Unforgiven (2000)
Encyclopedia
Unforgiven was the third Unforgiven
professional wrestling
pay-per-view
(PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Federation
(WWF). The event took place on September 24, 2000 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The main event was a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWF Championship
. The Rock defended the title against Chris Benoit
, The Undertaker and Kane
. Benoit originally won the match by pinning Undertaker but since Undertaker's foot was on the rope and the referee
did not notice it, the match was restarted and Rock pinned Benoit after a Rock Bottom to retain the title.
The undercard featured Triple H
versus Kurt Angle
in a No Disqualification match, Eddie Guerrero
versus Rikishi
for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
, Edge and Christian
versus Hardy Boyz
(Matt
and Jeff
) in a Steel Cage match for the WWF Tag Team Championship, Chris Jericho
versus X-Pac
, a 10-Minute Hardcore Battle Royal for the WWF Hardcore Championship
, Tazz
versus Jerry Lawler
in a Strap Match and Right to Censor
(Steven Richards
, Val Venis
, Bull Buchanan
, and The Goodfather
) versus Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) and Acolytes Protection Agency
(Faarooq
and Bradshaw
) in an eight-man tag team match.
that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines
that were played out on Raw is War
and SmackDown—World Wrestling Federation
's (WWF) television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a villain
or a hero
as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
The main rivalry
heading into the event was between The Rock, Chris Benoit
, The Undertaker and Kane
over Rock's WWF Championship
. On August 28, 2000 edition of Raw is War, Undertaker cost Kane, a title opportunity against Rock. On August 31 edition of SmackDown, Undertaker and Benoit wrestled in a #1 contender's match which Undertaker won by disqualification after being attacked by Kane. However, due to earning the victory by disqualification, Undertaker was not made the #1 contender. This led to a #1 contender's match between Benoit and Kane on September 4 edition of Raw is War. Benoit was disqualified again for hitting Kane with a chair and the position of the #1 contender remained vacant. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Benoit and Kane defeated Rock and Undertaker in a tag team
match. After the match, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley
announced that Rock would defend the title against Benoit, Undertaker and Kane in a Fatal Four-Way match at Unforgiven.
Another predominant rivalry heading into the event was between Triple H
and Kurt Angle
. At SummerSlam
, The Rock defeated Triple H and Angle in a Triple Threat match to retain the WWF Championship after Angle received a concussion at the hands of Triple H. Angle had started taking a liking to Triple H's on-screen wife, Stephanie McMahon which made Triple H, jealous of Angle. On August 28 edition of Raw is War, Angle interfered in a match between Eddie Guerrero
and Triple H by attacking both men with a chair. Guerrero's valet and Triple H's former on-screen girlfriend, the WWF Intercontinental Champion
Chyna checked on both men and hugged Triple H. On August 31 edition of SmackDown, Angle showed McMahon, a video of Triple H and Chyna hugging each other to create differences between Triple H and McMahon. Later that night, Triple H was arrested by police officers before his scheduled match against Guerrero and Angle. On September 4 edition of Raw is War, Test was revealed to have complained to the officers to have Triple H arrested. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Angle interfered in Triple H's match with Chris Jericho
and distracted Triple H, causing Triple H to leave the ring and chase Angle. Later that night, Angle attacked both Triple H and McMahon after his Handicap match against T & A
(Test and Albert). As a result, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Triple H and Angle would wrestle at Unforgiven.
At SummerSlam, Edge and Christian
defeated Hardy Boyz
(Matt
and Jeff
) and Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) in the first-ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship. The following night on Raw is War, Edge and Christian mocked Hardy Boyz and Dudley Boyz by bringing out four midgets portraying Hardyz and Dudleyz. This caused Hardyz to come out and attack Edge and Christian. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Hardy Boyz defeated Dudley Boyz in a #1 contender's match for the Tag Team Championship. On September 14 edition of SmackDown, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Edge and Christian would defend the titles against Hardy Boyz in a Steel Cage match at Unforgiven.
At SummerSlam, Chyna and Eddie Guerrero defeated the WWF Intercontinental Champion Val Venis
and Trish Stratus
in a mixed tag team match by pinning Venis for his WWF Intercontinental Championship. The next night on Raw is War, Chyna and Guerrero involved themselves in a rivalry between Triple H and Kurt Angle as Guerrero and Triple H had a match, in which Angle interfered and attacked both men. After the match, Chyna and Triple H hugged. Angle tried to create differences between Chyna and Guerrero, leading to a title match between Chyna and Angle on September 4 edition of Raw is War. However, Guerrero wanted to second Chyna but the WWF Commissioner inserted him into the Intercontinental Championship match, making it a Triple Threat match. Angle knocked out Chyna and Guerrero accidentally pinned her as he attempted to revive her. After the match, Chyna and Guerrero argued and Guerrero tried to return the belt to her but she refused and they hugged. It was followed by a vicious smile by Guerrero, creating a doubt that Guerrero was plotting this to win the title. He would follow by sneak attacks on Chyna's allies, Road Dogg
and Too Cool
(Scotty 2 Hotty and Grand Master Sexay
). Following Guerrero's assault on Too Cool on September 11 edition of Raw is War, Too Cool's ally Rikishi
came to rescue the team but was attacked by Chyna. On September 14 edition of SmackDown, Guerrero cost the team of Rikishi and Scotty, a tag team match against Right to Censor
(Val Venis and Steven Richards
) by attacking Rikishi. This would lead to an Intercontinental Championship match between Guerrero and Rikishi at Unforgiven.
