ECW: 30th June 2009

So, ECW was robbed of loads of people that have made me watch this show - Finlay, Mark Henry, Bourne, Hart Dynasty and Jack Swagger. But they've gained Regal. Let's see how this effects things.

Show kicks off with Benjamin against the first new guy, Yoshi Tatsu, who I have no idea about. You can tell he's Japanese though, because of the his tights. Shelton's all racist taunting, and the crowd is all racist laughing along with it, and Tatsu is all kicks to the ear and wins the match. What we have learned: bigotry gets you kicked in the ear. I don't mind the racist stuff, by the way, especially as it is being used as an obvious heel technique. It's when it used for cheers.

Sheamus (SOS for the other person that ever watched an Irish Whip Wrestling) finally debuts in the next match, under the gimmick of the whitest man in wrestling. That may not be correct. He looks impressive, but it's enhancement stuff, so we get to see his big kick and his Rock Bottom backbreaker. You know what would have made him look better? An albino opponent.

Main event is really the only bit I can care about, Dreamer and Christian vs. Regal and Kozlov. Regal looks like such a glorious bastard coming to the ring, as ever. I enjoyed their opening exchanges just fine, but the bit where Christian makes to jump to the outside onto Kozlov, and Regal runs around and taunts Christian to dive onto his waiting fist was delightful. This is a tag match where they aren't messing with the formula, and the end result is completely acceptable. They do a fake heat section and a real one, with Christian doing all the selling - joy. Both men do some nice arm stuff - I liked Regals knee drops and when he rolled the knee over the forearm, and I liked the elbow drop by Kozlov where the elbow came in from the side, to hit the arm.

Tommy Dreamer, it occurs, is really being made to just acceptable by his opponents - his offence is pretty weak, and his timing is usually out. I think his lifetime achievement award title run should probably end soon. This establishes the new top heels, and I love the celebration at the end, with Regal glaring at Kozlov behind his back, before smiling and laughing with him when Kozlov turns around. Part of Regal's charm is his facials, which are detail to the point of being cartoonish. He comes across, not as a wrestling heel, but as a wrestling villain. Ponder on that.