WWE Superstars Results: 4/1/10 - Legends' Influence on today's WWE stars

The People's Champ, MVP?
MVP and Kofi Kingston vs. Zack Ryder and Carlito w/Michael Tarver

Coming out of an explosive week from WrestleMania, MVP and Kofi Kingston, who participated in this year's Money in the Bank, teamed up to take on Zack Ryder and Carlito. Either MVP or Kofi Kingston would have done well with the momentum of being Mr. MitB, but that honor has been given to Jack Swagger, who attempted to use it on John Cena before he got the upper hand. MVP, despite recent raves of him trying to relieve the glory days of '07, has gone over with the fans and is a true candidate to become the next face of the company. Kofi, on the other hand, is exciting to watch but his lack of mic skills and loss of identity hurts him for the running. If Kofi is not Jamaican, then why does he continue to act the same way?

At the start of the match, Michael Tarver, Carlito's NXT Rookie, seemed to have a few choice words with MVP as they started trading shoves on the outside. Tarver, who is mainly there to be an observer, may have been trying to make a name for himself after the poor ranking he received on NXT, 7th out of 8 places.

As for the other team, Zack Ryder is peeved for getting squashed by MVP as he missed out on being a part of the Money in the Bank Ladder match. And for the lack of Rosa Mendes' support as she failed to accompany him at the start of his entrance. However, Rosa being in a hot tub with the stars of The Hot Tub Time Machine on RAW may have escalated into a fight between the two. In regards to his partner for the match, Carlito has had his share of girlfriends that always went south, the last being Playboy Model and former WWE Diva, Torrie Wilson.

Aside from the incident with Tarver and MVP, the match mainly focused on MVP's eminent rise of super stardom. MVP has similar traits to The Rock from his charisma to rallying the crowds for the Ballin' Elbow Drop, much like people cheered for The People's Elbow. MVP started his career with "MVP Sucks!" much like The Rock had "Die Rocky, Die!" Though sad that MVP did not win Money in the Bank, it has yet to be used in an honest way, and when MVP becomes World Champion it will be done the right way.

The match ended with Kofi Kingston connecting with the Trouble in Paradise Kick to Carlito, after MVP knocked out Zack Ryder with the Drive-By Kick.

Yoshi Tatsu eliminating former ECW rivals
Yoshi Tatsu vs. William Regal w/Skip Sheffield

Yoshi Tatsu had his own WrestleMania moment this past Sunday by winning a 26 Over-the-top Battle Royal prior to WrestleMania going on the air. He won the Battle Royal by last eliminating former ECW rival Zack Ryder. In this match, Zack Ryder took on another former ECW rival, the 2008 King of the Ring winner, William Regal. Alongside Regal was his NXT rookie, Skip Sheffield, who he could not be more disappointed in after ranking in 6th place.

Despite an impressive Regal Stretch, the match ended with Yoshi Tatsu striking with two Roundhouse Kicks to the back and head of William Regal for the three count.

According to Michael Cole, Yoshi Tatsu got to talk to 2010 WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki, the founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, a two-time WWWF/WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Champion, and a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. After meeting one of his heroes, Tatsu went on to win the Battle Royal at WrestleMania. Inoki possibly provided Tatus with some inspirational stories and advice on succeeding in the business.

The Hart Dynasty - The Team to Watch
The Hart Dynasty vs. The Dudebusters

Who in the blue hell are Caylen Croft and Trent Barreta? Prior to the demise of the ECW, Croft and Barreta were two new superstars added into an unofficial third superstar initiative to offset the loss of Sheamus leaving for RAW. Going through several changes from circus music, to video gamers, it appears they have settled on "The Dudebusters." Really? Is that the best that Croft and Barreta can come up with? Instead of being drafted over to SmackDown following the end of ECW, Croft and Barreta should have been sent back to FCW or have competed on NXT because they clearly need more training.

In the most impressive switch, the Hart Dynasty are now bonafide fan favorites. How did this occur? Just last week on WWE Superstars, Tyson Kidd fought in an impeccable main-event against Rey Mysterio. However, it did not start there seeing as a little boy shouted out "Tyson, you suck!" during mid-match. The Hart Dynasty were left out of this year's WrestleMania as they failed to win a Triple-Threat Qualifying match to contend for ShoMiz's Unified Tag Team Titles. But the surprise came when The Hart Dynasty, along with other members of the Hart family, were named lumberjacks for Bret's No Hold's Barred Match against Mr. McMahon. The Hart Dynasty helped out a troubled Bret Hart on how to conduct more punishment to the Chairman of WWE. Then on RAW, Bret Hart issued a challenge to ShoMiz to take on The Hart Dynasty in a non-title match. Even though it was won via a count-out, The Hart Dynasty have certainly turn heads and the mind-set of the WWE Universe. Many believed that Bret Hart would be spending most of his stint managing the Hart Dynasty, but Bret only needed to endorse them once in a major way to put them on the map.

The match was a fantastic display on why the Hart Dynasty are the team to watch. While Croft and Barreta were impressive in cutting off the ring, the quickness of Tyson Kidd offset that of a potential double team effort. The final graduate of the infamous Hart Dungeon, Tyson Kidd has proven in his mat work why he is the best in-ring technician that the WWE has. The son of "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, David Hart Smith is a brawler much like his father. His shoulder tackles along with his impressive array of suplexes really provides an interesting fortitude for the Hart Dynasty. Trent Barreta was unable to bring down Smith with a flying neckbreaker because Smith managed to tag in Tyson Kidd to perform The Hart Attack. The match ended in a submission victory after Tyson Kidd slapped on the Sharp Shooter to Trent Barreta, while David Hart Smith kept Caylen Croft from breaking the hold with a big boot to the face.

ECW Results: 2/9/10

Questions Lingering about ECW Aftermath

Only two weeks remain before ECW comes to an end, and many questions still linger.

What will happen to the ECW superstars, and the brand's title? The ECW Title will be officially defunct at the end of the final episode of ECW. And as for the superstars, they will become free agents; in other words, they will be intergrating within RAW and SmackDown.

What about the non-superstars? Not entirely sure what will happen to Tiffany, Byron Saxton, Abraham Washington, and Tony Atlas. While Josh Matthews has been moonlighting as a backstage interviewer on RAW, the future of the rest remain a mystery.

After next week, Tiffany will no longer be a GM. Yet, she seems confident with the end of ECW looming and the rise of NXT. Has WWE decided to keep her in a GM position, possibly on RAW? All I can say, Tiffany is hott, so WWE will definitely find something for her to do. Even if it means having her lace up her boots and wrestle in the ring. My two best suggestions would be: either have her become the official RAW GM, or have her become the first-ever Divas' GM.

As for Byron Saxton, he was a lousy announcer, so I'm exhillerated over the fact that I no longer have to listen to him. But it also calls into question about the set up of the announce teams for both RAW and SmackDown; because what happens when Jim Ross recovers from his 3rd Bells Palsy episode, will he still have a job?

Then there's the Abraham Washington Show.... Please I hope to all that is good that we never EVER!!!!! have to sit through the worst talk show again.

Championship Opportunities

RAW's historic title change between D-X and ShowMiz may take a detour into the hands of the new #1 contender's, Yoshi Tatsu and Goldust.

With ECW ending, the future of these superstars is uncertain, but a title win would definitely secure a spot on the main roster. Yoshi and Goldie earned the opportunity to face Show-Miz by defeating Caylen Croft and Trent Baretta. Can Yoshi and Goldie leave the final episode of ECW as the new Unified Tag Team Champions?

As for the fate of the ECW Title, Christian will defend it one last time against Ezekiel Jackson under Extreme Rules.

Shelton's Golden Enlightenment

Shelton Benjamin addressed the ECW audience about coming to ECW a second time. As the Gold Standard, he felt that he was too good for ECW. But, on his first night, Yoshi kicked him in the head and lost in 15 seconds. It was truly a wake up call, and since then, Shelton has appreciated the sport more through working with a younger crop of wrestlers just making their way into the WWE.

Shelton has had an outstanding feud with newcomer Vance Archer, who has grown in intensity and ruthlessness each and every time these two hit the ring. Vance Archer is the kind of guy I can picture wrestling for the Original "the real" ECW.

