Jeff Hardy def. Edge & Triple H (New WWE Champion)
World Heavyweight Champion John Cena def. Chris Jericho
Batista def. Randy Orton
Vladimir Kozlov def. ECW Champion Matt Hardy (Non-title)
HBK reveals deal with JBL
CM Punk def. Rey Mysterio (Intercontinental Title Tournament Finals)
Finlay def. Mark Henry (Belfast Brawl)
Eight-Diva Santa's Little Helper Match

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Tis the season … to be brawling! At Armageddon, the Sexiest Women on Television did just that as Divas Champion Michelle McCool, Mickie James, Maria & Kelly Kelly defeated Natalya, Victoria, Maryse & Jillian in an Eight-Diva Santa's Little Helper Match.

Santa’s gorgeous little helpers in red took down the Divas in green when the Divas Champion pinned Jillian for the win. But for the WWE Universe, everyone was a winner.

After the bout, the scent of mistletoe was in the air as The Great Khali and Ranjin Singh made their way to the ring filled with Santa’s victorious helpers. The Punjabi Playboy was in heaven as the WWE Universe in Buffalo knew it was time for some Kiss Cam action. As Singh offered up the Divas’ smooches to Khali, they all backed away from the giant Superstar, with Michelle McCool leaving the squared circle of love.

Despite the rejection, the Playboy’s associate was determined to find a volunteer for Khali to share a special holiday moment with, relying on his contingency plan – WWE’s original Diva, Mae Young. Dressed in a sexy little Santa outfit herself, Young made sure Khali got the one thing he wanted this holiday season – a long, lustful kiss from one of the Sexiest Women on Television – even though it may not have been the Diva he had in mind.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – With a little help from his son, Hornswoggle, Finlay defeated Mark Henry in a Belfast Brawl.

Under the match rules – with just about anything and everything legal – kendo sticks, metal trash cans, steel ring steps and Finlay’s trusty shillelagh were all used as accessories to batter each other.

WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas tried to help out the World’s Strongest Man by smashing Finlay with a metal trash can lid in the knee. However, the Belfast Brawler kicked the Hall of Famer back down to the arena floor.

In Finlay’s corner, Hornswoggle was able to provide a little more assistance. After Henry smashed one of Finlay’s shillelaghs over his knee, the Irishman’s son was able to toss a replacement in the ring. Finlay used it to take down the massive Mark Henry.

The victory was a measure of revenge for Finlay, who – along with Hornswoggle – lost to Henry & WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas on ECW last week.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Less than 24 hours after CM Punk & Kofi Kingston lost the World Tag Team Titles to The Miz & John Morrison at a live event in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Straightedge Superstar defeated Rey Mysterio in the Intercontinental Championship Tournament finals. Proving his resiliency to the WWE Universe, Punk’s victory over a former World Champion may be a sign that he might not be without gold for long.

Before the match, Punk and the Master of the 619 shook hands showing mutual respect for each other, but as their in-ring battle showed, both men were willing to give all they had to earn the opportunity to face William Regal for his coveted Intercontinental Championship.

With champion William Regal sitting at ringside with Layla by his side, the first-ever meeting between the two former World Champions was a back-and-forth war as they both pushed their limits in hopes of victory. In the end, it was Punk hitting Rey with a devastating Go To Sleep and covering him for the 1-2-3 that left the Straightedge Superstar the No. 1 contender to the Intercontinental Title.

After defeating John Morrison in the semifinals and Mysterio in the finals, Punk is now just one step closer to holding the Intercontinental gold and not only adding his name to the list of legendary champions that have held the prestigious title, but also to be the first man to hold the World Heavyweight, World Tag Team and Intercontinental Titles in the same year.

The Straightedge Superstar has had more than his share of ups and downs throughout 2008, but if he can defeat Regal one-on-one, he will end the year on a high note and go into 2009 with gold around his waist.

Tune in on Raw to find out when and where Punk will have his opportunity to make history and see if he can join the list of greats that have given such honor to the Intercontinental Title.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The “Showstopping” will go on, but unfortunately, it will now be made possible through the funding of John “Bradshaw” Layfield.

