James Caldwell, Torch Assistant Editor (5.5)

The final 15 minutes of the show with the strong end to Tommy Dreamer vs. Zack Ryder and Dreamer's Farewell speech made this show a thumbs up. WWE couldn't have picked worse "ECW Homecoming matches" for Matt Hardy and Evan Bourne if they tried, though, making the first half of the show completely skippable.

It was good to see Dreamer receive a proper farewell, but it wasn't entirely altruistic on WWE's part. It was the perfect angle for WWE to transition the ECW brand away from the ECW legacy to new branding focused on young talent, who will struggle to get over because they're cut from the same cookie-cutter mold based on WWE's limited, mechanical formula for character introduction and development.

Matt Hardy vs. Finlay was a drag. Completely skippable. Evan Bourne telegraphed before his match against Mike Knox that he had four minutes in the ring and the time restraint limited what Bourne and Knox could do in the ring. The big man vs. little man formula works from time-to-time, but not when WWE depends on that formula week after week after week on virtually every TV episode. After a while, it's just the same old thing.

Tony Donofrio, PWTorch.com Contributor (6.5)

The last 5-10 minutes of ECW gave this show an extra half point. Overall, it was a decent (but not great) show. I continue to enjoy the concept of the ECW Homecoming matches, even if it does completely break the brand split (despite the logic given to us by ECW GM Tiffany). With that said, Matt Hardy and Finlay was just okay, nothing spectacular. Evan Bourne and Mike Knox was a solid match that I didn't really want to see either one of them lose. Both have been mired in purgatory on their respective shows and quite frankly, I'd like to see both of them in the 8-man over the top rope battle royal that will take place on ECW in two weeks. Either one of these guys would make a good champion. Bourne should probably still be on ECW, competing with a heel Christian for the ECW Title. Knox should be a regular contender (and eventual) IC Champion on Smackdown. It's a shame that neither one is getting a push right now and, as I said, I would have loved to have seen both of them getting a spot in the battle royal.

There were only three matches on ECW this week, but that can be forgiven since it was Tommy Dreamer's last WWE/ECW match and also due to the fact that they gave Dreamer and Zack Ryder enough time to have a decent match (including Dreamer's send off). First off, it was great to see Dreamer put over a young star like Ryder on his way out. Ryder can use the fact that he killed off an "ECW Legend" on his resume. More importantly, it was great that WWE gave Dreamer a really nice send off. Sure, he could end up in TNA in 90 days, but it was a classy move from WWE. Now, the question that is posed though is, what happens to ECW? The last original is officially gone. Sure, the new ECW does nothing to resemble the original but now the only original piece has also left. Does it get a change in name only (which I am an advocate of, and have been for the better part of the past year since there is nothing "extreme" about it, but is still a solid wrestling program) or does it get a complete overhaul and become another version of WWE Superstars? I guess only time will. Either way, the ending of this edition of ECW was memorable and could be the detonator that sparks a change on what we will see from WWE on Tuesday nights.

Dominick Mayer, PWTorch.com Contributor (8.5)

This might be an inappropriately high score, but on the basis of Tommy Dreamer's farewell, totally warranted in my opinion. But more on that in a minute. The Roundtable promo was effective, though when Kozlov and Jackson do all the talking/emoting, it becomes abundantly clear how one-dimensional they are as characters. However, I can't be too hard on them due to the fact that they're doing the best they can with what they've been given. The ECW homecoming matches were also enjoyable, if too brief like most of the others. I'm still not a fan of this whole tournament ending in a battle royal, but I have hope. I'm really hoping they send Bourne back to ECW for a feud with Christian. He's wasted on Raw, absolutely wasted. The main event match was also effectively good; pretty standard stuff for a Dreamer-heel TV match.

However, the ending was fantastic. For all that I and my fellow writers here at the Torch will sometimes say about WWE (more than sometimes these days), they know how to treat their wrestlers with respect upon exit from the company if they're in good standing. I was worried that Dreamer would lose his exiting match and be released without much ado. Instead, he gave us one of the most touching moments on a wrestling show this year and probably the best since Ric Flair's sorta-exit a year and a half ago. If the old ECW is officially gone now, it was best to let Dreamer give its eulogy; his caning promo with Sandman is still one of the best scenes to ever transpire in a wrestling ring. Happy trails, good sir.

Greg Parks, Torch Columnist (6.0)

While the Matt Hardy vs. FInlay match was nothing to write home about, it was worth it to hear Christian on commentary. It was really weird, as if Vince McMahon was in the john or something, because the announcers and Christian himself had an odd rapport. From calling Byron Saxton "Bryant Gumbel," to telling the announcers to have better questions for him next time, it was just...odd. Evan Bourne vs. Mike Knox was fine, and Bourne going over was probably the right move. I'd like to see him win the battle royal, but I admit it's probably not likely.

If you missed the show, go find the send-off Tommy Dreamer got on WWE.com or elsewhere. It was as classy as you'll see WWE allow at this point. The match against Zack Ryder showed just how limited Dreamer has become, but he didn't phone it in in his last match in the company. Dreamer spent his entire career garnering sympathy from the fans, so he's a pro at the "goodbye" speech. Only thing that was weird about it was he did the same "lose and I'll quit" thing earlier in the year, only stretched out over several months. It was strange to see them fit it into two weeks here.

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