-Today we look at Unforgiven 2001 from the WWF.
-Unforgiven 2001 was shown on PPV on September 23, 2001 from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. There were 13,855 in attendance and the show did 350,000 buys.
-Intro. Jennifer Holiday sings America the Beautiful. It's very moving in the wake of the September 11th attacks. A USA chant goes out.
-Unforgiven Intro.
-Jim Ross and Paul Heyman welcome us to Unforgiven.
-4-Team Elimination Match for the WWF Tag Team Championship. The Hardy Boyz Matt and Jeff vs. The Hurricane and Lance Storm vs. The Big Show and Spike Dudley vs. The Dudley Boyz Devon and Bubba Ray: The Dudley Boyz are the champions. Matt and Devon Start. Hurricane tagged in against Mat. Too fast and furious to write everything down as I take notes. Lots of near falls and quick moves. Everyone is in at one point. TBS throws Spike on everyone on the outside. TBS pins Lance Storm. Matt pins Spike after a Twist of Fate. Bubba beating down Jeff as a we want tables chant goes out. Devon hits the Whassup on Jeff. He gets a sleeper on, but Jeff's arm doesn't fall three times. Bubba runs Jeff into some ring steps. Devon gets a two count on Jeff. Jeff with a corkscrew to Bubba. Matt and Devon tagged in. Dudley's roll out to regroup and Matt moonsaults on them from the top rope to the floor. Matt runs into a 3D. A swanton from Jeff breaks up the count. Bubba with a Bubba bomb to Matt and Devon gets the pin to win the match.
-RVD runs into Stephanie McMahon in the back, and she wishes him good luck against Chris Jericho and offers her services. He declines, but thanks her. Michael Cole talks to Kurt Angle's family on the front row. They are solidly behind Kurt.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. Raven with Terri vs. Perry Saturn: Saturn attacks Raven as soon as he gets to the ring. It goes outside, and they fight on the ramp. Terri grabs Saturn, allowing Raven to take down Saturn. He runs Saturn into the ring steps. Raven with a corner clothesline and a bulldog for a two count. Raven with a Cobra Clutch on Saturn. Saturn gets out, only to get knocked out of the ring by a knee lift from Raven. Saturn tries for a sunset flip, but Raven drops down for a two count. Saturn with a super kick. Back and forth. Saturn with a variety of suplexes. They trade blows. Raven with a clothesline from the second rope and a sunset flip for a series of two counts. Saturn with a catapult and a twisting Fisherman's Suplex to get the pin.
-Lillian Garcia talks to Christian about his upcoming title match with Edge. He says he has a chance to fulfill his dreams tonight, and this is his night.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. WWF Intercontinental Championship Match. Edge vs. Christian: The crowd is really into Edge when he comes out. Christian attacks Edge as soon as he gets in the ring. They trade blows and Christian rolls out to regroup. They fight up on the ramp, and Christian ran into the staging area. Edge brings Christian back to the ring and runs Christian into the turnbuckle repeatedly. Christian runs Edge into a ring post and then into the barricade. Christian runs Edge into the ring steps. They get back in the ring and trade blows. Christian slams Edge down by his hair. Christian hits a power slam for a two count. Christian chops Edge in the corner. They then trade chops. Both men are down, and a double count is going. Both up and Edge pushes off a superplex attempt and gets a German suplex for a two count. Edge has a cut on his eye. Christian with a series of covers for two counts. Edge with some right hands to Christian. Double crossbody attempt. Both wrestlers back down, and another double count is going. Christian with corner mounted punches. They both get close counts Edge thrown to the outside. He goes under the ring and comes out on the other side and hits a crossbody for a two count. Christian hits a Spear for a two count. Christian gets two chairs and sets them up, but he slips on one when Edge moves. Edge sets the chairs up, but the referee takes one away. As he does, Christian low blows Edge with the other chair. Christian covers Edge and gets the pin to become the new Intercontinental Champion. JR and Paul E talk about what just happened.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. WCW World Tag Team Championship Match. The Brothers of Destruction Kane and The Undertaker vs. Kronik Bryan Clark and Brian Adams with Steven Richards: Coach talks to Undertaker and Kane. Undertaker says Steven Richards brings in Kronik. He says we will see what happens when they are face to face. Undertaker and Kane get a tremendous ovation when they come out. Kronik rolls out to attack the Undertaker and Kane. They brawl at ringside. Undertaker attacks Adams in the ring and gets a two count. Adams with a back elbow. Undertaker with a drop toe hold. Kane tagged in. Kane with a corner whip and clothesline. Kane gets a two count. Adams hits a backbreaker on Kane. Clark tagged in. He chops Kane in a corner. Clark with a running kick for a two count. Undertaker comes in and takes over. He does Old School. He gets the cross arm breaker on, but Adams breaks it up. Clark stomps Undertaker in the corner. Adams tagged in. Adams batters Undertaker. He hits a dropkick for a two count. Undertaker comes back with some steep shots. Adams clotheslines Undertaker to the outside, where he lands on his feet. All four brawling at ringside. Kronik gets Undertaker back in the ring and double team him. Adams gets a two count. Adams with a rear chin lock. Undertaker fights back to his feet. Adams slams Undertaker, and Clark tagged in. Undertaker gets the DDT, and Kane is tagged in. He cleans house on Kronik. He hits Clark with a sidewalk slam. Kane with a double clothesline. Undertaker tagged in and all four men in. Big boot to Clark. Kronik double-teamed. Kane with a flying clothesline to Adams and Undertaker choke slams Clark to get the pin. Richards tries to attack Undertaker with a chair, but gets caught. Kane choke slams Richards. The Brothers of Destruction raise the belts after the match.
