World Wrestling Federation – Unforgiven 2000 – 24th September 2000
As summer eased into autumn of the year 2000 the WWF had quite the dilemma – how the hell do we get Steve Austin back into our storylines? Having spent the first half of the year delivering strong numbers, having installed HHH as one of wrestling’s best ever villains, having positioned The Rock as the enduring, face-of-the-company top babyface and having loaded the midcard with a quite stunning assortment of talent (and with Undertaker running around on a motorbike) – what on earth could they do with Stone Cold? He makes his much-anticipated full-time return to the WWF this evening and is on a mission to find out who tried to murder him in a hit-and-run at Survivor Series 1999. The main event of the show sees The Rock defending the WWF Title in a four corner match also featuring Kane, Undertaker and Chris Benoit…but arguably the most anticipated bout of the night is the grudge match between Triple H and Kurt Angle. The rest of the card is packed with matches that, depending on how they are booked, could either be great or really disappointing. Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler are on hand to call the action from Philadelphia, PA.
Dudley Boyz/Acolytes vs Right To Censor
Although Faarooq, Bradshaw, Bubba Ray and D-Von don’t seem like obvious partners together, they do however seem like the perfect natural enemies of Steven Richards’ Right To Censor organisation. The Dudleyz love putting people (especially women) through tables, whilst the APA love nothing more than drinking, smoking and fighting. None are particularly great role models for American citizens – and therefore make them all natural enemies to the RTC. Val Venis is making his first ppv appearance with the group tonight (meaning it’s a ppv debut for his ‘evil ice cream man’ ring attire too).
D-Von starts with Goodfather, as Lawler openly admits people only ever tolerated the Godfather so they can see the ho’s. Goody goes for an early Ho Train (is it still called that?) on Bubba, but misses and gets the back of his head smeared into the canvas with an ugly back suplex. Bradshaw and Bull in next, clubbing lumps out of each other without looking good. Venis wants a piece of the future-JBL, only to eat a fallaway slam for 2. Richards tries to turn the match in his team’s favour by delivering a cheap-shot to D-Von from the outside – causing him to stagger forward into a blue thunder driver from Val. Bubba comes in to drop Venis with a Bubba Bomb…but the rest of RTC continue to band together to stop him getting to Steven. A mass brawl breaks out around ringside, as the Dudleyz hit a DOOMSDAY DEVICE on Venis for 2. STEVEN KICK on Bubba! Venis pins him at 06:01
Rating - ** - Very basic, but they did the job of bringing the crowd to life for the evening ahead. It’s easy to knock them, but Right To Censor got real heat. I’ve honestly not seen a crowd as into an Acolytes match as much as this all year. I thought Richards’ involvement (or lack thereof) was cleverly done too which further incited the audience. Personally I’d still have made one of the Acolytes stare at the lights here over one of the Dudleyz in Philly.
Unhappy at their loss, the Acolytes STIFF THE SH*T out of Stevie (seriously brutal sh*t) then hand him over to the Dudleyz…who duly dispatch him through a table.
We cut to the obligatory McMahon-Helmsley locker room backstage segment. HHH is suffering from the rib injury inflicted by Angle – but won’t be restraining himself or controlling his temper anymore and is coming to end Kurt’s career tonight. He orders his wife to fall in line with him, to which she responds by renouncing his friendship and fully supporting her husband.
Jerry Lawler vs Tazz – Strap Match
What started out as a simple little angle to put Tazz’s heel turn over has really escalated. It gained some real traction with the (casual) fanbase so amazingly this is actually a ppv rematch from Summerslam. That evening the King beat the Human Wrecking Machine thanks to some assistance from JR and his sweet jar. Tazz was furious and now gets his rematch in Philadelphia – a city where he’s been no stranger to success thus far in his wrestling career.