At SummerSlam, Jerry Lawler
defeated Tazz
in a standard wrestling match. The following night on Raw is War, Tazz had a scheduled WWF Hardcore Championship
match against Steve Blackman
. Tazz began attacking Lawler, causing Lawler and Jim Ross
to interfere in the match and cost Tazz, the title opportunity against Blackman. On August 31 edition of SmackDown, Lawler cost Tazz, a match against Chris Jericho. On September 4 edition of Raw is War, Lawler and Jericho defeated Tazz and Mideon
in a tag team match when Lawler pinned Tazz. After the match, Tazz attacked Lawler with a leather strap. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Lawler cost Tazz, a WWF European Championship
match against Al Snow
and after the match, Tazz decided to quit WWF. However, on September 14 edition of SmackDown, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley convinced Tazz to stay in WWF and announced that Tazz would wrestle Lawler in a Strap match at Unforgiven.
On September 7 edition of SmackDown, X-Pac
defeated Chris Jericho in a standard wrestling match. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, X-Pac interfered in Jericho's match against Triple H by attacking Jericho and causing Triple H to get disqualified. Later that night, Jericho cost X-Pac, a WWF Hardcore Championship match against Steve Blackman. On September 18 edition of Raw is War, Jericho ruined the returning Steven Regal's ceremony and X-Pac attacked Jericho from behind. This would lead to a match between Jericho and X-Pac at Unforgiven.
At SummerSlam, Right to Censor
(Steven Richards, Bull Buchanan
and The Goodfather
) defeated Too Cool (Scotty 2 Hotty, Grand Master Sexay and Rikishi) in a six-man tag team match. On August 31, 2000 edition of SmackDown, RTC helped Val Venis in defeating Rikishi. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Goodfather and Buchanan defeated Acolytes Protection Agency
(Faarooq
and Bradshaw
) in a tag team match. After the match, Venis attacked APA and joined RTC. On September 18 edition of Raw is War, Goodfather and Buchanan defeated Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) in a tag team match through the same way. After the match, RTC began attacking Dudley Boyz until APA came out to rescue Dudley Boyz. This would lead to an eight-man tag team match between the team of APA and Dudley Boyz against Right to Censor at Unforgiven.
On September 21 edition of SmackDown, Steve Blackman defended the WWF Hardcore Championship against the WWF European Champion Al Snow. During the match, Funaki
, Test, Perry Saturn
and Crash Holly
interfered and attacked Blackman to take advantage of the 24/7 rule. Blackman pinned Funaki to retain the title. This set up a title defense for Blackman against Funaki, Test, Saturn, Holly and Snow in a Hardcore
Battle Royal for the Hardcore Championship at Unforgiven.
(Steven Richards
, Val Venis
, Bull Buchanan
, and The Goodfather
) against the team of Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) and Acolytes Protection Agency
(Faarooq
and Bradshaw
). Richards did not tag into the match but interfered in the match on several occasions. On one occasion, Dudley Boyz hit Venis, a Doomsday Device
, which they called Dudleyville Device and attempted to pin Venis, but Goodfather interfered and broke up the pinfall attempt. Richards interfered in the match and hit Bubba Ray, a Steven Kick, allowing Venis to pin Bubba Ray for the victory. However, after the match, Dudley Boyz and Acolytes Protection Agency attacked Richards and knocked him down through a table.
The second match was a Strap match between Tazz
and Jerry Lawler
. The first person to pin his opponent, make his opponent tap out or touch all the four corners of the ring would be declared the winner. Lawler attacked Tazz and beat him on, hitting him a Piledriver
three times. Lawler dragged Tazz around the ring to touch the ring corners. He touched the three corners but as Lawler was about to touch the fourth corner, the referee
was knocked out. Lawler began chok
ing Tazz until Raven debuted in WWF and interfered in the match by hitting Lawler, a Flowing Snap DDT, which he called Raven Effect. Tazz took advantage and applied a Half Nelson Choke, which he called Tazzmission on Lawler. Lawler tapped out to Tazz, giving Tazz the victory. After the match, Stone Cold Steve Austin
returned to WWF after a nine-month absence. He was last seen at Survivor Series
, where he was run down by a car. He entered the arena and began questioning everyone to check out that who was the culprit that ran him down. Interviewer Kevin Kelly
tried to interview Austin but Austin tossed Kelly into the wall.
Next was a Hardcore
Battle Royal for the WWF Hardcore Championship
. Steve Blackman
defended the title against Test, Perry Saturn, Crash Holly
, the WWF European Champion
Al Snow
and Funaki
. The rules stated that the title would change hands throughout the match when a champion was pinned. The champion at the end of the time limit of the match–10 minutes, would be declared the final Hardcore Champion at Unforgiven. All the wrestlers attacked Blackman in attempt to pin him. Holly successfully pinned Blackman to win the Hardcore Championship. He tried to escape with the title but was hit with a trashcan lid by Saturn, who pinned him for the title. Shortly after, Blackman grabbed his kendo stick and attacked all the other competitors of the match with it. The champion Saturn was one of them and Blackman pinned Saturn to win the Hardcore Championship and tried to escape to the locker room. All the wrestlers chased after him and began attacking him until the time limit expired. As a result, Blackman was declared the final champion for Unforgiven. After the match, Kurt Angle
ran down into Stone Cold Steve Austin in a backstage segment. Angle introduced himself to Austin and offered him an "honorary medal" but was attacked by Austin.