Unlike General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, HBK got his bailout at Armageddon. Sealed with a handshake, in the face of financial collapse, Michaels has agreed to work for the Longhorn Loudmouth.

As Michaels stated live in Buffalo, he may be a Superstar, a multiple-time World Champion and perhaps the greatest entertainer to ever compete in a WWE ring, but even he isn’t immune to the nation’s economic crash. HBK’s smart, responsible, seemingly failsafe stock market investments bottomed out with Wall Street’s cave in.

With financial instability engulfing the country, Michaels – a globally recognized WWE Superstar – becomes son, husband and father. Suddenly, his role as provider for his family crosses into the ring, where his responsibility to his children supersedes any instinctual feelings against this business decision.

For weeks, JBL pompously stepped around arenas and locker room areas with a contemptuous smile on the finance maven’s face. Boasting a deal that HBK simply could not refuse, Layfield’s offer to put The Showstopper on his payroll was seen by the WWE Universe as no more than an exercise in vanity. Our fans’ perception began to slightly alter when HBK did not refuse the deal, then Michaels – seemingly conflicted – stepped back and allowed JBL to seize The Showstopper’s Slammy Award for Match of the Year.

In a year that’s been difficult to endure, HBK braces for 2009 in an unusual position, firmly wedged beneath the overindulged thumb of the Longhorn Loudmouth. And measuring the width of his grin, JBL has never been prouder because the self-proclaimed “wrestling god” can now actually play the role of such deity for one Superstar: Shawn Michaels.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Before a capacity crowd at Armageddon, Vladimir Kozlov continued his incredible streak of never being pinned in WWE when he defeated ECW Champion Matt Hardy.

Even the tenacious spirit of the ECW Champion was not enough to overcome the brutality of the Moscow Mauler. After heroically battling back from the Russian’s punishing aggression, Hardy had the misfortune of hitting his head on the unforgiving steel pole behind the top turnbuckle. He was then easy prey for Kozlov’s vicious headbutt to the chest, followed by a devastating chokeslam-spinebuster combination and the win.

Prior to the match, ECW commentator Matt Striker informed the WWE Universe of ECW General Manager Theodore Long’s decision that because Kozlov had never competed in an ECW ring, the match would be a non-title bout.

The firestorm between the two Superstars was first ignited when Hardy cost Kozlov his second chance at the WWE Championship during a Beat the Clock Challenge on SmackDown – simultaneously helping to give his brother Jeff the championship opportunity he missed out on at Survivor Series. The irate Russian Superstar fueled the fire of his discontent the following Friday night, attacking Hardy during his match with Chavo Guerrero. He then stomped boldly into the Land of the Extreme to challenge the ECW Champion to a match at Armageddon. Although Hardy had every motivation to attempt to extinguish the Moscow Mauler’s inferno, Kozlov’s vengeful fury proved too powerful in the end.

His explosive victory over Hardy reaffirmed Kozlov’s championship caliber. Wherever he aims his unchecked aggression next, it is sure to hit the squared circle with the force of a Russian bear.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — As his Rev Theory entrance theme suggests, Randy Orton was hearing voices in his head and – to his dismay – ringing in his ears, courtesy of Batista, who defeated his rival at Armageddon.

In a match four years in the making, it was The Animal who utilized his sheer force to rise to victory in the highly anticipated showdown between two Superstars groomed together for success in Evolution.

One week earlier on Raw, Orton professed that the “Legacy” would be born as he and rival-turned allied second-generation Superstars Cody Rhodes & Manu effectively colluded to bring down Batista in tag action. It seemed this new regime orchestrated by the Legend Killer might be the next step in his personal evolution, alongside a pair of individuals that many could argue mirror Orton himself and Batista in their earliest days beside The Game and the “Nature Boy.”

The Animal, aiming to refocus on the World Heavyweight Title, would need to overcome this apparent alliance in order to fortify his contendership.

Though supported by his multi-generational miscreants initially, Orton’s numbers advantage was quickly vanquished by referee Mike Chioda, who ejected Manu and Rhodes from ringside after they attacked Batista.

