Unforgiven (2001)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Unforgiven
World Wrestling Federation
DateSeptember 23, 2001
CityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
VenueMellon Arena
Attendance13,855
Buy rate350,000[1]
Tagline(s)The Greatest of Battles are Fought from Within.[2]
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2002

The 2001 Unforgiven was the fourth annual

Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the final Unforgiven event held under the WWF name as the promotion was renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in May 2002. It was also the last Unforgiven held before the introduction of the brand extension
in March 2002.

The

Booker T and Shane McMahon in a Handicap match for the WCW Championship, and Rob Van Dam versus Chris Jericho for the WWF Hardcore Championship
.

The

Spike Dudley, Lance Storm and The Hurricane and Hardy Boyz (Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy) in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination match for the WWF Tag Team Championship
.

Production

Background

Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[2]

Storylines

The

promotion, World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Storylines between the characters played out on WWF's primary television programs, Raw Is War and SmackDown!.[4][5]

The predominant

Tazz.[8][unreliable source] Austin went on to throw Angle's medals into the Detroit River. On the September 3 edition of Raw is War, Angle threatened to throw Austin into a river in Toronto, Ontario, Canada if he did not give him a WWF Championship rematch at Unforgiven. Austin agreed to defend the title against Angle in a rematch at Unforgiven. Angle then told Austin that he was still going in the water and proved his point by shoving Austin into a kiddie pool.[9][unreliable source
]

Another predominant rivalry heading into Unforgiven was between

People's Elbow onto Shane McMahon, The Alliance leader.[10][11] At SummerSlam, Rock defeated Booker to win the WCW Championship.[6] On the August 27 edition of Raw is War, McMahon announced that Rock would defend the title against Rhyno later in the night but Rock challenged McMahon to a match, which McMahon initially accepted before escaping. Rock would retain the title against Rhyno.[8] On the August 30 edition of SmackDown!, Booker and McMahon cost Rock and Chris Jericho, a tag team match against the WWF Hardcore Champion Rob Van Dam and Rhyno.[12][unreliable source] On the September 4 episode of SmackDown!, McMahon announced that Rock would defend the title against Booker and himself in a Handicap match at Unforgiven.[13][unreliable source] The following week on Raw Is War, The Rock won the Handicap match by defeating Shane's sister Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Test
then on the September 17 edition of Raw is War, The Rock lost to Stephanie and Test in the same match due to interference by Shane McMahon and Booker T.

On three occasions, Chris Jericho and the WWF Hardcore Champion Rob Van Dam wrestled each other in several tag team matches with different partners.[8][9][12][14] This eventually led to a title defense for Van Dam against Jericho at Unforgiven.

The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane) defended the WCW Tag Team Championship against KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark
) at Unforgiven.

On the September 3 edition of Raw is War,

D-Von Dudley). After the match, the on-screen WCW Owner Shane McMahon announced that Brothers of Destruction would defend the WCW Tag Team Championship against KroniK at Unforgiven.[14]

After

Billy Gunn by using his feet on the ropes for leverage. He followed it by nailing Gunn with a chair to the head and finishing him off with the One-man Con-chair-to. The following week, Christian was going to finish off the WCW United States Champion Tajiri
with the same move until Edge returned and attacked him from behind, only to be restrained by the referees and enabling Christian to leave the ring and walk to the back.

On the September 17 episode of Raw Is War, Tajiri retained the

Gore. As a result, the WCW Owner Shane McMahon announced that Tajiri would defend the United States Championship against Rhyno at Unforgiven.[14]

On the September 17 episode of Raw Is War, Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) defeated Brothers of Destruction for the WWF Tag Team Championship.

Spike Dudley and the team of Lance Storm and the WWF European Champion The Hurricane. Hardy Boyz were also in contention for the titles. On the September 20 episode of SmackDown!, The Hurricane and Lance Storm defeated Spike Dudley and The Big Show. After the match, the Dudley Boyz attacked Spike and The Big Show and followed it by double suplexing The Big Show through a table. Later that night, The Hardy Boyz defeated the WWF Tag Team Champions, The Dudley Boyz, in a non-title match when Spike Dudley interfered. Afterwards, the Dudleyz retaliated by performing a 3D on Matt Hardy through a table. As a result, a Four Corners Elimination match
was made between the four teams for the WWF Tag Team Championship at Unforgiven.