The fourth match was a standard wrestling match between Chris Jericho
and X-Pac
. The match went back and forth between the two as the two hit their cruiserweight moves
on each other. Jericho hit X-Pac's signature move Bronco Buster on X-Pac and then applied his own finishing submission maneuver, an Elevated Boston Crab
, which he calls Walls of Jericho. X-Pac tapped out to the hold but after the match, he attacked Jericho with a pair of nunchakus. After the match, Kurt Angle complained to the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley over Stone Cold Steve Austin's attack on him. This angered Foley and Foley made Angle's match with Triple H, a No Disqualification match. Later on, Austin approached The Rock in his locker room and the two exchanged words with each other until Joe interfered in their talk and was attacked by Austin.
Next was a Steel Cage match for the WWF Tag Team Championship. Edge and Christian
defended the title against Hardy Boyz
(Matt
and Jeff
). To win, both members of a team had to escape the cage. As the match started, the two teams attacked each other until Jeff fell out of the cage. Matt was left alone and needed to escape the cage or pin anyone of Edge and Christian to win the match. Edge and Christian took advantage of the situation and double-teamed Matt. Jeff tried to re-enter the cage but Christian knocked him out of the cage. Jeff knocked out the official outside the ring and took the key of the cage door and entered the cage but as he tried to enter the ring, Edge and Christian smashed his head with the cage. Edge took the key of the cage and dropped it under his tights. Matt started bleeding until Edge and Christian tried to hit Matt a Double
chair shot but Matt avoided and hit a Double clothesline on Edge and Christian. Matt tried to take advantage by attempting to escape the cage. However, he was pulled back into the ring by Edge and Christian. Jeff grabbed a ladder and threw it on Christian, who was knocked off with the cage outside the ring. Jeff jumped onto the top of the cage through the ladder and delivered a High-Angle Senton Bomb, which he calls Swanton Bomb on both Edge and Matt from the top of the cage. Christian tried to climb the ladder but Hardy Boyz' valet Lita
delivered a Hurricanrana on Christian from the top of the ladder. Edge recovered and tried to escape the steel cage but Hardy Boyz hit him a Con-chair-to on the top of the cage, knocking him down on the mat. Hardy Boyz escaped the cage to win the Tag Team Championship.
was the culprit. Austin refused to believe and left the locker room. In the next backstage segment, Triple H confronted the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley. Foley announced that he would be the special guest referee for Triple H's match with Kurt Angle, later in the night.
The sixth match featured Eddie Guerrero
defending the WWF Intercontinental Championship
against Rikishi
. Guerrero tried to escape to the locker room but his valet Chyna prevented him from escaping and threw him back into the ring. Rikishi began beating on Guerrero and had nearly finished him after keeping him in the position of Stink Face. However, as Rikishi attempted to hit the move, Chyna pulled Guerrero out of the ring. Rikishi confronted Chyna and Guerrero took advantage by splashing Rikishi from the top rope. Rikishi hit Guerrero with a Seated Senton, which he called Banzai Drop and had pinned Guerrero until Chyna interfered on Guerrero's behalf, causing Rikishi to attack Chyna. As a result, Rikishi was disqualified but he continued to attack Chyna by hitting her a Savate Kick and a Banzai Drop from the second rope.
The final match on the undercard was a No Disqualification match between Triple H and Kurt Angle. Mick Foley served as the special guest referee. Before the match began, Angle announced that it was Stephanie McMahon's birthday and led the people into singing a rendition of "Happy Birthday to You
". McMahon came out with Triple H to manage her. Angle began attacking Triple H's injured ribs and focused on them. Triple H attempted to hit a Double Underhook Facebuster, which he calls Pedigree on Angle on the main announce table. However, Angle reversed it and hit a Belly to Belly Suplex on Triple H on the Spanish announce table. Foley offered Triple H to quit the match but Triple H opted to continue the match. Angle continued to injure Triple H's ribs. After Angle missed a Moonsault
from the top rope, Triple H tried to hit a Pedigree until McMahon entered the ring and low blow
ed Angle, allowing Triple H to hit Angle a Pedigree for the victory. After the match, Shane McMahon
returned to WWF after being injured at SummerSlam and tried to blame Steve Blackman for being the attacker of Stone Cold Steve Austin. However, Blackman came out to prove his innocence but before he could speak, Stone Cold Steve Austin came out and hit Blackman a Sitout Three-Quarter Facelock Jawbreaker
, which he calls Stone Cold Stunner. Austin and McMahon began celebrating and drinking beers until Austin hit McMahon, a Stone Cold Stunner.
The main event was a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWF Championship
. The Rock defended the title against Chris Benoit
, Kane
and The Undertaker. As the match began, Rock battled Kane and Benoit fought with Undertaker. After taking down Kane and Benoit, Rock and Undertaker battled each other until they were attacked by Kane and Benoit. Benoit and Rock battled to the outside until Kane made the first pinfall attempt of the match on Undertaker after hitting him a Flying Clothesline but got a near-fall. The match went back and forth until Benoit hit Undertaker with a chair and pinned him to win the match and became the new WWF Champion. However, Undertaker's foot was on the bottom rope and the official
was groggy, so he counted the fall. The WWF Commissioner Mick Foley reversed the decision and restarted the match. Benoit was attacked by all the three competitors on numerous occasions until all the four competitors continued to attack each other. Benoit attacked Kane and Undertaker outside the ring with a chair and returned to the ring to apply his submission maneuver, a Crossface, which he called Crippler Crossface on Rock. Benoit had nearly defeated Rock until Undertaker entered the ring and began stomping Benoit. Undertaker followed by chokeslam
ming Benoit but before he could make a pinfall, Kane pulled him outside the ring and battled with Undertaker. Rock took advantage and hit Benoit, a Lifting Side Slam, which he called Rock Bottom to win the match and retain the WWF Championship.