Possibly their final match on ECW, it was under no disqualifications. Which it might as well have been an Extreme Rules match, as Vance Archer dug underneath the ring to pull out a kendo stick. Then Shelton took control as he started wielding a steel chair. Shelton commanded so much control out of that steel chair as he motioned it through the air, it would have been nice if he had connected.

Shelton then appeared to be cut open, as the EMT made his way into the ring, pausing the match, to mend the cut. Two reasons for this could be: WWE is unwilling to show blood on its PG format; or for health code reasons. Shelton almost appeared that he would lose the match, especially after Vance powerbomed Shelton off the top turnbuckle. But that "cut" seemed to have ignited a fire inside of Shelton, which for the past three years have been dim. Shelton struck with PayDirt, delivering Vance Archer's second loss.

This looked like to be their final match, making me believe that after the final episode the two will be split up into different brands.

ECW Results: 2/2/10

ECW Finally Going Off the Air

Vince McMahon made a rare appearance on ECW to announce that ECW would be canceled in three weeks. He stated that even though the new ECW has proven successful they have decided to bring a new innovative WWE program in the same time slot on Scyfy.

I think all wrestling fans can attest that the new ECW, far from Extreme Championship Wrestling, was actually a failure. Many had hopes of the resurgence of ECW back in 2005, at a special One Night Stand pay-per-view. But 2007 proved otherwise. The concept of male wrestlers being known as extremist, and divas as vixens, was short lived. Even the camera work was done differently, but after a while the "extremist" proved too extreme for WWE. The lifestyles of the ECW Originals were unhealthy and unable to comply with the Wellness Policy, because after a year, almost ever member of the original ECW were released from their contracts.

So what's ECW without the founders of Extreme Championship Wrestling? It eventually became just another WWE program, featuring the same format as SmackDown and RAW, except it became a place where new and upcoming superstars can get their start.

The new show will be called NXT, standing for Next Generation, and will feature a wave of new superstars. Leading us to believe that the established stars on ECW will be integrated over to SmackDown and RAW. As for who or what will exactly be featured on this new brand in not official. It may turn into a reality show much like MTV's Tough Enough, or keep to a similar format as ECW with a new NXT developmental title.

What's to come of these new ECW superstars?

Yoshi Tatsu, who recently arrived on ECW as part of Tiffany's superstar initiative, made his first Royal Rumble appearance this past Sunday, but was eliminated by John Cena. Though his stay was brief, it should mean something to be tossed over by Mr. WWE.

Tatsu and Baretta had a fast paced opening contest, filled with arm drags and flips. An example of more of the type of wrestling and faces that we will be seeing on NXT.

However, Baretta failed to maintain focus as he argued with the official, resulting in Tatsu delivering a Roundhouse kick for the pin fall.

I don't know about Baretta, but the rookie better shape up if he plans on maintaining a position after ECW goes off the air.

Shelton Benjamin Creates Superstars

Shelton Benjamin, possibly one of the most underrated superstars, has managed to enter some intense feuds. From Zack Ryder, to Sheamus, and now Vance Archer. The latter two are fairly new to the WWE, and were broken in by Shelton.

Vance Archer has been steadily rising in ECW, with his entrance theme changing along with him. The current theme is entitled "Black Fury" by the man Jim Johnston himself. Vance went undefeated for several months until last week when Shelton granted his first loss.

For Vance and Shelton, it's purely a grip for grapple contest. The match ended with Vance attempting to pin Shelton during a roll through, but was caught trying to use the ropes. However, he quickly went for another pin using the ropes for leverage.

WWE can brashly take Vance Archer and throw him on either SmackDown or RAW, but I believe Vance Archer is just starting to find his footing in the WWE and would benefit on NXT.

Who Will Lead NXT?

Zack Ryder, who believes to be the new Heart and Soul Super hero of ECW, wants to prove that he is above the ECW Title by defeating the brand's leading champion. This is possibly their fourth encounter, and yet, the outcome remains the same.

Though Zack Ryder is unorthodox in his wrestling attire, Zack has that 'it' factor to lead the new wave of superstars. He delivers on his promise of defeating his opponents, and adopts their nicknames as a sign of dominance. Yet, Christian has been the only superstar to evade the Zack Attack.

A lot of thoughts surged through my mind after McMahon's announcement. Will Christian be ECW's final champion? If Zack Ryder believes to be greater than ECW, will he be the inaugural champion of the next generational substitute for ECW? And what must be going through the mind of the Champion, as in three weeks time, the title will be defunct?

As for Ezekiel Jackson and William Regal attacking Christian once more, when will this feud ever end?

ECW Results: 1/26/10

Christian Evens the Score

With five days left to the Royal Rumble, Ezekiel Jackson has proven to be, possibly, the most dominate superstar in all the WWE. So what does the future hold for the ECW Title and its possessor, Christian, who last week was ambushed by the massive heavyweight and William Regal?

Ezekiel had a message for the ECW Champion: "Christian. The end has come, it has awakened, against you."

Christian responded with a biblical repartee of his own: Ezekiel 25:17 "I will strike down on those with great vengeance and furious anger, those who attempt to destroy my brothers. And you will know... my peeps will know that my name is Captain Charisma, when I lay my vengeance upon thee."

Christian also announced that he has evened the score by naming The Big Red Monster, Kane as his tag team partner for the night.

ECW Title in Jeopardy this Sunday

Kane may be the ideal choice in a fight against Ezekiel Jackson, but how will Christian take him down at the Royal Rumble, where he will have no one in his corner? The opening match was a tag team match pitting Kane and Christian against William Regal and Ezekiel Jackson.

Many have wondered if Christian stands a chance against Ezekiel, whose name is synonymous with domination. This match may have quenched the thirst of the naysayers, but I see it as losing one fight in preparation for the war at the Royal Rumble.

Kane exhibited his strength by overpowering Ezekiel Jackson with uppercuts and take-downs. However, this was not Kane's war to fight, he can only lend a helping hand, only for a while.

Ezekiel Jackson and William Regal remind me, and fans alike, of the days of the federation, when sheer size and arrogance won the hoard of titles and matches alike. With quotes from the bible, there is something apocalyptic about Ezekiel, which is the trend in movies nowadays. People like to see stories about destruction and end of days, but will Ezekiel's prophecy come true? Will the end of the ECW Title Match see Ezekiel's hand raised and proclaimed as the new ECW Champion?

Christian, if anything, is a strategist and must put to use everything he gathered from this tag team match. Ezekiel may be strong, but Christian is quicker, more agile. Christian evaded most of Zeek's punches with various baseball slides under the legs. Even when Christian was beaten down and covered by Ezekiel, Christian was able to power out. How is this possible? Christian has a high threshold for pain, just look at his TLC matches back in the early 2000's.

There is a major dilemma, Christian is unable to hook Ezekiel's arms for the Killswitch. Unlike the forgetful feud between John Cena and The Big Show, where, in a submission match, Cena used the assist from the ropes to lock in the STF, a move said to be impossible against the giant, Christian has other finishers in his repertoire. During the ladder match at the TLC Pay-per-view, Christian secured his title defense after connecting with a Frog Splash off the top of a ladder. Yet, Ezekiel's upper body strength may withstand the Frog Splash, so what else is there? During his stint in TNA, Christian utilized the Cloverleaf as his submission finisher; and just like all muscled bound monsters, they fail to have much leg strength.

So if Christian were to have any chance of defending this title, he should utilize the Cloverleaf to not only defeat Ezekiel, but make him tap out. If he doesn't, then the title match will end the same way as this tag team match did, with a Ura-nage.

ECW Supplying a Mid-Card Main-Event

The final match of the night was the team of Zack Ryder, Trent Barreta and Caylen Croft against the team of The Hurricane, Goldust, and Yoshi Tatsu. The main event, with each team being captained by a "superhero," was purely a showcase of ECW's mid-card roster.

Break Down of Team Hurricane:

The Hurricane: Possibly the worst kept secret in the WWE, backstage interviewer Gregory Helms masquerades as ECW's vigilante, The Hurricane. With monikers such as the Emerald Skywalker, Helms has established a classic 70's superhero persona by executing such heroic acts as, saving the damsel in distress, and bringing justice to the land of extreme. But with pointless feuds with Paul Burchill and, currently, Zack Ryder, can Helms move forward towards some championship gold once more?

