Customer Reviews

WWE: No Mercy 2008

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I believe the WWE truly delivered on this ppv. This is a WWE ppv that can be viewed from top to bottom without making your eyes bleed. Every match, except for one, is very watchable and enjoyable, and the final two matches on the card make this ppv worth buying. This was a very solid effort from WWE and all the workers, except for two, did a commendable job of making this ppv believable, watchable, and exciting. The crowd in Portland, Oregon was also extreemly hot for the entire night, which added tremendously to the ppv and they need to be commended as well. Anyway, on to the matches (rated out of 5 stars).

1. ECW Title Match:
Matt Hardy (c) vs. Mark Henry (w/ Tony Atlas)

This was a surprisingly decent/watchable opener, a remarkable feat considering Mark Henry is in it, and it did its job of keeping the crowd hot. These two executed a believable and watchable match. **1/4 stars

2. Women's Title Match:
Beth Phoenix (c) (w/ Santino Marella) vs. Candice Michelle

Another surprisingly good match, and a Women's Title Match no less! While it was kept short, I was very impressed with the quality of this match and these two women deserve to be commended. This also kept the crowd hot and excited and there is nothing at all unwatchable about this match. *1/4

3. Kane vs. Rey Mysterio: if Rey Mysterio loses, he must remove his mask

While I must say that WWE really dropped the ball on this storyline, this match was quite enjoyable, and most of all, believable! You wouldn't expect a match between a 7-footer and someone who is 5 foot 6 to be believable, but these two executed the match impressively. Don't get me wrong, this is not an exceptional match, per say, but it is very watchable and enjoyable with a great ending. So far on the night we are 3 for 3 and the crowd is still fired up. **1/2

After the match MVP walks down to ring and complains about being kept off No Mercy. We then get appearances from Randy Orton, Priceless and Manu, CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, etc...The crowd did not appreciate this at all, and there were noticably loud "boring" chants echoing throughout the Rose Garden. While I agree with them, I can understand why WWE wanted to at least let these quality superstars show their faces on the ppv. Had this been a "big 4" ppv it would have been unnacceptable, but with No Mercy this is understandable and forgivable on the part of WWE. Anyway, moral of the story: while not a snag in the show thus far, as it is not a match, just skip this. Moving on...

4. # 1 Contender's Match
JBL vs. Batista

And things were going so well. This is a HORRENDOUS match, and is a borderline squash match. The only positive thing about this match is that it was short, but it was still sloppy and BORING as hell. Batista also killed any momentum JBL had as a main eventer and just made him look terribly weak (for better or for worse, you be the judge). This was a poorly worked, poorly booked match and this is certainly our first stinker of the night. What a shocker considering JBL and Batista usually deliver gems on ppv! (See Great American Bash 2005 for further details on horrendous matches). *1/4 (generous)

5. Undertaker vs. Big Show

This was a believable big man match and it far surpassed my expectations (they were extreemly low so don't get too excited). However, this was a very watchable match with some nice spots including a picture perfect DDT executed by the Undertaker (I love DDTs so I had to include that). I did not care for the ending, and neither did the crowd, but it did make sense as far as continuing the storyline is concerned (again, whether or not that is a bad thing you be the judge). This is not a bad match by any means. **1/2

So far we are 4 for 5 as far as enjoyable and watchable matches are concerned, but we have yet to have any really exceptional stand out matches that make a dvd of the ppv worth purchasing. This is about to change...

6. WWE Title Match:
Triple H (c) vs. Jeff Hardy

I just ate this match up. This was an extroadinary, yet different matchup between these two superstars. Jeff Hardy shied away from his usual high flying arsenal in the early going and proved very adept at keeping pace with the far more traditional Triple H. This juxtaposition of styles clashed in a very positive way, and as Jeff resorted to high risk maneuvers towards the middle/end of the match, things got very exciting. The ending was unbelievable, and actually had me doubting myself several times as to who would come out on top. This match was crisp, slow-building, and finished in a thrilling manner, and the crowd just gobbled this up. I can't recommend viewing this match enough, and it proves that you don't need silly gimmicks and over-the-top matches to entertain wrestling fans. ****1/4

