WWE Unforgiven (September 2002)

From Los Angeles, California; Your Hosts are Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, and Tazz

Opening Eight-Man Tag Team Match: The Un-Americans v Goldust, Booker T, Kane, and Bubba Ray Dudley: Crowd is hot as Christian and Goldust start, and Goldie snaps off the butt bump for two. Lance Storm comes in, but Goldust takes both he and Christian out with a clothesline, and passes to Bubba - who promptly walks into a chincrusher from Storm. Bubba recovers with a tree of woe and a flapjack for two, and tags are made to Test and Booker. Booker with the Harlem sidekick for two, so William Regal comes in, but Bubba cuts him off, and Regal takes a Wassup Drop. Booker goes for a table, but Christian baseball slides it into his face before he can use it, and Test unloads the Nash offense in the corner. The Un-Americans cut the ring in half on Booker, but he manages to catch Christian with a sunset flip for two, and hits a spinebuster to allow the hot tag to Kane. He's a house of arson, and it turns into a brawl with everyone hitting finishers for near falls - Kane getting the last word with a chokeslam on Storm at 9:52. The flow was really hard to stay with, but it was fast paced, loaded with quick tags, and the crowd was into it - so a solid opener, overall. *

WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Chris Jericho v Ric Flair: Flair looks like he got dressed in the dark for this one. He tries tossing Jericho, but Chris hangs on and jumps at him with a flying axehandle, but Ric gutpunches him on the way down. Figure Four, but Jericho shoves him off to block, and a springboard dropkick puts Flair on the floor. Chris follows with chops out there, and a missile dropkick on the way back in is worth two. Straddling ropechoke leads to an abdominal stretch, but Flair hiptosses his way out, and chops at the champion. Ric then tosses him into the corner so hard that Jericho sells it by flying clear over the top to the floor (in a neat spot), and this time Ric follows to toss him into the steps. Back in, Ric shindrops him, and a snapmare sets up a 2^nd rope encore for two. Jericho tries blocking a cross corner whip by jumping onto the middle rope, but Flair anticipates it, and brings him down with a kneebreaker. Into the Figure Four, but Jericho cradles for two - only to miss the lionsault, which further aggravates the knee. Ric goes for the kill, but Chris begs off, and Flair actually shows mercy for once. Guess he was getting soft in his old age. And, of course, it ends up costing him, as Jericho sweeps him into the Walls to retain at 6:16. Short but solid match, with both guys feeling it, and working well together. ** ¼

Eddie Guerrero v Edge: Eddie frustrates him by making him chase him around, then sneaks up with a rollup for one. Heh. Guerrero lures him into another chase and stomps him as they re-enter, but Edge catches him with a backdrop and flapjack. Eddie tries slugging back, but gets powerslammed for two, and Edge adds a hanging vertical suplex for two. Cross corner charge misses, however, and Eddie plants him with a tornado DDT to take over. Vertical suplex follows for two, and Eddie slaps on a modified headvise to punish the neck. Edge escapes, but walks into a side suplex for two before he can comeback, and Eddie grounds him again with a front-facelock. Edge fights up, so Eddie switches to another headvise to keep him down - which works briefly, but Edge escapes via a series of elbows to the midsection. Guerrero cuts him off again with a backelbow as he runs the ropes though, but gets cocky in taunting his battered opponent until Edge pops off a closed fist to knock him on his ass - complete with a great leaning tower sell job by Eddie. Both guys are down for the count, and Edge tries a blind charge as they stagger to their feet - but misses. Guerrero pounds him down into the corner for more abuse to the neck until the referee steps in, and as Eddie literally tells him to kiss his ass, Edge capitalizes with a schoolboy for two. Inside cradle gets another two, so Eddie tries a lariat to cut him off, but Edge counters into a swinging neckbreaker - the impact effecting Edge as much as Guerrero due to the bad neck. Slugfest on the knees goes Edge's way, and an inverted atomic drop sets up a diving forearm. Half-nelson bulldog gets two, so Eddie tries a suplex to stop the comeback, but gets countered into the Edge-o-Matic for two. Eddie desperately snaps off a chincrusher to slow him down, but a ropewalk rana is countered with a sitout powerbomb for two. Edge tries another Matic, so Eddie counters into a victory roll, but gets dropped off of Edge's shoulders – face first into the corner! Edge follows with the spear, but Eddie sidesteps, so Edge drops him with the Impaler instead for two. Edge sells the neck as he tries for a missile dropkick, but Guerrero sidesteps him at the last second again, and exposes the top turnbuckle - only to get reversed into it, then speared against it. Edge tries a superplex to finish, but Eddie bashes his head into the exposed buckle up there, then brings him down with a sunset bomb for the pin at 11:57. Excellent match! Fast paced, loaded with great counter sequences, and positively dripping with psychology. *** ½

