WWE Judgement Day Play-By-Play
 

Well, Play-By-Play may be stretching it. I'm not going all out with this one, I'm just going to post key moments and results.

Not bothering with a big intro, tough!

Match one. Ric Flair beats Carlito with a figure four leglock, much to the crowds delight. Carlito's finisher is now called the "Back Stabber"... that's an improvement anyway. Okay match, about the best you can expect from Flair nowadays. Not sure I like the fact Carlito has been buried against the near 60yr old Flair (who the WWE has no plans for, anyway, so therefore he did not need to go over). The punishment continues. No sign of Torrie.

Interview segment, and Shawn Michaels addresses the fact that rumours are saying he won't compete tonight. Randy Orton then attacks him backstage... didn't see THAT coming! :shifty:

So either it's a way of getting 'HBK' out of his match with Orton, or it's the storyline excuse for Michaels being injured in the match tonight.

A video package for the 'Lashley/Umaga/McMahons' saga. Presumably that match is up next.

Yes, it is the 3-on-1 rematch/rehash next. Umaga, ECW World Champion Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon vs Bobby Lashley....

Still no Armando Estrada too (I assume "Allejandro" has gone the way of "Phatu" "Kane The..." and all of the Divas surnames in the mysterious disappearing names file).

Lashley pins Shane McMahon in fucking seconds to win the ECW title back. Vince and Umaga were barely involved. The video package beforehand lasted longer.

Oh okay... after the match, Umaga attacks Lashley, and Vince announces that because Lashley didn't pin Vince, then Vince is still the ECW champ... apparently, in order to win the title, he has to beat Vince.

Still your ECW World champion, Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

LMAO at the WWE heeling Carlito up. Apparently he had some new black attire, being evil now and all. I kind of had a feeling Ric Flair would go over, as the WWE seems to give him wins at all the inappropriate times, but I went with Carlito because it would be the smart thing to do. Flair could have won some matches in between, but Carlito really should have gotten the big win to start off, and the big win to close.

Well he must still have his "nuclear heat", stemming from his attitude about his WrestleMania bumping.

Giving him the loss to decrepit old Ric (legend that he is) is burying him without even building him up first.

Backstage, a doctor tells Shawn Michaels that he is refusing him permission to wrestle tonight.

Who figured?

I guess this is the best direction to go under the circumstances, as they want to milk Lashley winning the Title back, but they need to keep him looking stronger. I'm not liking Vince as Champion, though. I still maintain that it should have been Umaga or Shane.

Yeah, ignore the "official" thread. :y:

It's kind of funny that Ric was just as unhappy about being left off the card.

ECW's only other offering tonight is up next, as C.M. Punk (complete with classic wrestling rib-injury taped guts) is taking on Elijah Burke.

I don't really bother with ECW much, but I'm surprised at the lack of reaction for Punk. Is this a regular thing now? He was getting great reactions a few months back. Did joining the New Breed kill his heat?

I'm glad HBK is being left off the card. Now all they need to do is replace the Michaels vs. Orton match with London & Kendrick challenging for and winning back their WWE Tag Team Championship. Two years in a row at Judgment Day, baby!

I didn't see an "official" thread.

Probably. I mean, the kiddies probably think he's a bad guy because he showed humanity, and smarks stopped caring when the WWE fucked up with him. And before anyone says "zOMG! Punk is overrated! Let's put him in the main event of WrestleMania and unify the World Titles! I'm funny," he didn't need a main event push, what he needed was decent development of character. The WWE has fucked that up pretty good.

Elijah Burke has some good heat on him. I'm not sure if that will translate from ECW over to the Judgment Day crowd, but if it does, the fans should get more and more behind Punk, and if the match is great, the fans could begin to care about him again.

I'm pretty sure there isn't an official thread. :-\

I dislike the ref, hes annoying. :(

Nice to see Punk slowly revert back to his ROH moveset/style.

Good match so far, although its starting drag. I think Burke may win it though.

