World
Wrestling Entertainment
ECW
February 26, 2008
Recap by Sassy
NOTE: I discuss WWE’s ECW with other wrestling fans and
no one can understand why WWE still has this program and why they are calling it
ECW. In no way does WWE’s ECW fit
the mold of the original ECW and for whatever reason, the wrestlers who are sent
to ECW seem to be wasting their time in this one hour weekly time slot. My take
has always been that WWE wants to control three nights a week on your television
dial but with the lack of action on the show, I don’t understand why they
continue to keep it going. I would rather see the wrestlers on the ECW roster
divided up between Raw and Smackdown and give everyone a chance to work the
ring. CM Punk and Chavo Guerrero are both wonderful wrestlers, however, they are
not getting a chance to shine. Shelton Benjamin was moved to ECW and since that
time he has not had a quality match. Moving wrestlers from Smackdown and Raw to
ECW on a weekly basis does not appear to be helping the programming on this
show.
WWE
ECW is broadcast from Tucson, AZ
On
the Sci-Fi Channel
Ringside announcers: Joey Styles and Tazz
Ring announcer: Tony Chimel
Backstage interviews: Lena Yada
NOTE: Last night on Monday Night Raw, the promo for
tonight’s ECW indicated there would be a match pitting Kofi Kingston and Kelly
Kelly against Santino Marella and Layla. According to the announcement, this
match is a result of Marella being unhappy that Maria is posing for Playboy and
Kelly Kelly agreeing with Maria. And just as I said in my review of Raw last
night, I tune in to watch wrestling, not plugs for Hugh Hefner’s magazine.
Monday Night Raw wasted enough time on the Maria posing thing. This is only a
one-hour time slot. Let the roster members wrestle and leave the other stuff to
the Playboy channel.
BREAKING
NEWS!
www.prowrestlingfans.com
reported this week that Colin Delaney has signed a contract with World
Wrestling Entertainment. Colin Delaney, who worked the Indy circuit as Colin
Olsen, will now be working for WWE full time.
Joey Styles informs the audience that the main event on
tonight’s ECW will be a Triple Threat #1 Contender’s Match with Elijah
Burke, CM Punk and Shelton Benjamin as the competitors. The winner will
challenge the current ECW Champion, Chavo Guerrero, next Tuesday night on ECW.
Mixed
Tag Team Match
Kelly Kelly
&
Kofi Kingston from Jamaica, weighing 217 lbs.
Vs.
Layla
&
Santino Marella residing Patterson, NJ, weighing 227 lbs.
Audience favorites: I’m not sure
My favorites: I’m not sure either, but I do tend to lean
toward Kofi Kingston and Layla
I have not seen Santino Marella actually work in the ring.
Most of his matches have been jobbers against the likes of Jerry Lawler.
It will be interesting to see how well he and Kofi Kingston work against
each other in this match.
The bell rings and it is Layla and Kelly in the ring,
but Layla backs up to her corner and immediately tags in Marella before
any contact is made. Styles informs the audience that Kelly must tag in Kofi
immediately but Marella enters the ring and Kofi gets between Kelly and Marella,
delivering a forearm to Marella before sending him into the ropes. Marella comes
off the ropes and is greeted by a double dropkick courtesy of Kofi and Kelly.
Kofi charges Marella who has backed into a ring post, lands on the top rope and
delivers a few punches to Marella’s skull for good measure. Kofi flips down
off of the top rope and delivers a shoulder block to Marella’s midsection that
drops Marella down to the canvas. Marella rolls out of the ring and is met by
Layla who checks on Marella and gives him a nice shoulder rub as a replay of the
double dropkick is played via a split screen. Layla and Marella appear to be
arguing outside the ring but I am not sure what the argument is about. Kofi
stands up on the bottom rope, leans over the top rope and grabs Marella by the
head, bringing him up to the ring apron. Marella grabs Kofi by the head and
jumps off the ring apron, snapping Kofi against the top rope. Marella slides
back into the ring and takes Kofi down with a clothesline and leg sweep. Marella
picks Kofi up and again sends him down to the mat. Marella sends Kofi into the
ropes; Kofi comes off the ropes and is again taken down with a clothesline. Kofi
is back on his feet and Marella sends him into the wrong corner post. Marella
goes back toward Kelly’s corner as Layla works over Kofi a little bit in the
corner. Marella goes back to Kofi as Kofi’s back is turned watching Layla and
delivers a blow to the back. Kofi goes down to his knees. Marella delivers a
shoulder block to Kofi but Kofi comes back with a blow to Marella’s abdomen.
