"And the waters prevailed so mightly..." - Genesis 7:20

Six short days before No Mercy, John Cena suffered a torn pectoral muscle during a match with Mr. Kennedy on Raw. Since this injury would sideline him anywhere from six months to a year, Vince stripped him of the title and announced a new champion would be crowned at No Mercy. Well, at least that was the idea. Anyway, this year's No Mercy took place at the Allstate Arena in Rosemonth, Illinois on October 7, 2007. Here's the card:

• Mr. McMahon Presents the WWE Championship To Randy Orton - I thought it was pretty funny when Vince said he was going to give the fans what they wanted and they started chanting "Y2J", cementing Chris Jericho's return as one of the worst kept secrets in the history of wrestling.
   
• WWE Championship Match [Randy Orton vs. Triple H] - Well, this match right here sums up one of the many things that is wrong with the WWE. On the one hand, HHH is a hard worker who puts on a helluva show in the ring. On the other, it's wonderful to have some variety in wrestling and not have it be so predictable. I mean, was anyone actually surprised that HHH made a beeline to the ring to get involved in the chase for the championship? Was anyone surprised that no one else other than HHH did? Yeah, thought so.
   
• 6-Man Tag Team Match [Jeff Hardy, Paul London & Brian Kendrick vs. Mr. Kennedy, Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch] - Lillian bills this as a "special bonus match". Why? I have no idea. I also have no idea why London and Kendrick were involved in this match. Watching them bounce around the ring like pinballs on cocaine was entertaining, but they're hardly ever featured on Raw. (They are on Raw, right?) Also, is it me or does Jeff Hardy always seem as if he's just finished running a 45 mile marathon when he enters the ring?
   
• Batista Congratulates Triple H After His Match
   
• ECW Championship Match [CM Punk vs. Big Daddy V] - This is the first time i've seen Viscera since he was repackaged, and I sincerely hope this is the last time I see "Big Daddy V" in action. I kept thinking to myself "If he ever gets tired of smacking Punk with his hands, he could always use his manboobs". And while I might not understand the fan's reaction to CM Punk, the outcome of this match should come as no surprise - regardless if Punk was in his hometown or not.
   
• MVP & Matt Hardy Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Competitive Eating Contest - I know i'm expecting a lot when it comes to "sense" in wrestling, but does it makes sense to have two Raw Divas (Melina & Maria) judge a SmackDown! match? As for the "match" itself...it made me ill. Perhaps Matt having an appendectomy might actually have been a good thing? I mean, to continue having to participate in "contests" instead of wrestle?
   
• WWE Championship Match [Triple H vs. Umaga] - HHH's second match for the evening was pretty much what I thought it would be. Uneventful and unsurprising.
   
• Great Khali Pre-match Meditation
   
• Rey Mysterio vs. Finlay - I thought Rey was still looking slightly chunky and he still seems to have some slight ring rust. Heck, the fact that Finlay can keep up with him should help confirm that fact.
                      
• Triple H Getting Looked At In the Trainers Room - While a medic is examining HHH backstage, Vince comes in to tell him that Randy has requested his title rematch for the end of the evening.
   
• WWE Women's Championship Match [Candice Michelle vs. Beth Phoenix] - Believe it or not, I watch these PPVs twice. The first time, to enjoy while jotting down the occasional note; the second, to tight those nots up and get more specific. So when I first watched this, I wrote "first time in five years that the match has been up for grabs". Now, i'm pretty sure JR said it, but I have no idea why I wrote it or why it matters, since the women's "championship" is pretty much a joke these days (as is the Tag Team championship). However, I was pleased with the outcome of this match. Not that it matters.
   
• Punjabi Prison Match For the World Heavyweight Championship [Batista vs. Great Khali] - In theory, I usual mark out for these gimmick matches that feature structures which enhance the square circle. This is the second time i've seen the "Punjabi Prison". It's also the second time that i've been unimpressed. I'm thinking it has something to do with the wrestlers involved and not the structure itself. I don't have much of a problem with Dave that some wrestling fans seem to have, but I really, really hate watching Khali "wrestle". Hell, he would make the Big Show and Andre the Giant look like a cross between RVD, Mysterio and Bret Hart.
   
• Todd Grisham Interviews Triple H
   
• Last Man Standing Match For the WWE Championship [Triple H vs. Randy Orton] - I admit it - i'm tired of HHH hogging the spotlight, but damn if he doesn't act as if he's putting it all out there. His third match of the evening was probably the best.

Extras:

• John Cena Surgery Package - In case you were wondering why the "champ" wasn't there.
   
• Batista Interview After Punjabi Prison Match For the World Heavyweight Championship - Not much here other than Dave saying he's happy.
   
• Mr. McMahon Congratulates Randy Orton On His WWE Championship - Raw - 10/0/07 - During yet another "ceremony" on Raw, another longtime wrestler makes his grand reappearance.

Video: No Mercy's picture was colorful and vibrant, per the usual WWE presentation. It's also in their standard full frame 1.33:1 ratio.

Audio: The Dolby Digital 5.1 was crystal clear and seemed to envelop my living room. And, though Hugo and Carlos are no longer ringside, there's still an option to listen to No Mercy in Espaņol.

Conclusion: When all is said and done, Vince wasn't lying - there was a new champion crowned. It's just a shame he didn't take the opportunity to give other WWE stars a chance to shine. In fact, the outcome of this PPV probably wouldn't have bothered me as much as if the mere possibility of winning the championship was within anyone's grasp. In the end, nothing really changed and the status quo remained the same. However, i'll still give this a Recommended rating. Hey, breeding contempt takes time.