, The Rock and Triple H
exchanged rivals with Chris Benoit
and Kurt Angle
as Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came out to check on a knocked out Shane McMahon
during a WWF Championship
match between Rock and Benoit. Benoit attacked Triple H while Angle started attacking on Triple H until Rock tried to rescue Triple H but failed as Benoit and Angle attacked both men. On October 2 edition of Raw is War, Angle defeated Triple H to become the #1 contender for the WWF title and eventually defeated Rock at No Mercy
for his first WWF Championship. Since Triple H was defeated due to interference by Benoit, the two wrestled in a match at No Mercy, which Triple H won.
Hardy Boyz
(Matt
and Jeff
) continued their rivalry
with Edge and Christian
over the WWF Tag Team Championship, leading to the controversial Los Conquistadores storyline. Los Conquistadores attacked Hardy Boyz on numerous occasions and became the #1 contenders for the tag titles by winning a tag team
battle royal
on October 19 edition of SmackDown. At No Mercy, Los Conquistadores defeated Hardy Boyz for the Tag Team Championship. The following night on Raw is War, Los Conquistadores defeated Edge and Christian to retain the titles but unmasked themselves after the match to reveal Hardy Boyz. Hardy Boyz revealed that Edge and Christian were wearing the golden costumes and masks the entire time but in some segments gave it to their hired goons which featured Edge and Christian talking to Los Conquistadores.
WWE Unforgiven
Unforgiven was an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment, which had been held in September since the 1999 edition. It originally started out as a In Your House pay-per-view event in April and featured the infamous Inferno match between The...
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF). The event took place on September 24, 2000 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The main event was a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. The Rock defended the title against Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
, The Undertaker and Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
. Benoit originally won the match by pinning Undertaker but since Undertaker's foot was on the rope and the referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
did not notice it, the match was restarted and Rock pinned Benoit after a Rock Bottom to retain the title.
The undercard featured Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
versus Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
in a No Disqualification match, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
versus Rikishi
Solofa Fatu
Solofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:...
for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
, Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions...
versus Hardy Boyz
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
(Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
) in a Steel Cage match for the WWF Tag Team Championship, Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
versus X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
, a 10-Minute Hardcore Battle Royal for the WWF Hardcore Championship
WWE Hardcore Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere...
, Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
versus Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
in a Strap Match and Right to Censor
Right to Censor
The Right to Censor was a professional wrestling faction in the World Wrestling Federation from mid-2000 to early 2001...
(Steven Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Val Venis
Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Bull Buchanan
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :...
, and The Goodfather
Charles Wright (wrestler)
Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...
) versus Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) and Acolytes Protection Agency
Acolytes Protection Agency
The Acolytes Protection Agency , was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Bradshaw and Faarooq. They wrestled for the American promotion World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment between October 1998 and March 2004....
(Faarooq
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
and Bradshaw
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
) in an eight-man tag team match.
Background
Unforgiven featured professional wrestling matchesProfessional wrestling match types
Many types of matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, can be found in the form of performing art that is professional wrestling....
that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
that were played out on Raw is War
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
and SmackDown—World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
's (WWF) television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a villain
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
or a hero
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
The main rivalry
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
heading into the event was between The Rock, Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
, The Undertaker and Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
over Rock's WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. On August 28, 2000 edition of Raw is War, Undertaker cost Kane, a title opportunity against Rock. On August 31 edition of SmackDown, Undertaker and Benoit wrestled in a #1 contender's match which Undertaker won by disqualification after being attacked by Kane. However, due to earning the victory by disqualification, Undertaker was not made the #1 contender. This led to a #1 contender's match between Benoit and Kane on September 4 edition of Raw is War. Benoit was disqualified again for hitting Kane with a chair and the position of the #1 contender remained vacant. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Benoit and Kane defeated Rock and Undertaker in a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
match. After the match, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley
Mick Foley
Michael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, author, comedian, actor, voice actor and former color commentator. He has worked for many wrestling promotions, including WWE, WCW, ECW and TNA. He is often referred to as "The Hardcore Legend", a nickname he...
announced that Rock would defend the title against Benoit, Undertaker and Kane in a Fatal Four-Way match at Unforgiven.
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
and Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
. At SummerSlam
SummerSlam (2000)
SummerSlam was the thirteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event took place on August 27, 2000 at the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina....
, The Rock defeated Triple H and Angle in a Triple Threat match to retain the WWF Championship after Angle received a concussion at the hands of Triple H. Angle had started taking a liking to Triple H's on-screen wife, Stephanie McMahon which made Triple H, jealous of Angle. On August 28 edition of Raw is War, Angle interfered in a match between Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
and Triple H by attacking both men with a chair. Guerrero's valet and Triple H's former on-screen girlfriend, the WWF Intercontinental Champion
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
Chyna checked on both men and hugged Triple H. On August 31 edition of SmackDown, Angle showed McMahon, a video of Triple H and Chyna hugging each other to create differences between Triple H and McMahon. Later that night, Triple H was arrested by police officers before his scheduled match against Guerrero and Angle. On September 4 edition of Raw is War, Test was revealed to have complained to the officers to have Triple H arrested. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Angle interfered in Triple H's match with Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
and distracted Triple H, causing Triple H to leave the ring and chase Angle. Later that night, Angle attacked both Triple H and McMahon after his Handicap match against T & A
T & A (professional wrestling)
T & A was a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation. T & A had Trish Stratus as their team manager with their name being a pun on the initials of the two wrestlers and the slang expression "T&A" , spawning numerous coarse jokes on fan's signs and from commentator Jerry...
(Test and Albert). As a result, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Triple H and Angle would wrestle at Unforgiven.
