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ECW on Sci-Fi TV Report
April 15, 2008 - Year 2, Week 45 (Week 97 overall)
Taped in London, England
Report by James Caldwell, Torch columnist
Announcers: The show started with Tazz and Joey Styles ringside. Tazz said they have good news and bad news. Tazz said the bad news is that Styles is leaving the show after tonight. He said the good news is that Styles is heading up WWE.com. Styles said he's going to deliver more of what the fans want. Tazz and Styles shared a moment, then Styles introduced Mike Adamle as the new play-by-play man.
In-ring: C.M. Punk came to the ring to a strong reception. Adamle is already talking over ring announcer Justin Roberts. Jimmy Yang and Shannon Moore then came out, followed by Kofi Kingston for a big eight-man tag match. Elijah Burke led out the heels, followed by Deuce & Domino, and Shelton Benjamin.
1 -- C.M. PUNK & SHANNON MOORE & JIMMY YANG & KOFI KINGSTON vs. ELIJAH BURKE & DEUCE & DOMINO & SHELTON BENJAMIN
Punk and Shelton did battle at 3:00, then Shelton dumped him to the floor. All eight men ended up on the floor with a stand-off before they cut to a break.
[Commercial Break]
They returned with Punk and Burke trading control. Punk then brought in Kofi, who traded holds with Burke. Shannon even got some rare offense. Yang took a hot tag to try to keep the momentum, but the heels cut him off and isolated Yang for several minutes.
[Q2]
Yang eventually made the hot tag to Kofi at 11:00 and Kofi cleaned house. He landed the boom-boom leg drop on Deuce, then the action broke down in the ring and to the floor. Moore came over the top with a plancha onto a collection of heels. Back in the ring, Kofi ducked the Crack 'em in the mouth, and smashed Deuce with the Jamaican Buzzsaw for the pin and the win.
WINNERS: Team Kofi in 12:00. Fine opening eight-man tag match. Pretty slow with the heels isolating Yang, but a good TV finish. You know the Smackdown team isn't going to win, and Punk is already a big deal on ECW, so a good call for Kofi to take the win here. (*1/2)
Video package: They focused on Chavo Guerrero laying out Kane last week during the contract signing.
Backstage: We saw Kane's head. Kane cut a promo about Chavo awaking the monster inside him. He said Miz & Morrison will feel his wrath tonight. Actually, make that our wrath. The camera panned right to reveal The Undertaker standing next to Kane. Kane laughed like Kane laughs as the fans cheered.
Raw promo: They plugged the King of the Ring tournament on Raw next Monday.
[Commercial Break]
Announcers: I think Mike Adamle just called his broadcast partner The Tazz. And your former World Hvt. champion is The Edge.
In-ring: Tazz welcomed out some divas for something. Layla was out first. Maryse was out next. Oh, my Tuesday night just improved dramatically. Eve out third. Lena Yada came out next. Where's she been? And, of course, Kelly Kelly rounded out the field. Apparently it's a contest to determine who has the shortest shorts. Tazz explained the rules: bust some moves and show us your stuff.
Tazz started things off with a self-deprecating dance move. They're doing all the dances to Pitbull's hit song "The Anthem" that wasn't played out until this. Layla did some weird gyrations. Maryse moved across the ring without doing much. Bar was too high for Maryse. Eve did a cheerleader routine that generated no heat. Lena did something. Kelly stripped off her top, so, of course she got the biggest pop and won the contest by a wide margin.
[Q3]
Post-dance-off: The other divas left the ring except for Kelly. Tazz was still in the ring, so he asked for the song again. Kelly and Tazz then shared an awkward moment dancing together in the ring. Tazz eventually left, and Kelly danced into commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
In-ring: Tommy Dreamer came to the ring with Colin Delaney. Colin was happy to be here. Mike Knox came out wide-eyed to face Dreamer. Unless they did some careful editing, there was no The Knox dance move tonight. Adamle offered his pre-match thoughts that Knox told him he wants to end this one quick and early. Excellent. Before the match started, Armando Estrada came out and said the fans want to see a competitive match featuring a future world champion. He smiled at getting the cheap pop for referencing London, then Armando changed the match to Knox vs. Colin. He told Dreamer to hit the showers now.
2 -- COLIN DELANEY vs. MIKE KNOX
Knox smashed young Colin with a clothesline to start this off. Knox with a big side suplex, smashing Colin's head into the mat, then he followed with a big splash in the corner. Knox rag-dolled Colin to the mat before nailing a turn-out slam for the pin and the win.
WINNER: Knox in 1:00. Good excuse for Knox to showcase his offense in a squash match. (n/a)
Announcers: Tazz and Adamle, who was sporting some reading glasses, introduced a promo from Miz and Morrison, but not before Adamle stumbled over everyone's names.
Pre-taped promo: Miz and Morrison were shown backstage from earlier today cutting a promo on Kane and Taker. Miz said the brothers have had issues for years, and they will have more issues tonight. Morrison said it's divide and conquer. He built up this great enthusiasm for the man to start the match and get right in Taker's eyes to intimidate him, then revealed it will be... you! The Miz! Miz slowed his enthusiasm after being caught off guard, then simply took a deep breath.
[Commercial Break]
[Q4]
In-ring: John Morrison came to the ring first for the main event tag match. The Miz came out next. Kane led out the brothers of destruction, then Taker did his full entrance. The camera focused on Miz trying to build up courage while standing on the outside during Taker's entrance.
3 -- World Hvt. champion THE UNDERTAKER & ECW champion KANE vs. WWE tag team champions THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON
Miz and Kane started things off instead of Miz and Taker. Kane tagged out to Taker, who set up Miz for the big leg drop across the apron, but Morrison cut him off with a sudden clothesline that knocked Taker to the floor. And break.
[Commercial Break]
[Q5 -- over-run]
Taker worked on Morrison out of the break and smashed him with a boot to the face. Adamle called it a knee to the face. Hands, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes! Kane then tagged in Morrison avoided a chokeslam to made a desperate tag to Miz, who was surprised to find himself the legal man. Kane had control until Morrison chopblocked him from behind to start working the knee. Miz cut off Kane from making his comeback and nailed his diving clothesline in the corner.
Taker eventually got the hot tag at 11:00 after Kane smashed Miz with a boot to the face. Adamle said Taker is "getting busy" working on Miz. Taker tried a double chokeslam, but the tag champs blocked. Kane then entered the picture and the brothers executed stereo chokeslams. Taker scooped up Morrison, then gave him a Tombstone for the pin and the win.
WINNERS: Taker & Kane in 12:00. Satisfying conclusion for fans who tuned in for Taker's appearance on ECW. Otherwise, a forgettable tag match to close the show. (*1/2)
Raw promo: They closed with a plug for Raw's King of the Ring tournament on Monday.
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