Dave Meltzer's Unforgiven Review

[Enigma 0]

WWE UNFORGIVEN

Thumbs up 70 (27.6%)

Thumbs in the middle 97 (38.2%)

Thumbs down 87 (37.3%)

 

BEST MATCH POLL

Chris Jericho vs. Christian 194

HHH vs. Randy Orton 32

 

WORST MATCH POLL

Tyson Tomko vs. Steven Richards 226

 

Normally, one show, particularly like Unforgiven, is here today and gone tomorrow. There have been worse shows, although most WWE PPV shows were better. But there are some scary signs, and more people than ever before seem to be picking up on them.

 

The product is stale. Without some badly needed switches of key talent, there are no new match-ups. On the Raw brand, they came up with the scenario in the summer of 2002 to build up HHH vs. Randy Orton as a top program. Orton seemed to be the most improved character of the year, with his superstar look and improving ability. He came off like a superstar in matches with Mick Foley, Chris Benoit, Edge, and Chris Jericho, in building to the big angle. The angle was rushed. The wrong guy turned face. The first match took place too soon. And the people didn't care.

 

HHH, on his way to becoming a 17-time world champion, hit No. 9 on 9/12 at the Rose Garden in Portland, through a major outside interference ending and a pedigree on a chair, ending Orton's four-week reign as the youngest champion in company history. This tied Rock's record as the most world title reigns in the history of the WWE (this part of the story was never told). The match was flat and even dull for a while, with little crowd reaction until the run-ins. It wasn't bad, but there is a standard for a WWE PPV main event, and they didn't come close. Worse, it was that situation where once the ref went down, you could see the crowd turn its head toward the entrance, knowing the run-in was coming. It was such a predictable sequence of events, and the crowd knew it, since it happens on Raw all the time, and most of the spots have been the house show main event finishes. Like a lot of finishes, it's exciting when it's done the first time, or a few times, but it's been overdone. Chris Jericho became IC champion for a record seventh time as well (if you include the 2000 Royal Rumble where he went from a period as co-champion with Chyna, to winning a match and being the champion, as a new title reign), breaking the record of six he held with Jeff Jarrett (which naturally wasn't about to be acknowledged).

 

The bad news was Portland, OR. Fans in that city tore the house down in the previous company shows, including the first show at the Rose Garden drawing one of the best house show crowds in the U.S. in years. This time, the first PPV ever in Oregon, drew 8,313 fans, which was 7,000 paying a little under $500,000. In another market, it wouldn't be so bad, but Portland had been considered an extra special market. It had a long history of accepting old-school wrestling. Unlike most of the new markets the company has started to go to in recent years, the return after a decade, caused by a strict commission, was huge. The feeling from one person in the company live was that they really were there to enjoy the show, but were killed by the show. Jim Ross even used the word "raucous" early in the show for the crowd, which may have acted like they were going to be before the show went on the air, but certainly weren't as it went on. Based on our volume of feedback, the PPV probably did a low range number.

 

They were fairly hot for the Maven vs. Rodney Mack Heat match, and the first match, a Ric Flair & Batista vs. Chris Benoit & William Regal match, got a nice reaction, probably the best of any match on the show. The killer was Tyson Tomko vs. Steven Richards in a disaster of biblical proportions. It was probably the worst company PPV match in years, with the crowd violently turning on the match, and turning on the show. Still, the main event was nearly two hours later, and they saw some good matches in the interim, so even though a lot of people both internally and some fans said so, it's hard for me to believe the awful prelim match is the main reason there was no heat in the main event until the run-in finish.

 

Everyone knows the problems. Many have seen it for years, but it's now happening right before everyone's eyes and is no longer possible to deny. The worst part about pro wrestling, as we've seen with TNA, and with other companies that have gone down, is what happens is, usually under pressure, the people in charge get more insular. Their customers at times become their enemies, because they are voicing disapproval. The wrestlers get blamed for things often out of their hands. There is the reverting back to the past, and you can always learn from the past, but the main thing to learn from the past is that you can't recreate it as it was. You can only learn lessons from it and apply them to improve the present. I don't even know if anyone has noticed this, but with the exception of Jericho, who probably only had the title because Edge is injured, every champion in both brands right now is a heel. The idea that chasing the heel champion is the right thing for business is often true, yet the WWF was built on the opposite. But right now, since they usually (unless Undertaker is challenging) do clean finishes in the key matches, it means the audience is going to be disappointed with almost every house show title match finish. The idea of leaving the house show with heat to get the people back next week from Southern style wrestling in another era isn't applicable, because they don't come back for months. People need heroes they can identify with. They probably don't have to always win, but in the end, your emotional attachment with the fan has to pay off. When it doesn't, the fan will drift away.

