WWE Raw presents Unforgiven - 09/23/03
by Scott Christ
Hello.
--Live on September 21, 2003 from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
--On Heat, Eric Bischoff made the six-man tables match a handicap match, since Spike can't compete. To counter that, Stone Cold Steve Austin put the tag title on the line. I just wanted him to put Tommy Dreamer in Spike's place. Chris Jericho and Christian made a pact to take out RVD in the triple threat match. The Coach and Al Snow talked about their match a little bit while also talking about the other matches tonight.
--Commentating on tonight's matches are Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler. They even get to tell Coach and Al to shut up.
--Heat Match - Steven Richards (230, Philadelphia, PA, with Victoria) v.
Maven (225, Charlottesville, VA): At least Maven finally weighs something.
And what a generic weight! Cheapshot at Al Snow by Lawler and Ross before we get
going. Richards shoves off a collar-and-elbow and works some boos. JR notes that
he wants his great relationship with the King to continue. That's sweet. Lawler
makes a "Female Body Inspector" joke as Maven hits a shoulderblock,
and follows with fireman's carry and dropkick. Stevie bails. Maven chases
Richards around the ring, Victoria grabs the boot on the way back in, and then
hits a slingshot somersault legdrop with Richards distracting the ref. Two
count. Neckbreaker, two count. Stevie with the running rope-assisted Mike Enos,
cover, two. Awful fireman's carry by Stevie into a full nelson camel clutch.
Maven fights up and out, then reverses a vertical suplex attempt. They aren't
calling this match at all, just hyping the PPV matches. Maven with a right,
blocks a right, right, ducks some rights and lefts, big right, clothesline,
clothesline, clothesline, off the ropes, back elbow. Maven is so excited.
Running forearm, two count. Boy they're just going match-by-match here and
segueing cleverly all over the place. Richards rakes the eyes, off the ropes,
hiptoss blocked, eventually we get to a reverse neckbreaker. Maven heads up top,
Victoria gets kicked away, missile dropkick misses. Cover, two. Double-underhook,
Maven backdrops out. Maven with a flying DDT of sorts, three count at 05'13".
Better than the average pre-PPV Heat opener.
--We end Heat with some hype.
--All my powers of expression, and thoughts so sublime, could never do channel 801 justice, in reason or rhyme.
--Opening video package highlights Triple H saying that Goldberg is a disgrace to the industry and that he watched him beat nobody after nobody (over clips of The Giant, Hogan, Bret Hart and Sting losing to Goldberg), and pretend to be Triple H. I guess, man. Way to create a story out of nothing.
--That Unforgiven logo is ON FIRE. JR and the King are over there, and Hugo Savinovich and Carlos Cabrera are over there, up by the set. For the first time ever.
--World Tag Team Championship Handicap Tables Match - The Dudley Boyz
(challengers, 555, New York, NY) v. La Resistance (champions, 485, Paris,
France) & Rob Conway (252, homeless): You have to put everyone on a team
through tables to win here. We're also going with tag format for some reason.
D-Von starts with Rene Dupree as JR says this is the Dudleys going for their
17th world tag team title. D-Von with a faceplant. D-Von gets taken to the heel
corner, tag to Conway. Hogan legdrop from D-Von. Bubba grabs Conway, Conway
moves, D-Von stops short, double clothesline by the Dudleys. Tag to Bubba Ray.
JR says Conway is a "sympathizer of the French culture, their politics,
their heritage." Lawler wonders why the French like Jerry Lewis movies and
I wonder why the Tennesseeans like Jerry Lawler matches. Haha I showed him. I
guess I sympathize with the French culture. All three heels sent to the corner,
Bubba with an avalanche on everyone. Double-team flapjack by the Dudleys on
Conway, JR namechecks the Midnight Express. Dupree and Bubba in and there's a
"we want tables" chant. Tag to Conway. Heels in control now. This
arena is smoky like the bars Vince took wrestling out of, oh man I'm on a roll.
Backdrop suplex by Bubba on Conway, crowd is alive. Tag to D-Von, tag to Dupree.
Clotheslines by D-Von, flapjack on Dupree. Reverse neckbreaker on Conway,
another clothesline for Dupree. Blind tag to Bubba, reverse 3D that may or may
not have hit. Whazzup on Dupree - D-VON! GET THE TABLES! Bubba wants a
"tables" chant, how odd of him. The Dudleys are so adorable now.
