WWE Daily

WWE taped this week’s edition of ECW at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Special thanks to Wrestling News World readers Terence, Bret N., Tori Rodriguez, J.R.W., and Michael Walters for sending text-message updates. If you are attending a future WWE television taping and would be interested in sending text-message updates, please email your name, mobile number, and show date to wnwryan [at] yahoo.com. Thanks for your support!

ECW: (Airing Tonight)
* Tyler Reks b. Paul Burchill
- Reks gets the win following a springboard dropkick.

* Vladimir Kozlov b. Bill Benny (local jobber)
- Vladimir wins the squash match with a modified chokeslam. After the match Ezekiel Jackson came out and delivered a one arm slam.

* Sheamus b. Goldust
- Sheamus got the win with modified backbreaker.

* Christian b. Zack Ryder
- The crowd was really behind Christian. Lots of near falls and high-flying moves. Christian gets the win following the Killswitch.

WWE taped this week’s edition of ECW at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. Special thanks to Wrestling News World reader Nick Moore for sending text-message updates. If you are attending a future WWE television taping and would be interested in sending us live text-message updates, please email your name, mobile number, and show date to wnwryan [at] yahoo.com. Thanks for your support!

ECW on SyFy: (Airing Tonight)
* Yoshi Tatsu b. William Regal

* Ezekiel Jackson b. A Jobber Named Mike Williams
- After the match Vladimir Kozlov came out and his finisher on the jobber.

* Shelton Benjamin b. Goldust

* Sheamus cuts a promo backstage.

* Gregory Helms interviews Paul Burchill & Katie Lea backstage. Goldust interrupts and haves a “tourettes attack.”

* Tyler Reks b. Paul Burchill

* Christian & Tommy Dreamer were on the “Abraham Washington Show.” The two exchanged blows and ended with a staredown.

Sy-Fy has started promoting ECW on Tuesday night’s with Evan Bourne doing the shooting star press in slow motion. Interesting to say, Bourne was drafted to Raw and in the commercial Bourne is holding the ECW Championship Title. Didn’t really think Bourne ever was ECW Champion….

HUH….Kinda weird since Tommy Dreamer is the current ECW Champion.

What’’s to say about WWE and sports Entertainment?….gotta go with what draws the crowd????

-WWEDaily would like an corespondent for tonight’s Live ECW/Smackdown tapings in Richmond Virginia. if you could please send in the results to the event at WWEdaily@gmail.com.

-Today’s WWE diva photo shoot revolves around Gail Kim. Kim’s photo shoot is titled, “Tropical Delight.”

-Tara is dealing with food poisoning but will be able to work tonight’s Impact tapings.

-WWE hints on Shaquille O’Neal possibly wrestling on next week’s Monday Night Raw. WWE has written an article on Shaq’s hosting next week’s Raw.

Here is an excerpt from the post:

Armed with a well-known sense of humor, the playful giant will doubtlessly have his share of antics for the Raw roster, and who knows, maybe he’ll even try his skills in the ring.

Read the full article here.

The following is posted on WWE.com for this coming’s ECW on Sy-Fy:

WWE is taping this week’s edition of ECW at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. Special thanks to Wrestling News World readers Shane Howard and Luis Moreno for sending text-message updates. If you are attending a future WWE television taping and would be interested in sending us live text-message updates, please email your name, mobile number, and show date to wnwryan [at] yahoo.com. Thanks for your support!

* A WrestleMania 25 package is shown. Undertaker gets a big pop while Randy Orton gets heat.

Dark Match:
* MVP b. Alex Riley w/Beverly in a squash match.
- Riley has a high school gimmick with Beverly as his ‘prom queen’. MVP gets the win with his Playmaker finisher after connecting with a clothesline. The match was approximately five minutes long.

ECW on SyFy: (Airing Tonight)
* Shelton Benjamin b. Christian
- Vladimir Kozlov comes out during the match and distracts Christian. He then joins the commentators at ringside. Christian sells his left arm while Shelton works on it. Benjamin counters a Killswitch and hits Paydirt. Shelton Benjamin gets the win via pinfall.

