WWE Unforgiven 2006 GRADED - Review

We’re here with Unforgiven 2006, a pay-per-view that took place 20 years ago today on September 17. 

Unusually stacked for a supposed ‘B’ show, it features D-Generation X taking on Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon & Big Show in a Hell in a Cell match, as well as Edge defending the WWE Title against John Cena in a TLC match (plus more!).

Live from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, it drew a sellout crowd of a shade over 16,000 people. Your hosts are Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler.

WWE Unforgiven 2006 GRADED:

Johnny Nitro (c) w/Melina def. Jeff Hardy - WWE Intercontinental Championship

Jeff is not long back after a three-year absence, while Nitro is going solo after the breakup of MNM several months earlier.

They trade arm drags to start, with Jeff getting a couple more and holding onto the arm. Jeff gets two off an Oklahoma roll and goes back to the arm drag. He gets two off a backslide and then hits a leg drop to the midsection as Nitro powders to the outside for a timeout. 

Back in the ring, Nitro takes over momentarily but ends up taking a couple of dropkicks. Jeff goes up top but Nitro bails again, so Jeff hits a baseball slide and the railrun clothesline. Jeff climbs up again, but Nitro dropkicks him and Jeff takes an ugly bump off the top rope. Nitro starts working the left leg in various ways. For several minutes, actually, with Jeff not getting much in the way of hope spots. 

Eventually, Nitro goes for a top-rope corkscrew moonsault and misses. Jeff starts his comeback with a compactor leg drop, followed by a series of clotheslines. They appear to mess up a spot a couple of times, so Jeff just hits a Whisper in the Wind for two. Nitro tries a top-rope hurricanrana, but Jeff holds on and follows up with the Swanton. Nitro gets a foot on the rope at two. Nitro goes back to the leg but Jeff hits a mule kick. Twist of Fate is blocked and Nitro goes back to the leg once again. 

Jeff kicks Nitro off and he collides with Melina, who was lurking on the ring apron, as Jeff gets two off a schoolboy. Nitro goes for something off the top rope but Jeff counters with a mid-air powerbomb. As he’s selling by the ropes, however, Melina hits him in the face with her high-heeled boot and Nitro pins Jeff to retain. 

Grade: C - Pretty decent back-and-forth match here. They had a story to tell and there were some good near falls at the end, but it felt a little long and was a tad sloppy in parts as both men looked tired.

SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long is watching the show from a skybox.

Backstage, Jeff runs into his brother Matt, but they’re quickly interrupted by WWE Women’s Champion Lita, who makes fun of them for not having any gold. Later tonight, they can watch her beat Trish Stratus and then watch Edge beat John Cena. Lita walks off looking very pleased with herself.

Kane vs. Umaga w/Armando Alejandro Estrada ends in a double countout.

Umaga has yet to be pinned or made to submit (at least on television).

Before Kane’s entrance, Estrada cuts a promo doubting Kane’s monster credentials. They throw some heavy rights to start. Kane hits a big boot, but Umaga doesn’t bump and hits a big spinning heel kick of his own. Kane sits up, so Umaga clotheslines him over the top rope, but Kane lands on his feet. On the outside, Estrada runs away from Kane, who turns into a flatliner on the floor. 

Back in the ring, Umaga hits a running diving headbutt and a shining wizard. He follows up with the running ass smash in the corner and loads up the Samoan Spike, but Kane hits an uppercut and they trade right hands. Kane gets a boot up in the corner and tees off with more rights. Clothesline can’t get Umaga off his feet, however, and he comes back with a Samoan drop.

Umaga misses a second-rope diving headbutt and Kane hits a top-rope diving clothesline, which finally gets Umaga off his feet. Chokeslam is blocked, as is the Samoan Spike, as Kane throws Umaga over the top rope. They brawl on the floor and Umaga takes a big bump over the security wall. As they’re brawling in the crowd, the referee calls for the bell as we have ourselves a double countout.