Dudleys set up a table, but here come Grenier and Conway. That rhymes. Another
table brought in by Dupree. D-Von takes a brutal irish whip through the table in
the corner, and it's 3-on-1. I guess we've abandoned the tag format. Bubba
fights, Conway hits a reverse neckbreaker. Grenier stays in the ring with Bubba,
which gives his elimination away, as the other two set up tables outside. I
forgot to mention Bubba is wearing a "SPIKE" armband, so I guess Spike
Dudley died. Bubba with chops, Grenier goes for a vertical suplex, Bubba turns
it around, Grenier is gone. 2-on-1. Table set up in the ring, Conway and Dupree
go for a double-team backdrop through the table, but D-Von moves it out of the
way. Isn't that cheating? Bubba Bomb on Dupree! The crowd wants the 3D, which is
probably the most over finisher in the company. Bubba and D-Von eliminate Conway
with the move that killed their brother Spike, and it went almost as well this
time. Bubba and Dupree are the only legal men left, but D-Von is just in there
fighting. Flag shot from D-Von, but Dupree comes back with a clothesline on
both. Dupree sets up the table in a very stupid position - off the ropes, 3D!
It's over at 10'15" and we have new champions. I'm glad they got the
belts off of them. The match was decent enough despite the confusion and
messiness of it. Conway looked good.
--Video package set to "Suffocate" by Cold.
--Test (282, Toronto, ON) v. Scott Steiner (275, Detroit, MI): Before
either wrestler comes out, Stacy Keibler is out. Steiner is so over. JR mentions
that Michigan lost to Oregon on Saturday. Piss off, JR. Stacy hugs Steiner
pre-match. Test attacks as Steiner holds the ropes for her. Steiner comes back
with a slam, two count. Elbowdrop, one and Steiner pulls off to do push-ups.
Test tries to use Stacy as a shield on the floor, but she slaps him. Steiner
pays too much attention to her and Test takes over. Steiner's a real softie for
such a babe-boning freewheeler. Full nelson slam by Test, two count. Push-ups by
Test now, sleeper locked on. Stacy slaps the mat to get the crowd going. Steiner
makes the comeback, belly-to-belly gets two. Test uses Nick Patrick as a shield
now, but Nick Patrick doesn't slap him. Steiner has this great idea to do a
double-underhook powerbomb, but it doesn't work terribly well and he just sort
of floats up and floats back down. Test with a pin, feet on the ropes, Stacy
knocks his feet off. JR says "unhand her" when Test hands Stacy, and I
follow with the obligatory "you cad!" I just want JR to call him a
cad. Is that so much to ask? Pumphandle slam from Test, calls for the booooooot.
Stacy shows the crowd her ass to distract Test (?), and Steiner gets a roll-up
for two. Test gives chase, the cad, Stacy in the ring, runs into Steiner, she
falls over, BOOT! Cover, two, NO. Test is livid, the cad. Test removes the top
turnbuckle, Nick Patrick asks him what he's doing, though it's very obvious.
When Patrick goes to put the pad back, Test grabs a chair. Stacy steals it,
swings, Test ducks, and she nails Steiner accidentally. BOOT! Cover, two, three
at 06'57". Stacy is so upset and Scott Steiner is now property of
Test, as well. This was the usual match between these two.
1/2
--WWE Home Video presents 100% Stratusfaction Guaranteed: The Collector's Edition.
--JR and the King discuss our next match, and then we get a video package. Wait, this is going THIRD?
--Randy Orton (245, St. Louis, MO, with Ric Flair) v. Shawn Michaels (225,
San Antonio, TX): Michaels outsmarts Orton early, then gets a Flair strut
in. Michaels still controlling, Orton's getting frustrated. Michaels stays in
control with the basic stuff, tosses Orton over and turns his back, Orton skins
the cat, dropkick to the back of the head, two count. Michaels comes back,
atomic drop, clotheslines, last one sends him over, Michaels skins the cat.
Flair is livid about this. Michaels up top - flying crossbody to the floor!
Hebner screams at Flair. Shawn tries to suplex Orton in, no go, standing switch,
German suplex with a bridge by Shawn (what the crap), two count. Shawn
telegraphs a backdrop, kick by Orton, Michaels with a sunset flip from the
crucifix position, two count. Orton coming back with rights in the corner, Shawn
with rights and chops, Orton with chops, Michaels with rights. Orton with
rights. Okay. Michaels with rights. I said okay, dudes. Shawn charges the corner
and posts himself. Orton distracts Hebner and Flair posts the shoulder again.
