By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S ECW REPORT
JULY 14, 2009
MIAMI, FLA.
AIRED ON SYFY

WHAT HAPPENED


The show opened footage of Christian beating Vladimir Kozlov last week to earn an ECW Title shot at Night of the Champions. Then they panned the crowd including a chant of "ECW, ECW." Then they promptly went to Christian's ring intro. They cut to Josh Matthews and Matt Striker introducing the show at ringside. Striker said Christian's win last week was tainted due to the exposed turnbuckle.

(1) Shelton Benjamin pinned Christian in 11:00. Matthews said Shelton is hungry, ready to make an impact on ECW. Two minutes into a good start to the match, Christian climbed to the top rope. Vladimir Kozlov's music played and he walked out. That distraction led to Shelton knocking him to the floor. Vlad walked right past Christian. As Matthews wondered aloud what he was doing out there, the cut to the first break. [c] Kozlov joined Matthews and Striker on commentary. He broke into Russian in his answers to their questions. Striker asked Vlad if there's anything that makes him happy. He said, "Of course, when I win." Striker said in that case he wants to see him win all the time. Christian fought back after Shelton worked over his arm at 9:00, but Shelton reapplied a Fujiwara armbreaker. Christian escaped and gave him a reverse DDT, but Shelton again came back by catching Christian coming off the top rope and driving his arm into the mat for a near fall. Shelton charged the corner, but Christian moved. Christian went for a Kill Switch, shoved Christian into the corner, and then hit Pay Dirt for the surprising clean upset with. Solid match. The announcers said the turning point of the match was Vladimir's distraction mid-match. (**1/4)

Hurricane interviewed Ezekiel, who said he took time off to get himself in the best shape of his life. He flexed his bicep. Hurricane asked if he was trying to step out of the shadow of his former associate, The Brian Kendrick. Ezekiel said Kendrick hired him because Kendrick needed him, but now the most important person is himself. Good basic promo. He's showing some presence in general that could justify elevating him to a main part of the mix as long as he can also deliver in the ring. [c]

WWE Fact: Last month over 100 million photos were viewed of Divas at WWE.com.

(2) Yoshi Tatsu beat Paul Burchill (w/Katie Lea Burchill) in 3:00. After a near fall by Burchill that ended with the ref stopping the count because they were in the ropes, Burchill complained. As he complained, Yatsu recovered and KO'd Burchill with a kick and scored the sudden three count. Yatsu continues to look like a good addition to the mix. [c]

They plugged ZZ Top would be guest hosting Raw next week.

Tiffany was texting when Tyler Rex walked into her office and said he appreciates the opportunities he's giving her. She said he's doing well on Superstars. He said he'd like to get a match on ECW next week. She flirtatiously said that could be arranged. Not very professional, huh? But realistic.

(3) Goldust pinned Zach Ryder in 5:00. Striker noted that Goldust has held 18 titles, which sounded impressive, until he noted that he was a nine-time Hardcore Champion. That might have been achieved in one single match the way they booked ridiculous Hardcore Title stipulations back when they were trying to demean and render meaningless the whole "hardcore" movement that annoyed WWE management. At 4:00 Goldust scored a near fall after an elbow off the second rope. Ruder threw Goldust into the middle turnbuckle seconds later and then finished Goldust with the Zack Attack for the sudden win. Striker called it a huge victory. Matthews said it could be considered an upset. Striker agreed. Yeah, a surprising finish, but ECW booking is elevating some people into the main mix rather than going with predictable finishes. Ryder has an obnoxious personality that could earn him a steady mid-card spot, but getting past that with his gimmick could be tough. Solid match. I'd still argue Goldust is worthy of a more serious push than being a stepping stone, though, for a guy like Ryder. (*1/4)

The Raw Rebound aired. [c]

They showed Striker and Matthews at ringside. Striker said there's a hero among us. They went back to Hurricane saving a woman from falling off a ladder last week in one of the cornier segments in years on WWE TV.