 

The unexplained Jonathan Coachman run-in wearing a ref shirt in the HHH vs. Orton title match was because of a communications snafu. It was scheduled as something on the PPV where Eric Bischoff would order Coachman to the ring. Nobody told Bischoff. People were looking everywhere for him for most of the PPV. Finally, when they realized he wasn't there, he was reached on his cell phone. When told he was needed back in the building, he said he was already two hours away, saying that since he had no more spots on the show, he had left to get a head start for Seattle.

 

Probably the most important thing took place on Raw the next night, as Vince McMahon showed up and announced there would be major changes to Raw on 9/20 in Tucson, although nothing that major is scheduled. Some different ideas have been thrown out, including top talent trades, but nothing for sure. All the big names on Raw are already paired off, so at least as of Monday there were no immediate plans. They had a screw-up in Canada. The commercial for Taboo Tuesday played and it listed the main event as HHH defending the title against an opponent chosen by the fans, which was scheduled to be the big surprise. Given how screwed up internet polls are, even doing things like they are, focusing everything on Orton as the contender, doesn't guarantee he'll win the polling. The audience they are aiming contains enough people who will get their jollies by voting a million times for something screwy, such as the WWE web site poll where 40% of the voters picked the Tomko match as the best on the show. I guess they can always fix the poll if too many people decide to vote for Ric Flair or Val Venis as the challenger as a joke. The show on 10/19 in Milwaukee, they are leading the fans to voting for HHH vs. Orton in a rematch (which is the planned main event at this point), Edge (if he's healthy) vs. Chris Jericho, Christian vs. Shawn Michaels (which may be a TV match for a shot at Jericho if Edge isn't ready) and there was also a tease of Benoit & William Regal vs. La Resistance for the tag titles. The idea is believed to be fans will vote for some matches, and other matches will be announced and fans will vote for stipulations on those matches.

 

A. Maven pinned Rodney Mack in 4:42 with a schoolboy. The finishing sequence saw Maven, who was a school teacher in the Portland area when he signed up for "Tough Enough" (but was never promoted with the local tie), missed a bulldog off the top rope he was supposed to hit. Mack sold it anyway. They had a bad match. Jazz tripped Maven. Maven went after her, allowing Mack to schoolboy him using the tights. Maven powered Mack out, collided with Jazz, and fell back into the schoolboy with tights for the pin.

 

1. Chris Benoit & William Regal beat Ric Flair & Batista in 15:05. This felt like a Raw match that went too long. Work was fine and Benoit is always good. Everyone in the crowd went nuts when, after lots of teasing, Flair did the face-first comedy pratfall. Flair and Benoit chopped the hell out of each other. They went to the spot where they got heat on Regal, to set up Benoit's hot tag. Flair actually did a somersault tag to Batista at one point. Benoit did three German suplexes to Flair and one to Batista. He did the diving head-BUTT to Batista and went for the crossface, but Batista picked him up from the position and slammed him, which was a good new power spot. Finish saw Benoit counter the figure four and make Flair tap to the crossface. **1/2

 

They broke up the Christian/Trish Stratus romance without any teasing or problems. Christian came back and wanted Tyson Tomko for himself in the divorce settlement. Stratus wanted him as well. Since Stratus had the ability to sleep with him, she won out, leaving Christian on his own that night. Christian called her a slut. After all that, Christian and Tomko were back together again the next night on Raw with no explanation regarding the PPV.

 

2. Trish Stratus retained the women's title over Victoria in 8:21. Fans were chanting "slut" at Stratus, which was the idea. Victoria did a press-slam into a gut buster. Victoria was on top for a plancha, but Tomko pulled Stratus to safety. Finish saw Victoria distracted by Tomko and Stratus using the stratusfaction (springboard bulldog) for the pin. Tomko had a chair and was threatening Victoria, when Steven Richards in drag showed up. This led to the worst segment on a PPV in recent memory. *1/4

 