Grade: D - Not a great deal to this one, which was a fairly standard battle of the monsters with one or two impressive bumps. After the match, they continue to brawl to the back as I guess their feud must continue.

Backstage, Vince McMahon is doing play-by-play on the beating he gave Triple H on this past Monday’s edition of Raw. Shane assures his father that he and Big Show will take care of DX tonight and all Vince has to worry about is making the cover. That’s not Vince’s style, though, as he wants to kick some ass himself. DX have no chance in hell (in a cell).

The Spirit Squad (Kenny & Mikey) (c) w/Nicky, Johnny & Mitch def. The Highlanders (Robbie McAllister & Rory McAllister) - WWE World Tag Team Championships

Rory and Mikey start things off. Rory gets a sunset flip and throws Mikey’s head into Robbie’s on the apron, which gets two. Robbie tags in and works the arm with more headbutts. Tag to Rory, who does the same. Same again for Robbie. Mikey tags out, but Kenny runs into a back body drop and a scoop slam. Tag to Rory and a battering ram in the corner. Same for Robbie. They attempt a double clothesline, but Kenny holds onto the top rope and tags to Mikey, who runs into a double drop toehold and double Polish hammer. 

Tag to Kenny, but Robbie dropkicks him and he powders to the outside. Robbie goes for a suicide dive and nearly does himself in with his bump on the floor as Kenny moves out of the way. The rest of the Spirit Squad get some cheap shots in while the referee’s back is turned. Back in the ring, Robbie is your Scotsman in peril as the Spirit Squad isolate and double team him. They knock Rory off the apron and hit a Hart Attack on Robbie, but Rory makes the save just in time. 

Robbie continues to take the heat until Rory pulls him out of the way as Kenny attempts a top-rope leg drop. Ouch. That one hurt MY arse. Hot tag to Rory, who bumps Mikey with some sledges and a flapjack before throwing Kenny over the top rope onto the rest of the Spirit Squad. In the ring, the Highlanders hit a double slingshot reverse suplex, but Kenny is back in to make the save. Johnny kicks Rory in the head from the ring apron as Mikey hits a facebuster variation for the win. 

Grade: D - They tried some unique stuff while adhering to the tag team formula, but neither of these acts are very over and the crowd struggled to care. Far from awful, but instantly forgettable.

D-Generation X (Triple H & Shawn Michaels) def. Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon & The Big Show - Hell in a Cell

DX kick Big Show in the World’s Largest Bollocks to begin proceedings and then start punching the McMahons. The fans are quick to remind Shawn (and presumably Vince) that they screwed Bret. Show takes another low blow as Shawn sends Shane into the cell, busting him open early. HHH throws Vince into the steel and he, too, is busted open. So HHH grates his head into the cell and then presses a screwdriver into the wound. Back in the ring, DX try to double-team Vince but Show is up from his nap to prevent it. 

On the outside, DX team up to send Show into the cell and then the steel stairs. They continue to beat on the McMahons in the ring, but Show comes back with headbutts and a clothesline to turn the tide. Show hits a chokeslam on HHH in the ring and then powerbombs Shawn face-first into the cell on the outside. Back in the ring, the McMahons team up on HHH, whose equilibrium is all out of whack after a beatdown on Raw. On the floor, Show throws a now bloody Shawn into the cell once again.

Shane grabs a trash can and hits the coast-to-coast dropkick (a Van Terminator to you and me) on HHH, who is now bleeding from the ear. The match slows down as the heels beat up DX for a bit, with Shane catapulting HHH from the steel steps into the cell on the floor. Say what you will about the action, but everyone in this match is capable of some bonkers facial expressions, particularly Vince. Show hits a Vader Bomb on HBK as Vince goes for the cover but wants more punishment. Show obliges with a cobra clutch backbreaker and the hog log leg drop. Vince still wants more, however.

