October 4, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF Unforgiven and UFC 22 reviews, tons more

The workload stemming from increasing the television demands of the WWF started to show through on 9/26 with a disappointing Unforgiven PPV show.

The show featured some sluggish performances inside the ring, mental errors outside and weak crowd heat except for the main event before a crowd of 15,779, a few thousand shy of capacity, paying $505,477 and another $93,006 in merchandise at the Charlotte Coliseum.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley left the ring as WWF champion for a second time after a six-pack match which also included Kane, Mankind, Rock, Big Show and Davey Boy Smith, and had Steve Austin at ringside as an enforcer. Austin, who did color commentary most of the match, got physical in the finish, beating up some referees, counting the pinfall of Helmsley over Rock, largely due to a chair shot by Smith, and then made the attempt to send the crowd home happy by giving HHH a stunner.

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Dave Meltzer
Dave Meltzer

Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.