By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

WWE UNFORGIVEN (Raw-brand) PPV
SEPTEMBER 17, 2006
TORONTO, ONT.

-After a video preview of the big matches, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler introduced the event at ringside. They also introduced the Spanish announcers.

1 -- JOHNNY NITRO (w/Melina) vs. JEFF HARDY -- Intercontinental Title match

Ross referred to the "alleged symbolism" of the hanging IC Title from the front of Nitro's trunks, as Melina caressed and kissed it. Hardy looks like he's lost some of that excess weight in the mid-section, but he's still wearing "slimming black" instead of white. Ross concluded his mini-bio on Hardy by saying he "had a somewhat mysterious, previously undiscussed three year absence from the WWE." The crowd loudly chanted "Nitro sucks" early. Nitro and Hardy reacted to it. At 3:00 Hardy scored a two count with an Oklahoma roll. A minute later he countered Nitro's offense with a backslide, then a legdrop between Nitro's legs. Nitro bailed out to ringside. Hardy punched Nitro ten times in the corner, then dropped to the mat with a dropkick with a hard landing. Hardy then went to the top rope for a Swanton at 6:00, but Nitro rolled to ringside. Hardy gave Nitro a basement dropkick as he attempted to re-enter the ring. Hardy ran around ringside and sprung off the ringside barrier with a dive onto Nitro. The crowd chanted for Hardy as he threw Nitro back into the ring. When Hardy went back to the top rope, Nitro dropkicked him off balance. Hardy bounced twice off the top rope and then fell to the mat. Nitro then worked over Hardy's legs. Hardy took a 360 bump on a sweep kick by Nitro. He then favored his left knee. Nitro continued to work over Hardy's leg for several minutes. At 12:00 Hardy teased a comeback, but Nitro clipped Hardy from behind to cut him off. It got a bit slow. Ross and Lawler debated whether Pat Patterson was watching in Montreal or Florida. Nitro went for a corkscrew moonsault, but Hardy moved and Nitro's left knee hit the mat pretty hard. Hardy snuck in a sudden near fall with a split-legged leverage pin attempt. Hardy surprised Nitro with a Whisper in the Wind backflip splash off the ropes for a near fall at 14:00. Hardy followed up with a Swanton and scored a near fell, but Nitro put his left leg over the bottom rope to stop the count. Nitro went back to Nitro's left leg. Hardy reverse kicked out of it and signalled for a Twist of Fate. Nitro applied an anklelock. Hardy struggled and reached toward the bottom rope. Nitro yanked Hardy back to mid-ring. Hardy made a second attempt at the rope and reached it this time. Hardy kicked a frustrated Nitro into Melina as she yelled from the ring apron, knocking Melina to the floor. Hardy then schoolboyed Nitro for a convincing near fall. Nitro dove off the top rope, but Hardy turned it into a powerbomb. Melina then KO'd Hardy with her boot, pretty much right in front of the ref who ignored it, and then Nitro got the pin.

WINNER: Nitro in 18:00 to retain the IC Title.

STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Ambitious to ask them to go 18 minutes, and they worked a good match, but some of the matwork on the leg got a bit repetitive or drawn out. Overall, a strong opener.

-A trailer aired for The Marine.

-Jim Ross pointed out that Teddy Long was watching from a skybox.

-Backstage, Matt Hardy met up with Jeff backstage. He told him not to let the fact that he got robbed to get him down. Lita approached them and mockingly clapped. She asked what they've been up to, and said it obviously wasn't winning titles. She called Hardy "a screw-up" while ironically tripping over her words. She told Matt he'll never be a champion, but he can watch her beat Trish and then later watch Edge beat Cena, and then Matt can face Cena on Smackdown after Edge sends him packing just as Edge sent Matt packing last year. She strutted away with an exaggerated smile.

-They showed the Hell in a Cell hanging above the ring.

