By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S ECW ON SYFY REPORT
NOVEMBER 10, 2009
TAPED MONDAY IN SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND

[Q1]

-The show opened with an observation of Veterans Day, paying tribute to troops with clips of WWE Superstars mingling with them.

-The ECW opening then aired, followed by Josh Matthews & Byron Saxton introducing the show.

-Tony Atlas introduced the Abraham Washington show from the stage. He danced as Washington also danced to his couch. It's crazy this show has lasted this long, especially as it coincides with sliding ratings. He called it critically acclaimed. The crowd booed, so he pointed them to the "Applause" message on the big screen above him. Washington asked Atlas if he's having a good time in England. Atlas cracked himself up by saying the people here talk funny. Washington asked how they are a nation with free health care, but no one goes to the dentist. "Your teeth look like Stonehenge." He plugged the ECW Title match coming up later. Then he introduced his special guest, Yoshi Tatsu. Tatsu danced to the ring to his 1980s game show music theme.

Tatsu said his English isn't good and he's very nervous. Tatsu kept saying "thank you." Atlas began saying "you're welcome." Washington told Atlas to shut up. The crowd booed. Washington asked Tatsu whom he thought would win the title match later. Tatsu predicted Christian would win. Washington said Tatsu is Jackie Chan. Tatsu shot back that then that makes him Chris Tucker. Tatsu mocked Atlas's laugh. Washington said only he gets to make fun of his sidekick. He then told Atlas to leave the set. Washington closed out the show and thanked everyone. Washington and Tatsu bowed at each other several times. Tatsu waved at the crowd who cheered him back.

-A video package aired on the Regal-Christian rivalry. [c]

[Q2]

-A commercial hyped Roddy Piper as guest host of Raw on Monday, plus the three-way tag match scheduled main event.

-They showed scenes of Sheffield, England's City Hall.

1 -- PAUL BURCHILL (w/Katie Lea) vs. GOLDUST

Saxton sounds like he's talking into a muffled microphone. No voice projection at all. The "always electric" Burchill settled into an early body scissors. At 3:00 Hurricane mercifully interrupted the match by running to ringside to his music. Goldust surprised a distracted Burchill with his Final Cut finisher. Burchill swore revenge against Hurricane next week.

WINNER: Goldust in 3:00.

-A clip aired of last week's Zach Ryder-Shelton Benjamin match, which Shelton won after Ryder was distracted by Rosa Mendez at ringside, the guest ring announcer for the match. Matthews announced a rematch would take place next week.

-Backstage Ryder nervously told Rosa that she did a great job ring announcing last week. He said he likes her and couldn't stop staring at her last week. He invited her to be in his corner for any of his matches in the future. She said, "Yeah, maybe. See ya'." Then they went to a super-cheesy video package that took us into Zach's imagination where he skipped away hand-in-hand with Mendez. Ugh. The equivalent of breaking that fourth wall. [c]

-WWE Fact: Last Tuesday ECW was once again the highest rated show on SyFy.

-Regal told G.M. Tiffany that she may be mad at him, but think of how great it will be to have a virtual god as her new ECW Champion. She said they "got off on the wrong start." She said she's eager to have a new start whether he is ECW Champion or not. Regal didn't like that possibility being brought up.

2 -- VANCE ARCHER vs. JASON BLACKWELL

Archer got his own ring intro. Blackwell, the jobber, did not, but he was announced as being from Sheffeld. An inset interview aired with Archer saying his opponent is about to find out what he's all about. Matthews said last week they learned one thing about Archer - that he is intense. Saxton said he saw that intensity backstage. Saxton then said: "Blackwell said he loves the movie 'Braveheart,' so I guess that would indicate he has a brave heart for taking on this match." Oh boy. Matthews said Archer is 6-8 and 270 lbs. He said Tiffany discovered him in Japan. Archer won with an inverted DDT type move.

WINNER: Archer in 2:00. Nothing about him stands out yet as especially promising or dooming him. His gimmick is apparently that he's "intense."

[Q3]

-Matthews plugged SurvivorSeries.com, which features a history of the event. [c]

-A commercial hyped Jericho vs. Undertaker "for the first time ever one-on-one" on Friday's Smackdown.

3 -- CHRISTIAN vs. WILLIAM REGAL -- ECW Title match

The crowd seemed hesitant to get behind home countryman Regal. Christian got a nice reception after Regal came out first. Matthews acknowledged a 50/50 reaction. Saxton said Christian ran into some customs problems getting into the country and insinuated it could be Regal's connections in his home country. After circling each other, they cut to a very early break. [c] Regal settled into early methodical offense. At 9:00 they cut to another break. [c] Saxton looks the part in terms of the appearance of someone WWE wants on camera, but he's got nothing else going for him. His voice tone and projection is terrible, as in no one would listen to him talk and say he should get into broadcasting. He adds nothing to the content, either. He sounds like a random pubescent kid who won a contest to co-host a WWE show who has no future in broadcasting and is nervously repeating awkward lines. He has a long, long, long way to go to sound like he belongs. Christian hit a Kill Switch at 18:00 for a near fall.

[Q5]

Christian went on a flurry including a top rope dropkick for a near fall. Regal fired back with an elbow to the side of his head at 2:00 for a two count. Regal then hit his kneelift for another near fall as Matthews declared, "New champion! New champion!" Saxton said, "What a see-saw, competitive match." Regal applied the Regal Stretch. Christian escaped a minute later by elbowing out of it. Christian hit a flying uppercut off the second rope and then played to the crowd, which clapped along with him. Regal countered with an overhead suplex. He set up his Knee Trembler, but Christian sidestepped it and hit the Kill Switch for the clean win.

WINNER: Christian in 23:00 to retain the ECW Title.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- It had length going for it so that made it seem somewhat epic, but it never shifted out of second gear, or was in first or second for so long that by the time it did try to get some momentum, it was too late. Not an adrenaline rush of a match, but solid all around while also bordering on boring.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Not a must-see show. Not an inspired brand overall. It just feels like a C-show all-around, with the Tuesday Night Titans-esque "sports entertainment" segment at the start with Washington, some mid-card or lower-card filler, and an epic-in-length showcase main event that highlighted what has held Christian and Regal from really moving to that next level in WWE.

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