Tonight, the final ECW episode ever airs.
We start out with a small video package showing clips of the original ECW. I find that kind of odd, since that ECW has been gone for a long time. Anyhow, in the main event, Christian defends his ECW title against Ezekiel Jackson, and the match will be held under Extreme Rules!
Hit the fireworks! Josh Mathews and Byron Saxton say that everyone is talking about NXT, and how it’s creating a heck of a buzz. Apparently, we’ll get to meet the cast (yes, cast) of the show tonight.
In the ring, Savannah announces The Big Show and The Miz, our Unified Tag Team Champs. They come out to ringside to defend their titles, as promised last week. Their opponents? Yoshi Tatsu and Goldust.
The Big Show & The Miz vs. Yoshi Tatsu & Goldust for the Unified Tag Team Championship
The bell rings and we start with Goldust and The Miz. The Miz gets in a cheap push in the corner but Goldust counters back with one of his own. Goldust has the offensive after running the ropes. He tags in Tatsu and there’s a nice double-team involving a spring board. Yoshi gets in a pair of cross-body blocks, but Miz counters before the third one and tosses Yoshi out of the ring… except Yoshi holds onto the rope.
Not a skin-the-cat, mind you… this was much cooler. He grabbed the bottom rope, falls out, then pulls himself back in. No idea if his feet hit the floor, bad angle, sorry.
Tatsu hits a schoolboy for a 2-count. He tags in Goldust who hits a flying rump for a 2-count. The Miz bails out of the ring and tags in The Big Show, except Goldy doesn’t see it. We go to commercial as The Big Show stands over the recovering Goldust.
Back from break, The Miz is back in the ring, and Goldust is barely able to make a tag as Miz tags in Big Show. Tatsu hits a flurry of kicks but eats a few heavy chops from Show. Show steps on Tatsu, then picks him up and headbutts him. The Miz gets the tag and takes advantage as a Yoshi chant breaks out. Yoshi fights back but Miz tags in Big Show. SHow uses The Miz like a battering ram and tosses him shoulder-first into Tatsu. Show hits another headbutt, then a tag to The Miz. Again, Miz and Show doubleteam Tatsu, and The Miz scores a 2-count. Tatsu gets in a few kicks and punches but Miz counters. Miz runs the ropes, and Tatsu reverses with a spinning elbow. They struggle to make the tag. Miz grabs Tatsu’s boot but Yoshi gets the hot tag anyhow.
Goldust is on fire and hits all his usual spots. He lands a nice powerslam and gets a 2-count. Show tries to interfere, but Yoshi Tatsu tries to make the save. Show chokes him out of the ring instead, and while Goldust is hammering on Goldust in the corner, the ref goes to check Tatsu. Big Show uses the opportunity to knock Goldust off the turnbuckle, and The Miz scores his finisher for the win.
Winners: The Miz & The Big Show to retain the Unified Tag Championship
Not a bad match, but noone in the audience actually expect Tatsu and Goldust to win. Yoshi had some pretty innovative moves though, and looked like he was really trying to impress.
Back to ringside, Saxton and Mathews start talking up NXT – 8 “rookies” matched up with 8 “pros.” Chris Jericho is announced as the first Pro, matched up with Rookie Wade Barrett. Also, Matt Hardy is mentoring Justin Gabriel.
Backstage, Tiffany addresses the audience. She begins talking about NXT when she is interrupted by Zack Ryder. He’s upset that Christian and Ezekiel Jackson are in the final ECW main event and he isn’t. He asks if Tiffany thinks he should be in the match, and she says no, because he lost to Christian last week. Rosa starts running her mouth in Spanish, but Tiffany puts her foot down. Zack Ryder says that the match is Extreme Rules, however, and if he wants his presence known, noone can stop him. Woo Woo Woo! You know it!
Back from break, more NXT roster updates: MVP mentors Skip Sheffield. Well, I guess that’s the only one.
In the ring is Tony Atlas and Abraham Washington for possibly the final Abraham Washington Show ever. Well, one can hope, right?
Abe thanks the audience but they boo him relentlessly. There’s some lame Kansas City jokes. Abe figures since ECW is over, he’s a free agent, and thus, he’s rich, because he’s a big deal and belongs on Raw or Smackdown, apparently. Whatever. Also, everyone’s talking about NXT. And, finally, he’s got one final guest – himself.
Ugh.
Abe starts interviewing himself, but is suddenly interrupted by Shelton Benjamin, who clearly has had about as much of this crap as the audience. Abe is confused that Benjamin is out there. Benjamin warns him to check his tone. He says the show is unwatchable when Abe has a guest, so what makes him think anyone would want to watch it when Abe’s the guest himself? And, because this is the last night of ECW, everyone is a free agent. As Benjamin continues, he’s interrupted by Vance Archer. Vance comes out with a purpose, and a microphone. He tells Shelton that his future better not have him on the same show as Archer, otherwise he won’t have a future. Abe tries to keep them from getting at each other’s throats, but they’re interrupted by Trent Barreta and Caylen Croft. They say noone cares what show they end up on, people only care what show Barreta and Croft end up on. They’re interrupted by Vladimir Kozlov. He says something in Russian or Ukrainian or whatever, and gets in Vance Archer’s face. Kozlov then proceeds to clear the ring and trash the furniture. Shelton’s the only one not to feel his wrath, and they shake hands.
Lame segment, but it was a last-ditch effort to try to get some of the major players of ECW some camera time.
