September 26, 2005 Observer Newsletter: WWE Unforgiven, stacked Raw Homecoming on USA Network

Unforgiven, the first WWE PPV event ever held in the state of Oklahoma, on 9/18 at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, was a show that will likely most be remembered for Matt Hardy’s legdrop off the top of the cage in his match with Edge.

What appeared to be the blow-off match of their unique feud, is actually the next to last match of a feud that finishes with a loser leaves Raw ladder match on the 10/3 “Homecoming” show. Poor Shane Douglas should have trademarked that term. The plan at this point is for Hardy to lose and then go to Smackdown. The match was both the show stealer and show saver. It was overall a predictable show featuring a repeat of the Great American Bash main event finish just two PPVs later, with John Cena being caught using a foreign object and disqualified to set up a rematch at Taboo Tuesday with Kurt Angle.

The show drew about 8,000 fans paying $485,000. From all early indications, the show will probably fall in line with the 230,000-235,000 bottom figure the company has been doing with the recent singular brand PPV shows. Our level of response to this show was at the same level as the Great American Bash, which did business in that range.

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