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The Kurt Angle Match Marathon


HarmonicGenerator

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No Way Out 2003! What do I remember about this event?

 

I remember the Edge injury angle but nothing about the match I'm about to watch that included it.

I remember Scott Steiner being on the poster looking awesome but nothing about the Triple H rematch that more or less killed the interest I had in either of them.

I remember that Evanescence's 'Bring Me To Life' was the theme song, but nothing about Jeff Hardy vs Chris Jericho beyond the fact it happened and it looked like the Jeff singles push that had stalled after the Undertaker Ladder match was about to restart and maybe he'd get a match with Shawn Michaels since (I thought) he was this generation's HBK.

I remember the Rock vs Hogan rematch, with Hollywood Rock, a screwy finish, and Sylvan Grenier as the referee, but nothing about who won it.

 

Handicap Match ahoy.

 

The match:

While you read this post, please play the following on a loop.

 

 

(nearly 339,000,000 views!)

 

Also, while Chimel's doing his introductions, of COURSE Rock vs Hogan had a screwy finish, they were in Montreal.

 

So instead of getting a replacement for Edge, they've just made it a 2-on-3 Handicap match, with the full Team Angle (and Paul Heyman) vs. Brock Lesnar and Benoit.

 

Team Angle have their super comfy looking velour tracksuits, Angle's got a hoodie.

 

No no no, okay, so Benoit and Lesnar were offered a replacement but they said no. That's the storyline explanation. I wonder why they didn't just chuck someone else in there? I guess it doesn't matter if Team Angle's losing. If Cena had been healthy he'd have been a good choice. *Note from later in the match: I remember some time later that Cena was healthy, but was also heel at this point*

 

Looking like Haas and Benjamin got themselves the lovely tag belts as well.

 

Those tracksuits look luxurious.

 

Benoit's got his 'Toothless Aggression' t-shirt on. 'Concussion-addled brain-damaged aggression' more like :-(

 

I'm not 100% sure what the reaction to Lesnar is. It's vocal, I think they're mostly on board but it's kind of hard to tell. It's loud, whatever way. 

 

Team Angle have a huddle beforehand. Looks like Shelton's going to start. He looked great in the red and blue. Lovely design.

 

Shelton and Benoit start. As is usual for these multi-mans, I'll continue this when Kurt's tagged in.

 

(Haas tagged in. The red and blue suited him as well.)

 

(Lesnar tagged in and the crowd reacts loudly. It's like a "whooooooa" rather than either cheering or booing. He gives Kurt a hard look that says 'watch it mate'.)

 

Lesnar wants Angle tagged in - their WrestleMania match is already set by the sounds of it - and Angle backs away to ringside. Heyman laughs like Salacious Crumb in Return Of The Jedi.

 

 

It's fucking UNCANNY.

 

Kurt tentatively starts to head back up to the apron but Brock's busy killing Team Angle and he steps down again. Another Salacious laugh from (I assume) Heyman. Brock can't take his eyes off Kurt, and this is beginning to feel less like a match with importance in itself and more part of the setup for WrestleMania.

 

Lesnar's sent into the ropes near Kurt, who grabs him in a chokehold. Power from Brock drags Kurt (on his back) over the ropes, but he keeps the hold until Shelton Benjamin can kick Lesnar in the face. And my goodness, Shelton KICKS LESNAR IN THE FACE. He held nothing back there, it seemed like, full on, KICKED IN THE FACE. Ouchies.

 

Now Brock is addled from being KICKED IN THE FACE, Kurt Angle is tagged in! He gets the choke back on and brings Lesnar down to the ground, grapevines it and they lie there for a while. Thrill-a-second stuff here in your WrestleMania main event preview. They roll about a bit but nothing much happens for ages.

 

(Cole just said John Cena had a match two weeks ago so maybe he wasn't injured at this point but was actually a heel. Which, now I remember, of course he bloody was a heel, I knew this. Sorry.)

 

Lesnar gets back to his feet - with Angle still hanging on - and eventually manages to disconnect him by running him into the turnbuckle.

 

Benoit gets tagged in, I've got no idea if Kurt's still the legal man but he hits Germans on everyone including Kurt, whose back and shoulders seem to just collapse in on each other on impact. He goes to the top but Haas jumps up and throws him off in what they say is a belly to belly (not as good as Kurt's if it was). Lesnar pops up on the apron to grab hold of Angle, whose straps are down by this point, but Benjamin sends him flying - and I do mean flying, he leaps back quite a distance - to the floor. Brock and Shelton are really laying into each other. Well, Shelton's laying into Brock at least.

 

They replay that fall and Lesnar really does go flying backwards. Looks like Haas and Benoit are legal. Back soon.

 

Really soon, in fact, because he's just been tagged in to stomp on Benoit lots. Chioda's got frosted tips in his hair. Not a good look. Front facelock applied to Benoit. Tazz is rambling and Cole tries to save him but gives up.

 

He fights out, gets a chop in, Angle tries the old knee to the gut but Benoit turns the flip bump into a rollup, they do lots of reversals until Kurt hits a German Suplex. Lesnar wants to get involved but Chioda stops him. Current day Lesnar would have come in anyway. Haas tagged in, then Benjamin, and Team Angle hit their finisher.

 

Lesnar gets tagged in and all his opponents take turns taking moves form him. This is reminiscent (or reverse-reminiscent) of the Lesnar of recent years. Kurt got a belly to belly, but tried an Angle Slam, which got reversed into an F5 (definite positive reaction from the crowd to that), which Benjamin broke up with a dropkick that sent Angle over the top to the floor.

 

He gets back in quite quickly, though, and does some more reversals with Benoit, mostly involving the Anklelock. The Crossface gets locked in but Team Angle break it up. Haas gets it, so Shelton breaks it up and Lesnar just pushes him the fuck away. Angle's gone to get the title belt and Lesnar HITS the F5! The crowd goes nuts and most of them probably miss Charlie Haas tapping out to the Crossface, giving Brockoit the win.

 

Lesnar poses with the WWE Title over his shoulder as Team Angle and Heyman retreat. WrrrrrrestleMaaaania!

 

BLOODY HELL HOW YOUNG DOES RANDY ORTON LOOK IN THAT HHH-STEINER GRAPHIC. Sorry, we've cut to the next bit of the show now.

 

My thoughts:

I'll be honest, after watching that I'd have been more excited for the prospect of Lesnar vs. Benjamin, their interactions were great. They must have had matches against each other at this time? If Brock had stuck around as Shelton was heading into singles, a feud could have done him wonders. 

 

The match itself's pretty good all round. Could have been a cracker if Edge had been in there, but served as a Mania preview without him (though you could argue a TV main event on SmackDown could have done the same job). I'm Angle-Benoited out by now, but I don't think they meet again until next year's Rumble so that's alright.

 

Angle landmarks:

First PPV Handicap Match

First PPV with Paul Heyman as manager

 

PPV record so far:

21 wins by pinfall
9 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 win by DQ
14 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
1 loss by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
 
Next up, our boy's made it to the main event of WrestleMania! His first one, and Brock's for that matter. How many times has that happened, where all the people in the Mania main event were main eventing for the first time? Apart from the first WrestleMania, I can only think of Savage and DiBiase at IV, Bret and Yoko at IX, and Bam Bam and Lawrence Taylor at XI. Quite a rare achievement!
 