2 -- UMAGA (w/Armando Alejandro Estrada) vs. KANE

AAE did some pre-match mic work, telling the fans that if they believe Kane is a monster, they're all big red dummies just like Kane. They are really playing to the ten year olds with this mic routine. Ross said, "That may have been the world's longest introduction." Kane's ring intro then began with full pyro and red lighting. Ross pointed out it's the first one-on-one matchup between them. Kane stopped an early Umaga attack with a big boot. Umaga returned fire by clotheslining Kane over the top rope. Kane landed on his feet, then went after Estrada at ringside. He ripped off his coat and threw it to the mat. Umaga then drove Kane face-first into the mat at ringside. Back in the ring, Umaga hit Kane with a headbutt. Umaga methodically worked over Kane with a roundhouse kick and a series of punches in the corner. He followed with a running butt splash into Kane's head in the corner. When Estrada called for the Samoan Spike, Kane fought back with punches to stop Umaga. Kane fired back with a boot to Umaga's face and a barrage of rapid-fire punches and a running clothesline in the corner. Umaga staggered, but then caught Kane as he charged and slammed him to the mat with a Samoan drop. When Umaga missed a splash, Estrada made a crazy face. Kane then hit a clothesline off the top rope at 6:00. Kane grabbed Umaga by the throat and headbutted him. Umaga charged Kane, but Kane caught him and dumped him over the top rope to the floor. Kane then clotheslined Umaga into the crowd for a quick double countout call by the ref, prompting boos from the fans. They brawled all the way to the back.

WINNER: Double countout in 8:00.

STAR RATING: *3/4 - Flat, but not altogether unexpected, finish to a passable clash of two pushed monsters.

-Backstage, Vince McMahon gloated to Shane McMahon over his pinning Triple H at MSG on Raw earlier this week. Vince asked where Big Show was. Shane assured him he was just down the hall. He told Vince they had the plan worked out with Show beating down DX and letting him finish him off. Vince responded: "Only one problem with that. Unlike the country of Canada that relies on their allies to do all the work, that's my style. Instead, I'll be kicking ass and taking names."

-They showed the exterior of Air Canada Center as the song "Run" by Day of Fire played. Lawler said it's his new favorite group.

3 -- SPIRIT SQUAD (Mikey & Nicky w/the rest) vs. THE HIGHLANDERS - World Tag Team Title match

Robbie was isolated by the heels most of the match. He took a nasty bump on a dive through the ropes to the floor. Lawler said, "Robbie would make a mental note not to do that again, but he ran out of paper." Robbie got close to several hot tags. Squad hit a Hart Attack clothesline for a near fall. After a hot tag at 8:00, The Highlanders hit their finisher on Nicky, but Mikey made the save. The Spirit Squaders at ringside interfered, leading to a win. The crowd seemed deflated when the Highlanders lost.

WINNERS: Spirit Squad in 10:00 to retain the tag titles.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Decent enough considering expectations.

4 -- SHANE & VINCE MCMAHON & BIG SHOW vs. DX (Triple H & Shawn Michaels) - Hell in a Cell

Shane came out first, followed by Show, then McMahon (putting himself over as a bigger name than his ECW Champion - not necessarily incorrectly, but it's worth noting; it's almost as noteworthy that Show didn't come out first ahead of Shane). Ross did a good job during intros building up the history of HIAC matches, noting the referee, cameraman, and various wrestler injuries suffered during them. DX iced the heels for a few seconds before their ring intro music began. DX gave Show a low blow early and got in early offense. Shane took a bump off the apron into the cage and bled from the forehead. Hunter threw Vince into side of the cage, then scraped a screwdriver into Vince's forehead. Big Show came back at 5:00 and threw Hunter to ringside with authority. Michaels dove over the top rope onto Show, but Show caught him. Michaels slipped out of his grip and threw him into the cage. Hunter then whipped Show into the ringside steps. In the ring, Hunter showed light on a kneedrop onto a bloody Vince's forehead. Michaels meanwhile punched Shane in the corner repeatedly. Show re-entered the ring and clotheslined Michaels; Ross called him the difference-maker. Shane clotheslined Michaels over the top rope to the floor as Show worked over Hunter with headbutts. Vince sat in the corner and recovered.

