The ECW X-Press: 2/24/2009

Pre-show run-through:
We have been setting up to Cage vs. SWAGGA for the title, and that match will happen tonight.  I’ve thought all along that it was silly to have a title match this early when Mania is a month away and begging to have a high-profile ECW title match on the card for the first time ever.  So I kind of expect a contrived finish of some sort.  As far as the rest of the card goes, it’s kind of in limbo as I think they’re trying to figure out who they want as their top guys after Christian, SWAGGA, Finlay, and Bourne.  MnM2 hardly count anymore as they’re holding the RAW tag belts and feuding with the Smackdown tag champs.  Anyways, expect more fun with Tommy Dreamer tonight and some appearances from Some Other Midcarders.

(opening video)

Speaking of other midcarders, here’s DJ Gabriel.  He seems to be wrestling Drippy, so not a particularly good day to be Mr. Gabriel.  Striker compares this match to Suge Knight fighting one of the Jonas Brothers.  HA!  Seriously, if you don’t watch ECW and only read my recaps, I’ve got to say it’s become worth it for Matt Striker alone.

DJ Gabriel vs. Big Drippy

Henry pushes Gabriel around, hits a big armdrag.  He stares at Alicia and Gabriel gets all fired up to land a dropkick, but his running the ropes is useless as he runs into a brick wall.  Henry nails him with a smash to the face and a headbutt.  Hard Irish whip grounds Gabriel, and Henry slams a big kick, club to the face and a chinlock.  Time for Gabriel’s comeback, some forearm smashes off the ropes and a dropkick to the knee.  He goes up top for a double sledge, but a second top rope move is caught and turned into the World’s Wettest Slam!
Winner:  Big Drippy by World’s Wettest Slam @ 3:03

It wasn’t much of a match, but it does totally make sense.  The in-ring quality isn’t the only think that’s important in determining how the overall show comes off, and this was a nice opener in the sense that it was just a match without too much dressing and the right guy won.  It earns four points for the finish alone.
Match Rating:  4.5/10

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Tyson Kidd vs. Matt Boyce

Kidd starts off with a waistlock takedown and rides him (Striker’s words, not mine).  Keylock takedown once they’re up and Boyce gets to the ropes.  Sunset flip for Boyce but Kidd lays in some big kicks to the chest.  Running stomp and an elbow to the face.  Looks like Kidd is being booked as a heel, which I hadn’t really been able to tell yet.  He locks in a headscissors for a bit, then drops a knee and hits a back spinning kick before nailing the springboard elbow to get the bell.

Winner:  Tyson Kidd by Springboard Elbow Drop @ 2:23

Nothing here that you couldn’t have guessed by reading the last two weeks worth of Kidd squashes.  I figure he gets one more week of jobbers and then we’ll see where he is. 
Match Rating:  4.0/10

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RAW Recap.  My three observations from RAW…

A)    John Morrison is officially the greatest man alive for pulling out a shooting star press off the apron during the commercial break.

B)   We all know about the “Super Cena” stories, but Super Cena apparently now has acquired the power to steal mid-carders’ hand signals.  Word Life is a thing of the past and Cena is now channeling MVP.  Really?

C)   Everyone knows I’m not a Triple H fan, but I’ve got to admit throwing a sledgehammer twenty feet overhand was darn impressive.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Paul Burchill

Dreamer hits an armdrag and mounted punches.  He goes to the side Russian legsweep and clotheslines Burchill outside.  Dreamer pretty much does Burchill’s stupid-ass neckbreaker finisher, which I found hilarious.  Burchill fights back with a forearm and some stomps.  Hard corner clothesline and a European uppercut.  Dreamer is about to rally but is cut off by another clothesline.  Burchill misses on a corner knee.  Clothesline and swinging neckbreaker for Dreamer, and an elbow drop gets two.  Back elbow for Burchill and he attempts what I presume to have been a flying double-knee, but is blocked by Dreamer and slingshotted into the turnbuckle.  Tree of Woe dropkick (the crowd TOTALLY no-selling the E-C-W, by the way…not a good sign for Tommy) is prevented by Katie Lea, who is then attacked by the Boogeyman from under the ring.  This distracts Paul and it’s a DREAMER DDT for him, and finally Tommy has a win.

Winner:  Tommy Dreamer by Dreamer DDT @ 3:41

I actually didn’t expect much from this match, but it picked up toward the end and it ended up being an average showing.  It’s about time Tommy got a win, and they’d sure as hell better not job him out again next week and ruin this angle more than it was already ruined.  By the way, the Dreamer DDT is still awesome, and Burchill sold it well.  I’m still mad at Miz for making it look like crap that one time like six months ago.

