-Today we take a look at Armageddon 2005 from the WWE.
-Armageddon 2005 was a Smackdown PPV that took place December 18, 2005 from the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, RI. There were 8,000 in attendance and the show did 320,000 buys.
-Intro. Michael Cole and Tazz welcome us to Armageddon and talk about the Hell In a Cell match coming up. The SAT is introduced.
-JBL with Jillian Hall vs. Matt Hardy: Flashback to what led to the match. JBL out first and he addresses the crowd. He puts down Hardy. Hardy's music hits to interrupt JBL, and he turns to the aisle, only for Hardy to jump him from behind. He beats JBL to the outside and runs him into the ring apron. He throws JBL back in. JBL throws Hardy out and he gets caught in the ropes by his neck. JBL attacks Hardy while referee Nick Patrick tries to free him. JBL clotheslines Hardy on the outside. He finally throws Hardy in. Back and forth. JBL with most of the offense. Hardy comes back with a modified DDT for a two count. JBL with a shoulder block. JBL knocks Hardy down again. He attacks Hardy down in the corner. Hardy battles back and hits a moonsault for a two count. JBL takes a turnbuckle cover off and hits the Clothesline from Hell after whipping Hardy into the exposed buckle. He gets the pin on Hardy.
-Flashback to Melina trying to keep Batista out of the Tag Title Match and Batista and Rey Mysterio winning the titles from MNM. Melina is approached in the back by the Mexicools. They say they will cancel their match with MNM if she does to them what she did to Batista. She leaves in disgust.
-Highlights of HIAC from KOTR 98.
-MNM Mercury and Nitro with Melina vs. The Mexicools Super Crazy and Psychosis: MNM do their entrance. The Mexicools come out on lawnmowers. Mercury and Psychosis start. Mercury with the early advantage. Nitro tagged in, and Psychosis got the advantage. Mercury tagged in and got Psychosis back down. Back and forth. Psychosis hits both Nitro and Mercury with a twisting crossbody to the outside and Super Crazy hits a twisting cannonball. Mexicools come back. Melina interferes to give MNM the advantage. MNM quick tagging to keep Psychosis off balance. Mercury is in, and Psychosis tries to battle out of the corner. Nitro gets a two count. He knocks Super Crazy off the ropes to prevent the tag. Psychosis gets Nitro off, but they keep him from tagging. Psychosis with an enziguri to get Mercury off. Super Crazy tagged in. He fights off MNM. Nitro breaks up a pin attempt. All four men in. Super Crazy hits a moonsault, but Nitro breaks up the count. MNM hit the Snapshot to pin Super Crazy.
-Kristal Marshall tries to interview Booker T about his match with Chris Benoit, but Sharmell gives her thoughts instead. She says Booker is going to sweep.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. Match four for the United States Championship best of 7 series. Booker T with Sharmell vs. Christ Benoit: Booker is up 3-0. Sharmell comes out to introduce Booker T. They come out looking very confident. The bell rings, and Booker and Benoit circle each other. They lock up and drive to a corner and break. Another circle, and Booker rolls out to regroup. They battle for position. Benoit avoids a kick and chops Booker down. Booker rolls out again. Booker and Benoit grapple. Benoit with a switch. He keeps taking down Booker. Booker with a hammerlock takedown. Benoit reverses into the crossface, but Booker gets to the ropes. Booker with a series of strikes. Benoit goes for a Sharpshooter, and Booker gets away. Benoit with a dragon whip. Benoit works on Booker's knee. Booker breaks the hold. Booker hits several knees to the guy in the corner. Benoit chops his way back. Booker suplexes Benoit and it is sloppy. Booker covers, but Benoit gets his foot under the ropes. Benoit slips out of a suplex attempt and hits a German suplex for a two count. Booker drops Benoit gut first on the apron and then knocks Benoit to ringside. Booker also comes out, and they trade shots. Benoit ran into a ring post. Back in, Booker with a barrage of offense for a two count. Booker with an abdominal stretch. Benoit battles to get out. He hip tosses out. Both men are knocked down in the center of the ring, and a double count is going. Both up and Benoit with a belly to belly overhead suplex. Benoit hits the three amigos. He gets a two count and does three German suplexes. Benoit goes up top, but Sharmell distracts Benoit. Booker hits and knocks Benoit off. Booker hits a missile dropkick for a close two count. Sharmell low blows Benoit and Booker hits a scissor kick for another two count. Booker with a Book End attempt, but Benoit gets the Crossface on. Booker gets to the bottom rope. Benoit with three more German suplexes. He hits the flying headbutt for a close two count. Benoit tries to go back to the Crossface. Booker fights out, but referee Jimmy Korderas also gets taken out. Benoit with the Sharpshooter and Booker taps, but the referee is still out. Sharmell comes in and hits Benoit with the broom. Benoit goes after Sharmell, only to get hit from behind by Booker. Benoit reverses a Book End into a DDT and gets the Crossface on and Booker taps out. It's now 3-1 Booker T.
