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Armageddon (2007)
Encyclopedia
Armageddon was a professional wrestling
pay-per-view
(PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE), which took place on December 16, 2007 at the Mellon Arena
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the eighth event produced under the Armageddon
name and starred wrestlers from the Raw
, SmackDown, and ECW brands
. It was also the last pay-per-view to be held before WWE presented its programming in high definition.
Eight professional wrestling matches were scheduled for the event, which featured a supercard, a scheduling of more than one main bout. The first of these was a Triple Threat match from the SmackDown brand that featured Edge defeating World Heavyweight Champion
Batista and The Undertaker to win the title. The second was a singles match from the Raw brand, in which Chris Jericho
defeated WWE Champion
Randy Orton
by disqualification. Orton, however retained the championship per WWE regulations that a title cannot change hands on a disqualification. The other was a tag team
match from the ECW brand, in which the team of Big Daddy V
and Mark Henry
defeated the team of CM Punk
and Kane
.
Armageddon grossed over $
450,000 in ticket sales from an attendance of approximately 11,000 and received 237,000 pay-per-view buys, and was instrumental in helping WWE increase its pay-per-view revenue by $11.9 million compared to the previous year.
with wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines
. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains
or fan favorites
as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. All wrestlers belonged to either the Raw
, SmackDown, or ECW brand – storyline division
s in which WWE assigned its employees to different programs.
The predominant rivalry
scripted into Armageddon on the SmackDown brand was between was between Batista, Edge and The Undertaker, over the World Heavyweight Championship
. At Survivor Series
, Batista and Undertaker fought in a Hell in a Cell match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Edge (who was disguised as a cameraman at ringside) interfered and cost Undertaker the match. He was then given a title shot for the World Heavyweight Championship on the November 30, 2007 episode of SmackDown by SmackDown! General Manager Vickie Guerrero
, who was his storyline
love interest. The same night Batista faced Edge for the World title. Batista looked set to retain his title once again, but Undertaker interfered and chokeslam
med Batista, but Edge ran out of the ring to escape similar treatment. Theodore Long
returned as Assistant General Manager and booked Batista to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Edge and the Undertaker in a Triple Threat match at Armageddon.
The main feud on Raw
brand was between Randy Orton
and the recently returned Chris Jericho
, with the two battling over the WWE Championship
. Jericho returned to WWE on the November 19, 2007 edition of Raw, interrupting Orton during Orton's orchestrated "passing of the torch" ceremony. Jericho revealed his intentions to reclaim the WWE Championship in order to "save" WWE from Orton. He then laid a challenge to Orton with the WWE Championship on the line, which Orton did not accept. A week later Jericho cost him a match against Ric Flair
to further convince him to accept the challenge. After Raw went off the air, Orton accepted the challenge.
The main feud on the ECW brand was between CM Punk
and Kane
against Big Daddy V
and Mark Henry
. The rivalry started on December 4 edition of ECW, Punk was forced to choose either V or Henry to face in the main event; Punk chose Henry. Punk got a disqualification victory when Big Daddy V interfered. The two tried to double-team Punk until Kane made the save and attacked both Big Daddy V and Henry. This made the Armageddon match of Kane and CM Punk against Big Daddy V and Mark Henry. On December 11 edition of ECW, Punk and Kane received a victory against Deuce 'n Domino
.
defeated WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison and The Miz
in a dark match.
. Mysterio used his quickness and aerial techniques
to be on the top. Mysterio wrestled a good match by sending MVP who crashed on the arena floor and then he hit MVP with a flying headscissors takedown, otherwise known as a hurricanrana. Mysterio got into the ring to break the referee's 10 count and MVP also got up at 8 count but he simply walked out instead of coming back into the ring after he climbed on the ring apron. MVP was counted out and thus he retained the title because a title does not change hands by countout. After the match, Mysterio threw MVP back into the ring and hit him with the 619.
The second match was a tag team
match in which ECW Champion CM Punk
teamed up with Kane
against Big Daddy V
and Mark Henry
. V and Henry dominated the match by destroying Punk and Kane. The two managed to control these unstoppable monsters in the middle of the match when Punk was able to bring V to one knee but V overpowered Punk by hitting him a body avalanche and a Samoan drop to get the victory.
