Unforgiven

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

Live from Philly in the infamous ECW Arena.


Opening match: CM Punk vs Homicide


KENTA's farewell: Miz vs KENTA vs ADR vs Tyson Kidd in an elimination match.


Natalya vs Michelle McCool(Women's Title Qualifyer)


Shelton Benjamin promo


Tag Team Titles match: The Motor City Machine Guns defend against The Kings of Wrestling


Daffney vs Eve(Women's Title Qualifyer)


Tag Team Contendership Match: The Dudley Boyz vs The Usos vs The Colons


Backstage segment with the champion and owner.


Seth Iser vs Christian


Main Event: Raven defends the XWA World Heavyweight Title against challenger Mick Foley in a hardcore match.

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

Before we begin the PPV, we open with a quick package acknowledging the passing of Paul Bearer and how we, as a whole, offer our condolences to the family and friends that knew and loved him.


Opening match was a wild stand them up type of brawl. Punk and Homicide tore into eachother for about 12 minutes. Cide with brawling tactics for his edge while Punk used more of his aerial strikes with very little wrestling. Punk soon took it with a GTS but Homicide ended up destroying half of ringside in anger.


We then followed it up with the elimination match. ADR jobbed relatively quickly to Kenta's GTS to the delight of the crowd before he ended up being submitted by Tyson Kidd's Dungeon lock. Tyson actually got more offense than Miz in the final showdown but it was the more crafty Miz that got the victory after a Raven-esq kick between the legs when the ref wasn't looking and feet on the ropes.


Natalya vs McCool was a relatively quick match. Nattie dominated with her power and techinque and quickly won with a sharpshooter.


Benjamin cut a promo in sort saying it doesn't matter if its Drew, Iser, Raven or anyone...he's a little pissed at these inmates running the aslyum and the true gold standard of professional wrestling will take control of things again.


The Machine Guns and the Kings had one hell of a fifteen minute tag match. The Guns took to the air while the Kings overpowered their quicker opponents with Claudio especally swinging Sabin and then powerbombing the hell out of him. Before they can win, AJ Styles returned and took out Hero with a belt shot on the outside and Shelley followed it up with Sliced Bread Number 2 on Claudio to retain the tag belts. Crowd loved this match.


Daffney vs Eve lasted 20 seconds. Daffney quickly won with a brainbuster.


The Dudleyz(hugely hated by this crowd after they cut a promo on the ramp ripping the city to shreads), the Usos and the Colons put together a nice match. The Colons were eliminated first after a double Uso splash but the Dudleyz soon took advantage with a 3D on Jimmy Uso. Serviceable match considering some of the limitations involved. Carried more by the heat the Dudleyz had than anything.

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

Raven and Iser has a bit of a segment almost as if they were motivating the other in a more competitive(on Iser's part) and dissing way(on Raven's part). The crowd hated both men and there was almost an earthquake because of the heat both men had.


Seth Iser and Christian then turned in an 18 minute wrestling classic where Iser kept going back to the foot and leg of Christian with the fans rooting for the veteran to keep going and keep fighting. One of the cooler spots was when Iser went to middle rope DDT Christian in an incompasitating figure but Christian, on only his good leg, Tornado DDT'd Iser to the mat. Christian went for the Killswitch but Iser went downstairs with a chopblock and kept the pressure on the leg. Soon enough, the younger competitor in Iser ended up splitting Christian open slightly with his patinent DDT and then used the sharpshooter. Christian kept fighting valiantly to get to the ropes but Iser kept pulling back and Christian then had no choice but to tap out from the pain. Iser was a bit wore out and after the end of it all, he had some garbage thrown at him from this crowd. Very very good match though both have had better. Might've not gone completely all out considering the main event.

[#HEEL Dark Lord]

The main event saw Raven defending his title against Mick Foley. Raven had the most heat of the night, as he came into the Hardcore Icon's turf. Mick Foley was treated like a GOD, as the crowd gave him a hero's reaction.


The bell hardly had a chance to sound, as Raven and Foley started throwing right hands at each other. The bout quickly spilled to the outside, which saw Raven toss Foley into the steel guardrails several times. Raven stopped to take the time to trash talk the fans, and dump a beer in Foley's face. Foley was able to counter a toss, and threw Raven into the steel steps, grounding the champion. Foley found a chair, and whacked Raven over the back, to the delight of the crowd. Foley continued to pound Raven with the chair, as the champion landed a kick downstairs, and started to walk up the ramp, seemingly to give up on the match.



