Unforgiven (2005) - Aftermath

Aftermath

The feud between John Cena and Kurt Angle, with the involvement of Eric Bischoff, continued. During Raw episodes, it saw Angle and Bischoff interfere in Cena's matches, and even deciding the outcome of Cena's matches. On the October 17 episode of Raw, Bischoff announced that a standard match involving three wrestlers, termed as the Triple Threat match, for the WWE Championship, would take place between Cena, Angle and the fans' choice at Taboo Tuesday. Bischoff was scripted to promote three series of qualifying matches, in which the winner would receive a spot on the ballot as a potential challenger to join Cena and Angle. The winners were The Big Show, Shawn Michaels and Kane. The following week, a Triple Threat match was scheduled between Big Show, Michaels and Kane. Michaels won the match after he hit both Big Show and Kane with a superkick and pinned Big Show for the win. The following week, Bischoff announced a match between Cena and Michaels. Late in the match, Angle attacked both Cena and Michaels. Cena, however, retaliated and got Angle up for an FU, but Michaels managed to hit Cena with a superkick. At Taboo Tuesday, Michaels won the fans' choice to join Cena and Angle in the championship match. Cena, however, defeated Michaels and Angle to retain the WWE Championship, after pinning Shawn Michaels.

Triple H returned on the October 3 episode of Raw, WWE Homecoming, after a four-month hiatus. He took part in a match, teaming up with Ric Flair, who was a fan favorite during Triple H's absence, to take on Chris Masters and Carlito. The duo defeated Masters and Carlito; after the match, Triple H turned on Flair and hit him with a sledgehammer. This led to a rivalry between Triple H and Flair. At Taboo Tuesday, Triple H and Flair met in a steel cage match, a stipulation chosen by the fans, for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The match saw Flair retain the Intercontinental Championship, after escaping through the cage door.

The rivalry between Matt Hardy and Edge continued and culminated in a "Loser Leaves Raw Ladder match", where the objective was to reach a briefcase suspended in the air using a ladder, at WWE Homecoming, which Edge won. As a result, Hardy was moved to the SmackDown! brand.