Unforgiven (2003)

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Unforgiven (2003)
Details
Promotion World Wrestling Entertainment
Brand (s) Raw
Date September 21, 2003
Venue Giant Center
City Hershey, Pennsylvania
Attendance 10,347[1]
Pay-per-view chronology
SummerSlam (2003) Unforgiven (2003) No Mercy (2003)
Unforgiven chronology
Unforgiven (2002) Unforgiven (2003) Unforgiven (2004)

Unforgiven (2003) was the sixth annual Unforgiven professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on September 21, 2003 from the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.[2] The official theme song was "Enemy" by Sevendust.[3] "Suffocate" by Cold was the song used for a music video highlighting the feud between Scott Steiner and Test.[3] The tagline was "Face Your Fear".

The main event was for the World Heavyweight Championship between Triple H and Goldberg, which Goldberg won by pinfall after executing a Spear and a Jackhammer.[4] The predominant match on the card featured a Last Man Standing match between Shane McMahon and Kane, which Kane won after Shane failed to answer the referees ten count.[2][5][6] Another primary match on the undercard was Randy Orton versus Shawn Michaels, which Orton won by pinfall after performing an RKO.[2][5][6][5] Another match featured on the card was a Triple Threat match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship between Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho and Christian, which Christian won by pinning Van Dam after hitting him with the title belt.[2][5][6]

Contents

[edit] Report

[edit] Background

Triple H as World Heavyweight Champion.
Triple H as World Heavyweight Champion.

The main feud heading into Unforgiven was between Triple H and Goldberg with the two battling over the World Heavyweight Championship. One month prior at SummerSlam, Triple H won an Elimination Chamber match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship by last eliminating Goldberg.[7][8] After the match ended, Triple H, along with Evolution members Ric Flair and Randy Orton, Handcuffed Goldberg to the Chamber and attacked him with a sledgehammer.[7][8] The next night on Raw, Goldberg challenged Triple H to a match later that night. Triple H declined and said that they will face off at Unforgiven instead. Triple H then added the stipulation were if he wins, Goldberg must retire from professional wrestling.[9][10] On the September 1 edition of Raw, Goldberg, Shawn Michaels, and Maven defeated Evolution (Triple H, Randy Orton, and Ric Flair). Towards the end of the match, Orton attacked Goldberg from behind as he was preparing to Spear Triple H. Goldberg was able to kick out of the pinfall attempt and hit Orton with a Jackhammer for the win.[11][12] The next week on Raw, Co-General Manager Steve Austin added the stipulation where if Triple H gets himself counted out or intentionally disqualified, he would lose the World Heavyweight Championship.[13][14]

Shane McMahon, who faced Kane in a Last Man Standing match.
Shane McMahon, who faced Kane in a Last Man Standing match.

The other main match on the card was a Last man standing match between Shane McMahon and Kane. On the June 23 edition of Raw, Kane was forced to unmask himself after he had lost a Mask vs. Title match to Triple H.[15][16] Shortly after Kane unmasked himself, Kane turned on and chokeslammed his tag team partner Rob Van Dam.[15][16] Three weeks later on the July 14 edition of Raw, during an interview between Kane and Jim Ross, Kane kayfabe set Ross on fire after he thought he was mocking him.[17][18] The following week on Raw, after a match between Kane and Van Dam ended in a no-contest, Linda McMahon came out to try and stop Kane from attacking Van Dam; however, Kane gave McMahon a Tombstone Piledriver on the steel ramp.[19][20] On the July 28 edition of Raw, Shane McMahon made a surprise appearance by attacking Kane for his actions the week before.[21][22] The next week on Raw, Eric Bischoff defeated McMahon after Kane interfered and gave McMahon a Tombstone Piledriver on the steel ring steps.[23][24] On August 24 at SummerSlam, Kane defeated Rob Van Dam in a No Holds Barred match, and Shane McMahon defeated Eric Bischoff in a No Disqualification Falls Count Anywhere match.[7][8] The following night on Raw, during a match between McMahon and Chris Jericho, Kane interfered and hit a chokeslam on McMahon. Shortly afterwards, McMahon superkicked Kane into a dumpster that was on fire and full of gasoline.[25][10] On the September 8 edition of Raw, Bischoff announced that McMahon and Kane would face each other in a Last Man Standing match at Unforgiven.[13][14] The next week on Raw, after both men signed a contract for their match at Unforgiven, McMahon gave Kane multiple low blows, followed by a Leap of Faith through an announce table.[26][27]