7. World Heavyweight Title Match
Chris Jericho (c) vs. Shawn Michaels

If any match could follow up the previous one, here it is. It is worth noting that Shawn Michaels has now had an unsanctioned match and a ladder match while working with a torn tricep, and both matches have been exceptional, which is just amazing and speaks volumes about the performer that Shawn Michaels is. As far as this match goes, Jericho and Michaels are once again on their A games (should any of us be surprised?), and they deliver a fantastic match with some excellent spots. Once again the finale left me doubting myself and it was very exciting. This show could not possibly have ended in a better way, and this is the match of the night (no easy feat considering the previous match). ****1/2

So there you have it. 6 out of 7 matches are very watchable, and 2 of those 6 matches (the final 2 of the show) are among the best matches you will see all year from WWE. With the exception of one debacle (JBL/batista), this is a ppv that wrestling fans can enjoy all the way through and will be treated to two outstanding title matches to end the show. In my opinion this is a dvd worth adding to your collection, and that is coming from someone who has been very critical of WWE as of late. Is this a positive sign of things to come? Only time will tell, but I think WWE should continue to be enjoyable at least until Cena comes back from injury (hopefully AFTER Survivor Series because I want that to be an enjoyable show as well).

This was a pretty good no mercy, that was mostly remembered for the two amazing main events. Thanks for reading!

ECW Championship
Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry
This match actually wasn't all that bad. Hardy made henry look pretty decent out their in the ring. Hardy consistantly worked on henry's left knee during the match. A nice ending where matt hardy countered henry's world's strongest slam into a twist of fate to get the pin. Pretty good opener. Match Rating:3.5/5

Women's Championship
Beth Phoenix vs. Candice Michelle
I give props to these divas. Candice worked pretty hard in this one. They had some moves that connected and some that didn't. Just an average divas match, thats all i got left to say. Match Rating:2.5/5

If Rey Mysterio Loses, He Must Unmask
Rey Mysterio vs. Kane
This was the most solid match in the mid-card. Kane had so many powerful counters for rey's highflying moves. The unmasking stipulation added to this match. Both men took some hard shots from each other. An example of one really hard shot would be at the end of this match, where mysterio was diving off the top rope and kane gave him a massive chair shot. The d.q. ending actually worked pretty well. Match Rating:3.5/5

During this time there is a very boring segment featuring orton, rhodes, dibiase, manu, mvp, punk, and kofi. Complete waste of time.

#1 Contendership To The World Heavyweight Championship
Batista vs. JBL
This match was really bad! Batista totally dominated the whole match. This was like a copy of their ss '05 match, except shorter. 5-6 min. squash match. At least thier was a little bit of comedy after the match. Match Rating:1.5/5-That is a very generous score!

Undertaker vs. Big Show
Taker brought out some good wrestling from show in this match. Both men using that mma style throughout the matchup. Pretty cool ddt by undertaker in this one. I didn't really like how the knockout ending went down, but besides that the match was somewhat solid. Taker would go on to beat big show at cyber sunday. Match Rating:3.5/5

WWE Championship
Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy
In my opinion, this should have been the main event. J.R. was right when he said this was one of the most competitive title matches in the history of the wwe. I was on the edge of my seat from the start of this bout to the finish. HHH and hardy pulled out submissions, exciting counters, and just straight up great wrestling. Triple H's mat wrestling mixed well with jeff's unorthadox offense. The ending had a twist to it when hardy deliverd a swanton to the game, but triple h countered hardy's pin into a rollup to win. This match outshined the ladder match and for me this was match of the night. Match Rating:5/5

Ladder Match For The World Heavyweight Championship
Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels
This was another grueling match in the jericho/michaels series. These two set a different standart for the ladder match. Instead of going right for the ladders, these two tried to wear the other down first. Lots of innovative spots with the ladder. Both men took some pretty punishing shots, especially when jericho's tooth got knocked out. Creative ending where Y2J and michaels where both pulling on the title belt and then jericho headbutted hbk and won after michaels fell of the ladder. Very good match, but fell short from triple h vs. hardy. Match Rating:4.5/5

Good no mercy, with an average mid-card and two great main event title matches. I recommend this for triple h/jeff hardy and Y2J/hbk.

