[2000-09-21-WWF-Smackdown] The Rock & The Undertaker & HHH vs Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit & Kane

[soup23]

The final push for Unforgiven with all six main guys involved. It was a little jarring to see HHH tagging with Rock/Taker but they did a good enough job showing that all three of those men don’t like each other. I think they did go a little bit too far here in presenting Angle as the heel as HHH gets some funny crowd popping spots over him during the match and then Angle uses the sledgehammer against HHH in the post match attack. He then gives Stephanie a long kiss and insults HHH on the mic. They really presented them two as a blood feud but there is less intrigue IMO on which side Stephanie will choose on Sunday. A minor mis step but the angle had been so spot on up to this point that it was noticeable. *** (5.9)

[AstroBoy]

Solid six-man from the principle players of Unforgiven. Kane and Undertaker work with a nice urgency here. Benoit is kind of a spoiler in this one and has a great short clothesline to put a halt to a mini-comeback by the Rock. I thought the spot with Angle falling head first into Triple H's crotch was too goofy and that whole element of the feud kind of falls flat. This accomplishes some good stuff, though. Benoit and Kane are certainly kept strong as big time threats for the title. Undertaker really walks tall and shows a mean streak mixed with some babyface assurance as he helps Rock out, albeit in the middle of a big brawl. The finish is done fine but the post-match really puts it into a better spot. A more mean and brazen Kurt was needed at this point of the feud and helped add more juice to the grudge match.

 

***

[GSR]

Something just doesn’t sit right with this match up for me.  I don’t know whether it’s the opponents for the ‘Fatal Four Way’ on Sunday being partners here, or if it’s adding Angle and Triple H to the mix, either way I’m not a fan of it on paper that’s for sure.  There’s a pretty clear face/heel divide going on too, Hunter, despite never going full on face in this feud, is obviously being positioned as such.  To little surprise the heel team struggle to get on, Benoit using a hard knife edge chop to tag in Kane who responds by grabbing him around the throat and forcing Kurt to play peacemaker.  We get a continuation on the ‘Angle is Gay’ crap as he contrively falls heads first into a prone HHH’s crotch.  Triple H pedigrees Kurt but walks into a Kane chokeslam as the four protagonists involved in the title match then brawl up the run way to the back.  That just leaves Angle and HHH who are going nowhere, while Stephanie is now up on the apron trying to get them to stop fighting.  ‘The Game’ reverses an Irish whip and sends Kurt crashing into her as she takes another spill from the apron to the arena floor.  Schoolboy and surprisingly we get a clean finish going into the PPV, Hunter continuing those ‘mind games’ by mimicking Angle’s celebrations from the 1996 Olympics.  As Triple H checks on Stephanie, Angle hits an ‘Olympic slam’.  He then collects a sledgehammer from under the ring and, despite Steph’s pleading, swings it into his ribs.  She goes to slap him, but he blocks it and then forces himself on her.  There’s no uncertainty now about whose side/corner she will be in come Unforgiven.