Flair is so great. Orton distracts again, Flair with a low blow. What a
brilliant, wonderful man. Hebner is on Flair's case, Orton posts Shawn again,
though he hit the wrong shoulder. Well, what can you do? Orton drops the arm
over the top rope, back in now. Held shoulderblocks, shades of Scott Hall. JR
mentions the Shawn-Vader match at Summerslam '96. Hammerlock by Orton, into an
armbar. Shawn tries to fight back - Orton gets an armbar takedown. Cover, two.
Really horribly weak hold applied by Orton, where he's seated and pulling on the
wrist with his feet against Shawn's neck and armpit. Shawn stands up with it,
which just makes it even worse because you can see how awful it is. Maybe this
is the MMA fan in me, but this is just killing me because it's so retarded.
Orton has never seemed like he belongs in a ring with Michaels in this match,
which is also bothering me. Michaels finally gets out of that devastating
submission maneuver, and we're trading rights again. Inside cradle, two count.
Orton goes for a dropkick, Shawn holds the ropes. Shawn with a dive onto Orton,
right hands. Chop. Chop. Forearm hits, both men down, just wait for it...wait
for it...wait...for...KIP-UP BY SHAWN MICHAELS. Atomic drop! Right hand! Right
hand! Right hand! Backdrop by Shawn, Flair on the apron, right hand for Flair.
Orton is dumped to the floor, Shawn on the apron, running splash (really bad
one, he's tired). Whip to the security wall, Michaels is in control. Flair
sneaking around now, Orton rolled back in. Shawn up top, Flair freaks out and
runs the apron, Shawn nails Flair, double axhandle on Orton, two count. Hard
whip to the corner, HBK gets the Michaels Flip. Orton slowly climbs the
turnbuckles, goes for something stupid from the second rope with Shawn right
under him (it looked like a double axhandle, which makes no sense), and Michaels
lifts the foot. Sweet Chin Music - caught, RKO! Slow crawl over, cover, TWO! JR
says Flair looks like "John Zook on the Florida sidelines." Some fan
he is. Orton up top, frog crossbody misses! Flair sneaks in again, right hand on
Flair, he's 0-for-3 on running in now. Flying elbow hits! Slow cover, two count.
Both men down again, wait for it? KIP-UP #2! Shawn is jacked, he's tuning up the
band like nobody's business. Sweet Chin Music! Cover, two, three and Flair puts
the foot on the rope right after the three count. The bell rings at 18'36",
but now Hebner sees the foot. Hebner restarts the match, but Flair has given
Orton brass knux. Sweet Chin Music on Flair! 0-for-4, tough night. Michaels
ducks a right, back suplex, Orton punches away, cover, three at 19'19".
I could live without the finish, but the match was better on a second viewing,
and I'm somewhat amazed they gave Randy Orton 20 minutes. He didn't really give
them any reason to do it again, though, this was all Shawn Michaels.
--Backstage, the French guys and their culture-sympathizing pal are all beaten up and healing. Chris Jericho comes in to blame Steve Austin for this. Apparently, they're behind his cause.
--Insurrextion is on the Fanatic Series this month.
--Gail Kim (Toronto, ON) & Molly Holly (Fork Lake, MN) v. Trish
Stratus (Toronto, ON) & Lita (homeless): Gail and Molly jump the gun,
but Lita manages to beat up everyone. Well, not Trish. Or the ref. Lita springs
off of Trish's back to hit an avalanche. Lita and Gail start, armdrags and a
backdrop from Lita. Kick to the gut, snap suplex. Kip-up! Tag to Trish,
flying...vagina attack? Chops against the ropes, you can tell when the ladies do
the chips if you're getting it on target, or if they're really plunking the
boobs. Trish does the matrix duck, stupid as ever. Molly drops the ropes on
Trish, now the heels might get something in. Lita argues with the ref as the
heels take over. Molly in with Trish now, Molly gets a dragon sleeper. Lets go,
tag to Gail Kim. Gail is like, "I'm sexy, right? Right? Oh yeah. You want
this." Sorry Gail but I kind of don't. Gail with a dragon sleeper, Trish
very slowly climbs the ropes to hit a reverse DDT out of it. Molly runs over and
drops Lita off the apron, and Lita hits just a bit harder than she might have
wanted to, because she's bleeding from the mouth. Lita had the tag, but the ref
missed it. Double-team boston crab/camel clutch by the mean girls, backbreaker
by Molly. Double-team suplex, Gail misses a flying legdrop. Tags to Molly and
Lita, and Lita has shitty clotheslines and a terrible dropkick for all. Whoa, a
crappy monkey flip! Terrible punching! Lita sucks. Awful spinning headscissors.