To be honest, I havn't really been concentrating on this match so far, been a bit distracted, but what I have caught has looked pretty smooth and the crowd are into it. That's a good sign.

As far as pushing/not pushing Punk... my philosophy would be, if the crowd reactions are great, run with it... doesn't always work, see Hogan in 2002, but you never know until you try. RVD was cut off at the knees in 2001, after getting so over he ended up in the main event of No Mercy 2001, because WWE didn't want to stir shit with the veterans by pushing this newbie. I say fuck that. If Punk is over, push him, don't fuck with him until they decide he's finally allowed to get over.

And I'm not a fanboy, I'm not a huge fan of Punk, but I do think he's worth a risk.

Isn't this Punk's first singles match on WWE PPV?

Yes.

Good job by both guys for getting the crowd into the match.

Unfortunately, the crowd seem to be giving up on this match rather than sticking with it. Punk and Burke are struggling to build momentum.

As soon as I write that, Punk hits a nasty sounding enziguiri that brought the crowd back to life.

Ah, I found Xero's thread. Ah well, this seems like the place to be at the moment.

I was pretty sure Punk was taking it, but a Burke win wouldn't be that surprising. I am still pulling for Punk to form a stable of his own, with Kevin Thorn as the first member. With Ariel gone, God knows he needs something to do.

Awesome Elijah Express just there.

Burke reverses a G2S into the Elijah Experience, but Punk kicks out. Punk crotched on the top rope, and Elijah hits the "Elijah Express", or a double knee to the back. Pin, but Punk's hand gets the rope to break it up.

This time the Elijah Experience is reversed into the Go 2 Sleep, and Punk takes the victory in what I believe to be his PPV singles debut.

Burkes selling, and lets be honest, the move depends on the seller, of of the Go2Sleep is shit.

Good match in my opinion.

Is it just me, or do crowds suck these days? It's rare that they actually get into things, and translate their energy through the product, these days. I mean, sure the WWE makes it difficult with a generally shitty product, but they did buy tickets.

Holy shit, that sounds like a hot finish.

What was wrong with Anaconda Vice, by the way? The best finishers are those you can hit on anyone. You can't put a big guy in the Go 2 Sleep.

Is Kane on this show? Who's going to replace Michaels against Orton then?

Anyone hear thinking Jericho? Highly unlikely with no pre-announcement, WWE "surprise opponents" are usually shit. We'll probably get Santino Marella or someone.

Orton is making his way to the ring. Will Michaels "gut it out", will the match be called off, will Orton have a different opponent?? Let's find out....

Holy shit! Is that Bret Hart?

Not doing to terrible on Tipsters rn

I doubt Jericho is truly in shape for a return. Kane does seem like the logical choice. He's on the poster, and he isn't even on the card.

Bret Hart AND Chris Jericho?!!

Okay they were about to announce Orton as winner by forfeit, but 'Sexy Boy' hits and Michaels is stumbling toward the ring, selling his 'concussion' from earlier.

The Anaconda Vise was a damn good finish. Especially when he used to break out the combo, and plant his opponent with the uranage. The Go To Sleep just doesn't seem to fit Punk.

That sucks dick.

Orton's concussion selling from his Evolution/World champ days on RAW were much better than HBK's drunken man act.

I would have marked out for Mick Foley vs. Randy Orton in another classic Street Fight.

Am I glad I ordered this show now or what?

You know Shawn Michaels is going over, too. Punk overcame his injury, so of course HBK can't allow himself to be upstaged.

So the WWE's official doctor (Ferdinand Rios?) has categorically told Michaels that he will not clear him to compete, yet this match is going ahead??

Surely the referee (who is repeating the whole Kennedy "are you sure you want to do this?" spiel) does not have any official decision that would allow Michaels to compete? And if he had any sense, he wouldn't allow a man with a 'concussion' to compete.

Michaels is full on selling the concussion, very well. Orton going to work on the head of Michaels.