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It's the pinnacle. The peak of the industry. The main event of WrestleMania. It's Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar!

 

WrestleMania XIX then. What do I remember? After the disappointment of X-8, my expectations were a bit more level, so I really enjoyed the show. Not X-Seven standards, but way better than X-8. As a SmackDown watcher, I really liked the Matt Hardy VI/Mysterio opener, and the Tag Title match, but was sad to see John Cena relegated to the pre-show along with the Kane/RVD/Venis/Storm match. Jericho and Michaels was excellent, Jericho's light blue tights look was great and this was during the time when you never knew if your next Shawn match would be your last so you cherished every moment. Hogan and Vince, if I watched it again now, was probably horrible, but it sticks in the memory for that visual of Vince popping up from the apron with blood all over him, and the run-in from a fat bloke who it took me several seconds to realise was Rowdy Roddy Piper. I got more into this Rock/Austin match than their others, mostly down to Hollywood Rock. Thinking back it was my favourite of their WrestleMania matches - much more in the ring, much less of the Austin Aisleway Brawling that I've never been that fond of. Austin's last match as well, I think.

 

The main event, though - I do remember having reservations. They still had Undertaker, Rock, Austin, Triple H, Hogan, Michaels etc, on the roster at this point - loads of big names, as well as the likes of sentimental favourites (at the time) like Jericho and Benoit, and this Lesnar guy who's not even been there a year, he's never even been to WrestleMania before, gets to be in the main event straight away? If Lesnar's initial push had happened these days, modern crowds would have turned on him as the 'chosen one', I'm certain of it. Mind, these days they'd have probably put Rock/Austin on last instead of the rookie and the dependable big match guy.

 

The match itself I remember being good but other than there being lots of F5s, Brock almost dying of Shooting Star Press, and hearing afterwards that Kurt's body was falling apart (and I think a use of 'literally' here would not be unwarranted). So let's get to it!

 

Oh, oh, and I liked the XIX logo and graphics. Blue's always a good choice. Stadium looked good too.

 

It's a really good show, looking back.

 

The match:

Just before we go back to the stadium, right at the end of the video package, the two of them are doing a face-to-face nose-to-nose staredown. It really is nose-to-nose, they're squishing their noses against each other. Their foreheads are as one. Close.

 

Lovely sweeping shot of the stadium as tens of thousands of people chant "You Suck" when the WWE Champion comes out first for the WWE Championship match in the main event of WrestleMania! Kurt's in the main event of WrestleMania, which is an awesome feeling when you've been following his progress from Shawn Stasiak on a virtually daily basis but we know who's winning.

 

He's also been announced as 230 pounds. Michael Cole notes - and Cole has NO voice left at this point in the show, he sounds croaky as fuck, he sounds APPALLING - that he's lost 7 pounds training for this match.

 

No Heyman out here for Angle. I can barely concentrate because of how shit Cole sounds. But I'm excited. I think this is going to be one of those matches I like a lot more now than I did at the time, when neither guy was really one of my favourites.

 

They do another oh-just-kiss-already face to face before Chioda separates them and holds up the title belt. The lovely gold title belt without a massive great WWE logo on it. "Let's go Angle" chant to start. WrestleMania crowds, eh.

 

Lesnar powers Angle into a corner to start. You wouldn't know Angle's body was so broken watching him here. See most matches he has after this, I guess.

 

The ring canvas is pink because of all the bloodshed in Hogan vs McMahon. It's… horrific, actually. Really unpleasant. I don't like it. Unnecessary. People moan there's no blood anymore but you can't justify it when it's at the level it was. Horrible.

 

I have been watching the match while writing about the gruesome state of the ring, they've been exchanging holds and basically feeling each other out until Lesnar powers Angle down and clutches his ribs, which had been attacked in the lead up to the match.

 

They take each other down and Angle tries his usual 'right, I'm going to start punching' trick, but gets caught in an arm drag by Lesnar. This match takes on an extra level of novelty because we just don't see Wrestler Lesnar anymore. When it's been nothing but German Suplexes and F5s for three years you forget.

 

The opening section is over now, Brock has the control, with some shoulder charges and a powerslam for two, but Kurt hits a German Suplex! On Brock Lesnar! "Woo!" But Lesnar pops right back up and hits a clothesline!

 

Cole mentions that if anyone interferes on Angle's behalf, he will lose the title. Angle can't be disqualified or counted out either, or he can, but if he does he loses the title, or something.

 

Lesnar gets a press slam on Angle - that he almost misses, were one or both of them concussed at this point? They were in right states afterwards, I know that much - and Tazz calls him the Vanilla Gorilla. Thank fuck that one didn't stick. Angle fights back with a German Suplex into the turnbuckles. Tony Nese this is not, this one looks good, with the centre of Lesnar's back hitting the top buckle and his head snapping back as he cries out in pain.

 

A brief Ringside Brawl to knock Brock into the barricade, and Angle gets two. He hits a suplex and it's Angle's time. He brings out his half-grapevine-y chinlock-y bow-and-arrow-y submission he did a bit in 2000. We haven't seen this in years. Lesnar's face is almost as pink as the mat.

 

Brock elbows his way out of part of the hold, but we're very much in the outskirts of Chinlock City, but Kurt moves to a neck choke with a knee in the ribs. It's brave to go for static submission hold wrestling in the main event of WrestleMania, they've got the attention of most of the crowd, but you can see attention starting to wane. We're in the centre of Chinlock City, and we see what Brock did at No Way Out, standing up with Angle on the back and running him into the corners to break the hold.

 

The comeback doesn't last long, as Angle hits a belly to belly ("Woo" and the crowd's awake again) and a couple of running knees to the back sends Lesnar outside to the debris of whatever announce table got broken earlier (Hogan-McMahon again I imagine). Brock gets sent back in and hits a spinebuster but both men are down. A double count out finish in the main event of WrestleMania? That'll never happen.

 

(Yes I know it did at XXVII. That was me trying to be clever)

 

Flying forearm, clothesline, and Lesnar does what Angle did to him a minute ago and just push him into the corner before hitting the next move. He hits a belly to belly of his own! And another. Lesnar drags the limp body of the Champion into the middle of the ring but Kurt kicks out. Brock tries for a third but Angle starts with German Suplexes. Now here is a sight you'll NEVER see. Brock - zero Germans. Brock's opponent - FOUR IN A ROW before Angle breaks his lock. Come on Kurt, four more before you do something else and you'll break your record.

 

Nah, he tries the Angle Slam, Brock counters into an F5, Kurt counters into the Anklelock! Brock reaches the ropes, Angle drags him back.

 

Hey, Lesnar in trunks. That's another thing you don't see these days.

 

The hold's transitioned into a half crab which Cole and Tazz claim hurts the ribs. Um. Brock reaches the ropes again but Angle is firmly in control with another knee to the back. He tries it again and Lesnar flips him over the top rope FUCK that was a nasty looking fall. Looked like Angle was going to do the Michinoku but didn't have enough airtime and his legs just crumpled on impact.