Litabomb on Gail, Molly comes from behind and heads up top, but Trish sneaks in
with her handstand rana thing. UHHHHH!? Reverse Twist of Fate by Lita. She heads
up - Litasault that nearly kills her! That's it at 06'46".
1/2
--Video package.
--Last Man Standing Match - Kane (320, homeless) v. Shane McMahon (235,
Greenwich, CT): Kane isn't wearing a top anymore. Really threw me off at
first. Shane attacks with a chair during Kane's entrance, here we go. More hard
chairshots, Kane is down for the count already. Kane's up at four, another
chairshot. Count is on again, up at six. Hard chairshot to the knee, this idiot
doesn't know what he's doing. Knee wrapped around the ringpost now, Kane kicks
him away. Chop block by Shane, nice of him to actually chop block him two times.
Kane's head is repeatedly thrown into the steps as JR and the King try to
convince me of Kane's monsterhood. Three left jabs, but Kane shoves him over the
wall and into the crowd. Kane is bleeding from the back. Shane on the wall,
jumps, Kane tries to catch him and slam him, but Shane can't jump high enough,
and it's just like, a caught belly-to-belly or something. Shane's down, up at
five. Down again, Shane's up at eight. In the ring now, Kane is in control. Kane
sets for the tombstone, but shakes his head and lets him go. Kane talks some
trash about Shane's mom or something. Kane brings the bottom (tall) part of the
ringsteps in now. Kane goes for the tombstone on the steps, but Shane slides
down and bulldogs him. Shane beats him up some, Kane is in the corner, Shane
rams the steps into him a few times. More step-ramming. Shane leaves them
standing in front of a seated Kane, heads across the ring - Van Terminator hits!
"Holy shit" chant. JR: "Those steel steps are not made of
Hershey's chocolate!" The referee is dead and gone, so no one is counting.
Crowd wants it one more time, fat chance with that. Shane makes his way over,
but Kane shoves the steps over onto him. Charles Robinson is back, both men are
down. Kane's up at seven, Shane's up at nine. Shane tossed over the top. Fight
up the aisle and to the stage. Kane flings him into the Unforgiven sign that was
on fire earlier. It was assumed by myself that Kane would magically reignite the
sign and throw Shane into it, but that was not to be. He just throws him into it
a couple more times. Lawndart spot into the Spanish announce table, and the
Spaniards have bailed. Kane gets the monitors and such out of there, then shoves
the table over onto Shane. Or did he??? He didn't, because Shane moved. Shane is
on the attack, and hits him with a...thing. I don't know what it is but it
sounds cool, which I figure is what they agreed on. Boom camera clothesline!
Kane's down, the camera is cracked and we get some cool replays with that
camera. Kane up at nine. Shane with a bunch of cables, trying to choke him out.
Crazy punches on top of the stage, chokeslam? No, low blow and a DDT. Shane with
some monitor shots and kicks. Kane is down, Shane is looking up. One last
monitor shot, and Shane is ready to climb. Shane starts climbing, Kane is down
for about a 27-count here but let's ignore that, alright? Shane falls off and
through the stage and that's it at 19'51". It's nice that Kane
couldn't put Shane away by himself and basically won via suicide. This match was
long and uninteresting. Why do I care about Shane McMahon? Shane is carted out
and gets an ovation.
--Backstage, Stone Cold is watching TV and Chris Jericho is here to interrupt him. Jericho blames Austin for creating a monster with Kane, and for screwing La Resistance out of the tag team title. Austin tells Jericho to take his best shot if he has a problem, but Jericho won't throw a punch. He's going to make him crack.
--Feel the attitude and intensity of WWE Live.
--More replays of the Shane bump.
--Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match - Christian (champion,
224, Toronto, ON) v. Chris Jericho (challenger, 230, Winnipeg, MB) v. Rob Van
Dam (challenger, 235, Battle Creek, MI): Jericho and Christian start with
the double-teaming right away. RVD with a double dropkick, he seems...like he
just woke up. RVD to the apron, kick to Christian on the floor, Jericho tries to
suples Van Dam back in, but RVD reverses. JR is making note that the crowd is in
stunned silence. Well, they're in silence anyway. RVD with a moonsault onto both
of them. Christian rolled back in, slingshot legdrop from RVD, two count.