3. Tyson Tomko pinned Steven Richards in 6:24, but it felt like six hours and 24 minutes. There's nothing worse than comedy that nobody wants to see. It was largely Tomko beating on Richards the entire match, and he looked so green that people were booing this and chanting "You suck," "Boring," and worse. When Richards came out in drag, fans were chanting "Stevie." Ross and Lawler said the identity was the worst kept secret in wrestling, but that they would play along. They did the mock surprise when the wig came off. Richards was wearing a bra with falsies and Tomko was beating on him with the falsies. Richards did the match wearing granny panties and dress socks after his dress, sports bra and wig came off. Richards made a brief comeback using a testicular claw twice. People didn't even get off on that. As Richards went to retrieve his bra, Tomko beat him up again and gave him the neckbreaker off the torture rack finish. This is an easy worst match of the year candidate. Mere words cannot describe this crime against humanity. -***

 

4. Chris Jericho beat Christian to win the IC title in a ladder match in 22:29. They had to come out when the show was in the toilet. They worked real hard and took some big bumps, and got the crowd at the end, but it wasn't easy. Fans finally chanted "CLB" at Christian after all these months. They didn't involve the ladders early. Christian did an unprettier on the floor. Christian catapulted Jericho into the ladder. They were then doing the climbing and taking the bumps off the top of an eight foot ladder. Jericho used a form of the walls of Jericho on the top of the ladder. Jericho's big bump was having the ladder knocked from under him, and he came down and his BUTT landed from eight feet on the ladder. I thought he may have broken his tailbone in what is now the famous ladder enema spot. Christian brought out a ten-foot ladder. Both were climbing to the top of their respective ladders, when Jericho used a facebuster off the top of the ladder, climbed back up, and got the belt. They didn't do any of the really psycho bumps of some of the famous ladder matches of the past, except the facebuster. But a very good match that really saved the show. ***3/4

 

Edge confronted Jericho after the match, reminding him that he never won the title from the guy who had it. The next PPV is Taboo Tuesday on 10/19, and the idea is the fans pick the matches using internet voting. I guess they wanted to tell fans a match to pick.

 

5. Shawn Michaels pinned Kane in 18:02. Michaels looks to have gained some weight since he left in June to be with his wife. It drives me crazy how badly this was botched. He could have done the interview about how his wife was scared to death while she was seven months pregnant, and how he couldn't talk to his son when he was born. He should have made the big comeback unannounced, instead of appearing and talking fine at the convention. This was set up with such a great angle, and because of follow-up, to the fans, this was a cold match. Funny line was Lawler noting Kane had big feet when Ross talked about size 18's, and said, "You know what that means," and Ross said, "Big socks." Michaels was rusty and seemed to get tired in his first TV match since June, and lacked his usual spark. Even not at his best, it was a good match. Michaels used a pescado. Kane slammed Michaels on the table on the side instead of the center, which had to do wonders for Michaels' back. Calling an audible, he then suplexed Michaels through the Spanish table. Michaels juiced heavy as he was taking a beating. He tried something new, stomping his feet ten times like Jim Duggan, and getting the people to count, before doing the sweet chin music. Kane beat him to the punch with a high kick for a near fall. Kane did a clothesline off the top for another near fall. Michaels blocked a choke slam by using a low blow. Michaels then clocked Kane hard with a chair. Later, Kane went for a chair, but Lita got it away from him. Michaels went for the superkick, but Kane stopped him again and snatched him with a choke slam. Michaels escaped and hit the superkick for the pin. ***1/4

 

6. La Resistance retained the World tag titles over Rhyno & Tajiri in 9:40. They were put in the death spot. There was a USA chant when Tajiri was in with Robert Conway, which caused some announcer bickering. Tajiri threw some good kicks and match was good, even if people weren't going to care. Rhyno gored Sylvain Grenier, but Conway put his foot on the rope. Tajiri threw a hard kick at Conway. Grenier hit Rhyno with the flagpole and pinned him. **1/4

 

7. HHH pinned Randy Orton on 24:44 to win the World title. Spots early were designed to get Orton over, as he'd slap HHH around, and beat him to the punch on every spot and even spit all over his chest. They did everything you'd think was smart to get him over as the face, but the crowd wasn't buying him. Orton battered him with the old European uppercuts. HHH got the advantage with a chop block. Crowd was dead. Crowd got into it when HHH used the figure four, but it was more the move being over and the "Whoos" than the match being over. He held it for a long time to continue working the leg. HHH juiced. Orton kept selling the left knee. Ref Earl Hebner was bumped. Orton blocked a pedigree and hit the RKO, but no ref. Everyone looked to the back, and here came Flair and Batista. Orton nailed Flair, and sidestepped Batista as he ended up hitting his shoulder on the post. HHH hit a low blow and Jonathan Coachman ran out in a ref shirt, but Orton kicked out of the pin. Orton knocked down Coachman, and Batista hit a spinebuster for a near fall. Orton back dropped out of a pedigree, and in the same move, hit the RKO on Coachman. That was pretty cool. He gave Flair, the bumping machine, a thumb to the eye and hit the RKO on him, and then gave Batista a low blow. HHH cracked Orton with a hard chair shot, and followed with a pedigree on the chair. Batista threw Hebner into the ring and he made the count to win the title. **3/4

[Mole 0]

What are some of the rumors for the changes on Monday?

