Review: WWE Night of Champions 2008 DVD

Brett Mix’s “WWE Night of Champions” 2008 Review
  
  
 
 

 

 
“It’s a Night of Defenders, It’s a Night of Challengers, It’s a Night of Champions.”
 
  
 

 

 

 
1) Opening Contest- John Morrison and The Miz (c) vs Finlay and Hornswoggle for the WWE Tag Team Championship
 

 
Here we go to start Night of Champions we got the Tag Team Champions Morrison and Miz defending the titles against Finlay and…..Hornswoggle.
 
What is this, the attitude era?
 
It’s almost as bad as Harvey Wippleman in a wig going for the Women’s title, but HE actually won it pretending to be a SHE, (An this later happened with Santino Marella as I update the review to this PPv that originally wirtten in 2008 befre Marella did it) let’s see if the dwarf and the Irishmen win the straps over a team that actally has some solid chemistry from what I’ve seen.
 

We’re deep in the heart of Texas according to Jim Ross at the American Airlines Center from Dallas Texas, I wonder if this will be a better PPV then Survivor Series 2003, which is one of the last PPV’s I remember from Dallas, although I’m sure there was probably once from that venue since.
 

Kind of strange seeing ALL WHITE ropes for this event but it DOES make sense with it being tri-brand and sort of a SPECIAL event for the WWE with all title belts going on the line on the night.

The billing of Charisma and Athletic was correct for the tag champions, and when JR said lets not cut Finlay and Hornswoggle SHORT…Foley laughs, as did I.
 
Morrison started it off with Finlay which is probably the best way it could of started.
 
We know of Finlay’s fundamental skills and he hits Morrison with a shoulder block early, then a European like forearm followed by twisting Morrison’s left arm and then a hard clothesline before a near fall.
 
Finlay slammed down the Co-Champion in John Morrison hard to the canvas. He grabbed the trap muslces of Morrison and went to hit him head first into the turnbuckle but Morrison got Finlay’s head on the top and hit him. A Miscue by Morrison as he jumps over the top ropes to the outside to land on Finlay who went out for a second, and then the two sort of stalled as Miz held Hornswoggle on the outside distracting Finlay. They knocked Finlay down and then both Miz and Morrison acted like School yard bullies and chased Hornwsoggle into the ring.

Finlay then came back in and hit a series of clotheslines to both men which got a loud pop and Hornswoggle then even landed an offensive move. Both Morrison and Miz go to the outside and Finlay sent Morrison back into the ring.

Miz and Morrison were back in control when the match got back inside the ring as they teamed up to hit a double gut buster to Finlay.
 
Miz then locked both hands around Finlay for a reverse chinlock. The Miz then grabbed both legs to catapolt Finlay up and Morrison caught him with a right hand from the apron before getting tagged in and scored a near fall on Fit Finlay. Morrison then pounded on Finlay into the corner and they utilized there tandem offense with brilliant team work keeping Finlay in there corner with some old school strategic wrestling. Finlay got out of the predicament in a matter of time and tagged in Hornswoggle who got a head scissors to MIZ. Great pop then he hit a Bulldog and got a near fall as one of the sign guys of this era with the backwards hat stands up in the front few rows and applauds the action. Morrison grabs Hornswoggle from the ring apron and pulls him down which gets good heal heet and Miz gets bought some time and attacks Hornswoggle hard and Finlay comes in to protect him but the ref had to do his job and distance Finlay to the outside as he wasn’t the legal man inside the ring. Morrison tagged in and no he’s going to work on Hornswoggle and he smiled in a cocky/heel fashion to Finlay. He tagged in Miz but then Hornswoggle showed a lot of heart and didn’t quit with some right hands of his own to both Miz and Morrison showing them that this is much more then they’d of expected.

