All Rise...

Judge Franck Tabouring wrestled his way through Judgment Day and is glad the world has not come to an end quite yet.

The Charge

Judgment Day is upon us!

Opening Statement

Just a few weeks after competing at Backlash, wrestling's toughest athletes return to action to defend their titles and fight for their honor at WWE: Judgment Day 2008.

Facts of the Case

For this WWE pay-per-view, the stars from Raw, Smackdown and ECW head to Omaha, Nevada, where they compete in seven challenging matches. Here's a brief look at what this event has to offer: Shawn Michaels takes on Chris Jericho, John Cena fights JBL, and Mickie James tries to defend her women's championship title against Beth Phoenix and Melina. Additionally, MVP challenges Jeff Hardy, Undertaker and Edge fight for the world heavyweight championship, and Triple H puts his WWE championship title on the line against Randy Orton in a steel cage match.

The Evidence

Clocking in at 170 minutes, here's the complete lineup of this WWE PPV:

• John Cena vs. John "Bradshaw" Layfield
John Cena's 15-minute match against JBL is too slow-paced and quite boring for the most part. Big, bold moves are scarce, and all we get to see are unnecessary exchanges of kicks and a series of overlong submission holds. Everybody knows these two wrestlers have all it takes to show viewers some spectacular athleticism, but in this battle, they both take on a way too defensive approach instead of going for quick, unexpected attacks. What they deliver in the ring feels like watching wrestling in slow motion.

• The Miz and John Morrison vs. Kane and CM Punk in a Tag Team Championship Match
After tag team champions The Miz and John Morrison beat up Kane and CM Punk on ECW a week before this PPV, the latter now get their shot at seeking revenge and win the titles. Clocking in at only eight minutes, this tag team championship match is quite short but way better than the previous matchup. It's a fast-paced fight with plenty of great moves and enough participation by all four wrestlers, climaxing with a surprise ending viewers will certainly appreciate.

• Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
During the weeks leading up to this event, Y2J and Shawn Michaels have launched into a nasty feud over Michaels' supposed injury, and now they finally have the opportunity to face each other in the ring. Although this suspenseful 16-minute match is not as captivating as the previous fight, both athletes show off their skills quite well by delivering some very tough kicks and awesome stunts. The action is a little predictable at the end, but overall it remains fun to watch.

• Mickie James vs. Beth Phoenix vs. Melina in a Triple Threat Match for the Women's Championship
Three angry WWE ladies competing for one title? What more can you possibly wish for? Although this title match is only four minutes long, Mickie, Beth and Melina put on a spectacular show filled with impressive action and bold moves. Too bad it's over so fast, because I truly believe the divas could have even taken it up a notch.

• Undertaker vs. Edge in a World Heavyweight Championship Match
When will this feud finally end? Undertaker and Edge have been fighting each other for months, and although they always deliver solid matches, it's time for someone else to enter the competition for the heavyweight title. Now that Vickie Guerrero has stripped the title from the Undertaker and banned his powerful chokehold, Edge is trying everything to leave the ring as the new heavyweight champion. The match itself is not the worst we've seen from the two. Although some of the suspense is gone by now, the Undertaker puts some new twists on some of his signature moves, which keeps the show interesting throughout. Don't expect too many surprises though.

• Triple H vs. Randy Orton in a Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship
After Triple H defeated him for the WWE title at Backlash, Orton now finally gets a chance to take his revenge…in a steel cage! Clocking in at 21 minutes, this is a solid fight with several attempts by the two players to escape the cage for an easy victory. While some of these efforts look pretty spectacular, others are more or less ridiculous, but all in all, it's a great match to wrap up a decent pay-per-view. Both wrestlers are in great shape and deliver a tough fight until the very end.

There's not that much to say about the technical aspects of the DVD. The voice-over commentaries and the cheering of the fans are well balanced, and the image is clean and sharp throughout.

Unfortunately, the special features on this disc are a major disappointment. Besides a lame 30-second backstage interview with Jeff Hardy, the bonus material includes a two-minute clip from a previous Smackdown episode. It's the exact same footage they already use in a recap during the actual PPV, so there's absolutely no need to check it out.

Closing Statement

Overall, Judgment Day 2008 is a solid pay-per-view. Except for the opening match, most fights are entertaining and fast-paced enough to keep WWE fans excited throughout. On the other hand, it's about time they put the feud between Edge and the Undertaker to rest, although I have a strong feeling that's not going to happen anytime soon. And by the way, did you notice the official card for the event features only six matches instead of the usual seven? Watch out for a little surprise in the second half of the show.

The Verdict

Not guilty.

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