 

He gets back in the ring and hits the flipping release German on Lesnar! The crowd goes nuts for that. Straps down! Angle Slam! If they were in danger of losing the crowd early on, there's no chance of that now, it's a loud loud audience.

 

OH FUCK OFF COLE.

 

"That is the first time anybody has ever kicked out of the Angle Slam… I believe", he says after Lesnar kicks out. BENOIT DID IT TWO FUCKING MONTHS AGO YOU SHIT SHIT SHITTY SHIT. AND FUCKING LOADS OF PEOPLE BEFORE THAT. FUCK YOU.

 

Lesnar hits the F5 and Angle kicks out. Cole claims that's a first as well and I haven't gone through all Lesnar's matches but I'm not taking that lying twat at his word anymore.

 

Anklelock applied, does the grapevine for it, this made Benoit tap at the Rumble - you know, after HE KICKED OUT OF TWO ANGLE SLAMS COLE YOU FUCKER - but Lesnar reaches the ropes and kicks him away. Another Angle Slam attempt, but Brock gets him up for a HUUUUUGE F5. But Lesnar's exhausted and can't get over to him.

 

He's looking up at the top rope. Here comes the bit EVERYBODY remembers about this match. Oh heck. He's up there now. Don't do it Brock. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH that's hideous. FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

Lesnar's clutching his neck so Angle pulls him up by his neck, which doesn't seem very sensible, Lesnar hits a third F5, 1, 2, 3, new Champion.

 

Replays of the Shooting Star, ble ble ble ble ble ble ble ouch ouch ouch. "How is Brock Lesnar not dead right now", asks Tazz. Fair question.

 

Angle lost but hey, a Mania main event's a Mania main event. They both look like they're not going to be able to walk out. Kurt looks fucking out of it. So does Brock. Damn.

 

They shake hands and have a bit of a hug as the fireworks go off.

 

OOOOOOOOOOHHHH! THE 'END OF WRESTLEMANIA' MUSIC VIDEO SHOW RECAP VIDEO PACKAGE! I FUCKING LOVE THESE. I FUCKING LOVE THEM. HOW DID THEY DO THEM SO QUICKLY AND MAKE THEM SO AWESOME. THEY MAKE EVERY WRESTLEMANIA AMAZING, BRING THEM BACK BRING THEM BACK RIGHT NOW. YES!

 

I'd link the video here but all I can find for it on YouTube are clips from the GameCube game that was also called WrestleMania XIX.

 

My thoughts:

I did enjoy that match more now than I did at the time. Intense stuff, two guys just trying to be better than the other one. Clear structure being followed, big finish… yeah, it's very good. I'd say it's still Brock's best WrestleMania match outside of the Reigns one.

 

Angle landmarks:

First (and only) time in the main event of WrestleMania

 

PPV record so far:

21 wins by pinfall
9 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 win by DQ
15 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
1 loss by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
 
Kurt takes a few months off after this, and we don't see him again until July, when Vengeance 2003 gives us Angle vs. Lesnar… vs. Big Show in a Triple Threat match for the title. Knowing Kurt's luck in Triple Threats, I'm not holding out much hope for him.
 
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I remember seeing the aftermath of this match on the Wrestlemania 20 DVD extra documentary, 'The Mania of Wrestlemania'. Utterly riveting to watch,, and strangely disturbing at the same time. I certainly agree it's Lesnar's best Mania match apart from the Reigns one, just a shame most people only remember it for him nearly killing himself on the shooting star.

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Mania 19 was one I'd put in my top 5 Manias

I guess it'd be 17, 19, 21, 30 and whatever else that I generally champion above the rest

 

Jericho V HBK was a beauty. I remember this as a time where Jericho was really starting to come into his own, calling people assclowns and such which worked a treat for the time, and generally that shortly post-comeback era of HBK is his best stuff imo

 

The main event was pretty kick arse though obviously stained by the memorable botch and probably wasn't their best outing all things considered, but I could watch those two go all day long

 

I'd like to rewatch both Hogan/Vince match and Rock v Austin again some time soon

I remember being pretty fond of Hogan v Vince in that car crash way similar to the Shane match at 17 but I can get behind your comments on the blood. Vince seemed to be fucking terrible at blading responsibly. Every time I've seen him get colour it's near Guerrero at Judgment Day 04 levels of icky.

There's a match he has with Taker where he pisses blood after a single punch, and I was recently watching Vengeance 03 where he faces Zach Gowen(!) and he does the same thing and it just completely threw off the rhythm of what was a pretty fun (and dammed unique) match up.

As an aside, feel free to fling shit at me but I quite possibly preferred the triple threat at that Vengeance of Lesnar, Angle and Big Show to this main event? Not certain, but that was a kick arse match and I felt like Shows presence helped rather than hindered the match

 

Back on the blood topic - I'm someone who wouldn't mind a bit of colour in their modern wrestling, but I can do without ridiculous Flair/HBK style crimson masks every other week. Still beats trying to cave in Randy Ortons head hardway with Lesnars iron elbows though. What a fucking stupid moment that was

 

I can't cosign you preferring this version of Austin Rock as like I say I'd like to rewatch this one, whereas I really don't need to for 17. One of the most memorable matches ever. I feel like Austins post-injury emphasis on the brawling suited him and "the attitude era" to a tee, but I can see where you're coming from

 

The Taker match sucked and the burial of Booker T is fucking WANK even ignoring the dodgy racist overtones of the story, but still a great event

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Lesnar/Angle at WM19 is certainly underrated IMO. Most people just remember it for the botched SSP, but it's actually a very good match.

 

Esp when you consider Angle's neck was hanging on by a thread and he had surgery straight after this. I think they had Benoit and others on standby in case he couldn't make it here. I'm sure Lesnar was also going in hurt here too tbh.

 

They went onto to have a classic at SummerSlam tho.

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Well, sj, let's see if this one lives up to the high bar you've set for it! Angle vs Lesnar vs Show for the title!

 

The match:

No DQ, no countout in this one.

 

Big Show is out first, and I have to assume the reaction for him isn't very loud because I can't hear it over the biscuit I was eating just now. He's moved on to the one-strap singlet phase since we saw him last.

 

I can hear Kurt's reaction though. He has his left hand taped up. First appearance on PPV for three/four months at this point. I mentioned the 34 consecutive PPVs before Insurrextion 2002 when he first missed one, but if you only count US/Canada PPVs, the ones after WMXIX would be the first.

 

Brock's out as well now, he's still Champion. Mike Chioda holds up the title, and he's got his left elbow taped up. What's been happening with everyone's left arms?

 

Angle and Lesnar face each other down to start, Big Show feels left out, so they team up against him and Angle swiftly gets dumped out of the ring. I barely have time to notice the horrific pink stains all over the canvas and think "oh, Vince must have been on the card tonight" when Big Show gets Brock up for a chokeslam!