-Booker T and Shane are shown in the back getting hyped up. Tazz says they can bring the WCW title back to the Alliance. Stephanie is then shown in the back looking for RVD. She approaches a door and talks to the door, not knowing that Chris Jericho is behind her. He puts her down before leaving.
-WWF Hardcore Championship Match. Rob Van Dam vs. Chris Jericho: RVD out first and he gets a good ovation from the crowd. Jericho is also extremely over when he comes out, no pun intended. They lock up and vie for position. They trade moves and counters. Even paced match. Jericho with a side headlock. RVD bridges out of a pin attempts. He taunts Jericho, who responds by slapping RVD. Jericho with an enziguri for a two count. RVD with a springboard thrust kick. Jericho misses a crossbody attempt from the top rope to the apron when RVD ducks. RVD hits a crossbody for a two count. RVD drops Jericho on the barricade, but misses a spin kick when Jericho moves. Jericho brings out a ladder and throws it at RVD. RVD with shoulder block to Jericho until Jericho moves and RVD hits the ring post. Jericho suplexes RVD on the ladder and gets a two count. RVD then suplexes Jericho on the ladder. A double count is going. RVD with a Rolling Thunder splash for a two count. Jerihco avoids a split legged moonsault and hits a bulldog. Back and forth. RVD misses the frog splash and Jericho gets a two count. Jericho's eye is busted open. RVD sets the ladder in a corner and grabs a chair. He puts Jericho on the chair and climbs the ladder. Jericho recovers and throws the chair at RVD, stunning him. Jericho then recovers and climbs the ladder. He does a modified Tarantula on the ladder and then Jericho pushes RVD to the outside. Jericho jumps, but RVD moves and Jericho hits the barricade. RVD kicks Jericho. RVD with a suicide dive, but Jericho hits RVD with a chair and gets a two count. Jericho throws RVD in. RVD with a spin kick. Jericho gets an arm bar on. RVD goes outside and Jericho throws RVD into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Jericho beats RVD with a chair. Stephanie comes out and gets on the apron. Jericho goes to hit her, but she jumps down off the apron and RVD hits Jericho with a Van Daminator with the chair. RVD hits the 5 star frog splash to get the pin.
-Booker T shown in the back. Shane tells him to stay focused so they can bring the WCW Title back to the Alliance.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. Handicapped match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The Rock vs. Booker T and Shane McMahon: Shane out first. Booker out next to a decent reaction from the crowd. The Rock gets a huge pop when he comes out. The bell rings, and Booker and Rock are face to face. Back and forth. Rock with a neck breaker, but Shane breaks up the count. Shane tagged in. Rock takes off after Shane and takes Shane down. Shane comes back and takes the Rock down, and Booker tagged in. He gets Rock down, and he and Shane quick tag to keep Rock off base. Rock fights back. He knocks Shane down and gets the Sharpshooter on. Booker comes in and breaks it up. They get Rock down, and Shane kicks Rock on the outside. Back in, Booker beats on Rock. He gets a one count. Rock throws Booker out. Booker grabs a chair and swings at Rock, who ducks and hits Booker. They trade shots, and Rock catapulted into a corner post. Booker throws Rock in. Booker with a knee drop and hits the Spineroonie. Rock tries a roll up for a two count. Booker starts to take the SAT apart. He puts Rock on the SAT. Rock fights back against both opponents. Back in, Booker chops Rock. Rock with a Samoan drop to Booker. Shane grabs the WCW Title. He goes to hit Rock with the title, but hits Booker instead. He then hits Rock with the title. JR calls for a DQ. Booker covers Rock for a two count. Shane misses a flying elbow drop when Rock moves. Booker tagged in. Rock is trying to fight both men. He DDTs Booker for a two count. Shane goes for the People's Elbow, but Rock catches him with a Rock Bottom. He hits a spinebuster on Booker and goes for a People's Elbow, but Test comes in with a clothesline and a big boot. Bradshaw comes out with a pipe and chases Test away. Referee Nick Patrick comes out and puts Rock back in the ring. Referee Mike Chioda comes out and berates Patrick. Shane goes to pin Rock, but Chioda pulls Shane out of the ring. More arguing. Booker covers Rock. Patrick shoves Chioda down and counts, but Rock kicks out at two. Chioda takes out Patrick. Booker takes out Chioda. Rock fights out of a Book End attempt and hits the Rock Bottom. Earl Hebner comes down and counts the pin. The Rock celebrates and holds the championship high.
