WWE: No Mercy 2008 (2008) DVD

Reported by ERnest I Aguilar

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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).