TheOneBigWill's 'take' on Judgment Day 2008: May 18th, 2008:
The Matches:
1. John 'Bradshaw' Layfield v. John Cena: We open the Pay Per View with the biggest grudge match on tonight's card, as J.B.L. is out first followed by the golden boy. I'd say for a regular match with rules, it was definately everything it lived up to as far as a brawl goes.
J.B.L. controlled roughly the entire match with shear dominance and overall power, working over Cena's shoulder and ribs to a major extent. The match went about 20 minutes, if not a bit over, and in the end dispite working over the shoulder throughout the whole thing, Cena managed to somehow cut through the pain, and catch J.B.L. in a quick F-U to pick up the (honestly shocking) victory.
J.B.L. sat in the ring in disbelief, as Cena continued to sell an injury that he somehow forgot he had in the progress of delivering his shoulder based finisher.
It gets me how the man has an equally powerful submission hold that J.B.L. tapped to, just last month, that he could've used even better and still majorly sold the shoulder injury. Yet instead of giving J.B.L. ANY type of credit, he just completely for a split second and the deciding moment of the match decides to fuck everything, Bradshaw did, over.
2. W.W.E. Tag Team Championship: The Miz & John Morrison v. C.M. Punk & Kane: The first Championship of the night, not surprisingly, is the Tag Team titles. Miz & Morrison are out first followed by the MITB holder, C.M. Punk, and the E.C.W. Heavyweight Champion, Kane.
Once again, when Punk is in the ring with talent, the guy looks above average and downright amazing. I don't get why he falls off the learning curve when hes the guy thats looked to be leaned on. I'm still hoping the rumored heel turn will help that perhaps. With all due respect and just credit, Punk really did perform above average in this match and connected on several great high flying moves throughout the match, including a great suicide dive outside the ring.
Kane on the other hand looked very sluggish against his cruiserweight sized opponents and it definately wasn't the best of match-ups for him. Then again more than half of the E.C.W. roster isn't the best of match-ups for him, but I'm still thankful hes getting the push he half-way deserved.
On the flip side of the ring, the Miz looked good, but nothing that I haven't seen any other time. And John Morrison (as always, to me) pretty much shined in the match.
In the end, they focused on the streak Miz and Morrison are beginning to snowball into, while Punk is still on the incredible downside push since becoming MITB. Miz grabs the attention of Punk, who almost had it won, only for Miz to take one hell of a f*cking Chokeslam by Kane on the outside of the ring. Meanwhile, Punk turns into the Midnight Drive by Morrison, who picks up the victory as the Tag Team Champions retain. In the end, Kane is left staring at Punk, who remained sitting in the ring, as he looked like he was about to breakdown from his sudden impact in realizing he sucks.
3. Non-Title Match: Chris Jericho v. Shawn Michaels: MATCH OF THE NIGHT! Also the most controversial match of the night. For the title, not for the title? Build as a Championship match on wwe.com, replaced as a grudge match on wwe.com at very last second. Way to lie to the fans in an attempt to sell to more.
While the entire way through the match I had it on my mind that H.B.K. was likely going to get screwed over by Batista because there was no way I felt they'd give him a 'midcard Championship' I was completely IMPRESSED by how great this match was. I went in fully expecting a half-assed, crap match that couldn't compete with their original Wrestlemania XIX match-up and I was pleasantly and fully surprised with how amazing these two still continued to work.
I love how each man knows exactly how to counter the others finishing move, and Jericho's counter of the Superkick into the Codebreaker was beautiful. Simply beautiful. The fans in Omaha must of been high on corn, as during part of this match after several close call finishes, they decided to break into major "Batista" chants. I was honestly disappointed in these morons, as this was the best match of the night, and quite honestly, possibly of the year. Yet the crowd had nothing better to do, than chant for a guy that can't even sell a muscle tee.
In the end, Shawn Michaels picks up the victory, and I LEAPED (yes, leaped) from my chair with the following statement: "Holy SHIT! Shawn Michaels just fucking won the Intercontinental Championship?! SHAWN MICHAELS JUST FUCKING WON THE MIDCARD TITLE!!!!" Then I see him leave without the title, followed by Jericho leaving WITH the title, FOLLOWED BY Jerry Lawler utter the priceless words that could've been mentioned BEFORE THE MATCH STARTED.. "Good thing the title wasn't on the line."
Uhm, yeah.. good thing the people on wwe.com know how to lure you into false belief of a Championship match, ********.
