (Floyd)," he said as a clip aired of Show KO'ing Jericho.

-Tazz interviewed Delaney in mid-ring. He asked him if he's physically ready to compete after what JBL did to him last week. He said he's more beat up than he's ever been in his life, but if that's what it takes to get a WWE contract, it'll all be worth it.

4 -- CHAVO GUERRERO vs. COLIN DELANEY

This started at the completion of the first hour of the show, so it wasn't going to last long. Styles said he doesn't think Mayweather knows what he's in for. Styles gave Colin credit for his guts. Chavo dominated early. The crowd popped for an armdrag. Tazz said, "That was actually offense!" Colin knocked Chavo to the floor with a dropkick. Chavo said he was taking it easy on him, but if he wants to play that way, he can turn it up. Chavo jumped him aggressively and stomped away. Styles said they're seeing the famous Latino Guerrero temper flare up. Chavo settled into an armbar. A crawler plugged an uninterrupted replay of this ECW show on WWE.com tomorrow starting at 4 p.m. Guerrero gave Delaney a series of unreleased vertical suplexes. Delaney was just limp. Chavo casually climbed to the top rope, takin ghis time, and went for a frog splash. Delaney moved, then hooked Chavo's leg for a near fall. Chavo fired back with a Gory Bomb for the pin.

WINNER: Chavo in 5:00.

STAR RATING: *

FINAL THOUGHTS: Pretty run of the mill show. Not bad, but hardly must-see with anything all that memorable. There's just not much of a sense of adrenaline headed into WrestleMania at this point. They're on cruise control for the most part. Delaney remains a fun character. The Big Show segment definitely portrayed as him favorably.

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