Match Rating:  5.0/10

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Christian Cage vs. Jack SWAGGA

Big-time waistlock takedown for Swagger.  Christian reverses but Swagger just scoops him up and slams him down.  Christian dodges a punch and starts with his jaw-jacks, then slides under a clothesline and hits a spinning kick.  Side headlock (probably not a good point in the match for the face to pull out that move).  Christian tries a sunset flip and Swagger overpowers it, and works turnbuckle offense at three of the four corners.  Cage dodges a charge and hits a wraparound kick in the ropes, then low bridges Swagger to the outside and hits a SPRINGBOARD BODY BLOCK for ad time!

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We haven’t slowed a bit as we return to see Swagger ducking a top rope move and hitting a sweet forearm shot.  Swagger then slows things up and actually hits a Vader Bomb for once.  Swagger just KILLS Christian with a shoulder block off the apron, which had to suck for Cage but he gets major points for agreeing to it.  Cage nails some chops when Swagger runs him down, but misses on a charge and careens into the steel steps.  Back inside and scoop slam for Swagger.  Swagger goes to the keylock and hits a big-time slam with it still locked in.  Into a cross armbar, but Christian rolls over Swagger to grab a headlock.  Reversed by Swagger into a hammerlock, but Christian hits a headbutt.  Swagger scoops him up, shoulder breaker, charges him back first into the buckle, and another shoulder breaker for some somewhat unexpected…

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We’re back and Swagger is turning a Christian sleeper into a rolling chancery.  Slap for Christian and he hits a missile dropkick.  Cage is selling nerve damage from his earlier jaunt into the steps, and Striker’s making sure to point it out.  Cage nails some punches and a forearm, 619 position and Cage with the standing rope choke and a big reverse hotshot.  Frog Splash misses, NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX for two for Swagger.  Swagga Bomb countered to the Unprettier, countered to a back suplex, countered into a Scorpion Death Drop and these guys are BRINGING it.  After a brief period of selling exhaustion, Swagger pops up for a belly to belly slam for two.  Swagger tries a second Vader Bomb but eats knees!  Captain Charisma with a springboard sunset flip for a great nearfall.  Swagger tries to throw Christian to the outside but Cage manages to stay on his feet and climb to the top rope.  Swagger meets him there but gets knocked off.  Diving headbutt for Cage!  Nearfall!  Swagger trips Christian to the buckle, but Cage gets a back elbow and massive tornado DDT.  Unprettier countered and Christian is posted!  CHRISTIAN FLIPS THROUGH A SWAGGA BOMB!  He goes for the Unprettier but his arm is too hurt to pull it off!  SWAGGA BOMB! 

Winner:  Jack SWAGGA by SWAGGA Bomb @ 13:00

I am in rapture about this match for so many reasons.  First, the match got the time needed to make this a big damn deal.  So often they try to have a big main event but then it only gets six minutes and it ruins everything.  They didn’t do that here…they cleared space from the rest of the show to have a legitimate main event title match.  Good for them.  Second, Christian and Swagger were just BUSTING ASS out there to put on a great match.  Third, we saw some stuff we’ve never seen before, specifically Swagger’s tremendous power game in the early portion of the match.  Fourth, not only did we see new stuff but the match was long enough we got to see all the stuff we already knew they had, meaning Cage pulled out all his big spots (Death Drop, frog splash, diving headbutt, missile dropkick, tornado DDT) and Swagger pulled out all his big spots (Vader Bomb, belly to belly slam, northern lights, lots of turnbuckle spots, and some dandy submission work), and so we went thirteen minutes without feeling plodding.  This is just the picture of what ECW TV main events should be, and while as always I’ll reserve the top scores for the dream match scenarios, this gets rave reviews from me.

Match Rating:  8.5/10

Overall Analysis: 
If you were waiting for my review to decide whether to watch the show or not, here’s what I’d say.  Forget about the midcard matches…a lack of Finlay and Morrison made them very forgettable.  But please or pretty please or however you want me to say it GO to Youtube.  SEARCH for Jack Swagger vs. Christian from 2/24.  WATCH.  And ENJOY.  This match was one of the best matches I’ve recapped since starting this shtick.  It saved an otherwise dismal show, but in part the rest of the show was dismal because they had to put aside time to give this 13 minutes.  So ALL is forgiven.