Didn’t last long as Hornswoggle got caught by Miz and he kicked at him near the corner of the ring before choking him out to the 4 count. Miz went charging to the pad but he missed Hornswoggle and as he tried to catch a break to tag in Finlay, Morrison got a tag and pulled Hornswoggle away. Morrison then with Hornswoggle and he gave him a few slaps to the back and front of him. Morrison scooped him up but Hornswoggle slid over his back and sneeked to tag in Finlay. Finlay comes in and JR says business has picked up as he hits a beautiful powerslam to Morrison. Morrison went charging to Finlay in the corner and he came off with a high dropkick off the ropes and got another nearfall. Final then with a flip/samoan drop to Morrison but Miz interupted whatever potential count there could be. Good slam by Finlay and Hornswoggle is on the top rope after Miz hit Finlay with a cheap shot off the apron to the outside of the ring. Morrison with an armdrag takedown off the top rope!
 
At 8:46, Morrison and Miz retained the titles after that move from the top rope to the canvas by Morrison to Hornswoggle.
 
Surprisingly OK in spots.
 
Decent opener here.

 
  
  
 
* 3/4

 
 
 
 
 
2) Matt Hardy (c) vs Chavo Guerrero (with Bam Neely) for the WWE United States Championship
  

   
These two should be able to get a great match out of each other if they do it right here so I’m curious to see what they can do here in a PPV singles match for the United States title.
 
Chavo is always great at generating HEEL heat and Matt of course can do it well but he works as a face quite well also.

 
Two tie up in the middle of the ring and Chavo with his great quickness tried to get a near fall with a back slide, but the 3rd generation superstar was unsuccessful obvioussly.
 
Matt with a side headlock followed by a shoulder block to Chavo. Chavo went to scoop the legs up on Matt, but grounded him with a hiptoss followed by a side headlock takeover by him this time, started on the mat then went up to his vertical base standing up. Matt then over powered him and Irish whipped Chavo utilizing his size advantage and sent him int he corner after hitting Chavo with a body slam and a back body drop. Matt sent Chavo into the corner and went for a Bulldog but Chavo stayed by the post and then went for a chop block on Matt.

 
Chavo with a classic strategy here taking out the leg of the bigger man, a great strategy a smaller wrestler in Chavo Guerrero. He disected and exploited the left knee of Matt Hardy by neutralizing his speed by taking out the knee.
 
Chavo slammed Matt’s knee hard against the ring post and after coming back in the ring took the time to argue with the ref so Bam Neely could slam Matt’s knee harder into the ring post.
 
Chavo gets a near fall, then goes right back to work to the exposed limb, the damaged knee of Matt’s. Chavo twisting and pulling on his knee in this match looking to become the new US Champion while fans chanted on for Matt. Matt got back up to his feet and was limping until Chavo kicked at his leg again.
 
Hardy tried to stand and the two exchanged shots, and Matt hit a sitdown bulldog out of desperation, but Chavo got back up first and he went back to his systematic approach and went back for the knee. He’s a sound technician in the ring is Chavo and it doesen’t come as any surprise to see him take apart this body part of Matt Hardy in this match. Good strategy and psychology by Chavo Guerrero who has a lot of experience in this position.
 
A unique counter by Matt as Chavo went for the knee, but Chavo went up high and missed a moonsault which bought Matt enough time due to avoiding the contact and he hit Chavo with a desperate clothesline out of no where. Both guys to there feet exchanging blows and Matt hits Chavo with some clotheslines but still sells the knee which is of course, quite good!
 
Matt with an elbow drop then scores a  near fall. Matt goes for the Side Effect but Chavo elbows out and then goes for a back slide on Matt Hardy but the leverage and strength of Matt prevented it and then Matt hit the Side Effect and got a near fall.

Matt Hardy jumped off the 2nd rope and connected with the elbow and despite it torking his weaker left knee, it still didn’t put him away. Matt then went up top for another high risk move and Chavo pulled him down leg first.
 
Chavo with a Half Boston Crab to Matt Hardy’s left knee but he reached the rope.
 
Chavo contnued to kick away at the left leg of Matt and then Matt kicked at the mid-section of Chavo and hit a DDT and got a near fall. Matt calling for the fans as he is thinking Twist of Fate but Chavo goes for a drop toehold and hits it. Chavo Guerrero locks on another half boston crab and pulls on Hardy as the fans cheer him on to get to the ropes and he eventually does reach the lower rope as the ref encourages Chavo to break the Half Crab and he eventually does but the damage is already done.