At SummerSlam, Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions...
defeated Hardy Boyz
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
(Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
) and Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) in the first-ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship. The following night on Raw is War, Edge and Christian mocked Hardy Boyz and Dudley Boyz by bringing out four midgets portraying Hardyz and Dudleyz. This caused Hardyz to come out and attack Edge and Christian. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Hardy Boyz defeated Dudley Boyz in a #1 contender's match for the Tag Team Championship. On September 14 edition of SmackDown, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Edge and Christian would defend the titles against Hardy Boyz in a Steel Cage match at Unforgiven.
Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
and Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
in a mixed tag team match by pinning Venis for his WWF Intercontinental Championship. The next night on Raw is War, Chyna and Guerrero involved themselves in a rivalry between Triple H and Kurt Angle as Guerrero and Triple H had a match, in which Angle interfered and attacked both men. After the match, Chyna and Triple H hugged. Angle tried to create differences between Chyna and Guerrero, leading to a title match between Chyna and Angle on September 4 edition of Raw is War. However, Guerrero wanted to second Chyna but the WWF Commissioner inserted him into the Intercontinental Championship match, making it a Triple Threat match. Angle knocked out Chyna and Guerrero accidentally pinned her as he attempted to revive her. After the match, Chyna and Guerrero argued and Guerrero tried to return the belt to her but she refused and they hugged. It was followed by a vicious smile by Guerrero, creating a doubt that Guerrero was plotting this to win the title. He would follow by sneak attacks on Chyna's allies, Road Dogg
Brian Gerard James
Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
and Too Cool
Too Cool
Too Cool is a professional wrestling tag team and former faction most notably active in World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment between 1998 and 2001 and for a short time in 2004.-1998–1999:...
(Scotty 2 Hotty and Grand Master Sexay
Brian Lawler
Brian Christopher Lawler is a professional wrestler. He is the son of color commentator and professional wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler and brother of wrestling referee Kevin Christian...
). Following Guerrero's assault on Too Cool on September 11 edition of Raw is War, Too Cool's ally Rikishi
Solofa Fatu
Solofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:...
came to rescue the team but was attacked by Chyna. On September 14 edition of SmackDown, Guerrero cost the team of Rikishi and Scotty, a tag team match against Right to Censor
Right to Censor
The Right to Censor was a professional wrestling faction in the World Wrestling Federation from mid-2000 to early 2001...
(Val Venis and Steven Richards
Steven Richards
Steven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the with the team. He previously raced in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing....
) by attacking Rikishi. This would lead to an Intercontinental Championship match between Guerrero and Rikishi at Unforgiven.
At SummerSlam, Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
defeated Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
in a standard wrestling match. The following night on Raw is War, Tazz had a scheduled WWF Hardcore Championship
WWE Hardcore Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere...
match against Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman is a American professional wrestler who is best known for his career in the World Wrestling Federation under his own name.-Stampede Wrestling and South Africa :...
. Tazz began attacking Lawler, causing Lawler and Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
to interfere in the match and cost Tazz, the title opportunity against Blackman. On August 31 edition of SmackDown, Lawler cost Tazz, a match against Chris Jericho. On September 4 edition of Raw is War, Lawler and Jericho defeated Tazz and Mideon
Dennis Knight
Dennis Knight is a retired American professional wrestler best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment as Phineas I. Godwinn and Mideon.-Career:...
in a tag team match when Lawler pinned Tazz. After the match, Tazz attacked Lawler with a leather strap. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Lawler cost Tazz, a WWF European Championship
WWE European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
match against Al Snow
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven...
and after the match, Tazz decided to quit WWF. However, on September 14 edition of SmackDown, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley convinced Tazz to stay in WWF and announced that Tazz would wrestle Lawler in a Strap match at Unforgiven.
On September 7 edition of SmackDown, X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
defeated Chris Jericho in a standard wrestling match. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, X-Pac interfered in Jericho's match against Triple H by attacking Jericho and causing Triple H to get disqualified. Later that night, Jericho cost X-Pac, a WWF Hardcore Championship match against Steve Blackman. On September 18 edition of Raw is War, Jericho ruined the returning Steven Regal's ceremony and X-Pac attacked Jericho from behind. This would lead to a match between Jericho and X-Pac at Unforgiven.
At SummerSlam, Right to Censor
Right to Censor
The Right to Censor was a professional wrestling faction in the World Wrestling Federation from mid-2000 to early 2001...
(Steven Richards, Bull Buchanan
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :...
and The Goodfather
Charles Wright (wrestler)
Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...
) defeated Too Cool (Scotty 2 Hotty, Grand Master Sexay and Rikishi) in a six-man tag team match. On August 31, 2000 edition of SmackDown, RTC helped Val Venis in defeating Rikishi. On September 11 edition of Raw is War, Goodfather and Buchanan defeated Acolytes Protection Agency
Acolytes Protection Agency
The Acolytes Protection Agency , was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Bradshaw and Faarooq. They wrestled for the American promotion World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment between October 1998 and March 2004....
(Faarooq
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
and Bradshaw
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
) in a tag team match. After the match, Venis attacked APA and joined RTC. On September 18 edition of Raw is War, Goodfather and Buchanan defeated Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) in a tag team match through the same way. After the match, RTC began attacking Dudley Boyz until APA came out to rescue Dudley Boyz. This would lead to an eight-man tag team match between the team of APA and Dudley Boyz against Right to Censor at Unforgiven.
On September 21 edition of SmackDown, Steve Blackman defended the WWF Hardcore Championship against the WWF European Champion Al Snow. During the match, Funaki
Shoichi Funaki
is a Japanese/American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Hardcore Champion.-Early years :...
