By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S ECW REPORT
MAY 5, 2009
TAPED IN PITTSBURGH, PA.
AIRED ON SCI-FI

[Q1]

-After the ECW opening aired, Josh Matthews introduced the show and his partner, Matt Striker, as pyro blasted in the arena. They hyped Christian vs. Mark Henry as the main event.

1 -- TYSON KIDD vs. EVAN BOURNE

They replayed Kidd's win over Finlay last week, which Striker said was the biggest of his career. Good early athleticism including a nice delayed dropkick by Bourne. Bourne went after Natalya at ringside, so Kidd grabbed him from behind. Bourne, though, blocked him and threw Kidd into the ring. He then entered the ring with an innovative flip into a head scissors. It sent Kidd reeling to the floor as the cut to a break. Very enjoyable opening two minutes.

[Commercial Break]

Kidd tripped Bourne off the second rope and took control. He lifted Bourne for a suplex, but Bourne shifted and landed on top of Kidd for a two count. Kidd chicken winged Bourne face-down on the mat. Bourne had nowhere to go, but eventually stood and ran forward into the turnbuckle to break the hold. Kidd countered a charging Bourne with a tilt-a-whirl suplex for two near falls. He stayed aggressive with more rapid-offense and then settled into a chinlock.

[Q2]

Bourne stood and hit Kidd with a leaping kneelift. Great spot. Simple, but Anderson Silva-like in its impact and effect. Bourne followed by climbing up the ropes and leaping off with a roundkick to the back of his head. Bourne hit two high roundkicks to the chest, but Kidd ducked a third. Bourne followed with a flying clothesline of sorts for a two count a 12:00. Kidd backdropped Bourne onto the ring apron. Naalya grabbed his leg and yanked him to the floor. Kidd hit him with a slidekick. He threw him back into the ring. Finlay ran out and hit Kidd, on the top rope, with a shillelagh. Bourne then hit the Shooting Star Press for victory.

WINNER: Bourne in 14:00.

STAR RATING: ***1/2 -- Lots of really good innovative athleticism within a realistic context of a fight to win the match, not just show off moves. It's what the X Division in TNA used to be. ECW's got the market cornered now.

-They went to Matthews and Striker at ringside who commented on footage of last week's interference by Jack Swagger in the Tommy Dreamer vs. Christian match.

-They showed Swagger backstage in a suit smiling and talking to an anonymous guy backstage.

[Commercial Break]

-Matthews interviewed Swagger mid-ring. He asked why he cared whether Dreamer became champion last week since he'll get a title match either way at Judgment Day. Swagger said his catch phrase "that's not fair" in reference to his claim that Christian cheated to beat him. He said he deserved the first title match, not the washed-up Dreamer. he said those who think Dreamer is the "heart and soul" of ECW are wrong. "He is the fat and cholesterol of ECW," he said. "Thankfully in five weeks we get to unclog our arteries and rid ourselves of Fatty Dreamer forever." He said he's glad he ruined his "pathetic little dream" to win the ECW Title. He said he doesn't deserve it. Dreamer ran out and began tearing at Swagger's suit. Swagger bailed out and sold the attack by spazzing and then backing up to the stage as Dreamer's music played.

-Tiffany welcomed Zach Ryder to ECW. He aid he'll be the man in ECW. She said he'll have a chance to prove that when he does one-on-one against Finlay. He worried Finlay would mess with his hair. He's acting like an oblivious dork at the nightclub, apparently.

-A training video aired of Vladimir Kozlov.

[Q3]

[Commercial Break]

-WWE Fact: Last week more than twice as many viewers watched ECW than the NFL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (All the playoff games last week combined? One low-rated game? The game head-to-head with ECW?)

2 -- VLADIMIR KOZLOV vs. JESSE GUILMETTE

Striker said Guilmette has a degree in anatomy. The crowd loudly chanted "USA, USA" at the start of the match. It didn't help.

WINNER: Kozlov in 1:00.

-The Raw Rebound aired.

[Commercial Break]

-Hurricane Helms interviewed Henry backstage about facing Christian in the main event. He asked if he plans to "restate his dominance." Henry said his dominance doesn't need restating. He said when he wants something, he doesn't ask, he takes it. He said Christian may be the ECW Champion, but tonight he's his victim.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

-After Christian's ring entrance, Striker narrated still-shots of Christian's ECW Title win at Backlash over Swagger. Henry's ring intro then took place.

3 -- MARK HENRY (w/Tony Atlas) vs. CHRISTIAN

Christian dominated offense early. Swagger jumped Christian from behind at 1:00. Dreamer made the save. Chaos broke out as the ref called for the bell.

WINNER: Christian via DQ in 1:00.

-Tiffany walked out and over-emoted and said, "Let's have a tag team match and let's have it right now." She smiled as if she was opening up the $1 briefcase near the end of "Deal or No Deal."

[Commercial Break]

4 -- MARK HENRY & JACK SWAGGER vs. CHRISTIAN & TOMMY DREAMER

They joined the match in progress with Christian vs. Swagger. Dreamer tagged in and kept up the offense on Swagger including a "flying" clothesline off the second rope on Swagger. Swagger fired back with a belly-to-belly, then tagged in Henry at 2:00. Swagger tagged back in a minute later and grounded Dreamer. Dreamer pushed toward his corner and reached for a tag, but Swagger twisted Dreamer back to the mat and held on tight. Striker said he's going on record as rooting for Swagger to regain the ECW Title at Judgment Day because he represents ECW moving ahead. Christian and Henry each tagged in at 5:00. Christian gave Henry a flying uppercut. henry went for a press slam. Christian slipped out and clipped him, then kicked him for a one count. Henry fired back with a chest thump. Swagger tagged in and hit a swing splash, then shoved his knee over his throat and posed. Henry tagged in and headbutted Christian.

[Q5]

They went over the one hour timeslot this week. Henry twisted Christian's head. Swagger tagged in and kept Christian grounded. Christian escaped and hot-tagged Dreamer at 9:00. He went to work on Swagger with a neckbreaker, then played to the crowd with his arms extended. He followed with a running bulldog off the ropes for a two count. Christian dove over the top rope onto Henry on the floor. Henry caught him. Dreamer flip dove off the ring apron onto Christian and Henry, knocking them down. When Dreamer returned to the ring, Swagger blocked a DDT and shoved Dreamer into the middle exposed turnbuckle and then finished him with a suplex. Swagger's victory celebration is the best in wrestling (for a heel trying to be obnoxious, that is).

WINNERS: Swagger & Henry in 11:00.

STAR RATING: *3/4

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