UNFORGIVEN

Unforgiven has been held in September since the 1999 edition, originally being an “In Your House” event in April 1998. It became a Raw-only event in 2003, but opened itself to every brand in 2007. Much of the time, it has served as a “revenge” event to compliment SummerSlam, much like Backlash does for WrestleMania.

UNFORGIVEN: IN YOUR HOUSE 1998 – Sable vs. Luna Evening Gown match
In the WWE’s first ever Evening Gown match, Sable and Luna continued their fierce rivalry in what then was a pretty unconventional match. Luna had Goldust in her corner, while Sable was seemingly on her own, as her husband Marc Mero was too embarrassed to accompany her: (Match starts at 3:40.)

UNFORGIVEN 1999 – Chyna vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/ Miss Kitty) – Intercontinental Title match
Chyna and Jeff Jarrett faced off in an Intercontinental Title match, and with Miss Kitty and Debra in the mix, things were sure to go haywire. With an overturned decision and heavy referee involvement, this match was anything but ordinary:

UNFORGIVEN 1999 – Ivory vs. Luna – Hardcore match for the Women’s Title
Ivory defended her Women’s Championship against Luna in a kind of Hardcore match you never see these days – the ladies took brutal bumps as they tore through the backstage area, creating plenty of chaos along the way:

UNFORGIVEN 2002 – Molly Holly vs. Trish Stratus – Women’s Title match
Molly Holly was the reigning Women’s Champion, and resident underdog Trish Stratus looked to once again become Champion. Trish perfected her role as the underestimated challenger as Molly looked to remain a dominant champion and effective heel:

UNFORGIVEN 2003 – Trish Stratus & Lita vs. Molly Holly vs. Gail Kim – Women’s Title match
Relative newcomer Gail Kim had recently turned heel, and her hooking up with Molly Holly proved tough for Trish Stratus to handle. The two double-teamed Trish for weeks until Lita made her triumphant return from her neck injury, coming to Trish’s aid and setting up this match:

UNFORGIVEN 2004 – Trish Stratus vs. Victoria – Women’s Title match
Trish Stratus, now a heel, looked to successfully defend her Women’s Title against fan-favorite Victoria. Trish had Tyson Tomko by her side, so it was safe to say that Victoria had the odds stacked against her:

UNFORGIVEN 2005 – Trish Stratus & Ashley Massaro vs. Victoria & Torrie Wilson (w/ Candice Michelle)
With Ashley getting plenty of abuse from the trio dubbed “Vince’s Devils” – Victoria, Candice Michelle, & Torrie Wilson, it soon came time for Trish Stratus to even the odds a bit. Thus, the challenge was made for Trish & Ashley to take on the trio in a match that seemed to be even – a Tag Team match. Yet, with Candice at ringside, “Vince’s Devils” definitely weren’t playing fair:

UNFORGIVEN 2005 – Edge (w/ Lita) vs. Matt Hardy – Cage match
The rivalry between Edge and Matt Hardy had everything to do with Lita, and she was doing everything possible to thwart her former flame’s plans for revenge. Towards the end of this intense Cage match, Lita got heavily involved and was in danger of paying dearly for her actions:

UNFORGIVEN 2006 – Lita vs. Trish Stratus – Women’s Title match
Their rivalry spanned 6 years, on-and-off, and this match was set to settle the score. Lita was the cocky Women’s Champion, and Trish Stratus was competing in her very last WWE match, hoping to squeeze in one more Women’s Championship reign before retiring from the ring:

UNFORGIVEN 2007 – Candice Michelle vs. Beth Phoenix – Women’s Title match
Resilient Women’s Champion Candice Michelle found her second feud as Champion with Beth Phoenix, who had recently returned to the roster after being on the injured list for an extended period. Beth was a monster in the ring, decimating her opponents. Though, ever overcoming the odds, Candice was determined to not relinquish her Title:

As you can see, the Women’s Championship has been defended numerous times at Unforgiven. With the show’s lengthy history as a Raw brand show, it’s clear that it was in need of some SmackDown Diva involvement, and that’s just what it will get tonight. It’s fitting, though, that after the many times the Women’s Championship has been contested on this very Pay-Per-View, the Divas Championship will see its first defense. Will tonight’s match hold up against the ones you’ve just seen? Here’s hoping!

Now for that quiz I mentioned. Below, I’ve posed several questions pertaining to each of the matches I’ve covered above. Get your #2 pencils sharpened, because the quiz starts… now! (Hover over the question to see it in full.)