Tazz uses the strap to jerk the veteran across the ring towards him, and wastes no time laying him out with a pumphandle suplex. He chokes Lawler with the strap, dragging him out of the ring but then getting so wound up hurling abuse at JR (much like Summerslam) that he allows King to escape and start whipping him with the strap. The former ECW Champion boots Jerry in the balls then goes back to throttling him with the heavy duty leather strap. King hits the piledriver, only for Tazz to NO SELL! Three piledrivers later…and Tazz finally goes down! Jerry makes it to touch three of the required four turnbuckles to win the match before the referee is bumped. Before he can make it to the fourth a figure jumps the rails and gets into the ring. IT’S RAVEN! EVENFLOW DDT ON LAWLER! The ECW element of the crowd in attendance goes absolutely ballistic for that! TAZMISSION! It’s over at 05:04
Rating - * - The stipulation actually further limited what these guys could do together so as a match this was actually worse than Summerslam, but it’s an easy star rating for that finish. Raven is so awesome, and his inability to get over in WWF remains one of my biggest disappointments as a wrestling fan. Seeing him debut and help his fellow ECW-alum win a silly WWF gimmick match against a goofy commentator in Philadelphia was utterly fantastic
Tazz refuses to let go of the Tazmission, and has it locked in for well over a minute until a squad of referees manage to drag him off. Michael Cole has to join JR for commentary since King is unconscious
A black pick-up arrives in the parking lot...Steve Austin has arrived! Kevin Kelly is on hand to be as dorky as humanly possible, so Stone Cold decks him.
WWF Hardcore Title Battle Royal
Unlike Backlash 2000, where we saw what was effectively a six-pack challenge for the Hardcore Title, this one is a return to the timed ‘Hardcore Battle Royal’ format that debuted at Wrestlemania earlier this year. Steve Blackman enters as the champion, and there can be as many (or as few title changes) as possible within the 10-minute time period – with the man holding the belt at the end declared the winner and new champion. The other entrants are Al Snow (in the middle of his entertaining ‘European gimmicks’ phase after winning the European Title), Perry Saturn, perennial Hardcore Title challenger Crash Holly plus Test and Funaki to make up the numbers.
Blackman starts hot, knocking Crash’s block off in the aisle then countering an attempted tope suicida from Saturn with a TRASH CAN LID TO THE FACE! In the end Test has to throw Funaki at him! Al Snow tries to waffle Saturn with the Head…so Terri hops onto the apron, steals it and tosses it to Perry – WHO INADVERTENTLY GIVES TRISH STRATUS HEAD! Test is irate and whacks Terri with Head too! BOTCHED flying headscissors from Crash (although it looked like Snow’s fault if you ask me) leads to him being dropped on his neck. It gets worse for Holly as he actually falls for the oldest trick in the book and gets duped by Funaki’s fake offer of teaming with him. Saturn hits a moonsault off the top to the floor. Test BOOTS a garbage can into Blackman’s face, but can’t get a pinfall before Crash is on hand to batter the back of his head with another metal lid. At 03:54 Crash pins Blackman to win the Hardcore Title for the millionth time. Amusingly he then tries to run away only to be ambushed by Saturn in the entrance way…and Perry wins it at 04:04. RUNNING LID SHOT from Snow – literally running the length of the aisle before hammering the unsuspecting new champion right in the face. The fight spills into the crowd for an elongated ‘everyone punch each other’ segment that doesn’t go anywhere or lead to any title changes. Saturn eventually returns to the ring alone and brandishing a kendo stick…so Blackman goes under the ring to retrieve his ninja DOOM sticks. Oh, and Al thinks it’ll be funny if he hits Test in the face with a pizza box. Steve goes nuts with the martial arts sticks but has less than two minutes to get his title back from Perry. He then seizes the kendo stick and GOES NUTS ON EVERYONE! At 08:59 Blackman pins Saturn to regain his title. He then goes the Crash Holly route of trying to walk out…until the whole field of opponents pile down the aisle after him to fight on the floor like it’s a playground scrap. They can’t get a pin as there are just too many of them, meaning Blackman wins the match and the title at 10:00
Rating - ** - This had it’s moments, but despite having better talent in it than the Wrestlemania Hardcore Battle Royal, this wasn’t anywhere near as fun. The reduced number of guys in this format meant things got extremely repetitive. That said, Blackman was awesome in some of his weapons sequences (as always), whilst Perry Saturn threw his body around with real gusto too so the performances of those guys should be acknowledged.
