Pulse Wrestling’s Real-Time Coverage of ECW on Sci-Fi for 2/19/2008

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Tonight, you get a substitute recapper and Ric Flair in action!  The Report Card goes to the EXTREME tonight!  Here is a non-spoiler match listing for the show tonight!

Kofi Kingston v. Jason Riggs
The Miz v. Colin Delaney
Stevie Richards v. James Curtis
Ric Flair & CM Punk v. Elijah Burke & Shelton Benjamin

Click through for a full play-by-play recap for tonight’s show. 

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned, but Shattersphere rocks with their opening music.  We are LIVE from San Diego, California!  WOOOOO!  It’s the Nature Boy, Ric Flair – he’s in the house tonight!  At No Way Out, he dispatched Mr. Kennedy in a decent match, but tonight he is in the ring with Tazz!

Tazz congratulates Ric Flair for being the first inductee in this year’s WWE Hall of Fame.  Flair says that it is a huge honor, especially since he is still an active wrestler.  He reminds everyone that he isn’t going to retire.  He’s here tonight and he plugs San Diego to a huge pop.

And out comes Elijah Burke for the timely interruption.  Elijah, seriously?  I expected Dreamer or Punk.  Elijah claims to be a fan of Ric since being a kid.  He tacks on that ECW is “his house”.  He reminds us of being hand-picked by Vince to lead ECW as “The New Breed”.  “The New Gold Standard” Shelton Benjamin comes out to make this a three way meeting of the minds.  He also congratulates Flair for his accomplishments.  He introduces himself and declares that Flair’s time is over.  Flair mocks them a bit.  He says that the two will never hold as much gold as Flair’s 16 World Titles.

*SLAP!*  And Flair is getting beat down in a two-on-one mismatch until CM Punk comes out to the ring to even the odds up.  Burke and Benjamin backpedal as Flair and Punk stand tall.

Commercials.

We are back as we watch what just happened.  Backstage, Benjamin and Burke complain about Punk getting involved.  Armando Estrada comes in and he books the two of them against CM Punk and Ric Flair!  Back ringside, Kofi Kingston makes his way to the ring and tonight’s jobber is Jason Riggs.

Kofi Kingston v. Jason Riggs
Standard Match

They lock up and Riggs gets a side headlock.  Out of it, Kingston leaps over a couple times before getting an arm drag into an armbar.  Riggs scoop slams him for one and he applies a headlock.  Kingston is back up and he tries to get out, but Riggs slams him down and reapplies the headlock.  Back up, Kofi tries again, but he gets slammed down.  Kip up by Kofi and he gains some momentum.  Stining knife edge chop connects, followed by a Jamican Leg Sleep.  Double Leg Drop connects and he nails the Jamican Buzzsaw for the three!

Winner:  Kofi Kingston
Grade:  C+ (Yes, you’re getting my Report Card tonight as well.  I’m not good at being an analyzer.  The jobber actually looked good tonight and Kingston is starting to become decent.  Not a bad match, except it was short.)

Inside the ring, Joey Styles interviews Kofi Kingston.  ECW is like paradise to him…Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Commercials.

Wrestlemania XXIV is coming in 40 days!

We are back as Joey Styles is in a serious tone.  Last night, Hornswoggle was treated to midget abuse by Mr. McMahon and JBL.  All Finlay could do is watch being handcuffed to the ropes.  It was bad to watch last night…and it got RAW its first penalty since I began grading the show.  If that’s tough love…then I wonder what Vince’s father did to him when he was little. 

Hornswoggle is in and out of consciousness and there could be bleeding in his brain.  WWE.com has more information about the injury.  Coming out to the ring is the new M&M Connection, John Morrison and The Miz.  The Miz is competing tonight against Colin Delaney with Tommy Dreamer at his side.  Too bad he’s still selling his injuries from a long time ago.

Colin Delaney v. The Miz
Standard Match

The bell sounds and Miz mocks Delaney.  Full Nelson slam connects and Miz continues to talk smack to him.  Delaney gets introduced to the turnbuckle as Miz sends him across the ring.  He connects with a hard clothesline that turns Delaney inside out.  Miz connects with a whiplash move before continuing to pummel Delaney.  Delaney fires back with a couple haymakers and Morrison gets involved.  He gets ejected, which allows Delaney to get a schoolboy for two.  Reality Check by the Miz gets the three count. 

Winner:  The Miz
Grade:  C (It was good to see Delaney score the haymakers.  I’m liking his gimmick and I hope that Dreamer can continue to work with him.)