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 18 (8 to Kurt)

 

Angle breaks up the pinball and Show goes after him now. Kurt's too quick for the power plays and tries to hit a German Suplex, but Show bums him backwards and headbutts him. Angle fights back, Show tries for the final cut, tries an Anklelock, Show kicks out, knocks Lesnar back outside and superkicks Angle down then hits a leg drop. Brock breaks up the pin. It's like they've gone straight to the home stretch with this one.

 

Lesnar/Show bit.

 

Angle's back in the ring with two bin lids and he and Lesnar take turn repeatedly hitting Big Show with unprotected head shots. I guess they're not as bad as chairs but even so. Show's not fussed though and suplexes both the others at the same time. He signals a chokeslam, but Angle and Lesnar double-chokeslam HIM!

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 19 (8 to Kurt, 1 by Kurt)

 

Now we get a proper Angle/Lesnar thing which Brock gets the better of by hitting an F5 on him. Angle wisely rolls away after it and goes for a rest in a stain that was a puddle of Vince's blood an hour ago while Lesnar hits Big Show with one. Angle pulls Chioda out of the ring to break the count.

 

Ringside Brawl! Back with a … ha ha ha … a vengeance … ha … as Lesnar sends Angle into the steps and then the ring post. Another Brock/Show bit.

 

Fuuuck Angle's busted open. Yuck yuck yuck. I've gone right off the idea of blood in matches. I think I said this yesterday, I can take it occasionally in a massive bloodfeud grudge match but there's absolutely no need for it here. He's covered in it, it adds nothing, especially as Show knocks him back outside before he can get in the ring. Lesnar then hits a running powerbomb on Big Show which gets a 'holy shit' chant because this was quite soon after the ring breaking thing.

 

Angle's in again with a chair, hits Lesnar in the back and then DESTROYS him with an unprotected headshot. No replay please Tazz, oh no, there it was, horrible. Kurt then goes after Show with it on the outside but Show boots him as he tries.

 

Lesnar's bleeding as well now. Also unnecessary but I'll pretend it gave him motivation for the ANNIHILATION of the wrath he set down on Zach Gowen a few weeks after this.

 

Meanwhile, Angle hit the Angle Slam on Big Show THROUGH the Spanish Announce Table! I'm reasonably confident that's a first.

 

Angle and Lesnar slowly get back in the ring and crawl bleeding towards each other. They get to their knees. They haven't taken their eyes off each other. They get to their feet. This is very cool. Angle gets the first punches in (his left knee's taped up too, just noticed), Lesnar gets his in, tries for the F5, Kurt hangs onto the ropes and gets Michinoku'd to the floor. 

 

Ringside Brawl: Deluxe Edition now as they get each other's blood all over the shiny silver steps. They get back in the ring and it's German Suplex time, Angle hitting one then going straight to the flipping release version just like what they done did at WrestleMania. The way Brock takes that move is like the way he flips when he did the Shooting Star, his legs go all frog-like, out at the knees, in at the feet. Unique.

 

Straps are down, Angle Slam attempted, Lesnar counters with a spinebuster which nearly gets 3.

 

Cole says this is SmackDown's first ever PPV, but Rebellion 2002 begs to differ, COLE.

 

Brock gets a submission locked in for the lying-around portion of the match. There's an "Angle" chant going, which may suggest he's a face again? Who even knows anymore. Possibly air raid, actually. Big Show pops back in to break the submission, pulls his own strap down and screams like King Kong in that Skull Island trailer they showed before T2 Trainspotting this afternoon.

 

Big Show chokeslams Angle AND Lesnar at the same time! I'm counting that as two.

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 21 (9 to Kurt, 1 by Kurt)

 

We're back to Angle and Lesnar quite soon afterwards, Brock's bleeding has done that thing it always seems to do where it bleeds into his hair. Anklelock gets locked into Lesnar, Show comes after him and gets an Angle Slam for his trouble. Lesnar gets an Angle Slam of his own. 1, 2, 3, he's Champion again! He looks bloody DELIGHTED!

 

You have to say this for Kurt Angle, he always made a title win seem an absolutely massive deal.

 

"Yeah! I did it again! Woo!"

 

More importantly...

 

KURT ANGLE HAS FINALLY

 

FINALLY

 

FINALLY

 

WON A TRIPLE THREAT MATCH!

 

FINALLY!

 

My thoughts:

Interesting triple threat here. It goes straight to finishers, turns into an Angle/Lesnar rematch and then goes back to finishers.  And good, though the bleeding wasn't needed at all.

 

Angle landmarks:

First Angle Slam through an announce table

Fourth WWE Championship win

First win in a Triple Threat match (finally!)

 

PPV record so far:

22 wins by pinfall
9 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 win by DQ
15 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
1 loss by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
 
We get the Lesnar rematch proper next time, because it's Summerslam. I'm a fan of the 2003 Summerslam - this match, the Elimination Chamber, the US Title match, I even quite liked the Coach heel turn and the RVD/Kane match.
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Angle vs. Lesnar II. This time… it's for money.

 

It's not, but The Simpsons, so I said it.

 

The match:

So I think by Summerslam 2003 we had 'The Real' Brock Lesnar who killed one-legged men stone fucking dead and was a heel again. It didn't sound like he got a babyface reaction, they just showed a 'sellout' sign and Cole just said he's "morphed into a killing machine" so I reckon I'm right.

 

Kurt's out next, the "You Suck" is a little half-hearted because I think we have babyface Kurt again. He's back to 237 pounds, as well. They're very much pushing the idea of the neck injury he had to overcome after WrestleMania.

 

I'm excited for this match. At the time I liked it more than WrestleMania. There's the advantage of both men being slightly less falling apart this time. We'll see!

 

It's cool that a WrestleMania rematch happened at Summerslam and not just on the three PPVs after Mania.

 

Nearly four years in and I've only now realised how much Angle sticks his bum out when he's circling his opponents. Takedowns and holds to start off, until Brock gets out and backs away. There's a moment just before they lock up again that would have made an amazing still photo. Angle gets the better of the second go-round and they go back to stalemate before Lesnar uses his power to shove Angle over into the corner.

 

Brock Lesnar is currently "in a sick relationship with Mr McMahon". I didn't know Vince had it in him. 

 

Kurt gets the better of Lesnar again and Brock's got ANGRY FACE. Angle is not fazed and throws three arm drags straight at him, sending Lesnar hurtling to the outside where he smashes a monitor and KICKS THE FUCK out of the ring steps and throws them about in frustration. 

 

I forgot how much I loved 2003 heel Brock Lesnar! Fuck Suplex City, let's have THIS Brock back! 

 

Lesnar grabs the title belt and wanders off with it, allowing Angle to do The Rock's run-up-the-aisle-and-clock-him bit! Ringside Brawl goes up and down the aisle, onto the barricade and finally into the ring, but Lesnar finds his moment and gives Kurt a knee, but one Bret turnbuckle bump by Lesnar later (I never realised how frequently guys who weren't Bret Hart did this move!) means a belly to belly from Angle!

 

Lesnar retaliates by picking Angle up over his head and plops him over the top rope and to the floor.