The ensuing battle of fierce adversaries clearly demonstrated the deep-rooted ill will between two men both bred for only one achievable top spot. Targeting the weakened neck of his opponent, Orton still could not repeat execution of his RKO on Batista for the third time straight in recent collisions. Perhaps the Legend Killer’s frustration was his temporary undoing as Orton strayed from his arsenal for an unconventional maneuver that The Animal reversed directly into a Batista Bomb.

At Armageddon, the confrontation the WWE Universe couldn’t wait to witness ended with the four-time World Heavyweight Champion proving himself the better product of Evolution. But as The Animal adjusts his vision to the gold, has Batista fully advanced from the Legend Killer’s cross hairs and the Legacy’s scorn?

BUFFALO, N.Y. – For weeks, Chris Jericho carried out cowardly attacks on World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, but at Armageddon, for the second time in less than a month, The Champ successfully defended his title against Jericho, teaching him the true meaning of the words “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect.”

In a match filled with reversals and near falls, these two battle-hardened ring warriors put it all on the line. Several times, one Superstar appeared to have the match won, but inevitably, they would escape from the clutches of their opponent. The WWE Universe held their breath as Cena powered out of the Walls of Jericho, and Jericho miraculously landed an attempted FU. In the end, however, the intensity of the World Heavyweight Champion won out, as he locked Jericho into an STFU for the win.

At Survivor Series, John Cena made his much anticipated return to the ring, where he defeated Chris Jericho to win his first-ever World Heavyweight Championship. Since then, the nefarious Jericho has been a constant thorn in The Champ’s side. Time after time on Raw, Jericho would interrupt Cena’s matches, attempting to get the upper hand by brutally assaulting the Superstar who relieved him of his championship gold. In addition to the physical attacks on The Champ, Jericho also repeatedly denigrated John Cena, his motto, and even worse: The members of the WWE Universe.

Going into Armageddon, the craven Jericho hoped that the preceding weeks had worn down his opponent and would give him the upper hand he so sorely lacked at Survivor Series. To the first-ever Undisputed Champion’s dismay, however, Cena was in top form, with his resolve strengthened by Jericho’s relentless, cowardly attacks. Fighting for the honor of the WWE Universe, and exemplifying the three words he lives his life by, “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect,” John Cena defeated the arrogant Chris Jericho, and left Armageddon with the World Heavyweight Title secure around his waist.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – After years of chasing the gold that had eluded him his entire career, Jeff Hardy defied the odds at Armageddon, winning the Triple Threat Match against Edge and Triple H to become the new WWE Champion – his first World Title.

In a hard-fought battle full of power from The Game, grit from the former champion Edge, and high-flying, fast-paced action from Hardy, it was the involvement of one of Hardy’s rivals, Vladimir Kozlov, and his own brother, Matt Hardy, that inadvertently helped him capture the title. When Kozlov interfered and pulled Triple H out of the ring, all hell broke loose, and in the end, after Matt rid the ringside area of Kozlov, The Game nailed Edge with a Pedigree – virtually sealing another golden win for himself. But Jeff ascended the top rope and delivered a career-changing Swanton Bomb to earn the victory and the gold.

While Jeff had heard over the past few months from the likes of SmackDown GM Vickie Guerrero, Triple H and even Edge that he could never win the big one, Hardy proved all the doubters wrong in front of the raucous WWE Universe in Buffalo – all who stood and cheered in approval of Jeff’s historic win.

Jeff and his brother, ECW Champion Matt Hardy, have made history, as both are World Champions at the same time, cementing their legacies during their tenures in WWE, and putting an exclamation point on their seven World Tag Team Title reigns.

BOSTON – Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix reigned supreme as the sole survivor in the SmackDown vs. Raw Divas Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match in the spirit of SmackDown vs. Raw 2009.

Like the latest installment of the No. 1 fighting game franchise in the world, which features never-before-seen enhanced tag team action, the match proved to be as wild as it gets. In the end, the fast-paced match came down to a one-on-one confrontation between The Glamazon and the sultry Maryse, who the champion hit with her vicious Glam Slam, leaving the Canadian beauty thriving in pain as she picked up the huge victory.

