WWE ECW 138

January 27, 2009 – Cleveland, Ohio

Teddy Long comes out to the ring for a chat. He talks about Matt Hardy turning on his brother Jeff at the Royal Rumble, which happened after he lost to Jack Swagger earlier in the night. Hardy has asked for his release from ECW and Long grants it. Swagger comes out and boasts for a bit. The Boogeyman comes out and spooks Swagger. Then Ricky Ortiz comes out for a match that never happens because Boogeyman attacks before the bell and Ortiz just leaves. If Ortiz isn’t turning heel then this was stupid. 

In the back, Swagger tells Long that somebody stole his title belt. Long tells him to get Tiffany’s help. 

Finlay def. Paul Burchill
Basically a nothing match used to reheat Finlay. Burchill bled onto Finlay a bit, so that was something. Finlay won at 4:36 with the Celtic Cross. *¾ 

Ortiz pouts to Tiffany when Swagger approaches. She leaves to help Swagger look for the belt. They ask Mark Henry if they’ve seen it. Henry reacts how you think, which makes the champ look like a punk. 

Mark Henry def. Tommy Dreamer
This started promising when it looked like Henry was a as going to mix up power moves and arm work… but then they just had a boring match that Henry dominated with a boring armbar. He won at 5:35 with the World’s Strongest Slam. *½ 

Long, Swagger and Tiffany go to the ring to demand that Swagger get his belt back. Nobody fesses up. Finlay eventually comes out and says he thinks Hornswoggle has it, so he reaches under the ring and gets his son, who does have the belt. Finlay clearly doesn’t know Tiffany’s name. Swagger shoves Hornswoggle so Finlay beats the crap out of him. Terrible episode.