WWE Armageddon was aprofessional wrestlingpay-per-view (PPV) event produced byWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), aprofessional wrestling promotion based inConnecticut. The event was created in 1999, when the promotion was still called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, renamed to WWE in 2002). It was held every December except in 2001, as that year,Vengeance replaced Armageddon as the event's name was thought to be insensitive following theSeptember 11 attacks, although Armageddon was reinstated in 2002 with Vengeance moving up to July.
To coincide with thebrand extension introduced in 2002, the event was made exclusive to theRaw brand in 2003 before becomingSmackDown-exclusive from 2004 to 2006. FollowingWrestleMania 23 in 2007, brand-exclusive PPVs were discontinued. The final event was held in 2008, withTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs replacing Armageddon in 2009.
From May 1995 to February 1999, theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) held a series of monthlypay-per-views (PPV) titledIn Your House. The WWF discontinued the In Your House series to establish permanent names for the monthly PPVs that would be held annually.[1] Armageddon was established that year to be held as the annual December PPV. Theinaugural Armageddon was held on December 12, 1999, at theNational Car Rental Center inSunrise, Florida and it airedlive on PPV.[2] The first two Armageddon events were held when the promotion was still called the WWF.[2][3] In 2001, Armageddon was replaced byVengeance due to theSeptember 11 attacks; the promotion felt that the name "Armageddon" would offend victims of the attacks.[4] Armageddon, however, was reinstated in 2002 with Vengeance moving up to July.[5]
In 2002, the WWF changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) due to a court order following a lawsuit from theWorld Wildlife Fund over the "WWF" initialism.[6] The promotion also held their very firstdraft that year to split its roster into two distinctivebrands of wrestling,Raw andSmackDown!, where wrestlers would exclusively perform[7]—ECW was added as a third brand in 2006.[8] The2002 event featured wrestlers from both Raw and SmackDown!,[5] but the2003 event was held exclusively for the Raw brand.[9] It was then held exclusively for the SmackDown! brand from 2004 to 2006.[10][11][12] FollowingWrestleMania 23 in 2007, WWE discontinued brand-exclusive PPVs.[13] The2007 event was the last pay-per-view to be broadcast by WWE in480p standard definition format. In January 2008, all WWE programming switched to720phigh definition.[14] The2008 event was the final event as Armageddon was discontinued and replaced byTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in 2009.[15]