Marella has Kofi in a wristlock and he takes him out to the center of the ring.
Kelly is playing cheerleader on the ring apron trying to get the audience to get
louder. Kofi drops Marella and goes for a roll up but he only gets a two count.
Marella delivers another shot to Kofi’s spine and then delivers a boot to the
back. Kofi is down on his knees on the mat as Marella continues the assault,
delivering blows to Kofi’s midsection. Kofi comes back with a fist to
Marella’s gut and then another as Kofi works to get back to his feet. Marella
delivers another blow to Kofi’s back and Kofi goes back down to his knees.
Marella tags in Layla and Layla enters the ring. She throws a punch at Kofi but
Kofi catches her arm in midair. Kofi keeps Layla occupied as Kelly enters the
ring and takes Layla down to the mat. Kelly takes Layla down again with a
clothesline but Layla is back to her feet and she drives a boot into Kelly’s
abdomen. Layla sends Kelly into the ring post and charges at her, but Kelly gets
a foot up, driving Layla back. Kelly goes up on the top turnbuckle and comes off
with a cross body block, goes for the cover but as the referee starts the count,
Marella enters the ring and pulls Kelly off of Layla. As Marella argues with the
ref who is trying to get him out of the ring, Kofi enters the ring and dives at
Marella, taking him down to the mat. Kelly is back on her feet and she sends a
boot into Layla’s midsection, face plants Layla on the mat, and goes for the
cover, getting the three count.
Winners
Kelly
Kelly
&
Kofi
Kingston
Before I make the snide remark about Mr. and Ms. Sunshine
being in a match together, I have to admit that Kofi looked good through quite a
bit of this match. Marella doesn’t give us the impression of a wrestler, but
rather as a brawler, although I’m not sure Marella is tough enough to pull the
brawler angle off. Nice opening match for ECW and better use of Kofi in the ring
than he has been getting since he arrived.
Styles and Tazz remind the audience that the latest match
announced for Wrestlemania XXIV will be the Bunny Mania Match pitting Maria and
Candice Michelle against Melina and The Glamazon Beth Phoenix.
AND I DON’T BELIEVE IT!
THEY ARE GOING TO SHOW EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE OF MARIA’S PLAYBOY PHOTO SHOOT!
AGAIN!
IT WAS EXCLUSIVE LAST NIGHT ON MONDAY NIGHT RAW!
I am, therefore, skipping this little whatever it is and
will get back to the show after Hefner’s plug is over.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, promo for Wrestlemania XXIV, 33
days away.
Mike Knox in the ring weighing 282 lbs.
Vs.
Stevie Richards from Philadelphia, PA, weighing 207 lbs.
Audience favorite: Stevie Richards
My favorite: Stevie Richards
It has been good to see Stevie Richards back in the ring
again. He is one of the ECW originals and he has been missed during the last
several months while he was out having surgeries to repair the damage done to
his throat and neck. He has been in short matches since he has been back but he
certainly has not been hiding in the corner.
He goes all out in his matches as he always has.
The bell rings and Stevie is taking on someone much heavier
than he is in this match up. The two men circle each other and lock up. Knox
backs Stevie into the corner post, but Stevie turns Knox around and his back is
now against the post. The ref calls for a clean break and Stevie backs away but
Knox delivers a blow to Stevie’s jaw. Knox sends a fist to Stevie’s back and
then a boot. Knox picks Stevie up and has him against the corner post. Knox is
choking Stevie and doesn’t break the hold until the ref gets in his face. Knox
sends Stevie across the ring and into the ropes. Stevie comes off the ropes,
ducks under Knox’s waiting clothesline, and as Knox turns around, Stevie
delivers a kick to Knox’s lower leg. Stevie then nails the other leg with a
kick. Knox sends Stevie back into the ropes. Stevie comes off the ropes and Knox
catches Stevie. Knox drops Stevie on the top rope and Stevie comes off of the
ropes and lands hard on the mat. Knox argues with the ref and then puts a knee
on Stevie’s throat, choking him. Knox delivers a forearm to Stevie’s chest
while Stevie is still down. Stevie makes it to the ropes but Knox puts pressure
on Stevie’s back and chokes him on the second rope. The ref again has to make
Knox break the hold. Knox picks Stevie up by his hair, delivers a fist to the
forehead, picks Stevie back up and has him in what appears to be a sleeper hold.
