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By Chris Newth

Extreme Championship Wrestling
December 18, 2007
Upcoming PPV: Royal Rumble (sixth-to-last episode before PPV)

ECW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the seventeenth edition of ECW Storylines and Feuds.

For those wondering about the Intrigue Level system that I employ, you can refer to the numbers as follows:

10 (excellent), 9 (great), 8-6 (very good, good, pretty good), 5 (decent; has its good and bad qualities), 4-3 (needs work, poor), 2 (bad), 1 (terrible)

The last ECW before the holiday break will serve as the link that will directly precede this coming ECW tonight (at least in terms of storylines). So, with that in mind, let's delve into this episode and get a reminder of what happened. It will be interesting to see how many storylines stay exactly the same and if any begin to morph now that WWE has taken a short break from their usual programming. As a whole, ECW still feels short on time. They try to fit as much as they can, but since they enjoy really expanding on particular feuds, ECW often feels like it features only two or three different parts.

This week, each of the three established feuds on the show ended up being ignored. Nothing happened with the Layla-Kelly or Henry/V-Kane/Punk feuds. Furthermore, the Miz/Morrison-Jesse/Festus rivalry may have transformed within one week into a new feud featuring Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore in Jesse and Festus's stead. With a lengthy tag team match to start the show and a similarly lengthy main event, ECW felt as though it was elaborating on very few feuds. Beyond established storylines, other acts were thrown in the middle of the show.

Shelton Benjamin continued his rise to the top with a productive squash match against a self-acknowledging amateur jobber. The kid actually announced that this was his first wrestling match. Yeah, it didn't take long for Benjamin to pick up a clean pinfall. The push for Shelton has been going pretty smoothly; it's nice to see WWE change up the format for some variety. We get a few promo segments for weeks, a few short matches against designated jobbers, and now he moves on to unknown jobbers so that he can establish his move-set and earn more quick (and harmless) victories.

Also on the show, Kenny Dykstra went head-to-head with Nunzio. Apparently, WWE may be considering a gimmick for Nunzio that involves him dressing up in random costumes each week. In any event, Dykstra was able to easily beat Nunzio with his top rope leg drop. I guess Kenny's another up-and-coming star that WWE may be getting behind as we head into 2008. The only problem is that the strategy of using multiple squash matches is going to get tedious when it's applied to Kenny Dykstra, Shelton Benjamin, and Kevin Thorn. Perhaps a short feud between Kenny and Nunzio could remedy that problem.

The main event of ECW featured C.M. Punk versus Smackdown's Montel Vontavious Porter in a Champion vs. Champion matchup. The contest resulted in a win for Punk after MVP got himself disqualified for not breaking his punches in the corner. After the match, Chavo Guerrero made a return for some reason and started beating on the vulnerable ECW Champion. The show concluded with Chavo standing tall over a fallen C.M. Punk.

Overall, I think ECW is suffering more now that it has in the past. The major contributor to this downturn is most likely the lack of credible, interesting storylines. If these feuds are difficult to pinpoint for someone who is sorting them out and breaking them down, it is certainly going to be convoluted to the casual viewer that just wants to sit and be entertained. Things aren't going to stick right now. Therefore, more definition should be made to clearly group people together in feuds with interesting stories, strong matches, and enhanced characters. The solution can all be categorized with one simple word: focus.

KELLY KELLY vs. LAYLA (5 weeks w/ 2 weeks hiatus)

This particular feud was not advanced at all on ECW. In fact, nobody involved got any airtime.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 4 [down 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Kelly Kelly: n/a
Layla: n/a

WWE Tag Team Champions JOHN MORRISON & THE MIZ vs. JESSE & FESTUS (5 weeks w/ 2 weeks hiatus)?

Now things are getting a bit confusing. As a viewer, I'm not complaining; as a writer, the juggling of feuds is becoming quite cumbersome. Miz and Morrison seemed to be headed into a feud with Jesse and Festus. It was undeniable. The WWE Tag Team Champions would sit on commentary and talk about Jesse and Festus. Plus, both teams would compete with one another either in tag or singles matches for almost a month. However, things may have changed. There was no Jesse and no Festus in sight on ECW. Instead, Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore showed up for the second time in two weeks. Jimmy Wang Yang was on TV for two consecutive weeks? I know, it was weird.

So apparently Yang and Moore earned the right to face the tag champions again since the last bout they had was pretty close. It was another lengthy match to fill a nice portion of ECW television. The result saw Jimmy Wang Yang deliver his moonsault finisher for the victory over Miz.

Now that WWE is returning to their conventional programming this week, it will be more clear whether they intend to reintroduce Jesse and Festus into the program or whether Yang and Moore are the two guys who just surpassed the other babyfaces into title contention. Joey Styles noted that a win for the Yang/Moore team could very well result in a title opportunity. Only time will tell, however, whether the Yang/Moore stint will remain substantial or whether it will be short-lived.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [same as on Smackdown]

Previous Feuds
John Morrison: C.M. Punk
The Miz: Balls Mahoney
Jesse & Festus: n/a

BIG DADDY V (w/ Matt Striker) & MARK HENRY vs. ECW Champion C.M. PUNK & KANE (10 weeks w/ 2 weeks hiatus)

Like the Kelly-Layla feud, this one wasn't furthered on ECW. The participants of the storyline instead were involved in a big six-man tag team match on Smackdown that week.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 3.5 [same as on Smackdown]

Previous Feuds
Big Daddy V: Tommy Dreamer
Kane: Finlay


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) C.M. Punk vs. Chavo Guerrero?
(2) Kevin Thorn vs. ??
(3) Shelton Benjamin vs. ??
(4) John Morrison & The Miz vs. Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore?
(5) Kenny Dykstra vs. Nunzio?


Thanks for reading, everyone. If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to email me at newthtorch@hotmail.com. I appreciate all of the feedback. Please insert a word in the subject line that deals with a wrestling topic or write something such as "WWE," "feud," or "Stevie Richards" so that I know it's not junk mail.

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