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH

The Great American Bash was originally an NWA event, starting in 1985 and rumored to have been “invented” by ring legend Dusty Rhodes. In 1991, WCW took over the reigns and held the annual PPV until WWE bought the company. It wasn’t until 2004 that the WWE resurrected the summer event, keeping the familiar name and patriotic theme. Every year since, there has been a Diva match of some kind, ranging from Bra & Panties matches to tussles for the Women’s Championship. Needless to say, the Bash in never predictable..

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2004 – Sable vs. Torrie Wilson
Sable and Torrie were long-time rivals on SmackDown, and it was inevitable that the two would face off in an actual match after the long run of bikini contests and other more T&A-oriented affairs. Torrie, ever the patriotic one, donned a star-and-stripes attire and had the full force of the fans behind her as she took on her arch rival:

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2005 – Melina vs. Torrie Wilson – Bra & Panties match (Candice Michelle as referee)
Melina and Torrie had a short-lived feud in the summer of 2005, but it wasn’t without it’s own share of fireworks. Prima-donna Melina challenged Torrie to a match, and the SmackDown veteran upped the ante, making it a Bra & Panties match. Melina was not keen on the idea of possibly being “exposed”, but went ahead with it nevertheless. Candice, Torrie’s then-BFF, served as referee for the match, being pulled into the feud after Melina attacked her for seemingly no reason. For such a quick feud, the two seemed to have plenty of distate for one another, and with Candice tossed into the mix, this surely was not going to be a by-the-books matchup:

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2006 – Ashley Massaro vs. Jillian Hall vs. Kristal Marshall vs. Michelle McCool – Four-Way Bra & Panties match
Michelle and Kristal were snotty heels back in 2006, aligning themselves against the babyface duo of Jillian and Ashley in various matches and encounters. However, these allegiances meant nothing as the four went up against one another, every woman for herself, in a Bra & Panties match:

THE GREAT AMERICAN BASH 2007 – Candice Michelle vs. Melina – Women’s Title match
Candice and Melina became fierce rivals pretty fast – Candice gained a series of upsets over Melina, angering the arrogant Diva and prompting her to put her Women’s Championship on the line against the less-experienced Candice. When Candice pulled out another upset, she walked off with Melina’s title. Melina was determined to win back her belt, coming in focused and most definitely angry in a long and surprisingly technical match against the popular new Women’s Champion, determined to not let yet another upset go down:

With only one Championship match in the Bash’s history, tonight’s Divas Championship match has the potential to knock the rest of them out of the water. Not only is it a history making match, being the first time the Champion is to be crowned, but it features two of the most promising Divas in the WWE, both with bright careers ahead of them. Honestly, I’m just glad that there’s not another Bra & Panties match this year. I’m definitely counting on this year’s Bash to upstage the others in a big way.

Now for that quiz I mentioned. Below, I’ve posed a question for you based on the required reading (er, viewing..) above. Take a crack at the question and check out the corresponding video to see if you were right!
[poll=108]

ONE NIGHT STAND

With One Night Stand taking place tonight, we’ve decided to take a look back at the past two One Night Stands in the second edition of a feature we’d like to call “History Lesson”. Pay attention – there will be a quiz!

JUDGMENT DAY 2006 – Edge/Foley/Lita vs. Funk/Dreamer/Beulah
This match was a real treat – not only did the legendary Terry Funk face his longtime partner Mick Foley, but we got to see Beulah in action for the first time in a looooooong time. She’s definitely an ECW original, and it no longer in the business, so to see her face off with fellow ECW alumni Lita was a unique experience. She’s hardly a wrestler, but she definitely holds her own against the 2-time Women’s Champion:

JUDGMENT DAY 2007 – Melina vs. Candice in a “Pudding match”
Okay, so “Pudding matches” aren’t exactly 5-star wrestling, but it’s entertaining to see these two girls break out the legitimate wrestling moves in a kiddie pool full of pudding. I mean, there’s not much you can do, but I appreciate them trying to transcend the T&A nonsense and make it actually watchable. But, as ONS is an “Extreme Rules only” PPV, couldn’t they have given them a less chauvinistic gimmick match? Come on!

I have to say, THANK GOD there’s a legitimate “extreme” match this year. I think I can speak for Diva fans everywhere when I say an “I Quit” match easily trumps a “Pudding match”. This year definitely has a shot at becoming the best ONS in terms of Diva action. Here’s hoping Beth and Melina knock it out of the park!

Finally, it’s time for that pop quiz I promised. Put in your answer below, and we’ll see just who was paying attention. Looking for the answer? Watch the match, laziness!

JUDGMENT DAY

With Judgment Day taking place tonight, we’ve decided to take a lot back at Judgment Days from years past in a new feature we’d like to call “History Lesson”. Pay attention – there will be a quiz!