The third match was between Shawn Michaels
and Mr. Kennedy. Michaels reeled Kennedy in the beginning of the match. A stomp of Michaels almost broke Kennedy's left hand. Kennedy cried in pain throughout the match. Kennedy was blowed by Michaels many times. Michaels went on to hit Kennedy a diving elbow drop and then he also attempted a Sweet Chin Music but Kennedy countered it into a roll-up. Michaels kicked out but Kennedy continued to punch Michaels with his injured left hand. It was paining for Kennedy and Michaels took the opportunity of the situation and hit Kennedy a Sweet Chin Music for the victory.
The fourth match was a number one contender's non-title match between WWE Intercontinental Champion
Jeff Hardy
and Triple H
. The pre-match stipulations were that the winner would get a WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble 2008
against the winner of Orton vs. Jericho match. Before the match started, Hardy and Triple H shook hands. During the match, Hardy seemed dazed after he suffered a series of clotheslines and shoulder blocks. Triple H tried to hit Hardy with a Pedigree but Hardy countered it into a jackknife roll-up which won Jeff Hardy
the match. As Jeff Hardy celebrated Triple H was smiling at the fact that he was pinned so easily, Triple H then celebrated with the number one contender for the WWE Championship.
The fifth match was between Finlay
and The Great Khali. The referee's back was turned and he was distracted by Finlay until Hornswoggle took advantage and hit a shillelagh
in the groin
of Khali. Finlay hit a shillelagh in the head of Khali followed by a successful pinfall victory for Finlay.
's main event
was Randy Orton
defending the WWE Championship
against Chris Jericho
. Jericho controlled the match by beating Orton and performing many moves. Jericho would then knock Orton onto the outside with a clothesline, which made Orton lay in front of SmackDown's announcer's table. Jericho would then launch into Orton, but Orton would move, which made Jericho run into JBL
. Then Jericho and Orton would get back into the ring. Jericho would then apply the Walls of Jericho
on Orton. He tried to reach the ropes but he failed to do so. JBL then interfered and then kicked Jericho in the side of the head which disqualified Orton. A title cannot change hands by disqualification, therefore Orton retained the WWE Championship.
The seventh match was a divas match
between Beth Phoenix
and Mickie James
for the WWE Women's Championship
. During the match, Phoenix overpowered Mickie but Mickie bounced back with several near-falls. The match came to an end when Phoenix hit a powerful Fisherman suplex and then she pinned Mickie to retain the WWE Women's Championship.
The main event
was a Triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship
between, defending champion Batista, Edge and The Undertaker. Before the match, Edge told Vickie
that her love gave him the strength of three men
. Batista and Undertaker fought each other to decide who would fight Edge first. Edge kept his distance outside the ring. In the ring, Undertaker applied his Triangle choke on Batista. Edge sounded the ring bell and everyone (even Undertaker himself) thought that the match was over. Edge took the opportunity and speared both men but came up short on both pinfall attempts. Batista dominated the match in the end when he hit The Undertaker with a Spinebuster and speared Edge outside the ring. Undertaker chokeslam
med Batista and sent an attacking Edge to the floor. Batista and Undertaker were fighting inside the ring until the three "Edges" appeared on the outside floor. Undertaker executed a Tombstone Piledriver on Batista, after which until the "real" Edge hit Undertaker with a steel chair
onto his spine and another on his skull. Edge took advantage and quickly pinned Batista to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
After the PPV, the feud between Randy Orton
and Chris Jericho
slowly died down. Jericho once again defeated Orton on the Tribute to the Troops Raw by disqualification when former SmackDown! announcer John "Bradshaw" Layfield
entered the ring. After Jericho requested JBL's presence on the December 17 edition of Raw, JBL was outraged, left SmackDown, and announced his return to Raw to wrestle after a one-and-a-half-year retirement. The two began a feud with each other and had a match at the next pay-per-view, Royal Rumble 2008
in Madison Square Garden
which JBL won by disqualification, when Jericho hit JBL with a steel chair.
The feud between the World Heavyweight Champion
Edge and Batista continued the following week on SmackDown!, where Batista challenged Edge to a title rematch, but the general manager Vickie Guerrero
announced that it was a three-on-one title match with the Major Brothers
(rechristened as the "Edge-heads" earlier that night) siding with Edge. After Batista pinned one of the Edge-heads, Guerrero announced that Batista could only become the champion by pinning Edge. After Guerrero restarted the match, Batista took advantage, and went to hit Edge with a Batista Bomb, but Curt Hawkins hit Batista in the leg with a steel chair
, resulting in the entire team being disqualified. Due to the fact a title cannot be won when the champion loses by disqualification Edge retained the title. Rey Mysterio won a Beat the Clock match series and earned himself a match against Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship. At Royal Rumble 2008, Edge retained his title against Mysterio with help from Vickie Guerrero
.
