Full Credit: F4WOnline.com
CW TV Report for April 28, 2009
From Madison Square Garden
Christian opened up the program by saying that this was the greatest night of his career because he was standing in Madison Square Garden as a champion. He invited Jack Swagger to interrupt him, but instead he got Tommy Dreamer (in a two-piece suit). The crowd chanted ECW as Dreamer congratulated Christian. Dreamer then reiterated the long ignored promise he made to win the ECW championship before June 6, else he would retire. He challenged Christian to a championship match. Christian said he wanted the match tonight. That brought out Swagger who said he was cheated last night. He pointed out that Dreamer asking for a title match was a joke (which is true, because they buried Dreamer for months). He then said he was having his rematch at Judgment Day. That brought out Tiffany, “a female politician New York can be proud of” said Matt Striker. She proceeded to nearly ruin the segment with her unbelievable (as in not at all believable or credible) lines, making the match between Christian and Dreamer.
Save for the Tiffany nuisance, this segment was substantially better than its equivalent last night on Raw. It went only six minutes as opposed to nearly twenty which made a big difference. They basically cut out the needless stalling, posing and going for cheap heat by insulting the crowd and said what needed to be said. Swagger’s mic work has improved quite a bit in just a few months; in his first or second TV promo, he bombed live prompting one fan to shout “You’re making me sleepy!” over deafening silence. Tonight, he did a very credible job and was quite over.
Finlay v. Tyson Kidd
Tyson took an early powder off of a shoulder block. Tyson went up to the second rope and missed a dropkick. Finlay went into a half-Boston crab. He broke it on his own and clotheslined Kidd to the floor. Returning, Finlay hit a senton before Kidd hit a leg kick. Kidd then started with elbows and kicks to the left leg. He held a leg lock on the canvas for a while maneuvering into an Indian death lock. Finlay bridged out of ankle lock, but Kidd went right back to the leg lock. Finlay broke the hold and hit elbows. He caught Kidd with a boot in the corner and got a near fall off of the backslide. Finlay hit a couple of clotheslines and a scoop slam for another near fall. Finlay then tried for the Celtic cross, but sold the leg as he couldn’t him. Kidd then hit a spinning heel kick sending Finlay to the floor. Kidd tried for a baseball slide but Finlay caught him in the apron. Back inside, Natalya provided a distraction allowing Kidd to smack Finlay in the knee with the shillelagh. That led to the deciding pin. This was a fun match built around the effective selling of Finlay’s left knee.
Kidd d. Finlay, 10:48, Pin, ***.
Gregory Helms was introduced as the newest member of the ECW broadcast team. He began to interview Evan Bourne. Bourne said he had championship aspirations and was interrupted by Paul Burchill. Burchill just said that he had a rematch with Bourne on Superstars.
During the next commercial, they changed plans for Smackdown’s number one contender match. It went from a five-man scramble match to a four-way match between Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio & Kane.
ECW Championship: Christian v. Tommy Dreamer
Christian hit a couple of arm drags to begin and then a spinning heel kick. Both guys tried for their finisher early on with no success. Dreamer tried a backslide for a two count. Dreamer hit a body slam for a near fall as the match went to a commercial break. Upon return, Tommy missed a charge and rammed into the ring post. Christian then held an arm bar for a bit. Christian went for a single-arm DDT for a two count. A missile dropkick led to yet another near fall. Dreamer then turned it around with a superplex. Both guys sold the move for a moment before Dreamer crawled over for a near fall. Both men got to their feet and Dreamer hit a clothesline sending both of them over the top rope and onto the floor. Christian tired to come in off of the top rope but Dreamer caught him with a fist. Dreamer followed with a clothesline, flapjack and a reverse DDT for a near fall. They traded near falls off a sunset flip and inside cradle. Christian then took a Curt Hennig-esque bump off of a clothesline. Dreamer put Christian in the tree of woe when Jack Swagger ran in to end the match. Swagger hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Dreamer and then flung Dreamer into Christian in the corner. He hit Christian with the red, white and blue thunder bomb.
The match started slowly but built nicely at the end, almost to the point where you could see Dreamer winning before the ending.
Christian NC Dreamer, 13:51, ***.
By the way, ECW moves back to Tuesday nights at 10:00pm ET beginning next Tuesday in the US on the SciFi Network.