, Test, Perry Saturn
Perry Satullo
Perry Arthur Satullo is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Perry Saturn. Since debuting in 1990, Saturn wrestled for Extreme Championship Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , World Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action .-Early career:Satullo enlisted...
and Crash Holly
Mike Lockwood
Michael John "Mike" Lockwood was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment under the ring name Crash Holly....
interfered and attacked Blackman to take advantage of the 24/7 rule. Blackman pinned Funaki to retain the title. This set up a title defense for Blackman against Funaki, Test, Saturn, Holly and Snow in a Hardcore
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
Battle Royal for the Hardcore Championship at Unforgiven.
Preliminary matches
As the event concluded, the first match was an eight-man tag team match pitting Right to CensorRight to Censor
The Right to Censor was a professional wrestling faction in the World Wrestling Federation from mid-2000 to early 2001...
(Steven Richards
Stevie Richards
Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr...
, Val Venis
Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
, Bull Buchanan
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :...
, and The Goodfather
Charles Wright (wrestler)
Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...
) against the team of Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) and Acolytes Protection Agency
Acolytes Protection Agency
The Acolytes Protection Agency , was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Bradshaw and Faarooq. They wrestled for the American promotion World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment between October 1998 and March 2004....
(Faarooq
Ron Simmons
Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,...
and Bradshaw
John Layfield
John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
). Richards did not tag into the match but interfered in the match on several occasions. On one occasion, Dudley Boyz hit Venis, a Doomsday Device
Doomsday Device
Doomsday Device, often shortened to Device, is a term used in professional wrestling to reference a tandem move in which one wrestler hoists the opponent on their shoulders so that they are facing in the same direction in what is known as the electric chair position, while another wrestler climbs...
, which they called Dudleyville Device and attempted to pin Venis, but Goodfather interfered and broke up the pinfall attempt. Richards interfered in the match and hit Bubba Ray, a Steven Kick, allowing Venis to pin Bubba Ray for the victory. However, after the match, Dudley Boyz and Acolytes Protection Agency attacked Richards and knocked him down through a table.
The second match was a Strap match between Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
. The first person to pin his opponent, make his opponent tap out or touch all the four corners of the ring would be declared the winner. Lawler attacked Tazz and beat him on, hitting him a Piledriver
Piledriver (professional wrestling)
A piledriver is a professional wrestling driver move in which the wrestler grabs his opponent, turns him upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the opponent head-first into the mat. The most common piledrivers are the basic belly-to-back, or Texas piledriver, and the...
three times. Lawler dragged Tazz around the ring to touch the ring corners. He touched the three corners but as Lawler was about to touch the fourth corner, the referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
was knocked out. Lawler began chok
Chokehold
A chokehold or choke is a general term for grappling hold that critically reduces or prevents either air or blood from passing through the neck of an opponent. The restriction may be of one or both and depends on the hold used and the reaction of the victim...
ing Tazz until Raven debuted in WWF and interfered in the match by hitting Lawler, a Flowing Snap DDT, which he called Raven Effect. Tazz took advantage and applied a Half Nelson Choke, which he called Tazzmission on Lawler. Lawler tapped out to Tazz, giving Tazz the victory. After the match, Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
returned to WWF after a nine-month absence. He was last seen at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1999)
Survivor Series was the thirteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, where he was run down by a car. He entered the arena and began questioning everyone to check out that who was the culprit that ran him down. Interviewer Kevin Kelly
Kevin Kelly (announcer)
Kevin Foote is an American professional wrestling manager, pundit, sportscaster and ring announcer, better known by his ring name, Kevin Kelly...
tried to interview Austin but Austin tossed Kelly into the wall.
Next was a Hardcore
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
Battle Royal for the WWF Hardcore Championship
WWE Hardcore Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere...
. Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman
Steve Blackman is a American professional wrestler who is best known for his career in the World Wrestling Federation under his own name.-Stampede Wrestling and South Africa :...
defended the title against Test, Perry Saturn, Crash Holly
Mike Lockwood
Michael John "Mike" Lockwood was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment under the ring name Crash Holly....
, the WWF European Champion
WWE European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. A coveted singles title of the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was held by superstars such as Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Owen Hart, Eddie Guerrero, and was...
Al Snow
Al Snow
Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven...
and Funaki
Shoichi Funaki
is a Japanese/American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Hardcore Champion.-Early years :...
. The rules stated that the title would change hands throughout the match when a champion was pinned. The champion at the end of the time limit of the match–10 minutes, would be declared the final Hardcore Champion at Unforgiven. All the wrestlers attacked Blackman in attempt to pin him. Holly successfully pinned Blackman to win the Hardcore Championship. He tried to escape with the title but was hit with a trashcan lid by Saturn, who pinned him for the title. Shortly after, Blackman grabbed his kendo stick and attacked all the other competitors of the match with it. The champion Saturn was one of them and Blackman pinned Saturn to win the Hardcore Championship and tried to escape to the locker room. All the wrestlers chased after him and began attacking him until the time limit expired. As a result, Blackman was declared the final champion for Unforgiven. After the match, Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
ran down into Stone Cold Steve Austin in a backstage segment. Angle introduced himself to Austin and offered him an "honorary medal" but was attacked by Austin.
The fourth match was a standard wrestling match between Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
and X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
. The match went back and forth between the two as the two hit their cruiserweight moves
Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...
on each other. Jericho hit X-Pac's signature move Bronco Buster on X-Pac and then applied his own finishing submission maneuver, an Elevated Boston Crab
Boston crab
The Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent lying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down,...
, which he calls Walls of Jericho. X-Pac tapped out to the hold but after the match, he attacked Jericho with a pair of nunchakus. After the match, Kurt Angle complained to the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley over Stone Cold Steve Austin's attack on him. This angered Foley and Foley made Angle's match with Triple H, a No Disqualification match. Later on, Austin approached The Rock in his locker room and the two exchanged words with each other until Joe interfered in their talk and was attacked by Austin.