This edition of the No Mercy series was kind of soft compared to the ones before. Some okay matches but nothing to write home about. The Triple H/Jeff Hardy match was the one major highlight but I am a big Triple H fan so thats not saying a lot. Of course its always nice to see Candice Michelle in action especially now since the only way to her now is on old W.W.E. D.V.D.s. The big disappointment for me was the Big Show/Undertaker match. I know these guys are capable of a good match but they didn't bring it on this night. Take my advice unless your a true fan or just a collector don't buy this one or at least don't pay too much for it.

Come On, I got it for Jeff vs HHH and the Jericho vs HBK Ladder match. Thats all.

ECW Champion Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry - This was a solid opening match with the story of Henry attempting to dominate with his strength while Hardy took a page out of Bret Hart's old book of working on the big man's legs & bringing him down to his size. They had a better match on Sci-Fi (the extra match on the SummerSlam DVD) but this was still enjoyable

Womens Champion Beth Phoenix vs. Candice Michelle - Well, I enjoyed this match more than their series around this time last year with Beth working on Candice's previously injured shoulder while Candice tried hard with her selling & offense. Of course, Santino was at ringside actually added to the match here instead of distracting from it.

Rey Mysterio vs. Kane - The stipulation here was that if Mysterio loses, he must unmask. Normally I don't like these "David vs. Goliath" matches with Mysterio as he's just regulated to being nothing more than a spotmonkey to make the other guy look big & dominate (just look at his World Title reign) but that wasn't the case here as Rey got some good offense in, was able to hold his own against Kane here, and took one hell of a chairshot.

Right around here was a talking segment between M.V.P. & Randy Orton. Unlike how the talking segments at SummerSlam (HBK/Jericho), Unforgiven (Show/Guerrero/Undertaker), and Armageddon (HBK/JBL)...this was just pointless, didn't do anything for anybody and was a waste of time that had the crowd turn on it right away by chanting "boring!"

Batista vs. J.B.L. - This match was almost a carbon copy of their SummerSlam 2005 match in that the match only served one purpose & that was to showcase Batista as being dominate as hell and with the exception of J.B.L. getting in a few shots here & there, it was exactly that. Depending on your taste of humor (and how you feel about the divas), the aftermath was probably more entertaining than the match itself.

Undertaker vs. Big Show - As their 2003 feud showcased, Undertaker is one of the wrestlers who can bring out the best in the Big Show and that showed here as this was one of the best "big men" matches in recent WWE history with both men pulling out some impactful power moves on each other including the various punches from Show.

WWE Champion Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy - I can try to summerize this match but Jim Ross said it best at the end, "one of the most competitve WWE Title matches I can remember calling." The counters, great wrestling, fast paced action, and crowd that was hot throughout the entire match made this be one of those matches that made both men come out looking strong than they did coming in no matter who won or lost.

Ladder Match: World Champion Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels - This was a different type of ladder match than we're used to seeing...and that's a good thing. Just like their previous matches like the Unsanctioned Match at Unforgiven, this was more about each man trying to beat the hell out of each other with the ladder making moves more impactful instead of pulling off a bunch of cool looking high spots. Couple of moments to look for was when Jericho took a fall off the ladder straight to the floor that we normally see except he didn't have tables to break his fall and one hit with the ladder right to the fact that resulted in one of his teeth getting knocked out. Fun match with both men (innovators of this match in their own rights) setting a different standard for a ladder match.

Bonus Match: WWE Champion Triple H vs. ECW Champion Matt Hardy vs. World Champion Chris Jericho - This was a match from the MyNetworkTV premier of SmackDown with champions from all 3 brands against each other in a non-title match. This was a typical triple threat match with some double teaming and everyone getting their moments in at times. Nothing special but a nice match overall.

In the end, the only things that really dragged this PPV down were the skits/segments and the Batista squash but besides those, this was your typical PPV that WWE has been having all year with all solid matches with last 3 matches being the highlights. This is an event I would recommend overall.

ECW Championship Match
Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy
In my opinion, this opener was very successful. Even though Henry has some limited skills, Matt made him look strong. Good match with a nice pace.

