PORTLAND, Ore. – WWE Champion Triple H survived the fast-paced, high-octane attacks of No. 1 contender Jeff Hardy to retain his title at No Mercy in a back-and-forth match that saw both competitors give all they had in their golden encounter.

After weeks of each Superstar gaining momentum toward their showdown, and Triple H claiming that Hardy could not win “the big one,” the high-flying Hardy did all he could to dethrone The King of Kings – coming up short once again in his bid to become the new champion. In the end it was The Game showing why he is a 12-time World Champion, using his ring savvy to reverse a pin by Hardy after a Swanton Bomb to put down Hardy and his championship aspirations.

The WWE Universe overwhelmingly showed their devotion to Jeff Hardy with their text voting throughout the night, giving Hardy 72 percent of the vote for who they thought would win the match; but The Game was quick to point out in a pre-match face-to-face interview with his No. 1 contender that text results don’t win championships – a credo he made a harsh reality for Hardy in the ring.

After the match, however, as Triple H celebrated his victory in the locker room area, the champion once more came face-to-face with Vladimir Kozlov, who has been a thorn in the side of both The Game and Hardy in recent weeks. Though the two did not come to blows, it is clear that the Moscow Mauler believes the competition he has been looking for resides with the WWE Champion as he wished The Game a “congratulations.” Will Kozlov get an opportunity to prove himself against the measuring stick of sports-entertainment? Or will Hardy find a way to get one more chance at the “brass ring?