Billy & Chuck v 3-Minute Warning: If Billy & Chuck win, Eric Bischoff has to kiss Stephanie McMahon's ass. If 3MW win, Stephanie has to perform 'hot lesbian action.' Brawl to start, and an errant kick from Rico allows Rosey to side suplex Chuck. 3MW immediately go to the heat segment as they cut the ring in half on Chuck, but Rosey misses a 2^nd rope moonsault, and Billy gets the tag. He's a smoking gunn to setup the four-way brawl, and looks to finisher with a Fameasser on Jamal, but Rico interferes again, and Gunn gets dropped like a Samoan at 6:39. Total TV match, that was more about the Stephanie/Bischoff angle than anything else. And the payoff to that sees Rikishi dressed in drag (looking like a dead ringer for Ursula in The Little Mermaid, by the way) Stinkface Bischoff. ¼*

World Heavyweight Title Match: Triple H v Rob Van Dam: So, after making the dream unification of the WWF and WCW titles a reality, they decide to create a new World Title for the sake of Triple H's ego - one that would actually last over eleven years, until it was finally unified with the WWE Title in December 2013 to create the current WWE World Heavyweight Title. Rob takes him down with a headlock, but gets countered into a mat-based headscissors out of the initial lockup - which he quickly escapes. They repeat the sequence through two more lockups to illustrate a stalemate, but a fourth try gets cut off when HHH shoves him down. They trade hammerlocks, and Rob takes him down in another side-headlock, but Hunter gets into the ropes, and shoves him again - Rob responding by paintbrushing him this time. The looks on both HHH's and RVD's faces are brilliant reactions. Hunter attacks, but walks into an armdrag as they criss cross, and Rob grounds him with another side-headlock. HHH gets the ropes and bails to kill the momentum, so Rob grabs a bottle of water, and taunts the champ by mocking his entrance routine. That was pretty fucking funny - as is Hunter's reaction to it. He charges in, but takes another armdrag, and Rob goes back to the headlock. HHH powers into the corner and uses a pair of knees to escape, but a cross corner whip is countered with a sunset flip by Van Dam for two - triggering a bridging reversal sequence that ends in RVD sweeping the leg for two. Back to the headlock, so HHH tries a side suplex to escape, but Rob backflips onto his feet, and spinkicks the champ out of the ring. Van Dam follows with a somersault tope suicida, but Hunter sees it coming and sidesteps - RVD crashing on the floor, in a great bump. HHH capitalizes by whipping him into the steps out there, then rolls him in to get a two count out of it. Slingshot across the middle rope gets two, but Rob manages to counter a vertical suplex with a rollup for two - only to walk into a neckbreaker for two before he can mount a comeback. High knee gets two, but a trip to the top rope gets him slammed down, so he scrambles for a sleeper before Rob can follow-up. Van Dam dumps him into the corner to escape, then snaps off a series spinheel kicks to setup a handspring moonsault for two. Monkeyflip and a springboard sidekick setup rolling thunder for two, and Hunter wisely bails - Rob right on his tail with a plancha. Van Dam with a flying sidekick for two on the way back in, and he counters the Pedigree with a slingshot into the corner to setup the Five Star Frogsplash - but there's no referee to count! Rob goes to revive him, but Hunter sneaks up and blows him low, and takes advantage at the lack of official by retrieving the sledgehammer - only to have it spinkicked back into his face! That draws Ric Flair out to remove the offending hammer, but he ends up whacking Van Dam with it instead, and Triple H retains his vanity belt with the Pedigree at 18:19. Good match, as they passed on the usual brawl heavy stuff, and focused more on an old school slow build through mat wrestling. It wasn't the most polished example of the style, but I appreciate this tons more than the Attitude Era 'brawl through the crowd, then exchange endless finishers' stuff. *** ¼

