The Kurt Angle Match Marathon

[wandshogun09]

I really liked the Angle vs Edge series in 2002 as well, so I'm looking forward to your next couple of posts. Actually, on PPV it was just Backlash and Judgement Day but I remember them having a corker on Smackdown around September/October time as well.

 

As for the PPV matches, the Hair vs Hair match is the one everyone remembers of course. But I remember the Backlash match being the better match. I loved it at the time. Think I'll watch it again myself actually tomorrow.

[Mr.E]

Mania x8 is a funny one.  I'm sort of in the same boat as you HG. My first Mania was 15, then I skipped WM2000 for some reasoon and saw 17, which is nuts. So I had the "Ah, this is pretty good" in WM15, with the "WOW" of 17, so I thought every mania got better and better.

 

Looking back, WM18 isn't that bad, although its not the best one either. You have Undertaker Vs Flair (And THAT Arn Anderson run in is amazing), Rock Vs Hogan (One of my favourite matches) which are very good, and even Scott Hall Vs Austin is a bit of fun. I have a soft-spot for DDP/Christian (I like DDP), and the tag match was "OK" from what I recall. Everything else is a bit "Meh" though. Especially when you could potentially have had Angle Vs Perfect, if the rumours were true. I'm not too good on that period of time (I'd dropped off again and wouldn't watch full time until WM19) so will have to go back and see what potential matches you could have had instead of people fighting over Shampoo commecials.

[Onyx2]

You have Undertaker Vs Flair (And THAT Arn Anderson run in is amazing)

[Mr.E]

Thats the one! Picture perfect spine buster, and Arn looks proper pumped to be there as well.

[Jon-Carr_92]

As run ins go. That's one of the best ones ever.

[CTXRussomark]

It's incredible that nobody has even come close to replicating the quality of Arn's spinebuster. People always mention guys like Triple H and Bobby Roode but to me theirs look like shit in comparison.

[Onyx2]

Apparently Arn's left arm was busted up when he did that too.

[HarmonicGenerator]

It's a good spinebuster.

 

Let's crack on, Kurt Angle vs. Edge at Backlash, in the first post-draft PPV.

 

 

The match:

Edge is currently 1 up on Angle on PPV after his win at King of the Ring last year. This is a 'will Edge grab the opportunity' kind of match.

 

Angle gets a bit of booing when he comes out, but "You Suck" is deafening. Brian Hebner is refereeing, he'll hopefully be better than his dad.

 

JR's still on commentary, Howard Finkel is still ring announcing, so the brand split isn't totally split yet. I'd forgotten Bradshaw's mini singles push in 2002, they waste Scott Hall on him here.

 

Edge has his Rob Zombie music from that Forceable Entry CD.

 

15 years on from this match, they'll both be in the Hall Of Fame.

 

Speed! That's the main thing to note from the opening exchanges. Much running of the ropes and trying to get first advantage, which eventually goes to Edge who hits a dropkick and a flapjack and does the clothesline over the top rope. The crowd is LOVING Edge.

 

Angle must have learned a new way to go over the top rope because he's done it the same way three times in 2002 so far.

 

He tries to stay outside for a breather but Edge Ringside Brawls him a bit. It was a ploy, though, as Angle gets in the ring first and stomps Edge down. Edge tries a heel kick but Angle hits a MASSIVE German Suplex (Edge gets MEGA height on that) and does the 'very proud' version of "Woo!"

 

Big 'Angle Sucks' chant. It's a loud crowd at Backlash.

 

Brian Hebner has been a vast improvement on his dad thus far.

 

Various strikes in the corner from both of them, Angle hits a belly to belly for 2. JR is talking on commentary about how Angle might one day go down as the greatest Superstar in history. Sadly, despite the HOF I don't think this will ever come to pass. That TNA stink might never come off.

 

Chinlock City is back!

 

Edge fights out, but takes a wrong turn into Suplex City. One German only, though, as Edge hits a belly to belly of his own! Both men down.

 

Both men up. They exchange punches and Edge hits a flying forearm and a back body drop and the facebuster version of the Edgecution. Angle's up pretty quick, Edge flips out of a back suplex and hits the Edgecator (if that was the other facebuster move and not his submission which also had 'Edge' in it).

 

This was during the time when all Edge's moves had to have the word 'Edge' in them.