Matt knew he had to go for it all so he hit a spinning heel kick which bought him some time and both men were down.
 
Chavo up first and then went for the Three Amigo’s as the crowd booed and he hit it twice, but not before Matt countered before the third and hit a Twist of Fate!
 
In the end Matt Hardy retained the US title at 9:21 after he hit his twist of fate interupting the three amigo’s!
 
Chavo out wrestled Matt, and Matt sold well but the finish was out of no where and if it got more time could of been REALLY SPECIAL.
 
But it was still a good match!
 
 
 

 

** 3/4

 
 
 

 
3) Mark Henry vs Kane (c) vs The Big Show in a Triple Threat match for the ECW Championship

 

 
Kane took advantage of the no count out rule in triple threat matches, and hit clotheslines to both Henry and Show in both corners until Henry slapped on a bear hug to Kane. Kane battled out and irish whipped Henry into Big Show who lifted a big boot to the face of Henry.
 
Kane and Shoow took there turns trying to pin Henry.
 
Then Show and Kane the former tag team champions went face to face and started to slug it out. Big Show pounded away on Kane in the corner and went to charge towards him but Kane got a boot up to the jaw of Show, then hit a spinning heel kick on him. Kane flew off the top rope and then hit Big Show with a….NO, Big Show counters a chokeslam attempt and hit a Chokeslam to Kane. 1…2…NO. Kane just kicked out of Show’s finishing move and Show can’t believe it. Kane sits up and grabs Show by the throat now…..
 
Big Show though drives Kane into the corner and then picks him up for a half assed slam and gets a near fall.
 
Big Show goes to the outside but Kane sits up and gives Show a big uppercut on the top rope and Kane hit a vertical suplex to Big Show off the top rope, and then Kane down from delivering that suplex gets caught by a 450 splash from Henry!
 
In the end Mark Henry became THE NEW ECW Champion at 8:17 after that Splash and the World’s Strongest Man marks out.

 
Terrible in parts, slower in others, alright in bits, and only a couple of moments note worthy. Not terrible but not anywhere near good.

 

 
 
* 1/2
 

 

 

 

 
4) Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr vs Hardcore Holly in a Two-on-one handicap match for the World Tag Team Championship

 
 
Ted Dibiase said his mystery partner was going to have to wait about 10 minutes and the crowd boo’s as Holly seemed pissed.
 
Dibiase said if they started the match the partner would show up.
 
Cody Rhodes was gonna lock up with Dibiase but he said he didn’t want Rhodes and he wanted Holly.
 
Holly comes in the ring but Cody Rhodes tricks him, turns him around kicks him in the mid section and plants a DDT but the people are shocked. I’m sure I would of been as well if I saw this live and hadn’t heard about what happened before hand.
 
Dibiase then introduces Cody Rhodes as the Mystery partner as he tries his best to laugh like a HEEL and I see a bit of his dad in his face. Maybe even he showed a lot more of his dad he wouldn’t be so awful but he tags in Dibiase.
 
Ted comes in the ring and then goes for Holly who had just been betrayed and locks on The Million Dollar Dream.
 
He then hits a leg sweep type maneuver and pins Holly.
 
 
At 1:30 Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase became the new Tag Team Champions when Dibiase becomes the only man to win WWE Tag Gold in his WWE Debut.
 
I think Cody Rhodes might have also been the only man to beat himself for a title as well.
 
I’ll give this MATCH the least possible of a rating not a DUD for those two facts and the much needed swerve in the career of Cody Rhodes.
 
 
 
1/4*

 

 

 

 

 

 
5) Kofi Kingston vs Y2J Chris Jericho (c) (with Lance Cade) for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

 

 
Jericho came in as a record 8 time IC Champion.

 
Ya know, it used to be where the guy that won an IC Title would be SO over or SO good that this was his prize.
 