4. Triple Threat Women's Championship: Mickie James (c.) v. Melina v. Beth Phoenix: Continuing in the ways of Championship matches, the Women's title is up next. Upon the three Ladies entering the ring, Beth quickly attempts dispatching Melina by opening the middle rope for her, and demanding that she leave the ring due to not being in her league. Melina responded the only way I know a female wrestler to respond. With a kick to Phoenix, sending her outside the ring as the match gets under way.
As predicted, a very solid Triple Threat match with a couple close calls by both Mickie and Beth, unfortunately Melina was the odd one out who kept getting worked over. At one point Beth Phoenix did something that half the cruiserweight roster and Colin Delaney likely can NOT do.. and thats not only lift both Mickie James and Melina up onto her shoulder, but proceed to keep them there in a double torture rack/bear hug submission hold. When they escaped the hold, and Beth rolled backwards I almost questioned if she just threw out her back.
In the end, it was Melina capitalizing on getting Phoenix out of the match, only to get caught by an opportunistic Mickie James with her Mickie-T and the 1-2-3. Mickie retains in a very entertaining Championship match.
5. World Heavyweight Championship: The Undertaker v. Edge: For the third straight Pay Per View, the Edge/Taker rivalry continues as its even eluded that this match is a year in the making since the original Edge/Taker feud 'began' last year before Judgment Day. (nice) As their previous two encounters, the third was once again a very evenly based match-up, with Taker slightly having a power advantage and Edge having the mental ability to out-think Taker's next move.
During this match, Edge at one point forgot who he was, as he decided to attempt walking the ropes. (Seriously?!) Taker also forgot his submission finisher was illegal, as he almost locked it in, then quickly released Edge as the official quickly reminded him. (Definate disadvantage already paying off for Edge) Taker discovered that his finishers aren't just effective, they double as lawn darts. I say this because not once, but twice did he take Edge from a chokehold position and toss him into the turnbuckle violently, but then he hooked Edge up into the Last Ride position, only to toss him against the turnbuckles, violently, again!
On the note of the Last Ride & Edge. I'm honestly getting a bit tired of Taker's gay tendencies as both times he tried lifting Edge up, he found a magical way to pull Edge's tights DOWN! Edge hit a spear, but it wasn't enough to put the Deadman away. The fight spilled to the outside of the ring, as the official began the count of doom. This proceeded to turn into a race back to the ring, which ironically Taker beat the count instead of the Ultimate Opportunist, as the world thought the Undertaker had won back his World Heavyweight Championship.
THUS IS NOT TO BE! Vickie Guerrero came out to the single loudest heel pop of the night, literally being booed for a solid 5-10 minutes and all the way through her promo. Vickie explains that while Taker may have won the match, the World Heavyweight Championship can NOT be decided on Disqualification, or Countout. Therefore, the Championship will remain vacant. (Why do I smell a T.L.C. match at One Night Stand, for the 4th straight meeting on p.p.v. between Edge & Taker coming up???)
6. M.V.P. v. Jeff Hardy: Impromptu match as M.V.P. comes out and cuts a promo about being the highest paid Smackdown Superstar, and one of the best talents on the roster, yet still remained unbooked and left off the card. He issued an open challenge to anyone willing to accept, as the familiar Hardy music ques up, and Matt comes out.
M.V.P. smiles and demands that Hardy bring his ass to the ring, and bring his United States Championship with him. Matt says that he has nothing left to prove against M.V.P. because he already proved HE was better than him, however he brought someone with him that also wants to prove hes better than M.V.P. -- JEFF HARDY!
The match begins with M.V.P. quickly destroying Hardy, much like J.B.L. did John Cena and this match was ALL M.V.P. with power, quickness and authority. However much like most of Hardy's matches, in the end it was one quick high risk move that decided the fate of the winner, and Hardy gets lucky by hitting a very slow looking "Whisper in the Wind." (dispite J.R. & the King overselling how sudden and unexpected it looked to them, "I" seen Hardy waiting on the top rope, then slowly twisting and diving into an on-waiting M.V.P.)
The slaughter of young talent continues, as first Mr. Kennedy is held off the card completely, and now Jeff Hardy's drug abusing push continues over a guy who hasn't done anything to deserve the suddenly losing streak he's on.