Randy Orton began a feud with the new number one contender for his WWE Championship, the WWE Intercontinental Champion
Jeff Hardy who earned himself a title shot by defeating Triple H in a number one contender's match at Armageddon. Orton gave Jeff's brother Matt
, a running punt to the gut and then one to the head. Two weeks later, Jeff hit Orton a Swanton Bomb from the top of a 30-foot high scaffolding which knocked out both Orton and Hardy and they were taken off on stretcher
s. At Royal Rumble 2008, Orton retained his title against Hardy after pinning Hardy following an RKO.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE), which took place on December 16, 2007 at the Mellon Arena
Mellon Arena
Civic Arena is an indoor arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is currently undergoing demolition. It was the first retractable roof major sports venue in the world, covering 170,000 sq. feet and constructed with just shy of 3,000 tons of Pittsburgh steel...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the eighth event produced under the Armageddon
WWE Armageddon
Armageddon was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every December by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1999, with its inaugural event taking place on December 12, 1999 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida...
name and starred wrestlers from the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, SmackDown, and ECW brands
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
. It was also the last pay-per-view to be held before WWE presented its programming in high definition.
Eight professional wrestling matches were scheduled for the event, which featured a supercard, a scheduling of more than one main bout. The first of these was a Triple Threat match from the SmackDown brand that featured Edge defeating World Heavyweight Champion
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
Batista and The Undertaker to win the title. The second was a singles match from the Raw brand, in which Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
defeated WWE Champion
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
by disqualification. Orton, however retained the championship per WWE regulations that a title cannot change hands on a disqualification. The other was a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
match from the ECW brand, in which the team of Big Daddy V
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
and Mark Henry
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
defeated the team of CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
and Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
.
Armageddon grossed over $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
450,000 in ticket sales from an attendance of approximately 11,000 and received 237,000 pay-per-view buys, and was instrumental in helping WWE increase its pay-per-view revenue by $11.9 million compared to the previous year.
Background
The event featured eight professional wrestling matchesMock combat
Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons...
with wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
or fan favorites
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. All wrestlers belonged to either the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, SmackDown, or ECW brand – storyline division
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
s in which WWE assigned its employees to different programs.
The predominant rivalry
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
scripted into Armageddon on the SmackDown brand was between was between Batista, Edge and The Undertaker, over the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
. At Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2007)
Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on November 18, 2007 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida...
, Batista and Undertaker fought in a Hell in a Cell match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Edge (who was disguised as a cameraman at ringside) interfered and cost Undertaker the match. He was then given a title shot for the World Heavyweight Championship on the November 30, 2007 episode of SmackDown by SmackDown! General Manager Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Lynn Guerrero is an American professional wrestling personality, manager, shifting authority figure and occasional wrestler. She is the widow of professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand...
, who was his storyline
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
love interest. The same night Batista faced Edge for the World title. Batista looked set to retain his title once again, but Undertaker interfered and chokeslam
Chokeslam
A chokeslam refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on camera...
med Batista, but Edge ran out of the ring to escape similar treatment. Theodore Long
Theodore Long
Theodore R. "Teddy" Long is an American professional wrestling manager and former referee who currently works for WWE on its SmackDown brand as its General Manager.-National Wrestling Alliance / World Championship Wrestling:...
returned as Assistant General Manager and booked Batista to defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Edge and the Undertaker in a Triple Threat match at Armageddon.
The main feud on Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brand was between Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
and the recently returned Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
, with the two battling over the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. Jericho returned to WWE on the November 19, 2007 edition of Raw, interrupting Orton during Orton's orchestrated "passing of the torch" ceremony. Jericho revealed his intentions to reclaim the WWE Championship in order to "save" WWE from Orton. He then laid a challenge to Orton with the WWE Championship on the line, which Orton did not accept. A week later Jericho cost him a match against Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
to further convince him to accept the challenge. After Raw went off the air, Orton accepted the challenge.