Things like Ricky Steamboat beating Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 3, or Bret Hart beating Mr. Perfect at Summerslam 1991 spring to mind. Or Bulldog over Bret at Summerslam 92. Ramon over HBK in 94 at Mania X in the Classic Ladder match, etc.

 
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Kofi Kingston is not a good worker, from what I’ve seen he looks to be pretty good and he might even be material for this division but it seems like they drop the title off someone when they’re ready to be in a bigger program, rather then putting it ON SOMEBODY because they deserve it as a reward.
 
See Chris Jericho here as that example.
 
Anyways, I’m still curious to see how this match is going to come off, from hearing about it I immediately think of him putting over a rookie in Cena at Vengeance 02 just a few months after becoming the first Undisputed Champion in history.
 
Jericho was obvioussly in a feud with HBK here and generated a good amount of HEEL HEAT before the match as Lance Cade looks at the crowd around him. Jericho cuts an awesome promo before the match about being an honest man unlike HBK and how dedicated he was to the business. How he was here to save himself from all the people, good stuff until Kofi interupted it.
 
The Jamaican Sensation hopped into the ring and looked to tie up with Jericho as he cautiously paced/circled around him in the middle of the ring.
 
The two tie up and Jericho backs Kofi Kingston into the corner.

Kofi Kingston has a wide eyed look at gives Jericho a stare before slapping his chest and stomach and Jericho gives Kofi Kingston a go-behind and he returns the favor, until Jericho wins that exchange and hits a side headlock takedown. Nice and crisp and then for leverage adjustis himself on the mat for a side headlock on Kofi Kingston.
 
Jericho drops Kofi Kingston down and stomps away at him as Y2J is in control and hits him with a chop followed by a thumb to the eye and has him on the ropes and went to throw him over the ropes but his athleticism stopped him from going over the ropes and he then dodged him and showed Jericho some nice display of quickness and his ability.
 
He’d show some aerial offense as well flying over the top rope on top of Jericho on the outside before throwing him back in the ring and flying off the top with a cross body, and a latterral press!
 
Kofi Kingston jumps up on Jericho and delivers right and left hands but the Veteran in Jericho catches the rookie off gaurd and uses his natural in ring awareness and throws Kofi Kingston who was high in the air at the time to the outside.
 
On the outside Jericho begins picking apart him by spearing his back into the outside of the ring apron. Jericho then kicks at his lower back once inside the ring.

Y2J then starting to dictate the pace and had Kofi Kingston on the outside of the ropes on the outside ring apron and went for a vertical suplex but Kofi Kingston looked like he wouldn’t allow it UNTIL HE FINALLY did hit it and then got a near fall.
 
Jericho with a back breaker to Kofi Kingston after he had worked over the back during the match, nice move.
 
Jericho then off the side ropes hits a clothesline to Kofi Kingston who seemed to have a ton of momentum at the time and kept hitting him with kicks.
 
Jericho then locks a MEGA Walls of Jericho onto Kofi Kingston bending the legs far back.
 
Jericho then gets distracted by Shawn Michaels who interfered from the crowd and Jericho knocked him off the ring apron and he turned around and caught a spinning heel kick by Kofi Kingston.
 
Kofi Kingston defeated Chris Jericho at 10:59 to become the NEW IC Champion in the end after that move and this added more feul to the fire in the Jericho/HBK feud.
 
Great psychology here, with a good ending and a good match but my complaint about the IC Title and how its used hasn’t been good in a few years now and although I don’t watch regularly, it doesen’t seem like they’ve really improved in that department but this was STILL a great match.
 
Almost a three star match IMO and the best one of the night to this point.
 

 

 
** 3/4
  
 

 

 

 
6) Mickie James (c) vs Katie Lea Burchill (with Paul Burchill) for the WWE Women’s Championship  
 
 

Mickie and Katie lock up and Mickie goes for a go-behind and Katie goes behind Mickie.

Katie with a roll-up attempt and Mickie gets out and then the two ladies circle each other and Mickie takes her down hard to the mat.
 
Mickie with another roll-up off the ropes this time for leverage but another near fall.
 