-Another HIAC moment. Theodore Long and Palmer Cannon come out. Long thanks the fans for a great year, and Cannon brings out Santa Claus and an elf. The Elf is Nunzio, and he hands out coal and candy canes. Santa is Big Vito. They want title matches. Cannon brings out the Boogeyman. He manages to take out Vito and Nunzio. He spills out worms and eats one and puts them in Vito's mouth.
-Flashback to what has been happening between Randy Orton and the Undertaker. Kristal talks to Randy and Bob Orton. Randy says he has proved that he knows mind games. He is going to prove to everyone that he is the Legend Killer.
-2 on 1 handicapped match. Bobby Lashley vs. William Regal and Paul Burchill: Lashley starts out against Burchill. Lashley with the early advantage. They trade moves and counters. Lashley unloads on Regal and Burchill. Regal targets Lashley's back to give Burchill the advantage. They trade moves and counters. Lashley unloads on Regal and Burchill. Regal targets Lashley's back to give Burchill the advantage. Regal tagged in. He suplexes Lashley. Burchill back in. He drops a diving knee for a one count. Regal tagged back in. Quick tagging by the heels. Lashley unloads on both heels. He hits Burchill with the Dominator to get the pin.
-Josh Matthews is at the Friendly Tap with Timmy White. This is during the Tim White is depressed storyline and may be the beginning of it. It is pointless. They show another HIAC moment where White's career was ended with an injury. This goes on way too long and they intimate that White kills himself. I can't defend this.
-WWE Cruiserweight Championship match. Juventuud vs. Kid Kash: Juventuud attacks Kash right away. Back and forth. The action is fast and furious. Juventuud with an arm bar. Kash fights out. Juventuud with a plancha to Kash on the outside. Kash runs Juventuud into a ring post. He then runs the arm into the post. Kash is working on Juventuud's upper body. He gets a two count. Kash with an arm bar. He stomps on the arm. He runs Juventuud into a turnbuckle. Juventuud tries to fight back. Kash with a scoop slam for a two count. He gets a series of two counts. They trade moves. Kash with a moonsault, but Juventuud gets his knees up. They trade shots and chops. Juventuud with a big kick to get a two count. Kash with a back elbow. Juventuud hits a top rope hurricanrana, but he hurts his leg on the move. Kash gets his foot on the bottom rope on the cover. Kash kicks out of another cover. Juventuud hits a Juvi Driver for a two count. He misses a tumbleweed when Kash moves. Kash hits the Dead Level Brainbuster to get the pin and become the new Cruiserweight Champion.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. Raw Tag Team Champions Kane and The Big Show vs. Smackdown Tag Team Champions Rey Mysterio and Batista: Kane and TBS out first. Mysterio out to a good ovation. Batista out to a fantastic ovation. He comes out looking all business. It takes a while to get started. Batista and TBS start. They lock up and TBS pushes off. Another lock up and push off. Bastista with a waist lock go behind. TBS with a back elbow. Back and forth. Batista with a shoulder block to knock TBS down. TBS with a big boot to Batista. Kane tagged in. Batista gets Kane down for a two count. Kane comes back with a side slam. Kane gets caught going up top and gets slammed off. Mysterio tagged in. Mysterio with a leg drop for a one count. Mysterio with a hit and move strategy. He hits Kane with a series of corner mounted punches. Kane pushes off. Back and forth. They trade moves. Kane set up for the 619, but he slides out, only to get clotheslined by Batista while Mysterio takes out TBS. Mysterio goes for the 619 again, only to get tripped and dragged out by TBS. He runs Mysterio into a ring post. Mysterio thrown back in. TBS tagged in, and they beat Mysterio down in their corner. TBS toys with Mysterio. Kane tagged in. He goads Batista. Mysterio tries to come back. He hits a bulldog. Both men are down. TBS with a cheap shot to Batista. Batista comes back on both giants. Mysterio and Batista clean house. Batista and TBS fight on the announce table. Mysterio with a 619 on Kane. He gets caught on the West Coast Pop and Kane choke slams Mysterio to get the pin. Batista checks on Mysterio after the match. The crowd gives them a great ovation.