(4) "Celtic Warrior" Sheamus beat Roman Cornell in 2:00. Sheamus cut a brief promo on his opponent, getting in his face and declaring his Irish pride. He said he'll soon be the most dominant Superstar in ECW. Striker noted he's not short on confidence. Striker said Cornell designs Apps for the iPhone for a living. Interesting random fact. He won quickly with a urinage into a backbreaker. [c]

(5) Vladimir Kozlov pinned Tommy Dreamer in 4:00. This match began 58 minutes into the hour, so it wasn't going to last long. Striker said some are questioning Dreamer taking this match. Dreamer caught a charging knee by Kozlov, but he no-sold a subsequent head into the turnbuckle. Dreamer kicked him between the legs in the thigh and then schoolboyed him for a near fall. Dreamer followed with a dropkick and a "flying" clothesline (Dreamer doesn't really fly; he falls.) Kozlov came back with headbutts to the chest and then hit a belly-to-belly for a two count. Dreamer jackknifed Kozlov for a near fall. When Dreamer climbed to the top rope, Kozlov knocked him off balance and went on the attack. He finished the champ with his Iron Curtain finisher. (*1/4)

When Kozlov went after Dreamer afterward with a submission hold, Christian ran out for the save, but he mistakenly charged into Dreamer when Kozlov moved.

THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, NITPICKS


CHRISTIAN VS. SHELTON: Matthews may be the first announcer to properly call a wheel kick by its proper name in the course of a match, a standard tae kwon do kick. Some announcers over the years have been praised for knowing names of wrestling holds, but none has gone to the trouble to learn the basic differences between a side kick, round kick, wheel kick, hook kick, thrust kick, axe kick, and front kick. It's not tough to distinguish between them in most cases... Shelton's appears to now be shot into the top tier of ECW with this relatively untainted win over the no. 1 contender. Good match, and it's the type of match that can help Shelton be taken seriously as a main eventer in the ECW context.

YOSHI TATSU VS. BURCHILL; I still think it's strange that Tatsu comes out to early 1980s game show music. At least that's what it sounds like to me. Tune in to GSN one these days and listen to the music of those older game shows. It's like the theme to "Password Plus" or some show from that era... Striker talked about how "Japanese rookies or young boys" are treated to beatings in dojos to teach them to be tough and have a fighting spirit. I'm not sure if the term "young boys" should be used out of the cultural context when talking in the same sentence about "taking beatings"... One thing I like about Striker and Matthews on commentary is that they're not afraid to have ten seconds of silence now and again. There are certain shows (***coughimpactcough***) where there's just such an incessant streak of commentary it's numbing and exhausting... I also love Striker calling a suplex by Burchull the "Saito Suplex," a flashback to my days watching the AWA in the 1980s. Saito's suplex was fantastic and deserved to have his name attached to it...

GOLDUST VS. RYDER: Ryder's one-legged wrestling tights are enough alone to move him into the top ten most wrestlers in WWE... Striker noted that Goldust has held 18 titles, which sounded impressive, until he noted that he was a nine-time Hardcore Champion. That might have been achieved in one single match the way they booked ridiculous Hardcore Title stipulations back when they were trying to demean and render meaningless the whole "hardcore" movement that annoyed WWE management.

DREAMER VS. KOZLOV: I'm all for upsets and building new stars, but it takes a little steam out of the ECW Title match at NOC to have Christian lose to Shelton and have champ Dreamer loser to Kozlov. It feels like a title match between two wrestlers on cold streaks... Dreamer got a decent match out of Kozlov, or at least a good enough match that it showed off Kozlov's killer instinct and Dreamer's spirited fighting style...

QUOTEBOOK

Matt Striker: "Of all the flamboyant personalities to grace our one-of-a-kind industry, from Gorgeous George to Ricky Starr to "Adorable" Adrian Adonis, far and away the most unique and bizarre individual is that man, Goldust."

Matt Striker: "I think [ZZ Top] wrote their song 'Legs' after our G.M., Tiffany."

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