The ECW Digest - 1st September 2009
01/09/2009
Hello and welcome the all new ECW Digest.
As you’ve probably noticed if you are a regular visitor, a few things have changed this week.
We’ve done away with the old ‘all 4 shows on 1 post’ format (for now at least) and decided to go with a standalone page for each one.
At first it might seem a bit complicated, bouncing between pages and all, but we promise it’ll make things way easier in terms of finding specific matches etc.
We’d love to know what you think about the changes so please feel free to get in touch via the Contact Us page, or any of the usual email addresses.
(By the way, the banners are purely temporary. We kind of rushed this idea through at the last minute and didn’t have time to get anything a bit better made.)
On with the show!
Quick Links
Opening Match: Shelton Benjamin Vs. Zack Ryder
Segment 1: The Abraham Washington Show with Gregory Helms
Match 2: Kozlov & Jackson Vs. Tolar & Parks
Segment 2: HBK Vs. Taker Encore Presentation
Main Event: Goldust Vs. Sheamus in a Hardcore Match
The ECW Digest
Opening Match
Singles Match
Shelton Benjamin
Vs.
Zack Ryder
Another bout in the developing rivalry between out and out heel Zack Ryder and ‘tweener Shelton Benjamin kicks off ECW this week.
This match seemed to be rushed through a little, as I expect most matches on tonight’s ECW broadcast will be.
The reason for this is that they are showing an Encore Presentation of the Undertaker Vs. HBK match from WrestleMania XXV.
That’s great for everyone who hasn’t seen it before, and to be honest it’s such a great match I don’t mind watching it again, although it does mean this edition of the ECW Digest is going to be pretty short.
Benjamin picked up the win here with a PayDirt although Ryder looked good and controlled a lot of the bout.
Shelton Benjamin wins by Pinfall.
Segment 1
The Abraham Washington Show with Gregory Helms
This week Tony Atlas introduced the Abraham Washington show.
It looks like this might become a permanent gig for the Hall of Famer, as he and Washington worked together pretty well.
Washington insulted Cleveland’s own Arsenio Hall and Lebron James while Atlas emitted big booming chuckles after every punchline.
Washington brought Helms out and immediately asked him the question on everyone’s lips: Are you The Hurricane?
Helms denied being The Hurricane, which incited more guffawing from Atlas, then explained how he had retired from active competition due to a neck injury and was now just a member of the reporting team on ECW.
Washington clearly didn’t believe this and called Helms Mufasa, aka the Lion King… get it? Lion-Lying. He then brought out Paul Burchill, accompanied as always by Katie Lea.
Atlas immediately began hitting on Katie Lea, then Burchill called Helms a fraud and said he’d keep beating him down until he told the truth.
The ‘Hurri-Cam’ then appeared on the titan-tron, where The Hurricane challenged Burchill to a match next week.
Burchill accepted then left the stage as the segment came to a close, Atlas chuckling and dancing as it did.
Match 2
Tag Team Match
Vladimir Kozlov & Ezekiel Jackson (w/William Regal)
Vs.
Mike Tolar & Jim Parks
Oh wonderful, despite the mini storyline between Kozlov and Jackson coming to a close, the two of them are still facing a pair of jobbers rather than some actual competition.
I couldn’t find anything about these guys to tell you, other than Tolar is Cleveland based and has participated in a few other WWE matches, jobbing to Cryme Tyme and Jesse & Festus in the past.
Unsurprisingly Kozlov and Jackson destroyed the home-town boy and his partner without much resistance, Kozlov picking up the pin with the Iron Curtain.
I suppose the one saving grace of this tag team is that Kozlov’s matches are around 50% less awful.
After the bell Regal jumped in the ring and punished Tolar with The Regal Stretch until Christian appeared from the back.
Regal begged him to come to the ring and Christian said he would, although he isn’t coming alone.
Tommy Dreamer emerged and Regal scoffed at how they are still weaker than the coalition he has put together.
Dreamer pulled a pair of Kendo Sticks from the back of his shirt and handed one to his partner, before beating down Regal’s henchmen, sending the three of them fleeing up the ramp.
Vladimir Kozlov & Ezekiel Jackson win by Pinfall.
Segment 2
HBK Vs. Taker Encore Presentation
This wasn’t a full re-showing of the amazing match between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, but rather a WWE-Style promo video of the ‘highlights’.
Well we at WWEBlog.co.uk don’t believe our readers should ever have to settle for half-measures, so here is the whole match from start to finish, as copied from our WrestleMania XXV Live Results! Enjoy!
The Undertaker Vs. Shawn Michaels
HBK enters the arena in his White Undertaker getup, ascending as if from heaven on a smoke covered podium. As the podium hits the ground pyro’s erupt in front of him, giving him the opportunity to remove his coat and hat, when the pyro’s die down his music kicks in and he makes his way down the ramp.