Kurt Angle shows off his 1995 World Championship and 1996 Olympic gold medals to a couple of guys who probably didn’t ask…before he happens across Stone Cold. Kurt is so hilariously conceited that he just starts chatting to Austin about the Olympics instead, before presenting him with his own ‘honourary’ gold medal. Inevitably, Austin beats the sh*t out of him
X-Pac vs Chris Jericho
Hands up if you forgot about this feud? Me too – but the presence of this one on the card is quite a nice surprise. Jericho has been in fantastic form all year, and Waltman is a much better worker than many give him credit for, so will probably enjoy getting a singles match with Y2J more than having to team with the charismatic but perennially mediocre Road Dogg.
Jericho sprints out wanting to fight Pac so, veteran that he is, Waltman just hops out of the ring and watches him stew in his own rage. He enters and kicks Chris down into the corner…only to see his Bronco Buster attempt countered with lariat. Jericho goes for the springboard dropkick but is SHOVED INTO THE GUARDRAILS! Before he can recover X-Pac is on him again, this time with a somersault pescado. A baseball slide aimed right at his face keeps Y2J down when he tries to crawl back into the ring. Sleeper hold from Pac as he continues to use his speed and strategy to absolutely dominate Jericho. Even when Chris manages to counter into a sleeper of his own Waltman has another counter lined up – floating behind into a back suplex for 2. Bronco Buster nailed…but it’s then that he makes his first mistake. He celebrates to the crowd, temporarily forgetting his fallen opponent and being punished with a RUNNING POWERBOMB from Y2J. Jericho smiles before delivering a Bronco Buster of his own…only for X-Pac to get up and launch him shoulder-first into the ringpost. He brings nunchuks into the ring, and though Jericho evades the headshot with those Pac is able to use the ensuing confusion to hit a low blow then the X-Factor – for 2. Jericho gets up to powerbomb him into the WALLS OF JERICHO! X-Pac makes the ropes and decapitates him with a spinning heel kick. LIONSAULT GETS KNEES! Waltman appears to go for a FLYING X-Factor only for it to be COUNTERED back to the Walls Of Jericho. He taps at 09:01
Rating - *** - JR hyped this up as a showstealer and potential MOTN, and had they let these guys really cut loose perhaps it could have been. In a very hurried 9-minutes it wasn’t to be, but they still produced a really strong, intelligently laid out little undercard match here. The whole point of this feud was to establish X-Pac as a credible singles wrestler after years of being a sidekick or a tag partner. Jericho was the ideal opponent for him as he’s a terrific worker and is as spectacularly popular as X-Pac is hated. The lay-out of the match perfectly followed that up, with X-Pac using veteran instincts and clever wrestling to outwit the impulsive Jericho at every turn…until Jericho finally countered something Waltman did (first time in the match I believe) to win.
Jericho, after weeks of being assaulted by X-Pac, maintains the Walls Of Jericho for an extra few seconds in an effort to get some revenge…but as refs pull him off Pac grabs the nunchuks again and belts Y2J across the back of the head with them.
Commissioner Foley is warming up for his refereeing duties later in the show in his cactus-filled office. Kurt comes to raise an official complaint about Austin but is further wound up by the jovial Commish. These two were solid gold in skits like this. Mick decrees that Angle/HHH tonight will now be No DQ.
The Rock has a visitor to his locker room too – Stone Cold. They shake hands (thankfully not ignoring their apparent cooling of hostilities at Backlash), and Austin wants to know who could have got the keys to Rock’s rental car to run him over at Survivor Series. ‘Just’ Joe tries to spread some gossip and receives the third Austin-inflicted assault of the evening.
Edge & Christian vs Hardy Boyz – WWF Tag Title Steel Cage Match
A cage is one of the few environments these two teams haven’t encountered in their lengthy rivalry. Tonight that changes as E&C defend their belts against the Hardyz once again. They were victorious in the historic TLC match at Summerslam in Matt and Jeff’s home state – perhaps making the Hardy brothers even more desperate to take the titles tonight.