Yoshi and Goldie: The odd couple of the WWE, one's a Japanese native, while the other is a cross-dresser from Hollywood, California. How prosperous is this team? Aside from being each other's foreign language professors, there is no real longevity for this team. Sure, they have picked up some wins over Croft and Barreta, but the real attraction is Yoshi Tatsu. Tatsu has an arsenal of kicking variations, but something he has yet to incorporate in the WWE is his suplex variations used in New Japan Pro Wrestling. If Tatsu were to utilize those offensive strikes, he would be a force to be reckoned with.

Break Down of Team Ryder:

Zack Ryder: Ironically enough, Zack Ryder captains a team of new comers in WWE's ever depleted tag team division. Why ironic? Because Zack Ryder was a part of the worst tag team with fellow partner Curt Hawkins. Formerly known as The Major Brothers, Hawkins and Ryder captured the WWE Tag Team Titles at The Great American Bash in 2008, and lost them during their first title defense against The Colons. There's no doubt that Zack Ryder has come a long way from his days as an Edge look-a-like, but is this gimmick any better? He looks like a reject from Jersey Shore, which is not a good thing. Zack's biggest momentum, aside from taking Christian to the limit during an ECW Title Match, was retiring Tommy Dreamer. Instead of running with the momentum, he's been punked by The Hurricane, and has created the nick name, "The New Heart&Soul SuperHero of ECW." Even Miz must be saying, "Really? Really? Really?"

Croft and Barreta: The two former FCW Tag Team Champions, arrived in ECW with a circus entrance theme, and a terrible Bros-are-Gamers gimmick. At least now they have a generic rock entrance theme, and have not mentioned video games since. The best thing for Croft and Barreta to do was graduate from facing jobbers and imbed themselves against fighting actual WWE names. Surprisingly, Croft and Barreta hold more victories over Goldust and Yoshi Tatsu, which builds credibility. As of right now, Caylen Croft appears to be the better wrestler, as he also wrestled in OVW, before being contracted by the WWE. Barreta's wrestling is sloppy, and his stance looks like he has two left feet.

Conclusion of the Match: Zack Ryder took out Zack Ryder over the top rope, while Goldust delivered two uppercuts to Croft and Barreta; thus, allowing Yoshi Tatsu to strike with a Roundhouse Kick to Trent Barreta for the pinfall victory.

ECW Results: 1/19/10

Santino Fails in Pushing Kozlov as a Babyface

For some strange reason, WWE decided to put Santino Marella as the special guest host of the Abraham Washington Show in order to put over Vladimir Kozlov. The heavily-accented Italian funny man tried his best to not only make the Abraham Washington Show worth watching, but to get across that Kozlov is no longer a heel.

However, who has ever heard of a Russian face? Kozlov blames the stereotypical Russians in Rocky IV - even though he still loves the movie - for why people are so reluctant to give him a chance.

Santino Marella posed the idea of Kozlov and Santino as a tag team, which the WWE Universe flat-out rejected. The team would be ideal, since Santino Marella, during his training in OVW, was given the ruthless Russian gimmick before becoming WWE's Milan Miracle. Since arriving in 2007, Santino has finally established himself as a fan favorite; yet, despite his popularity, Santino Marella was unable to get the people to like Vladimir Kozlov.

Croft Shows Promise

The team of Croft and Barreta still do not have my backing, but they have improved. The fist pumps are a little much, and Barreta dangles his arms by his sides, which doesn't show much character.

In the past two weeks, Caylen Croft has lost to Yoshi Tatsu, while Trent Barreta has defeated Goldust. With each team having a win, this following tag team match was the rubber match. What was strange is that Croft and Barreta kept Tatsu in their corner, keeping him from tagging in his partner Goldust. If anything, Goldust is the weaker of the two, but in matters of size and experience, I understand Croft and Barreta's strategy. Yet, when Goldust finally did get tagged in, he was running circles around Croft and almost got the win - emphasis on almost. Barreta knocked Tatsu over the ropes and then clotheslined Goldust off his partner in order to reverse the pin-combination. Croft and Barreta walked away with the pinfall victory over Yoshi and Goldie, but how will they choose to retaliate next week?

The Superhero from L.I.?

Zack Ryder was the man that ended the wrestling career of Tommy Dreamer, and last week, he upstaged The Hurricane. Now, Zack Ryder wants to be addressed as the New Heart & Soul Superhero of ECW. Really? I understand the Heart and Soul, but to add Superhero to the title, doesn't sound too cool. Ryder told Savannah to announce his name, but failed to say it as enthusiastically as he wanted. The Hurricane came to the rescue and chased Ryder and Rosa out of the arena. Zack Ryder should grow a spine and not run away from a guy in green tights.

Ezekiel's Domination

The main event was ECW Champion Christian versus William Regal. These two have fought several times in the past, including last Thursday, with Regal always coming up short.

Winner of the ECW Homecoming Tournament, Ezekiel Jackson is dead set on domination. The match between Christian and Regal was well fought, but it was interrupted by Big Zeek who attacked Christian mid-match. Christian obviously won by disqualification but was punished by an onslaught of a Knee Trembler and the Ura-nage.

William Regal may not become the champion as he once desired, but will his follower be able to do away with Christian?

WWE Superstars Results: 1/7/10

Second Contender in Divas' Tournament: The opening match was a Divas' Championship First-Round Tournament Match to determine the new Divas' Champion. It was reported this past Monday that Melina was injured at a WWE Live Event, which means she would be unable to compete, thus, the title has been vacated. Sadly, Melina was brought over on RAW solely to be the champion and enter a feud with the returning Maryse, but those plans have changed. Maryse, as expected, has already advanced in the tournament this past Monday Night after pinning the Bella Twins. This match was Gail Kim, a former Women's Champion, vs. Jillian Hall a recent Divas' Champion in her own right. Much like the first Divas' contest, this match up was less than desirable. Gail Kim, just coming off of an amazing run in TNA, returned to the WWE. She may have gotten a bigger paycheck, but she definitely did not gain better competition. Jillian Hall, possibly one of the worst excuses of a wrestler, slowed down the pace of the match. Jillian's gimmick is too cartoony and thus has impaired her wrestling craft. Jillian took to long to go into a cover, and, when she did, had her leg under the rope. No limb of any of the wrestlers can be underneath the rope during a cover, those are the rules. Jillian obviously has no understanding of her surroundings while in the ring, and fails to quickly execute her maneuvers. Her wrestling is choppy to say the least, and to give her a title win over Mickie James only to lose it five seconds later to Melina has become a footnote in the annals of the WWE. Gail Kim picked up the win, maybe she can become the top face of the RAW Divas' division.

Money Trumps Pecks. The following was Ted DiBiase Jr. against "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters w/ Eve Torres. The match was clearly a testament to the evolution of Ted DiBiase. Chris Masters may have a sculpted body, but DiBiase has amazing ring awareness, because each time Chris Masters attempted the Master lock, DiBiase would get himself to the ropes to break the hold. Despite there being some issues within Legacy, Ted DiBiase is looking more and more like a guy that can inch his way to the main event scene thanks to the guidance of Randy Orton. Chris Masters, on the other hand, is doing well for himself... a babyface turn... dancing peck routine... and Eve Torres. However, he has been losing more matches than winning. Chris Masters, incorporating the dancing pecks, tries to intimidate his opponents, but personally, the routine seems out of place. And a sighting of old school was seen in this match... no, not Undertaker's tight rope trick... DiBiase attempted to lock in his father's finisher The Million Dollar Dream, while Masters executed Hogan's Guillotine Leg Drop. Ted DiBiase picked up the win after forcing out of the Master lock and striking with Dream Street.

ECW Match. The following match was Caylen Croft w/ Trent Barreta against Yoshi Tatsu w/ Goldust. The friendship between Tatsu and Dust is merely linguistical... Tatsu learns English while Dust learns Japanese. Croft, recently coming over to ECW, did well in his first singles match. Yoshi attempted a hurricanrana but fell flat because Croft retained a strong grip while on the turnbuckle. Still not to impressed with Croft and Barreta, but at least their entrance song has changed to a generic rock theme rather than that circus one. Yoshi picked up the win with his Roundhouse Kick.

