ECW Extreme Extracts 06.09.09

Hi everyone, and welcome to the first ever edition of Extreme Extracts so get your mylar bags ready! While I have done some writing for 411 here and there, this is my first actual column for the site. Extreme Extracts is not a full on recap column of ECW. Instead I highlight some of the angles and storylines and even speculate from time to time where they might be heading. Got it? Good, let’s go!

Show results:
• Match One: Evan Bourne def. Tony Atlas
• Match Two: Kozlov def. two jobbers
• Match Three: The Hart Dynasty def. Jack Swagger & Christian

The main theme of the show:

Simply put, this show was all about the ECW Title, not the wrestlers vying for the ECW Title, but the Title itself. This is a very important distinction. Most of the time, when people are fighting over the title, it is because it’s personal and the title is just part and parcel with two wrestlers trying to one up each other. That’s not really the case in ECW. It’s an old-school concept and booking 101; the title is THE most important thing and ECW has brought that concept back. I for one am glad to see it. Now I was worried at the beginning of the show because Christian was getting a little bit of heel heat from the crowd after he power bombed Dreamer through the table but those fears were eased during the main event when it was clear that Christian and Swagger could not get along. Being at odds with the top heel pretty much puts Christian back on the babyface side of the ledger in my book. Keeping Christian as a babyface (or at the very worst a tweener guy) helps keep the focus on the ECW Title because for Christian and Dreamer, it’s not about settling some personal score but rather it is all about the Title and the message here is that the Title is worth fighting for, even between friends. Swagger’s inclusion in the title scene also helps reinforce this message because for him it’s not personal either. As he said tonight, he’s a winner, and he is intent on proving that by having the ECW Title as a symbol of his winning ways. None of this is rocket science; it is straight forward and easy to follow booking. It is not muddied up with personal vendettas, family issues, power struggles, or any other gimmick that it so often part of a title feud. Clearly, the crowd is responding to it and everyone involved is looking better and better because of it.

The minor feud…:

A little side dish to the main course that is the ECW Title chase is the budding feud between Evan Bourne and Mark Henry. Henry’s problems with Bourne continued again this week even with Tony Atlas acting as his proxy in the match with Bourne. Now Henry did get a small measure of revenge post match with a vicious slam on Bourne but things clearly aren’t over. If I were booking this feud I would have it be the usual little man gets squashed over and over by the big man before finally overcoming the odds but I am willing to see where this goes since I am a fan of everyone involved. Now I’ll make no apologies for my adoration of the team of Mark Henry and Tony Atlas as I have enjoyed seeing them together right from the start but I think it’s pretty clear we are headed for a split with those two what with Henry blaming Atlas for his struggles with Bourne and Henry’s refusal to answer Atlas’ call to help in the match with Borne. I guess we’ll see how that develops as well.

Other quick thoughts from the show:

* So is Kozlov a babyface now? He was all smiles on his way to the ring and after the match as well. He even played to the crowd a little bit and there were clearly some cheers when he won. Sometimes people just like to watch a big guy beat people up. I think Kozlov as a babyface could be pretty funny if done right and ESPECIALLY if he brings back the ol’ “Double-Double E” phrase he was using when he was first brought up from developmental.

* Tiffany has really seemed to grow into her role as GM on ECW. She was very effective tonight at the show open as also in her little backstage segment. She has a very expressive face and is able to get her point across both verbally and non-verbally.

* No Paul and Katie Lea Burchill this week which is a real shame. But it seems to be every other week with those two on the show so I expect to see them next week. I’m a fan of those two and would like to see them featured more.

* That’s it for the Extract this week. Any comments can be made below. And if you have an opinion on the show that you’d like me to print in next week’s column, email me at andy (dot) critchell (at) gmail.com. Also, make sure to check me out on the UBS Evening Movie News Report over on the Movie Zone where I post the Interactive Babe Photo News Brief each and every week.

Have a great week!