Katie goes for a kick and Mickie lifts it in the air and then gives her a nice slam followed by a reverse elbow and then some right hands near the ropes and then a forearm shot.

Mickie with a nice roll-over in desperation and flips Katie Lea over as she tried to build momentum, dodging a kick and then hitting Katie Lea with a snap take down over her shoulder and then Mickie went for her signature DDT but Katie Lea countered with a nice armbar.
 
Micke screaming in pain rolls over but Katie Lea keeps it locked in hard. Mickie gets up and with her good arm, turns Katie Lea around and hits a nice DDT!

Mickie James looked to be in trouble but that DDT came just at the right time and she made sure this way that she retained her title in the end with that DDT!
 
So at 7:16, Mickie James retained her WWE Women’s Championship after she planted Katie Lea to the canvas after her signature move.
 
Pretty good in parts even if some of the back and forth offense/timing-chemistry looked questionable at best, BUT the psychology was good.
 

 
* 3/4
 
 

 

 

 

7) Edge (c) vs Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship

 
 
Dave Batista had just been drafted over to Monday Night Raw and it was the 2nd time he’d moved from Raw to Smackdown, and then now Smackdown to Raw in three years.

Batista knew Edge would never give him a shot again so he wanted to make this title match count and that’s one of the bigger stories going into the match.
 
Edge is a five time World Champion here (I think 10 or 11 when he retired) and it’s just a shame that most of his reigns have been flat out BRUTAL. I hate how the titles, let alone WORLD TITLE’S get passed around like a non-prestigious piece of shit and especially in Edge’s case.
 
It just really pisses me off.

 
Yeah, even if he wins this match which he does, he loses it the next night to CM PUNK. Brutal.
 
Edge poses with the belt though and luckily I don’t talk about that booking move or I might get so pissed off I’d just throw my laptop on the ground, it gets to me THAT MUCH.
 
I’m here to talk about this match.
 
Batista comes out to a great ovation and he looks at Edge on the outside and many people thought he was bringing the World Title to Monday Night Raw as Triple H was bringing the WWE Title to Friday Night Smackdown! if he successfully retained the title against Cena as it was heavily predicted.
 
Edge gives his World Title away and the ref holds it up high as JR and Foley get ready to call the World Title match between Dave Batista and Edge.
 
Edge and Batista tie up and Batista’s power is the immediate factor as he shoves Edge to his back on the mat. Jim Ross points out the challenger Batista has the size/power/strength advantage. Edge has more experience and has been used to odds like this even though he looked intimidated like a GREAT HEEL should in the beginning getting speared into the corner of the ring.
 
Batista threw Edge to the outside of the ring with a lot of power and then he chased him to the inside after half way around the ring. Edge went for a desperation baseball slide but Tista moved out of the way and slammed Edge’s head against the security wall!
 
Fast start to this one as Batista Irish Whips Edge and hits a reverse elbow then scores a near fall. Batista wears down the Champion with shots to Edge’s back and then hits a hard Irish Whip to the turnbuckle to Edge.
 
Batista waited for Edge to get up and takes him down, goes off the side of the ropes and hits Edge with a boot to the face as Edge went from sitting up to straight down. Batista lifted Edge back up, then ALL THE WAY up in the air as he landed a nice and powerful, slow and smooth vertical suplex straight back to the mat before irish whipping Edge to the ropes then clotheslining him over the top rope.

 
Edge then got back in it with a baseball slide to Batista and he goes flying into the announce tables after he took a long break inside the ring to maintain his composure. I’ve reviewed a bunch of Edge/Taker matches recently and it seems like these two have better chemistry. Edge stomped away on Batista laying on the cavas floor by the ring ropes.

 
Edge then waited patiently as Tista slowly got to his feet and once he was semi-there, Edge choked out Batista on the middle rope. Edge then flew over to Batista laying there and grounded him more by putting all his body weight onto The Animal’s back dropping the body to the back of Dave Batista.
 