Shillelagh Tops Beard. The main event was Finlay versus Mike Knox. The match was nothing special from all their previous encounters. Knox and Finlay have a set fighting style which is to punch, kick, and claw their way to the finish. Honestly, this should not have been the main event... the DiBiase-Masters match expressed wrestling a lot better than this. Fit Finlay is a 51 year old man who, despite a short run as the United States Champion years back, WWE has no interest in ever putting another title around his waste. Heck, after the aborted McMahon's illegitament child story line, Finlay was forced to change his gimmick after being relevealed that it was his son. Finlay's entrance music started out "My Name is Finlay, and I love to fight." Not anymore... Finlay has fallen far from the reservation and does not look too intimidating. Mike Knox cannot be taken seriously either because, despite having a new gimmick, he doesn't win any matches. He went through a trilogy of matches with Kane and lost all of them. This match up is considered below mid-card in my standards. Mike Knox attempted to cheat after removing the protective padding on the turnbuckle, and dropped it in the middle of the ring. The referee sees the padding and does not look to even attempt to fasten it back on... he just tosses it out. Well, Finlay only needed a second to strike with his shillelagh and he picked up the win. That's another thing, Finlay matches usually end with a shillelagh strike, when has he ever won a fair match? Wrestlers tend to watch videos of the competition and themselves in order to better themselves... but what about the referees? Shouldn't they catch on and think, 'Hey, we shouldn't let Finlay bring that shillelagh anymore. Heck, what do I know?

ECW Results: 1/5/10

ECW Showdown: A Look at Christian's Competition

Well, it's been four weeks since ECW General Manager Tiffany issued the ECW Homecoming Tournament to determine Christian's opponent at the Royal Rumble. On January 11, 2010, eight superstars, comprised evenly of the superstars of yesteryear and today, will compete in an over-the-top-rope showdown for a shot at the ECW Title. The eight ECW Homecoming finalists are C.M. Punk, Matt Hardy, Kane, Evan Bourne, Shelton Benjamin, Yoshi Tatsu, Vance Archer, and Ezekiel Jackson.

As the face of ECW, Christian prepares for his title match by scouting his possible opponents. Yet, with the unpredictability of this final match, Christian will have a hard time trying to get in the right mind set to overcome his next threat.

So to make things interesting for my readers, let us take a look at each superstar that has qualified.

Matt Hardy: This North Carolinian has recently turned babyface after a trilogy of matches with his brother Jeff. A smart career move on the part of Matt, as he was suffering as a mid-carder heel during his short-lived return to RAW. In many ways, Matt remains relevant to SmackDown story lines because C.M. Punk is still mocking Jeff's lifestyle. As a result, this has sparked a mild feud, but Punk's ideals are interchangeably challenged by R-Truth, which downplays the potential of a long standing feud.

Defeating Matt Hardy: First off, Matt Hardy has a recent history of abdominal surgeries involving his appendix and his intestinal lining, Christian could focus on the midsection; however, he runs the risk of disqualification if the strike is mistaken for a groin shot. Second, if Christian can time it just right, he can reverse the Twist of Fate and set up for the Killswitch.

C.M. Punk: Punk shocked the world again by not only winning the Money in the Bank briefcase two consecutive years, but by also cashing in on an exhausted Jeff Hardy, who was just crowned his first World Heavyweight Title. The controversy of cashing in on a fellow babyface changed Punk, so as the fans started to turn on him... he turned as well. C.M. Punk accomplished a third World Heavyweight Title reign at the end of his feud with Jeff Hardy; however, he lost it to The Undertaker at WWE's first-ever, Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. After four shots at Taker's title, Punk has slipped away from the World Title picture, but has evolved in a completely different fashion. Much like a lot of the greats still in the business, C.M. Punk does not need a title reign, Punk is doing a fantastic job utilizing his mike skills to preach a Straight-Edge lifestyle; and if that were not enough, he has also recruited a disciple by the name of Luke Gallows, formerly known as Festus.

Defeating C.M. Punk: Punk, a master of the Muay Thai, attacks his opponents through punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes; Christian will have a hard time countering such an offense. Christian's best bet is to connect with missile drop kicks and crossbodys, but Punk is also not afraid of taking the action to the top of the ropes. And let's not forget the GTS, a powerful finisher that has placed many of Punk's opponents to sleep. If Christian were to find himself in the fireman's carry, it's best to try to squirm out with knee and elbow shots followed by a Sitout rear mat slam. Despite locking in a Killswitch on Punk at WrestleMania 25 during the ladder match, Punk came out the winner, so Christian will have to be creative and look for the best opportune moment for an inside cradle or small package to get the job done. But, be weary of C.M. Punk's friend, Luke Gallows at ring side.

Ezekiel Jackson: Formerly from Harlem, New York, Ezekiel Jackson has changed his accent to one residing in Guyana, South America. As part of his move to ECW, Big Zeek joined up with William Regal's Ruthless Roundtable; however, the alliance has gotten him nowhere. He hasn't improved in wrestling or mike skills; and to top it all off, Ezekiel earned this Homecoming spot by defeating Vladimir Kozlov, his Roundtable teammate. So how stable was the Roundtable to begin with?

Defeating Ezekiel Jackson: Crucial advice, aim high. Christian will have to make it his business to remain focus and balance on those top turnbuckles to land missile drop kicks. The worst thing Christian could do would be to propel himself in a cross body position, because Jackson can easily catch and gain control of the champion.

Yoshi Tatsu: A rising superstar in ECW, Yoshi Tatsu has earned himself a lot of clean victories. Additionally, he has fought for the ECW Title once before against Christian. Captain Charisma believes that Tatsu will be a future champion someday, just not at his expense.

Defeating Yoshi Tatsu: Christian has already defeated Tatsu in a championship match before, but Yoshi has undoubtedly formed a new strategy to take him down. All Christian can do is to rely on his experience, and avoid the enziguri kick.

Vance Archer: Vance Archer has just rolled into ECW and remains undefeated: Goldust, Tommy Dreamer, and Shelton Benjamin are just the victims that we remember.

Defeating Vance Archer: Vance is relatively new but he is overly aggressive. Christian is a bit of a prankster and tends to agitate his opponents. Christian's best bet is to not anger Vance Archer, because (even if he loses the fight) he will continue striking.

Evan Bourne: Evan Bourne once challenged for the ECW Title against then-champion Matt Hardy and he came up short. Despite turning into a jobber in his move to RAW, Bourne still shows slight signs of wanting more than just being in the WWE. Especially since he challenged WWE Champion Sheamus this past Monday Night for a shot at the WWE Title.

Defeating Evan Bourne: Sheamus unlocked the flaw in "little" Evan Bourne's tactics, Evan uses up his entire move set in under a minute. The Shooting Star Press was not enough to take down Sheamus; nor is any finisher, if one doesn't wear down the opponent. Christian just has to outlast Bourne's move set by relying on his endurance.

Shelton Benjamin: This is Shelton's second stint with ECW, and he has made slight alternations in his gimmick, but never enough to get him to that next level. Albeit, Shelton was seconds away from becoming the ECW Champion in a ladder match against Christian, but came up short.

Defeating Shelton Benjamin: Shelton Benjamin is the best pure athlete in the WWE today, and despite losing a stipulation match at TLC, a one-on-one match could determine a different outcome. Shelton is primed for championship gold, and if Christian wants to retain his title, he will have to have his A game and wrestle like he has never wrestled before.

Kane: The big red monster has been on a downward spiral since returning to SmackDown; yet, circa 2007, Kane ruled the Land of Extreme. Kane single handedly saved ECW from being canceled and went on to win the ECW Title at WrestleMania 24 in under 9 seconds against Chavo Guerrero.

Defeating Kane: Despite being a mid-carder on SmackDown, Kane has proven his dominance in ECW. Christian's best bet is to attack the nimble, tooth pick, legs of Kane, and the avoid the chokeslam.

ECW Results: 12/22/09

Swaggin' Return. "Finally, this show's worth watching again," words spoken by the former ECW Champion Jack Swagger, who returns to compete in the ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match against Yoshi Tatsu. ECW is where Jack Swagger got his start in the WWE and is currently fighting on the RAW brand, where just last Monday had a great match against John Cena. To give a sense of who Jack Swagger is, he rolled a video package of his domineering style in the ring; what he should have done was show his ECW Title win over Matt Hardy, and his various US Title hunts over on RAW.