The audience is trying to get Stevie to come back and Stevie delivers an elbow
to Knox’s abdomen. Knox responds by delivering a short arm clothesline to
Stevie, sending him back down to the canvas. Knox goes for the cover and gets a
two count before Stevie gets a shoulder up off of the mat. Knox is not happy
with the count and glares at the ref. Knox backs up and comes forward to drop a
knee across Stevie’s neck. Knox again goes for the cover and again gets a two
count before Stevie powers out. Knox goes to work on Stevie’s neck and throat
as the audience tries again to get Stevie back into the match. Stevie makes it
back to his feet, Knox sends him across the ring into the opposite ropes. Stevie
comes off the ropes and delivers a kick to Knox’s chest. Stevie is still up
against the ropes, Knox comes at him and Stevie delivers another boot to
Knox’s chest and abdomen. As Knox backs away, Stevie sends out a backward kick
that lands on Knox’s midsection. Stevie goes after Knox but Knox picks Stevie
up. Knox slams Stevie back first into the corner post, then delivers a shoulder
block. Knox backs up across the ring and charges but Stevie slides out of the
way and Knox meets the corner post chest first. Stevie delivers a splash to
Knox’s back, Stevie backs up again, Knox turns around and again Stevie nails
him with a splash. Stevie face plants Knox, goes for the cover and gets the
three count.
Winner
Stevie
Richards.
As I said before, Stevie has been coming in to these
matches with absolute determination since he returned to ECW. He stood up to a
man much larger than him in this match up and held his own. The audience was
loudly approving when Stevie Richards wins the match.
Tommy Dreamer is backstage with Colin Delaney who is not
bandaged up – yet. Dreamer tells Colin that he can give Miz the elbow like he
did last week. Colin wants to know if when he becomes champion if he can get his
own entrance music. Dreamer just stares at him.
Promo for World Wrestling Entertainment
No
Special Effects
No
Second Takes
No
Shortcuts
No
Drugs
No
‘roids
World
Wrestling Entertainment
Reminds
You
There
Are No Shortcuts
To
your Goals.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, the Raw Rebound:
Vince McMahon apologizes to his son, Hornswoggle. McMahon
wants John Bradshaw Layfield to apologize to Hornswoggle for what he did to him
in the steel cage. JBL comes to the ring and tells McMahon that Hornswoggle is
not McMahon’s son, but Hornswoggle is Finlay’s son and that members of
McMahon’s family and Finlay knew about the set up.
Tazz and Styles inform the audience that Hornswoggle did not
deserve what happened to him at the hands of JBL.
Tag
Team Match
The Miz from Cleveland, OH, weighing 231 lbs.
One half of the WWE Tag Team Champions
&
John Morrison from Los Angeles, CA, weighing 220 lbs.
One half of the WWE Tag Team Champions
Vs.
Tommy Dreamer
&
Colin Delaney
At a combined weight of 425 lbs.
Audience favorites: Tommy Dreamer and Colin Delaney
My favorites: Tommy Dreamer, Colin Delaney and John
Morrison
Colin comes to the ring with no bandages covering his body
this time. I’m looking forward to the day Dreamer and Colin take out Morrison
and Miz.
The match begins with Dreamer and Miz face off in the center
of the ring. They lock up and Dreamer has Miz in a side headlock. Miz sends
Dreamer across the ring and into the ropes. Dreamer comes off the ropes and
sends Miz to the mat with a shoulder block.
Winners
Tommy
Dreamer
&
Colin
Delaney
Decent match for Tommy Dreamer and I got my wish! Tommy
Dreamer and Colin Delaney DID beat Morrison and Miz! Colin didn’t spend as
much time in the ring functioning like a true wrestler, but he did enough for us
to know what he may be capable of in the near future and it beats seeing him get
unmercifully beaten up week after week.
Promo for The Undertaker and his 15-0 record at Wrestlemania
and video of matches scheduled for Wrestlemania XXIV. For more information on
this year’s Wrestlemania pay per view, visit www.wwe.com.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, Tazz points out that members of
the White Sox baseball team are in the audience at tonight’s ECW. Styles
introduces a replay of the Wrestlemania press conference that was held in Los
Angeles, CA on Monday at noon with emphasis on the Floyd “Money” Mayweather
and Big Show match scheduled for Wrestlemania XXIV being touted as The Biggest
versus The Best.
Miz and John Morrison are arguing backstage about the loss
they suffered tonight at the hands of Tommy Dreamer and Colin Delaney. Lena
approaches with a mic and asks about the match. She says that rumor has it
Morrison and Miz will have to defend their tag team titles against Dreamer and
Colin next week on ECW. The duo says that them being defeated for the tag team
titles by Dreamer and Colin would be like the Big Show losing to Mayweather at
Wrestlemania.
