ECW on SyFy
Cleveland, OH
September 1st 2009
Commentators: Josh Mathews & Matt Striker
Reported by: David Stephens of WrestleView.com
Are you ready? Then stop questioning your heart and join me, because it’s time for ECW on SyFy!
Shelton Benjamin v. Zack Ryder
The two lock up and Ryder is quick to grasp the advantage. Shelton dodges and hits a back body drop. Shelton whips Zack into the corner and goes for a splash, but Ryder counters. Zack hits a neck breaker square on to the Gold Standard. Zack locks in a rear headlock, but Shelton is able to lift him high into the air. Before Shelton can slam him down, Ryder connects with a leg lariat. Zack goes for the cover, but Shelton kicks out.
Ryder jumps to the side and locks on a side headlock. Shelton gradually makes his way to his feet. Shelton leaps to the top rope and flies back connecting with a crossbody. Shelton follows this up with a back body drop and then whips Ryder into the corner. This time Shelton does connect with a splash. Shelton hits a springboard Blockbuster, much to the crowd’s delight. Shelton seizes the opportunity to connect with Pay Dirt, and this match is over.
Winner via Pay Dirt: Shelton Benjamin
****Commercial****
Abraham Washington Show
Tony Atlas is out in a suit and takes the job of introducing Abe. Abraham spends a lot of time putting himself over, dissing Cleveland, and mucking it up with Tony Atlas. As a matter of fact Atlas is essentially playing the role of music guy as he just laughs at everything Abe is saying. Washington introduces tonight’s guest, Gregory Helms.
Washington attempts to have Helms admit that he is the Hurricane. Helms flat out denies it, and instead attempts to put over his own solo career accomplishments. Washington introduces Burchill who comes out with his sister in toe. He berates Helms for a little bit completely attacking him for his Hurricane dual personality farce. They go back and forth for a bit and reveal that they will be wrestling in a match next week on ECW. The segment ends with each man staring eye to eye and Tony Atlas chortling in the background.
****Commercial****
Kozlov & Jackson w/ Regal v. 2 local jobbers
A quick squash despite the valiant efforts of the jobbers.
Winners via Pre-Destined Fate: Kozlov & Jackson
After the match Christian comes out to the entrance ramp. Regal is in the ring and invites him to come down for a fight. Christian says he will, but he isn?t coming down by himself. Dreamer’s music plays and he makes his way out to the ramp. Regal starts laughing that Dreamer is Christian’s selection. Christian agrees that they are out matched, but says ?that’s why we brought these?. Tommy Dreamer pulls Singapore Canes out of his, uh back pockets. They run to the ring and clear out their foes.
****Commercial****
Special Encore Presentation of Shawn Michaels v. Undertaker from Wrestlemania 25
****Commercial****
Sheamus v. Goldust
Neither man is happy to see the other as they square off for this No Count out, No Disqualification match. Sheamus and Goldust exchange a couple of slaps, and then Goldust connects with a drop kick. Sheamus rolls out of the ring, and Dust follows right after. Goldust knocks him down on the entrance ramp as we head to commercial.
****Commercial****
We come back just as Goldust is clothes lining Sheamus out of the ring. Both men tumble out, and Goldust rolls Sheamus back in. Dust jumps up to the apron, but Sheamus throws him back first into the steel post. Sheamus heads back out of the ring, and slams Dust down on the outside. Sheamus then starts to lay in with a series of knee stomps. Sheamus rolls him back into the ring, and goes for a cover but Dust kicks out.
Sheamus grabs Goldust’s neck and starts to go to work on the glittering Superstar. Sheamus counters Dust’s signature drop down punch. Sheamus pull Dust over to the corner and then wrenches on his body, pulling it against the steel post. Sheamus pulls him back in to the ring and pulls on both of Dust’s arms applying pressure to the upper back. The crowd is behind Dust.
Goldust almost makes his way to his feet, but Sheamus pulls him right back down. Dust uses his elbows to escape from the side headlock. He follows this up by exchanging a series or punches with Sheamus. Dust has a sense of new found desire and connects with a shoulder block, and then sends Sheamus into the corner. Sheamus knocks him down, but Goldust goes for a roll up! Sheamus kicks out.
Sheamus is starting to wear down and escapes to the outside of the ring. Dust leaps off the apron to connect with a clothesline to the outside! Sheamus rolls back into the ring to catch his breath. Sheamus comes back out only to get sent into the steel post by Goldie.
Both men are back in the ring and Goldust goes for a bulldog, but Sheamus uses his momentum to throw him past. Sheamus uses the ropes for leverage to apply pressure on Goldust’s sternum. Dust is whipped into the ropes, and this time hits his drop down punch! Sheamus connects with a kick to the face out of nowhere! Sheamus hits his backbreaker, and this match is over!
Winner via Back Breaker: Sheamus
ECW Thoughts
Not a bad show tonight. Not one that I pulled the feather quill and papyrus out for, but it was a fun show. ECW once again managed to get nearly everybody on at some point, without making it seem like the show was crowded. At first I was skeptical about the Undertaker v. Michaels match being shown, but they did it in a quick highlight fashion so it did not overshadow ECW.
I was surprised to see Shelton back to being ?the good guy?. He showcased his new style by incorporating a lot more high flying moves into his arsenal. The crowd was behind him at the end and the two had a solid, fun opener.
The Abraham Washington show was all sorts of awesome tonight. The addition of Tony Atlas is possibly the best thing that they could have done. He and Washington were working great together, and honestly I couldn?t stop laughing at his belly rumbling chortles. I?ve said it since the beginning and I’ll say it again, Abraham Washington rocks!
The jobber match with Kozlov & Jackson was nothing out of the ordinary, but the end with Christian and Dreamer was great. Tommy pulled those kendo sticks out like he was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I look forward to next week’s match.
The main event was out of this world. First of all, when is the last time you thought Goldust had a shot at main eventing a show? His rejuvenation since coming over to ECW has been incredible to watch. He has mastered the ability of putting younger guys over, while still making himself seem credible.
Quote of the week has to go out to Gregory Helms who posted this on Twitter:
“Wrestled Sheamus tonight. He’s so white he sucked the pigment outta my skin!!”
Power Rankings
3 Month Rolling Rankings; ECW Title Win 5, ECW Title Loss 4, ECW Win 3, ECW Loss 2, ECW Appearance 1, PPV Title Win 10, PPV Title Loss 8, PPV Win 6, PPV Loss 4, PPV Appearance 2.
June 2nd ? September 1st 2009
1. Christian ? 67 pts. [l.w. 1]2. Tommy Dreamer ? 51 pts. [l.w. 2]3. Kozlov ? 28 pts. [l.w. 3]4. Zach Ryder – 21 pts. [l.w. 4]5. Ezekiel Jackson – 20 pts. [l.w. 7]6. Yoshi Tatsu – 19 pts. [l.w. 4]
6. Sheamus – 19 pts. [l.w. 8]8. Shelton Benjamin – 18 pts. [l.w. 6]9. Paul Burchill ? 15 pts. [l.w. 9]
10. Tyler Reks – 14 pts. [l.w. 9]
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– David Stephens
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