Batista then sustained more punishment as Edge levelled Dave with a big elbow drop to the face and with Batista on the apron he gave Edge a spear or two out of desperation. Batista now back in the match with some right hands that doesen’t last as Edge hits a drop toehold to Batista! Edge then with a swinging neck braker and then gets a near fall!
 
Then the pace for the first time in the match slowed down a little as Edge locked a sleeper onto Batista trying to wear the Big man down even more!
 
Edge then with right hands in succession to Batista in the corner of the ring.

Batista sitting down in the corner looking fatigued and beaten and not wanting to sustain any more punishment gets lifted up by Edge and he slams his head into the turnbuckle pad in the other corner before hitting him with some hard right hands.
 
Dave Batista not out of it hits some more hard rights, but it doesen’t last as Edge hits yet another Neck Braker, and asks the official to count but he only gets a two as Edge is frustrated to hell that he can’t seem to put Batista away!
 
So Edge AGAIN goes back to the SLEEPER and lies belly first to the mat to make sure he is putting all his body weight down to take all the power from Batista.
 
Edge then gets a forearm shot by Batista and then he gets flipped over and Edge with a roll-up from the corner of the ring after sliding off the back of Dave and gets a two, then a clothesline from Edge. Both men down and that was a beautiful counter from Edge to get a roll-up from the corner as he just flipped Batista right over as it looked like he was in momentary control of the match.
 
Edge climbs to the top but Batista stops him, however Edge counters that and hits him head first on the ropes, once Edge gets back in he meets a hard forearm shot by Batista!
 
Back and forth, Back and forth, What a match!
 
Both men down as the ref counts with the audience and both men reach there feet at the seven count and then Edge gets over powered by Batista and speared into the corner. He gets a running clothesline splash in the other corner and when Edge goes for a desperation clothesline off the side of the ropes, Batista hits a sidewalk slam and gets just a nearfall.
 
This match is quite brilliant.
 
Edge then off the side of the ropes kicks at Batista’s head, then out of no where he SPEARS Edge but ONLY A NEAR FALL. Batista can’t believe it this time!
 
Batista then with Thumbs Up; Thumbs Down!
 
Batista scooped up Edge but he countered it with an Edge-A-Cution and got just a NEAR FALL AGAIN!
 
Wow.
 
Not the near falls, and the moves, but the pacing, the flow, the chemistry, the inring work and story telling is all so brilliant here.
 
Edge charges towards Batista but meets a boot to the head by the big man and then he somewhat uncharacteristically goes up to the top and comes off and catched a dropkick by Edge who just did a nice counter in mid-air. That’s why Big Dave Batista shouldn’t go up to the top!

 
Hawkins and Ryder come out pushing Vickie in a Wheelchair to the ring here and at this time in the match Edge was signalling for the SPEAR but Batista hopped up and then hit a Spine Buster and Vickie grabbed the ref’s leg. Edge then looked to capitalize from this intereference and went for a Spear but Batista moved out of the way and threw Edge into the corner and he fell to the outside.
 
Edge then knocked out the official on the outside looking to get DQ’d Austin at Summerslam 2001 style.
 
Vickie gets on the mic and says we need a new Ref!

 
Hilariously, CHAVO comes out with Bam Neely and he’s in a ref shirt and he does his little stroll to the ring.
 
Batista grabs Vickie Guerrero and goes to do something as the fans pop and he throws Vickie to the outside of the ring on all the other members outside the ring. Great bump, little shocked that happened.
As Batista turns around Edge hits him with the World Title right in the head, great shot.
 
In the end Edge retained the WWE World Championship belt at 18:12 when he capitalized after all that interference.
 
AWESOME MATCH.

Seriously.

This just owned, pacing was brilliant, booking, the story told and the moves by both guys was top notch as the chemistry was shown quite well.
 
Very, VERY IMPRESSED by this one.
 
 

 

 

****
  
 

 

 

 

 
8 ) Main Event- “The Game” Triple H (c) vs John Cena for the WWE Championship

 

 
The wait was over and this highly anticipated bout was about to get underway between two of the top stars in the industry in this decade!
 
Cena came out first and Trips came out 2nd.