On the June 21 episode of SmackDown!, Perry Saturn discovered a mop during a match against Test for the WWF Hardcore Championship.[17] He carried the mop around with him for several months. He dismissed his valet, Terri Runnels, and kept the mop, which he named Moppy, in his corner during matches. Runnels and Raven eventually stole Moppy and destroyed it in a wood chipper, which led to a match at Unforgiven.[14][unreliable source][18] On the last edition of SmackDown!, after Raven lost to Rob Van Dam in a Hardcore match, Perry Saturn charged to the ring and attacked Raven until Terri caused a distraction, enabling Raven to perform a Raven Effect on Saturn.

Event

Other on-screen personnel
Role: Name:
English
commentators
 Jim Ross
Paul Heyman
Spanish commentators Carlos Cabrera
Hugo Savinovich
Backstage
interviewers
 Michael Cole
Lilian Garcia
Jonathan Coachman
Ring announcer Howard Finkel
Referees Mike Chioda
Nick Patrick
Jack Doan
Earl Hebner
Tim White
Chad Patton

Before the event aired live on pay-per-view,

Billy Gunn wrestled Tommy Dreamer on a live edition of Sunday Night Heat. Gunn performed a Fameasser on Dreamer to win the match.[19]

Preliminary matches

As the event began,

Spike Dudley, Lance Storm and The Hurricane and Hardy Boyz (Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy). Bubba performed a Bubba Bomb on Matt, allowing D-Von to pin Matt to retain the title.[2][20][19]

The second match was between Perry Saturn and Raven. Raven attempted a Raven Effect but Saturn countered the move into a Three Handled Moss Covered Family Credenza for the win.[2][20][19]

Christian challenged Edge for the WWF Intercontinental Championship

The third match featured

One man con chair to but Edge avoided the move and attempted the same move on Christian but the referee stopped Edge. Christian took advantage and attacked Edge with a low blow, pinning him to win the title.[2][20][19]

The fourth match was a

The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane) and KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark). Undertaker performed a Chokeslam on Clark to retain the title.[2][20][19]

Next,

a chair until Stephanie McMahon distracted Jericho. Van Dam performed a Van Daminator and a Five-Star Frog Splash to retain the title.[2][20][19]

Main event matches

Booker T and Shane McMahon in a Handicap match
at Unforgiven.

The sixth match featured

Booker T and Shane McMahon in a handicap match. McMahon attempted a Leap of Faith on Rock but Rock avoided the move. Rock performed a Rock Bottom on McMahon and a Spinebuster on Booker. Test interfered in the match but Bradshaw stopped Test from interfering. Booker tried to pin Rock but Mike Chioda a WWF referee, attacked the WCW referee Nick Patrick, who was refereeing the match. Earl Hebner replaced Patrick and took over as the official. Rock performed a Rock Bottom on Booker to retain the title.[2][20][19]

In the final match on the

Rhyno. Rhyno performed a Gore on Tajiri to win the title.[2][20][19]

Kurt Angle challenged and defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship at Unforgiven.

The main event featured Stone Cold Steve Austin defending the WWF Championship against Kurt Angle. Angle performed a Stone Cold Stunner on Austin for a near-fall. Austin performed an Angle Slam on Angle for near-fall. Austin performed a Piledriver on Angle for a near-fall. Austin attempted a Stone Cold Stunner but Angle countered into an ankle lock. Austin submitted to the hold, meaning Angle won the title. Following his title win, Angle celebrated with his family until the entire WWF roster came out to congratulate him on his title win.[2][21][20][19]