At 8:00 Show threw Michaels face-first into the side of the cage. Vince got back to his feet and cheerlead as Shane battered Hunter in the corner. Show threw Michaels like a dart into the side of the cage. Ross called Michaels a "human lawn dart." Even though the Nitro library is owned by WWE, you don't often here Nitro's history referenced, such as this instance which called for a reference to Kevin Nash throwing Rey Mysterio into the side of the trailer way back when. Shane leaped off the top rope and dropkicked a trash can into Hunter in another corner. Show gloated in Hunter's bleeding ear. Shane was slow to get up, so Big Show beat on both the bloodied Michaels and bloodied Hunter as they replayed Shane's big dropkick spot twice. Show and Shane held Michaels as Vince took some free shots. At ringside, Vince whipped Hunter into a Shane clothesline. Shane catapulted Hunter off of the bottom ring step base into the side of the cage. They went to a close-up of Vince gloating. The three heels triple-teamed Michaels in the ring. Vince covered Michaels, but lifted his shoulder just before three. Show then gave him a cobra clutch backbreaker. Ross asked what kind of human being would want to prolong such agony.

At 15:00 Michaels came back and knocked Show out of the ring. Hunter then set up Vince for a Pedigree. Shane intervened and lifted Hunter in a Torture Rack position. He nearly fell over, but regained his balance. Hunter and Shane landed on the mat in one of those moves where you weren't sure who was supposed to be the victim of the crash landing. Even Ross admitted he wasn't sure if Hunter had countered Shane or not. Michaels then gave Shane an enzuigiri, knocking him to the floor. Vince awkwardly clotheslined Michaels. Vince unbuttoned his pant and began pulling them down. He tucked in his thong and set up Big Show for the Kiss My Ass spot. Hunter entered the ring and punched McMahon. Vince promptly pulled up his pants and rebuckled them as he "sold" the punch. Show took Hunter out and beat on Michaels again. Michaels yanked Vince into Show's path on a splash. Show made a great face when he realized what happened. Michaels and Hunter yanked Show crotch-first into the ringpost. Then they re-entered the ring and went after Shane. Michaels took Shane down with a clothesline, then nipped up. Hunter hit Shane with a Spinebuster.

At 20:00, Hunter pulled a chair out from under the ring. They wrapped the chair around Shane's neck. Michaels then dove off the top rope with an elbow onto the chair. Shane sold it like he just got run over by a rider lawnmover. Show yanked Michaels out of the ring. Show then brought the steps into the ring. Hunter hit Show with a chair, so Show fell face-first onto the steps. Hunter then nailed the steps with a chair. Show unsteadily rose to his feet. Michaels superkicked him, and Show staggered into the top rope. Vince then slowly rose to his feet, barely keeping his balance. Hunter threw the ring steps over the top rope to the floor and he and Michaels faced him weapons-free. Then they turned and yanked down Show's trunks. Vince took a huge gulp. Ross said that's the biggest crack he's ever seen. Vince begged off as the crowd laughed with anticipation. After a crotch chop, DX shoved Vince's head into Show's ass. Show then tumbled over the top rope to the floor. Vince screamed in agony. Hunter then pulled out the sledgehammer at 24:00. Michaels stomped the mat to signal for Sweet Chin Music. He nailed Vince with it, then Hunter broke the sledgehammer across Vince's back. The crowd chanted "Holy sh--!" Hunter covered McMahon and the ref counted the pin. They made a big production of selling Shane's neck injury after the match, strapping him into a neck immobilizer and a backbrace. They did the same to Vince as Michaels and Hunter celebrated.

WINNERS: DX in 25:00.

STAR RATING: ****1/4 -- That's what that type of match needed to be. All five played their parts really well. Lots of blood, big spots - both hardcore brutality and comedy - and a satisfying finish.

