In keeping with the WWF’s bookers strategy of maintaining the status quo and stretching their angles for every last pop they can get, the surprises were short and few at the potent Unforgiven pay-per-view from the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About the only shocker was the reemergence of Scott (Scotty Flamingo, Johnny Polo, Raven) Levy in the WWF. His Raven persona intact, Levy Evenflow DDT’d Jerry Lawler to soften him up for Tazz in their strap match. Other than that, no storylines were advanced. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin still didn’t find out who “ran him over” at last year’s Survivor Series. The so-lengthy-it-hurts love triangle between Triple H – Stephanie McMahon – Kurt Angle continued unabated and The Rock once again retained the WWF World Heavyweight Title.

Austin returning to the active WWF roster was met with great enthusiasm by the fans in attendance. It was as almost he never left 11 months ago for some almost career-ending neck surgery. Driving into the arena in a pick-up truck, Austin was hot on the heels of the person who “mowed him down”. Commentator Kevin Kelly attempted to interview Austin. Stone Cold laid him out flat. Next to cross the rattlesnake’s path was Kurt Angle. Angle presented Stone Cold with an honourary gold medal which he draped around his neck. The medal was about the size of a quarter and meant as an insult. Angle said he hoped Austin would store it in a “special place”. “I will. Right up your ass!,” Stone Cold snarled, punking out Angle.

The Rock greeted Austin with a hearty “welcome back” in his locker room. The two shook hands. Just Joe horned in on the conversation and Austin laid the smackdown on him. Making his rounds, Austin confronted Stephanie McMahon asking her where Triple H was. Stephanie presented him with the exact baseball cap he had been wearing the night of the accident. She told Austin that she had kept it in hopes she would be able to give it back to him some day. Austin said he had learned not to trust anyone in the WWF and left.

As he alluded to on Sunday Night Heat, Shane McMahon announced in the ring that he had “unbiased” proof of who the culprit was. On the TitanTron he showed footage of Steve Blackman hitting Ken Shamrock with a car from years ago. Shane concluded that it must be Blackman as the Shamrock incident matched the circumstances surrounding the attack on Austin. Knowing that Shane was unfairly pointing the finger at him because he knocked Shane off the TitanTron at SummerSlam, Blackman came to the ring staring down Shane.

New theme music trumpeting his entrance, Austin entered the ring stepping between Blackman and Shane. After a brief staredown, Austin gave Blackman a Stunner. Shane rejoiced retrieving a cooler full of beer outside the ring. Austin and Shane popped a few saluting the audience then Austin Stunned Shane three times. According to the announce team that meant Austin didn’t buy Shane’s scheme and that Austin’s search would continue at the Raw Is War premiere on TNN tonight.

In a mega punch-punch-kick-kick fest of a main event, Mick Foley once again interjected himself into an apparent Chris Benoit title win. At seven minutes in, Benoit labeled The Undertaker, Kane and The Rock with chair shots. Benoit rolled up The Undertaker. The official counted three even though The Undertaker had placed his foot over the bottom rope before the ref could drop his hand a third time. Benoit left the ring with the belt thinking he had won. Foley emerged and declared that the match would continue. Kane, The Rock and The Undertaker made Benoit pay for his short cut by taking turns in throwing him into part of the entrance way structure.

A few minutes later, Benoit resorted to the same strategy clubbing down Kane and The Undertaker with a steel chair. He put The Rock in the Crippler Crossface. The Undertaker made the save just as The Rock was about to tap out. The Undertaker chokeslammed Benoit. Kane pulled The Undertaker out of the ring. The Rock recuperated enough to slam Benoit to the canvas with a Rock Bottom. The Undertaker attempted to pull The Rock off Benoit but slaphead Kane, apparently not wanting to keep his chance at winning the WWF World Heavyweight Title alive, grabbed The Undertaker stopping him from interfering. The Rock consequently pinned Benoit.

  • The next WWF pay-per-view is No Mercy on October 22nd.

    WWF Unforgiven 2000 Results

    The Dudley Boyz, The Acolytes Vs Right To Censor (Steven Richards, Bull Buchanan, The Good Father, Val Venis)

  • Sound effort by everyone involved but Steven Richards’ wrestling ability is downplayed once again even though he has wrestled in the WWF and had a long run in ECW. Richards slips in a Stevie Kick and Val (the legal man) covers giving RTC the win. The Acolytes keep the other RTC members at bay while the Dudleys put Richards through a table.
  • Winners: The Right To Censor at 6 minutes and 3 seconds.
  • Match Rating: 6 / 10.

    Jerry Lawler Vs Tazz (Strap Match)

  • It takes three piledrivers from Lawler to put Tazz on Dream Street. Lawler pulls Tazz around and touches three of the four turnbuckles. From out of nowhere, Raven steps in. Lawler turns around with a look of astonishment on his face. Raven Evenflow DDT’s Lawler and splits. The Tazmission is put on and Lawler submits.
  • Winner: Tazz at five minutes even.
  • Match Rating: 5 / 10.