-Another HIAC moment. The cell is lowered. Hell in a Cell match. The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton with Bob Orton Jr: The Orton's come out first. Randy waits in the cell for Undertaker to come out. The gong hits, and Undertaker gets a massive ovation. He takes his time getting to the ring. He stares at Randy the whole time that he takes his gear off. He slams himself into the cell with Randy. The bell rings and Undertaker stalks Randy, who tries to avoid Undertaker. Undertaker with a shoulder block, and Randy rolls out to the floor. Undertaker with a side headlock. Randy with a hip toss and a dropkick. Randy with a barrage of offense. Undertaker comes back with a boot to the face. Randy goes out to the floor, and Undertaker follows. Undertaker goes to run Randy into the cell, but Undertaker pushes off. Back in, Undertaker beats Randy down in the corner. He takes his time and hits Randy deliberately with boots and hands. He runs Randy into a ring post. He kicks Randy with a running boot, and Randy falls out of the ring. Undertaker goes and gets a chair from under the ring and hits a wicked shot to Randy. He beats Randy several times with the chair, and Randy is bleeding. He runs Randy into the cell and grinds Randy's face into it. He runs Randy face first into the ring steps. Undertaker grabs a chain and chokes Randy with it. He takes Randy and runs him into the cell like a lawn dart. Undertaker grabs the ring steps, and Randy kicks Undertaker and beats him down at ringside. Randy grabs the ring steps and goes to hit Undertaker, but Undertaker gets a boot up. Undertaker runs Randy into the ring steps. Undertaker taunts Bob. Randy thrown back in. Undertaker gets up on the apron and Randy hits an RKO guillotine on Undertaker. Undertaker falls outside. Randy struggles to get up, and his face is a crimson mask. Randy hits Undertaker with the ring steps. Undertaker ran and grated into the cell. He grabs the chain and chokes Undertaker with it. Randy headbutts Undertaker. He then hits Undertaker with the chair to get a two count. They go out to ringside, and Undertaker headbutts Randy and runs him into the cell. He then runs and drives Randy into the cell by hitting a running knee lift to Randy. Undertaker throws Randy into the ring and scoop slams him. Undertaker goes for an Old School elbow drop and misses when Randy moves. Randy grabs a table. He sets the table up. Undertaker falls outside, and Bob grabs him by the hair. Undertaker grabs Bob's hand through the cell and runs him into the cell several times. Randy goes to hit Undertaker, who moves, and Bob gets hit instead. Bob is now bleeding. All three are down. Undertaker and Randy fight back into the ring. Undertaker with a flying choke slam for a two count. Undertaker does Old School. Undertaker with a DDT for a two count. Undertaker hits Snake Eyes and a big boot. He hits a leg drop for a two count. Undertaker with a choke slam for a cover, but Randy gets his foot on the ropes. Undertaker with a running knee to Randy. He misses a corner charge when Randy moves, and Randy hits a low blow with the chain. Randy beats Undertaker on the set up table. He hits a top rope splash, and both men are driven through the table. Randy gets a two count. Randy beats Undertaker down in the corner. Randy with corner mounted punches, but Undertaker grabs Randy and goes for the Last Ride, but Randy slips out. Undertaker goes to hit Randy, who ducks, and referee Nick Patrick gets hit instead. Back and forth. Undertaker goes for a choke slam, but Orton continues with an RKO. Orton covers, but there is no referee. Referee Jimmy Korderas opens the door and checks on Patrick. Referee Charles Robinson comes in, and Randy gets a two count, but Bob is now inside the cell. Undertaker sits up. Back and forth. Undertaker with the Last Ride. He gets a two count, but Bob drags Randy out. Undertaker grabs Bob and runs him into the cell. This would cost Bob his job as Bob was diagnosed as a teenager, with hepatitis C, but showed no apparent symptoms and would eventually no longer recall having the disease. Over 30 years later, in the midst of his feud with his son Randy against The Undertaker, Orton was retested and it was confirmed that he still carried the disease. The Undertaker was furious that he was uninformed of Orton's illness and learned that former Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis (who knew of Orton's disease) allowed him to blade, and at one point in the Hell in a Cell match at, Orton spilled blood directly onto The Undertaker, which could have caused him to contract the disease.
Randy counters a Tombstone with one of his own, but Undertake will not stay down. Undertaker grabs Randy by the throat. Undertaker kicks Bob down and hits Randy. He hits both Ortons with the urn. He Tombstones both and pins Randy to win. Undertaker gets on top of the cell with the urn to celebrate. He surveys the arena as they sign off from Providence.
-Final Thoughts: A good way to cap off 2005 and look towards 2006.