One of the main matches on the undercard was between Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels. At the previous Raw brand pay-per-view, Bad Blood, Ric Flair defeated Shawn Michaels after Randy Orton interfered and hit Michaels with a steel chair.[28][29][30] One month later on the July 21 edition of Raw, Chris Jericho defeated Michaels. In the match, Orton interfered on Jericho's behalf by RKOing Michaels while the referee was distracted. Jericho won the match by forcing Michaels to submit to the Walls of Jericho.[19][20] The following week on Raw, during Jericho's Highlight Reel, Orton claimed that he was becoming a "Legend Killer" and that Michaels was going to be the next legend killed. Michaels came out shortly afterwards and the two started brawling.[3][31] On the September 1 edition of Raw, Steve Austin announced that Orton would face off against Michaels at Unforgiven.[11][12] Two weeks later on the September 15 edition of Raw, Orton told Michaels that he was going to use him as a "stepping stone towards greatness." Michaels responded by telling Orton that if he was going to use him as a stepping stone, he had better step hard.[26][27]

[edit] Event

Before the event went live on pay-per-view, Maven defeated Stevie Richards in a Heat match. The first match that aired was a Handicap Tables match between The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) and Rob Conway and La Resistance (Sylvan Greinier and Rene Dupree). The Dudleyz put Dupree though the last table to win the World Tag Team Championships.[2][5][6]

Test, who faced off against Scott Steiner.
Test, who faced off against Scott Steiner.

The next match was between Test and Scott Steiner. Before the bell rang, Keibler hugged Steiner to make Test jealous. The match officially started when Test was giving a series of hits to the back, and series of hits to the body when down on the mat. After Test tried to get a Clothesline on him, Steiner reversed with a powerful Fallaway slam and quickly went to the cover, but Test kicked out right after the referee counted one. Steiner then continued hitting him with a series of chops to the chest. Later during the match, Test had the upper hand over Steiner, until Test went for a flying Double Axe handle and Steiner reversed it into a suplex. At the end of the match, Test tried to go for a chair shot to Steiner but, Keibler came inside the ring and took the chair, however, tried to hit Test but ended up hitting Steiner, concluding that, Test hit him with a Running Big Boot and got the pin. Therefore, Steiner became Test's property. [2][5][6]

The third match was Shawn Michaels versus Randy Orton in a match billed "Legend vs. Legend Killer." Michaels hit Sweet Chin Music onto Orton and covered him for the pin, but on the outside, Flair put Orton's foot on the bottom rope. Flair passed Orton a pair of brass knuckles, but Michaels hit Flair with another Superkick. Michaels went for a back suplex, which did not succeed when Orton hit Michaels with the brass knuckles. Orton pinned Michaels to win the match.[2][5][6]

Next was a Divas tag team match between the team of Trish Stratus and Lita and the team of Molly Holly and Gail Kim. When the match began, all four divas were battling each other. When the two legal divas were inside the ring, it was between Lita and Kim. Lita started out, getting Kim with arm takedowns, then a throw back. Through out the match, Lita's team had the upper hand over Kim and Holly. Later at the end of the match, Stratus throws out Kim and then Lita, her partner, does a moonsault to Molly Holly, therefore gets the pin. This was one of Lita's first match's.[2][5][6]