Also like the new video game phenomenon, which gives the WWE Universe the opportunity to pair Superstars who don’t normally compete together, neither Team Raw – Mickie James, Kelly Kelly, Candice Michelle & Jillian, captained by Phoenix – nor Team SmackDown – Maria, Maryse, Victoria & Natalya, captained by Divas Champion Michelle McCool – were doing battle among the usual suspects. The tension this created became evident from the opening bell, as the WWE Universe stood witness to an overabundance of Divas tagging themselves in, and at one point, a cheap shot on Michelle by Maryse as the Divas Champion was exiting the ring.

The triumph clearly demonstrates Beth Phoenix as a dominant Women’s Champion. Her performance also raises serious questions as to whether anyone will be able to take the gold from the mighty Glamazon in the near future.

Since the WWE Universe can never get enough of the Sexiest Women on Television, WWE.com features a Diva Turkey Shoot, a photo gallery showcasing the gorgeous Divas in their Thanksgiving best.

BOSTON – Randy Orton is a deviously cunning individual, and due to that very fact, the Legend Killer was able to lead his team to victory over Team Batista at Survivor Series with he and Cody Rhodes as the only survivors.

After it was announced that The Animal and the Legend Killer, two former teammates as part of Evolution, would lead two teams against one another at Survivor Series, both men couldn’t wait to prove that they were the better man. To make things even hairier for Orton, one of his teammates was announced to be Rhodes, who has expressed nothing but hatred for Orton, including with his complaints to Stephanie McMahon when she held an open forum on Raw.

At first, it was Team Orton’s William Regal that was quickly eliminated first, giving Team Batista an early advantage. The tides slowly switched to the advantage of the Legend Killer’s team in full force as first R-Truth, and then World Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & CM Punk and ECW Champion Matt Hardy were all eliminated consecutively, leaving Batista at a 4-on-1 disadvantage.

The Animal was anything but down and out at this point, and he mounted a very respectable comeback. After eliminating both Mark Henry and United States Champion Shelton Benjamin, it seemed it was certain that Batista would be victorious, considering Orton and Rhodes couldn’t likely coexist. However, that was not to be the case.

All the momentum that Batista gained was put to a halt thanks to the craftiness of the Legend Killer, leading to the tides changing once again. After a devastating Batista Bomb, The Animal thought he had the pin on Rhodes, and that it would just be him against Orton one-on-one, but Batista hadn’t noticed that Orton had tagged himself in while Rhodes was hoisted up on his shoulders.

When the referee refused to count Batista’s pin on the second-generation Superstar, The Animal rose to his feet confused and as he turned around, an RKO was all the explanation he needed as his fate was sealed and the Legend Killer got the pin for the win.

On this night, Orton was the victor and secured the bragging rights from here on out in saying he is the better product of Evolution, but the question still lies as to where this leaves both he and Cody Rhodes as they were the only two men still standing.

Has the second-generation Superstar earned the Legend Killer’s respect, or was Rhodes just a pawn used on Orton’s road to victory? Also, what about Batista? Has the Legend Killer rid himself of The Animal’s wrath or will Batista come back at Orton with a ferocity unlike we’ve ever seen before?

BOSTON – If the Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match pitting Team HBK against Team JBL were a shouting contest, the Longhorn Loudmouth’s boastful bunch would have won by a country mile. Fortunately for Shawn Michaels, he and his team featuring Rey Mysterio, The Great Khali & Cryme Tyme let their in-ring talent do the talking.

In the end, only team captain Michaels, Mysterio and Khali remained sole survivors with their feet placed firmly on canvas after a contest in which participants can be eliminated by count-out, disqualification, pinfall or submission.

Even before the opening bell, Team JBL, consisting of the self-made millionaire, Kane, MVP and The Miz & John Morrison, found more beef with Team HBK than cowboys at a cattle call. All that pent up steam howled to a boil when the first two team members, JTG and MVP, stepped into the ring. After nearly 20 minutes of battle in and out of the ring, it was team captain Shawn Michaels who finally put remaining Team JBL member, Morrison, out of commission.

It remains unclear whether or not the rivalries in each case have been settled, but it’s a safe bet that none of these Superstars will be tamed anytime soon.

