All Rise...

Judge Franck Tabouring always brags about his fluency in four languages. Yeah, that's right!

Editor's Note

Our review of WWE: Bragging Rights 2010, published December 18th, 2010, is also available.

The Charge

They all have something to brag about!

The Case

World Wrestling Entertainment unleashes the stars of both Raw and SmackDown to defend their honor inside the ring on WWE: Bragging Rights 2009, a pay-per-view during which three matches will decide which show is the superior one. That said, the show has a lot more to offer, and here is a closer look at the lineup:

• John Morrison vs. The Miz in a Champion vs. Champion, Raw vs. SmackDown Bragging Rights Match
WWE's new PPV kicks off with a match between old buddies John Morrison and The Miz, who both offer viewers a solid battle stuffed with a variety of strong kicks, slaps, punches and a series of high-risk maneuvers. I admit I expected a more fast-paced show from these guys, but all in all, this clean 11-minute opener doesn't disappoint. It's a good start, for sure.

• Melina, Kelly Kelly & Gail Kim vs. Michelle McCool, Beth Phoenix & Natalya in a Raw Divas vs. SmackDown Divas Bragging Rights Match
The WWE women get in on the action as well in this tag team battle, and to be honest, it's a matchup I enjoyed watching. Every diva gets a chance to kick some butt in this one, but Melina and Beth Phoenix stand out because they end up delivering some crazy moves. One thing these female wrestlers know how to do incredibly well is show off their flexibility, and that alone helps turn this 7-minute fight into a decent match.

• Undertaker vs. CM Punk vs. Batista vs. Rey Mysterio in a Fatal Four Way Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Four popular WWE athletes go head to head in this title match. It only runs for 10 minutes, but it's a high-speed battle that delivers the goods. Each of these four wrestlers brings a lot of energy into the ring, and viewers get to watch a collection of fun high-risk moves, including some athletic dives and strong body maneuvers. The superb pace of this matchup really works to its advantage, and with every competitor trying to get a shot at the championship, the action inside the ring remains at a high level throughout. Another solid match, for sure.

• 7-on-7 Raw vs. SmackDown Bragging Rights Match
This is quite a crowded match, with seven wrestlers representing Raw and seven fighting for SmackDown. That said, it is also a very fast battle, with each of the contestants filling up the ring with solid wrestling action. Triple H, Chris Jericho, Matt Hardy, and Kofi Kingston go at it with speed and a variety of powerful, high-risk maneuvers, while athletes like Big Show, Mark Henry and Kane stick to powerful kicks and punches. The match only runs for 16 minutes, and the level of entertainment rises as the action inside the ring escalades. The finish is disappointing, but the majority of this tag team matchup really works.

• Randy Orton vs. John Cena in a 60-Minute, Anything Goes Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship
They saved the best for last—or did they? While a one-hour match without any rules certainly does sound appealing, I have to admit it feels rather long as well, especially considering most matches typically don't run past 15 or 20 minutes. Anyway, the man with the most victory counts wins this Iron Man Match, and Cena and Orton both do their best to keep the audience entertained for one full hour. The match takes them all across the arena, but the best wrestling action obviously happens inside the ring. The battle slows down considerably after 30 minutes, and it's not until the last 10 minutes that we see the action pick up again. All in all, this one isn't the best of this pay-per-view, but at the same time, it's not a disappointing main event, either.

As always, technical aspects on the DVD deliver decent results, with both video quality and audio transfer doing the job. I can't say it often enough, but for what it is, this one looks and sounds just right. The bonus section includes a backstage interview with Chris Jericho. As usual, it's lame and unnecessary.

WWE: Bragging Rights 2009 boasts five decent matches, making it one of the better wrestling pay-per-views of last year. I guess the WWE does indeed have something to brag about…this time.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

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