HHH is back in and low-bridges Show to the floor before setting up Vince for the Pedigree, but Shane breaks it up and hits Triple H with a rather farcical torture rack spinning neckbreaker. The announcers aren’t even sure who did what there, but Shawn sends Shane to the floor with an enziguiri before feeding into a clothesline from Vince, who takes down his pants and thongs himself up for a presumed Kiss My Ass Club induction. HHH prevents it, but Show gets rid of him. They do a contrived spot where Show goes to splash Shawn but hits Vince before DX send Show bollocks-first into the ring post. 

Back in the ring, Shane takes a flying forearm, inverted atomic drop and spinebuster. DX then wrap a chair around his head and Shawn hits a top-rope elbow onto it to kill Shane dead. Show is back up and tries to use the steel stairs, but HHH smacks him in the gut with a steel chair and then gives him another as Show is lying with his face on the stairs. Shawn with the Sweet Chin Music, as Show is KO’d hanging over the top rope. 

Vince is left alone with DX, so they pull Show’s tights down and shove Vince’s bloody face into his bare ass. Probably sanitary, isn’t it? Shawn hits Vince with the Sweet Chin Music and HHH breaks a sledgehammer over Vince’s neck to finally end this match and feud for good.

Grade: C+ - Well, that sure was something! Just a weird mix of serious blood feud and gross-out comedy. Felt like it didn’t need to be in the newer and bigger cell, to be honest, but it certainly was a spectacle (if not a good four or five minutes too long).

Trish Stratus def. Lita (c) - WWE Women’s Championship

This is Trish’s retirement match, as she announced that she was leaving weeks in advance.

Before the match, we get a nice highlight package of Trish’s career. Trish and Lita have, of course, had quite the on-and-off rivalry since they both debuted in 2000.

Lita slaps to start, but Trish gets a clothesline and a handstand into a spinning headscissors. Lita bails, so Trish hits a running Thesz press off the ring apron and fires off with some right hands. Trish hits the handstand hurricanrana off the steel steps. Back in the ring, Lita takes over and thows Trish face-first into the mat before slapping on a sleeper. Trish fights out of it, but Lita takes her down by the hair.

Trish comes back with some rights and chops. She tries the handstand hurricanrana out of the corner, but Lita counters and they take an awkward tumble from the top turnbuckle to the outside. They head back to the top rope and Lita throws Trish back into the ring. Moonsault misses and Trish covers for two. Stratusfaction bulldog is countered and Trish is thrown back to the floor. Lita rolls her back into the ring for two.

Trish fires up but Lita takes her down with a Russian legsweep and goes to the chinlock. Trish fights out of it and hits a neckbreaker. They trade punches and Trish gets the handstand hurricanrana and a Chick Kick for two. Stratusfaction is blocked, but Trish gets a sunset flip and rolls through into the Sharpshooter to a huge reaction as Lita taps out.

Trish gets a deserved standing ovation after the match.

Grade: C - That was a great finish and it’s nice that WWE gave Trish a nice sendoff in front of her hometown (which was not guaranteed by any means). Trish gets to win the WWE Women’s Title for a record-breaking seventh time, beating her most famous rival. It was a good match, not great, but it’s the moment that really counts.

Backstage, Todd Grisham interviews Randy Orton, who reminds everyone that he became the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history in this very building two years ago. Oh, and Carlito is dumb and Trish is a b*tch, too.

Randy Orton def. Carlito

Strong lockup duel to start before Carlito spits in Orton’s face and double-leg takedowns him, sending Orton to the floor. Back in, Carlito misses a second-rope moonsault, but lands on his feet and hits a dropkick for two. Orton with a thumb to the eye and hammers away. Carlito slams Orton and hits a pair of springboard moonsaults, the second of which busts Orton’s mouth open. 

