Welcome back once again to another ECW Recap! We kick things off with a nice video package promoting the ECW Homecoming Challenge, and an advertisement for the main event: Yoshi Tatsu vs. Jack Swagger!
Fireworks explode and the crowd goes nuts as Josh Mathews and Byron Saxton welcome us to ECW. Savannah introduces the All American American, Jack Swagger. The crowd boos. Jack stands at the top of the ramp, microphone in hand. “Finally, the show is worth watching again,” he says. Jack tells us how great it is to be back home, and describes what the ECW Homecoming Challenge is for those that may not be familiar.
Jack says alot of things have changed since he left, but a lot of things are the same: Christian is still a chump, and Tommy Dreamer is still fat. Um… ok. Jack plays a video of himself to remind people of how awesome he is.
It’s a pretty nice highlight reel, and makes him seem much bigger than he really is… which I can’t help but be reminded about how misused Swagger is on Raw.
Zack Ryder’s music kicks in while Swagger is still on the stage. Ryder and Rosa come out for a match. Zack’s opponent? Tommy Dreamer.
Enjoy this one folks – it might be the last time you see Dreamer on WWE television.
Zack Ryder vs. Tommy Dreamer
The bell rings and we get a lock-up, some rope running, and a few arm drags by Dreamer. Zack gets Tommy against the ropes, and goes for an Irish Whip. Dreamer counters with a knee and sends Ryder to the outside. Tommy climbs onto the apron and prepares his cannonball dive to the outside, when Rosa grabs his leg and interferes. Tommy’s distracted just long enough for Zack to grab him and yank him off the apron and to the floor.
Zack viciously attacks Dreamer before tossing him back into the ring for a 1-count. Zack punches Tommy a few times before locking in a headlock. Tommy works to his feet and rebounds off the ropes for a sunset flip and a 2-count, but Ryder kicks out and nails the RoughRyder Lariat for a 2-count.
Ryder gets Dreamer grounded in the corner and nails a running facewash. He pulls Dreamer away from the corner and climbs the turnbuckle, but Dreamer beats him and hits a superplex. The ref counts as they struggle to their feet. Dreamer has the momentum and a powerslam gives him a 2-count. Ryder gets to his feet and counters Dreamer’s Irish Whip. He jumps off the top rope but Dreamer catches him and goes for a slingshot. Cue the Tree Of Woe and a running dropkick. Dreamer pulls off his shirt and tosses it to the fans, but while he’s catering to the crowd, Zack gets in his finisher for the 3-count.
Winner: Zack Ryder
Truthfully, I enjoyed this match. I like Tommy Dreamer, and I like Zack Ryder. Ryder spent most of his time selling Dreamer’s offense, but was savvy enough to sneak in the win. Tommy may have his better days behind him, but for some reason I always find myself buying the idea of him winning, no matter how often he loses. If this truly is his last WWE match, as reports suggest, Tommy did a fine job.
Up next: Goldust vs. Vance Archer in an ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match!
You mean we get to see Vance Archer in a competitive match finally?
We’re back from break, and they lied. It’s time for the Abraham Washington Show. Supposedly he’s not going to rip Tiger Woods apart, because he supports Tiger, because Tiger was the biggest fan, but… no. This is just flat. It’s one Tiger joke after another.
Abraham welcomes his guests, Trent Barreta and Caylen Croft. They get booed pretty quickly. They compare themselves to Miz & Morrison, and The Hart Dynasty, and say those teams are alright but they’re taking it to the next level. They make a video game comparison and say that they are the Xbox 360 to those teams Nintendo 64. Barreta and Croft complain there’s no drinks in the mugs and Abe makes a pretty good crack about how he can’t afford drinks because this is ECW and not Raw.
Abe asks the duo what makes them special, and one of them replies that they go way back. They’ve been best friends since Little League, and it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks because their moms are their biggest fans.
Really? Seriously?
Tony tries to tell them how he was a tag team champion once but they cut him off and call him old. Abe sticks up for Tony but then claims it was only because they were out of time. The music hits, and we’re finally spared of further torture.
Once again, this segment fails to get anyone over.
Backstage, Tiffany is Tweeting about how bad the Abraham Washington Show is, when Jack Swagger walks in. He wonders how it’s possible she’s still in charge. I’ve been wondering that lately myself. Jack says he was brought here because she wants him to win the ECW Title at the Rumble. He’s rambling on when The Hurricane jumps in from nowhere.
Jack turns to The Hurricane and asks what exactly are his super powers. “The Hurri-powers are as limitless as imagination. I can do anything. Anything, except maybe fix that speech impediment, Citizen Swagger.” And Hurricane flies away.
Ok… this makes me mad. Booking 101: Hide your talents weaknesses and accent their strengths. For some reason, WWE insists on doing this backwards for a number of people, Swagger included. Guess what: Swagger’s promos and speech issues have come a long way.
