Chicago Sun-Times: Armageddon to end 2002 season

While many wrestling fans have moved their focus to the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania XIX, Scott Steiner, Steve Austin and The Rock, the WWE wraps up 2002 with its Armageddon pay-per-view tonight.

The main event for the third time this year is Hunter Hearst Helmsley against Shawn Michaels, but this time it's for the world heavyweight championship. After Michaels pinned HHH at SummerSlam and the Survivor Series, Eric Bischoff was forced to add some interesting stipulations to ensure that we have a clear-cut winner and that these two bury this feud.

The title match will be best-of-three falls, with three distinct sets of rules. The first fall will be decided under street-fight rules, meaning anything goes. One would think HHH has the advantage in this one because he is the more brutal of the two.

The second fall will take place inside a steel cage. Both men have a great deal of experience in cages, so we can call this a draw.

But the third fall might be the one that gives Michaels the advantage. It will be a ladder match, the type Michaels made famous when he defeated Razor Ramon in WrestleMania X. HHH must hope this one does not get to the ladders.

Also on the card, The Big Show (with Paul Heyman in his corner) will defend the WWE title against Kurt Angle (with Brock Lesnar in his corner). It sounds to me like the WWE is setting up a title match between Lesnar and Angle at WrestleMania XIX.

AROUND THE RING: For the time being, Steiner will be on both Raw" and SmackDown." That way, the WWE can use his drawing power on both shows while waiting for Austin and The Rock to return. ... If you have $9.95 to spend, I give a thumbs-up to the Hollywood" Hulk Hogan special this month on pay-per-view. It features full matches between Hogan and the Iron Sheik, Paul Orndorff and Andre the Giant, as well as never-before-seen interviews.

HOTLINE: Goldberg has some unkind words for the WWE, and Vince McMahon has confirmed The Rock's return before WrestleMania. For details, call (900) 990-SLAM. The cost is $2 per minute.