Carlito gets sent to the ring apron, where Orton dropkicks him into the security wall. Back in the ring, it’s the old Garvin stomp and a jumping knee drop for two. Orton slaps on a chinlock, as he tends to do. Carlito fights out of it and hits a knee lift but runs into a powerslam. Back to Chinlock City we go, until Carlito fires up and hits a springboard back elbow and a series of clotheslines. 

Carlito gets two off a jumping flatliner before Orton cuts him off with the inverted headlock backbreaker. Orton cues up the RKO, but Carlito counters with the backstabber. Carlito jumps off the second turnbuckle and springboards  off the top rope right into an RKO (out of nowhere!) to finish things off.

Grade: C- - A rather spectacular finish to a very ordinary match. Both guys are good, but this very much felt like it was put in the ‘cool down’ spot, as opposed to the ‘semi-main’, after the cell and Trish’s emotional retirement. 

John Cena def. Edge (c) - Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match for the WWE Championship

If Cena loses, he gets shipped off to SmackDown. Edge is very much the hometown favourite here, as Cena is booed completely out of the building. That was just starting to become a thing during this era. They take a moment to soak up the atmosphere before getting down to business.

Lockup to start and Cena gets a few shoulder blocks before Edge slaps him in the face. Cena takes him down, but Edge hits a neckbreaker. Cena ducks a chair shot and gives Edge a fisherman’s suplex. Edge evades a charge and hits the impaler DDT.

Edge sets up two chairs and tries to suplex Cena on them. Cena reverses, but Edge hit him with a reverse DDT onto the chairs instead. Edge grabs a ladder and climbs up, and Cena pushes him off, but Edge lands on his feet and hits a running clothesline. Edge props a ladder against Cena’s face and dropkicks it into him from off the ring apron. Nice. Back inside, Cena hip tosses Edge into a ladder propped up on the second turnbuckle. Edge escapes an FU attempt but gets crotched on the top rope as Cena sets up a table in the ring. 

They mess up a top-rope sunset flip powerbomb spot, so Edge just powerslams Cena through the table instead. Edge then runs up a propped ladder in the corner and clotheslines Cena on the outside. Edge hits him with a chair, but Cena evades the one-man con-chair-to and hits a throwback bulldog onto the chair. Cena makes an Edge sandwich with the ladder and slaps on the STFU. Cena bashes Edge in the face with the ladder and then FU’s it onto him for good measure.

Cena hits a Five-Knuckle Shuffle off the top of the ladder and sets up a table, but Edge brains him with a chair shot to the head. Christ. Edge puts Cena on the table, then sets another table up on top of Cena, but Cena saves himself by knocking Edge off the top rope into the security wall. Cena brings out the big ladder and climbs up, but Edge brings him down with a spear off the top of another ladder. Edge climbs, but Cena powerbombs him into a standing ladder. Cena brains Edge with a chair and climbs, but Lita runs out and tips the ladder over, sending Cena through a table at ringside.

Now it’s Edge’s turn to climb, but Lita hits Cena with a chair, knocking him into the ladder, which sends Edge over the top rope and through a table for yet another spectacular bump. Cena hits the FU on Lita, which knocks over the table stack in the ring, so Cena places the table back on top of the other one. And it’s a good thing he did, because Cena and Edge fight on top of the ladder, ending when Cena hits an FU through the table stack. Cena then grabs the title to become the new WWE Champion. 

After the match, Cena hugs his father at ringside and grumpily trudges up the ramp as Edge gets checked on in the ring.

Grade: B+ - Well, they certainly saved the best for last tonight. That was quite the stunt show and a worthy pay-per-view main event, as they really put the effort in and busted out some unique and inventive spots.

Show Grade: C+ - This was a very memorable non-big-four PPV, with some wacky gimmick matches and Trish’s full-time in-ring retirement. There’s a little something for everyone, even if some of the undercard stuff was underwhelming. The main matches all delivered in their own way, however, and it’s worth checking out (or revisiting if you haven’t seen it for a while).