[Guest Shoes Head]

My expectations are so low with the product that I would not be surprised if the big change was bringing Stephanie McMahon back into an on air role.

[Guest fanofcoils]

I am hoping they do a legit poll (each person can only vote once), Orton then will get very little of the vote and hopefully this will cause Vince to change Orton's character or remove him from the main event scene (also the guy who comes in first in the poll should have a lengthy feud with HHH, not just a one time PPV feud).

[Dark Age 0]

What are some of the rumors for the changes on Monday?

 

Taboo Tuesday.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I don't quite agree with Meltzer's comment that Flair would be a "joke challenger".

[Exslade ZX 0]

I am hoping they do a legit poll (each person can only vote once), Orton then will get very little of the vote and hopefully this will cause Vince to change Orton's character or remove him from the main event scene (also the guy who comes in first in the poll should have a lengthy feud with HHH, not just a one time PPV feud).

Be pretty damn funny if Eugene won the poll (even if he is supposedly hurt) then of course everyone would begin to bitch once again.

[Highland 0]

I don't quite agree with Meltzer's comment that Flair would be a "joke challenger".

That's because he is, at this point.

[Mole 0]

What are some of the rumors for the changes on Monday?

 

Taboo Tuesday.

How's that a change?

 

I know they haven't done if before, so it is a change. But when I think of a "big change," Angle and Eddie will be traded for Triple-H and Orton or whatever.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Actually listening to their fans IS a Big Change. However, given that they'll work the outcomes, nothing really changes at all. WOW, who'da thunk it? The WWE saying there's going to be a change and there isn't one. That hasn't happened... a dozen times in the past 4 years...

[SuperJerk 0]

On the Raw brand, they came up with the scenario in the summer of 2002 to build up HHH vs. Randy Orton as a top program. Orton seemed to be the most improved character of the year, with his superstar look and improving ability. He came off like a superstar in matches with Mick Foley, Chris Benoit, Edge, and Chris Jericho, in building to the big angle. The angle was rushed. The wrong guy turned face. The first match took place too soon. And the people didn't care.

Meltzer is mostly right, but I really don't see how he can say Triple H should turn face.

[Exslade ZX 0]

Because HHH/Orton is inevitable, and Orton is miles better as a heel.

 

I mean, we all know how bad HHH can be, but I honestly believe that HHH could have made a successful face turn. I mean, on the night they turned, could have had like Evo celebrating and HHH looking kind of 'down' the fake smile or whatever, and have rest of Evo just beat the shit out of him. With proper development, the fans could actually have gotten behind him on his own...

[Guest CronoT]

What are some of the rumors for the changes on Monday?

 

Taboo Tuesday.

How's that a change?

 

I know they haven't done if before, so it is a change. But when I think of a "big change," Angle and Eddie will be traded for Triple-H and Orton or whatever.

Triple H will never go onto the same show wth Taker again. Triple H knows he has more backstage pull than he does, so he'll avoid ever being put into that position again.

[Guest krazykat72]

What are some of the rumors for the changes on Monday?

 

Taboo Tuesday.

How's that a change?

 

I know they haven't done if before, so it is a change. But when I think of a "big change," Angle and Eddie will be traded for Triple-H and Orton or whatever.

Triple H will never go onto the same show wth Taker again. Triple H knows he has more backstage pull than he does, so he'll avoid ever being put into that position again.

Given that Triple H is Vince's *son in law*, I'll venture to say he has far more backstage power than Undertaker.

 

-Paul Jacobi-

[Enigma 0]

What are some of the rumors for the changes on Monday?

 

Taboo Tuesday.

How's that a change?

 

I know they haven't done if before, so it is a change. But when I think of a "big change," Angle and Eddie will be traded for Triple-H and Orton or whatever.

Triple H will never go onto the same show wth Taker again. Triple H knows he has more backstage pull than he does, so he'll avoid ever being put into that position again.

He also knows that they're matches together are absolutely horrible.

 

If you ever get insomnia, check out their WWE Title match from King of the Ring 2002.