Next was a Steel Cage match for the WWF Tag Team Championship. Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions...
defended the title against Hardy Boyz
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
(Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
). To win, both members of a team had to escape the cage. As the match started, the two teams attacked each other until Jeff fell out of the cage. Matt was left alone and needed to escape the cage or pin anyone of Edge and Christian to win the match. Edge and Christian took advantage of the situation and double-teamed Matt. Jeff tried to re-enter the cage but Christian knocked him out of the cage. Jeff knocked out the official outside the ring and took the key of the cage door and entered the cage but as he tried to enter the ring, Edge and Christian smashed his head with the cage. Edge took the key of the cage and dropped it under his tights. Matt started bleeding until Edge and Christian tried to hit Matt a Double
Professional wrestling double-team maneuvers
The double-team maneuvers in professional wrestling are executed by two wrestlers instead of one and typically are used by tag teams in tag team matches. Many of these maneuvers are combination of two throws, or submission holds. Most moves are known by the names that professional wrestlers give...
chair shot but Matt avoided and hit a Double clothesline on Edge and Christian. Matt tried to take advantage by attempting to escape the cage. However, he was pulled back into the ring by Edge and Christian. Jeff grabbed a ladder and threw it on Christian, who was knocked off with the cage outside the ring. Jeff jumped onto the top of the cage through the ladder and delivered a High-Angle Senton Bomb, which he calls Swanton Bomb on both Edge and Matt from the top of the cage. Christian tried to climb the ladder but Hardy Boyz' valet Lita
Amy Dumas
Amy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
delivered a Hurricanrana on Christian from the top of the ladder. Edge recovered and tried to escape the steel cage but Hardy Boyz hit him a Con-chair-to on the top of the cage, knocking him down on the mat. Hardy Boyz escaped the cage to win the Tag Team Championship.
Main event matches
After the WWF Tag Team Championship match, Stone Cold Steve Austin continued his search of the culprit and entered Stephanie McMahon's locker room. McMahon offered him the hat that he wore during the incident in which he was run down by a car. McMahon tried to convince Austin that neither she nor Triple HTriple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
was the culprit. Austin refused to believe and left the locker room. In the next backstage segment, Triple H confronted the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley. Foley announced that he would be the special guest referee for Triple H's match with Kurt Angle, later in the night.
The sixth match featured Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
defending the WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
against Rikishi
Solofa Fatu
Solofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:...
. Guerrero tried to escape to the locker room but his valet Chyna prevented him from escaping and threw him back into the ring. Rikishi began beating on Guerrero and had nearly finished him after keeping him in the position of Stink Face. However, as Rikishi attempted to hit the move, Chyna pulled Guerrero out of the ring. Rikishi confronted Chyna and Guerrero took advantage by splashing Rikishi from the top rope. Rikishi hit Guerrero with a Seated Senton, which he called Banzai Drop and had pinned Guerrero until Chyna interfered on Guerrero's behalf, causing Rikishi to attack Chyna. As a result, Rikishi was disqualified but he continued to attack Chyna by hitting her a Savate Kick and a Banzai Drop from the second rope.
The final match on the undercard was a No Disqualification match between Triple H and Kurt Angle. Mick Foley served as the special guest referee. Before the match began, Angle announced that it was Stephanie McMahon's birthday and led the people into singing a rendition of "Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
"Happy Birthday to You", also known more simply as "Happy Birthday", is a song that is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth...
". McMahon came out with Triple H to manage her. Angle began attacking Triple H's injured ribs and focused on them. Triple H attempted to hit a Double Underhook Facebuster, which he calls Pedigree on Angle on the main announce table. However, Angle reversed it and hit a Belly to Belly Suplex on Triple H on the Spanish announce table. Foley offered Triple H to quit the match but Triple H opted to continue the match. Angle continued to injure Triple H's ribs. After Angle missed a Moonsault
Moonsault
A moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
from the top rope, Triple H tried to hit a Pedigree until McMahon entered the ring and low blow
Groin attack
A groin attack is an attempt to cause pain to the groin area of one's opponent. The technique can be quickly debilitating, due to the large number of sensitive nerve endings in the penis and testicles of males, as well as the highly innervated vulva of females. A sufficiently powerful blow may...
ed Angle, allowing Triple H to hit Angle a Pedigree for the victory. After the match, Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon is an American executive, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of YOU On Demand. A former executive and professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , he is the son of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and former US Senate candidate Linda...
returned to WWF after being injured at SummerSlam and tried to blame Steve Blackman for being the attacker of Stone Cold Steve Austin. However, Blackman came out to prove his innocence but before he could speak, Stone Cold Steve Austin came out and hit Blackman a Sitout Three-Quarter Facelock Jawbreaker
Stunner (professional wrestling)
A stunner is a common term in professional wrestling referring to the seated three-quarter facelock jawbreaker maneuver, predominantly used by Stone Cold Steve Austin and named for his Stone Cold Stunner finisher...
, which he calls Stone Cold Stunner. Austin and McMahon began celebrating and drinking beers until Austin hit McMahon, a Stone Cold Stunner.