We start with an ugly slug-out: lots of fists flying, heads bashed into the cage and bodies hitting the mat without any real flow or any team seizing the initiative. The Hardyz look to take control with a double leg drop combo on Edge…before DOUBLE POWERBOMBING Christian into the cage. POETRY IN MOTION whilst he’s perched on the ropes against the cage too! These guys were so inventive. Jeff climbs the cage, but as he prepares for a Swanton Edge climbs up after him and knocks him off! Jeff is on the floor, but whilst he’s on the floor his brother is still inside and now he’s left on his own to fight both Tag Champions. Matt fights on regardless, dropping Christian with the Twist Of Fate but is unable to get the win before Edge pounces to break the pin. He tries to escape…but the champs climb after him…DOUBLE SUPERPLEX OFF THE CAGE! Jeff has started trying to climb the cage to get back in, but every time he gets a few steps up one of Edge or Christian batters him back to the floor. He takes some RIDICULOUS bumps doing that by the way. Next he beats up a ref, steals the key to the cage door then looks to make his way in with a chair…only for E&C to ambush him, steal the chair and lock him out again! Christian actually went out to get another chair, so things really don’t look good for the now-bleeding Matt Hardy. Poetry In Motion Stinger Splash INTO THE CAGE! Somehow Matt blocks the Con-Chair-To…but he can’t escape the cage before the champs go after him again. JEFF THROWS A LADDER AT CHRISTIAN! And that knocks him to the floor! As Matt eats a top rope bulldog from Edge, Jeff sets up the ladder and starts climbing it – much to Edge’s fury! Matt hits a back suplex as Jeff reaches the top of the cage. WHISPER IN THE F*CKING WIND OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE! The distance they have to pan the camera out simply to get an aerial shot of that is terrifying! Meanwhile Christian is trying to climb the ladder back into the match too, only to be stopped by Lita! FLYING LITA-CAN-RANA FROM THE CAGE TO THE LADDER! Edge is desperate now – tossing a chair right into Jeff’s face then frantically climbing to escape. He makes it to the top before the Hardyz intercept him with chairs! CON-CHAIR-TO ON EDGE! WHO FALLS OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE! THE HARDYZ WIN! New champions at 12:41
Rating - **** - Massively under-rated match in the history of this rivalry (in my opinion at least). I’ve read so many reviews where the critic seems to believe the cage limited these guys. Personally I thought this was a tremendously innovative cage match. The way the four of them started using the cage to adapt their standard spots was nothing short of awesome. And shock of shocks, they told a brilliant story to go with the spotty mayhem. Jeff’s battle to get back into the cage was great, and culminated in the famous dive off the cage which everyone remembers. Lita’s wild bump to the floor isn’t as memorable, but was equally wild and a brilliant pay-off to E&C injuring her on TV the preceding week. The Hardyz finally get their moment of redemption over Edge & Christian, and have most likely stolen the show in the process.
Austin busts into the McMahon-Helmsley locker room, to find Stephanie McMahon…who apparently has kept the hat he was wearing the night he was run over. She also tells him to go see Shane McMahon, who has video proof of who ran him down.
HHH and Commissioner Foley poke fun at Kurt Angle, and whilst it’s all fun and games, Hunter reminds Mick that even if he hates him for retiring him, he needs to call the match down the middle.
Jerry Lawler rejoins commentary having been in the back selling the attack from Tazz and Raven. Thankfully that means Michael Cole and his stupid frosted tips can take a hike. I know Cole gets tons of heat, but in 2013 he’s actually semi-competent, and immeasurably better than the rambling, high-pitched idiot he was back in 2000.
Eddie Guerrero vs Rikishi – WWF Intercontinental Title Match
Say what you will about Chyna, but the Latino Heat/Chyna angle through 2000 was so much fun. This feud was particularly memorable, with Guerrero ‘winning’ the IC Title from her in somewhat dubious fashion (was he hugging her, was it on purpose etc…) and starting a chain of events which led to their final break up. Eddie struggled to control his temper and became insanely jealous when he found out Chyna was going to be in Playboy (f*ck knows what he’d think of her current choice of career then!)…and amidst all that he got into a feud with Rikishi and Too Cool, who are friends with Chyna to make things more difficult. Just when it seemed like it was time for Eddie and Chyna to go their separate ways he popped the question. Will the newly-betrothed couple keep it together for long enough for Guerrero to retain his championship? And will Chyna support him even against her friend?
