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COMPLETE WWE NO MERCY PPV COVERAGE: MICHAELS VS. JERICHO LADDER, HHH VS. HARDY, TAKER VS. SHOW AND MORE

By Mike Johnson on 2008-10-05 22:47:00
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live match by match coverage of the 2008 No Mercy PPV from Portland, Oregon.

After the traditional video promo building into the show, Todd Grisham welcomed everyone to the show. 

ECW champion Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry (with Tony Atlas)

Jerry Lawler joined Todd Grisham on commentary.  Hardy muscled Hardy in the corner at the onset.  Hardy went for a side headlock but was tossed off and shoulderblocked down to the mat.  Henry took over with several big right hands and kicked Hardy.  The crowd rallied behind Hardy, chanting his name as Henry worked over Matt in the corner.  Hardy targeted Henry's leg with a series of kicks but was clotheslined down.

Hardy mounted a comeback, clipping Henry's left knee and continued to work over the leg.  Henry rolled to the floor.  Hardy followed but was shoved down to the floor.  Henry went to roll back in the ring but Matt grabbed his leg and smashed it against the corner of the ring apron.  Hardy went for what appeared to be a spinning toehold but Henry sloppily kicked him into the corner, nailed a big boot, then covered him for a two count.

Henry climbed to the bottom rope and dropped across Hardy with a Banzai Splash, then covered him for a two count.  Henry wrenched Hardy's neck but Matt mounted a comeback with several elbows.  Henry captured Hardy in a bear hug as he rebounded off the ropes.  Hardy was able to pull himself over Henry with a sunset flip attempt.  Henry tried to sit down on Hardy's chest but he escaped. 

Hardy mounted a comeback but was whipped into a corner.  Hardy nailed a big boot as Henry charged in the corner, then nailed the Side Effect for a two count,  The crowd was into Hardy bigtime.  Hardy went for a DDT but was shoved off by Henry.  Henry nailed a big splash but hurt the knee Hardy had been working on.  When he recovered, Matt was able to get his shoulder up at the two count.

Hardy went for a high cross bodyblock but was caught.  As Henry tossed him off, Hardy caught him with the Twist of Fate and scored the pinfall.

Your winner and still ECW champion, Matt Hardy!

Solid opener.  They told a nice story here as Henry went back to selling the knee Hardy worked on and his offense of overpowering Hardy's moves and tossing him off turned into Henry's own worst enemy as Hardy used it to nail his finisher.  The crowd was really into the opener too, which added to the segment.

Backstage, Eve Torres interviewed WWE champ Triple H and Jeff Hardy.  HHH was texting on his phone, voting in the poll over who would win their match.  Eve asked Hardy if he was ready for his own championship moment tonight.  HHH mocked him by saying he was rooting for Hardy tonight.  Hardy told him not to worry about texting but about what's in front of his face.  HHH said he was a big fan of Hardy and told him he had all the talent in the world.  Triple H said he wanted to see Hardy put it all together and be all he can be, so that when he beats Hardy, he knows that he beat the absolute best.  Hardy told HHH to take pride in his performance tonight, because he'll take pride in taking HHH's belt.  Solid segment and a cute way to plug their AT&T texting deal.

WWE Women's champ Beth Phoenix (with Santino Marella) vs. Candice Michelle

The announcers noted that Marella must have somehow talked Phoenix in allowing him to come to ringside after she told him on Raw she needed to concentrate on her winning streak.  Candice dropkicked Phoenix and promptly missed a legdrop.  Ouch.  That was grody.  Michelle scored several near falls early.  Michelle his an enziguiri, and shockingly, Michael Cole called the move.  Michelle worked over Phoenix in the corner but was caught by Phoenix and driven backwards into the corner, while upside down.

Phoenix kicked Michelle in the same shoulder she injured.  Michelle fought back but was run into the corner by Beth, so her strategy is to go after the bad shoulder. Phoenix followed up with a form of the cross arm breaker.  Michelle was really vocal and making decent facials while selling.   She fought her way to her feet trying to kick Phoenix off but was forced back down.  Candice tried to surprise her with a series of forearms then hit a jawbreaker.  Michelle hit several dropkicks and a spinning heel kick for a two count.

Candice went for a Russian leg sweep but Phoenix countered it into a STO variation.  Phoenix went to the top but Michelle nailed her.  Michelle nailed a dropkick, knocking Phoenix off and covered her.  Marella pulled Phoenix out of the ring.  Michelle nailed a dropkick out of the ring on Marella.  Marella, selling the dropkick, caught his arm with Beth's foot as she re-entered the ring.  Phoenix turned her attention to him, allowing Candice to roll her up for a near fall. 

Michelle went for the Unprettier but Phoenix turned it onto her face-first chickenwing slam and scored the pin.

Your winner and still WWE Women's champ Beth Phoenix.

They teased after that Phoenix, with the look on her face, had mixed feelings about Santino being there.

An OK match.  It seemed like Michelle came in looking to make a splash with a good performance.  She was trying extra hard to connect with the crowd like selling, but from an in-ring standpoint, it didn't click at all.  Phoenix gave her usual solid work.  I would have liked some Santino mic work, but that's just me.

Somewhere in the bowels of the Arena, Kane promised that tonight would be the end of Rey Mysterio's story.  Kane said that when he unmasks Rey Mysterio, he'll destroy all the fans.  Kane said that when he rips off the mask, it won't just be Rey but everyone and he'll force everyone to see themselves for what they really are - monsters.

Rey Mysterio vs. Kane - Mysterio must unmask if he loses.