The Gold Standard Shelton Benjamin, CM Punk and Elijah Burke
are heading toward the ring for the main event contender’s match. That match
is coming up next.
Promo for Wrestlemania XXIV with Batista on the beach.
Wrestlemania is Sunday, March 30, 2008 – just in case you haven’t seen
enough promos.
Commercial break.
Back from commercial break, promo for Big Show and Floyd
“Money” Mayweather. Big Show will take on a professional boxer on next
Monday Night Raw.
WWE ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero enters the arena complete
with introduction by Chimel. He goes to the announcer’s table in order to
watch the action in the ring tonight.
Triple
Threat Match
Number
One Contender for the WWE ECW Championship
The Gold Standard Shelton Benjamin from Orangeburg, SC,
weighing 248 lbs.
Vs.
Elijah Burke from Jacksonville, FL, weighing 231 lbs.
Vs.
CM Punk from Chicago, IL, weighing 225 lbs.
Audience favorite: CM Punk
My favorite: I like them all but my money is on CM Punk
CM Punk lost the title to Chavo and is seeking another shot
at the title.
The bell rings and it appears that Burke and Benjamin are
going to work together to take care of Punk. The audience is chanting loudly for
Punk as the three men square off. Benjamin blindsides Burke with a kick to the
side of the head as Burke is concentrating on Punk. Punk and Benjamin smile at
each other before they circle each other and lock up in the center of the ring.
Benjamin applies a side headlock to Punk. Punk backs Benjamin into the ropes and
sends him across the ring to the opposite ropes. Benjamin comes off the ropes
and takes Punk down with a shoulder block. Benjamin backs up and comes off the
ropes again, steps over Punk and is met with a blow from Punk as he comes off
the opposite ropes. Benjamin is down on the mat. Punk picks up Benjamin but
Benjamin delivers fists to Punk’s forehead. Punk goes down to one knee and
Benjamin backs up to come off the ropes. Burke, who is on the ring apron, pulls
down the top rope and Benjamin goes over the top rope and down to the floor in
front of the announcer’s table. Burke makes his way into the ring and Punk
meets him with a hip toss that sends Burke down to the canvas. Burke is back to
his feet and Punk picks him up and delivers a body slam. Punk delivers a knee to
Burke’s head and goes for the cover. Burke powers out. Punk goes for a
wristlock but Burke pushes Punk back to the corner post with a shoulder block.
Burke delivers several more shoulder blocks as Punk is up against the post. Punk
fights back with forearms to Burke’s back but Burke responds with punches to
Punk’s abdomen and finishes up with a fist to the skull. Burke picks Punk up
and delivers a head butt, then nails Punk in the head with a fist that sends
Punk down to the mat. Burke goes for the cover but only gets a one count before
Punk kicks out. The live audience again begins the CM Punk chant as Burke sends
Punk across the ring and into the ropes. Punk hangs onto the ropes but Burke
catches him in a headlock. Punk picks Burke up off of the mat but Burke fights
him off and gets himself back into a standing position. Burke sends a knee into
Punk’s midsection and then backs up to come forward with a forearm to Punk’s
head that sends Punk back down to the canvas. Burke picks Punk up and sends him
across into the ropes but Punk breaks loose, Burke goes back into the ropes and
they charge at each other, meeting in the center of the ring. Punk picks up
Burke and sends him over his head and down to the mat. Burke is up against the
ropes, Punk charges, Burke gets up a boot to stop Punk, and Burke goes over the
top rope and onto the ring apron. Punk springboards off the second rope and
delivers a kick to Burke that sends Burke down to the floor. Punk is on his feet
but Benjamin slides into the ring behind Punk, turns Punk around and delivers an
inverted bulldog, then goes for the cover. Benjamin gets a two count but Burke
reaches into the ring and pulls Benjamin off of Punk and out to the floor. Burke
and Benjamin exchange blows outside the ring, taking each other down with
clotheslines while Punk is still down in the ring and we go to
COMMERCIAL
BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MATCH!
THE
MAIN EVENT NO LESS!
Back from commercial break, Punk has Burke down in a cover
but he doesn’t get the three count. Benjamin is not in the ring, but outside
by the announcer’s table. Punk sends Burke into a corner post, backs up and
goes for the high knee but Burke drops his shoulder and sends Punk up and over
the top rope. Punk lands on the apron ring, Burke turns and charges but Punk
delivers a kick to Burke’s side through the ropes. Punk attempts to suplex
Burke down to the floor, Burke attempts to suplex Punk back into the ring, but
both men manage to block the maneuvers. Burke delivers blows to Punk’s abdomen
as Benjamin charges across the ring, goes over both men, catches Punk on his way
down, Burke releases his hold and Benjamin slams Punk back first onto the floor.