The Undertaker emerged upwards through the staging at the top of the ramp, seemingly as if emerging from Hell, before raising his arms and triggering a selection of flame-y pyro’s, furthering the Heaven Vs. Hell angle it appears they are going for. Taker’s entrance isn’t a patch on what it has been at past Mania’s; no druids, no flaming torches, very little smoke.
Taker brings up the house lights and the camera pans out, on a side note you’ll be glad to know so far the status of the Spanish Announce table is: OK.
The bell rings and the match is on!
Michaels pretends to tweak his knee early on, only to take advantage and knock the Undertaker to the ground when he came close enough. As expected the crowd are completely divided, with ‘Lets go Michaels’ and ‘Lets go Taker’ chants battling each other as fiercely as the competitors are in the ring.
Taker hits ‘Old School’ and looks to be in charge but one reversal later and The Showstopper is in control, working on Taker’s legs and starting up another Taker/HBK chant battle in the crowd.
Figure 4 locked in by HBK and Taker seems to be suffering, J.R points out for the slower WWE fans that “Michaels cannot be Chokeslammed from this position, or Tombstoned.” Taker breaks the hold and begins to mount offence again, culminating with a Snake eyes, into a big boot and then a leg drop which got a 2 count.
Attempted Chokeslam reversed into a Crippler Crossface (are we still allowed to call it that?), Taker fights through it then rolls it into a cover, but HBK kicks out and keeps the Crossface cinched in.
Taker fights out and the two go at it again…
Michaels begins his finishing combo with two atomic drops, but The Deadman sits up as HBK went to the top rope for the big elbow and prevents it. HBK reverses a chokeslam attempt and delivers a form of Sweet Chin Music to Taker’s knee (yup, his knee) then goes for the Figure 4, but Taker reverses it into a Hells Gate. Michaels barely makes it to the ropes to break the submission, it really is back and forth stuff here!
Michaels half-botches a Moonsault from the top rope, which Taker dodges. Michaels seems to have inured his wrist on the outside, but as the official pleads with him to call an end to the match HBK refuses. Taker goes to dive over the top rope, but HBK pulls the cameraman into his path. Taker botches it completely, not getting the required distance and his head spikes into the floor, this could be a serious injury here.
HBK drags the ref (who also got knocked down) back into the ring and begs him to count Taker out, which be begins to do. Surely it can’t end this way.
Taker begins to stir around 4 and just breaks the count on around 9 and 99/100ths. HBK begins to tune up the band.
Taker dodges Sweet Chin Music and hits a massive Chokeslam, but HBK kicks out before the 3. Moments later Taker kicks out after a Sweet Chin Music! This really is amazing stuff and for a match I didn’t really think I cared about, I’m thinking it’s by far the best bout so far.
Shawn manages to avoid a Last Ride, but then gets drilled with one on the second attempt, but kicks out which no one (including myself) can believe. J.R is stunned, The King is stunned, I haven’t heard Cole for a while so I assume he’s stunned, the crowd can’t believe what they are seeing. Taker goes for a HBK style top rope elbow but misses, what more can possibly happen here?
Shawn ’skins the cat’ straight into a Tombstone position and gets drilled, surely that’s it! No! HBK kicks out AGAIN.
HBK counters Taker’s Tombstone set-up into a spinning DDT and now Mr WrestleMania is literally dragging himself to the top rope to go for the big elbow. Hits it! Sweet Chin Music….Hits it! Cover..1..2..Kick Out! Oh my this is an instant classic!
HBK back to the top rope, Moonsault caught into another Tombstone and that has to be it! Yes! 17-0.
Amazing, simply put absolutely amazing. It was almost a shame that one of these guys had to lose after that, and the rest of the matches on the card will really have to go some to beat that one.
J.R summed it up by saying ‘as a wrestling fan, how could you ask for anything more?’ Spectacular and worth the price of the DVD alone when it comes out.
The Undertaker wins by Pinfall.
Main Event Match
No Count Out No Disqualification Match
Sheamus
Vs.
Goldust
Isn’t this just a Hardcore match? O.K so the pinfall has to take place in the ring, but other than that it’s just a Hardcore match right?
Sheamus began the match very aggressively, pushing Goldust into the corner and shouting ‘Your Nothin’ Fella!’ while he rubbed his forearm into his face.
This seemed to fire up The Bizarre One, who broke free from the corner and began to control the match both on the inside and the outside of the ring.
The tables turned once more as Sheamus whipped Goldust into the turnbuckle.
Doesn’t sound too bad, right?
Well the difference maker in this situation was that Goldust was on the apron at the time and hit the solid steel post rather than the relatively soft padding.
From here the Celtic Warrior came into his own, punishing the injured back at every opportunity with submission holds and stiff shots, allowing Goldust no time to recover or mount some countering offence.
After what seemed like an age Goldust eventually started battling back, grabbing a couple of near fall for his troubles.
However, it was too little too late for the veteran who lost the bout after getting hit with a massive Pump Kick followed by the Irish Curse (a kind of Rock Bottom into a Backbreaker.)
Sheamus wins by Pinfall.
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