I skipped the next one but Beth Phoenix retains the Women's Championship

Kane vs. Rey Mysterio- if Rey loses he loses his MASK
Dissapointing match. The storyline was bad enough but this one could have been a lot better with different scenario endings. The match is good but the ending to this match is waste of money.

#1 contenders match
JBL vs. Batista
Another short,horrible, and dissapointing match. Basically Batista dissapointed because he wasnt with a good wrestler. This one should have been saved for Raw. Bad match

The Undertaker vs. Big Show
This one was slower than I thought it would be. These two really could have brought more but that wasnt the case tonight. Big Show was really the big messup here. Bad ending

WWE Championship Match
Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy
Match of the night. These two didnt dissapointment and brought their skills. Jeff really shows he can keep up with the "big guys" as he brings suspense to this great match. Triple H does a good job making Jeff seem close to winning. The storyline of Jeff being so close to getting the title was very successful in my opinion.

Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
This one was as good as the WWE championship match. I thought this match was very good. Jericho and Michaels really make the ladders come into play here. They use the ladders like they are really hitting each other. I credit my favorite wrestler, Chris Jericho, for making this match good. Michaels does a great job here. Best Ladder match in a long time.

After coming off an interesting Unforgiven, No Mercy was average at best on this night. Many of these matches had so much potential going in but most of them did not paid out. As other reviewers stated, the last 3 main events on this card really saved this ppv from becoming probably the worst of the year. The mid-card is pretty weak but the main events made up for them..... somewhat.

1. Ecw World Title
Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry w/ Tony Atlas
Hardy was getting cheered right of the gate in this match. I like how they are giving both of the Hardy boys their push. This match didn't suck, it actually was better than one of the matches later on in the card. Hardy was going for the knee of Henry while Henry used his massive body to dominate Hardy at points in the match. This match is what I expected to be. 3/5

2. Women's Title
Candice Michelle vs. Beth Phoenix w/ Santino Marella
I was really happy with how this women's match went down. I give credit to Candice in this one. She is really trying out there unlike most of the divas. Probably one of the better women title bouts of the year. 2.75/5

3. Rey Mysterio vs. Kane
The stipulation to this match was that if Rey lost, he would have to unmask. I found this match pretty good. It had some good counters. Kane was overpowering Mysterio at times. Rey took some punishment on his back. The match had a viscious chair shot at the end. The dq I felt was unnecessary but it fitted in well. 3.5/5

This is the part in the ppv where MVP head towards the ring to complain how he did not have a match on the card. Randy Orton then makes his enterance and starts getting on MVP. The fans started chanting boring once Dibiase, Rhodes, & Manu entered the ring. After about 10 minutes of useless information, Cm Punk and Kofi Kingston came out and cleared the ring. A segment here worth absolutely nothing.

4. #1 Contendership
John "Bradshaw" Layfield vs. Batista
This is the match I was talking about from the Hardy/Henry bout. This match could have been way better then it was. It had a little bit of brawling in the beginning. There wasn't really anything special or exciting from this match. This could have been on Raw. This match wasn't ppv material at all. 2/5

5. Undertaker vs. Big Show
I was happy with this match and how it went down. I believe Big Show really gets underscored in his wrestling ability. He brought it to the Undertaker in this match. A lot of brawling and high impactive moves. Also a couple of the counters looked very devastating. The ending was very appropriate and only there to add more battles from these two in the future. Good match and really was a saving grace from the previous bout. 4/5

6. WWE Title
Jeff Hardy vs. Triple H
This was the match of the night and also a far better match from their Armageddon encounter last year. Hardy did not seem uneasy in the ring and was really taking it to the game. Hardy and Triple H blended in pretty well with each other. A good competitive match up. This match should have been the main event in my view. A good title match from Smackdown. 4.5/5

7. Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Title
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
This had to be the most personal feud of the year. Initially starting all the way back in April at Backlash and finally ending here at No Mercy. HBK and Jericho found new ways to use the ladder here. They both pulled off some moves that they shouldn't have pulled off. But they put on a good fight. The ending was very unique to say the least. A nice way to end this feud. I felt they could have put on a better show but it was satisfying in my book. 4.25/5

No Mercy is a rental. I suggest yall renting this before actually purchasing it. The last 3 matches were the saving grace for this one.