Next on the card was a Last Man Standing match between Kane and Shane McMahon. Before the match began, Kane was still doing his entrance, until McMahon popped up from behind and hit Kane with steel chair in the back, multiple times. As the referee officially called to ring the bell to start the match, Kane pushed McMahon away, to block another chair shot from McMahon. And after McMahon got back into the ring, this time he jumped and hit Kane. After multiple shots with the chair, McMahon dropped the chair and went after Kane's knee using the steel pole on the turnbuckle. Later during the match, Kane attempted to do a Big Boot to McMahon, but he moved away, and instead, it hit the referee. After back and forth action, Kane went to the outside of the ring and brought in steel steps into the ring, in attempt to Tombstone McMahon, but McMahon countered and reversed it into a bulldog. Later at the end of the match, McMahon had Kane down, near the entrance area, and McMahon attempted to do his signature move the Leap of Faith from the top of the arena Titantron, instead he missed, when Kane moved out of the way. Therefore Kane won because McMahon didn't get up from a ten count.[2][5][6]

A Triple Threat match, for the WWE Intercontinental Championship involving Christian, Chris Jericho and Rob Van Dam was next. The match started off with Jericho and Christian teaming up on RVD, both giving him multiple stomps to the back. After a couple of fists, RVD managed to reverse Jericho and Christian's, by doing a Double Dropkick (One dropkick taking down two superstars). In the middle of the match, RVD did a double DDT on the two, which brought Christian to the outside of the ring, leaving RVD and Jericho into back and forth action between each other. Later during the match, RVD got thrown out of the ring, leading to a battle between Christian and Jericho. At the time, Christian was about to jump off the turnbuckles and RVD was about to get back into the ring, but Jericho ran and pushed the ring ropes, which caused RVD to fall back to the outside, and caused Christian to lose balance and fall on his Groin before the jump attempted. At the end of the match, RVD was about to do another one of his signature move, the Frog Splash but when the referee's back was turned, Christian took the belt, and when RVD was about to land on him, instead, he landed on the belt, and Christian quickly went for a pin, and scored a title retain.[2][5][6]

Goldberg, who challenged Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Goldberg, who challenged Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship.

The seventh match was Al Snow and Jonathan Coachman taking on Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler for the commentator position of Raw. Chris Jericho came out and interfered, allowing Al Snow and The Coach to get the victory.[2][5][6]

Next was the main event, which saw Triple H defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Goldberg. The match started off with a Staredown, then separated. Triple H made the first attack when he threw a fist at Goldberg, then threw him face first into the turnbuckle. Triple H later, tried to throw Goldberg into the other turnbuckle but Goldberg reversed, Goldberg did his Signature move the Pumphandle fallaway slam with Triple H falling on his back, then rolling to the outside. Later during the main event, Goldberg tried to go for his Signature Move, the Spear, but Triple H countered and reversed it into, a Facebreaker Knee Smash. Triple H, had the upper hand almost the whole match, but after Triple H tried to go for another Knee Facebreaker, Goldberg strongly held Triple H's knee before it could hit Goldberg's face. Goldberg gave a quick kick to the stomach, later giving a clothesline. Later at the end of the match, Goldberg did a Spear and a Jackhammer, quickly got the cover, and became the new World Heavyweight Champion.[2][4][5]

[edit] Aftermath

Following Unforgiven, Triple H offered a $100,000 bounty to anyone who can "take out" Goldberg.[32] The first individual to act on the bounty was Steven Richards. He was unsuccessful, as he was quickly taken out by Goldberg.[32] Others included Mark Henry, Rodney Mack and Tommy Dreamer, but resulted in all three being unsuccessful.[33][34] On the October 20 edition of Raw, Goldberg faced Shawn Michaels in a World Heavyweight title match, after Raw Co-General Manager Eric Bischoff booked the match the week before. During the match, Goldberg and Michaels were down, along with the referee. Batista made a run-in, as he attacked Michaels and dragged him out of the ring.[35][36] He then proceeded to attack Goldberg, which led to Batista inserting a chair on Goldberg's ankle, in which he proceeded to go jump off the second rope onto the chair, shattering Goldberg's ankle.[35][36] Afterwards, Evolution gave the $100,000 bounty to Batista.[35][36] The following week, Bischoff set to present Triple H with the World Heavyweight title, after the events that took place the week before, but Co-General Manager Steve Austin intervened and announced a title match at Survivor Series between Goldberg and Triple H.[37][38] On the November 10 edition of Raw, Goldberg and Batista were scheduled in a match, which resulted in a disqualification, after Triple H interfered.[39][40] Triple H tried to injure Goldberg's knee with a use of a chair and sledgehammer. Goldberg, however, managed to get the advantage over Batista and Triple H, as he speared Triple H and attacked Batista with the sledgehammer.[39][40] At Survivor Series, Goldberg retained the title, after he hit Triple H with a Spear and Jackhammer for the pinfall.[41]