Post match, Dreamer tries to take out the trash, but he gets a corkscrew neckbreaker by Morrison for his troubles.  They take and they dismantle Delaney some more before leaving.

Commercials.

“Light it Up” by Rev Theory is YOUR theme song for Wrestlemania XXIV!

We are back and we rewind 24 hours for the return of Candice Michelle.  Maria also defeated Beth Phoenix to be able to pose for Playboy!  Kelly Kelly is backstage who wants to pose for Playboy some day.  Next week, Maria’s Playboy Photo shoot will be shown on RAW!

Stevie Richards comes out to the ring to face James Curtis.  Who?

Stevie Richards v. James Curtis
Standard Match

The bell sounds and they lock up.  Curtis locks on a side headlock, but Richards gets out of it.  Richards scores a couple stiff kicks, but Curtis levels him with a clothesline, followed by the foot choke.  Curtis gets a cover after a kick to the back for two and he goes back to Richard’s neck.  Jawbreaker by Richards, followed by kicks and a haymaker!  Richards scores with a neckbreaker, followed by the corner clothesline…STEVIE-T connects for the three!

Winner:  Stevie Richards
Grade:  C+

RAW Rebound:  The Big Show challenges Floyd Mayweather to a match!

CM Punk and Ric Flair WOO their way to the ring!  Your main event is NEXT!

Commercials.

We are back as Ric Flair makes his way to the ring.  He’s shortly joined by CM Punk, who looks happy to team with Flair.  Out come the heels and it’s time to get it on!

Ric Flair & CM Punk v. Elijah Burke & Shelton Benjamin
Tag Team Match

CM Punk and Elijah Burke start things out.  Joey Styles points out that since this is a tag match, Flair’s career is NOT on the line.  In the ring, Burke has Punk in a choke hold, but that is short lived as Punk scoop slams him and tags Flair in.  Severage knife-edge chops connect and Burke steals a page out of Flair’s book with an eyepoke.  Burke goes up top and Flair steals out of his own book and takes him off.  Flair goes up top and he takes care of Benjamin….DOUBLE AXE HANDLE to both of them!  We take a quick break.

Commercials.

For the record, I absolutely hate the new Burger King commercials.  Why can’t they focus on their own restaurant instead of giving other restaurants free publicity.  It’s just as bad as TNA giving the WWE free publicity.

We are back as Benjamin back drops Flair in the ring!  Benjamin works on the left knee of Flair, but Flair gets a legscissors to break it up.  Benjamin misses the corner splash and he tags in Punk!  Punk is on fire as he nails a dropkick to Benjamin!  High kick by Punk, clothesline to Burke…Benjamin counters the bulldog!  Burke tags in and he suplexes Punk for two!  Burke has a choke on Punk, but he gets out of it…he goes for a splash, but Burke gets the knees up.  In comes Benjamin and he takes it to Punk.  Powerbomb try is countered, but Punk still falls to the floor.  THEY REPEAT THE SPOT, but Punk floats over and nails an enzugiri!  Flair comes in, as does Burke!  Flair chops Burke down.  Back drop to Burke and he struts!  Suplex try, but Benjamin clips the leg and Burke falls over for two!  The Elijah Express MISSES and Flair locks on the Figure Four!  Burke taps!

Winners:  CM Punk & Ric Flair
Grade:  B (Decent tag team match…minor complaints, but the botched spot and the repeating of it did hurt the grade for this match a bit.)

Flair and Punk celebrates as the show ends.

Show over.

The ECW on Sci-Fi Report Card

Kofi Kingston d. Jason Riggs (C+)
The Miz d. Colin Delaney (C)
Stevie Richards d. James Curtis (C+)
CM Punk & Ric Flair d. Shelton Benjamin & Elijah Burke (B)
Penalty:  Repeating a botched spot in the main event
Penalty:  No Chavo Guerrero?  No mentions of Punk losing to Chavo at No Way Out?  Nice way of treating the ECW Title as an afterthought.

The Final Grade for ECW on Sci-Fi for 2/19/2008:  C

Final Thoughts:  Not a bad show tonight, although I was left with many questions which I addressed in the penalties for the show.  The penalties only took it down from a C+ to a C, so it wasn’t drastic…just minor issues.  Blatt will return next week.  Have a good night!

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Paul Marshall has been with Pulse Wrestling since September 2007. He currently does a weekly WWE Column titled "This Week In 'E". Follow him on Twitter here.