TheOneBigWill's 'take' on Night of Champions 2008:
The Matches:
1. W.W.E. Tag Team Championships: John Morrison & The Miz (c.) v. Finlay & Hornswoggle: The show opens with the first of two Tag Team title matches on the card, and thankfully they went ahead and got the assumed crap one out of the way first. (Ironically this would go on to be the better of the two)
Whenever a review of a Tag Team match is about to mention that Miz & Morrison controlled most of the match by keeping Hornswoggle (a midget) in the most, you can't be very impressed with how the faces even got any type of advantage. The match itself wasn't as horrible as I'd expected it to be, but again the fact that Finlay seen less action than Hornswoggle throws up read flags in telling you how badly someone miswrote how the match should go.
In the end, it looked like Finlay & Hornswoggle would come through with their rumored hints of victory but it was the Miz delivering a cheap shot as both he and Finlay go out of the match. Hornswoggle was the legal man, as he went up for a Tap Pole Splash, but came down via a John Morrison sized Chokeslam. Morrison covers Horny for the victory.
2. United States Championship: Matt Hardy (c.) v. Chavo Guerrero (w/ Bam Neely): This match was pretty solid all the way around and delivered about like I figured it would. Chavo took out Hardy's knee early in the match and Hardy sold the knee injury so well with how shit he delivered some of his signature moves later, I actually believed him to have an injury.
Bam Neely did something hes not typically known for, and thats got involved in the match with assisting on taking out Hardy's knee. Of course he only did it once. (no need to over do him, ya know) In the end, Chavo was firing up the Texas crowd by connecting with two of the three amigos, but on the third attempt Hardy counters into a Twist of Fate as Neely had no clue what'd happened before it was too late. Hardy retains.
3. E.C.W. Championship: Triple Threat Match: Kane (c.) v. Mark Henry v. Big Show: The first thing I'd like to truly address is how I've been trying since they brought it in, to defend the E.C.W. Championship as an actual Heavyweight Championship. I can no longer do that, after what I witnessed tonight with how they literally bombed the title.
If anyone else noticed, or if you have the ability to notice, rewatch the beginning right before this match takes place. When they show the banner for the E.C.W. Championship, its actually the Cruiserweight Championship with "E.C.W." stickers plastered over it.
At any rate, now onto the match. During the very beginning of this horrible, horrible car wreck Kane apparently actually got hurt. (I wouldn't be surprised if he screwed up some discs in his back, with the way he hit the apron on the way out of the ring) As a result, the match was 80% Big Show v. Mark Henry, and man was it disasterous.
In the end, Kane fought his way back into the match, and it was hard to tell if he suffered an injury, or was somehow just letting Big Show & Henry feud. Big Show connects with a chokeslam that Kane kicks out of. Show goes to the top, only for Kane to Superplex him off, as Henry instantly delivers a World's Strongest Splash to Kane and we have a
NEW E.C.W. Champion! Mark Henry!
4. World Tag Team Championships: Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes (c.) v. Ted Dibiase & Mystery Partner: In the shortest match of the night, and the most unimpressive and greatly disappointing debut. Ted Dibiase came out (without his Father's music) and attempted to stall the match. He claimed his Partner was on his way, and if they could wait 10 more minutes he'd be ready.
The official said you either had to go alone, or forfeit the match. Dibiase said he'd start and his partner would show up in the middle. So the match began, but before anyone locked up.. Dibiase demanded to start with Hardcore Holly. So Rhodes tagged Hardcore into the match, and then tagged Hardcore with a D.D.T. to show the world that he was indeed Dibiase's partner.
Dibiase locked in the Million Dollar Dream, and added a twist (literally) as he delivers a russian leg sweep while the submission is still locked in. Dibiase pins Hardcore, wins the match and the announcement is made..
NEW World Tag Team Champions: Ted Dibiase & Cody Rhodes!