BOSTON – After months spent recovering from emergency neck surgery, John Cena’s return to the ring was a triumphant one, as he defeated Chris Jericho at Survivor Series to win his first-ever World Heavyweight Championship.

For months, Chris Jericho reigned over Raw as World Heavyweight Champion, repelling challenges from dominant Superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Batista and CM Punk, walking away victorious from matches as varied as a Championship Scramble, Steel Cage Matches and even a brutal Ladder Match. But at Survivor Series, all of the first-ever Undisputed Champion’s trickery and deviousness came to naught as he was confronted with the sheer power and ferocity of a returning John Cena, who slammed Jericho with a thunderous FU before ultimately pinning his opponent for the win.

The entire WWE Universe sat in suspense the night of Survivor Series, eager for John Cena to return, but concerned for his medical condition so soon after going under the knife. Following a match against Batista at SummerSlam, Cena suffered a herniated disc in his neck, necessitating emergency surgery that kept the intense ring warrior sidelined up until now. But when the three-time WWE Champion stormed into the TD Banknorth Garden in his homeground of Boston, the fears of the WWE Universe were immediately alleviated, with Cena displaying the same passion and intensity that has made him a fan-favorite and household name around the world.

With his win at WWE’s second longest-running pay-per-view, new World Heavyweight Champion John Cena has finally saved us from the arrogant posturing and treachery of Chris Jericho, and in the process proved that he is more powerful and focused on victory than ever.

BOSTON – In front of a capacity crowd in the TD Banknorth Garden, Edge stunned the WWE Universe by returning from Hell to become the new WWE Champion, defeating former champion Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov as a late entrant in the Triple Threat Match.

With Jeff Hardy out of action after being found unconscious in the stairwell of his Boston hotel earlier in the morning Kozlov and Triple H battled each other one-on-one. Just when it looked like the champion had Kozlov where he wanted him with a hard-hitting Pedigree, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero interrupted the match to announce that it would indeed be Triple Threat – with Edge as the third competitor.

The WWE Universe had not seen any sign of life from Edge since Undertaker sent him to Hell at SummerSlam in a Hell in a Cell Match. But on this night, he was full of energy and unleashed on The Game with a vicious spear. Next, Hardy shocked the WWE Universe by running into the ring and attacking Edge. Then, Hardy jumped out of the ring to get a steel chair. He returned, knocking both Triple H and Kozlov to the canvas with angst-ridden chair shots to the head. A fired-up Edge took down Hardy with a spear. After the carnage, the Ultimate Opportunist capitalized, covering Triple H for the win.

Coincidently, the last time Edge won the WWE Championship was in a Triple Threat Match on Raw in July 2006, when he defeated John Cena and Rob Van Dam.

Edge’s victory ended the 12th reign of The King of Kings, who has held the WWE Championship since April.

The stunning course of events leaves the WWE Universe asking some compelling questions.

Exactly what happened to Hardy in his hotel? What will Triple H do to try and regain the gold? And what is the state of the relationship between SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero and her husband, Edge? Finally, how will Kozlov react to not winning the coveted gold he has been seeking?

Things are sure to be very interesting on Friday Night SmackDown.

BOSTON – Undertaker defeated Big Show in his trademark, a Casket Match, at the event that debuted The Phenom's career – Survivor Series – to deny The World's Largest Athlete the victory he claimed he would earn at the pay-per-view.

Using everything in his arsenal, including a leg drop through the announce table, Undertaker sealed the victory by closing the casket. Big Show did seem to have the match won early, but his reluctance to touch the casket to close the lid gave Undertaker the opening he needed to gain momentum. When Big Show tried to escape the arena, a burst of flames prevented him from doing so, and the Druids brought a second casket to the ramp.

After a short battle of the two imposing forces on the ramp, Undertaker was able to throw Big Show into the casket to earn the win.

What does this win mean for Undertaker, who has been embroiled in a heated rivalry with Big Show since The World's Largest Athlete attacked The Phenom at Unforgiven? Will Big Show's loss put him at odds with SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero – keeping him from achieving his goal of becoming WWE Champion?