Segments/Promos:
Mickie James/J.B.L.: Moments before Mickie's 3-way, she's asked about how she feels for that match and somehow it gets turned into how her night with Cena went, after Raw. (slag) Her puppy dog, lustful response of the golden boy turned into the slag getting ran off by a very pissed off J.B.L. J.B.L. at which point asked Grisham to ask him a question. Who stupidly replies with.. "How do you think you'll do in the coming weeks and monthes, after suffering a loss in his fight against Cena."
J.B.L. replies with explaining to Todd that while its obvious to see hes never been in a fight in his life, J.B.L. completely destroyed John Cena for 20 plus minutes and even though Cena got lucky with a quick finish and a pinfall, J.B.L. still maintains that it was him that won the fight.. as Cena is the one in the training room, being checked over from the massive ass-whoopin' he just received. J.B.L. then told Todd that if he ever proceeded to ask another stupid question like that, he'd be in his first.. .. and last 'fight.'
Batista/Shawn Michaels: Dispite not showing up during the match like Batista eluded that he might. He went face to face with H.B.K. in the locker room saying that Shawn's time will come, but it won't be when H.B.K. says, or knows. It'll be on Batista's terms and on his decision. (So, One Night Stand it'll be, since Tista's long-range memory isn't the best)
Main Event: Steel Cage W.W.E. Championship: Triple H. (c.) v. Randy Orton: Overall I wasn't expecting anything great out of this match, but I was hoping for a proper use of the Steel Structure that they were (assumably) ending their feud in. I was still disappointed, because the biggest use of the cage was merely attempting to climb over.
The best part of the entire match was the opening bell, when Orton almost out-did himself in his baseball-like slide and almost slid directly OUT of the ring. lol This happened a couple more times, as Orton brought a steel chair into the ring and in the end, it was Triple H. (not surprisingly) picking up the victory and retaining the Championship.
This match was a major disappointment because Triple H., the king of blood-loss in matches like these, didn't lose a single drop!? The interesting note is that William Regal was shown throughout the whole night, so its pretty clear they're leaning toward a H.H.H. v. Lord Regal feud in the near future.
Overall Thoughts: I thought this Pay Per View was very on top of its game. (no pun intended) While some things were a disappointment, for the most part I was pleasantly surprised with a lot of unexpected events.
The J.B.L./Cena match, while Cena picked up a pointless victory that will lead to a gimmick based rematch in 2 weeks where J.B.L. will likely win there, the match was perfect in setting up a return brawl between the two. I'm still hoping it can be either an I Quit (rematch of sorts) or a Bullrope match. Either way, I'm almost sure a rematch will happen within 2 weeks time.
I was happy with Morrison not only retaining the Tag Team Championships with Miz, but Morrison also getting the pinfall victory. This only continues my theory that they're majorly pushing him for something big within this year, and possibly a Main Event spot toward next year.
The Jericho/H.B.K. match was on par, if not a better chapter than their original match-up on Pay Per View. I was completely shocked to see Shawn win, which is unusual for me considering I'm a huge Shawn Michaels fan. However, had I of known it was a non-title match.. I wouldn't of been shocked at all. I'm disappointed in the misunderstanding that W.W.E. played off of.
The Women's Triple Threat match was one of the best female matches W.W.E. has put on in quite some time, and I'm hoping the Beth Phoenix/Melina feud continues into One Night Stand. Hopefully W.W.E. creative won't drop the ball on this one.
Edge/Taker NEEDS TO END! Seriously, I'm more than convinced now that if Edge doesn't win the World Heavyweight Championship at One Night Stand (in what I only assume will be sided toward him, in a ladder type match) I will be completely and utterly pissed off with the fact that it will be FOUR straight MAJOR p.p.v. World Championship losses. Thats Batista type stats, and any self-respecting Superstar does not want that!
Jeff Hardy's "Gawd-like" push is astounding to me. But not unlike the "Punk-like" treatment M.V.P. has received ever since dropping the United States Championship to the lesser Hardy.
Rather disappointed completely in the misuseage of the Cage match. When blood isn't lost in a structure designed to "rip flesh" you're doing something wrong. Thats all I'm going to say on that.
Overall, dispite the disappointments I had, the action in each match was great and well played out. I rate Judgment Day 8 outta 10.
1 Big show vs undertaker world heavyweight title I thing edge loses to taker at backlash and they should fight at ons because it's a gimmick pay pandig show beats batista and edge for where the winner faces undertaker at judgment day for the whc where taker wins with a gogolptha and faces edge at ons in a three stages of hell match.