The main feud on the ECW brand was between CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
and Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
against Big Daddy V
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
and Mark Henry
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
. The rivalry started on December 4 edition of ECW, Punk was forced to choose either V or Henry to face in the main event; Punk chose Henry. Punk got a disqualification victory when Big Daddy V interfered. The two tried to double-team Punk until Kane made the save and attacked both Big Daddy V and Henry. This made the Armageddon match of Kane and CM Punk against Big Daddy V and Mark Henry. On December 11 edition of ECW, Punk and Kane received a victory against Deuce 'n Domino
Deuce 'n Domino
Deuce 'n Domino was the name of a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Deuce Shade and Dice Domino, who were managed for the majority of their run by Cherry Pie and briefly by Maryse. The pair teamed together in World Wrestling Entertainment and Ohio Valley Wrestling from 2006 through 2008...
.
Event
Before the event went live on pay-per-view, Jesse and FestusJesse and Festus
Jesse and Festus, also once known as The Dalton Boys, were an American professional wrestling tag team made up of Ray Gordy and Drew Hankinson . As of April 22, 2010, Ray Gordy was released by World Wrestling Entertainment...
defeated WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison and The Miz
John Morrison and The Miz
John Morrison and The Miz were a professional wrestling tag team and former WWE Tough Enough contestants. The team worked for World Wrestling Entertainment on its ECW brand, but also appeared on the SmackDown and Raw brands due to ECW's talent exchanges with those brands during their tenure as a team...
in a dark match.
Preliminary matches
The opening match was between Rey Mysterio and Montel Vontavious Porter for MVP's WWE United States ChampionshipWWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand....
. Mysterio used his quickness and aerial techniques
Professional wrestling aerial techniques
Aerial techniques are maneuvers, using the ring and its posts and ropes as aids, used in professional wrestling to show off the speed and agility of a wrestler. These moves are mainly done by smaller, quicker wrestlers who are unable to do most of the power moves. There is a wide variety of aerial...
to be on the top. Mysterio wrestled a good match by sending MVP who crashed on the arena floor and then he hit MVP with a flying headscissors takedown, otherwise known as a hurricanrana. Mysterio got into the ring to break the referee's 10 count and MVP also got up at 8 count but he simply walked out instead of coming back into the ring after he climbed on the ring apron. MVP was counted out and thus he retained the title because a title does not change hands by countout. After the match, Mysterio threw MVP back into the ring and hit him with the 619.
The second match was a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
match in which ECW Champion CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
teamed up with Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
against Big Daddy V
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
and Mark Henry
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
. V and Henry dominated the match by destroying Punk and Kane. The two managed to control these unstoppable monsters in the middle of the match when Punk was able to bring V to one knee but V overpowered Punk by hitting him a body avalanche and a Samoan drop to get the victory.
The third match was between Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Mr. Kennedy. Michaels reeled Kennedy in the beginning of the match. A stomp of Michaels almost broke Kennedy's left hand. Kennedy cried in pain throughout the match. Kennedy was blowed by Michaels many times. Michaels went on to hit Kennedy a diving elbow drop and then he also attempted a Sweet Chin Music but Kennedy countered it into a roll-up. Michaels kicked out but Kennedy continued to punch Michaels with his injured left hand. It was paining for Kennedy and Michaels took the opportunity of the situation and hit Kennedy a Sweet Chin Music for the victory.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
and Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
. The pre-match stipulations were that the winner would get a WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble 2008
Royal Rumble (2008)
Royal Rumble was the twenty-first annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 27, 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands. The event was...
against the winner of Orton vs. Jericho match. Before the match started, Hardy and Triple H shook hands. During the match, Hardy seemed dazed after he suffered a series of clotheslines and shoulder blocks. Triple H tried to hit Hardy with a Pedigree but Hardy countered it into a jackknife roll-up which won Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
the match. As Jeff Hardy celebrated Triple H was smiling at the fact that he was pinned so easily, Triple H then celebrated with the number one contender for the WWE Championship.
The fifth match was between Finlay
Dave Finlay
David John "Fit" Finlay Jr. is a Northern Irish professional wrestler and road agent. He is perhaps best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and WWE as an active wrestler and later as a road agent...
and The Great Khali. The referee's back was turned and he was distracted by Finlay until Hornswoggle took advantage and hit a shillelagh
Shillelagh (club)
A shillelagh is a wooden walking stick and club or cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty stick with a large knob at the top, that is associated with Ireland and Irish folklore.- Construction :...
in the groin
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
of Khali. Finlay hit a shillelagh in the head of Khali followed by a successful pinfall victory for Finlay.
