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ECW ROUNDTABLE REVIEWS 12/8: Caldwell, Mayer, Parks rate and review

Dec 11, 2009 - 11:54:39 AM
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James Caldwell, Torch Assistant Editor (4.0)

This felt like a dead-end show at the TV tapings. I didn't get a chance to see the TV presentation, but the show felt directionless in the building. ECW offering the under-developed Vance Archer vs. the "only making cameos now" Tommy Dreamer and a developmental tag team vs. two jobbers on the undercard was not a good idea to build the audience for the main event. As a result, ECW hit the lowest rating in the near-four-year history of the show.

The main event six-man tag was built up fine in the opening segment, but when the centerpiece is a feud between two hulking men without much personality - Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson - the audience is also going to have reason to tune out. WWE packed all of the star power into a main event tag match that was dragged down by Shelton Benjamin taking what-seemed-like the longest beating I've ever sat through in a tag match.

All that said, WWE delivered probably their best PPV sales pitch for the TLC PPV to close the show when Christian and Shelton Benjamin scaled a ladder and fought for possession of the ECW Title belt hanging above the ring. It was a memorable moment to conclude ECW and give the audience a nice image to stay in their minds when considering open up the ol' wallet for $39.95 on Sunday. It's too bad the audience had tuned out by then.

Dominick Mayer, PWTorch.com Contributor (7.0)

There we go. After last week's hour-long waiting room, we get some real development on a show. It's good to see Tommy Dreamer again, as he's a capable enough hand, and he couldn't have reappeared at a better time for Zach Ryder, who's sorely in need of a feud that can elevate him. I also like this Paul Burchill gimmick to get back on TV, even if he's stealing the old luchador gimmick Edge and Christian did years ago. Vance Archer continues to be just there, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt given that he hasn't had a chance to shine yet on the level of something like Sheamus' feud with Goldust.

As far as main event development, I'm still struggling to care about a Kozlov-Jackson blowoff match, but they're building it up as well as they can. Having Regal around is a major benefit. Also glad to see Yoshi Tatsu back after his non-presence last week; I hope he's kept in the main event like he is right now. And on ECW. I really, really liked the ending, with Shelton showing off what he can do. This is what they needed to establish him as a major contender to the title, especially in a ladder match. That last shot of the show was a PPV hard-sell if ever I've seen one.

Greg Parks, PWTorch.com Contributor (4.5)

The opening segment worked for establishing Vladimir Kozlov as the cowardly heel who refused to face the about-to-be babyface Ezekiel Jackson one-on-one. Good booking there. Tommy Dreamer's return is probably good for the short-term health of the brand, and maybe WWE is thinking he can do with Vance Archer what Goldust did with Sheamus. On the other hand, it looks like he could be feuding with Zack Ryder next, which also wouldn't be a bad thing.

Another squash for Croft & Baretta, who show some promise just two matches in. I'm praying WWE keeps that music for them, and starts developing a gimmick for the guys - something other than one word the announcers repeat over and over (I'm thinking "intense" for Archer). The six-man main-event had promise, but it was so God-awful boring during the Shelton beat-down. Luckily, they managed to re-group and have a decent ending angle to build for the ECW Title match at TLC.


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