Rey went right after Kane at the bell but was shoved away.  Rey went after Kane with shots to the midsection and kicks to the leg.  He knocked Kane out of the ring but was nailed with a big boot as he rebounded off the ropes.  Kane tossed Rey over the ropes but he saved himself, nailed Kane and hit a springboard dropkick.  Kane fell into position for the 619 but as Mysterio charged for it, Kane turned and clotheslined him.

Kane grabbed Mysterio on the mat but Rey began kicking him.  Rey went for a rana but was caught by Kane.  Kane went for a powerbomb but Rey nailed him with a flurry of punches.  They fell forward and tumbled over the ropes.  Rey jumped off the apron on Kane, but was caught.  Rey turned and was able to lock on a sleeper but Kane flipped him forward.  Mysterio bumped over the guard rail into the crowd.

Kane continued to work over Mysterio on the floor before tossing him back into the ring.  Kane cinched in a rear chinlock, smothering Mysterio.  The crowd began to rally behind Rey.  Kane rebounded off the ropes and kicked Rey square in the head.  Kane continued to beat down Mysterio and picked him up for an over the knee backbreaker.  He torqued Mysterio backwards over his knee.  Mysterio nailed several shots trying to escape.  Mysterio used the ropes to nail a kick to the face, then hit an inverted DDT on Kane.

Kane took back over and placed Mysterio on the top rope.  Mysterio elbowed Kane away, then hit a standing moonsault.  They claimed Mysterio's knee smashed Kane in the face, possibly knocking him out.  They each got to their feet with Rey nailing kicks and dropkicks.  He covered Kane for a two count.  Mysterio leaped at Kane, who caught him with a sideslam for a two count.

Kane motioned for the chokeslam but Mysterio escaped, hitting a springboard into a swinging DDT.  Mysterio hit a springboard into a big splash for a two count.  Rey dove off the top rope but Kane nailed him with a punch to the face.  He covered Rey, who got his shoulder up at two.  He whipped Mysterio into the corner, but Rey nailed him as Kane went to the ropes.  Mysterio hit a 619 to Kane's leg, sending him to the floor.

Mysterio dove off the top to the floor, where Kane drilled him coming down with a chair.  The referee called for a DQ.  The crowd booed the finish.

Your winner by DQ, Rey Mysterio!

Kane smiled as he walked off.  Mysterio was caught telling the referees to slide his kneepads down, saying he couldn't feel his legs.

Backstage, MVP was walking backstage on his cell phone, upset he wasn't in a match.  Whoever he was speaking to suggested he talk to Vickie Guerrero about it.  MVP said he would do that.  He knocked on her door and Big Show answered.  MVP asked if Vickie was there.  Big Show said she was and MVP said he wanted to talk to her about how his career is going.  Show told MVP if he really expected Vickie to deal with him after the way she was attacked by Undertaker.  MVP said that he was in pain too after the way his career has been going lately.  Show told MVP that he was focused on the Undertaker but if MVP kept bothering Vickie, he would focus on MVP.  Vickie called for Show and Show slammed the door in his face.

They plugged Cyber Sunday.

As Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler pushed the next PPV, MVP's music hit and he came to the ring.  He took the mic and said he wanted everyone's undivided attention because he had an importance announcement to make.  He said that the big sports franchises don't sit their star players and if you are Vickie Guerrero, you don't not have MVP in a match at No Mercy.  He said that this isn't the first time this has happened and said the entire WWE Universe revolves around him. 

Randy Orton's music hit and he made his way to the ring.   Orton introduced himself to MVP and MVP said he knew who Orton was but didn't recognize him without his shoulder in a sling and a folder with his MRI report.  He complained that he's the game maker, but no one is giving him the ball.  Orton said the last time he saw MVP it was Wrestlemania, where he won and MVP lost.  MVP said that he doesn't work on Raw for Mike Adamle, so there's nothing stopping him from knocking out Orton and everyone in the Raw locker room would love him for it.

WWE Tag Team champs Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase came to the ring with Manu.  Rhodes asked MVP if he was really letting Orton's comments offend him, because that's what he does.  The crowd chanted "Boring."  Rhodes said that Orton isn't boring, but he's the guy who graduated High School and coasted on his reputation afterwards.  He said that all Orton has these days is his reputation, so MVP should let him have it.  Orton asked them to ask CM Punk if he's coasting.  Manu said they did the damage to Punk and Orton just picked up the scraps.  Orton said it's obvious they are trying to impress him.  He said that when they accomplish half of what he has, he'll take them a little more seriously.  He walked out.

MVP mocked Orton as he left, saying we'll see him back in the ring in 2012.  MVP complimented the second generation stars, saying he liked their style.  He said if he was ever drafted to the "Red Team" they could do something.  Ted DiBiase said he wasn't in their league.  MVP said he made more money then all three of them combined.  DiBiase said his father was the Million Dollar Man so the last time he worried about money was never.  He told MVP to get out of their ring and they'd see him at the next PPV he's not booked on.

As MVP made his way to the ring, CM Punk and Kofi Kingston came out.  Punk told MVP that he had a small idea even though they never have seen eye to eye.  Punk said that all three of them have dissed them, so there's three of each side.  MVP said he was feeling it, took off his bling and they charged the ring.  Punk and Kingston stopped short, allowing MVP to get triple teamed, then they hit the ring.  Punk and Kingston cleaned house as MVP and Manu faced off outside.  

The segment slowed the show down big-time as the live crowd wanted to see wrestling.


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