WWE Women's Title Match: Molly Holly v Trish Stratus: That haircut does not flatter Molly. At all. She looks like Monica in Barbados. Trish controls with a Japanese armdrag and a dropkick to setup a neckbreaker for two, so Molly decks her to stop any more punishment. Holly with a well executed snap suplex for two, and they spill to the outside for Trish to eat steps and rail. Back in, Molly slaps on a straightjacket, and surfboards her in the hold for good measure. Trish snapmares her way out, but gets dropkicked, so she fires off an inside cradle instead for two as Molly tries a suplex. Schoolgirl gets two, and a bulldog is worth two. Chick Kick for two, but a corner charge hits boot, and Molly heads up - only to get crotched. Trish tries to rana her down, but Holly counters into a tree of woe - in a nice sequence. Molly with a handspring butt bump for two, but Trish gets Stratusfaction as they criss cross to win back the title at 5:47. This was better than any Divas match in all of 2014. * ¼

Kurt Angle v Chris Benoit: Intense reversal sequence on the mat ends in Benoit grabbing the Crippler Crossface, but Kurt getting into the ropes right away. Kurt shoots for the leg as they tie-up again, and takes Chris down in a waistlock, then grabs the Anklelock as Benoit works to counter - Chris getting the ropes. Nice, realistic mat sequences there. Third lockup sees Benoit try for an overhead wristlock, but Kurt counters into a hammerlock, and another reversal sequence leads to them trading nearfalls with a series of cradles. Benoit bridges into a backslide, so Angle counters with a lariat, but Chris counters back with the Crossface - Kurt grabbing the ropes, then bailing to break the momentum. Back in, Chris goes for the Crossface again, but gets tossed out of the ring, and Kurt follows to slam him across the rail. Back in, Kurt hits a backbreaker for two, and he slaps on a bodyscissors. Chris escapes, and Angle gets tossed into the corner a couple of times, when dropped with a side suplex for two. Benoit with a short-clothesline, but a second try is countered by Kurt with a release belly-to-belly suplex - Chris fighting tooth-and-nail to block every step of the way through it. Both guys stagger up, and Chris grabs him for a two-alarm rolling German suplex, but Kurt blocks the third alarm, and reverses into two alarms of his own. Chris also blocks the third, and reverses into another German, but Kurt blocks the second alarm, and reverses into three more alarms. That was a phenomenal sequence, that was visually impressive, and fit in perfectly to the story being told of both trying to one-up the other guy. Kurt goes for the kill with the Olympic Slam, but Benoit counters into a release German suplex - Angle taking it with a full backflip! Chris tries to punctuate it with the flying headbutt, but Angle rushes him with an overhead superplex for two to block. Kurt goes to follow-up, but Benoit counters into a somersault cradle for two, which Kurt then counters into the Anklelock! Chris escapes, and tries a shoulderbreaker, but Kurt reverses, so Chris reverses back, then heads up for the flying headbutt again - hitting the shoulder with it for two. Crossface, but Kurt actually manages to counter into the Anklelock while locked in the hold - only for Benoit to counter back to the Crossface! That's just awesome! Kurt escapes and grabs the Anklelock again, but Chris gets the ropes, so Kurt drags him back, and shifts into a crossface of his own! Benoit inches for the ropes again, so Kurt uses his foot to push them out of reach - thus making the hold illegal, but prolonging the punishment of the hold for as long as possible. Brilliant. The referee forces a break, and they go into a pinfall reversal sequence - Chris managing to pin him with two feet on the ropes at 13:56. Well, Kurt started it. Terrific match, loaded with an endless array of unique counter sequences, and flawless execution throughout. This was like everything HHH and RVD were going for in the World Heavyweight Title match earlier, but with all the ideas fully realized. *** ¾