    Al Snow (challenger) Vs Crash Holly (challenger) Vs Test (challenger) Vs Saturn (challenger) Vs Funaki (challenger) Vs Steve Blackman (champion) (WWF Hardcore Title Match)

  • The bout starts out quite well with some breath-taking high-risk moves then degenerates into a brawl in the crowd. Crash wins the title at 3:53. Saturn wins it at 4:06. Blackman fights off his challengers with his martial arts billy clubs. He wins back the title at nine minutes. Everyone pummels Blackman near the entranceway but no one gets the three count by the ten minute time limit.
  • Winner: …and new (sort of) WWF Hardcore Champion…Steve Blackman at 10 minutes.
  • Match Rating: 2 / 10.

    X-Pac Vs Chris Jericho

  • Boy, do things at Unforgiven ever pick up here. Jericho and X-Pac wow the crowd with a sophisticatedly executed, unpredictable match-up. Jericho gives X-Pac the Bronco Buster early on and kicks out of the X-Factor. X-Pac escapes the Walls Of Jericho. X-Pac tries a nifty maneuver off the top rope and falls victim to the Walls Of Jericho. Ross mistakenly refers to the WCW name for the finishing move – the Lion Tamer. X-Pac submits but blindsides Jericho with the padded nunchuckus like he did before.
  • Winner: Chris Jericho at 9 minutes and 3 seconds.
  • Match Rating: 7.5 / 10.

    Edge, Christian (champions) Vs The Hardy Boyz (challengers) (WWF Tag Team Title – Steel Cage Match)

  • Not as spectacular as one might have thought. Though appreciated, the stunts are getting a little too predictable now. Both members of a team must climb over the top and have both feet touch the floor to win. Jeff Hardy is dumped off the top of the cage early in the bout. He falls to the floor. Try as he might, Jeff is thwarted every time he attempts to get back in to assist Matt. Though he knocks out the official and steals his keys to unlock the cage door, Jeff is blocked by Christian who slams the cage door in his face and locks it back up. Matt is busted open due to the double-teaming.
  • Jeff uses a ladder to knock Christian down to the floor. Finally, Jeff employs the ladder to get to the top of the cage. He does a corkscrew plancha from the top of the cage hitting Edge and Matt. Lita does a run-in on Christian doing a wicked hurracanrana on Christian off the top of the ladder and side of the cage. Edge climbs to the top. The Hardys follow with chairs. Edge takes both chairs to the head and falls back into the ring. The Hardys descend and become the new champs.
  • Winners: …and new WWF World Tag Team Champions…The Hardy Boyz at 13 minutes and 19 seconds.
  • Match Rating: 7.5 / 10.

    Eddie Guerrero (champion) Vs Rikishi (challenger) (Intercontinental Title Match)

  • Eddie wants to bail on the match. Chyna pushes him back to the ring. Chyna pulls Eddie outside to rescue him from a Stink Face. Rikishi challenges Chyna about it. Chyna stop Rikishi from landing a butt drop on Eddie. Rikishi punches Chyna and spin-kicks her in the face. In a decision that doesn’t make any sense at all, Rikishi is DQ’d for hitting Chyna.
  • Winner: …and still Intercontinental Champion…Eddie Guerrero via a DQ at 6 minutes and 15 seconds.
  • Match Rating: 1 / 10.

    Kurt Angle Vs Triple H (No DQ Match)

  • Kurt sings Happy Birthday to Stephanie in the ring before the knock-down, full-tilt action starts. In a cool but damaging move, Angle Olympic Slams Triple H from the English announcers’ table through the Spanish announce team’s table. Triple H gets up bleeding from the mouth and around one of his eyes. Triple H is basically at Angle’s mercy as he works on the ribs he injured with the sledgehammer on Smackdown. Hitting half a Pedigree, Triple H summons Stephanie into the squared circle. He demands that Stephanie make a choice between him and Angle. Stephanie low blows Angle and Triple H lands the Pedigree to put Angle away. Stephanie hovers over Angle worried about his condition. Triple H kisses Stephanie roughly. Some of the blood from his mouth is now on her own. Stephanie looks disgusted.
  • Winner: Triple H at 12 minutes and 26 seconds.
  • Match Rating: 8 / 10.

    The Rock (champion) Vs The Undertaker (challenger) Vs Kane (challenger) Vs Chris Benoit (challenger) (WWF World Heavyweight Title – Four Way Match)

  • Winner: …and still WWF World Champion…The Rock at 16 minutes and 4 seconds.
  • Match Rating: 3 / 10.

     

  • Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
  • Overall Event Rating: 7 / 10.