Ticket for Admission: $25Parking: $8
Watching Jeff Hardy Make History: Priceless
Slightly kitschy introduction? Maybe, but then again, it's been three years since WWE brought a pay-per-view to Buffalo, the last time being the remarkably lackluster 2005 Great American Bash. However, last night WWE brought their A game for Armageddon in what I thought was a great show capped off by a great moment.
Vladimir Kozlov and Matt Hardy kicked off the show, and thankfully there were no chants of "boring". Buffalo may not be the greatest town in the world, but at least we understand wrestling better than Boston does. I originally had an entire paragraph where I talked about how it would be a good stepping stone for Kozlov to have a good, long run with the ECW Championship. The only problem is, it has just come to my attention that it was a non-title match. WHAT?! I could have sworn this match was being billed as a title match. I get that WWE looks upon that belt as a lesser world title, but Jesus, that's ridiculous. Kozlov and that belt could both help each other out a lot. When's the last time Matt Hardy defended that title, anyway?
It was the aforementioned Great American Bash in 2005 where I first became remarkably apathetic towards Rey Mysterio. I didn't hate him or anything, it's just something about seeing him live that takes some of the spectacle out of his work. I'm glad Punk won, as predicted, because Punk and Regal will be able to chain and put on a great series of matches if given the opportunity. Also, big time "O" for the wicked stiff-looking GTS that Punk hit on Mysterio to win the match.
Shawn Michaels cut about as convincing of a promo last night as he could to try and validate using him in his current storyline as JBL's assistant. I'm still not really feeling it, unless this is to turn Michaels heel, and even then, there are better ways to do that. The part about this that I'm the most cross about is that Michaels came out and cut a promo, and then in the next segment, IRS appears. You mean to tell me that IRS wouldn't be perfect for a role like that?
And now, from the broken record department...Santino is really funny. And so is Boogeyman singing Christmas carols. However, I can't help but shake my head at Mr. Kennedy coming out and telling kids not to do drugs. Hypocritical much? You've been constantly injured because of how much gas you've been on, Ken. You are doing to your career what another Mr. Kennedy did to his car many years ago.
Finlay and Mark Henry in a Belfast Brawl was not really a match with any nuances. It was two strong guys beating each other up. There's not a whole lot else that I can say about it. I can say, though, that I'm surprised at how entertaining Mark Henry has been over the past half year or so.
I'm never happy when Batista wins. I get that they still think Batista's a top face, and that they want to build up to Batista/Cena II at WrestleMania, but the pops Batista got last night were lukewarm. I was a little disappointed that Rhodes and Manu got thrown out so early; I think they really could have milked that more throughout the match, rather than have them get kicked out almost immediately. The ending wasn't spectacular, but it's about as innovative as you're going to get in a match that has Batista going over.
There was a Divas match. Whippy-dip. Michelle McCool's not that hot, I don't see what Undertaker sees in her. Maria's not that hot, I don't get what CM Punk saw in her. Mickie James, however, is smoking hot, and Ken Doane is the biggest waterhead on the planet for screwing that up. Khali came out after the match with new theme music, thus cementing the most bizarre face turn in history. Michelle McCool kayfabed him, further pushing her heel turn. And then Khali made out with Mae Young. Everybody saw it coming from a mile away, but I think that most people like the gimmick and knew that a Mae Young sighting was inevitable at some point.
About a year and a half ago on Tha O Show (don't remember the exact episode), Donnie mentioned that he hates Buffalo, New York. Well, after tonight, I understand why. Buffalo destroyed his theory about why Chris Jericho is knee. Jericho got rafter-shaking boos, and as any good heel should, worked in a way that elicited heat from the crowd the entire match. I'm not going to say that Jericho is the best heel in WWE right now, because I don't think he is, but I think it's largely misinformed and biased to say that nobody buys into him as a top heel.
I don't know if this made the broadcast or not (probably not), but at the beginning of this match, a fan got ejected for jumping over some WWE equipment to try and catch the hat that John Cena threw when he came out. So the guy caught a ten dollar hat, then got thrown out before he could see the two title matches on a show that he paid $85 dollars to see. The entire arena got a good laugh out of that.
Cena won, obviously, with that weak-ass Headhugger. That move looks even more knee in person, I swear. Even from the 300 section, I could see how weak that hold was on. Predictable, unenjoyable...everything you'd expect from a John Cena match, essentially.
At about 5:30, en route to HSBC Arena, I said aloud, "If Jeff Hardy doesn't win the title tonight, I'm done caring." While I did mean that, I also pretty much expected that Jeff would not go over. Call me a cynic, but I've seen WWE drop one too many balls over the past several years to trust that they'll do the right thing.
