By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S ECW ON SCI-FI REPORT
FEBRUARY 10, 2009
FRESNO, CALIF.

[Q1]

-They aired clips of Finlay giving Jack Swagger his first loss last week.

-They went right to a wide-shot of the arena as Jack Swagger walked out with his ECW Title belt over his shoulder. Todd Grisham and Matt Striker discussed his non-title loss las week. Swagger's cocky smile was absent for the first time. Striker said we'll find out what Swagger is made of. Swagger said for the last two weeks he's been victimized and embarrassed. He said the "brilliant General Manager" has responded by forcing him to defend the ECW Title at No Way Out against Finlay. He said everyone surely agrees that's unfair and sees him as the victim. He said despite that, he'll take care of business tonight rather than waiting until Sunday. "So Hornswoggle, I'm calling you out right now." He told the "little troll" to make it easy on himself and take it like a man. Instead, Christian's music played - which sounds like a theme song from some 1980s movie - and he walked out onto the stage. "It's... Christian!" said Grisham. Striker said, "This moment has become instantly classic. Christian has returned." Grisham said Captain Charisma got a big ovation. He said they haven't seen him in WWE for three years.

Swagger stood there and stared as Christian walked into the ring and sized him up. Swagger then asked him what he was doing. Christian said it's pretty obvious: "I'm interrupting your promo." He said he'll thank him later probably since he's saving his life. He said he might electrocute himself with his saliva as he spits on the mic as he lisps his way through his promo. He imitated Elmer Fudd. Swagger objected. Christian said he wasn't finished. He asked for the moment. He said it's been a long time since his peeps have seen him. He told Swagger to "drink it in." He said the real reason he came down there and came to ECW was right there on his shoulder - pointing at the ECW Title belt. Swagger said he's glad he said he isn't waiting until No Way Out to issue a challenge to the winner of Swagger vs. Finlay. Swagger asked if he was finished. "That means you're challenging me. Listen, I know you couldn't hack it here, so you left for a few years, and now you're back and you want to make a big splash. I have a news flash for you. That's not going to happen." He said he won the ECW Title in four months and is a wrestling prodigy. He told him to think twice before he tries to make a name for himself at his expense. He said he is no threat to him. Christian hit Swagger over the head with his mic, then left the ring as Swagger covered his head in pain. Grisham said Swagger has a new threat.

Good return promo for Christian. Not great, but solid. The surprise element compared to debuting on Smackdown with everyone hearing about it for three days was nice. It's interesting to send Christian to ECW rather than feature him in a top program out of the gate with Edge and Jeff Hardy. It seems to be less than Christian would have expected for a big return, but Swagger is such an emerging talent that it's not as bad as, say, returning to feud with Kane or Mark Henry on ECW. They should have a good feud with each other if they stretch it out for a while. They talked circles around referencing that he worked for TNA. That's the first time that's really been an issue for WWE, where a major name from WWE went to TNA and then returned to WWE. Christian beat Gail Kim to TV in that way.

[Commercial Break]

-A commercial aired for No Way Out.

-They replayed clips of the return of Christian.

-Backstage Swagger asked Teddy Long if he knew Christian was going to be there. Long said he's the one who signed him to be there. Swagger said he was taking the rest of the night off. Long said he wasn't because he had a match. "Against who?" asked Swagger. Long shot back: "Christian."

[Q2]

-A clip aired of John Morrison and Miz giving Tommy Dreamer a hard time last week, including Morrison saying Superstars today look like him, not Dreamer and Miz calling him a whale leading to a fight, with the heels utilizing the two-on-one advantage.

1 -- TOMMY DREAMER vs. THE MIZ (w/John Morrison)

Grisham said he doesn't think Dreamer can wait for this match-up. At the bell, Dreamer slapped Miz and tackled him. Miz bailed out to ringside. Dreamer chased him. Miz kicked Dreamer into the security wall. Dreamer threw Miz back into the ring and dropped an elbow for an early two count. Miz came back with by charging Dreamer's head into a middle turnbuckle. Grisham said nobody in WWE feels that Dreamer should retire and go away, as Miz and Morrison claimed last week was the case. Dreamer went for a cover on Miz at 3:00. Morrison ran up onto the ring apron. That distraction led to Miz catching Dreamer with a jawbreaker to his shoulder for the win.

WINNER: The Miz in 3:00.

-A commercial aired for the new "Best of Saturday Night's Main Event" DVD with over eight hours of highlights. I've been waiting years for this one. Those who weren't fans during that era are in for a real experience, as that was WWE during one of its most audacious and bizarre periods as they really went "sports entertainment" in many cheesy ways to try to appeal to non-fans tuning in expecting Saturday Night Live.

[Commercial Break]

-A clip aired of Boogeyman-Jamie Noble from last week.

