Unforgiven
Matt Hardy deafeats Mark Henry, Chavo Guerrero, Finlay and The Miz to win the ECW in a Championship Scramble Match
Synopsis: Matt Hardy and the Miz started the match and seemed to have forgotten they were wrestling on a Pay Per View and instead must have thought they were at house show as they exchanged chinlocks and basic moves. Chavo Guerrero added a little spice to the action as they exchanged move interesting offence. Business really picked up when your most improved superstar of 2008 Mark Henry entered the ring and destroyed everyone with press slams, farewells and world's strongest slams and picking up a pin along the way. Henry smartly used bearghugs to neutralize the action. Finlay came in and we had a pretty exciting conclusion to the match with a variety of finishers and Matt getting a pin with about two and half minutes to go with a twist of fate on Miz that cut him wide open. The last few minutes were chaos (which played nicely into the gimmick) and Matt Hardy won when Henry couldn't get a three count after serveral attempts.
Overall Thoughts: This was the best translation of the gimmick creating a realistic action and logic conclusion without making anyone out to look like a total bafoon. The wrestling was basic but solid and their was a decent amount of drama created by the stipulation. Henry, oddly, was the only worker who up the energy levels. Good opener. (**1/2)
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Cody Rhodes & Ted Dibiase defeated Cryme Tyme to retian the World Tag Team Titles with a reversed small package.
Synopsis: The psychology was the most basic tag team formulae, JTG took an extended unisinpired beatdown for the first eight minutes before Shad got the tag, both teams teased victory before Ted Dibiase tunred a small package over to retian the titles. Post match Afa Jnr. debuted to beat down Cryme Tyme and form a legacy grouping.
Overall Thoughts: This was a 1980s house show match without doubt, very basic, very safe, and very forgettable. This match type would have worked a treat if the crowd were hot for Cryme Tyme, but they were anything but. Tonights Ohio crowd was a stinker as well as a non-sell out. Shad looked sharper and tighter in the ring than usual, but this match despite a strong position on RAW did nothing for the workers involved. WWE could do with a veteran tag team to help these guys out, maybe signing Team 3D for a month or two wouldn't have been such a bad idea.
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Shawn Micheals defeats Chris Jericho by TKO in an unsanctioned match.
Synopsis: Shawn's arm was heavily protected and there were definitely some scary moments in this brutal all out brawl. Micheals beat the tar out of Jericho and they played up to all the subtlies of the storyline through out. Shawn used a fire extinguisher to blind Jericho, Shawn also refused to finish Jericho with a superkick early. Lance Cade played his roll well to give Jericho the advantage as the heels worked over the arm. Shawn took the big bump with a flying elbow from the top rope through the announce table on Cade and Jericho. The finish was very well done with Micheals convaying hatred and regret and he went after Jericho's eye pounding him into unconsciousness which Jericho sold for three minutes without moving while HBK made his way to the back.
Overall Thoughts: Considering Micheals limitations this match was superb, excellent plotted out and the emotions being conveyed and execution from everyone involved was brilliant. Best of all they had an all out brawl without using unguarded shots to the head. Can't really give them enough credit for how well they pulled this match with so many limitations. Incredibly satisfactory conclusion to the fued of the year. (****)
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Triple H defeated Jeff Hardy, MVP, Shelton Benjamin and The Brian Kendrick to retain the WWE in a Championship Scramble Match
Synopsis: The match started terribly as it was clear that they were toning it down as to not show up Triple H. Jeff was on awful form in this match, needing a rest hold after two minutes of slow action to regain his breath. Hardy went on to miss a whisper in the wind, a front flip plancha, a mule kick and he completely blew the counter of The Kendrick (Sliced Bread). That said the match picked up when MVP and The Brian Kendrick entered the match. Kendrick was without doubt the break out star, his selling was top notch and his offense while reigned in (you don't want heels to get cheered do we) was unique and impactful. I have to admit marking out when Kendrick pinned Hardy and the screen read Brian Kendrick current WWE Champion. Kendrick would of course go onto to be pinned three times in a row but no doubt he made his name and got his gimmick over. When the gargantuan Triple H entered the ring, he had all the athletic guys pinging around the ring for him. Despite this the action was good an dramatic the finish saw Triple H get a pedigree and a last minute pin with Jeff Hardy watching him do it!
Overall Thoughts: This was the best scramble match but terribly pulled off. Hardy was just awful tonight forget botching all the spots he totally blew the finish. Had things gone according to plan Hardy would have got up as the ref's hands smacking the mat for a three count as Triple H pinned Kendrick and would have dived for a cover on Shelton as the time expired. As it played out Jeff Hardy who had the winning pin fall already, got up just as Triple H began to pin Kendrick had three seconds to take two paces or one dive to break up the pin but instead he stood there looking like a retard watching Triple H get the pin and then a two went for a pin on Shelton. THIS MAKES NO SENSE, HE ALREADY HAD THE PIN! THE CROWD WERE COUNTING DOWN THE FINAL SECONDS. JEFF HARDY FUCKS EVERYTHING UP, HE'S A RETARDED JUNKY. They will have to cover for him big time on Smackdown. (***1/4)
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Michelle McCool defeats Maryse Oullett to retain the Diva's Title.
Synopsis: The crowd just plain shat all over this match. Which is a shame because the two Divas put on a perfectly acceptable time filling Diva's match with some good athelticism and intensity. Michelle won with the front suplex.
Overall Thoughts: Fine effort from two women who are clearly attempting to learn their craft. (*)
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Randy Orton gave Afa, Cody and Ted a team talk about how they have proven nothing too him tonight. Later Orton confronted Punk and they had a war of words. Cody, Afa and Rhodes assualted Punk and Randy knocked him out with the punt of doom. Orton was simply brilliant tonight.
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Undertaker came out to kill Vickie Guerrero who had just confronted Big Show. In an incredibly long and boring beatdown, Big Show turned heel knocked out Undertaker and allowed Vickie to slap and spit on him.
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Chris Jericho defeated Kane, Batista, Rey Mysterio and JBL to win the World Heavyweight Title in a Championship Scramble match.
JBL and Batist started this match with some incredibly clunky and incredibly funny action to kick off the contest. JBL was then basically taken out and spent the most of the match on his arse (hiliariously). Kane came in and we had to endure another terrible five minutes of Kane vs. Batista with Kane picking up a pin before Batista got one of his own. Rey came in and added energy but did nothing to add polish to the match up. The only really interesting drama came when Rey turned on Batista in the context of the match. With CM Punk unable to complete the main drama was generated from the mystery of who would replace Punk. Jericho's music hit and Jericho hobbled to the ring, it took about two minutes for him to reach the ring. Batista speared everybody and picked up a pin. Jericho however played up to the gimmick cleverly by hiding for the entire match and sneaking in with a last minute pin.
Overall Thoughts: Awful Match, clunky, ugly and uninteresting. The replacement rule was in full effect in this one. Jericho at least did the realistic thing, hiding and waiting for the last possible moment to sneak a pin. Batista looked pretty dumb in this one, but he always does and it fitted his "destroy everyone" tactic. The suprise finish just about covered up for an abortion of a match. (1/2*)
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Overall Thoughts: The Shawn Micheals match is worth watching the PPV for if you have the abilty to fast forward. The Scramble Match wasn't particularly interesting and had no logical build up but did create some interesting drama. I would neither be happy nor unhappy if the Scramble match was to become a regular feature, although preferably not three in one night. So I can't recommend that anyone buy this show, but if you can get it for three its an enjoyable and light three hours with a one top match.
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