Guerrero gets into a punching match with Rikishi and obviously doesn’t get very far. The challenger beats him all the way out of the ring then tosses him into the steps. Eddie tries to walk out but much to the delight of the crowd Chyna physically drags him back and tosses him into the ring. And after hindering his escape attempts then, she makes her presence felt again as she drags her fiancé away from the Stinkface. Rikishi doesn’t like that (hilariously Guerrero is hiding behind Chyna as he yells at her)…and as he turns his back on the champion Eddie heads to the top rope for a TOP ROPE SUICIDE DIVE! After braining the Samoan with the steps he thinks it’s time for the Frog Splash. It misses and he staggers to his feet right in the path of a running butt attack. Samoan Cutter by Rikishi, followed by a Samoan drop. Banzai Drop nailed…only for Chyna to break the count. She clearly doesn’t want to and actively apologises to her friend Rikishi. He SUPERKICKS Chyna…which for some reason results in a disqualification at 06:04? I really don’t know how to explain that call, but either way Eddie retains.
Rating - * - There was very little actual wrestling to talk about here, with the whole match given over to the Eddie/Chyna soap opera. That sort of thing is fine for the television shows, but that is where this kind of match belongs. People dropping their money for the ppv need to see more.
Rikishi gives Chyna the Banzai Drop and leaves. For the life of me I still can’t work out who won that match. What did Rikishi do to get DQ’d? Eddie makes sure he grabs his title belt BEFORE he tends to his injured fiancé.
Undertaker spits tobacco and rambles on in redneck speak at The Coach for a while. He’s going to be WWF Champion again tonight apparently.
SIDENOTE - Therein lies the problem with the ‘American Bad-Ass’ gimmick for Taker. You feel like he personally quite liked it, and it matched his own persona outside of the ring quite well. But by ditching the ‘Phenom’ and ‘Deadman’ aspects of his gimmick, a lot of his aura and mystique seemed to go with it. A big, red-headed redneck spitting tobacco and riding motorcycles to the ring with Kid Rock blaring away is certainly going to be more divisive and difficult to get behind than a big, undead destroyer.
Trish Stratus tries to console Kurt Angle as he sits in his locker room waiting for the call to go to the ring for his match. He blanks her advances and walks off…
SIDENOTE – This show has had far too many backstage skits. This is a ppv, not an elongated version of the TV show. Do they not have enough time during Raw and Smackdown?
Kurt Angle vs Triple H – No DQ Match
As JR said repeatedly during the pre-match hype package for this one – ‘this is damn sure personal’. Angle’s friendship with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley had grown increasingly inappropriate, culminating the Smackdown before Summerslam with ‘the kiss’. HHH extracted some revenge at the ppv when he knocked Kurt unconscious trying to Pedigree him through the Spanish announce table…but it would be Angle who had the last laugh as he tricked Hunter into punching his own wife in the face, then left him to be beaten by The Rock as he carried Stephanie out of the building. Foley booked this match hoping to bring an end to this increasingly uncontrollable situation, and added the No DQ stipulation this evening after Angle signed off Smackdown by bashing in HHH’s ribs with his sledgehammer then taking Steph to the canvas for another stolen smooch. Foley is also officiating…
Kurt delivers a wonderfully tone-deaf rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to Stephanie McMahon to get things started. HHH arrives still selling the ribs and has his midsection heavily bandaged. Before they even lock up Kurt delivers a punch to the midsection and hops away with a big smirk on his face. The Game gets some distance by back dropping Angle to the floor – seemingly trying to protect his injured ribs by turning this into a brawl (which favours him) rather than a wrestling match (where Kurt has the edge). Angle is no fool though, using the environment to his advantage by whipping Helmsley into the guardrails then clattering him to the floor with a lariat. Back in the ring he delivers a belly to belly suplex and already Triple H is struggling to get back to his feet. He somehow delivers a DDT, but is slow to cover and Kurt easily kicks out. It’s clear his inability to dominate the vastly less-experienced Kurt is frustrating HHH now…and as he starts shoving it out with his old foe Mick Foley Kurt pounces to hit a GERMAN SUPLEX! Back suplex comes next, with Kurt modifying the subsequent pinfall to