When Cena's match came on first, I assumed one of two things-either the title was switching hands, or somebody was making a return to help Edge retain. In the case of the former, I was fairly sure the title would be going back around the waist of Triple H. Fortunately (on many counts), I was wrong, and Jeff Hardy won the title in what was a tremendous match.
Let me explain what made this match so great. For starters, all three are great workers. They've all put on plenty of entertaining matches in their respective careers. Secondly, there was emotional investment in this match. Fans really hate Edge, and they really love Jeff Hardy. Third, and maybe the most important, was that this match had suspense. Not many false finishes, but false finishes don't always need to be plentiful to make a match suspenseful.
Where WWE goes from here with Hardy, I have no idea, but it's great to see him finally win the big one, and it was even greater to be able to watch it live. Hardy getting the pin was unquestionably the biggest pop of the night. Now that's how you send your fans home happy.
Tha Results:
*Vladimir Kozlov def. Matt Hardy
*CM Punk def. Rey Mysterio; Punk is Number One Contender for Intercontinental Championship
*Finlay def. Mark Henry
*Batista def. Randy Orton
*Michelle McCool, Mickie James, Maria and Kelly Kelly def. Natalya, Victoria, Maryse, and Jillian Hall
*John Cena def. Chris Jericho to retain World Heavyweight Championship
*Jeff Hardy def. Edge and Triple H to win WWE Championship
19 comments: on "Armageddon: Live From Buffalo"
Casur, you are an idiot. You are smug for absolutely no reason, and I can not understand why you are still allowed to spew your worthless, overbearing opinions here.
Big Daddy Donnie and Dan-e-o, can either of you explain why you still have this moron on your staff? There has to be someone out there who can write better than this guy.
what does "knee" mean?
Casur, you truly are an ass. Only because you got to see this show live. Great article summing up the show. Not only was I not able to watch it because I was still in the parking lot of BofA Stadium celebrating another home win and imbibing a little too much alcohol, but because some of us have to work...3rd shift. Once you're too drunk to work, you've gone too far. When you let me know that Jeff Hardy won the WWE strap, the alcohol freshened itself up in my system.
I will not for two seconds lie and say that this isn't the single biggest mark-out moment of my life. For those that keep saying it isn't the right time, the E shouldn't have faith in Jeff, I ask you what do titles mean?
Actually, what does being a draw mean? What does drawing one of the biggest reactions of the night, every night mean? So he's had some problems in the past. Does anyone know who Shawn Michaels is? He WAS champ when he was stoned, when he was high, when he was drunk, when he was doing God only knows what else. Ric Flair was lit every night he was NWA World Champion, the only thing that's different is the internet. We have more access, and the microscope is on these guys.
Don't give me Chris Benoit stories. Dude was on so many roids it's sad, he was unstable anyway, look at a tape of him in 87 and 07 no difference in the look on his face. Don't give me Eddie, Henning, Bulldog anyone else either. Are you making the choices for these guys? Is it affecting your life personally? No. You still pop for them when you're supposed to or even when aren't. You still boo when you are or aren't supposed to. Bottom line is that you are entertained.
I could go on and list names not only in wrestling, but in other sports, politics, music, movies anything who are or were addicts, or whatever, but smart money says you have a jersey, album, dvd, voted for them or something. Wow I wanted to celebrate Jeff Hardy's win, but I ended up getting on my soap box and going off. Sorry about that.
Jeff Hardy=Champ. That's MONEY!
wow, at fuking last, he n edge shud av a gr8 feud 4 a few months while trips can work show 4 abit i think, till wm wen they prob duel again, y does orton have 2 lose 2 bat, gets no 1 anywere, how many title switchalaz have we had ths yr man, does my nuts in
Type better, Anonymous.
You guys want to know who caught John Cena's hat at the PPV in Buffalo last night?
Well, you will get a good laugh out of this.
Are you ready??
It wasssssssssssssssss..........
Dave Linton Rector!!!!!
Hahaha.... he has it posted up on his Facebook page! I don't know if it was him who got kicked out though, but you guys do need to get him as a guest on your show to bug the hell out of him!!!! LOL
Classic example of someone marking out for being there and not being objective.
The PPV sucked.
First Anonymous poster,
You did not give a single reason as to why you think Casur is "an idiot".
Your comment, therefore, didn't really deserve a response but I'd like to offer you the opportunity to post a review of the PPV that was better. Seriously.