5. Intercontinental Championship: Chris Jericho (c.) (w/ Lance Cade) v. Mystery Opponent: Chris Jericho came to the ring and took the mic. He went on to address how hes such a great Champion, that they aren't even telling him who his opponent is going to be. He goes on to say he knows who it won't be, however, and thats Shawn Michaels. Jericho continues on a tirade of berating the fans until
Kofi Kingston is revealed to be Jericho's challenger.
The match begins and runs rather long for what its worth. By the time the match came to the middle, the entire arena seemed to be chanting "Boring, Boring." Thats definately not a good sign for Kofi, who's apparently Raw's new golden boy at the midcard position.
One of the greatest moments of this match was during the ending parts. Jericho locked in the Lion Tamer (aka Walls of Jericho) but unlike that bastard boston crab that looks weak, he finally went back to his old school arch and sit crab. I can assure you I marked out hard. It was at this point the fans erupted, but not for the old school finisher.. however instead for the Heartbreak Kid who jumped the rail, Superkicked Cade, and then leaped onto the apron causing Jericho to release the submission, shoulder block H.B.K. off the apron, and then turn into Kofi's spin wheel kick to the face, allowing Kofi Kingson to become the
NEW Intercontinental Champion!
After the match, Shawn Michaels completely over-sold the eye injury, to the point of his selling jobs becoming completely stupid and downright ******ed. The guy took a shoulder block and fell to the floor.. magically that shoulder block must of destroyed whats left of Shawn's busted eye, because H.B.K. needed about 3 officials to help him to the back. (what happened to the guy who took on an announce table, straight to the gut and continued to wrestle for 15 more minutes?)
6. Women's Championship: Mickie James (c.) v. Katie Lea Burchill: Unlike Matt Hardy selling his knee injury like a pro, Mickie James needs to understand very quickly that if you're going to sell an arm injury, you can't continuously use the "injured arm" to do moves.
Katie Lea worked over Mickie's arm the entire match, and at one point locked in an armbar submission that I honestly thought Mickie was about to tap in. She didn't however, as the match ended with Mickie catching Katie Lea with the Mickie-T, and retaining her Championship.
This match was pretty much all Katie Lea Burchill, and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she defeated and won the Women's Championship from Mickie James come the Great American Bash.
7. World Heavyweight Championship: Edge (c.) v. Batista: We started the night off with two Championships being retained, then three changing hands and another being retained. A poll was asking whether they (the fans) felt Batista, Cena, both, or neither would bring World Championships back to Raw. The fans voted Batista with 32%, Cena by 31%, Both by 30% and neither by 7%. Also going into the match, Edge had gotten upset with his Edgeheads in the back, as they didn't feel he could retain properly. So he was out to prove them wrong.
The
[Match of the Night] would definately be given out here, as this match was full of in your face impact and noone should've been left disappointed with how hard they were going at each other.
In the end, Batista was looking more than a little strong, as he connected with a Spear for a 2 count, then a Spinebuster that Vickie Guerrero had to make a surprise recovery to leap from her chair and stop the officials count. Edge then pulls the official out of the ring and punches him, knocking him out. Vickie instantly yells for another official to come down, as Chavo Guerrero's music hits. Batista understands how screwed he is, as he lifts Vickie and tosses her down onto the Edgeheads, Neely & Chavo. Batista turns into a Championship to the head by Edge, as Chavo gets in and makes the 3 count. Edge retains!!!
Segments/Promos:
Batista/John Cena/C.M. Punk: In the back, Batista is interviewed about bringing the Championship back to Raw. He said hes happy to be going back to Raw, and he won't be coming empty handed. He expresses how he'll be the top guy on the brand, as Cena rolls into the spotlight to steal a little bit.
Cena explains that by the end of the night, Batista might not be the only guy on Raw with a Heavyweight Championship. This leads to Punk forgetting that the cameras are rolling for people who're important, as he runs his mouth about a briefcase starting to get heavy. (pfft, pussy, that case can't be that heavy)
J.B.L.: J.B.L. is interviewed in a suite as he is somewhat upset that they'd have a Pay Per View titled "Night of Champions" and leave J.B.L. off the card. The interviewer makes the mistake of pointing out the obvious, in which J.B.L. isn't a Champion. J.B.L. says hes the best Champion thats ever come out of Texas, unlike the Cowboys. The then makes the comparison that
HIS New York Giants are world Champions, just like he will be. J.B.L. explains that it isn't the fact of if he'll ever be Champion, its when.. and we go back to the ring.