Rolling monkey flip by Van Dam, two. RVD with a hard spin kick, Jericho flies in
with a dropkick on RVD. Two count. Van Dam almost falls down reversing an irish
whip, then gets a standing moonsault for two. Deeeead crowd. Christian trips Van
Dam and pulls him out, then throws him into the steps. Christian takes time to
taunt, Jericho rolls Van Dam in for two. The heels start the double-team again.
Double back elbow. Deeeead crowd. Christian whips Jericho to the corner toward
RVD, who then flips, but Jericho doesn't duck, or something, and goodness. No
way to explain that one. Way to redo it, guys, but at least they didn't do the
flip this time. Enzuigiri from Jericho on RVD, two count. Deeeeead crowd. I
think I just heard someone in the rafters fart. RVD with a double DDT out of a
flapjack, two count on Jericho. Deader crowd. Wow, Van Dam is in slow motion.
Van Dam with a somersault plancha on Christian, three people clap. No one else
does ANYTHING. I just heard one guy whistle. Jericho with a chinlock, that's a
good idea. At this point. In the match. With a dead ass crowd. Hey where's
Christian. The announcers sell some Shane death injuries. Walls of Jericho on
RVD! RVD makes his way toward the ropes, Jericho pulls him back to the center of
the ring. Christian finally makes it back in, shoves Jericho off, covers RVD,
two, Jericho breaks it. Jericho is on Christian now. RVD bails, Christian and
Jericho fight it out to the floor. Back in, Jericho hits a flying elbow thrust
for two. Chop, whip to the corner, out, bulldog is ducked, Christian with a
reverse DDT, Christian with the feet on the ropes, Nick Patrick sees it. Van Dam
on the apron, Christian up top, Jericho nails RVD, Christian is crotched as a
result. Jericho hits a superplex. RVD in with both men down, covers Christian,
gets two. Jericho and Van Dam go at it. RVD springs out of the corner with a
crossbody for two. Hard kick on a telegraphed backdrop, Jericho hits the
bulldog. Lionsault, RVD moves, Jericho lands on his feet, spinning heel kick
from RVD. Van Dam with a cartwheel moonsault, cover, Christian off the top, Van
Dam moves, flying elbow hits Jericho. Van Dam covers, two. RVD gets a
drop-toehold on Christian, sending him into the SUPER GAY position (which is a
pin on Jericho but who's counting?). RVD hits the five star frog splash on both
men, everyone's down. RVD covers Jericho, Christian breaks it at two. RVD tosses
Christian out, high kick on Jericho. Jericho up top with his back to the ring,
Van Dam is under him for an electric chair drop, no go. Christian is in now for
a powerbomb under Van Dam, and they have stolen that Diamond/Swinger-AMW spot
pretty successfully, since the crowd is finally into it to some degree.
Christian covers Van Dam, another two count. Cover on Jericho, foot on the rope.
Christian tries to use the belt, it's not gonna happen - Van Dam slingshots
Christian, which knocks Jericho off the apron, and gets a roll-up on Christian
for two. Jericho knocked off the apron again, Van Dam goes for the five star on
Christian, Christian gets the knees + belt up, cover, three at 19'02"
to retain. The work here was fine past the early part, but it was just that
nothing really went right.
1/4
--Backstage, Mark Loyd is with Triple H. A lot of people feel Goldberg is the one guy that can beat HHH, but he doesn't agree. The gist of this is that Goldberg's WCW career was meaningless, and now he's in the real world where HHH will kick his ass.
--Video package.
--Jonathan Coachman (weightless, Kansas) & Al Snow (weightless, Lima,
OH) v. Jim Ross (fat, Oklahoma) & Jerry Lawler (weightless, Memphis, TN):
No reaction whatsoever for Coach and Snow, and there won't be commentators for
this match. Why not have Bischoff and Austin call the match? Or Mark Loyd and
Lita (that's Cubs' joke)? JR has the Oklahoma jersey, Coach has the Kansas State
shirt. Real Big XII rivalry here. I guess Snow is from the MAC and Lawler is the
SEC. The wrestlers start, couple of pin attempts to get going. Lawler with a
shoulderblock, two count. Snow sweeps the legs, one count. Coach wants a tag,
Ross is talking trash, Snow tells JR to shut his piehole, JR responds with
"shut up." This is weird. Lawler with some rights, flying punch.