ensure all his weight is pressing down on the ribs. Triple H lands a neckbreaker then looks to turn the match back into a brawl by throwing multiple punches then flattening him with a jumping knee. Kurt’s response is to Irish whip him with such force that he rolls over the turnbuckles and collapses outside the ring. He tries to capitalise with a suplex on the floor, only for HHH to counter and deliver one of his own. The No DQ stipulation finally comes into play as Helmsley blasts the Olympian across the spine with a steel chair then sets up a Summerslam sequel as he looks for a Pedigree on the announce tables. Kurt blocks with a low blow. BELLY TO BELLY SUPLEX…FROM ONE ANNOUNCE TABLE THROUGH THE OTHER ONE! The 2000 King Of The Ring is relentless – dragging HHH back into the ring and driving repeated shoulders into his guts. It’s an astonishingly dominant assault by this point, with Kurt teeing off on Triple H’s ribs with absolutely nothing coming back at him from the former WWF Champion. Finally Hunter catches a break, luring Angle in before dodging him so his shoulder collides with the ringpost. BELLY TO BELLY SUPERPLEX! Nothing HHH tries is working tonight! Abdominal stretch applied, with added elbows to the ribs. Somehow Hunter hiptosses his way free, but he drops to his knees immediately afterwards, leaving himself exposed for Angle to drop an elbow across the back. MOONSAULT…MISSES! It would have been over if Angle had dropped that down onto Hunter’s injured chest. Hunter hits a facebuster…then a ONE-ARMED PEDIGREE! His ribs are so bad he can’t execute his finisher properly! And he slumps to the mat in pain without pinning him. He summons Stephanie into the ring and tells her ‘you have to choose’. Both men struggle to their feet, with Stephanie poised to strike. LOW BLOW ON KURT! PEDIGREE! HHH wins at 17:16
Rating - **** - This was another match I’d not seen in well over a decade, and was blown away by how much better it was than I remembered. Once again, HHH’s critics will say he went over an up and coming talent (just as he did with Chris Jericho at Fully Loaded). But, as with the Y2J match, Hunter killed himself trying to make his opponent look good. Angle has never looked better than this performance, as he methodically and brutally picked apart HHH’s injured ribs. In the end it took the intervention of Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley (which was awesome to by the way – a brilliant pay-off to the summer soap opera these three had produced…it was very fitting she was involved in the finale) to finally beat Angle. Maybe this was a little too slow or basic for some to get behind, but for my taste I found this a really engaging clash.
Stephanie checks on her ‘friend’ Kurt Angle, much to Triple H’s fury. He ‘marks his territory’ with a particularly forceful kiss then tries to leave without her (although they do eventually walk out together)
Shane McMahon comes to the ring next, annoyed that Steve Austin has been on the rampage backstage rather than coming to find him in his locker room since he has video proof of who ran him over. He says the person who ran over Stone Cold has previous history with vehicular assault – as his video evidence will prove. It is footage of Steve Blackman (who Shane has beef with after Summerslam) running over Ken Shamrock. The Lethal Weapon makes his way out, obviously angry at the allegations Shane-O-Mac is throwing around…and he’s soon followed by Stone Cold (rocking the Disturbed version of his famous entrance theme). STUNNER on Blackman! Austin shares a few brews with Shane…before McMahon gets an inevitable Stunner (or three). The investigation continues
The Rock is with Michael Cole just minutes before going to the ring for the main event. As only Rock can do, he gets us hyped up for a filler ppv main event like it’s a major deal.
The Rock vs Undertaker vs Chris Benoit vs Kane – WWF Title Match
These four have been involved in interlinking feuds for months. At Summerslam Undertaker and Kane had a fight which ended only when Taker ripped his brother’s mask off, whilst at Fully Loaded Chris Benoit actually beat The Rock for the WWF Championship before the (admittedly bogus) decision was reversed by Commissioner Foley. Indeed, at King Of The Ring it was the Brothers of Destruction who had to watch on as their tag partner on that evening (Rocky) actually won the match for their team and, in turn, became WWF Champion. With Undertaker, Kane and Benoit all feeling they had legitimate claims to be the #1 contender, this is the main event we had booked for this ppv. As it’s one fall to a finish, Rock could lose the title without being involved in the decision.