 

Belly to belly superplex from Angle, Edge kicks out, so we're back to Germans. Can we beat 7? Nope, I think this is pretty much set at 3 now. He kicks out because they all do. Stamp stamp stamp and he tries for the Angle Slam, Edge reverses into a German of his own. Kurt lands BADLY.

 

Like, really badly. Ouch ouch ouch. Watch that move back on the Network if you can, because damn. They show a replay and that is a straight-outta-ROH head drop.

 

He mustn't be that hurt, though, because he just did the Michinoku Bump to the outside and Edge hit him with a dive from the top rope.

 

That German Suplex, though. Shit! Right on his head.

 

Edge rolls him back in the ring and goes up top again for a missile dropkick for a near fall. Angle Slam finally hits and Edge kicks out. Angle is in absolute shock. Straps go down, Anklelock time. Edge almost reaches the ropes, he's dragged back, but counters it into a rollup for a near fall.

 

Kurt's had enough, he's popped out for a chair. The ref cowers in front of it, he tries to hit Edge, Edge moves out of the way, the chair rebounds off the ropes and Kurt hits himself in the face (unprotected). Edge hits the Edge-O-Matic (every move!) but Kurt kicks out!

 

So technically, Kurt should both lose and win by DQ there.

 

"When the battle's lost and win…" this situation is clearly what Shakespeare was talking about in Macbeth.

 

He doesn't win OR lose by DQ, though, because Edge tries for the Spear but Angle smacks him in the face and hits the Angle Slam instead for a 3 count, making them 1-1 on PPV.

 

My thoughts:

Good match. I think - and this may change after tomorrow, naturally - that I prefer the Judgment Day match, but this is still very good.

 

It is worth noting that Insurrextion 2002 happened between this show and Judgment Day. Kurt Angle DOES NOT WRESTLE ON IT.

 

This makes Insurrextion 2002 the FIRST PPV KURT ANGLE HAS MISSED.

 

He has wrestled on 34 CONSECUTIVE PPVS up to this point. And HE'S ABOUT TO MISS ONE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. The streak… is over.

 

Angle landmarks:

End of a consecutive run of PPVs beginning with his debut (34)

 

PPV record so far:

19 wins by pinfall

5 wins by submission

1 win with ladder

1 win by DQ

11 losses by pinfall

5 losses by submission

1 loss by unconsciousness

1 loss by elimination (Royal Rumble)

1 team loss (Survivor Series)

5 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)

 

[ElCece]

A bit off topic but I think what makes Arns run in so great is the crowd don't respond till a second or two before as I'm guessing he comes out from under the ring and by the time you register he's there its mid spinebuster. Also Arn doesn't over play it. Fucking perfect

[Carbomb]

A little Off-Topic, but I have to say, unlikely though it seems, Paul Travell did a Spinebuster that came hella close to Arn's. Made me wonder why he bothered with anything else as his finish.

[Mr.E]

HG, not sure its worth doing (I know this worked out well for Angle HOF induction) but you would consider doing Angle's TNA/non-WWE PPV matches as well? (I think he did one or two for NJPW and IGF during his TNA run)

[Guest]

He faces Yuji Nagata at Wrestle Kingdom 2 I think, it's really good.

[cobra_gordo]

Going back a bit but your review of WM18 HG reminded me I've never actually seen that PPV, not even the Rock/ Hogan match. I watched it last night and didn't think it was a bad Mania viewed on it's own out of context but I can see why you'd be disappointed off the back of WM17.

[Guest]

Going back a bit but your review of WM18 HG reminded me I've never actually seen that PPV, not even the Rock/ Hogan match. I watched it last night and didn't think it was a bad Mania viewed on it's own out of context but I can see why you'd be disappointed off the back of WM17.

it would've been more fondly remembered if they had Rock and Hogan fight for the title. They had Hogan enter the title scene directly afterwards in some right shit matches, so doesn't make sense why they didn't do it here. You just feel a bit sorry for Jericho and Trips trying to get reaction after that.

Hulkster should have won the strap in the main event as the Rock match has to be considered among the best of all time. I'd have maybe booked a triple threat main event for the belt, Hogan, Rock and Austin with the nWo lurking in the background, imagine that shit. I'd have also booked Perfect v Angle as that's such a natural Big match. Bugger Kane.

[Mr.E]

Rock/Hogan is one of my favourite matches.

 

I love the crowd reactions, and especially the rocks face when he gets the "YOUUUUU" finger point during the hulk up. Fantastic stuff. Shame we never got Austin/Hogan at some point.