Hit The Ropes Radio | ECW Review 9/1/09

Burchill tries to use his size but Burchill powers out.

Burchill drops Helms and grounds him using a reverse chin lock. Short-arm clothesline followed up by a running knee strike to Helms as he stands in the corner by Burchill. The Englishman is then able to deliver a backbreaker, Helms dropping directly on a Burchill knee. Fans rally behind Hurricane who is able to get in a hit on Burchill. Burchill to the outside and Hurricane flies over the top rope onto him. Before going to commercial, Burchill throws Hurricane into the apron and then hits a Pele kick.

Tonight, ECW is airing from Rockford, Ill. Tonight’s main event will pit Tommy Dreamer and ECW champ Christian versus two thirds of the Ruthless Roundtable (Ezekiel and Kozlov).

Match #1: Hurricane v. Paul Burchill w/ Katie Lea
Hurricane has a new introduction before his music starts playing. It furthers the superhero gimmick of his. Bless Matt Striker as he will provide us with a plethora of superhero references. Nerds all over, bow to Striker.

Burchill is out to prove that Hurricane is Gregory Helms. Both men lock up to start and Hurricane quickly takes control of the match.

Match #2: Shelton Benjamin & Sheamus v. Yoshi Tatsu & Goldust
What!? I thought Benjamin was a face now. Why is he teaming with the Gaellic one? If we all remember, Yoshi’s first win in ECW was over a very surprised Shelton Benjamin. Yes, guy in the audience, “Goldust still rules.”

The Gold Standard and the gold freak start things off. The go back and forth, Goldust hits that slap of his after he drops on his back. Benjamin is able to tag in Sheamus who takes a couple shots to the face before Yoshi gets the tag in.

Match #3: Zack Ryder v. Rory Fargo
Smells like squash is for dinner here. I’m thinking all that talk about Ryder gassing too early in his matches is the reason for this match. Fargo counters a body slam into a school boy attempt. Ryder is up quickly and gets back in control. He uses Fargo’s tights to launch the local talent face-first into the middle turnbuckle. A kick to the face, an inverted-like slingshot, Zack Attack, match over.

Winner: Zack Ryder by pinfall, using Zack Attack
Opinion: It’s a squash match. It sucked. Ryder should be past this so why are we being subjected to this after all of his other matches?

Backstage Segment: Tiffany’s Office

Tyler Reks is in the GM’s office with Tiffany. Regal and his goons enter the office and we see the friction between Regal and Reks due to their match from last week. Reks leaves and Regal wants to know why Tiffany allowed Christian and Dreamer to attack them the way they did last week. She claims the attack was fair. Regal states that ‘Zeke and Kozlov will pound Christian’s and Dreamer’s heads in tonight and Sunday, Regal will win the belt.

Main Event: Ezekiel and Kozlov w/ Regal v. Christian and Tommy Dreamer
Good lord, they’re giving a match with Kozlov involved 15 minutes. Please make this decent. The baddies are out first, followed by the lone ECW original remaining, and then the champ enters. Christian’s black and silver attire goes well with the ECW title.

Regal mouths to Christian that his time is almost up. An “ECW” chant erupts before Christian and Kozlov start. Christian runs into Kozlov but Kozlov’s size sends Christian to the mat. ‘Zeke gets a tag so Christian tags in Dreamer.

Thoughts on Show: The main event was very good considering we’ve only seen Kozlov and Ezekiel in squashes as of late. I love how the two of them make frequent tags, although that might be because they aren’t at that stage where they can go for long stretches. Either way, they are a force to be reckoned with. I also like how Ezekiel is showing some submission moves in his arsenal. Good stuff there. It’s not surprising that Christian’s team loss and Regal ends the night on top. A good episode of ECW, in my opinion.

Back from commercial, Burchill has Hurricane down on the mat with a sleeper hold. Crowd helps Hurricane again. Burchill charges and misses Helms. Burchill’s shoulder goes into the ring post. Thesz press by Helms followed by a neckbreaker. Helms is able to get his first pin attempt of the match. Two count. Helms goes to the top rope and hits a crossbody. Two. Shoutout to Striker who gives a shoutout to the Hall of Justice (my articles on Bleacher Report).

Both men are in the corner, Burchill is sitting on the top rope. Hurricane climbs up, both men exchange punches, but Burchill gets him up to deliver a Bam Bam Slam (top-rope powerslam). Two count for Burchill.