The WWE Champion poses on the ring ropes with the title belt but would it be for the last time during this reign?

 
It’s worth noting in the pre-match package I was a little ticked they didn’t have Savage or Warrior winning the title belts. THOSE were great moments but of course we didn’t see it, we didn’t even see ROCK win ANY of his title’s. Oh but we saw FLAIR win his one title. Please, Rock and Savage should of been shown at least. Just goes to show you what they do and who they do it for with who they are on good terms with. Anwyays they’re only hurting there own credibility by not showing some of there best history, I would of liked Benoit at WM 20 to be shown but at least I can UNDERSTAND THAT one.
 
Cena actually gets a pretty decent ovation, if you want to compare this to Wrestlemania 22.
 
Trips gets a good ovation to as it seems like the crowd will be mixed here in this match.
 
Now SENIOR Ref, Mike Keota holds the WWE title in the air and many people now that Edge had retained wondered who’d walk away this time with the gold.
 
Cole says it should be a Classic.
 
Cena then paces around the ring and the bell rings as Trips stayed where he was and just looked at Cena before slamming a side headlock on him hard. HHH then got over powered Cena and hit a shoulder block.
 
Both men a little conservative to start taking there time, I remember actually reading people BASH this match in the early stages but apparently the 2nd half and more specifically the climax make up for it. Trips goes back to the side headlock here and then off the ropes hits John with another shoulder block followed by a hiptoss and he tells Cena to SUCK IT as King says he’s giving him a Wrestling lesson, and Cole says it’s Psychological warfare.
 
This match was about being the best period.
 
Hunter speared Cena’s back into the ring apron on the outside and then threw him back in the ring.
 
Trips worked on Cena’s back some more and hit a neck braker, which is very similar to Jericho/Kofi earlier in the night.
 
Triple H with a hard back vertical suplex, then Hunter dropped an Elbow to the lower back of Cena punishing him. He dropped another elbow and it’s strange seeing a crowd not going apeshit for these two unlike WM 22 although they’re not exactly dead.
 
Hunter then Irish Whipped the challenger HARD into the corner as his back just ROCKED off the turnbuckle padding and now he just managed to get to his feet but Hunter picked him up and then slammed Cena’s back again hard into the other corner and HHH hooked both legs this time and the Champion got a nearfall!
 
Good psychology by the Cerebral Assassin here and then he showed his dominance by giving Cena some gruelling shots as he is maintaining the upperhand here working on Cena’s back and overpowering him even though Cena gave him some shots, Triple H from the corner gave Cena a big boot to the face.

Cena then looked to build momentum as he came off with desperation shoulder blocks, then a side walk slam!
 
Oh no, why ruin a good thing?
 
Cena goes for the worst move in Wrestling History, the Five Knuckle Shuffle but HHH got out of that predicament kicking him out of it as Cena took his valuable time that costed him.
 
Trips scored with a high knee shot to the head of Cena!
 
Cena irish whipped Hunter but he countered with a face buster in mid-ring. Like the other Championship match this one was back and forth despite Hunter being ahead overall in points I’d imagine by this time of the match.
 
Hunter bent down as he went to knock down Cena but he came off the ropes with a nice bulldog! John Cena then off the top hit a nice leg drop to the back of the neck from the top rope to Triple H!
 
John Cena got kicked off as he may have been going for the move he beat Trips at, at Wrestlemania 22, the STFU. Cena then with a sidewalk slam and kept nodding his head to the crowd looking tweenerish, further adapting and improvising to the crowd involvment.

 
Cena then goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle after a 20 second pause and he got a knee lift to the jaw, as Cena’s inexperience it would seem is costing him, as his psychology game with timing looks like a ROOKIE through kayfabe as he seemed to care more about the crowd then dominating Hunter while he was down.
 
Triple H though charged after Cena and he pushed him out of the ring over the top rope and he hurt his knee on the ground. HHH had knee prblems in the past so people were a little cautious here.
 
