Full Credit: Phil DiLiegro, F4WOnline.com
ECW TV Report for February 10, 2009
Live from Fresno, California
Jack Swagger opened up the program and was unhappy with being victimized each of the last two weeks and having to defend the ECW championship against Finlay. Swagger should not be the type of heel running from challenges. He then asked for the real problem, Hornswoggle, to come out. Instead, Christian (Cage) came out as Todd Grisham said in the most matter-of-fact manner possible: “It’s Christian.” After his lame new music died down, there was a mild “Christian” chant. He then made fun of Swagger’s lisp and called out to his peeps. He challenged the winner of Swagger and Finlay to a championship match. Swagger put himself over as an All-American and a wrestling prodigy. The crowd started with the “what?” chants, which I really hope aren’t suddenly going to be in vogue again. Christian then threw one punch and left which was the identical conclusion to Raw’s opening segment. As a regular viewer of ECW, I’m happy to see Christian here, but one has to wonder how he feels after nearly getting a far more prestigious (and lucrative) gig on Smackdown opposite Jeff Hardy.
After the break, Jack Swagger ran into Teddy Long who signed Christian (good call) and then made a match between Swagger and Christian for later tonight (bad call).
Tommy Dreamer v. The Miz
They replayed last week’s segment between Dreamer and the tag champions. They started on the floor and the Miz shoved Dreamer into the guardrail. Miz went for something off of the apron but Dreamer eluded him and Miz hit the rail. Miz retook the advantage and went to a chin lock as the crowd chanted for Dreamer. Dreamer came back with a clothesline, bulldog and spinebuster for a near fall. Tommy hit a neckbreaker for another near fall. Morrison then jumped up on the apron, leading to a distraction. The finish then came out of nowhere as Miz hit a jawbreaker out of the position he would be in as if were about to take a uranage (Rock bottom). That sounds creative but it looked awkward on television and led to a flat finish.
Afterward, Dreamer sold the move as if it knocked him out. In case there was any question what the storyline is, Grisham pointed out that Dreamer is now 0-3 since giving his point-of-no-return date of June 6. Because nothing builds up a babyface for a final chase at the title like a losing streak.
Miz d. Dreamer, Pin, 3:02, *.
Backstage, Jamie Noble was complaining to Teddy Long about the Boogey Man when Natalya interrupted with Tyson Kidd. Kidd is really TJ Wilson. Natalya mentioned Kidd was trained by her Uncle Bret in the Dungeon; they could have spelled it out clearer that they meant Bret Hart and the Hart Family Dungeon. It has been almost nine years since Bret Hart has been an active wrestler and a sizable portion of the audience may not know much of him. Kidd shot a putdown at Noble to end the segment. Tyson Kidd, an obvious play on NBA star Jason Kidd, is about as silly a name as Kenny Dykstra.
The announcers ran down the No Way Out card, making sure to begin with the Shane McMahon-Randy Orton match. Backstage, Hornswoggle was running around in Christian’s locker room. Finlay walked in and said that Christian would have to go through him to become ECW champion.
Tyson Kidd v. Bao Nguyen
Kidd was billed by Striker as the last graduate of the Dungeon. Kidd started with a series of sharp kicks with Nguyen on the mat. He hit an atomic drop and a spinning heel kick. He then went for a brief chinlock (in a two minute squash!). Kidd then finished shortly thereafter with a springboard elbow. They should not make that his finisher since it’s too similar to the trademarks of both Rey Mysterio and John Morrison. After the match, Jamie Noble motioned at Kidd from the top of the ramp.
Kidd squash, Pin, 1:28.
Jack Swagger v. Christian
This is a non-title match. I’m not sure that there is a good finish since Christian certainly should not lose in his first match in and Swagger should not lose two weeks in a row. In that case, it begs the question why this match is ever taking place to begin with. Swagger started with a takedown and held a waist lock for a bit. Swagger missed a charge and Christian went to a roll up for a one count. Christian got a two count off of a sunset flip off the second rope. Swagger took a powder while Finlay and Hornswoggle walked to the ring. After the break, Finlay was on commentary while Swagger hit a swinging neckbreaker into an inside cradle. Swagger held a waist lock for a bit while they showed Swagger gorilla pressing Christian to the floor during the commercial. Why do a big spot like that during a break? Swagger did some work in the corner and went back to the waist lock. Christian made his comeback with a big tornado DDT for a near fall. Christian connected with a reverse DDT but missed a flying headbutt off of the top rope (not banned anymore, I suppose). Swagger covered for a two count off of that. Back standing, Christian went for the unprettier but Swagger powered out. Swagger came back with a uranage. He teased suplexing Christian from the apron back onto the announce table, but Christian knocked Swagger back. Swagger then threw Christian across the table and into Finlay. Back inside, Swagger exposed a turnbuckle pad and set up Christian for the electric chair onto it. But Hornswoggle was distracting the referee, allowing Finlay to hit Swagger in the leg with the shillelagh. Christian then did connect with the unprettier to pin Swagger. “It was three guys against one!” Matt Striker exclaimed.
The match was a reasonable enough first outing back for Christian, but I still wonder what purpose this match served. If Christian-Swagger is going to be the main feature on this show going forward, it doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense to give the match away on night now. Particularly when the message being sent at the conclusion of the match is that the new top guy needed the help of two other babyfaces to win.
Christian d. Swagger, Pin, 11:47, **¾.