Hurricane is able to regain control and hits a Hurricane-rana. Two. Katie Lea gets up on the ring apron to distract Hurricane. Hurricane turns back to Burchill, who lunges at the superhero. Hurricane sidesteps him and he goes crashing into his sister. Hurricane takes the opportunity and hits the Eye of the Hurricane.

Winner: Hurricane by pinfall using Eye of the Hurricane
Opinion: Good back and forth match. There wasn’t really any ring psychology. No body parts were focused on, but it was still a good opener. Nice Bam Bam Slam by Burchill. Crowd seems good tonight.

We recap last week’s segment between Christian and Regal, where Christian and Tommy Dreamer beats Kozlov and Ezekiel with Singapore Canes. We are then introduced to a new backstage interviewer, Savannah. She is joined by Christian and Dreamer. Dreamer tells us Regal and his crew won’t run over ECW. Christian calls ‘Zeke and Kozlov Regal’s life partners. Says they (he and Dreamer) are ready for a fight.

Sheamus gets some kicks from Yoshi but a Benjamin distraction allows Sheamus to deliver a clothesline. Two elbow drops by Sheamus for a near fall. Benjamin back in. Sunset flip by Yoshi but Benjamin kicks out. Sheamus eventually gets back in but takes a hard kick to the back. Goldust gets in the match and he runs into a boot from Sheamus who was in the corner turnbuckle. Benjamin blind tags Sheamus, covers Goldust, and the team of Benjamin and Sheamus is victorious.

After the match, Sheamus is upset with Benjamin. Sheamus decks Benjamin and the two begin to roll around and brawl. They go to the outside before the referees break it up. Crowd chants “Let them fight” and both men are able to escape their captors momentarily. Eventually, they are kept apart.

Winner: Benjamin and Sheamus by pinfall, boot to face
Opinion: Weird pairing of Sheamus and Benjamin but I kind of figured something would happen at the end to make Benjamin come off looking like a face. The crowd sympathized with him after the punch at the end by Sheamus, so mission accomplished. The match was good although Tatsu didn’t really get the chance to shine.

Ezekiel shows he’s stronger by bodyslamming him. Ezekiel charges at Dreamer but Ezekiel ends up going through the middle rope. Christian gets the tag and hits a dropkick through the ropes on Ezekiel. Christian knocks Kozlov off the apron before jumping onto Ezekiel. Ezekiel catches Christian but Dreamer jumps on Christian’s back, which topples the Harlem native. The crowd chants “He’s hardcore” before we go to break.

Back from commercial Dreamer is dropping an elbow on Ezekiel. Jackson gets back to his vertical base and runs through Dreamer. Kozlov gets the tag and lowers a shoulder into Dreamer. Ezekiel back in and both men deliver a double shoulder charge on Dreamer.

Kozlov headbutts Dreamer in the chest three times before hitting a belly-to-belly suplex. Another “ECW” chant brings Dreamer to his feet but Kozlov forces him into the corner. Kozlov runs into a boot and then gets hit with a clothesline from the middle rope by Dreamer.

Christian gets the tag. He slaps Kozlov then attempts to knock him down with two clotheslines. Kozlov doesn’t fall. A missile dropkick from the second rope staggers the Russian and finally a top-rope missile dropkick drops Kozlov.

Christian is in the wrong corner and tries to fight off both men until Kozlov hits him with a headbutt. Ezekiel comes in and hooks Christian in a double underhook submission move before delivering a back body drop. Two count from the ref. Kozlov back in who hits another belly-to-belly. Two again. Christian desperately wants to make the tag but instead he gets a fall away slam by Kozlov.

Ezekiel returns and hits a double underhook suplex and Christian is able to grab the ropes to break the pin attempt. Kozlov is back in and when he charges at Christian, he hits his head on the top turnbuckle. Christian gets to tag in Dreamer, Kozlov tags in Ezekiel.

Dreamer hits a high crossbody that takes down the bigger Ezekiel. Bulldog by Dreamer followed by a Frogsplash (Bullfrog Splash according to Striker). Christian rushes in and knocks Kozlov to the outside, Christian goes out with him. Regal momentarily distracts Dreamer. Uranage slam by Ezekiel.

Post-match, Regal gets in and poses with his alliance. He then applies the Regal Stretch to Dreamer before kicking Christian who was trying to enter the ring.
Winner: Ezekiel and Kozlov by pinfall, using Uranage