Overall Show Grade: B+

Comments

1. Comment #1

   if you want some come get som

   Posted by hellboy on Monday, March 02, 2009

2. Comment #2

   Disagree about the Lashley comment. Goldbergish cut-and-paste, never saw him do one interesting move his whole time in WWE. Brock at least had a moveset... cut a reasonable promo sometimes too. Swagger's a different animal though.
   
   I was so into that main event. I mainly drift in and out of watching WWE these days... glad I caught this one.

   Posted by Jane Ross on Tuesday, March 03, 2009

3. Comment #3

   wooooooo!!! Dreamer won a match

   Posted by the war machine on Friday, February 27, 2009

4. Comment #4

   Morrison's move was just great...

   Posted by orsie on Friday, February 27, 2009

5. Comment #5

   I agree this was a great ECW and ortons's pecks are getting a bit out of hand I mean really if he doesn't stop soon he's gonna have a 10 pack. And really morrison if you're going to do an amzing move few ppl can do off of the apron then at least make it during air time.

   Posted by EddieRox on Friday, February 27, 2009

6. Comment #6

   I know it's not going to get any Match of the Year, but hot damn does Swagger vs. Christian deserve at least consideration. I love what Swagger can do on the nights he actually cares about what he's doing, and Christian doesn't get the recognition he really deserves as a heavy sell guy, but getting to see him work his magic in a match that deserved it just brought tears of joy.
   
   And lol go Tommy and Burchill, both of em are pretty much in the same "Well what the hell do we do now?" fwump backsatage and story-wise, and both of em have alot at stake on whatever matches they're set in over the next few weeks. Setting them together is gonna make some kinda magic and was a great move.
   
   Good article Glide :D

   Posted by Paladin on Saturday, February 28, 2009

7. Comment #7

   Hahaah. Glide how can you not be a HHH fan after watching him throw that sledgehammer like an olympic champ? xD. Anyways let's talk about ECW. This week's main event was maybe the greatest I've seen for a very long time. Jack Swagger really is the future of the industry. If he gets some mic skills, he might just be 'the next big thing'. Oh wait I shouldn't have said that. I mean... Doesn't that remember you of anyone else? Brock Lesnar ! He was a great amateur wrestler, he joined WWE, he has won the WWE Undisputed title, and left. Same goes for Bobby Lashley who could have been better than Lesnar. But he also left for MMA. So hopefully Jack SWAGGA won't betray the wrestling industry. He's young, he's got got the skills, the talent and everything he needs to main event Wrestlemania. So please Jack, don't stab us in the back xD

   Posted by RockyVlad on Saturday, February 28, 2009

8. Comment #8

   AHHH!!! Brock left because he thought he could still play football, Brock couldn't even make it thru training camp . Then he went to Japan and dominated for a year or so. Swagger NEEDS Mic Skills and get rid of the lisp. If its natural then he can't do nothing about it, but if it's part of his gimmick it has to go...

   Posted by Brg on Saturday, February 28, 2009

9. Comment #9

   the only thing i didnt like were all those finisher reversals in the swagga cage natch.....actually tht kinda made it better but the swagga bombe just isnt a quick enuff finish. example: end of the randy orton jeff hardy match at royal rumble 08

   Posted by ROE Wrestling on Sunday, March 01, 2009

10. Comment #10

    Morrison & Dreamer FTW

    Posted by Derschengst on Monday, March 02, 2009

11. Comment #11

    Luckily for Glide, Boogey was released

    Posted by EddieRox on Wednesday, March 04, 2009

12. Comment #12

    Cena wasn't channeling MVP, he was channeling the 21 time tag team champions, Team 3D.
    
    Just my two cents.

    Posted by Gravedigger on Thursday, March 05, 2009

13. Comment #13

    We all need the X-Press without it ECW is just the piece of crap that it is you make me look at all the bright sides of this that and it's the only article I can read without falling asleep

    Posted by EddieRox on Friday, March 06, 2009

14. Comment #14

    whats up people

    Posted by cobra on Tuesday, March 10, 2009

15. Comment #15

    who loves d-x generation

    Posted by cobra on Tuesday, March 10, 2009

16. Comment #16

    Crap, now who's gonna make fun of ECW?

    Posted by EddieRox on Tuesday, March 10, 2009

17. Comment #17

    D-gereration X rule but did u see the time when they mocked DX DX belted them!!! Wrestlemania 25 will b awesome

    Posted by Rey Mysterio on Sunday, March 22, 2009

18. Comment #18

    you think john morrison is the greatest because he hit a ssp have you ever seen evan bourne in action

    Posted by matt on Sunday, March 22, 2009

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