 
Cena then wasted no time and took out the knee of The Game on the outside with a chop block and then dropped him on the steel steps in HEEL like fashion, taking a page out of The DIRTY HEEL Game’s playbook there. Cena then was clever and used some fine psychology of his own to wear the Champion down and slammed his legs into the ring post in the corner right above the steps. John then quickly went back to the outside to do it once more.
 
Good wrestling by both men with Trips working on Cena’s back in the early going, now Cena working on Trips’s leg here at mid-match.
 
Cena then goes for another STFU attempt but Trips with his good leg kicked him off. Cena then again attempted to take him over and apply some sort of leg lock and then he turned him over into the STFU but Triple H battled to the ropes and Cena was forced to break the STFU as Hunter crawled to the ropes out of desperation, he wouldn’t want to go down and especially not to that move.

 
Triple H looked to be in the F-U but he countered and hit the Pedigree! Cena kicked out! Cena kicked out of the Pedigree and a lot of people can’t believe it and Cole explains it could of been because of the injury to the knee and Cena’s strength which is completely believable and a testament to how well the two had told the story throughout the match thus far.
 
Both men down now in a considerable amount of pain to buy Cena some time after that Pedigree, and to buy Trips some time to rest his injured knee.
 
Both men back to there feet and Cena connects with an F-U! Cena looks to become a 4 time WWE Champion but Triple H kicked out of the F-U right after Cena had kicked out of his Pedigree!
 
Good stuff here showing that we have now reached the climax of an epic war with both men kicking out of the other’s finishing moves!
 
AGAIN, both guys to there feet and now they’re slugging it out toe to toe and the crowd are getting into it with booing Cena’s blows and “YEAAHING” HHH’s shots. The pace was electric in the audience now and both guys were making this match memorable here.
 
Cena then with a great sidewalk slam to Hunter and then bounced off the ropes to try and stay on his feet as both guys looked dazed here but everything was on the line. Cena then called for the crowd as he went for the Five Knuckle Shuffle for the third time in the match and he finally hits it!
 

Cena stalked HHH as he turned around and went for the F-U and Triple H hung on to the top rope and kicked Cena in the mid-section for the Pedigree attempt but Cena hit the STFU on HHH. Triple H tried to make it to the bottom rope but Cena held on long and Trips no doubt had memories of Wrestlemania 22 here!

Triple H reaches the bottom ropes!

Cena once again slaps on the STFU but he counters it into the Crossface and this gets a nice pop. Funny looking at the crowd whenever this move is locked on as they always have something to say to the person they’re sitting with.
 

I mark out whenever HBK and HHH do it though, I seriously respect them so much more, I get goosebumps when it happens. Cole and Lawler seemed chicken shit to call it a Crossface though, unlike Ross who COULD say it was one at Judgment Day 2008 when HBK had it on Jericho.
 

Cena then powers to his feet and goes for an F-U, but HHH counters that and hits a Pedigree for the 2nd time to John Cena!
 

 
In the end Triple H retained the WWE Championship belt at 19:37 when he hit his finishing move.
 
What a match.
 
Very, very good.
 
Was still awesome and the match of the night but I expected MAYBE a bit more after some of the things I read. I respect a lot of the things they did but to be honest I was MORE impressed with Edge/Batista considering I wasn’t expecting a great deal from that one.
 

I’d still think the WM 22 match was better at the same 4 star rating as this match but this one was definately a borderline classic and very awesome indeed.
 
Pretty brilliantly worked.
 
Awesome stuff! Epic encounter….
 

 

 

  
 
 
****
 
 

 
 
 
 
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Final Rating for WWE Night Of Champions 2008 = 6/10

 

 

 
This show was interesting because before the two Main Events it wasn’t much at all. We had two good to great matches in Matt/Chavo and Y2J/Kofi, with two pretty decent to good matches in Mickie/Katie Lea and the Tag opener, and then a near DUD with a pretty decent ECW match. However the TWO title match main events absolutely push this event to not only a passing grade but an overall rating of 6/10. I liked it that much to pass it. People said “I wouldn’t get that PPV” well…I’m telling you to get it for the final two matches alone as it’s worth it. As a fan I’m impressed enough to give it a 6/10 rating overall.