5 -- LITA vs. TRISH STRATUS - WWE Women's Title match

Lita came out first. The crowd chanted for Trish. Then her ring intro began. Trish walked out and enthusiastically skipped her way to the ring. Ross said Trish could become a seven time WWE Women's Champion, beating Fabulous Moolah's record of six reigns as recognized by WWE. Ross acknowledged historians have different interpretations of Moolah's quantity of reigns. At 1:00 Trish dove off the ring apron and crashed onto Lita, then followed with a barrage of punches. Trish went for a headscissors takeover while Lita sat on the top rope. Lita blocked it. Trish bridged up and the two slapped each other while sitting on the top rope. They both them tumbled to the floor. Back in the ring, Lita yanked Trish off the top rope. Lita then went for a moonsault, but Trish moved. Trish went for a pin and scored a two count. Trish went for Stratusfaction, but Lita dropped Trish over the top rope to avoid it. Lita gloated, then threw Trish back into the ring. Lita went on sustained offense at 7:00. Ross said fans may not get the storybook ending they want. Trish made a comeback at 9:00. Lita threw some bad looking punches, then covered Trish for a soft two count. After exchanging punches in mid-ring, Trish took Lita off the top rope with a head scissors takeover. Trish followed with a Trish kick and scored a two count. Lita attempted a DDT, but Trish countered with a sunset flip. Lita sat down on it. Trish countered with a roll-up, but at two, she shifted Lita into a Sharpshooter. The crowd went crazy for Bret Hart's finisher. Lita crawled toward the bottom rope, but Trish yanked her back to mid-ring, so Lita tapped out. Trish began crying after the pin as the ref tried to give her the title belt. She then held the belt in the air, then saluted the crowd. Ross said the crowd reaction is like the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup. They showed Lilian crying at ringside and waving at Trish.

WINNER: Trish in 12:00 to capture the WWE Women's Title.

STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Good match. The emotion of it being Trish's last match added drama to everything that happened in the match, and the finish was a nice gesture to Trish and the Canadian fans.

-A commercial aired for the season premiere of Smackdown on The CW.

-Todd Grisham interviewed Randy Orton backstage. Orton congratulated Trish, but added that nobody really cares about her retirement unless they're Canadian, "in which case you don't have much of a life." Orton said Trish is now part of the past. He said speaking of the past, he became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history two years ago. He said, "So Carlito, think about this, all the apple biting, the silly haircut, it doesn't change the fact that Trish Stratus is a bitch. Tonight, I'm going to make you mine." They should move Orton to Smackdown and make him Vito's tag partner with the same gimmick just to send him a message.

6 -- RANDY ORTON vs. CARLITO

They went into a collar-and-elbow hook-up at the start three times, with three stalemates. Carlito then spit at Orton's face and tackled him to the mat in reaction to Orton calling Trish a bitch. Carlito hit a nice dropkick, then played to the crowd. Orton fired back with a thumb to the eye. Orton wiped the spit off of his face. Carlito hit a springboard moonsault from each side of the ring, and his elbow caught Orton in the mouth on the second one. Carlito scored a two count. Orton bled from his mouth from the elbow. Ross wondered if he lost a tooth or if it was an internal injury. Orton came back by dropkicking Carlito off the apron to the floor. Orton did the Ron Garvin Stomp routine followed by a knedrop on Carlito for a two count. Orton settled into his security blanket chinlock at 5:00. After a long chinlock, Carlito came back with a series of moves including a nice running knee and short-armed clothesline. Orton caught a charging Carlito with a knee. Orton went for an RKO at 8:00, but Carlito countered into the back cracker. Carlito dove at Orton off the ropes, but Orton caught him in mid-air with an RKO for the clean sudden pin.

WINNER: Orton at 9:00.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Good match, with Carlito really stepping up with another match where his offense looked main event quality and not mid-card gimmick level. The chinlock by Orton was, as usual, a momentum killer.

-A long recap aired of the Edge-Cena feud.

7 -- EDGE vs. JOHN CENA -- WWE Title match

Edge came out to a huge ovation. The booing for Cena began even before his music started. Then they chanted "Cena sucks." When his music began, the boos got loud again. Cena stepped out and gave a stern look to the fans in the upper decks, then he gave them his signature "Marine salute." Cena walked past the table, ladder, and chair at ringside. Lilian announced Cena and there were some high-pitched cheers, but overwhelmingly boos. Edge's ring intro got louder cheers than the booing for Cena. The ref strapped the belt to the loop and then it was lifted above the ring. The fans chanted, "Cena sucks." When Lawler said they shouldn't be surprised at the cheers for Edge and boos for Cena because it's Edge's hometown, Ross bluntly said, "I'm not surprised, King." No Lita. The crowd booed Cena's early offense. Edge got in a neckbreaker at 1:30 for his first offensive move. Edge then went to ringside and grabbed a chair. He jabbed Cena in the gut with it. Cena ducked a chair swing and then took Edge back into the ring. Edge came back with an impaler DDT. Ross said pinfalls don't count in this one, you have to climb to retrieve the belt. Cena attempted to suplex Edge onto two chairs, but Edge escaped and dropped Cena back-first over the chairs. Edge then brought a ladder into the ring and set it up for a climb toward the belt. Cena tipped the ladder over. Edge nailed Cena with a fast clothesline. A fan held up a sign that said, "V1 fears Creative." I think he'd like them to notice him more often, actually.