 

Cole just used the phrase "LUNATIC FRINGE" concerning Brock's new attitude. Over a decade before it'll be re-used for Dean Ambrose!

 

Angle's been thrown into the steps as well, and Lesnar goes for covers inside the ring, Kurt kicks out and gets a boot in the ribs for his trouble. Angle gets out of the next press attempt and tries a rollup for two. He gets momentum which is swiftly taken away by a Lesnar tiltawhirl backbreaker. Brock locks in that neck/grapevine submission he used at WrestleMania, or possibly Vengeance, I forget which and I'm not going back to check.

 

It turns into a leggy waistlock and a pin for a bit as well, so it might be slightly different. Brock Lesnar IS SO SWEATY. I always thought of that as a post-comeback thing but it's POURING off him here, there's a genuine puddle developing under his face. Bleurgh.

 

Angle tries a comeback and his go-to Benoit move of the knee to the gut into the flip bump is used against him. Backbreaker by Lesnar, the very variation Angle used against Mysterio one Summerslam ago. Brock stomps on Kurt in the corner and chokes him with his foot.

 

Ha, Lesnar just hit Angle with Ryback's Shellshock move. Kurt kicks out.

 

He tries another comeback and gets shoved away again. Shoulders in the corner, Brock's picked his target area very clearly. Eventually Angle avoids one and Lesnar starts selling the shoulder, so Angle methodically targets it as well, before taking out a knee and knocking Brock down. One German Suplex, two German Suplexes, Brock's very neatly selling the shoulder between them, three German Suplexes, but Brock kicks out.

 

Lesnar hits a belly to belly of his own, tries a second, countered into an Angle Slam attempt, countered into a spinebuster, Kurt kicks out.

 

F5 countered into a DDT! Nice! Brock kicks out. Angle Slam connects, Brock kicks out. The straps were down, he puts them back up again, only to take them down again! Anklelock! "He broke Zach Gowen's leg, break his damn ankle Kurt, break his damn ankle!" Lesnar counters it but Angle's thrown into Mike Chioda who goes down. He goes over Lesnar's shoulders like an Alabama Slam but manages to lock in some kind of weird submission that is weird. It's transitioned to the Anklelock. Lesnar reaches the ropes but with no ref it doesn't matter and Angle keeps it on.

 

Eventually Lesnar taps out (can you imagine that today!) but Vince McMahon wearing an interesting shirt makes a run in and hits Angle in the back with a chair. The Vince/Lesnar combo didn't last long, did it?

 

Lesnar, selling the leg big time, still manages to hit an F5, Kurt kicks out.

 

Lesnar and Vince share angry reaction faces. It's worth watching this match again just for this bit. The camera goes from Brock to Vince to Brock to Vince to Brock to Vince as they try out all their various "I'm annoyed" faces. It's quite funny and should have gone on for several minutes. I'm surprised it's not a gif.

 

He goes for another F5, but it's countered into the Anklelock, Vince is begging Brock not to tap… but he does! Kurt retains!

 

After the celebration, Vince goes after Kurt with the chair but Kurt gets the better of him and ANGLE SLAMS HIM THROUGH A CHAIR. Was this leading to Angle vs. Vince at some point? Did that happen? I don't remember it happening.

 

My thoughts:

Very good match. Rewatching the Mania match, it was better than I remember. I had higher expectations of this one and it was as good as I remember. What I had kind of forgotten is how great Brock Lesnar is at selling body parts. We don't get to see him do it much these days, which is kind of a shame. It's also made me intrigued about the Brock/Vince partnership and Vince/Angle going against each other, neither of which I can really recall going anywhere.

 

Angle landmarks:

First Angle Slam through a chair (even if it wasn't part of the match!)

Tenth PPV fall won by submission

 

PPV record so far:

22 wins by pinfall
10 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 win by DQ
15 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
1 loss by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
 
 
No Unforgiven for Kurt as it's a RAW show, so we go straight to No Mercy and his first ever PPV encounter with John Cena!
 
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No Mercy 2003, the show of the Vince vs Stephanie I Quit Match. But we're not here for that. Kurt Angle vs. John Cena. It's late, let's get on with it.

 

The match:

Just like WrestleMania, the end of the video package for this match is the two of them squishing noses.

 

Cena's out first, and I've got to be honest, he looks a right twat. I guess on some level he's supposed to, but … you forget how silly he used to look. Silly. He's doing a rap about Kurt. We've had a hooker reference, a small penis joke, a bit of homophobia… yes, Fullsailers, let's have this Cena back. Silly.

 

Once again, I'm not totally sure if Angle's face or heel here. I think face, because they're showing nice signs about him.

 

Lockup to begin before Angle gets a headlock in. Cena looks so young. A bit of rope-running but Kurt outwrestles Cena with fireman's carries and arm drag.

 

Duelling chant alert! "Let's go Cena / Let's go Angle". Divided crowds didn't start with his WWE Title run then!

 

Hip tosses and arm drags all over the place from Angle but Cena gets away. Angle flips Cena off! Shocking behaviour, but I guess Austin had retired so that gimmick was going spare. (And yes I'm aware he was a GM on RAW at this point)

 

Punches and kicks in the corner, all Angle so far. This is like watching Kurt himself in with one of the 'real' main eventers back in 2000, not letting the relative rookie get much in at all. Big backdrop and the duelling chants start up again. Tazz encourages the behaviour so really the following 14 years have all been his fault.

 

Angle gives Cena a long hard look before resuming the assault with more punches and chops in various corners, but a shoulder charge straight into the ring post finally gets Angle reeling. Kersmack he went.

 

Ringside Brawl for a couple of moments and Cena now has the upper hand. A clothesline and some more clotheslines and Kurt can't see him. He hits a neckbreaker for 2. Eventually he locks on some kind of hold where he's holding both his arms behind his back, and Angle's also bleeding from the mouth.

 

It doesn't take long for Kurt to fight out of that weird hold, because it was weird, but Cena gets the advantage back with his spinning back suplex thing he still does, albeit slightly differently. He locks in a front facelock.

 

Amid another duelling chant, Angle fights back but gets taken down again with a spinebuster. He's been hit with lots of those in 2003. He tries for his sprinty belly to belly superplex but gets thrown down because it's been a while since he's hit that, Cena comes off the top rope but Angle dropkicks him in the shin. Good tactic, I say, a proper kick to the shins will do you in.

 

The Angle fightback is in full swing with various strikes and then a Russian Leg Sweep which he's not done before on PPV. A drop toehold leads to the Anklelock, but Cena gets the ropes almost immediately and heads outside. Angle hits a baseball slide, then gets Cena back in the ring, but Cena fights back and they tease a German Suplex from the apron to the floor!

 

It doesn't happen, though, as Cena counters into a DDT to Kurt on the apron! "HARDEST PART OF THE RING", nobody screams, because they knew back then they didn't need to overemphasise this. Tazz does gleefully assure us Kurt must have a concussion by now.

 

As Angle slowly gets back in the ring, Cena hits his legdrop/Fameasser thing, but while Angle's halfway through the ropes so there's a slingshot element to it. Looks painful. Kurt gets one German in, but Cena then hits the Throwback (flipping face plant thing). Angle rollup, followed by 3 more German Suplexes. It's like Summerslam 2014 here. Cena kicks out.