Main event matches
The sixth match of the night and RawWWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
's main event
Main Event
Main Event is Australia's only pay-per-view channel. It transmits through Foxtel, Optus Television and Austar, which jointly own the channel...
was Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
defending the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
against Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
. Jericho controlled the match by beating Orton and performing many moves. Jericho would then knock Orton onto the outside with a clothesline, which made Orton lay in front of SmackDown's announcer's table. Jericho would then launch into Orton, but Orton would move, which made Jericho run into JBL
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
. Then Jericho and Orton would get back into the ring. Jericho would then apply the Walls of Jericho
Boston crab
The Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent lying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down,...
on Orton. He tried to reach the ropes but he failed to do so. JBL then interfered and then kicked Jericho in the side of the head which disqualified Orton. A title cannot change hands by disqualification, therefore Orton retained the WWE Championship.
The seventh match was a divas match
WWE Diva
Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....
between Beth Phoenix
Beth Phoenix
Elizabeth Kocianski is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE where she wrestles on the Raw brand under the ring name Beth Phoenix, where she is the reigning WWE Divas Champion....
and Mickie James
Mickie James
Mickie Laree James , better known simply as Mickie James, is an American professional wrestler and singer of mixed Native American-Caucasian descent, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is a former two-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.James began her professional...
for the WWE Women's Championship
WWE Women's Championship
The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
. During the match, Phoenix overpowered Mickie but Mickie bounced back with several near-falls. The match came to an end when Phoenix hit a powerful Fisherman suplex and then she pinned Mickie to retain the WWE Women's Championship.
The main event
Main Event
Main Event is Australia's only pay-per-view channel. It transmits through Foxtel, Optus Television and Austar, which jointly own the channel...
was a Triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
between, defending champion Batista, Edge and The Undertaker. Before the match, Edge told Vickie
Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Lynn Guerrero is an American professional wrestling personality, manager, shifting authority figure and occasional wrestler. She is the widow of professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand...
that her love gave him the strength of three men
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder were a American professional wrestling tag team who appeared on the independent circuit and WWE under a variety of evolving names....
. Batista and Undertaker fought each other to decide who would fight Edge first. Edge kept his distance outside the ring. In the ring, Undertaker applied his Triangle choke on Batista. Edge sounded the ring bell and everyone (even Undertaker himself) thought that the match was over. Edge took the opportunity and speared both men but came up short on both pinfall attempts. Batista dominated the match in the end when he hit The Undertaker with a Spinebuster and speared Edge outside the ring. Undertaker chokeslam
Chokeslam
A chokeslam refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on camera...
med Batista and sent an attacking Edge to the floor. Batista and Undertaker were fighting inside the ring until the three "Edges" appeared on the outside floor. Undertaker executed a Tombstone Piledriver on Batista, after which until the "real" Edge hit Undertaker with a steel chair
Folding chair
A folding chair is a light, portable chair that that folds flat, and can be stored in a stack, row, or on a cart.-Uses:Folding chairs are generally used for seating in areas where permanent seating is not possible or practical. This includes outdoor and indoor events such as funerals, college...
onto his spine and another on his skull. Edge took advantage and quickly pinned Batista to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
Aftermath
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
and Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
slowly died down. Jericho once again defeated Orton on the Tribute to the Troops Raw by disqualification when former SmackDown! announcer John "Bradshaw" Layfield
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
entered the ring. After Jericho requested JBL's presence on the December 17 edition of Raw, JBL was outraged, left SmackDown, and announced his return to Raw to wrestle after a one-and-a-half-year retirement. The two began a feud with each other and had a match at the next pay-per-view, Royal Rumble 2008
Royal Rumble (2008)
Royal Rumble was the twenty-first annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 27, 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands. The event was...
in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
which JBL won by disqualification, when Jericho hit JBL with a steel chair.
The feud between the World Heavyweight Champion
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
Edge and Batista continued the following week on SmackDown!, where Batista challenged Edge to a title rematch, but the general manager Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Lynn Guerrero is an American professional wrestling personality, manager, shifting authority figure and occasional wrestler. She is the widow of professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand...
announced that it was a three-on-one title match with the Major Brothers
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder were a American professional wrestling tag team who appeared on the independent circuit and WWE under a variety of evolving names....