Edge leaped off the ring barrier and dropkicked a ladder into Cena's face as Cena was leaning over the middle rope in the ring. Ross called it a Home Depot Dropkick. Edge ran toward Cena with the ladder, but Cena moved. Cena then hip tossed Edge onto the ladder. Cena lifted Edge for an FU, but Edge escaped. Cena charged at Edge, aiming to knock him off the ring apron to tables at ringside, but Edge met him with a fist. Edge then climbed to the top rope. Cena knocked him off balance and Edge straddled the top turnbuckle as the crowd groaned. Cena slid a table into the ring as the crowd chanted "Cena sucks." Edge sunset flipped Cena off the top rope, intending to drive Cena through the table, but they came up short. Edge then powerslammed Cena through the table instead at 8:00. With the ladder leaning in the corner, Edge ran it like a ramp and leaped over the top rope onto Cena at ringside. He almost lost his footing during the run. Edge took the opportunity to bring a couple chairs into the ring. Edge bashed Cena with the chair as Cena was trying to get back to his feet. Edge lay Cena's head on the chair, but as he wound up with the second chair, Cena tripped him. Cena then leaped behind Edge and drove his head into the chair on the canvas. Some fans began a "You can't wrestle" chant at Cena. Cena sandwiched Edge in the ladder, then with Edge in the middle of the ladder, he applied an STFU. Edge tapped out, but that didn't count for a title change. Cena had to climb the ladder.

Cena released his grip, rammed Edge's face with the top of the ladder, and then FU'd the ladder onto Edge. The crowd booed. Cena side slammed Edge, then did the You Can't See Me routine. He then spotted the ladder, climbed it in the corner, and then hit a fistdrop. Cena slid a table into the ring. Edge recovered enough to meet Cena with a stiff chairshot to the head. Edge put Cena on one table in the ring, then stacked a second table over him. The crowd rose to its collective feet. Edge climbed to the top rope. Cena got up and knocked Edge off the top rope, knocking him into the ring barrier. Cena pulled the big ladder out from under the ring. At 14:00 he slowly climbed the ladder. Meanwhile, edge climbed the other ladder, leaped off of it, and speared Cena to the mat. Edge climbed the ladder again and dove onto Cena, but Cena caught him and powerbombed him into the ladder. Edge landed on the mat and the ladder tipped over onto him. The spot looked a bit clumsy. At ringside, Cena nailed Edge with a chairshot to the skull, then re-entered the ring and began his ladder climb. The chairshot was relatively weak sounding, and Ross noted that Cena may not have gotten all he wanted on that. Cena climbed the ladder. He gripped the belt. Lita ran out and tipped the ladder over. Cena crashed off the ladder and through a table at ringside. Edge began to climb the ladder, but Cena rolled back into the ring. Lita hit Cena with a chair from behind, but Cena fell forward into the ladder, knocking Edge over the top rope through a table at ringside. Ross called Lita "an evil bitch." Cena gave Lita an FU. Lita rolled out of the ring at 20:00. One of the stacked tables fell over. Cena (conspicuously) restacked them. Cena then set up the ladder again. Edge re-entered the ring and met Cena at the top. They traded punches. Cena lifted Edge for an FU, then dropped Edge through both tables. They broke perfectly under Edge's weight. Cena then yanked the belt down form the loop to become champion again. Cena hugged his father at ringside afterward. He walked away pouty-faced.

WINNER: Cena in 22:00 to capture the WWE Title.

STAR RATING: ****1/4 -- Very good gimmick match. Worthy of the TLC history. A respect-earning performance outside of his comfort zone for Cena.

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