Snapmare, fistdrop, two count. Snow with a rolling cradle, two count. This is
WEIRD. And bad. Clothesline by Snow, two count. Al is upset. Into a resthold
after three minutes. Did I just say...three minutes? Backdrop by Snow, then he
gets in JR's face. Coach tells Al to do it again, and for whatever reason Al
decides that he should take Coach's wrestling advice. JR calls the spot for him,
Lawler counters with the piledriver. Cover, two, Snow gets the foot on the rope.
Coach tags Al, who isn't really thrilled with this development. Cover, two.
Cover, foot on the rope. Coach wants to go for the bronco bust, Lawler moves.
Lawler has taken the advantage now, bunch of right hands. King to the second
rope - fistdrop connects. Cover, two, Snow breaks the pin. Tag to JR, Snow is in
his face, low blow for Al Snow. That rhymes. Clothesline on Snow, he's out to
the floor. JR with some kicks on Coach, mount and pummel but Coach is covering
up. The crowd really loves JR, even with how weak this looks. Coach: "Not
the face!" Chris Jericho just dropkicked JR in the back of the head! Coach
is covering, ref is in, one, two, three at 08'15". Oh goodness me.
Lawler and Snow did what they could, this could've been way worse. 1/2
In the aisle, Mark Loyd asks Jericho why he do that to the guy. Jericho did it to break Austin.
--Video package.
--JR and the King give us a tearful goodbye and promise to call the hell out of this match. JR makes it seem very important, which is nice.
--World Heavyweight Championship Match - Triple H (champion, 272,
Greenwich, CT) v. Goldberg (challenger, 280, Atlanta, GA): Remember, HHH can
lose the title by DQ or countout, but if Goldberg doesn't win, he's gone. This
hasn't even started and JR really is calling the hell out of it. Earl Hebner
explains the stipulations in the middle of the ring, we get a staredown, and now
we circle. Goldberg chants are big. Collar-and-elbow, Goldberg works it to the
corner. Break on three, but HHH gets a right hand in. Goldberg gets a press slam
and flexes like a true beefcake stud man. HHH bails, Goldberg unwisely breaks
the count, and HHH is back in and a bit rested. HHH works the arm, goes for a
vertical suplex, Goldberg isn't budging. Roll the dice by Goldberg. HHH comes
back with a hotshot, and tries to dump Goldberg out, but Goldberg comes right
back. Goldberg with shoulderblocks, kneelift and right hands. Kick to the gut,
double-underhook suplex! Goldberg sets for the spear, everyone is hot - charge,
HHH hits the high knee. HHH rams Goldberg's shoulder into the ringpost. Goldberg
on the apron, HHH on the middle rope, forearm shot to the back as Goldberg tries
to get in. Cover, two. JR is hyping both guys equally, putting a great emphasis
on Goldberg's vertical base being the advantage he holds. Knee wrapped around
the ringpost, HHH is in control. Chop block by HHH. Figure-four! HHH uses the
ropes for leverage. Great bit - Goldberg pulls him to the center of the ring so
he can't use the ropes. Goldberg turns it over! HHH goes for the kneedrop,
Goldberg blocks and gets back to his vertical base. Kick to the sternum.
Goldberg is selling the arm well. Tilt-a-whirl powerslam, cover, two. To the
floor, HHH gets his head rammed into the steps, and then gets whipped into them.
Back in, HHH has bladed. Goldberg goes for a powerslam, HHH slides down and
shoves, Hebner is bumped to the floor. Low blow from HHH, DDT spikes him. HHH is
outside, and he has the sledgehammer. Shot to the jaw! HHH still has the hammer
inside, SPEAR! Goldberg gets rid of the evidence, here we go - Jackhammer!
Cover, Earl is in, two, three at 14'54"! New champion, thank damn god. HHH
phoned this in a bit but he was limited. They made Goldberg look tough with the
sledgehammer bit, and hey, he's also over. What a thing for the champion to be.
The match wasn't great, but the commentary sold it.
Okay, the good. They had very, very little on the backstage skit bullshit this time, which was a very welcome change. The matches were longer and had time to do things. The bad is that most of the matches were average at best, and the match of the night was nothing anyone will remember. They started a "new era" here but things still suck on this side. They can't really have a good champion because the list of credible challengers is tiny either way. I could go on, but it's just repeating everything someone else has said a billion times, so I just won't.