It’s a big punch-up from the bell, and as you’d expect Undertaker really doesn’t look too interested in selling anything Benoit throws at him. My copy of the DVD is skipping TERRIBLY at this point so I am missing big chunks. Rock and Benoit fight into the crowd whilst Undertaker and Kane rehash their Summerslam ‘match’ by lumbering around tossing punches at each other. My DVD skips again, and when it comes back we have Rock hitting a Samoan drop on Kane for 2…then the Big Red Machine getting back up to hit a big powerslam. On the floor Taker PRESS SLAMS Benoit into the guardrails. Rock and Undertaker come to blows next, and the Champion really struggles to overcome the size difference. Another massive DVD skip comes next, as when we return the ref is down, Rock is in the midst of DDT-ing Kane…and Undertaker is on the floor retrieving a steel chair. He NAILS Rock with a chair…and in comes Benoit. In turn he levels the Deadman with another chair. BENOIT WINS! He is the new champion at 04:59 (as I said, I’m missing massive chunks). The crowd are furious, and so is Benoit soon afterwards as, for the second time in three months, he tries to leave the arena with the belt only to be stopped by Commissioner Foley in the aisle. Mick demands the match is restarted because the Wolverine won it by cheating (and apparently Undertaker had his feet on the ropes, my DVD must have missed that)…and suddenly Chris finds himself standing in the aisle confronted with Rock, Taker and Kane all waiting for him. TAKER DESTROYS BENOIT ON THE UNFORGIVEN SET! Kane comes to the Crippler’s rescue and helps the Canadian but a beating on his brother. It gets worse for the Phenom when Rock nails him with the ring steps. Another DVD skip…and Rock is in the ring hitting a belly to belly suplex on Benoit for 2. ROLLING GERMANS…FLYING WOLVERINE! With the Brothers of Destruction brawling on the floor it’s up to Rock to save himself, and he barely gets his shoulder up. CRIPPLER CROSSFACE ON BENOIT! DVD skips…and now neither Rock or Benoit are in the ring? Kane is, and he chokeslams the Undertaker for 2. Rock returns…only for Benoit to LARIAT him as he lines up The People’s Elbow! LAST RIDE ON THE ROCK! KANE SAVES! Benoit lays out both Kane and Undertaker with a chair, then slides into the ring to put the Crippler Crossface on a seemingly unconscious Rocky. He keeps it on for what seems like an eternity before Taker saves Rock and CHOKESLAMS Benoit. Kane breaks the fall and the brothers are on the floor punching the sh*t out of each other again. ROCK BOTTOM ON BENOIT! Rock retains! My timer has 12:13, but the official time I’ve found says 15:18, so I’m missing a fair chunk of match…
Rating - *** - It’s tough for me to rate this. What I saw looked really exciting, but at times it was a little bit like watching a highlight reel or a clip show as I was missing so much with my DVD skipping. In fairness, I think these guys basically were just throwing high spots and finishers around anyway, so I got the jist of things. Benoit really didn’t look out of place hanging in there with three established WWF main eventers, and I loved the spot where they had him win only to over-rule it – playing off the Fully Loaded finish brilliantly. These guys were in a tough spot, as this was nothing more than a filler title defence for The Rock, with the ‘real’ main event and draw for this being HHH/Angle – but they were clearly working hard and entertained the live crowd before sending them home happy with a successful title defence for Rocky.
Tape Rating - *** - This was a tough show to rate. On the one hand it really felt like an elongated episode of Raw rather than a ppv. There were so many silly backstage skits, so many short and pointless matches and quite a few bad finishes as well. When people have forked over their cash, I think they deserve a little more substance. That being said, there were really only three matches anyone cared about (and probably paid to see) on this show and they all delivered. The main event was an entertaining, spot-filled sprint – from what I saw of it anyway. The Tag Title Cage Match is a bit of a forgotten classic in the killer Hardyz/E&C rivalry. And HHH/Kurt produced a gripping, well-thought out and cleverly delivered WRESTLING match that probably stole the show even over Jeff Hardy's dive off the top of the cage. Jericho/X-Pac wasn’t bad either. This is a pretty overlooked ppv in the grand scheme of things, and you’re not missing too much if you haven’t seen it. But I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the ‘main events’. They salvage the show and make a lot of the dross worth sitting through. Oh…and the Stone Cold return was fairly entertaining, albeit JR’s massive boner for him and the multiple ‘Austin investigates’ skits got old fast.
Top 3 Matches
3) The Rock vs Chris Benoit vs Kane vs Undertaker (***)
2) Edge & Christian vs Hardy Boyz (****)
1) Triple H vs Kurt Angle (****)