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. The Rock defended the title against Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
, Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
and The Undertaker. As the match began, Rock battled Kane and Benoit fought with Undertaker. After taking down Kane and Benoit, Rock and Undertaker battled each other until they were attacked by Kane and Benoit. Benoit and Rock battled to the outside until Kane made the first pinfall attempt of the match on Undertaker after hitting him a Flying Clothesline but got a near-fall. The match went back and forth until Benoit hit Undertaker with a chair and pinned him to win the match and became the new WWF Champion. However, Undertaker's foot was on the bottom rope and the official
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
was groggy, so he counted the fall. The WWF Commissioner Mick Foley reversed the decision and restarted the match. Benoit was attacked by all the three competitors on numerous occasions until all the four competitors continued to attack each other. Benoit attacked Kane and Undertaker outside the ring with a chair and returned to the ring to apply his submission maneuver, a Crossface, which he called Crippler Crossface on Rock. Benoit had nearly defeated Rock until Undertaker entered the ring and began stomping Benoit. Undertaker followed by chokeslam
Chokeslam
A chokeslam refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on camera...
ming Benoit but before he could make a pinfall, Kane pulled him outside the ring and battled with Undertaker. Rock took advantage and hit Benoit, a Lifting Side Slam, which he called Rock Bottom to win the match and retain the WWF Championship.
Aftermath
The following night, on September 25 edition of Raw is WarWWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, The Rock and Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
exchanged rivals with Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
and Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
as Triple H and Stephanie McMahon came out to check on a knocked out Shane McMahon
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon is an American executive, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of YOU On Demand. A former executive and professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , he is the son of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and former US Senate candidate Linda...
during a WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
match between Rock and Benoit. Benoit attacked Triple H while Angle started attacking on Triple H until Rock tried to rescue Triple H but failed as Benoit and Angle attacked both men. On October 2 edition of Raw is War, Angle defeated Triple H to become the #1 contender for the WWF title and eventually defeated Rock at No Mercy
No Mercy (2000)
No Mercy was the third No Mercy professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It took place on October 22, 2000 at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York....
for his first WWF Championship. Since Triple H was defeated due to interference by Benoit, the two wrestled in a match at No Mercy, which Triple H won.
Hardy Boyz
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
(Matt
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Jeff
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
) continued their rivalry
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions...
over the WWF Tag Team Championship, leading to the controversial Los Conquistadores storyline. Los Conquistadores attacked Hardy Boyz on numerous occasions and became the #1 contenders for the tag titles by winning a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
on October 19 edition of SmackDown. At No Mercy, Los Conquistadores defeated Hardy Boyz for the Tag Team Championship. The following night on Raw is War, Los Conquistadores defeated Edge and Christian to retain the titles but unmasked themselves after the match to reveal Hardy Boyz. Hardy Boyz revealed that Edge and Christian were wearing the golden costumes and masks the entire time but in some segments gave it to their hired goons which featured Edge and Christian talking to Los Conquistadores.
Results
| # | Matches | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Right to Censor Right to Censor The Right to Censor was a professional wrestling faction in the World Wrestling Federation from mid-2000 to early 2001... (Steven Richards Stevie Richards Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr... , Val Venis Sean Morley Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment... , Bull Buchanan Barry Buchanan Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :... , and The Goodfather Charles Wright (wrestler) Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling... ) defeated Dudley Boyz Dudley Boyz Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals... (Bubba Ray and D-Von) and Acolytes Protection Agency Acolytes Protection Agency The Acolytes Protection Agency , was a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of Bradshaw and Faarooq. They wrestled for the American promotion World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment between October 1998 and March 2004.... (Faarooq Ron Simmons Ronald "Ron" Simmons is an American semi-retired professional wrestler and retired American football player. He is recognised as being the first Black world heavyweight champion in professional wrestling and the first of only two African Americans to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,... and Bradshaw John Layfield John Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News... ) |
Eight-man tag team match | 06:04 |
| 2 | Tazz Tazz Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz... defeated Jerry Lawler Jerry Lawler Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional... |
Strap Match | 05:05 |
| 3 | Steve Blackman Steve Blackman Steve Blackman is a American professional wrestler who is best known for his career in the World Wrestling Federation under his own name.-Stampede Wrestling and South Africa :... (c) won by last defeating Perry Saturn Other competitors were: Test, Crash Holly Mike Lockwood Michael John "Mike" Lockwood was an American professional wrestler best known for his time with World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment under the ring name Crash Holly.... , Al Snow Al Snow Allen Ray Sarven is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment and currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent.-Early career:Sarven... and Funaki Shoichi Funaki is a Japanese/American professional wrestler best known for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time Cruiserweight Champion and a one-time Hardcore Champion.-Early years :... |
Hardcore Hardcore wrestling Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted... battle royal for the WWF Hardcore Championship WWE Hardcore Championship The World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship is a hardcore wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and is contested under "hardcore" rules, meaning there is no disqualifications, no countouts, and pin falls could be counted anywhere... |
10:00 |
| 4 | Chris Jericho Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer... defeated X-Pac Sean Waltman Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ... |
Singles match | 09:03 |
| 5 | Hardy Boyz Hardy Boyz The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy... (Matt Matt Hardy Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... and Jeff Jeff Hardy Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion... ) (with Lita Amy Dumas Amy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006.... ) defeated Edge and Christian Edge and Christian Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions... (c) |
Steel Cage match for the WWF Tag Team Championship | 13:33 |
| 6 | Eddie Guerrero Eddie Guerrero Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions... (c) (w/Chyna)defeated Rikishi Solofa Fatu Solofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:... by disqualification |
Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship WWE Intercontinental Championship The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand... |
06:03 |
| 7 | Triple H Triple H Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley... (with Stephanie McMahon) defeated Kurt Angle Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion... |
No Disqualification match with Mick Foley as the special guest referee | 17:26 |
| 8 | The Rock (c) defeated Chris Benoit Chris Benoit Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide... , The Undertaker and Kane Kane (wrestler) Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury.... |
Fatal Four-Way match for the WWF Championship WWE Championship The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963... |
15:18 |