-As Long was chatting with Tiffany backstage, Noble walked in and complained about what Boogeyman did with the worms last week. Long asked if he wanted a match against Boogeyman. "This isn't how you treat a million dollar talent," he said. There was a knock on the door. Tiffiany said that was their appointment. Long asked Noble to excuse himself. In walked Tyson Kidd with Natalya. Natalya said Tyson was trained in the Dungeon by her uncle Bret (Hart). Long said he's looking for big things out of him. Tyson said he's the next big star, then he pointed at Noble and said it's time to send him back to the pound.

-They showed Striker and Grisham, who reacted to the debut of Tyson. Striker said he liked what he saw. Then they hyped the No Way Out line-up. Striker asked if Shane could stop Orton. He doesn't get the credit Ross gets for questioning Shane's chances against Orton on Smackdown last week while hyping No Way Out.

-They showed Christian warming up backstage. Hornswoggle was literally running laps around him and laughing. Finlay walked up to Christian, stared at him for a minute, and welcomed him to ECW. He said he'll be watching him later. He said he heard his challenge earlier and after No Way Out, if he had hopes of becoming ECW Champion, it's not Swagger he has to get through, it'll be him.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

-A vignette aired on Evan Bourne executing a lot of big moves. The screen said he's returning, but didn't say when.

2 -- TYSON KIDD (w/Natalya) vs. BAO NGUYEN

Striker said he's been told they closed the Dungeon after Tyson finished training because nobody could follow him. He said it's renowned as one of the greatest training places for pro wrestlers. Tyson hit an early reverse sidekick. Striker said Nguyen is Vietnamese and is trained in Viet Kong Hand-to-Hand combat. Striker ran down a number of wrestlers who have graduated from the Dungeon, such as Brian Pillman, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bad News Brown, and Davey Boy Smith. Tyson hit a springboard elbow drop mid-ring for the win.

WINNER: Tyson Kidd in 2:00.

-Noble walked out onto the stage and stared down Tyson. They did a slo-mo replay of Kidd landing his jump spin sidekick flush to Nguyen's face.

-Striker plugged Swagger vs. Christian.

-The WWE Fact touted sales of the latest WWE CD.

-The Raw Rebound aired focused on Randy Orton vs. Undertaker.

[Q4]

3 -- JACK SWAGGER vs. CHRISTIAN

Striker said this is a moment where you call up a friend and tell him what's about to happen and then watch it together. I wish Christian got to take his TNA music with him. His new song could be the theme song playing during the credits of Karate Kid III or something like that. Swagger out-wrestled Christian early. Christian slapped Swagger after a shove in the corner. He followed with a quick roll-up for a two count. He hit a sunset flip a minute later for a near fall. Finlay and Hornswoggle walked to ringside and they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Finlay and Hornswoggle joined Striker and Grisham at ringside on commentary. Finlay said Christian is a great wrestler and Swagger is impressive. Swagger was holding Christian on the mat. They showed a replay of Swagger pressing and dropping Christian to the floor during the break. Hornswoggle challenged Booker T for the most annoying noises on commentary this month. Christian came back with a DDT at 9:00 leading to a near fall. Swagger avoided a top rope splash by Christian and rolled him up for a near fall. Christian avoided a Swagger suplex, but Swagger one-arm slammed Christian to the mat for a near fall. Finlay said he's never sat at ringside before and it's amazing. Swagger went for a corner swing splash, but Christian moved. Swagger attempted to suplex Christian off the ring apron. Christian blocked it and kicked Swagger off the apron to the floor. Swagger, though, tossed Christian onto Finlay's laps. Swagger then threw Christian back into the ring and tried to remove the top turnbuckle. The ref stopped him and reattached it. Swagger removed another turnbuckle. As he returned to grab Christian, Christian surprised him with a small package. Swagger lifted Christian into the air. Hornswoggle ran out to distract the ref as Finlay hit Swagger with his Shillelagh. Christian then hit his finisher on Swagger for the win. Grisham declared that the previously undefeated Swagger had lost two weeks in a row.

WINNER: Christian in 13:00.

STAR RATING: ** -- After seeing this, you can't help but wonder if Christian being relegated to ECW and a first-show tainted win over rookie (sensation) Swagger isn't a "plausibly deniable" punishment for Christian leaving to go to TNA in the first place. It never seemed McMahon forgave Mick Foley for openly bargaining with TNA before deciding to sign with WWE. Perhaps the message is being set by McMahon that you can't go to TNA, have a World Title run, headline for a few years, and then expect to get a boost from where you previously were in WWE.

We suggest these recent related articles...

PARKS'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 10/8: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Thursday show, including Roman Reigns & Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt & Braun Strowman

METZGER'S ROH TV REPORT 10/4 & 10/7: IWGP World champ Okada vs. Roderick Strong main event, plus Briscoes vs. Time Splitters, more from "Field of Honor," Overall Reax

MCMAHON'S TNA IMPACT REPORT 10/7: TNA Title Series kicks off, Bound for Glory fall-out, more; Overall Reax