Zack Ryder Killing the Dream. Two weeks ago, Zack Ryder instituted a challenge to Tommy Dreamer, a boy from the LI taking out the hasbeen from Yonkers. Now, the opening match between Zack Ryder and Tommy Dreamer was not a Career Threatening Match, but after losing his Qualifying Match to Kane, Ryder looked to make good on another promise, and that was to end Tommy's wrestling career. Tommy Dreamer showed some life in this match, super-plexing Ryder from the top turnbuckle and taking off his shirt for an attempted DDT, but was caught off guard to the Zack Attack. As of right now, Tommy Dreamer is still a part of the WWE roster, but will Dreamer make it past the New Year?

Abe Getting Better. Trent Barretta and Caylen Croft were guests on the Abraham Washington Show. When asked about the lack of coffee,"I can't afford drinks, this is ECW not Monday Night RAW" - Abraham Washington usually thrives on unfunny jokes, but that was humorous. Barretta and Croft claim that they will revolutionize the tag team divison - that Miz and Morrison were alright while Hart Dynasty is whatever. They should seriously take a look at true tag team wrestling from the days of the Federation and the Attitude Era before making such a bold proclamation.

Agonizing Qualifier. Vance Archer gets a new nickname, "Masterpiece of Agony;" yet, the only agony Archer can inflict is watching one of his matches. Best way to kill pay-per-view sales would be for Vance Archer to take on Tyler Reks, another failed candidate from the Superstar Initiative. The Texan is nothing like John Bradshaw, because how can you be a great heel if you never speak? Archer doesn't wrestle long enough to allow his wrestling speak for itself. The match between Vance Archer and Goldust was short lived, as Archer, after one minute, went for his Inverted Snap DDT. Three of the eight qualifiers have been revealed: Vance Archer, Ezekiel Jackson, and Kane.

"Thanks, Jack." Just like the match with Cena, Swagger took control of this match against Yoshi Tatsu. And with confidence exuding, Jack Swagger closely scouted Yoshi's kicks. His height advantage almost ensured victory, but underestimating a smaller opponent led to an enziguri to the face and a win for Yoshi Tatsu. A loss on ECW is a relief because attempting to qualify for an ECW Title shot would be a major step backwards for the future of the WWE, Jack Swagger.

ECW Ladder Match Revealed; Eziekel Jackson More Ruthless?

First Match: Shelton Benjamin vs. Zack Ryder. On the last episode of WWE Superstars, after an 'urgent' phone call, Ryder's newest valet, Rosa Mendes, cost Benjamin the match. This time, Shelton was set on retribution. With no outside interference from Rosa, Ryder was able to solely concentrate at the match at hand. It cannot be said enough that these two superstars are not only the stars of ECW, but they are the future of the WWE. Ryder may have gotten lucky last Thursday, but this week, he fell to Pay Dirt.

Christian Calls Out #1 Contender. Shortly after the victory, Shelton looked on as the ECW Champion made his way to the ring. Unlike RAW's electrifying tournament, which resembled WrestleMania IV, Christian named Shelton the #1 Contender for a reason. For the past couple of pay-per-views, ECW has been overlooked. The ECW Title was not considered for a Submission match, or a Hell in a Cell Match, or to be even challenged, as a brand, for Bragging Rights. But at the Survivor Series, ECW made a stand. Christian eliminated 2 of the 5 members on Randy Orton's team to make an emphatic statement, and that is: ECW DOES MATTER. WWE's next pay-per-view, TLC, is a new concept that will feature one TLC, one Tables, one Chairs, and one Ladders Match. Since the Unified Tag Team Titles will be defended in a TLC Match, and the WWE Title will be determined in a Tables Match, why not have a ladders match? Christian chose Shelton Benjamin because he knows how to go above and beyond in a ladder match, just look at the MitB highlight reel at every WrestleMania. Christian wants to steal the show and he wants Shelton to steal the show with him. Finally, Shelton Benjamin, after making his second run on ECW, gets a shot at the ECW Title. But Christian should be weary, because it is only a matter of time that Shelton collects with Pay Dirt.

Second Match: Vance Archer vs. Alex Reynolds. This week, Archer executed a throwaway facebuster, a far more impressive finisher than the snap inverted DDT, but how effective is the move? The throwaway facebuster that Archer executed involved carry the opponent on your forearms; and seeing as Archer's opponent was a small guy, a Collin Dillane sized man, the move was executed properly. But what will happen when he is faced with an opponent matching his size or bigger?

Abraham Washington Show, feat. Matt Hardy. The other Hardy, as Abe, and everyone else, likes to call him, will be making another appearance on Scare Tactics. His first appearance took place at a psych ward where scientist were developing a chip to stimulate emotions. And from the clip that Abe showed, it looks as if it is the same tactic but with a different victim. Matt Hardy says its one not to miss, but I may accidentally forget to set the DVR to record next Tuesday, right before ECW.

Main Event: Yoshi Tatsu vs. William Regal w/Vladamir Kozlov and Eziekel Jackson. William Regal was once again looked over for an ECW Title shot, but honestly, how many are you suppose to have? Obviously, WWE is unwilling to give Regal the Championship, despite having him create a faction. Regal tried to win the match in order to get back into the title picture. What is that about? Regal's style has always been to get a shot by force, when did it start being about winning matches? A few weeks ago Tiffany mentioned about starting with a clean slate, what did she mean? The GM was absent from this week's ECW, so why did he chose to fight a clean match? Regal brought the Ruthless Round Table to ring side to have the advantage, but it turned to his disadvantage. Kozlov pushed Tatsu back into the ring, which allowed him to size Regal for the enzuigiri. When the behemoths entered the ring, Kozlov put the blame of Jackson, who turned on both Kozlov and Regal. The Ruthless Round Table has fallen, and honestly, with a leader who fails countless times - it was going to happen sooner or later.

News on Former ECW Ring Announcer: @LCMayhew No longer ring announcing on WWE for the time being bc I will b focusin on my actin and music in the new year! I will mis my new friends!

European Peeps Will Christian to Victory; Hurricane-Burchill Match Postponed?

Abraham Washington Show: Yeah... let's start it off this way. Abraham Washington, no doubt, feeding off the comedic routine Christian has built with Yoshi Tatsu: "Thank You" - "Thank You" - "No, Thank You" - "Thank You" - "Didn't I say that already?" - Real great stuff the WWE writers got going there... When asked who would leave Sheffield the ECW Champion, Yoshi Tatsu expressed Christian's tenacity in the ring would play a major factor... Then Abraham Washington took it old school, 11 years, when he recited the ever famous line, "Don't nobody understand the words that are comin' out of your mouth." That's right, Abraham Washington and Yoshi Tatsu had a Rush Hour moment, the polite Asian and the loud mouth, funny black man. The segment didn't go anywhere, didn't reveal any new challenges for Tatsu... it was a bust.

First Match: Paul Burchill vs. Goldust. Last week it was scheduled that Burchill and Hurricane would have the Mask vs. Career match in Sheffield, England; so what happened? It's unclear what exactly did go down, but best guess is that WWE didn't want to complete shatter the English moral by having Burchill possibly leaving ECW. However, after comparing the crowd reactions between Burchill and Goldust, I would have to conclude that the English people could have cared less if Burchill's dreams were shattered, as they were by "The Bizarre One," Goldust. It was insatiable how much the crowd rallied behind the California, American native. Yet, Burchill seemed to have the brute advantage, until The Hurricane appeared in the arena. With Hurricane running around the ring, it didn't take long for Goldust to capitalize on the distraction with The Final Cut. Despite winning the match, all the attention was focused on Hurricane smiling over Burchill's loss.

WWE Superstars Match Revealed: Shelton Benjamin vs. Zack Ryder. Backstage, Ryder confesses to Rosa Mendes that he likes her and invites her to sit ring side during his matches. Then we see a segment of Ryder and Rosa holding hands and skipping... This is the second time that we, the viewers, see what's going on inside the head of Zack Ryder. It's off putting to say the least to have mental visuals of another person's thoughts. I understand that Ryder's persona is from the 80's, but damn it, this is pro-wrestling! not 16 candles.

Second Match: Vance Archer vs. Jason Blackwell. Once again, Archer proves dominate in his match. But is this really the way to show the WWE Universe of what he is capable of? I for one am annoyed at these lousy exhibition matches. It doesn't do anything for the superstar to showcase four moves and call it a night. Archer tossed Blackwell around with a few slam variations and ended it with his finisher The Bull's Eye.

