The ECW Digest - 22nd September 2009
22/09/2009
Hello and welcome the all new ECW Digest.
We’re sticking with the new look for now as we’ve had some pretty positive feedback.
We’d still 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 Segment: The Abraham Washington Show
Match 1: Paul Burchill Vs. Yoshi Tatsu
Segment 2: Zack Ryder Interviewed
Segment 3: Katie-Lea Burchill Interviewed…Kind Of
Match 2: Jackson & Kozlov Vs. Brady & Young
Segment 4: Regal Warns The Bizarre One
Main Event: Zack Ryder Vs. Christian
The ECW Digest
Opening Segment
The Abraham Washington Show
Once again Tony Atlas introduces Abraham Washington, who subsequently introduces Sheamus as his guest tonight.
Sheamus emerges in a nifty waistcoat/shirt combo and flat cap, shakes hands with the host and then sits down.
Washington puts on some shades and asks Tony if it just got a lot whiter in the arena. He then pokes fun at how pasty Sheamus is and the Celtic Warrior fires back by saying he’s pleased to be on the set of Sanford and Son.
Washington asks what’s going on with him and Shelton Benjamin.
Sheamus calls Benjamin a ‘tea leaf’ (that means thief for anyone who isn’t up on cockney rhyming slang) before being interrupted by Tony Atlas who bursts out laughing.
Washington asks what he finds so funny and he says Sheamus reminds him of the Lucky Charms Leprechaun, leading to some more jokes at the Irishman’s expense.
They then talk about how Sheamus eliminated Shelton after already being eliminated last week in the #1 contenders battle royale, before Washington introduces his second guest for the evening; Shelton Benjamin.
Shelton joins them and after some lighthearted banter with Washington, he explains the concept of a team to Sheamus.
Sheamus talks about how they come from very different backgrounds and explains that he comes from a long line of noble warriors.
Shelton says he’s researched Sheamus’ past and he’s discovered that he is indeed descended from a long line of ‘legends’.
He then put up a ‘family tree’ picture which featured the likes of Ronald McDonald, Pipi Longstockings and Carrot Top, sending Atlas into a laughter overdrive.
Things quickly escalated into a brawl and the two had to be held apart by security as the segment ended.
Match 1
Singles Match
Paul Burchill (w/Katie-Lea)
Vs.
Yoshi Tatsu
Tatsu and Burchill put on a really good match here to open ECW and I don’t think it’ll be long before both guys are moved onto bigger and better things, although Tatsu is really on a knife edge right now.
He’s insanely popular with the crowd, his matches are always entertaining and other than his first few bouts I haven’t seen him put a foot wrong, no pun intended.
However, he has no character and he doesn’t seem to have that much of an on-screen personality, although I’ll admit he’s hardly had a chance to display his skills outside of the ring so far.
IF the guys behind the scenes can come up with something compelling for this guy to do I think he could be really big, but it seems more likely that he’ll either stay on ECW for a while picking up meaningless wins, or he’ll get moved to one of the big two and hover around the US/IC Title picture before losing popularity and being released.
He picked up the win against Burchill in this one after landing what is fast becoming a trademark Kick.
Yoshi Tatsu wins by Pinfall.
Segment 2
Zack Ryder Interviewed
Backstage one of the new interviewers (who’s name I’m still not sure of) asked Ryder about his title match tonight, saying it has to be the biggest night of his career.
Ryder said that unlike most people he doesn’t squander his opportunities, he earns them, just like he did last week.
He wrapped up by saying he’s going to take the title tonight.
Segment 3
Katie-Lea Burchill Interviewed…Kind Of
Backstage Paul Burchill and his sister seem to be looking for someone.
Paul dashes off behind a handily placed curtain while Katie-Lea is approached by roving reporter Gregory Helms.
He asks about her match tonight but she rambles on about it being his fault her brother keeps losing.
Paul then returns and jumps Helms, beating him to the floor and and saying that he’s not finished with him by a long shot.
Match 2
Singles Match
Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov (w/William Regal)
Vs.
Dustin Brady & Brandon Young
Now admittedly I didn’t search very hard, but I couldn’t find any information about the ‘local talent’ in this match at all.
The best I can offer you this week is that there is also a singer named Brandon Young, although I didn’t listen to any of his music so he could well be awful.
If you know anything about either of these guys, other than the fact Kozlov & Jackson squashed them to a pulp, get in touch!
Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov win by Pinfall.
Segment 4
Regal Warns The Bizarre One
After watching his bodyguards successfully destroy two no-namers, Regal and his ‘Round Table’ are walking backstage when they bump into Goldust.
Regal says he’s been looking for The Bizarre One to remind him that they have a match on Superstars.
Goldust says he is looking forward to it but Regal says he isn’t, branding it a joke along with tonight’s ECW Championship Match and Goldust himself.
Goldust says he’ll show Regal who the joke is but Jackson & Kozlov step forward to protect their leader.
Regal says he is the only one with the prestige to hold the ECW Championship, which he will prove to Goldust on Superstars.
Main Event Match
ECW Championship Match
Christian (c)
Vs.
Zack Ryder
I really really like Christian, but I can’t help but root for Ryder in this one, as unlikely as it is he’s going to win tonight.
Christian is wasted on ECW.
The top of the Smackdown card is weak and while it could do with heels more than it could do with faces, I think Christian would fit in perfectly at the top of the blue brand, perhaps feuding with C.M Punk or even (dare I say it) Kane.
Ryder started this bout confidently, taking the battle to Christian and actually controlling the pace in the early going.
After Ryder managed to score a succession of near falls in mere minutes Christian finally began showing signs of life, battling out of the corner and grabbing a 2 count of his own.
After briefly battling on the apron Ryder was able to throw Christian into the Steel Steps, which seemed to take a lot out of the ECW Champ.
Ryder then capitalised on this, locking Christian in a Leg Scissors before delivering a big knee to the midsection and covering for another long 2 count.
Every time Christian began to mount some offence in this match Ryder seemed to have an answer, countering move after move and inching ever closer to upsetting the Champ and taking the gold.
After hitting the Rough Ryder Leg Drop, it looked like Ryder might have the title in his grasp but Christian was able to kick out and the match continued.
It was also Christian who managed to hit a big move when it counted, combining a flying Elbow with the KillSwitch to pick up a very hard fought victory.
Kudos to Ryder for this performance, I think it shows how much faith they have in the young guy by making it such a contest.
After the bell Regal came down to the ring alone and began spouting about how it won’t be long before he is #1 Contender again and subsequently the Champion.
Christian, seemingly fed up with listening to Regal’s claims, drilled the Englishman and sent him fleeing from the ring before laying the title belt out in the ring and indicating ‘come and get it’.
Christian retains the ECW Championship by Pinfall.
