In my time zone,
WWF Unforgiven is now at least half a day ago. I would have posted a report then, but I was too tired, sosume.
It was a mostly entertaining afair, with a few disappointing spots. Here's some views/commentary:
The four team elimination match for the WWF Tag Team titles had some interesting bits. The Hurricane is really cracking me up as a gimmick. As a group, we just waited for Helms to give his high-pitched "What's up with THAT?" My friend Pat made me laugh when he said we needed him to cut a promo with the WCW Tag champs, just to hear him comment to "Citizen Kane".
There were many fun spots in this match, including Big Show's teased high spot in the car wreck of splashes. That actually would have made the match more memorable had it happened.
The finish was solid, but still disappointing. I mean, how many times have we seen Hardyz vs. Dudleys? The Dudleys retained.
Saturn vs. Raven just didn't click for a bout, maybe well because of the whole Moppy angle being so dumb. We did get a funny sequence with Paul Heyman making the comment to Jim Ross about Saturn breaking up the Flock in WCW. When Ross didn't comment, he made a shot to the effect of "See what happens when you don't watch Nitro?"
Christian challenging Edge for the Intercontinental title was a solid affair. I expected Christian to take the belt, for the sake of continuing the feud. I was right.
This was also the first match of the night where the wrestlers got cut open.
Undertaker/Kane retained their WCW tag team titles against Kronik. That was a pretty by-the-numbers big man match. Sadly, it also leaves the belts in the hands of the "division killers".
RVD vs. Y2J was a hot match. Jericho reused a lot of the same spots he had against Chris Benoit last year in the IC Ladder Match, but most of them have lost their lustre since. It was a match that could go longer, and wasn't as major as Jim Ross sold it, but it was pretty good.
This was also the second match of the night to have the wrestlers cut near the eye. To again quote the Hurricane: "What's up wit' THAT?"
The Angle family at ringside got interviewed at ringside. I commented to my friends on the black child shown next to them, quipped that he was either an adopted family member or a foster child (he couldn't be a child of Angle's father, as he didn't look about 14 years old). This'll be an important point later on.
The Rock retained the WCW World title against Booker T and Shane McMahon. To me, a fairly predictable Rock match - but then, I don't like him. Three referrees, Bradshaw and Test running in... this was just the clusterfrick of the night.
Rhyno against Tajiri for the WCW US title was disappointingly short and resolution-wise. This now makes two titles in a row that Tajiri dropped in a virtual squash match his first or second title defense. Plus, we've seen far greater matches from these guys in ECW before.
Stacey Keebler provided an... ahem interesting diversion, but also an interesting historical note: they're now recycling Sunny's old theme for her! Just like Kurt Angle reusing The Patriot's old theme to better effect.
Finally, the Main Event (I only intended to post comments on the card... but this has become a full recap!) More than 20 minutes, one of the best matches Austin has wrestled in ages. It also had a lot of spots with each wrestler using the other's trademark holds.
Ultimately, Angle took the victory and the title, bringing his entire family in to celebrate - including the young black child I mentioned before. I have to find out what his relation to the family is... hopefully without having to buy Kurt's book just to find out.
The WWF lockerroom emptied out to help celebrate. Much to my surprise, Sean Waltman (X Pac) was out with them... in this case, without the accompanying "X Pac sucks!" chants.
So overall, we had a PPV with some predictable resolutions (the IC and World title bouts) - but fun rides to get there - one or two disappointing ones (like Rhyno/Tajiri and Saturn/Raven), but it was a fun event overall.