Foley catches up to Raven, and tosses him into several crates backstage. On lookers quickly try and get out of the way, as Foley and Raven take turns making each other a human pinball. Raven rakes the eyes, and makes his way into the parking lot. Foley tries to run at Raven, as the champ side steps, and, Foley makes a head print with his face, into the side of the door. Foley's face is busted open, as Raven slams him into the hood of the car. The champion gets too cocky, as Foley is able to stop him, and, backdrops Raven onto the car. Outside of the shadows, Daffney attacks Foley from behind, allowing Raven to slide off the front of the car, and, onto the floor. Mick tosses Daffney off his back, and leaps off the car, elbow dropping them both. After squashing them both, Foley drags Raven back into the arena, and finds his trusty barbwire two by four, Foley quickly grinds it into Raven's forehead, causing the champion to bleed all over the place, to the crowds delight.



Mick manages to pin Raven, for a two count, as both men continue to bleed buckets. As Mick goes for the offense, Raven hits a Chaos Theory out of no where, as Mick is able to kick out at the last second. Daffney once again interjects herself into the match, as she hits a Spin Kick to Mick's face, allowing Raven to get another near fall. Daffney tries to help Raven up to his feet, but, doesn't see Mick grab A barbwire covered Mr. Socko, as he shoves it deep into Daffney's mouth. The Scream Queen shrieks loudly, as Mick applies more pressure. Raven is able to get up, and blasts Mick in the back of the head with the two by four, allowing Daffney to escape, bloody mouth and all.



With Daffney down and recovering, Raven tosses Foley to the outside of the ring, but, Foley manages to counter, and tosses Raven right into JBL. Foley climbs to the apron, and drives himself and Raven, right through the announce table. Foley grabs the limp body of Raven, and tosses him into the ring. The entire crowd was shocked, as Raven was able to get a shoulder up for the near fall. Mick took offense, and accused the ref for counting slow. Little did Mick know, Daffney was wrapping barb wire around the shooter sleeve of Raven's right arm. With Mick turning his attention to Raven, Raven blasted Foley with the Barbwire aided SALT SHAKER!!!! and was able to retain his title in the 26 minute blood bath. After the match, Raven was barely able to hold up his title, as he collapsed down to the mat, a pool of blood surrounding him. Both men and Daffney laid it all on the line, in the end, they all paid for it.

[The Messiah of Human Torture]

Al Snow reviews...Unforgiven


'Opening match...well thought out brawl between two of the most consistant wrestlers in the company. The crowd loved it though I could've lived without Homicide's post match tantrum. It fits his character though.'


'Kenta's fairwell match unfortunately to me was the weakest match on the card. Miz isn't ready for primetime for the role he's given, Tyson Kidd's still a little green in some respects and its obvious KENTA has slowed down and they're not doing much with ADR, probably the most ready of the four. Their vision, not mine, though.'


'The women's qualifyer match was a good way to get a babyface over even if I like McCool personally, I see why they did what they did.'


'Even though Benjamin's not the greatest talker in the world, I loved the heart he showed in his promo where he got across every point he needed to make. One great thing about XWA is they're given bulletpoints on promos...not a script and it showed here. Good work and an effective promo.'


'I love a good tag match and nobody has the babyface psychology of a tag match down better than the Guns right now plus nobody is as good with moves as the Kings of Wrestling are even though their psychology is a little hit and miss sometimes. Overall, good match with good story continuity with AJ getting some revenge. I'd watch this match over.'


'The other women's title match was great at accomplishing what needed to be accomplished. Daffney, while not the best worker, is a perfect monster heel for the division.'


'The Dudleyz are master heels. That's why they still got their job and not because of how many moves you can hit you retards...and honestly the Usos and Colons still have a long way to go in order to become good. They need more time learning from the Dudleyz.'


'The backstage segment got the appropriate responce considering the direction of these two characters. Job well done.'


'Christian and Iser was a perfect 1980s styled wrestling story about the younger man passing by the older man even though Iser's already an established guy. He's sort of working his way back up again with a revitalized character. They've both had more exciting matches but this was the most effective match on the card.'


'Ah...and the main event. They worked around limitations well and told a good story about the legend who would never die but succumbs to the franchise of the promotion. The only thing I'd worry about is the fans might not buy the babyface who takes the belt from him eventually because of how...dominate they've portrayed Raven. All the smarks who hate Raven's workrate are idiots because he does every little thing right as a heel. Just never book him as a babyface again...and I think they learned that.'


Overall grade: B


'I gave it a B because it wasn't their best offering. The main event wasn't the greatest in the world but it was one of the more effective ones if that makes any sense. Granted, I don't think I'll actively sort out any matches but the main event for repeated watch based on the emotion of it but its a good overall show that keeps the direction going.'