* Ezekiel Jackson is backstage with Gregory Helms. He talks about making an impact and how he was never in Kendrick’s shadow.

* Yoshi Tatsu b. Paul Burchill w/Katie Lea
- Yoshi botches a top rope attempt but gets the win after surprisng Burchill with a kick to the head.

* Tyler Reks is in Tiffany’s office demanding that he gets a chance to wrestle on ECW next week.

* Zack Ryder b. Goldust
- Goldust controls the majority of the match. Ryder throws Goldust into the middle turnbuckle then connects with Zack Attack to get the win via pinfall.

* Sheamus b. Roman Cornell (Local Jobber)
- Sheamus addresses Roman in Gaellic. He gets the win with an Uranage backbreaker move.

* It is announced that Christian & Tommy Dreamer will be on the Abraham Washington show on next week’s ECW.

* Vladimir Kozlov b. Tommy Dreamer in a non-title match.
- Dreamer goes off the top rope and gets hit with a headbutt. Kozlov connects with his finisher for the win. After the match Kozlov continues the beatdown. Christian comes out for the save but accidentally hits Dreamer. Kozlov leaves both men laying in the ring. This ends this week’s ECW.

The following is from WWE:

Dreamer’s nightmare
ECW Champion Tommy Dreamer will come face-to-face with the nigh-unstoppable Vladimir Kozlov tonight at 10/9 ET on ECW on Syfy.

Tonight’s ECW will be coming you from Miami Florida at the American Airlines Arena.

Jim Ross has posted the following on his JRSBarBq.com about Jerry “The King” Lawler running for Memphis Mayor. Lalwer will be quitting the WWE, because the mayor’s position is an full time job.
It looks as it the King is actually going to run for Mayor of Memphis as a special election is apparently going to be held in Memphis in about 90 days. The position of Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee is a full time position and one cannot hold another job, as I understand the matter. Jerry has often talked seriously, yes we did talk seriously on occasion on our many, many road trips together, about how he would like to do something positive for his hometown. Jerry certainly isn’t running for Mayor for the pay day but as an old school, public official who genuinely cares for his hometown and wants to make it better for all who live there. I heard an interview that the King made on a Memphis radio station where he talked about the grueling, weekly travel we undergo about 51 weeks a year for WWE and how that can wear on a person. ( I can definitely relate to that.) Point being is that Jerry has been announcing on Raw since 1994, with the exception of a short interruption in service along the way, logging some staggering miles. Plus, the King will be 60 this year and I can easily see Jerry Lawler being at the right place at the right time of his life to be a galvanizing force for the apparent racially divided Tennessee city of Memphis.

For Monday Night Raw fans, if Lawler wins the Memphis Mayoral race he will have to come off Monday Night Raw which would certainly end an amazing era that started 15 years ago. Jerry and I had approximately 12 great years together sitting at ringside every Monday night during the hottest period ever in WWE but as in all phases of our lives things change.

The following are confirmed matches for tonight’s ECw on Sy-Fy Channel, airing 8PM (ET)

*Nikki Bella vs Katie Lea Burchill

*Shelton Benjamin vs. Yoshi Tatsu

*Christian vs. Vladamir Kozlov

SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT>>>>>>>
(more…)

Here are Thursday’s ECW Results. ECW will be airing this Thursday on Sfy-Fy at 8 PM (ET):

*One of the Bellas beat Katie Lea Burchill. They did the old “the other one was under the ring” bit.

*Shelton Benjamin beat Yoshi Tatsu in a good, long match.

*Ezekiel Jackson won a squash.

*Abraham Washington’s “comedy” bit had Tommy Dreamer in it. The point was to have Vladimir Kozlov come out and staredown Tommy. Kozlov was getting a match with Christian to determine who would wrestle Dreamer at Night of Champions.

*Christian then beat Kozlov to get the title shot.

Wrestling News World reader David Mayorga sent in the following report:

Match 1: Evan Bourne vs Shelton Benjamin

Shelton dominates in the early going before Bourne with some key counters and reversals. Hits the Shooting Star Press on Shelton for the win.