 

Looks like Angle is trying again for the Anklelocks, but Cena just knees him in the head a load of times. He powerbombs Angle into the turnbuckle! Like the one Seth Rollins does/used to do, except Cena doesn't end careers with it. Cena 1, Rollins 0.

 

The FU/AA connects, but Angle kicks out! It's like Raw in 2015 now! 2003-Cena's 'frustrated' look vaguely resembles Jim Carrey trying to look cheeky. Kurt hits an Angle Slam but Cena kicks out now. Both men down. I'm not sure if the Slam's put someone down the first time it's been used this year.

 

Cena's got his chain and plans to use it, the referee takes them away, but Cena also has Angle's medals! He hits Angle with them, Angle still kicks out! Fair enough, they can't be that heavy. A second FU/AA is countered into a backslide which gets 2, a second Angle Slam is countered, but Angle counters the counter and goes straight into the Anklelock. Grapevine, and Cena taps!

 

Oh yeah, No Mercy 2003 had the Big Show/Eddie Guerrero match where Show got covered in a load of shit during the buildup as well. SmackDown in 2003, it wasn't all good stuff.

 

My thoughts:

Match is fine, though it does feel a little bit meaningless. The magic hasn't quite fully hit with Cena at this point. But it's a fine match.

 

Angle landmarks:

First PPV match vs John Cena (perennial opponent)

 

PPV record so far:

22 wins by pinfall
11 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 win by DQ
15 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
1 loss by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
Only one more match to go to round off 2003. Wikipedia says it only goes 13 minutes, and it's a Survivor Series match so Angle won't be there the whole time. I think I can manage that tonight!
 
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Powering through then, Team Angle (but not that Team Angle) vs Team Lesnar. The only thing I remember from this was a shot on an episode of SmackDown leading up to Survivor Series of Lesnar's team all standing together looking big and scary in the ring and thinking "that's a load of really big guys there". It was a cool visual, they looked really intimidating. I can't find a good picture of it but it was good stuff.

 

The match:

Here's John Cena again. He's on Team Angle. We have a Hebner refereeing. It's been a while. Pre-match rap again. Cena says he's the main event but he's on first, which is a good point, but then says he comes out like a foetus and everyone else is afterbirth, which is less so. He uses the other matches on the card to run down the opposing team, which is good, then tell Big Show to blow him, which is, again, less so.

 

The next member of Team Angle is Benoit, which makes two consecutive Survivor Series they've teamed up.

 

We then get 2003 era Bradshaw, to virtually no bloody reaction. It should have been the APA but Faarooq was taken out by Lesnar. Hardcore Holly's in the team instead. We're building to that Lesnar title match! He doesn't get much reaction either.

 

Kurt does though! He's the team captain so it's only right. The idea here is that everybody on Angle's team has a grudge against someone on the other team. That's very logical.

 

Team Lesnar out next, starting with US Champion Big Show. The largest team ever assembled for Survivor Series!

 

That train noise at the start of A-Train's music made me involuntarily shudder in fear because I thought it was the stock exchange bell and JBL was coming out. Then I remembered he was already out.

 

Nathan Jones next. Terrible music but he had a cracking look. I liked Nathan Jones and I don't care who knows it. Also he's been in one more Best Picture-nominated film than The Rock, so who's the real breakout movie star in WWE? I HAD A LITTLE BROTHER AND HE WAS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY.

 

Matt 'meh' Morgan (I remember how utterly besotted Jim Cornette was with him at the time), then Lesnar out. He gets his apron pyro and Hardcore Holly goes straight for him. You catch a bit of Angle brawling with Big Show but then Hardcore Holly gets eliminated for a reason I missed. Angle's not happy.

 

A-Train and Bradshaw, they're in for about 30 seconds before a Clothesline From Hell eliminates A-Train. Big Show then comes in and another 30 seconds later (if that) Bradshaw gets a chokeslam and he's gone too. They're ploughing through the eliminations here, bloody hell.

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 22 (9 to Kurt, 1 by Kurt)

 

I've finally caught up with myself after they've thinned out the herd, and we get a little bit of Cena/Show before a bit of Cena/Lesnar. Even here you can sense there's something in the chemistry between these two. Angle and Benoit hanging out on the apron.

 

Morgan and Cena now. Then Jones and Cena. Lesnar back in again. They call this 'Classic Survivor Series' instead of 'Traditional' in 2003. Cena gets a tag to Benoit. Big Show in. He does a big press drop to Benoit and has words with Angle.

 

Did they explain why Kurt Angle didn't get the former Team Angle to join Team Angle here? They'd have been the first two I'd ask if I'd been Kurt. Hardcore Holly and Bradshaw were no good to anyone.

 

Jonesy helps Show with an abdominal stretch in the second of a series of glaring referee errors by Hebner. Strange how these things always look far more obvious when a Hebner's refereeing.

 

Show continues to goad Angle, Hebner occupies himself with keeping Kurt out while the heels pile onto Benoit outside the ring. Angle and Cena break it up and order resumes.

 

Morgan and Benoit now. This is a very easy write-up, Kurt hasn't done anything yet. Oh there we go, just as I say that Benoit tags him in! Morgan gets 3 German Suplexes straight off, Jones gets a basement dropkick, Lesnar's a bit more successful but still gets a German for his trouble, Show's knocked off the apron, Cena takes Lesnar over the top, Angle throws Jones out and hits an Angle Slam to pin Morgan!

 

Jones is now legal, Angle gets rid of Show again, Anklelock is locked in to Jones and he taps! That's two eliminations straight away for Kurt, but Brock's right in with an F5 and that's 3, Angle eliminated as well.

 

The four guys left continue the match, but its heart has left. Benoit and Cena win.

 

I think, looking back at what I did for Survivor Series 2001, I count each fall Kurt wins as a victory, Kurt's elimination as a loss, and then the overall team result as well. Just for my record-keeping.

 

My thoughts:

It's one of those 'power through a load of eliminations super quick' kind of Survivor Series matches, so as a full match it's an easy watch but maybe not hugely satisfying. If you want to watch for Kurt Angle, though, the short stretch where he's the legal man is fantastic, just tremendous. He blasts through the whole opposing team in short order, and eliminates two of them without any bother before Lesnar puts him down. He's only in it a minute or two but it's really great stuff. I recommend just for that!

 

Nathan Jones tapped out very easily, which surprised me, but he must have been gone very, very soon after this so maybe not that surprising.

 

Angle landmarks:

Kind of not really any here. He's not in the match enough for any to take place. First time a team he's been on has won a Survivor Series match, but as he wasn't there at the end I don't think that really counts.

 

PPV record so far:

23 wins by pinfall
12 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 team win (Survivor Series)
1 win by DQ
16 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
1 loss by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
 
And that's 2003 finished! 2004 Rumble next time, which'll probably be Thursday because I'm off work then and I'm out tomorrow night.
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Kurt's having another crack at the Rumble! He comes in at number 19, so I'll pick the match up there.