Go ahead and post a review in this comment section and we'll let Tha O-sters decide whose views are more valid and if you can "write better than this guy".
just addressing the first douche who posted, the reason im Anonymous is bcos i cba signing up yet, the reason ur anonymous is because ur a fuckin retard and thisis to quote u at u...
I can not understand why you are still allowed to spew your worthless, overbearing opinions here
im echoing the last two comments, u worthless piece of crap, go n pop some spots or somin ur knob.
gr8 win for hardy, ive always said that like in soccer, the captancy matures you, i rele think this will do the smae for jeff, fuck batistas win over orton that was shit n meaningless, this match was in my opinion the only intresting feud batty had left n the blew it
From those I asked, and this review, it seems that the Hardy win might be the biggest win of the year.
I too was at the public castration of the Broncos (maybe a slight embellish) DJB. I'm sure you had better seats than myself.
I'll watch the PPV tonight, but I'm really confused by the other Hardy's match.
Section 533 Jeff, but one thing about Bank of America Stadium there really aren't bad seats, the open bowl Jerry had constructed doesn't really screw anyone, unlike the Georgia Dome. That's hell.
The Hardy win IS the biggest win of the year, and in my mark markington opinion, outside of the fed's Cena love, it may be the win of the decade. Nobody out there doesn't have an opinion on it. Cena was YAY, BOO and whoopty friggin doo dah. Hardy is Hell yeah, or this sucks. 90-10 respectively, but there is an opinion and there will always be a reaction.
Biggest win of year?
Of Decade?
Really?
It's better than another Triple H title reign, but biggest win of the decade? Probably not. Though I'm sure that if Santino had won it Dan, Donnie, GT, Rico, Casur and Gayden Avery would all say the same thing.
I just have to question the legs of the run. One more slip up and it's over. Giving Jeff Hardy the big belt is like giving a 1 year old a big boy cup of juice, it makes him happy and everyone is so proud of him for carrying it but you can't help but be nervous about the decision. I wouldn't be too surprised if daddy lets him walk with it for a while before taking it back before he spills it.
Dude, giving Hardy the belt is a good move. You're simply using the wrong comparison. Giving Hardy the belt is like putting grenades in his arm, he has so much pressure to not drop it, it'll help him deal with his life.
Sec 545 about 10 rows from the top, but you're right even the nosebleed seats aren't that bad.
Donnie, I can't think of a more anticipated win this year. Punk winning was nice, but it wasn't even a match.
Hardy was showcased with Edge and HHH, legit cemented workers, almost 20 big titles between the two, and Jeff Hardy walks away with it.
After a decade and a half he done it. The fans have vested so much in Hardy over the years. I can't remember in the last ten years not seeing a Hardy sign (or 50) in the crowd, even when neither were working fore the company, I'm sure someone had one.
While Hardy's is certainly up there, I think the biggest win of the last decade was Edge at New Year's Revolution 2006. It was out of nowhere, and it took Edge, who was essentially still a midcarder at that point, and catapulted him into the main event.
That's just my opinion, I'm sure O-sters have different opinions, I'm interested to hear what other people would call the biggest win of the last decade.
I gotta agree with you there, though nobody remembers it because the Cena hard-on was at it's peak and Edge's title reigns ended up being wasted. This win was huge, but had he won it on return after the suspension and without the numerous Kozlov matches and if they hadn't gave Edge the belt a fucking month before. I'm a huge Edge mark but legit, why have him win the belt then hotshot it to Hardy? It makes no sense, it was a classic WWE swerve for swerve's sake. They honestly should have had Hardy win the belt how and when Edge did, then brought Edge back this month and run them in a program into 'Mania, keep the belt on Jericho, pull the Cena/Batista fued out without a belt, have Hunter win the Rumble and take Jericho's belt. No foresight is WWE's problem, they either make terrible decisions or they make good decisions retardedly.
Yes Donnie. Really.
The Edge win at NYR of '06 was huge, and it actually may be the win of the decade, I will almost concede that, but Edge as a worker, while a little above Hardy, doesn't have the fan interest. Edge is a huge heel, and draws a good reaction, but before screwing Matt Hardy by boning Lita the reaction wasn't jack. He was booed as a face and cheered as a heel. People didn't buy into him until he proved himself to be a legit dick.
Jeff Hardy's biggest problem is when the Fed broke he and Matt up years ago and tried to put them against one another and make Jeff a heel when it made no sense and nobody was ready to boo him. Do you remember the reaction he got in TNA when he made his debut? Do you remember the reaction his return vignettes got in the E? Do you remember the reaction he got when he came back and cut in on Edge's promo?
Jeff Hardy is over, those that disagree or downplay the importance of that character to todays WWE are just trying to get a rise out of people.
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