1) ECW Championship
Mark Henry v. Matt Hardy (champion)
Ive never believed mark henry to be a top performer and why he still has a contrct with WWE amazes me to this day. He has horrible mat skills in ring skill and even worse mic skills (hence Tony Atlas) ANd even worse they say that matt HArdy is way over with the ECW Championship. I say hes way under. Matt Hardy is an amazing performer and for him to be an opening matchup to me is quite insulting while his drugged out brother gets the main event....Matt did the best he could to compliment Henry's INCOMPORABLE WRESTLING STYLE....Not a good opener thank god Matt Hardy does what he does.... 4/10


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2) Women's Championship
Beth Phoenix (champion) v. Candice Michelle
I didnt watch the entire match as womens matches bore me, i have seen very little in the womens division that excites me (other than REALLY REALLY HOT chicks running around in tightly clad spandex) but i can honestly say that i miss Trish stratus and chyna and wish Mickie james had something to do with this PPV she knows how to entertain..and tha glamazon beth phoenix is absolutely a horrible performer...all around 3/10

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3) Rey Mysterio (Must Unmask If Defeated) v. Kane
you always have to respect what Rey mysterio had done in the ring. hes an amazing high flyer truly only outdone by the hardys or the era of edge and christian. so i love to watch his matches. to me however the idea of kane and rey going at it just didnt make much sense. the storyline was put together well the match didnt quite match it though. good finish though...leaves you on the endge of the seat and kind of its savior for its suspense "7.0 / 10"

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Now I have to agree with the review before me....
They spent an enormous amount of time plugging a promo for MVP that seemed logical then it expanded to randy orton and then dibiase rhodes and samu...and then CM punk and kofi kingston...and WE DIDNT EVEN GET A MATCH!!! WTF WAS THAT FOR???? I think Orton realized that it was stupid for him to even be in the ring so he left. and i really hope they drop that storyline quicker than a 20$ H* It was worthless and had i actually paid for the PPV id be pissed.

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4) Number-One Contender Match
JBL v. Batista
A good sluggers match for the time that they gave them. it was extremely short and the fans i think liked it because the checmistry wasnt there! i would have expected more from these two..especially from Batista! but he finishes strong and it salvages a good look...once...
"6 / 10"
JBL takes the mic afterward and cuts a very funny promo that had me rolling....its still hard for me to see his as an acolyte and then New york self made millionaire....TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PEOPLE!

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5) Big Show v. The Undertaker
I thought this match was if not the worst was close to the worst match of the night..maybe the year..big show is horrible and cant compliment taker AT ALL! and the REDICULOUS FINISH they put together for this match made me want to punch my screen! WHO THE FU** knocks out the undertaker!!! THE WORST FINISH TO A MATCH EVER!!! HE goes from one PPV throwing EDGE into the ring from a hellacious chokeslam from a ladder to a knockout from big show?? you have to be kidding me....use your top talent better in better matches...... 2/10
"6.5 / 10"

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6) WWE Championship
Jeff Hardy v. Triple H (champion)
This match had me on the edge of my seat for the ENTIRE MATCH!!! I really didnt see these two putting together anything memorable but oh did they steal the show..(until the WORLD TITLE MATCH)Jeff Hardy threw himself around and you really saw him get over with the fans and triple H was top notch! The finish is unlike anything i have seen in WWE since its glory days in the 90"s...A simply amazing match!!
10/10

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7) World Heavyweight Championship
Chris Jericho (champion) v. Shawn Michaels
I have watched all of HBK's matches with Y2J and few dissapoint. Many people use their epic Wrestlemania XIX encounter to set the bar and i belive this one came damn near to surpassing it. shawn michaels is truly still the showstopper and proves it during this match. they do everything with teh ladder and some will complain there were few attempts at grabbing the belt until the closing minutes....i admired it because as much as i keep my imagination open whilst watching WWE i know the match wont end within 5 minutes so why fool the fans or try and thats what jericho and michaels did they keot the attempts at the belt until they knew it mattered. It finishes so flawlessly and you really believed michaels would have gotten it and a interference from lance cade was imminent..i just wish we could have seen triple H come out to aid shawn and help him get the title but a memorable finish for years to come...a winner and a savior for this god forsakenm PPV. 10/10