Main Event: WWE Title Match: Brock Lesnar v The Undertaker: Undertaker nearly kisses Brock during the staredown, which is certainly one way of breaking the tension. Big lockup battle ends in Undertaker shoving Lesnar so hard, that Brock literally FLIES OUT OF THE DAMNED RING. Visually impressive, sure, but why the fuck is BROCK FUCKING LESNAR being tossed around like a cruiserweight? He charges back in, but ends up back on the floor in short order, and this time stops to regroup before climbing back in. He knees Undertaker unto an armbar, but gets armdragged, and 'Taker hits a few short-shoulderblocks. Jumping clothesline and the ropewalk forearm hit, but Paul Heyman breaks up the squash long enough for Brock to spear 'Taker into the corner a couple of times, then vertical suplex him for two. Brock starts firing off shots at the ribs, and wraps 'Taker around the post for two. Undertaker responds with a bunch of punches to a dead crowd reaction, but Brock quickly powerslams him for two, then goes back to pounding the ribs. Brock grounds him with a waistlock, but Undertaker dumps him through the ropes to escape, then wallops him with a series of kidney punches when Brock hustles back in - apparently offended at the notion of anyone hustling during his main events. They spill to the floor, and Brock lays him out with the title belt - busting the challenger open in the process. The commentary here is also really annoying, as Cole and Tazz sound like they're doing voice work for a videogame, or something. 'Look at that! Undertaker has been busted open!' Back in, Undertaker wins a slugfest, and hits a pair of corner clotheslines, but Brock blocks the chokeslam with a pair of elbows, so 'Taker big boots him down for two. Snake-eyes sets up another big boot for two, and the referee gets so bored he lies down to take a nap as Undertaker chokeslams the champ. Matt Hardy runs in to try and take 'Taker out of the match (possibly thinking that doing so would automatically make him the most popular guy on the roster - which it certainly would to me), but 'Taker squashes him with the Last Ride - since I guess squashing the World Champion didn't quite fill Undertaker's squash quota for September, or something. Brock uses the distraction to spinebuster his challenger for two, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and takes a jumping DDT for two. Tombstone, but Brock counters with a lariat (bumping the poor referee a second time in the process), so Brock grabs a chair - only to take yet another big boot before he can use it. Undertaker whacks him with the chair a couple of times to clear the ring and bust Brock open, then follows to randomly abuse Heyman some. Man, that squash quota must have been a real bitch to keep up with. Back in, Undertaker unloads yet another big boot to setup a legdrop, but Brock kicks out at two - drawing a look of utter shock across Undertaker's face. Really? REALLY? Last Ride, so Brock backdrops his way out of it, and sets up the F5, but Undertaker blocks. Slugfest, but suddenly the referee randomly decides to step in after twenty minutes of not giving a shit, and he rules it a double disqualification at 20:19 - as apparently Undertaker refused to job for Lesnar. Of course, twelve years later he more than made up for it. As for the match, I'll be nice, and say it simply wasn't good in any traditional way. ½*

BUExperience: This is actually a really good show in the late 90s WCW style – with a strong undercard falling apart due to a weak and unsatisfying main event. The WWE Title match is a total stinker, sure, but there’s three legitimately good matches, as well as a bunch of other solid ones supporting it, as we move further and further away from the Attitude Era, and the focus is repositioned on wrestling.

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