Main Event: (C) Christian vs. William Regal (ECW Title Match). It was a match that took up the better part of an hour, possibly the most intensified rivalry to go down in recent ECW history. The challenger, William Regal, has struck gold before in England; yet would the Blackpool native have the hometown advantage in Sheffield, and capture the long awaited ECW Title? Regal's fellow Englishmen and Christian's peeps escalated to a split decision in the crowds, chanting for both superstars. It was a grueling match and well worth watching, but the ending was literally unbelievable. Regal missed the knee trembler and locked in the Regal Stretch, how was Christian able to break free? The Regal Stretch forces your opponent to the ground, pinching the arms together making it damn near impossible to move, let alone have the arm strength to punch the attacker. I thought the third time would be the charm, but Regal failed once again in his quest for World Championship Gold. Or has he? Prior to the match, ECW GM Tiffany wished Regal luck and proposed, win or lose, that they should start a clean slate. Is Tiffany turning to the dark side, or is she seriously trying to make everyone to get along?

Side Note: Tiffany's New Entrance Theme: "Insatiable" by Jim Johnston

ECW Blames Tiffany; Hurricane Accepts Burchill's Offer

After last week's assault, Christian has had it with William Regal and wanted him in the ring, one-on-one. But instead of Regal, Christian was greeted by the presence of ECW GM, Tiffany, who holds herself responsible because she has refused Regal's requests for an ECW title shot. And despite her pleas not to give in, Christian was ready to give Regal exactly what he wanted in order to get him into the ring. William Regal accepted the title match, but under his terms that the match takes place next week when ECW is in England. Then Tiffany made it official under the condition that Kozlov and Jackson be banned from ring side.

Next week in England, Christian defends the ECW Title against William Regal.

Tiffany has stopped being the adorable GM and has become really incompetent. If she knew how to run her roster then maybe she wouldn't be disrespected every week by the Ruthless Round Table. It’s her fault Regal keeps attacking Christian and everyone else in the title hunt.

First Match: William Regal vs. Goldust. This match is considered a break for Goldust from having his taint handed to him by Kozlov and Jackson every week. Regal won with the Knee Trembler.

Second Match: Shelton Benjamin vs. Zack Ryder. Backstage, as he was gelling his hair, Ryder met ECW's newest Diva, Rosa Mendes. She started going off on how much she loves being on ECW, while Ryder became smitten with the Spanish Import. And, as luck would have it, she was the special ring announcer for his match against The Gold Standard. Except that it was more like bad luck as the distraction from Rosa applying lip gloss cost Ryder the match. Shelton connected with Pay Dirt and is set back on course to a brighter future in ECW.

Promo: The Hurricane listens to Paul Burchill's proposal. The Emerald Skywalker, penned by Josh Matthews, entered the ring with his Hurri-Cane, incase this was a setup. Paul proposed one final match to end the feud once and for all: If Paul wins, Hurricane must unmask; but, if Hurricane wins, both Paul and Katie Lee must leave ECW. Is it really a punishment? It’s pretty much a win-win scenario for the Burchills, either they unmask their foe, or they move up to either SmackDown or RAW. It was idiotic for Hurricane to accept, but that's what heroes do, accept all challenges.

Third Match: Vance Archer vs. Logan Jones. ECW’s newest acquisition is a former TNA star, and a 2-time TNA World Tag Team Champion. Lance Hoyt signed a deal with WWE in April of this year; training in FCW, he made his ECW debut last night against a local jobber. Mainly an exhibition match, Archer finishes with a Snap Reverse DDT.

Main Event: Christian and Yoshi Tatsu vs. Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov. The match played more like a handicap match, as Yoshi fought with both members of the opposing side. Christian tagged in to handle Kozlov and Tatsu took out Jackson on the outside. Christian won the match with the Killswitch and then Regal arrived to take out Christian. The Ruthless Round Table destroyed the ECW Champion, is this a sign for things to come?

Sheamus' Final Night on ECW; Christian Retains Gold

Is ECW falling under? ECW has failed to make an appearance in the last two pay-per-views and they lost Sheamus to RAW. It looks as though SmackDown and RAW are the ones with all the Bragging Rights.

ECW started off with the Abraham Washington Show, which has really grown on me ever since they decided to add Tony Atlas to the segment. Washington’s guest was the ECW GM, Tiffany, who has upgraded to her own entrance music rather than borrowing Torrie Wilson’s. The identity of the song has not yet been revealed. Abraham asked the tough questions, why was ECW not represented at Bragging Rigths; and what does she have to say about Sheamus’ move to RAW? Her responses were as follows: ECW was represented because stars like John Morrison and Kofi Kingston got their start in ECW, which is hilarious that she mentions these two specifically, since they were each pinned at Bragging Rights. As for Sheamus leaving, if a superstar is dissatisfied with working in ECW, then they are not welcome. The question that impressed upon me was the fact that the feud between Sheamus and Shelton was dropped; but Tiffany cleared the air by stating that Sheamus’ final match on ECW would be against Shelton Benjamin.

Surprise Guests: William Regal w/ Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov. Regal begged Tiffany to reconsider giving him another title match; but, her position was still against. Tiffany even told Regal that he may never get another ECW Title shot. Then, after Tiffany made her exit, Regal started tearing down the set of the Abraham Washington Show and screaming uncouthly.

First Match: Shelton Benjamin vs. Sheamus. In last week’s post, I talk about how Sheamus called out Shelton for having a mediocre career, and for wasting his natural ability. Shelton, in an interview with Savannah, touched base on this allegation and admits that after eight years he doesn’t have much to show for it, but he’ll be damned if he gave up now. He also sees Sheamus as running away from the fight that he started, using RAW as an excuse. This match, and the following, was a pay-per-view caliber match that saw the best quality wrestling that ECW had to offer. And after seeing Shelton as the Intercontinental and United States Champion, he never looked more like a champion than he did last night. The aerial assaults and his aggressiveness show a new found spark in his career. I can definitely see him one day becoming the World Heavyweight Champion; but last night, the match belonged to the Celtic Warrior.

Segment: Gregory Helms and Rosa Mendes. Rosa is the newest acquisition to ECW, who goes on about being famous and thrilled to be on ECW. Helms wasn’t interviewing her, he had just said hello. The Burchills interrupt this meet and greet to provide a message to The Hurricane, to come to the ring next week. Challenge accepted.

Main Event: ECW Champion, Christian defends his title against Yoshi Tatsu. For weeks, Christian has been taking Yoshi under his wing because he has a bright future with the WWE, but that this match, as Christian considered, would be a lesson in losing gracefully. Christian won the ECW Title back at Night of Champions, making him the longest reigning current champion in the WWE; but, his cockiness could prove to be his downfall. The match saw a lot of close calls, and it almost seemed as if Yoshi would become the new ECW Champion; but, after a third attempt, Christian locked in the Killswitch to retain the title.

This match can go down in history as a rookie World Title shot, other examples are: 2001, Jeff Hardy vs. The Undertaker for the Undisputed Title; and 2008, Evan Bourne vs. Matt Hardy for the ECW Title.

But before Christian could congratulate Yoshi for an amazing match, the Ruthless Round Table decimated him. At this point, William Regal is just beating a dead horse, because how many times are we going to see the same ending to ECW? What ECW needs is for Shelton Benjamin to start striving for the title; heck, I wouldn’t even mind seeing The Hurricane face off against Captain Charisma.

Note: As a result of the Bells Palsy Attack that J.R. endured, ECW welcomes its newest member to the broadcast team, Byron Saxton from FCW. And taking over J.R.’s position will be none other than Matt Striker. Therefore, Friday Nights will be hosted by the 2008 Slammy Award Winning Announce Team of Striker and Todd Grisham.

Chris Jericho Visits ECW; Yoshi Tatsu Declared #1 Contender

Last Night's ECW became, for one night only, the best in the world at what it does with the arrival of Chris Jericho. His mission, to strengthen his SmackDown team with the best that ECW had to offer.

However, his meeting with GM Tiffany did not go as planned, as she refused to lend her roster over to the aid of SmackDown. If Tiffany did her homework, she would know that if it were not for the help of SmackDown - ECW would not be on the air right now. In 2007 we had what was known as the SmackDown-ECW Talent Exchange, where members of each roster would appear on the other show to boost ratings. And now Tiffany denies the captain of SmackDown, when RAW never bothered to help in the past, from handpicking the best in the land of Extreme?