It didn’t sound pretty when Punk landed. It appears he landed directly on his
back and the back of his head. Punk and Benjamin are now both outside the ring
on the floor, leaving Burke in the ring. Benjamin rolls Punk back into the ring
and as Benjamin gets up on the ring apron, Burke greets him with a dropkick
through the ropes. Benjamin goes back down to the floor. Burke delivers a high
elbow drop to Punk who is still down on the mat, then Burke stops to show off to
the live audience. Burke goes for the pin but as Punk kicks out, Benjamin rolls
back into the ring. Benjamin goes after Burke with a blow to the back. Burke
retaliates with a fist to Benjamin’s jaw. Benjamin grabs Burke’s legs and
drops him down to the mat then goes to work with fists to the face. Burke rolls
Benjamin over and goes for a roll up but Benjamin kicks out. Burke delivers a
knee to Benjamin’s midsection then sends him across the ring but Benjamin
makes the switch and hits Burke with a knee in the abdomen. Benjamin sends Burke
into the ropes, Burke comes off and ducks under Benjamin’s waiting
clothesline, turns and delivers a boot to Benjamin’s midsection, then goes
down on one knee and delivers an uppercut to Benjamin’s jaw. Benjamin lands on
the ropes and Burke goes across to come off the opposite ropes and lands on
Benjamin’s back before sliding out of the ring and onto the floor. Burke walks
back up the steel steps to get back in the ring where Punk is still down on the
mat. Burke delivers a boot to Punk through the ropes and then climbs up to the
top turnbuckle. Punk makes it back to his feet and goes after Burke who has just
reached the top rope. Punk delivers a series of fists to the abdomen and then
tries to send Burke over his head and down to the mat but Burke fights back with
fists before raking the eyes. Benjamin is back to his feet and he leaps up to
the top rope, grabs Burke and delivers a flying suplex off the top rope. All
three men are now down in the ring. Benjamin goes for the cover on Burke and
gets a two count before Burke gets a shoulder off the mat and Punk comes after
Benjamin. Punk and Benjamin are both back to their feet as Punk delivers a boot
to Benjamin’s gut, then delivers blows to the side of Benjamin’s head.
Benjamin tries to deliver a boot to Punk but Punk catches his foot and as
Benjamin swings around, he comes back with a high kick that connects and sends
Punk crashing back down to the canvas. Benjamin goes for the pin on Punk but
Punk kicks out. Benjamin picks Punk up and delivers a knee to the abdomen and a
forearm to the back of the head, another knee to the abdomen, then he tries to
send Punk into the corner post. Punk gets the switch and sends Benjamin into the
corner post then follows up with a high knee. Burke is back to his feet and he
delivers a dropkick to the back of Punk’s head. Burke goes for the cover on
Punk but Punk gets a shoulder up off the mat. Burke drags Punk to the center of
the ring and delivers an elbow drop. Burke is back to his feet and he points at
Benjamin who is still down in the corner of the ring. Burke charges at Benjamin,
grabs the top ropes and goes up in the air but Benjamin is back on his feet and
he catches Burke in midair. Benjamin carries Burke into the center of the ring
but Burke breaks free. Benjamin turns and goes after Burke with a clothesline
but Benjamin ducks underneath. Burke comes back with a forearm to the jaw,
sending Benjamin over the top rope. Benjamin hangs onto the top rope as he goes
over, gets back up on the ring apron and as Burke comes toward him, delivers an
elbow to Burke. Benjamin jumps down off the ring apron and to the floor as Punk,
who is back to his feet, picks up Burke and delivers the GTS. Benjamin tries to
get back in the ring but Punk gets the three count and the win.
Winner
CM
Punk
Number
One Contender for the WWE ECW Title
He
will face Chavo Guerrero next week in a title match.
After the match, Chavo hits the ring to face Punk. Chavo does
a little trash talking then holds the ECW title belt high over his head as Punk
stares him down.
This was a great match although I was a little surprised
at Punk and Burke in the ring. They didn’t seem to play off each other very
well and some of the moves looked awkward. Benjamin went all out in this match,
taking some hard lumps throughout. All three men worked hard in this match and
it was an entertaining end for tonight’s ECW. Watching Burke and Benjamin
together in the ring, it could well be that they would make a nice tag team for
the ECW line up. CM Punk seems to do much better on his own although he and
Benjamin worked well off each other in this match.
WWE RAW / FEBRUARY 25
Wrestling Bodyslam Com