Back from break, they show clips of the Tribute to the Troops.
Vance Archer’s music kicks in and Savannah introduces him… then Goldust comes out.
Vance Archer vs. Goldust in an ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match
The two tie up but Archer gets the advantage. Goldust reverses and goes on the offense, but Archer’s strength on an Irish Whip to the turnbuckle scores him a 2-count. A bodyslam and chin-lock later, and Goldust is working back to his feet.
This is already more than Archer has done in any match up to this point.
Goldust gets some momentum with a few clotheslines. Classic Goldust with the slide stop/punch, followed by a bulldog and a 2-count. Goldust goes for a suplex but Archer reverses and nails his finisher for the 3-count.
Winner: Vance Archer to qualify for the ECW Homecoming Tournament
Not a bad match. Archer looks better with a real opponent, but the finish awkwardly came out of nowhere, and frankly, the match was too short. I’m all for quick finishes if they make sense. This just didn’t feel right.
Back from break, a replay of last week’s Jackson vs. Koslov match. The announcers question Regal turning on Koslov, and advertise their match on Superstars.
Backstage, Yoshi is warming up in Christian’s locker room. Christian is giving Tatsu some tips against Swagger, when Swagger walks in. He calls Tatsu “The Karate Kid” and Christian “Mr. Miagi.” Christian calls Swagger a dork, and Tatsu says something in Japanese. Swagger says at the Royal Rumble, “You’re mine.” Tatsu calls Swagger a jackass as he walks away.
Cute.
Jack Swagger comes out to the ring to boos. Yoshi Tatsu comes out to cheers. Some idiot in the audience is dancing. Go figure.
Jack Swagger vs. Yoshi Tatsu in an ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match
And here we go! Tatsu and Swagger lock up, and Swagger tries to overpower Tatsu. He switches to some amature wrestling holds. Tatsu has some difficulty getting free of them, but when Swagger whips him into the ropes, Tatsu’s speed kicks in and he gets a couple of 2-counts off of school-boy pins.
Swagger uses his strength to get Yoshi into the corner. Swagger whips Tatsu across the ring and gets a running splash on him. Jack starts working an elbow lock, but Tatsu has the fans behind him and climbs to his feet. Swagger grounds him again with a nice takedown. Swagger goes for a gutwrench powerbomb but Yoshi reverses it. Yoshi goes for his finishing kick to the head, but Swagger has him scouted and he ducks as we cut to break.
Back from break, Swagger is in charge again. During the break Yoshi went for a body-scissors but Swagger reversed it with a suplex. Nice spot. Back in the ring, Yoshi gets whipped into the corner. He tries to kick Swagger off, but he reverses the move. Swagger gets a 2-count, and goes for a nice back suplex before getting another 2-count.
Swagger picks up Tatsu and hits a belly-to-belly suplex, and then busts out a couple of push-ups while Yoshi is in pain. He drops a few elbows and then a leg drop. Jack get’s a 2-count and goes right back to the elbow lock. Swagger tosses Yoshi at the ropes face-first, and as he bounces back, he elbows Tatsu in the kidneys. Swagger goes for a back suplex again but Tatsu reverses it and gets in a few kicks. Yoshi continues the flurry of kicks and nails a couple of dropkicks. He goes for the bodyscissors again, but this time bounces up and connects with a bulldog. Swagger retreats to the corner and Yoshi charges with a double-knee to the chest. He does a rolling neck-breaker into a kick, but Swagger ducks the leg and goes for a roll-up. Yoshi reverses this for a 2-count.
Swagger launches Tatsu into the corner but misses on his follow up. Tatsu goes to the top-rope and hits a spinning wheel kick for a 2-count. Swagger goes for another school-boy and only gets two. Swagger nails a fierce clothesline to the back of the head, but Tatsu kicks out at two. Swagger gets Yoshi up and slams him into the turnbuckle, then goes for a powerslam. Instead of covering Tatsu, he runs to the corner and leaps up to do a body-splash, but Tatsu grabs the rope to break the pin. Swagger is leading Yoshi into the next punishing move when out of nowhere, Yoshi hits the Buzzsaw Kick and gets the 3-count for the win.
Winner: Yoshi Tatsu to qualify for the ECW Homecoming Tournament
Not a bad main event at all – I’d like to see a real program between these two. Swagger was excellent both in the ring and outside of it I enjoyed his promos and he came off as a star.
Vance Archer continues to improve, but needs a quality worker across from him for it to make it meaningful. Goldust could be that worker – he did make Sheamus, after all.
Trent Barreta and Caylen Croft still haven’t impressed me on the mic. Their gimmick just doesn’t click in a wrestling environment.
Overall, a decent ECW. Check out the Swagger/Tatsu match on WWE.com. It’s worth your time.
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