The first match was a #1 contender's match for the ECW Championship: Zack Ryder vs. Yoshi Tatsu. In recent weeks, Tatsu has been proving himself in the Land of Extreme, and Christian feels that no one is more deserving than Yoshi Tatsu. Ryder has also proven to take Christian to the extreme limits of their abilities - but once you have a shot, it is time to move on. Yoshi Tatsu became the #1 Contender by a combination of an enziguri and a elbow drop-spring board. Aside from Evan Bourne in 2008, Yoshi Tatsu is possibly the youngest, most undeserving superstar to get an ECW Title shot. Veterans who have been in the business for years and will possibly never get a real World Title, deserve a shot at the ECW title. Even Zack Ryder first appeared on ECW as part of the tag team, The Major Brothers. Ryder has become a WWE Tag Team Champion last year and has now undergone a complete gimmick change and honed his wrestling skills. William Regal or Ryder should be contending for the title; but I guess its not enough for ECW.

Next match: Sheamus vs. a local jobber. Sheamus attacked ruthlessly with all the intend on destroying his opponent. Several times during the match, Sheamus pulled away from the cover in order to inflict more damage. It wasn't until Shelton Benjamin made his was to the ring did the real fight begin. These two have a lot of heat towards one another, and a definitive match between these two would prove to be a classic.

The following: Paul Burchill w/ Katie Lee calling out to unmask The Hurricane. It was pretty obvious that Hurricane would send out a double to mess with the Burchills. Paul's promo is really bad; and its not because he's British, cause William Regal cuts great promos. For being the first British OVW Champion, I'd expected better. When Hurricane came out from behind, he started wielding his Hurri-Cane - yes, a metal cane. As the entrance theme states: Watch Out, Cause There's a Hurricane Coming Through.

And the Main Event: ECW Champiom, Christian vs. One-Half of the Unified Tag Team Champions, Chris Jericho. Because of Jericho's continued defiance of the ECW GM, he was placed in this match against the best that ECW had to offer. During his pursuit of making the elite SmackDown team, he looked to William Regal's Ruthless Round table. An interesting exchange of pleasantry's between Regal and Jericho - complimenting one another's suits. This moment was inspired by Barney Stintson, what up! Ergo, Jericho left empty handed. The match between Christian and Jericho was instantly classic, as these two former tag team partners, who have not met inside the squared circle in over 6 years, broke out in a Canadian Brawl. And something that has always bothered me is that both superstars utilize the same lower rope choking maneuver. You know that move, when the opponent falls neck first into the bottom rope and the attacker jumps on the back and uses the top rope as leverage. Well, both superstars used it on the other in this match. They seriously need to come up with a name for that move, because it's too much to have to explain this every time. Christian even broke out of the Walls of Jericho and avoided 2 Lionsaults. It was a quick Killswitch that was engaged for the win. In reality, Jericho had to lose, because what would that say for ECW if the champion can't even defend the pride of the brand?

Final Assessment: RAW couldn't deliver on a Michaels-Jericho match, so they assume that a Christian-Jericho would suffice? Well it didn't, but it was a nice treat.

Next week, Christian defends the title against Yoshi Tatsu.

Zack Ryder Rebukes Regal; The Hurricane Fades; Sheamus Reveals All

Last night's ECW further proved that ECW will not be a part of yet another pay-per-view. WWE' Bragging Rights is to promote the SmackDown vs RAW 2010, where the best of SmackDown and RAW collide in an epic tag team match by night's end, but ECW is still featured in the game. However, its not reassuring that the developers did not add Zack Ryder to the game. It also proves that ECW is not of the same caliber as either RAW or SmackDown.

The night started off with Ezekiel Jackson, accompanied by Vladimir Kozlov, against "The Bazaar One" Goldust. Jackson is impressive by size alone, not by skill. The "Juggernaut of Destruction," as Josh Matthews has named him, only has so many moves that he keeps repeated. And if you've noticed, both Kozlov and Jackson had to be weakened so as the other members of ECW to have a fighting chance. Goldust at times seemed like he could pull it off, but in the end he fell to the Ura-nage followed by and Iron Curtain for added punishment. When will these two improve their ring work? As a tag team they are not impressive in the least.

Following match: The Hurricane vs Paul Burchill. Now, The Hurricane has been absent from ECW for several weeks, and one would assume that he came back to win another match... But Burchill took down The Green Wonder with a vertical suplex... Call it a facebuster if you want, but it was a vertical suplex. What ever happened to his other move? He had a crazy finisher where he would elevate the person's face over the matt, and then force it down with the bottom of his boot. However something like that takes to much time to set up. But a vertical suplex? Really???

Sheamus came out to make an announcement and explaining what he hopes to get out of this feud. Shelton Benjamin is no doubt a pure athlete, a future champion, but he's been in the WWE for how long and he hasn't done much except win minor titles. So if a guy like Shelton can be seen as great without accomplishing much, then by the end of it all, Shelton will prove to be a stepping stone for his future. The Age of the Celtic Warrior will soon be among us.

Final match: ECW Champion, Christian and Yoshi Tatsu vs. William Regal and Zack Ryder. Prior to the match, Ryder confronted Regal for attacking him last week, and looked to set him straight since his buddies weren't around. But Kozlov and Jackson were there, granting Ryder's complete cooperation. Christian sees Yoshi as a future challenger to his title, and a viable asset to ECW. Tatsu once again proved that he has what it takes to be in the WWE, but it was the assist from Ryder that allowed Christian to lock in the Killswitch for the win. Ryder getting back at Regal for not only having Kozlov beat him up, but for intimidating him before the match. Ryder answers to no one, and no one should know that fact more than William Regal.

Ring Announcer Lauren Mayhew is doing better, but she's still not there yet.

Rosa Mendes is officially a member of the ECW roster.

Ruthless Roundtable Dominates ECW; New Ring Announcer; ECW Not So Extreme

ECW opened up with William Regal and his Roundtable, Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov, making their way to the ring to announce the #1 Contender for Christian's ECW Title.

In light of what happened to GM Tiffany, Regal felt it critical to name himself as the new #1 Contender. This decision was not popular amongst many of the ECW fans, but none more spoken than Zack Ryder.

Zack Ryder was screwed over last week from his one-on-one match against Christian and now William Regal is #1 Contender?

With both parties arguing over contendership status, Christian came out with 3 people, he felt, more deserving for a title shot.

1) A Janitor 2) Tony Atlas 3) Yoshi Tatsu

Yoshi Tatsu has been winning matches as of late, and pinned both Regal and Ryder in the past couple of weeks. Should he be considered #1 Contender?

Honestly, Yoshi Tatsu just arrived in the WWE and should not get a title shot already. How about people who have actually strived for years for a title? This recent yo-yo effect with the World Titles amongst the WWE Superstars is annoying. The WWE and World Heavyweight Titles have become interchangeable - Orton said, "I am now a 6-time WWE Champion." Wrong, he is a 5x WWE Champion and 1x World Heavyweight Champion. The correct term is a 6x World Champion.

Thing about ECW, it's mostly a developmental show with 1 title. If one wins the ECW Title, it doesn't make you the best in WWE, just the best on ECW. Despite ECW being considered a 3rd brand, it is not equal to SmackDown or RAW. The Real ECW had Mid-level titles and was not a brand it was its whole company. And has anyone notice that their is nothing Extreme about The Land of Extreme? What happened to Tornado Tag Teams? What happened to blood, thumb tacks, and flaming tables?

Back to ECW, Tiffany has returned to resume her role as GM and announced 3 matches that would take place during the course of the night. WWE Storyline is that Tiffany was involved in a car accident, explaining the arm cast. In reality, she injured herself at an FCW event.

First match: Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson vs. Tommy Dreamer and Goldust. No, the WWE is not forming a new tag team, but for the past three or so weeks, Dreamer and Dust have been involved in Tag Team action. It's surprising how WWE is building Goldust, seeing as this is a multiple go-around in the WWE again. Dreamer was aggressive in the ring, which is good seeing as they are going up against two muscular giants. Kozlov and Jackson build some credibility as a tag team as they face an actual team of superstars. The destruction of jobbers was getting a little stale.