WWE's NO MERCY 2008 is an unbelievably sub par event. All three of WWE's TV shows did a solid job of building up every one of these PPV matches. Yet with all the creative juices flowing, WWE really dropped the ball with this one. If it weren't for two excellent main events, this PPV would've become one of those laughing stocks that hardcore fans would bash for eternity. I'm sure you've read this cliché elsewhere, but trust me, NO MERCY lives up to its name:

1) ECW Championship
Mark Henry v. Matt Hardy (champion)
---The good news is that this lasted longer than their SUMMERSLAM encounter. The bad news is that this wasn't as entertaining as their TV rematch available on the SUMMERSLAM DVD. Simply put, both men's timing was way off. Matt had to deliver slow, weak-looking offense just so that Henry could pull off his counter-offense. Even weirder --- and this is gonna sound strange --- this opener was just poorly-acted. You can almost see both men periodically looking at each other just to make sure the other knows what's going on. Truly embarrassing.
"4.0 / 10"

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***After WWE promoted their AT&T Mobile Vote for the PPV --- which is "Who Will Win: Hardy or HHH?" --- both contenders were interviewed in an odd backstage segment. HHH said some good things, like how he hopes he beats the absolute best of Jeff. Jeff, on the other hand, just doesn't get a reaction out me when he speaks.***

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2) Women's Championship
Beth Phoenix (champion) v. Candice Michelle
---I feel bad for these ladies, because both tried some unique offense and counters. But there were so many dropkicks, punches, and reversals that don't connect. I think Candice is better than people give her credit for, but she really did a poor job tonight. "Glamarella" is awesome, but these women worked so fast that very little worked at all.
"5.0 / 10"

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***Kane gave a weird pointless promo, saying we're all monsters...or some baloney like that. Sometimes, this guy is too strange for his own good.***

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3) Rey Mysterio (Must Unmask If Defeated) v. Kane
---Considering I was bored with their RAW main event a few weeks back, I was very impressed with this face-off. First, the "unmasking" stipulation gave a nice depth to this match. But the most important elements are whether Kane's dominance became boring, and whether Rey's comebacks were believable. The answer to both of those is that both are done very well. Rey and Kane took some stiff attacks from each other, and the DQ finish actually worked. For 12 minutes, both guys can pat themselves on the back for a job well done.
"7.0 / 10"

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Now pay attention, because this is where NO MERCY really started to sink:

***To make a long story short, M.V.P. came out and complained that he didn't have a match on the PPV. Even though this was all kayfabe, he brought up some good points. Then Orton came out and bragged about how Porter's got nothing on his accomplishments. Now, so far we're doing okay, considering this is an in-ring talking segment on a PPV.
But then, Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase & Manu came out to do some complaining of their own. This was where the Portland crowd chanted, "BORING!" Basically, Orton walked away from the wannabes, and Porter left in disgust too. As if this wasn't enough, CM Punk and Kofi Kingston (huh?) stopped M.V.P. from leaving, and talked him into getting into a brief 3-on-3 scuffle. An impromptu match would've been worth the trouble, but instead, this whole confusing pointless scenario took an ungodly 18 MINUTES!!!***

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***One more thing, for the third time, WWE promoted their AT&T Mobile Vote. Does WWE really think people "just tune in" to PPVs? Good Lord.***

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4) Number-One Contender Match
JBL v. Batista
---You don't need to be concerned about being as bored as you were with JBL/Batista matches from 2005. Instead, you'll be as angry as I am that a solidly built PPV encounter was reduced to a 6-minute squash. You have got be kidding me! JBL isn't as boring as he used to be, and Batista's come a long way in the past two years. Well, at least I wasn't bored. But as if this wasn't strange enough, read on for the post-match happenings.
"4.5 / 10"

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***Okay, after Batista celebrated his quick victory, JBL grabbed a microphone. He cut a hilarious promo where he thanked his fans, admitted his heart wasn't into the match because of the economy, named & thanked several politicians from both parties, and closed by saying, "God bless you. And most of all, God bless me!" Man, JBL should go back to the commentary tables, because listening to him speak is an absolute thrill.