On the October 20 edition of Raw, Co-General Manager Eric Bischoff proposed that he and Co-General Manager Steve Austin face off at Survivor Series in a "Traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series match", to determine the future of Raw. The stipulation of the match was that if Austin's team defeated Bischoff's team, Austin could no longer have to be physically provoked before assaulting a Raw Superstar; if Bischoff’s team, however, are victorious, Austin must resign his position as Co-General Manager.[35][36]

[edit] Results

Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Unforgiven 2003. Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Clevett, Jason (2003-09-22). Unforgiven: Goldberg wins Gold. SLAM! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
  3. ^ a b c Unforgiven 2003 [DVD], (2003), ', WWE Home Video, Stamford, Connecticut: WWE58244',  (2003).
  4. ^ a b c d Triple H vs. Goldberg for the World Heavyweight Championship. WWE (2003-09-21). Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab Unforgiven 2003 results. WWE (2003-09-21). Retrieved on 2007-09-16.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Unforgiven 2003 results. PWWEW.net. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
  7. ^ a b c Triple H vs. Goldberg vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Nash vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho in the Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship. WWE (2003-08-24). Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
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  11. ^ a b PK (2003-09-01). 411's WWE Raw Report 09.01.03. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.
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  15. ^ a b June 23, 2003 Raw results. Online World of Wrestling (2003-06-23). Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
  16. ^ a b The Man Beneath the Mask. PWWEW.net (2003-06-23). Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
  17. ^ July 14, 2008 Raw results. Online World of Wrestling (2003-07-14). Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
  18. ^ Kane sets Fire to Jim Ross. PWWEW.net (2003-07-14). Retrieved on 2008-02-25.
  19. ^ a b Ziegler, Jacob (2003-07-21). 411's WWE Raw Report 07.21.03. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
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  21. ^ July 28, 2003 Raw results. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
  22. ^ Stone Cold can't attack Kane ... But Shane O' Mac Can!. PWWEW.net (2003-07-28). Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
  23. ^ Widro (2003-08-04). 411's WWE Raw Report 08.04.03. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
  24. ^ August 4, 2003 Raw results. Online World of Wrestling (2003-08-04). Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
  25. ^ PK (2003-08-25). 411's WWE Raw Report 08.25.03. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
  26. ^ a b PK (2003-09-15). 411's WWE Raw Report 09.15.03. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  27. ^ a b September 15, 2003 Raw results. Online World of Wrestling (2003-09-15). Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  28. ^ Powell, John (2003-06-15). Bad Blood just plain bad. SLAM! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  29. ^ Martin, Adam (2003-06-15). Full WWE Bad Blood PPV (Raw Brand) Results - 6/15/03. WrestleView. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  30. ^ Pankonin, Chris (2003-06-15). 411's WWE Bad Blood Report 06.15.03. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  31. ^ PK (2003-07-29). 411's WWE Raw Report 07.28.03. 411mania.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  32. ^ a b Raw results - September 29, 2003. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  33. ^ Raw results - October 6, 2003. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  34. ^ Raw results - October 13, 2003. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  35. ^ a b c d Raw results - October 20, 2003. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  36. ^ a b c d Raw results - October 20, 2003. PWWEW.net (2003-10-20). Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  37. ^ Raw results - October 27, 2003. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  38. ^ Raw results - October 27, 2003. PWWEW.net (2003-10-27). Retrieved on 2008-02-28.
  39. ^ a b Raw results - November 10, 2003. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
  40. ^ a b Raw results - November 10, 2003. PWWEW.net (2003-11-10). Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
  41. ^ Scaia, Rick (2003-11-16). WWE Survivor Series. Online Onslaught. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
  42. ^ a b Unforgiven 2003 results. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
  43. ^ a b Unforgiven 2003 results. hoffoc-inc.com. Retrieved on 2008-02-23.

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