JUDGMENT DAY 2000 – Tori Nearly Gets “Wood”
Yes, remember that sly double-entendre? I can say that back in 2000, I didn’t quite get the joke (give me a break – I was 11) but I did have a soft spot for Tori. She was my favorite Diva back then, yet I still wanted to see her get her due from the Dudley Boyz. I clearly wasn’t alone, as the feud between the Dudleyz and X-Pac & Road Dogg extended for quite some time, with Tori escaping the dreaded “tables” numerous times. Remember when the WWE would hold out conclusions and extend storylines in order to build suspense and excitement? Yeah, that’s quite a distant memory when compared to today. Anyways, here is the last half of The Dudley Boyz vs. X-Pac & Road Dogg (w/ Tori). Near the end of the match is when Tori nearly “gets the tables”, so to speak:

JUDGMENT DAY 2001 – Chyna vs. Lita
In a matchup nearly everyone was looking forward to, (the WWE’s two most popular Divas finally going head to head!) Lita looked to defeat the dominant Women’s Champion Chyna, utilizing her aerial manuevers against Chyna’s obvious strength advantage. Look for an appearance by Eddie Guerrero, who was starting to show signs of a split from the 9th Wonder of the World:

JUDGMENT DAY 2002 – Trish Stratus vs. Stacy Keibler
It seemed rather absurd at the time that an inexperienced Stacy Keibler would get a title shot against Women’s Champion Trish Stratus, but with the added factors of the newly-feuding Dudley Boyz in either corner, the match wasn’t half bad. Trish had to contend with not only Stacy and D-Von, but Deacon Batista (remember him??) as well. Valiant as ever, Trish Stratus defended her Women’s Title against Stacy Keibler in what was hardly destined to be a straight-forward match:

JUDGMENT DAY 2003 – Trish Stratus vs. Victoria vs. Jacqueline vs. Jazz
When Women’s Champion Jazz took on Victoria, Trish Stratus, and Jacqueline, all of the Divas, save for Jacqueline, were rather new to the WWE game (Trish had been around, but was only recently coming into her own as a perfomer). Victoria was a psycho, Trish was the vaslty-improving underdog, Jacqueline was the hard-nosed veteran, and Jazz was the newcomer who virtually dominated every match she was in. Stevie Richard, Victoria’s glorified bitch, was at ringside, certain to stick his nose into the match whenever he saw an opportunity. Certainly, this match did not lack in excitement, and it was impossible to tell just who would walk out with the Women’s Title:

JUDGMENT DAY 2003 – Torrie Wilson vs. Sable (Bikini Contest)
Also on the same night, Torrie and Sable had quite the feud going on – from Playboy covers to good old fashioned HLA, there was never a dull moment when these two were around. So, when it came time for Torrie Wilson to face Sable in a bikini contest, everyone knew that both women would pull out all the stops. Q.E.D., it came down to who would manage wear the least while – at the same time – not going NC-17 on us and strutting their stuff to the musical beat:

JUDGMENT DAY 2004 - Torrie Wilson vs. Dawn Marie
Doesn't it seem like Torrie Wilson's best feuds had sexual undertones? I don't know, maybe it's just me. What can I say? It was compelling. Anywho, Torrie took on Dawn Marie in a one-on-one matchup, looking to avenge for her father's death at the hands of Dawn's.. um.. stamina? *cough* These Divas definitely had a score to settle, and this guaranteed for quite the physical confrontation:

JUDGMENT DAY 2005 - Kurt Angle's Got the Hots for Sharmell
Remember Kurt Angle's creepy feud with Booker T? He wanted to "get with" Sharmell, for lack of a better/politically-correct term, and as this WWE-produced video package suggests, he had a few screws loose. Would Booker T avenge his wife's honor, or would Angle get his dirty-minded wish? Well, sorry, this package doesn't tell you. However, it does provide for some cringe-worthy moments that make you wonder what the hell is going on at TNA at the moment (because you and I both know we're not watching...):

JUDGMENT DAY 2006 - Melina vs. Jillian Hall
Melina was already having a crappy night - MNM had just imploded, and now she had to face nemesis (and soon-to-be BFF) Jillian Hall. She clearly was not in the mood for this, but doesn't that make for a better match? Two angry women who hate each other - sounds like the makings of an epic match to me! I won't give the ending away, (in case you've had a memory lapse or something) but it's safe to say that Melina's night didn't get much better:

So, is there any chance of tonight's match topping these moments? Here's hoping! And hey, at least be grateful we even have a Divas match - because as you learned in today's lesson, it's the first in two years!

Finally, it's time for that pop quiz I promised. NO CHEATING! I'm watching you. Who won in Judgment Day 2003's Fatal Four-Way Women's Title match? Put your answer below, and we'll see just who was paying attention. Looking for the answer? Well, watch the goddamn match. I'm not your fucking babysitter..