Match 2: Drew McIntyre vs Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

Loud pop for Steamboat as he made his way to the ring. McIntyre avoids Steamboat in the early parts of the match, constantly leaving the ring or getting in between the ring ropes to delay the match. McIntyre even gets into a shouting match with some fans at ringside. McIntyre works over Steamboat with various holds throughout the match. Steamboat hits a top rope splash on McIntyre for the win.

Match 3: Dolph Ziggler vs. The Great Khali

Before the match started, Ziggler had the hardest time swatting his own wad of gum away. Tried exactly 4 times before declaring *FAIL* on his part and just tossing it towards ringside.

Match quickly spills to the outside where Ziggler gets in a few blows but Khali takes control and sends Ziggler back into the ring. A few moments later and a Khali Bomb on Ziggler gives The Great Khali the win.

Match 4: Mark Henry vs Christian vs Jack Swagger vs Tommy Dreamer in a Fatal 4-way for the ECW Championship

As Jack Swagger enters the ring, he climbs the top turnbuckle and holds up a Christian t-shirt that he tears up and tosses away. Some 2-on-1 parts in the match as well as some 1-on-1 wrestling, including a superplex powerbomb combo on Christian & Swagger by Mark Henry. Swagger hits the gut-wrench powerbomb on Christian but the 3 count was broken up by Dreamer who hits the DDT on Swagger for the win & retains his ECW Championship.

Match 5: Edge vs. Jeff Hardy

Edge out to the ring first followed by Hardy to a loud pop. Shortly after the match begins, Edge leaves the ring to stall and annoy the fans. He reenters and they lock up, Edge whipping Hardy but reverses sending Edge into the turnbuckle. Edge climbs to the middle turnbuckle when his left leg twisted unexpectedly and fell down onto the mat. Referees and medical staff enter the ring to check on Edge. Justin Roberts announces to the crowd that Edge is unable to continue and Jeff Hardy wins by forfeit!

Post-match: Edge is being helped out of the ring by trainers and staff. He grabs the mic and tells the crowd “Sorry” before being helped away to the back.

***INTERMISSION***

Match 6: Michelle McCool & Alicia Fox vs. Melina & Gail Kim with Maria as the special guest referee

Nothing particularly special about this match. Great to see Melina and Gail Kim teaming together as they get the win over McCool and Fox.

Match 7: Chris Jericho vs. John Morrison

Before the match, Jericho opens a promo about how we are not deserving of the level of talent that you see in the ring right now. He continues to run down the fans and mentioning his 9x Intercontinental Championship reigns, his 5x World Championship reigns, etc, etc.

A few minutes into the match, Morrison grabs a “You Suck” sign from a fan and climbs to the top turnbuckle and holds it out for everyone to chant right at Jericho! Good match between both with mat wrestling and high flying moves mixed in. Jericho uses the ring ropes for leverage behind the ref’s back as he gets the win over Morrison (and quickly escapes to the back).

Main Event: Rey Mysterio vs. World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk in a Champion vs Champion match for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Punk makes his way to the ring with more cheers than boos tonight. Mysterio gets the absolute loudest pop of the night as he enters the ring holding the Intercontential Title. Back and forth throughout the match as the action goes to the outside a few times then back inside the ring. Mysterio narrowly avoids the GTS before delivering a stiff kick to Punk’s head as he falls onto the middle rope. Mysterio connects with the 619 on Punk and connects with Droppin Da Dime as he goes for the cover but is interrupted by Jericho as he begins stomping away on Mysterio. Not for long though as Hardy quickly dashes to the ring to assist Rey. Hardy and Mysterio whip Punk and Jericho as they collide and knock heads. Both fall onto the middle rope as Rey hits a double 619 on Punk and Jericho. Hardy with the swanton on Jericho and then Rey with another droppin da dime on Punk to send the crowd home happy.

After the match, Rey is on the mic telling everyone thank you for coming out tonight. I love you San Diego & Viva La Raza! He then high-fives fans at ringside, does some autographs and pictures as well. His wife and kids were in attendence as they were front row ringside (two rows directly behind me).

As far as house shows go, this was a fairly solid event in my opinion. Will be very interesting to see if Edge was legitimately hurt or if this was a way to get him some rest before their upcoming overseas tour.