Triple H.: On his way to the ring, H.H.H. is asked to give last second comments. He simply says hes going to the ring to do what he feels he should've done two years ago.
Main Event: W.W.E. Championship: Triple H. (c.) v. John Cena: While it didn't have near the excitment, hype, or crowd interaction that their Mania match had.. it wasn't bad. It definately started off with Triple H. controlling the entire match, and showing Cena up constantly at every turn, countering all of Cena's signature moves.
Triple H. countered Cena's 5 Knuckle Shuffle about 3 different times before Cena finally connected with it. Is it sad that H.H.H. countered the move over and over repeatedly, or that Cena's moveset is so small he had to continue to go back to it?
In the end, Cena locks in the S.T.F.U. at which I honestly thought Triple H. tapped out instantly. Apparently he was just frantically reaching for the ropes. (looked an awful lot like tapping, but any who) H.H.H. got to the ropes, then later locks in a crossface at which point I felt Cena would return the favor of tapping to The Game. (Would it be odd for him to win with the crossface? It did look rather painful) In the end, Cena lifted H.H.H. from the crossface into an F-U resthold, but couldn't capitalize, as Triple H. fought out of it and connected with a Pedigree that allowed him to retain his Championship.
Overall Thoughts: I think the Pay Per View could've been slightly better. But it was definately a good p.p.v. none the less. The negative sides of it that I have are the following.
Finlay & Hornswoggle were being looked at as a joke Tag Team all along, but did they really have to give Hornswoggle more in-ring time than Finlay? I think that hurt not just the Tag Team Champs in making them look weak, but it also disrespected Finlay in saying he wasn't the better man on his team. Now I get in "storylines" the Champs wanted to keep Horny in because they could easily beat him.. yet they didn't "easily" defeat him, infact they almost lost to him. So the whole situation hurt them in my opinion.
Mark Henry is bringing the Championship back to E.C.W., so with that being said it works for now.. but Henry as a World Champion truly just means they've lost their minds and no longer give a shit about that brand. I would not be a bit surprised for the E.C.W. Championship to not even be regularly defended on the next couple of p.p.v.'s to be honest.
I'm a Kofi Kingston fan, but I'm not a fan of him on Raw. It just does not seem to be a good fit for him. I think Kofi as Intercontinental Champion will present some interesting matches between himself, Cade, Mysteiro & even Punk.. but I just don't think Kingston with this title will do any better or worse than Jericho did when it rarely got defended.
The H.B.K./Jericho angle was done perfectly, except for the shit ass oversell by Shawn Michaels. I mean seriously, the guy is my all-time favorite wrestler, he forever will be.. but even I'm getting pissed at how much hes fucking this angle over with the oversell, trying to apparently put more attention on how destroyed his eye is, dispite the eye not even being COVERED UP! Is it too costly to buy the man a fricken patch?
Edge defeating Batista and that whole match literally had my heart racing. It was just brilliantly done, but I have a feeling too many people are going to be complaining that Raw has no Champion. I'm urging people to look back on the idea I had with H.H.H. & Edge retaining, because it might just be coming true.
Speaking of which, if Batista was going to bring the World Championship to Raw.. I knew for a fact Cena wasn't due to the fact of what he told Triple H. in the very beginning. Cena said H.H.H. was nothing and his career didn't mean a thing, until he defeated Cena. Well, his career can be "perfect" now because he has. And all of you Triple H. bashers can blame Cena for that mistake. He should've never ran his mouth in that way.
Overall,
I give the p.p.v. a 8 outta 10. The only major disappointment I had, was I wish they would've let Ted Dibiase wrestle more than just apply his finisher. And that music.. what.. the.. fuck?
