Armageddon 2008: Jeff Hardy Finally Reaches the Top

Kozlov and Hardy open the pay-per-view with a match that never finds enough urgency for the position. Kozlov controls through headbutts, arm work, and blunt power, while Hardy tries to create short bursts with counters and quick pin attempts. The structure makes sense because Kozlov is still being protected as an unbeaten powerhouse, but the execution is too slow for an opener and the crowd never fully commits. Hardy works hard to create motion, yet most of the middle is spent waiting for Kozlov to reach the next power spot. The finish is decisive, with Kozlov driving Hardy down for the clean pin. It preserves Kozlov's momentum and does not cost Hardy his ECW Championship, but the match feels like developmental positioning rather than a pay-per-view attraction.

Punk and Mysterio give the show its first genuinely strong match by treating the contender tournament as something worth winning. Both wrestle as babyfaces, so the story comes from counters, speed, and escalating risk rather than cheating. Mysterio creates openings with kicks and springboards, while Punk repeatedly looks for the GTS and uses his size advantage to interrupt Rey's rhythm. The crowd responds to the clean competitiveness because neither man has to change character for the match to work. The finish is especially sharp. Mysterio begins the 619 sequence, Punk catches him at the perfect moment, and the GTS ends the match cleanly. Punk earns a meaningful title opportunity, Mysterio loses without being diminished, and the bout proves that simple stakes and strong execution can carry a pay-per-view undercard.

The Belfast Brawl gives Finlay and Henry permission to use weapons, but the match remains more methodical than chaotic. Henry controls through size and slow power offense, while Finlay looks for openings with the shillelagh, steps, and Hornswoggle's presence at ringside. The stipulation helps because ordinary wrestling between the two would likely feel even heavier, and the weapon exchanges create enough variation to keep the crowd involved. The finish is straightforward: Finlay gains the advantage with the shillelagh and pins Henry. That result protects Finlay's specialty-match identity without pretending he can overpower Henry cleanly. There are a few satisfying shots and the match never becomes confusing, but it also never escalates into a memorable fight. It is acceptable midcard brawling rather than an event-level attraction.

Batista and Orton carry enough shared history from Evolution that the match feels important before the bell, but the wrestling never quite matches the premise. Orton slows the pace with control work and tries to keep Batista from building momentum, while Cody Rhodes and Manu remain a visible threat at ringside. Batista's power comebacks generate the strongest reactions, especially once the match begins moving toward the finish. The structure is competent and both men protect their established signatures, yet long stretches feel cautious rather than tense. Batista ultimately hits the Batista Bomb and wins cleanly, giving him the short-term momentum WWE wants before Orton's rise accelerates in January. The result is fine and the star power is obvious. The disappointment comes from how ordinary the actual match feels compared with the history attached to it.

The holiday-themed tag exists primarily as seasonal entertainment, and the four-and-a-half-minute runtime confirms that priority. Eight wrestlers cycle through quickly, leaving almost no time for sustained control, character work, or meaningful team strategy. Mickie James, Michelle McCool, and Maryse receive the clearest reactions because the audience already understands their positioning, while the costume theme and rapid tags keep the match light. The finish arrives before the bout has a chance to become anything more substantial, with Michelle pinning Jillian after the Faithbreaker. Nothing is especially disastrous, and the performers keep the segment moving, but there is no serious pay-per-view wrestling story to evaluate. It is a brief holiday attraction placed between larger matches and forgotten almost immediately after the bell.

Cena and Jericho improve significantly on their Survivor Series match by wrestling with more urgency and targeting a clearer weakness. Jericho repeatedly attacks Cena's recently repaired neck and forces the champion to work through the Walls of Jericho and Codebreaker rather than relying only on a heroic comeback. Cena answers with increasing physicality, and the match becomes strongest once both men begin countering finishers rather than trading them. Jericho escaping the Attitude Adjustment and Cena surviving the Codebreaker create believable late suspense. The final stretch ends when Cena escapes the Walls, powers through another exchange, and forces Jericho to submit to the STF. The result is expected, but the performance makes the defense feel earned. It is a strong championship match and a noticeable step forward from their November meeting.

The main event succeeds because every sequence is built around the possibility that Hardy's long chase might finally end. Edge and Triple H repeatedly create openings to win, Hardy is taken out by a Spear through the broadcast table, and Vladimir Kozlov's interference briefly appears to remove Triple H at the perfect moment. Matt Hardy stops Kozlov, restoring the focus to the three title participants. The closing sequence is exceptional. Triple H hits Edge with the Pedigree and appears ready to win, but Jeff launches the Swanton onto both men, knocks Triple H away, and pins Edge. The crowd erupts because the finish pays off months of near misses rather than manufacturing a surprise for its own sake. Hardy's celebration afterward completes the moment. It is an excellent triple threat and the emotional peak of his WWE career.