WWE Judgment Day 2009 represented the fifth WWE Pay-Per-View event of 2009, and following hot on the heels of a stellar show at Backlash, it had a lot to live up to. Here is a rundown of the matches and how they played out.
Umaga Defeats Chicago's Own CM Punk
This match was a solid encounter, but not quite what some fans were expecting. Many thought the match would be a sleeper candidate for 'Match of the Night' - but while it was not quite the best encounter on show, it was a perfectly watchable bout nonetheless.
It began with a long heat sequence as Umaga took apart the helpless hometown hero Punk, but 'Mr. Money In The Bank' fought back, almost successfully scoop-slamming Umaga at one point. Despite this, however, an impressive reversal-based finish led to Umaga crushing Punk with an Avalanche, followed by a deadly Samoan Spike.
Match Rating: 6/10
Christian Retains The ECW Championship
Christian's lengthy feud with 'The All-American American' Jack Swagger continued with this impressive ECW Championship bout, as the two contested an evenly-balanced match that was settled only by Christian's judicious hooking of the tights in rolling Swagger up into a pinning combination.
The not-so-clean nature of Christian's win will no doubt lead to a resurrection of the two's feud in the coming months - however, with Tommy Dreamer's retirement angle looming, look for him to receive a final push into the ECW Championship reckoning over the next few weeks.
Match Rating: 7/10
John Morrison Conquers Shelton Benjamin
These two SmackDown superstars put on a match that was excellent to watch in places, but fell foul of a crowd that was, quite simply, not that interested in either man. Morrison's innovative offence wowed the crowd at times - such as when he executed an incredible springboard 450-degree plancha onto Benjamin on the outside - but during the lengthy 'face-in-peril' sequences, the crowd did not care enough to cheer for him.
If WWE intend to truly push Morrison as a face, this victory will have been an important stepping stone for him - however, it is unlikely that his push will succeed unless the fans are given more of a reason to cheer for him. Despite this, he and Benjamin look set for superstardom eventually, no matter how long it may take.
Match Rating: 6/10
Mysterio And Jericho Put On A Classic
Following a bizarrely entertaining segment featuring The Miz, Santino Marella, Chavo Guerrero, and Chicago Cubs baseball player Alfonso Soriano, Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio gave the fans a stellar encounter for the Intercontinental Championship.
Mysterio retained his title in a match full of innovation, high-flying and fast-paced action, reminiscent of the two's battles in the days of WCW. Jericho attempted to remove Mysterio's mask at one point during the match, an act that is expected to play a large part in whatever rivalry ends up developing between the two real-life friends.
Match Rating: 9/10
Orton Cheats To Win And Ric Flair Returns
Randy Orton's WWE Championship defence against Batista turned out a far better match than many expected. Full of momentum changes and great psychology, the encounter between the two Evolution members was worthy of a WWE Championship match.
Once Orton had retained his title after slapping the referee and being disqualified, he and his Legacy faction began to beat down Batista - however, instead of the obvious save by Triple H, the man to save Batista from a brutal attack at the hands of Orton, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase was none other than 'The Nature Boy' Ric Flair, Batista's mentor and former Evolution teammate. It remains to be seen what WWE has planned for Flair on his latest return to television.
Match Rating: 7/10
Cena Overcomes The Big Show
Continuing Monday Night Raw's descent into replication of the worst of the past two years, John Cena completed a trademark 'Superman' victory over the Big Show. Despite a well-organised match featuring several momentum changes, the WWE producers decided to take the lazy route and have Cena defeat Big Show by lifting him up for an Attitude Adjustment, thereby 'overcoming the odds' - the reaction of the commentators at the time completely ignored the fact that Cena had performed such a feat at WrestleMania XXV, not two months ago.
This sort of match and angle is one we have seen countless times before involving Cena - with his already stale character growing less and less popular, and with the Big Show not being an opponent capable of four- or five-star matches, this feud will need new life injected into it if it is to continue.
Match Rating: 6/10
Jeff Hardy Comes Up Short Thanks To Matt's Interference
Just when everyone thought the feud between the Hardy brothers had ended, it was re-ignited at Judgment Day, after Matt interfered in the World Heavyweight Championship match and allowed Edge to retain his title. Matt struck Jeff in the head with the cast on his right arm, allowing Edge to hit a huge second rope Edgecution DDT for the win.
The match itself was typical of an Edge-Hardy encounter - fast-paced, exciting, and with plenty of innovative spots. One moment saw Edge spear Hardy as Hardy walked the guardrail outside the ring, sending Jeff sprawling to the floor. Edge's win may lead him into a rematch with Jeff at Extreme Rules - but with CM Punk and his 'Money In The Bank' briefcase lurking, nothing is certain.
Match Rating: 7/10
Match of the Night: Rey Mysterio vs Chris Jericho
Overall PPV Rating: 7/10
For a look at WWE's previous Pay-Per-View event, Backlash, click here.
For a look at WWE's latest Pay-Per-View event, Extreme Rules, click here.
