The ECW Digest - 24th November 2009
24/11/2009
Hello and welcome the all new ECW Digest.
We’d love to know what you think to the new layout, or any other aspects of the Digest, so please feel free to get in touch via the Contact Us page, or any of the usual email addresses.
On with the show!
Quick Links
Opening Match: Zack Ryder Vs. Shelton Benjamin
Segment 1: Someone’s Not Happy
Match 2: Vance Archer Vs. Alex Reynolds
Segment 2: The Abraham Washington Show with Matt Hardy
Main Event: William Regal Vs. Yoshi Tatsu
The ECW Digest
Opening Match
Singles Match
Zack Ryder (w/Rosa Mendes)
Vs.
Shelton Benjamin
A clip of the slightly confusing finish to their match on Superstars last week airs and the commentary team explain that we’re set for a re-match tonight as a result.
Rosa takes a seat at ringside as the match begins, and Shelton immediately goes on the offensive.
Ryder battles back more than once, but each time he does The Gold Standard quickly turns the tables and re-asserts himself, that is until Rosa Mendes got involved.
During the commercials she got in the way, then caused a distraction allowing Ryder to hit the RuffRyder on the outside, leading to a period of domination.
During the match the commentary team explained that if Shelton picks up the win he will be made #1 contender for the ECW Championship, although it doesn’t seem that the same applies for Zack.
Ryder picks up a two near falls with Splashes from the corner, then allows Shelton back into the match by taking too long to follow up.
Shelton starts to ‘hulk up’, demanding Ryder hit him harder, then after a flurry of offence grabs the closest near fall of the match with a German Supplex.
Ryder looks to go for the RuffRyder once more, but Shelton catches it and Powerbombs him into the turnbuckle.
Moments later he hit the PayDirt and covered to become the #1 Contender.
The big question is, will he turn heel again for his title shot?
We might not have to wait long to find out, as Christian emerges immediately after the match and makes his way to the ring.
Christian says he isn’t in the ring to talk about tonight, but rather to talk about what is going to happen in three weeks time at TLC.
He explains that there is going to be one Table Match, one Ladder Match, one Chairs Match and one TLC Match.
Christian says that over the last few PPV events the ECW title has been overlooked, so this time they have to put on a show to prove that it shouldn’t have been.
He says that they shouldn’t compete in a regular title match, but should instead take the ladder match.
Shelton says he is crazy to want a ladder match against The Gold Standard, but Christian says that he wants them to steal the show.
Shelton tells him that he’s found a partner in crime, but after the PPV there will be a new ECW Champion.
Shelton Benjamin wins by Pinfall.
Segment 1
Someone’s Not Happy
Backstage William Regal and his thugs are watching on a monitor.
Regal says it should be him defending the ECW strap at TLC and the fact that he isn’t is an outrage.
He says that while some people consider his quest for the title over, they are wrong and by beating Tatsu tonight he can go one step closer to the gold.
Match 2
Singles Match
Vance Archer
Vs.
Alex Reynolds
It’s jobber time again, sorry ‘Local Talent’ time.
I actually think Local Talent fits Reynolds more than it has a lot of people we’ve seen get squashed recently, there’s a lot about him out there on the world wide web, and he’s actually a very well educated and fantastically literate person.
If you want to keep up with what he’s doing, this is his twitter and this is his Myspace, where you can check out some pictures and find out where he’s wrestling etc.
As expected he got squashed by Archer, who I’m still failing to care too much about just yet.
He’s got the look I’ll give him that, and his in-ring work looks pretty tidy against people who don’t fight back.
I’ll be interested to see how he goes in a proper match.
Vance Archer wins by Pinfall.
Segment 2
The Abraham Washington Show with Matt Hardy
Atlas delivers his usual top quality introduction before Abe appears and asks how many of the attending audience went to see the new Twighlight movie.
Abe talks about how the world has been struck by Twighlight fever and that the film is about Werewolves.
He then says that he thinks he must be coming down with Twighlight fever, because as he looks around the arena all he see’s are dogs.
The crowd show their distaste for this remark.
Abe brings out Washington, then explains how he was disappointed to find out it was Matt and not Jeff booked on his show.
Matt says he wishes Washington was Conan O’Brian and Atlas agrees, throwing out a huge chuckle to accompany it.
It turns out this whole segment is just a huge plug for Matt being on another show on Syfy called Scare Tactics. For the UK fans, think Beadles About with celebrities and a proper presenter, not a beardy guy with a funny hand.
They show a clip and Washington says he never gets scared, prompting Atlas to sneak up behind him and scare him out of his seat.
Abe tells Atlas he ought to be scared of the unemployment line, but Matt sticks up for him and says that made the show.
He asks Matt what he’s scared of, and Matt says for the past month he’s been having a reoccurring nightmare that he’s on the Abraham Washington show, then says that when you are a Hardy, you aren’t afraid of anything because fear is just a 4 letter word.
Washington says they are out of time and heads to the back, leaving Hardy and Atlas to goof about at the top of the ramp.
Main Event Match
Singles Match
William Regal (w/ Jackson & Kozlov)
Vs.
Yoshi Tatsu
This seems a bit of an odd main event, in fact it wasn’t too long ago that this same match was taking place in the middle of the card.
Thankfully this was one of those ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ matches.
Regal seemed to be dominating the match, but after a shove by Kozlov he struck with a Kick to the head which picked up the three.
The result seemed to shock everyone, even the commentary team who were almost speechless as the result came in.
Tatsu exited the ring quickly, leaving Regal to wrongly single out Jackson as the person at fault after Kozlov pinned the blame on his supposed partner.
Jackson took offence and drilled Kozlov with the modified Eurinagi, then delivered the same to Regal when he got in his face.
This would probably have worked perfectly as a face turn, had the crowd not been quite pro-Regal.
During the match they were loudly chanting ‘Lets go Regal’ and as Jackson put Regal on his back a loud boo sprang forth from the crowd, although to be fair it did sound like it was just one really upset guy.
This certainly puts the cat amongst the pigeons in terms of Regal, Jackson and Kozlov’s paths on the Extreme brand, although I wouldn’t be surprised if they haven’t patched things up come next week.
Yoshi Tatsu wins by Pinfall.