-William Regal talks to Tajiri. Torrie Wilson comes in and begs to be in Tajiri's corner. Stacy Kiebler is then shown at WWF New York.
-WCW US Championship Match. Tajiri with Torrie Wilson vs. Rhyno: They start fighting right away. Some stiff moves as it spills to the outside. Back in, Tajiri hits some kicks. Rhyno with a charge to Tajiri in the corner for a two count. Tajiri with a roll up for a two count. The action is hot and heavy in this one. Rhyno with a belly to belly for a two count. Back and forth. Tajiri with a back elbow. Rhyno with a spinebuster for a two count. Wilson gets up on the apron. Rhyno goes after her and chases her into the ring. She twists her ankle. Rhyno goes to Gore her, only to get hit with a kick from Tajiri for a two count. Tajiri goes back to the kick. Tajiri gets the Tarantula, but can't keep it on. Rhyno hits the Gore to win and become the new WCW US Champion.
-Flashback to what led up to the Main Event. WWF Championship Match. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle: Angle gets a tremendous ovation as he comes out in his hometown 12 days after 9/11. Austin comes out, and Angle meets him on the ramp. He stomps Austin down outside. He throws Austin in. They trade blows. Angle hits a Thesz Press. Austin is hesitant to hit the Stunner. Angle puts Austin on a turnbuckle and chops him to the outside. Angle runs Austin into the SAT. Back in, Angle continues the assault on Austin. Angle hits the superplex. He continues the assault on Austin. Austin comes back with a sleeper. Angle counters with a jaw breaker. He clotheslines Austin to the outside. Austin grabs the title and leaves. Angle chases Austin and knocks Austin down on the ramp. He throws Austin off the ramp. Angle follows and beats Austin down. Austin is bleeding from his nose. They make their way to ringside, and Austin ran into a ring post. Angle takes up a ringside mat. Austin with a running knee into Angle's back. Austin runs Angle into the announce table. Angle backdrops Austin out of a piledriver attempt. Angle chops Austin. Then Austin backdrops out of a piledriver attempt by Angle. Back and forth. Austin drops Angle on the SAT. He then does it again. They trade blows. Angle thrown on the SAT again, and Austin takes out a camera man. They go at it hard in the ring. Angle holding his neck. Austin runs Angle into a ring post. He beats Angle down in the corner and stands on Angle's neck. Austin taunts Angle's family. Angle comes back with shots. Austin gets a two count. A let's go Angle chant goes out. Austin gets a reverse chin lock on. Angle battles out and gets a two count. They trade counts. They go at it in a corner. Angle gets a series of German suplexes. Both men down after the third one. Angle goes up to, but gets caught. Austin with a superplex, but Angle shifts his weight and gets a two count. Austin low blows Angle, and referee Earl Hebner admonishes Austin. Austin goes after Angle on the outside. He throws Angle in. He beats Angle down, and tosses Hebner to the side. Angle low blows Austin. Angle with a DDT to Austin, and Austin falls out of the ring. He gets back in, and Angle gets a Stunner on Austin for a two count. Angle pulls down his straps. Austin gets an Angle slam for a close two count. Austin beats on Angle's back. Austin goes for a piledriver and hits it. Austin gets a two count. A USA chant goes out. Austin goes for the Stunner, but Angle gets the ankle lock on and Austin taps. Angle is the new WWF Champion and the crowd goes wild. His family comes in the ring, and his brothers lift him up. Other wrestlers come out and congratulate Angle. They sign off from Pittsburgh.
-Final Thoughts: The main event makes this one to check out.