Second Match: William Regal vs. Yoshi Tatsu. The match to determine whether Tatsu's win last week was a fluke. And after this match, it might have been. However, the referee gave the win to Yoshi Tatsu, despite the fact that Regal's foot was under the rope. Josh Matthews said that a Ref's call is absolutely final - well, on the contrary, if the GM decides to, they can change the decision or have the match restarted. Appears Tiffany avoided the situation.

Main Event: ECW Champion Christian vs. Zack Ryder. The announcers stated that these two competitors have had two classic matches together and that Christian is getting closer to figuring Ryder Out. As I recall, Christian pinned Ryder twice, so if anyone should be figuring who out, it's Ryder. It's one thing for Ryder to come out in half trunk/tights, but that see through black shirt is NOT cool bro! The match would have made a nice tri-fecta in their rivalry, if it wasn't for the Ruthless Roundtable attacking Christian outside of the ring. Not only did they destroy Christian, but they attacked Zack Ryder for speaking out.

And just incase you haven't noticed, ECW has a new ring announcer by the name of Lauren Mayhew. She is a singer and actress, most likely hired to take over Lilian Garcia's singing of the National Anthem at WWE events. A lot of people were unimpressed by the new announcer's ability to introduce superstars - but everyone has to start somewhere. Not everyone is a Justin Roberts or a Tony Chimel on their first night. Through time, she will get better - I think, lol.

Final Assessment: ECW needs to become 2 hours long like the rest of WWE, and introduce a mid-level title. Possibly bring back the Hardcore Title? And hire more superstars - new people are the future of the company. Mayhew is rather new to the whole experience and will need a lot of practice before she can fill Lilian's shoes. Regal was cheated from victory last night, its time that ECW realized that Regal is a force to be reckoned with.

Matt Striker's Downward Commentary; Angela Fong on ECW; Shelton's New Feud

A Hurricane came through Rockford, and no... not a natural one - but a supernatural by the name of The Hurricane!

The Hurricane's feud with Paul Burchill continues - but what stood out was Matt Striker's commentary.

A former ECW superstar, Matt Striker took over as Color Commentator sometime during early 2008. His commentating with Todd Grisham (now on Smackdown) garnered him the Best Announce Team 2008 Slammy Award. Yet, ever since teaming with Josh Matthews, his commentating seems less than desirable.

At the start of the match, Striker suggested a possible twin scenario. Seeing as RAW has the Bella Twins, it wouldn't be so far fetched for Gregory Helms to have a twin in The Hurricane.

Sure, I'll bite, seeing as Striker is trying to protect his identity, but what happened next.... ugh!

If Striker is going to make comic book references, then at least make them closer to the superhero that The Hurricane emulates - the Green Lantern, not Superman. Striker called Hurricane, the Son of Jor-El.

Striker also goes on to say: Meanwhile, Back in the Hall of Justice. - What is Striker spewing out? We get it, he likes comic books - But don't lose sight of the match!

Hurricane almost gets the victory with a Hurricane-Rana, but Burchill trying to use his sister Katie-Lee as a distraction proved to be his downfall and went straight into The Eye of the Hurricane!

This week's ECW marks the newest addition to the Extreme Brand - Savannah. Her real name is Angela Fong and she is currently wrestling in WWE's developmental territory in FCW.

Her first job as backstage interviewer was to interview Tommy Dreamer and Christian on their tag team match later on in the program. - But what about Courtney Taylor? Why are there TWO Back Stage Interviewers on ECW?

Ever since returning to ECW, Shelton Benjamin has shocked people by who he faces. At first it was against Yoshi Tatsu - no big deal since Shelton's a heel. But then he entered a feud with Zack Ryder.

Was Shelton turning face? Shelton did defeat Ryder twice in their encounters - but this week he teamed up with The Celtic Warrior Sheamus against Goldust and Yoshi Tatsu.

I'd figured as much that the feud between Ryder and Benjamin was a simple clash of egos.

Shelton goes for a blind tag and steels a victory by pinning Sheamus' enemy, The Weird One Goldust.

You would think that Sheamus would be happy with the win? Well... he wasn't.

He lands a punch against the side of Benjamin's face and a fight breaks out.

Leaving us to understand that Shelton Benjamin will start feuding with Sheamus and that it's quite possible that Benjamin is indeed turning heel.

William Regal's Second Chance; Shelton Benjamin turns Face?

The ECW Title match at SummerSlam was tragically cut short in a record-breaking 8 seconds, because WWE were running out of time and needed to free up for the final two World Title Matches. It was a disgrace to have a squash match for the brand's title, but that's how the WWE handles things. In all honesty, WWE could have done without the Khali-Kane match and have put on a decent ECW match.

At the start of the program, William Regal entered the ring with Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekiel Jackson. He went on about how the WWE Universe could not fathom the idea of Kozlov and Jackson joining forces seeing as they have been one-uping each other for months. Well... if you would kindly take a look at this previous article (WWE Should Develop II) I mention how the dynamic that Kozlov and Jackson share is an inevitable formation. What I will admit to, is that I did not know it would be William Regal that would lead them. It's not like William Regal is stronger. If Kozlov and Jackson wanted to, they could obliterate Regal from existence.

Christian entered the ring, still the ECW Champion, and started belittling Regal by calling him Bill. Is this really the best that Christian can do? He even got inside Regal's head by repeating 8-seconds! - The time it took to beat William Regal to retain his ECW Title. In all reality, Christian struck Regal before taking off his robe, so he cheated for the split second win.

Before Christian could say good-bye to Regal as a challenger, the vivacious ECW GM Tiffany declared that Christian did take the easy way out, but if Regal wants another title shot he would have to earn it by defeating Christian in a non-title match.

The ECW main event after a pay-per-view is usually better than the previous one - Don't believe me? Then compare Christian vs. Tommy Dreamer at Night of Champions against Christian vs. Tommy Dreamer (Extreme Rules Match) the following ECW. You know I'm right.

The referee had his hands full trying to keep Kozlov and Jackson from interfering while calling the match. The two did manage to protect Regal from any outside high flying maneuver on the part of Christian. But it was not until Christian took a cheap shot and slapped Kozlov - who was doing nothing - that things turned ugly.

The referee's back was turned, occupied with Jackson, when Christian went for the Killswitch. Yet, Regal managed to shove Christian to the ropes where he met a nasty headbutt on the part of The Moscow Mauler. Thus, allowing Regal to go for the Knee Trembler and ending the match as the #1 Contender for the ECW Championship.

Side Note: The Knee Trembler seems like a diluted version to Orton's punt to the head.

In other ECW news, Shelton Benjamin is once again in ECW finally going through a face turn. Apparently, WWE thinks they can accomplish the turn with Shelton singing. In a vignette, Shelton Benjamin is seen imitating Louis Armstrong, requested by the Bella Twins. He was actually dead on in the impression. But is Benjamin's new gimmick going to be a Karaoke Superstar?

The segment was interrupted by Zack Ryder, who the Bellas cannot stand, and got in Benjamin's face. Shelton, a few weeks back, embarrassed Ryder by beating him in a match; however, this week, Tiffany teamed Benjamin with Ryder against the team of Yoshi Tatsu and Tyler Reks.

Benjamin started the match going toe-to-toe with Surfer Tyler Reks. Reks is really not impressive, his gimmick is bland and his most impressive maneuver is a missile drop kick.

As Benjamin tried to tag in his tag team partner, Ryder was busy adjusting his knee pad. Reks tried to get the roll-up but Shelton powered out.

Ryder tried to capitalize on the opportunity when Reks was down, with a blind tag. But Reks able to kick out of quick covers, Ryder tagged Benjamin back in.

It wasn't until Yoshi Tatsu tagged in, that Ryder also wanted in. If you recall, Ryder pinned Tatsu in one-on-one action, hoping to have the same result he rushed into the ring. But his biggest mistake was sending Tatsu into Benjamin before he could get out. This distraction allowed Tatsu to pick his spot and countered the Zack Attack and struck with the Roundhouse Kick to pick up the win.

Benjamin, still upset at what Ryder did, entered the ring over a defeated Zack Ryder and executed Paydirt.

Is Shelton Benjamin really turning Face, or is the feud with Zack Ryder just a collision of egos?

More ECW News: Tonight on WWE Superstars - The Hurricane goes up against Paul Burchill. Will the masked crusader foil Burchill again, or will Burchill do away with the green vigilante?