WWE Ruthless Aggression Era: All December PPV Main Events, Ranked

While Armageddon featured Raw and SmackDown stars in 2002, it became a brand-exclusive event between 2003-06 (presented by the Raw brand in ’03 and by SmackDown in ’04-’06). Armageddon 2007 featured wrestlers from all brands again, as brand-exclusive pay-per-views were no longer a thing. But this list isn’t just about Armageddon, unfortunately.

There was another December WWE PPV that is best left forgotten…

7. Extreme Elimination Chamber Match (ECW December To Dismember 2006)

• Cagematch Rating: 4.52
• Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 2.5 Stars
• Participants: Big Show, Rob Van Dam, CM Punk, Hardcore Holly, Bobby Lashley & Test

And we’re taking it out of the way right now. After the amazing ECW reunion shows that were One Night Stand 2005 and 2006, WWE decided to make ‘The Land of Extreme’ its third brand in the summer of 2006. Unfortunately, the whole thing was a mess right from the beginning (The Zombie, anyone?), but ECW still got its own pay-per-view before the end of the year: December to Dismember.

The show was an absolute disaster on every level outside of a solid opening tag match between The Hardy Boyz and MNM. The main event saw Big Show defend the ECW World Title in arguably the worst Elimination Chamber Match of all time. Fan favorites CM Punk and Rob Van Dam were eliminated first and third, respectively. The crowd completely turned on the action once it came down to Big Show, Bobby Lashley, and the returning Test.

Lashley eliminated both men to win the ECW Championship, but nobody cared. The fans in attendance hated it, as did those who watched at home – not many, since the show had one of the lowest buyrates in WWE history. Paul Heyman even left WWE because of this horrible pay-per-view! There’s no other way to put it: December to Dismember 2006 was a massive flop.

Seriously, what was WWE management thinking with this?

6. Goldberg Vs. Triple H Vs. Kane (Armageddon 2003)

• Cagematch Rating: 4.81
• Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 1.75 Stars

The World Heavyweight Championship was on the line in a Triple Threat Match in the main event of Armageddon 2003. Goldberg held the title since September’s Unforgiven, and he defended against Kane and the former champion, Triple H.

The match was nothing special. Plus, with Goldberg’s one-year WWE contract about to expire after WrestleMania 20, the title change was inevitable. Triple H shockingly picked up the win to regain the World Heavyweight Championship and resume his reign of terror.

5. John Cena & Batista Vs. King Booker & Finlay (Armageddon 2006)

• Cagematch Rating: 6.40
• Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 1.25 Stars

As we mentioned in the intro, brand-exclusive pay-per-views were no more after 2007. The last two SmackDown-only shows of the Ruthless Aggression Era featured Raw stars (John Cena at Armageddon 2006; Cena & Shawn Michaels at No Way Out ’07). Thus, you can clearly see WWE’s creative team was struggling to come up with strong shows, especially on SmackDown’s side.

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In the main event of Armageddon ’06, Raw’s WWE Champion John Cena teamed up with SmackDown’s World Heavyweight Champion Batista to take on King Booker & Finlay. The 11-minute tag team match served its purpose, but it didn’t belong in the main event of a PPV. It could’ve easily taken place on a special episode of Raw or SmackDown, and it would’ve been just as effective (and free).

4. Shawn Michaels Vs. Triple H (Armageddon 2002)

• Cagematch Rating: 6.32
• Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 2 Stars

Shawn Michaels came back in the summer of 2002 after a four-year hiatus. The Heartbreak Kid immediately started feuding with his former (and future!) DX partner, Triple H. The two degenerates tore the house down in Shawn’s return match at SummerSlam 2002, delivering a five-star Street Fight that is still talked about to this day.

The feud continued when Michaels entered the first Elimination Chamber Match at Survivor Series 2002 and walked out of MSG with the World Heavyweight Championship.

One month later, Triple H challenged Michaels for the title in a Three Stages of Hell Match at Armageddon. Fans had high expectations following their SummerSlam and Survivor Series classics. The first fall – a Street Fight won by Triple H – was quite good, but sadly, the in-ring action was disappointing from that point on. Triple H eventually won the match 2-1 (Shawn won the second fall inside of a steel cage before falling short in a Ladder Match).

While far from a bad wrestling match overall, this rematch didn’t connect as much as some of their previous encounters. Almost one year later, on the final Raw of December 2003, Triple H and Shawn Michaels had a banger of a World Heavyweight Championship match in HBK’s hometown of San Antonio, Texas, that totally outshined this Three Stages of Hell Match.

3. Batista Vs. The Undertaker Vs. Edge (Armageddon 2007)

• Cagematch Rating: 6.76
• Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 3 Stars

The Undertaker and Batista dominated SmackDown’s main event scene in 2007. The Animal and The Deadman had many great wars over the World Heavyweight Championship throughout that year, culminating with a Hell in a Cell Match at Survivor Series. Batista successfully retained the Big Gold Belt when the returning Edge (disguised as a cameraman) cost The Undertaker the win.

Edge entering Hell in a Cell for the first time, as he disguises himself as a cameraman to disrupt The Undertaker vs. Batista World Heavyweight Title Match at Survivor Series 2007
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This led to a triple threat match for Batista’s title in the main event of what turned out to be the last Armageddon of the Ruthless Aggression Era. After 13 minutes of back and forth (and forth!) action, Edge came up with a creative way to cheat when his Edgeheads, Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder, interfered. The Rated-R Superstar stole the win a few moments later and left Pittsburgh with the World Heavyweight Championship.

2. JBL Vs. Eddie Guerrero Vs. Booker T Vs. The Undertaker (Armageddon 2004)

• Cagematch Rating: 7.75
• Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 2.75 Stars

JBL’s 280-day WWE Championship reign was filled with chaotic pay-per-view matches that often relied on blood and smoke & mirrors. The former member of the APA won the championship with a controversial victory over Eddie Guerrero in a Texas Bullrope Match at The Great American Bash 2004.

After successful title defenses against Latino Heat (inside a steel cage on SmackDown), The Undertaker (SummerSlam and No Mercy) and Booker T (Survivor Series), JBL put the WWE Title on the line against all three men at the same time at Armageddon.

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Saying the odds were not in the WWE Champion’s favor would be the understatement of the century! The result was an incredibly fun and unpredictable four-way bout that stands as one of Bradshaw’s best title defenses.

Every wrestler involved had their chance to shine, and there were many moments where it felt like JBL was about to lose the WWE Championship. However, JBL retained the strap thanks to Heidenreich’s interference, who took out The Undertaker while Layfield pinned Booker T following a Clothesline From Hell.

1. Randy Orton Vs. The Undertaker (Armageddon 2005)

• Cagematch Rating: 7.90
• Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 3.75 Stars

As good as some of the aforementioned matches were, none can touch the Hell in a Cell Match between Randy Orton and The Undertaker in the main event of Armageddon 2005. The two men had been feuding for almost a year, so this Hell in a Cell Match truly felt like the decisive end to their rivalry.

Everyone involved in the match bled, including Randy’s father, ‘Cowboy’ Bob Orton – which eventually got him released:

“Bob Orton had to go in for a blood test before the match. […] The issue was that Bob Orton tested positive for Hepatitis C. […] The doctor doing the blood test was a very good friend of The Undertaker. He informed Taker of what had happened, and he wasn’t very pleased. […] Bob Orton was taken off of television […].” (h/t TheSportster)

Orton nearly won with the RKO, but Undertaker kicked out. The Deadman won after 31 minutes of action, putting an end to his incredible feud with The Legend Killer.