Aftermath

After losing the WWF Championship to Kurt Angle, Stone Cold Steve Austin continued his pursuit for the title. On the October 8 episode of Raw is War, Austin defeated Angle to regain the WWF Championship, with the help of the on-screen WWF Commissioner William Regal. With this, Regal joined The Alliance and became Alliance Commissioner.[22][unreliable source?] Austin was also feuding with his Alliance teammate, the WWF Hardcore Champion Rob Van Dam over the leadership of Alliance. As a result, Mick Foley made a Triple Threat match for the WWF Championship at No Mercy, pitting Austin against Van Dam and Angle.[23] At No Mercy, Austin pinned Van Dam after a Stone Cold Stunner to retain the WWF Championship.[24]

After unsuccessfully challenging Rob Van Dam for the WWF Hardcore Championship at Unforgiven, Chris Jericho continued his rivalry with Van Dam and Jericho's main event push started. On the October 11 edition of SmackDown!, Jericho defeated Van Dam in a number one contender's match for the WCW Championship.[25][unreliable source?] At No Mercy, Jericho defeated The Rock to win the WCW Championship.[26]

KroniK left the WWF not long after Unforgiven. Kane and the Undertaker were reportedly unhappy with multiple mistakes made by both Adams and Clark during the match and the WWF were planning to send them both down to their developmental territory Heartland Wrestling Association for further training. However, they refused which ultimately led to their departure.

The 2001 Unforgiven was the last Unforgiven held under the WWF name, as the promotion was renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in May 2002.[27] It was also the last Unforgiven held before the promotion introduced the brand extension in March 2002, a storyline subdivision in which the promotion divided its roster into two separate brands, Raw and SmackDown!, where wrestlers were exclusively assigned to perform.[28]

Results

No.Results
WWF Championship
23:54
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match
H – the match was broadcast prior to the pay-per-view on Sunday Night Heat

References

  1. ^ "WWE Pay-Per-View Buys (1993-2015)". Wrestlenomics. 25 March 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  2. ^
    World Wrestling Entertainment
    . September 23, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  3. ASIN B00RWUNSRS
    .
  4. Discovery Communications. Archived
    from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Live & Televised Entertainment". WWE. Archived from the original on 22 November 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  6. ^
    World Wrestling Entertainment
    . August 19, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  7. ^ a b "WWF Raw is War results". Online World of Wrestling. August 20, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  8. ^ a b c d "WWF Raw is War results". PWWEW.net. August 27, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  9. ^ a b c d e "WWF Raw is War results". PWWEW.net. September 3, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  10. ^ a b "WWF Raw (July 30, 2001) Results". PWWEW.net. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  11. ^ a b Zimmerman, Christopher Robin. "WWF RAW (July 30, 2001) Results". The Other Arena. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
  12. ^ a b "WWF SmackDown results". PWWEW.net. August 30, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  13. ^ a b c "WWF SmackDown results". PWWEW.net. September 4, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  14. ^ a b c d e "WWF Raw is War results". PWWEW.net. September 17, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  15. ^ "King of the Ring 2001 results". Online World of Wrestling. June 24, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  16. World Wrestling Entertainment
    . August 19, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  17. ^ "WWF SmackDown results". PWWEW.net. June 21, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  18. ^ Clayton, Corey (September 11, 2009). "Mop top chopped". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Unforgiven 2001 results". Online World of Wrestling. September 23, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Unforgiven 2001 report". Gerweck.net. June 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  21. World Wrestling Entertainment
    . September 23, 2001. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  22. ^ "WWF Raw is War results". PWWEW.net. October 8, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  23. ^ "WWF Raw is War results". PWWEW.net. October 15, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  24. World Wrestling Entertainment
    . October 21, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  25. ^ "WWF SmackDown results". PWWEW.net. October 11, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  26. World Wrestling Entertainment
    . October 21, 2001. Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  27. ^ "World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Drops The "F" To Emphasize the "E" for Entertainment". WWE. Archived from the original on January 19, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  28. ^ "WWE Entertainment To Make RAW and SMACKDOWN Distinct Television Brands" (Press release). WWE. March 27, 2002. Archived from the original on April 17, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2012.

External links

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