NXT Update: Carlito is mentoring Michael Tarver. When we get back from commercial, we find out that The Miz is mentoring “Daniel Bryan” (Yes, that’s Bryan Danielson, folks). There’s a nice video package for Elimination Chamber, then we find out that Christian is mentoring Heath Slater.
Speaking of Christian, his music hits and he comes out to the ring with a shopping cart full of goodies as he defends his ECW Title for the last time. He takes the mic as an ECW chant breaks out. He says it was a year ago this week he debuted on ECW. He said most people said he should’ve made a bigger impact on his return, that being on ECW was a demotion. He says he never looked at it that way. He’s been in this business for 15 years, and to him, ECW feels like home. ECW gave him a chance, gave him the ball, and he ran with it. ECW let him reconnect and compete with one of his best friends and the glue of ECW, Tommy Dreamer. ECW let him mentor up and coming stars like Yoshi Tatsu. And, best part of all, he got to do most of it as ECW Champion, and he stands before us as the longest current reigning champion in WWE today.
Tonight he fights for every ECW Original who wanted those three letters to mean something. Tonight he fights for every young superstar in back trying to find their way. Tonight ECW goes away forever, but he will always be proud that he was a part of something great, and he is proud to say he was the very last ECW Champion.
When we return from commercial, we find out CM Punk is mentoring Darren Young.
Ezekiel Jackson’s music hits and he’s accompanied by William Regal. Savannah gives us a proper Championship intro.
Christian vs. Ezekiel Jackson for the ECW Championship in an Extreme Rules Match
We begin with a collar and elbow tie-up, and Jackson displays his strength and tosses Christian across the ring. Jackson talks trash as Christian gets back to his feet. They lock up again, and Jackson goes on the offense. Christian runs the ropes and counters. Jackson charges and Christian tosses him outside, but Jackson is able to drag Christian outside too. He gets in a few hits, tosses Christian back into the ring, then starts tossing in the weapons. Christian meets Zeke on the apron though and after getting in a few hits, grabs a kendo stick and whacks Zeke’s hand with it, knocking him off the apron.
While Christian’s back is turned, Zack Ryder attacks from behind. Zack goes for a garbage can but Christian counters and tosses him on the can instead! Christian makes quick work of Ryder and flings him outside the ring. Rosa Mendes runs into the ring and starts yelling at Christian. She slaps him across the face. I’m gonna be furious if she causes Christian the title. Oh wait, nevermind. Here comes Tiffany, running full-sprint out to the ring. She attacks Rosa and tosses her out of the ring. She ejects both of them from ringside and we go to break.
When we return, Jackson is dominating. He slams some fierce forearms down on Christian, then tosses him into the corner. Christian is able to counter, and climbs to the top rope, but Jackson pushes him off and to the outside. He follows Christian out and sets up the steps, and slams Christian into them. He goes to slam a garbage can down on Christian’s head, but Christian moves, then hits a dropkick onto the can, into Jackson’s face. Jackson recovers fairly quickly and tosses Christian into the steps. He empties out the shopping cart and runs it towards the prone Christian, but he moves and counters. They go back and forth a bit before Jackson tosses Christian into the sopping cart, which opens and traps Christian head-first.
Jackson tosses Christian back into the ring and goes for a pin and gets a 2-count. They both stand up. Jackson tosses Christian into the corner, then picks up a trash can lid and charges. Christian ducks, then does his rope flip kick into the lid which hits Jackson in the face. Christian climbs to the top and hits a cross-body block for a 2-count.
Christian grabs a trash can, but Jackson clotheslines it into Christian. He gets a near fall. Jackson then goes under the ring and with Regal’s help, pulls out a table, but Christian dropkicks the table into them both before they’re able to get it in position. Christian rolls Zeke into the ring and gets a 2-count, but Jackson stands up and slams Christian down onto the still folded-up table.
Jackson sets him up on the top rope, then starts setting up the table while Christian reels. He goes back to Christian and starts hammering on him as he sets up for a super-plex. Christian punches his way out and goes for a tornado DDT, but Jackson pushes him over the table and counters. Christian grabs a kendo stick and slams Jackson in the gut as he charges. He follows up with a strike across the back. He goes outside the ring and limps after William Regal til Regal is backstage. He limps back into the ring and Jackson is waiting for him with his own kendo stick, but Christian hits Jackson in the leg and catches him off guard first. He sets up and connects with a flying European Uppercut, and readies the Killswitch, when William Regal makes his return and attacks from behind. Christian fends him off reasonably well, and hits the KIllswitch, but Jackson takes advantage and hits his finisher through the table. He pins Christian and gets the 3-count for the win, to become the new ECW Champion.
Winner: Ezekiel Jackson to become the ECW Champion
Are you freaking kidding me?
Saxton and Mathews talk about NXT one last time and announce the last mentor as R-Truth, who will be mentoring David Otunga.
And thus is the end of ECW. I have to admit, I’m pissed at the way it ended, too. Christian, in my eyes, gave the title stability and credibility, and it was fitting to have him retain in the final ECW match ever. I know Jackson’s come a long way, but this was unnecessary.
Ugh.
Next week begins NXT, and I’ll be covering that as well. Hopefully you’ll join me as we embark on some new adventure that hopefully, doesn’t flop like the XFL or Vince’s other pet projects.
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Agreed man, What was the point of pullingthe strap of christian. It wasnt a bad match but it shouldnt have ended that way.
I agree with Matt – pointless to pull the strap off of Christian on the last program. Jackson has come a long way, but this win is essentially meaningless since I presume the belt will go away now, somehow. Would have been better served to leave the belt on Christian as he heads to whatever brand he’s heading to next.