 

The match:

Following The Cat's swift elimination, Angle enters by sprinting down to the ring - no pyro or anything! We get an a cappella "You Suck" chant, and JR on commentary for an Angle match for the first time in ages. 

 

He's gone straight for Benoit, exchanging hits until a big clothesline knocks Benoit down. He follows it up with a suplex. Randy Orton's the only other guy in there at the moment. This show was on Setanta Sports? How long did that deal last?

 

Orton puts his hands on Angle for the very first time on PPV, foreshadowing their match that would be Angle's last on PPV (TNA doesn't count) but then Rico comes down and he's dealing with Orton while Kurt continues to try and eliminate Benoit. Imagine the retconning WWE wouldn't have to do anymore if Angle had been successful.

 

German Suplex for Kurt by Benoit, and another, and a third that the camera very nearly misses. Rico's eliminated. Was Orton in the 2003 match or was this his first? He won this year. I remember that.

 

Benoit went to the top rope - silly - and Angle nearly eliminated him again.

 

TESTTESTTESTTESTTESTTEST but sadly not the nonsensical lyrics music, it's the rubbish Latter Day Test music, but he doesn't come out so we get a view of the empty stage. Test's been knocked out. "That's my number 21 entrant you son of a bitch" says Stone Cold. OH, I remember this, it's Mick Foley isn't it.

 

While this unravels - and listen to that pop for Mick Foley! Remember when Mick Foley used to get pops like this! Damn, Mick, what happened, they're going CRAZY for him - Angle takes the opportunity to have a rest in the corner.

 

Once Mick's hit the Cactus Clothesline and taken out Orton and himself (some idiot in the front row with a moustache doesn't get that he's eliminated and is telling him to get back in the ring) we're down to Benoit and Angle alone in the ring but the camera's not on them at all. Meanwhile Foley's choking Orton with a cable. Six years later and they'd have fired him for that.

 

Christian is out next as Benoit chokes Angle in the corner. Benoit choking someone. Not a thing you want to see, ever.

 

I think Angle and Christian are interacting but the camera's on Orton destroying Foley's brain with unprotected chair shots to the head. Nasty. Vicious. Unnecessary. That's what happened, Mick.

 

Time for another entrant, which is Nunzio, and I don't think he's the man to get the focus back on the ring and Kurt Angle again.

 

Ah! Hang on, in a quick flash to the ring, Christian and Benoit are trying to eliminate him, and we appear to be concentrating on the match again. He escapes and goes back down to the corner while Christian and Benoit do stuff. Nunzio's biding his time. Kurt gets back up and hits a German on Christian, then one on Benoit and he's the only man standing.

 

Angle very nearly eliminates Christian before Big Show comes out. He heads straight for Angle and headbutts him down again. He mounts a bit of comeback but Show's fresh and big and big and big so Angle goes down again. 

 

Jericho's in at 25, Angle was fighting with Christian but Jericho goes straight for him - we haven't seen them together in the ring for years at this point! He and Christian pop Angle down to the corner for another rest. He forgives them very quickly, and in fact joins them - and Benoit - in the 'loads of lads try and get the big fat bloke out' spot. It doesn't work and we revert to Angle vs Jericho. I'd have been up for a resumption of their matches in 2004ish.

 

Another corner rest while Charlie Haas comes in to take some moves, and soon he's up again to give Christian a smack and then clobber Show in the corner. A big chop and Angle's down in the corner again! Jericho eliminates Christian.

 

Breather achieved and Haas gets a German Suplex.

 

Bloody hell, Billy Gunn! I was going to say "he was still around in 2004!?" in a surprised tone but then I remembered I saw him and Hardcore Holly teaming against The World's Greatest Tag Team on a house show after Mania XX so of course he was. Angle takes a Fameasser but is up again after a little while to give Benoit a punch and take a back suplex from Jericho.

 

This has been an extremely 'up for a bit, down for a bit' match for Angle.

 

John Cena out at 28 to a biiig reaction. How 2017 Cena gets booed and this silly looking idiot got cheered, I don't know. Angle's working on Haas while we get some Cena/Show/Nunzio stuff.

 

Angle vs Haas would have been a decent TV match, did that ever happen?

 

RVD's number 29, which must mean Goldberg was 30 this year. All this is precursor to that Spear on Nunzio. It's what I'm waiting for while Kurt and Charlie have a cuddle on the mat.

 

Haas leaves him alone after a bit, and Angle gets up to go after Cena, but it doesn't go especially well as he gets hit with the FU/AA pretty quickly. Whoever eliminates him is presumably going to be a heel seeing as he's promised victory in honour of the Armed Forces.

 

GOLDBERG! Other than the beard he barely looks older now than he did there. Spear to Big Show! Spear to Billy Gunn! GOLDBERG ANGLE INTERACTION! Goldberg punches him, that's it, but Goldberg and Angle, Goldberg and Angle! Punch for Jericho, RVD, and Cena, Haas gets a powerslam, Nunzio's on his back, Haas eliminated, Nunzio slammed down, RVD tries some kicks, DEATH TO NUNZIO, DEATH TO NUNZIO, DEATH, TO, NUNZIO

 

 

There it is. Gunn eliminated, Nunzio killed a second time with a press drop to the floor. He signals for a Jackhammer to Show but BROCK LESNAR COMES IN AND HITS AN F5 TO GOLDBERG! IT'S LIKE 2017 BUT IN 2004!

 

That little sequence there is the Goldbergiest I think he ever got to be in that first run, with the possible exception of the Elimination Chamber.

 

KURT ANGLE ELIMINATES GOLDBERG

 

KURT ANGLE ELIMINATES GOLDBERG

 

KURT ANGLE ELIMINATES GOLDBERG

 

SHUT UP ABOUT SMACKDOWN GUYS TAZZ

 

KURT ANGLE ELIMINATES GOLDBERG

 

ANGLE VS GOLDBERG AT WRESTLEMANIA 34

 

ANGLE AND GOLDBERG

 

HE ELIMINATED HIM

 

That got me unnecessarily excited. What's going on now, everyone's doing the 'eliminate the big guy' thing again and now Big Show's dominating everyone but it's not Goldberg so it's not really meeting with as much reaction. Angle takes him down by the knee and everyone hits their finishers on Show. Angle plays team captain in the plan to get rid of Show as everybody grabs a limb and tries to deadlift him up. He smushes them all away and eliminates Cena who lands badly enough that it'll get on the Don't Try This At Home video. You see Chioda signalling with the X . Angle's having another corner rest. Oh, RVD got eliminated too.

 

If Show wasn't in this bit we'd have been left with the three Intercontinental/European Title guys from WrestleMania 2000 as the last three in the Royal Rumble, which would have been pretty cool. And if you're having Benoit win, his two most storied opponents. It's not to be, though, because we need that final underdog elimination.

 

Angle tries it with Jericho, it doesn't work, Jericho gets chokeslammed out of the ring.

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 23 (9 to Kurt, 1 by Kurt)

 

Show and Angle again now, big sidewalk slam to Kurt. Benoit gets a chokeslam too, but in the ring.