But...after JBL almost made me forgive the shocking squash...Cryme Tyme was shown backstage stealing JBL's limo, and letting about 8 Divas ride with them. Oh my God, if you remember that stupid backstage dance from WRESTLEMANIA 23, this was even worse!***

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5) Big Show v. The Undertaker
---I didn't really enjoy watching this rivalry build up on SMACKDOWN, but the video package that precedes the match did a very good job of getting me excited to see the PPV showdown. And to my delight, it's a pretty solid back-and-forth battle between Show and Taker. It's a fast-paced slugfest, with some neat big-man counters thrown in. Where the match went south (in my opinion) is with Show's knockout victory. I don't mind that WWE pushed Big Show's boxing training, but aren't closed fists illegal strikes in the WWE? Never mind. Overall, not nearly as good as their popular NO WAY OUT 2003 encounter, but entertaining for the most part.
"6.5 / 10"

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6) WWE Championship
Jeff Hardy v. Triple H (champion)
---72% wanted Jeff Hardy to win the belt, but I think all of us are going to love this Match-of-the-Year candidate! I thought the ARMAGEDDON match these two had was good, but overrated. But make no mistake, this was every bit as good as you wanted it to be. If you think Jeff shouldn't be able to win most matches because of his smaller size, then I urge you to give this one a chance. HHH & Hardy delivered a match that included everything you want from a PPV championship match: back-and-forth action, effective mat wrestling, a wild crowd, sensible high-risk moves, and mutual respect between the two competitors. And for those who were afraid (like I was) that Vladimir Kozlov would come out and spoil things, WWE thankfully didn't show him until after the match. In fact, Kozlov wasn't even in the video package. The best match of the night, and much better than I thought it would be!
"8.5 / 10"

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7) World Heavyweight Championship
Chris Jericho (champion) v. Shawn Michaels
---Within a few moments after the bell ring, you'll realize that both men weren't playing around. You don't need to be afraid of HBK going soft because of his back injury, and Jericho...well, since when did we ever have to worry about his performance? I'm always afraid that when a new Ladder Match comes along, there are no more unique spots to come up with. But the creative genius between HBK & Y2J still found a few new tricks. Also, as with most Ladder Matches, this main event was just tough to watch in some moments. The most notable wasn't even the table spot where both men crashed through it. Instead, the sickest moment was when Jericho fell from the top of the ladder to the floor, and possibly busted his knee in the process. Don't be surprised if Jericho wears a kneebrace from now on. I should note that this main event is far from perfect, in my opinion. It's a little too "spotty" for my tastes. Most of the time, neither man tried to even grab the belt. Instead, both men just seemed to be wasting time --- well, I shouldn't say "waste" --- until it was time for the finish. And the finish, while interesting, is executed pretty weakly. Don't get me wrong, this is another excellent match in a classic rivalry, but it's not even close to the greatest of Ladder Matches. Maybe it's time for HBK & Jericho to move onto to new opponents.
"8.0 / 10"

--------------------------------------------

OVERALL
---I felt like I just watched two completely different PPVs. One was from the horrible SMACKDOWN-only catalog, and the other was WRESTLEMANIA quality. But even with two exceptional main events, and a couple above-average matches, NO MERCY 2008 was almost a catastrophe. The TV shows did an excellent job of convincing me to check this one out, even though I already knew quite a few superstars weren't scheduled for the card.
In fact, that brings up a huge problem, why were there no matches from:
M.V.P., CM Punk, Carlito & Primo Colon, John Morrison, Finlay, Evan Bourne, Ted Dibiase, or Cody Rhodes?

It's very simple: NO MERCY 2008 is going to make most of its money from the two main events. If you like to use your SKIP button your DVD remote, then maybe this one will be worth the money. But if you like to watch PPVs from start to finish, then be aware that even when NO MERCY 2008 is good, it's not enough to forgive the bad & the ugly.

WWE Championship
HHH(c) vs Jeff Hardy

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (Ladder Match)
Y2J(c) vs HBK

Womens Championship
Beth Phoenix(c) vs Candice Michelle

ECW Championship
Matt Hardy(c) vs Mark Henry

JBL vs Batista

The Undertaker vs Big Show

Kane vs Rey Mysterio