(rechristened as the "Edge-heads" earlier that night) siding with Edge. After Batista pinned one of the Edge-heads, Guerrero announced that Batista could only become the champion by pinning Edge. After Guerrero restarted the match, Batista took advantage, and went to hit Edge with a Batista Bomb, but Curt Hawkins hit Batista in the leg with a steel chair
Folding chair
A folding chair is a light, portable chair that that folds flat, and can be stored in a stack, row, or on a cart.-Uses:Folding chairs are generally used for seating in areas where permanent seating is not possible or practical. This includes outdoor and indoor events such as funerals, college...
, resulting in the entire team being disqualified. Due to the fact a title cannot be won when the champion loses by disqualification Edge retained the title. Rey Mysterio won a Beat the Clock match series and earned himself a match against Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship. At Royal Rumble 2008, Edge retained his title against Mysterio with help from Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Guerrero
Vickie Lynn Guerrero is an American professional wrestling personality, manager, shifting authority figure and occasional wrestler. She is the widow of professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand...
.
Randy Orton began a feud with the new number one contender for his WWE Championship, the WWE Intercontinental Champion
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
Jeff Hardy who earned himself a title shot by defeating Triple H in a number one contender's match at Armageddon. Orton gave Jeff's brother Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, a running punt to the gut and then one to the head. Two weeks later, Jeff hit Orton a Swanton Bomb from the top of a 30-foot high scaffolding which knocked out both Orton and Hardy and they were taken off on stretcher
Stretcher
A stretcher is a medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. It is a simple type of litter, and still called by that name in some cases....
s. At Royal Rumble 2008, Orton retained his title against Hardy after pinning Hardy following an RKO.
Results
| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse and Festus Jesse and Festus Jesse and Festus, also once known as The Dalton Boys, were an American professional wrestling tag team made up of Ray Gordy and Drew Hankinson . As of April 22, 2010, Ray Gordy was released by World Wrestling Entertainment... defeated John Morrison and The Miz John Morrison and The Miz John Morrison and The Miz were a professional wrestling tag team and former WWE Tough Enough contestants. The team worked for World Wrestling Entertainment on its ECW brand, but also appeared on the SmackDown and Raw brands due to ECW's talent exchanges with those brands during their tenure as a team... |
06:00 | ||
| 1 | Rey Mysterio defeated Montel Vontavious Porter (c) by count out | Singles match for the WWE United States Championship WWE United States Championship The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand.... |
11:29 |
| 2 | Big Daddy V Nelson Frazier, Jr. Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment... and Mark Henry Mark Henry Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic... (with Matt Striker) defeated CM Punk CM Punk Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion.... and Kane Kane (wrestler) Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury.... |
Tag team match | 10:41 |
| 3 | Shawn Michaels Shawn Michaels Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December... defeated Mr. Kennedy |
17:53 | |
| 4 | Jeff Hardy Jeff Hardy Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion... defeated Triple H Triple H Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley... |
match for #1 contender to a WWE Championship WWE Championship The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963... match at the 2008 Royal Rumble Royal Rumble (2008) Royal Rumble was the twenty-first annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 27, 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands. The event was... |
26:00 |
| 5 | Finlay Dave Finlay David John "Fit" Finlay Jr. is a Northern Irish professional wrestler and road agent. He is perhaps best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and WWE as an active wrestler and later as a road agent... (with Hornswoggle) defeated The Great Khali (with Ranjin Singh) |
Singles match | 06:03 |
| 6 | Chris Jericho Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer... defeated Randy Orton Randy Orton Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand... (c) by disqualification |
Singles match for the WWE Championship | 15:04 |
| 7 | Beth Phoenix Beth Phoenix Elizabeth Kocianski is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE where she wrestles on the Raw brand under the ring name Beth Phoenix, where she is the reigning WWE Divas Champion.... (c) defeated Mickie James Mickie James Mickie Laree James , better known simply as Mickie James, is an American professional wrestler and singer of mixed Native American-Caucasian descent, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where she is a former two-time TNA Women's Knockout Champion.James began her professional... |
Singles match for the WWE Women's Championship WWE Women's Championship The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification... |
04:46 |
| 8 | Edge defeated Batista (c) and The Undertaker | Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship World Heavyweight Championship (WWE) The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand... |
24:37 |