By Dave Meltzer

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Welcome to our live coverage of tonight's WWE Night of Champions from the American Airlines Center in Dallas.  We're looking for your thoughts on the show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

In the pre-show dark match, Jeff Hardy pinned MVP with a swanton.  Good match.  This would seem to indicate Hardy won't be Chris Jericho's mystery IC title opponent as was the plan prior to Hardy's switch to Smackdown.

The Miz & John Morrison vs. Hornswoggle & Fit Finlay for the WWE tag titles opens the show.

Morrison pinned Hornswoggle after slamming him off the top rope ala the bump Ric Flair used to always take after Miz knocked Finlay out of the ring.  Decent opener.  

Matt Hardy vs. Chavo Guerrero for the U.S. title is up now

Guerrero was doing the three amigos, when after two suplexes, Hardy reversed into a twist of fate for the pin.  About what you'd expect for this spot on the card.

Kane vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry for the ECW title is up now 

They went with the predictable finish as Kane superplexed Show, but then Henry splashed on Kane and got the pin to win the title.  Crowd was dead for most of this match.  Pretty bad most of the way.

Backstage, Batista said he would win the title.  Cena came out and said he would win the title.  Then C.M. Punk came out holding the briefcase saying he hoped both won so he'd challenge for it.  Of course, can't he do that anyway?

Bob Holly & Cody Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase & ? for the World tag titles are next 

Ted DiBiase had new music called "Priceless."  If I said he got no reaction I'd be overstating the reaction.  Ted DiBiase started and said his partner would be here soon and asked the match to be postponed.  Then he asked Holly to start the match.  Rhodes then gave Holly a DDT and DiBiase used a Million Dollar Dream into a leg sweep for the pin.  DiBiase & Rhodes were then announced as new tag champs.  Crowd didn't react at all to this.  At least they didn't change the storyline when people figured it out.

JBL did an interview from a luxury box ripping on people spending for things they can't afford and getting foreclosed on.  He then ripped on Mark Cuban, called the Dallas Cowboys chokers losing to the Giants.  Then when he goes to New York he'll have to rip on the Giants.  He just said he'd win a title.

Chris Jericho is up next against someone or other. 

Jericho is doing a promo talking about how the fans don't appreciate all the sacrifices he's made, all the injuries he's worked through, missed his kids birthday parties.  Kofi Kingston is the opponent.  Well, that's a surprise.  He'd better either win or come damn close in a long match.

Kingston won with the Trouble in Paradise after Shawn Michaels came out and superkicked Lance Cade at ringside.  Jericho had Kingston in the Walls of Jericho and let go and shoulderlbocked Michaels off the apron, allowing Kingston to do the move.  The match was worked well for building what it was supposed to be, but crowd was dead most of the way.  Jericho punched Michaels in the eye after and they played up the punch really well.  Kingston got a Santino Marella style IC title win, and these days that usually doesn't get babyfaces over.  We'll see in this case. 

Mickie James vs. Katie Burchill is next for the women's title

James sold her left arm most of the way but came back with an implant DDT, which in this case was her dropping Burchill on her head, not her chest, and got the pin.  Crowd was dead, but aside from a rough spot or two, the wrestling was solid.

In the fan voting:

63% think Batista will beat Edge

61% think Cena will beat HHH

Edge vs. Batista for the World title is next.  There is a ton of time left so expect two 25 minute matches.

They didn't go anywhere near 25:00.  They had the best match so far on the show.  Batista had the match won with a Batista bomb when Vickie Guerrero pulled Mickey Jay Henson out of the ring.  Edge then decked Henson and Chavo Guerrero came in to referee.  Batista press slammed Vickie Guerrero and threw her on Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Chavo and Bam Neely over the top rope to the floor.  Edge then nailed Batista with a belt shot and Chavo with his ref shirt counted the pin. 

The booking has been by the book, almost shockingly up and down the show.  Using that mentality, Cena wins because Raw needs a world title.  But these days I usually think they will do the opposite although every key match on the show has gone just like you'd think.  Or does HHH get his win back from two years ago before the program ends.

HHH vs. John Cena is next.  Looks like this will go about 25 minutes. 

Good match.  Much of it spent by HHH selling his left knee.  HHH kicked out of an FU and Cena kicked out of a pedigree at about 13:00.  For the finish, HHH elbowed his way out of the FU and then used a pedigree for a clean pin in the middle.  Jerry Lawler after the match teased that Cena had torn his pec again.  The muscle didn't roll up or anything visual.