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 24 (9 to Kurt, 1 by Kurt)

 

Angle tries for a German Suplex and gets a bum to the gut like the last time he tried that. He fights back and hits an Angle Slam on Show, and we're onto Benoit vs Angle! Benoit gets what you could barely call an Angle Slam, the straps come down. Angle looks to the crowd - which one do I eliminate? - and picks Show. Chokeslam attempted, countered into the Anklelock, Big Show taps but that ain't gonna eliminate him. Strategy though isn't it. You can tell Show's in pain because massive fleckles of spit are dripping from his mouth. He uses the power in his leg to eliminate Angle from the Anklelock position! Angry angry Angle! Cool elimination though.

 

Anyway, Benoit wins but I've stopped watching.

 

My thoughts:

It's a hit and miss Rumble if you're watching for Angle. He does a bit, has a rest for a bit, does a bit, has a rest for a bit… he doesn't have a Mania match or feud to set up or continue, so he's kind of just there as a 'well, he could win' entrant. Because his PPV matches tend to be against a select group of people, the Rumble's nice because you get to see him against people you otherwise wouldn't. It was cool to see him against Jericho again, and I loved the Goldberg interactions even though there were barely any. Goldberg and Angle!

 

Angle landmarks:

Not really any - what we saw here wasn't anything new - but for the second time, Angle's made it to the final 3 of the Rumble. 

 

PPV record so far:

23 wins by pinfall
12 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 team win (Survivor Series)
1 win by DQ
16 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
2 losses by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
 
(I'm off work today so I'm going to try and get to WrestleMania at least)
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Before WrestleMania comes around, Kurt Angle finds himself in a No 1 Contender's match against Big Show and John Cena. It's another triple threat! Can Angle make it two three-way wins in a row?

 

I mean, yes, he can, because he does, because he faces Eddie Guerrero at Mania. But let's try and forget that.

 

The match:

Kurt's been rocking the new singlet designs the last few months. I don't think he's worn the same thing twice for a while. I like it.

 

Show is out second, he's still the US Champion, and perhaps he's the key to Kurt's victory. Kurt Angle can only win a Triple Threat match if Big Show is also involved.

 

Angle's in ready-to-pounce position in the corner. He and Show are not friends. And here's John Cena, mic in hand. He does a rap about how he didn't attack Angle with a chair. When we cut back to Angle he has a little spit. Cena's keeping on topic with this one… except for a cock line at the end. He's so skinny in 2004!

 

The bell rings and Angle's hit with a Beale Toss. They lock up and he's shoved away again, he charges Show and gets body slammed. Cena's having great fun in his corner. Angle tells him to try it. He gets the same treatment. "How's that feel?" taunts Kurt from the corner. He and Cena face off and exchange a load of punches. Belly to belly by Angle, who really looks like an older veteran next to the likes of Cena. Show shoves Angle into Cena who tumbles to the outside and clutches his knee, like at the Rumble, except I assume this time he's just selling.

 

Angle gets a couple of hits on Big Show but gets a sidewalk slam and rolls out of the ring for a Cena/Big Show bit.

 

He turns up again a little later, grabbing Show by the ankle as he runs the ropes. They tease a chokeslam from the apron, Angle tries an apron German Suplex, it ends with a low Show blow. Brief Ringside Brawl - you can tell things have evolved from 2000/2001 where you got one of those every single match - which is mostly Cena being smacked into the steps, and we get Angle/Cena in the ring.

 

Cena gets in control with the spinny move (have they ever named that?) and keeps Show out of the ring. Two German Suplexes for Cena, and a third, but Show breaks up the pin straight away and Kurt does the shoulder-into-ringpost deal. Are shoulder problems part of his list of injury troubles? Because doing moves like that so often might be why.

 

Cena/Show bit.

 

He's back! Up to the top rope to hit a missile dropkick on Big Show! Cena breaks up the count and Angle's chucked back outside again. Cena hits the FU/AA on Show, but can't capitalise because Kurt's back in there, he tries an Angle Slam, it doesn't work and he's taken down again. Cena's turn to get chucked out now and Big Show gets hit with an Angle Slam, but Show kicks out.

 

Straps down. FU/AA countered into the Anklelock, Big Show breaks it up by chokeslamming Angle.

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 25 (10 to Kurt, 1 by Kurt)

 

Cena gets one too. He gets a bit more height on it than Kurt did.

 

Kurt Angle project chokeslam count: 26 (10 to Kurt, 1 by Kurt)

 

Angle has the wherewithal to break up the following pin by latching the Anklelock onto Big Show! He tapped last month in the Rumble - looks like Angle's got a cut on the side of his face but it might just be sweat - but he doesn't here because he kicks Kurt away. Cena spinebuster and a Five Knuckle Shuffle (first time he's been hit with that on PPV) but Show takes out Cena's knee by swinging at it with his mahoosive hand. Angle tries a German on Show, counters another chokeslam and does the Angle Slam over the top rope - just like with Kane at the 2002 Rumble!

 

He takes out Cena's bad knee, locks on the Anklelock, grapevines it and Cena HAS to tap! Angle is the Number 1 Contender! He's going to WrestleMania for the title match for the second year in a row!

 

AND that's two Triple Threat wins in a row as well - I think the curse has been broken.

 

Angle-Cena series: Angle 2 - 0 Cena

 

(Both victories by submission. Angle has Cena's number.)

 

My thoughts:

Good triple threat match here. Told a few stories - not just the title contention, but the Cena knee injury and things too. Angle and Cena clicked more here than at No Mercy the previous year, and Show's bumping as much as he can too.

 

Angle landmarks:

Sadly, once again, nothing hugely of note here. It was the tenth chokeslam he's taken on PPV but I'm not sure that can be considered a landmark...

 

PPV record so far:

23 wins by pinfall
13 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 team win (Survivor Series)
1 win by DQ
16 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
2 losses by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
It all begins again… next … soon … yes.
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It's a three-match day today - I've calculated that I've got 21 more matches to go (22 if you count the fact he technically wrestled twice at Armageddon 2004) and 22 days before the Hall Of Fame on the 31st.

 

Taking into account the fact I won't be able to do this a few times in March… I should just be able to manage this!

 

I'll round off the Early 2004 trilogy with the WrestleMania XX match for the WWE Championship vs. Eddie Guerrero. Unbelievably (at least for me) the first singles match they had on PPV.

 

Another thought before I get into the match was something that came to me after watching the previous month's match. I got a definite sense of entering into a new phase of WWE. You compare, even in the context of just viewing Kurt Angle's stuff, 2004 with 2000 and 2001 and there's been a change in the whole vibe of WWE. Cena and Orton are coming up, guys like Rock and Austin aren't around anymore… things be changing. You'd never have imagined Angle vs Guerrero would be the title match at WrestleMania in 2000. But here we are.

 

I'm excited for this match. I don't think I've watched it since the time so I hope it holds up - I remember liking it, but it not being my favourite match on the card (that went to the Benoit match, long since soiled, and the Jericho/Christian one after that, and I remember the finish but not much about the match itself - but maybe it'll be even better than I remember. I'm hoping it is.

 

I'm also hoping they don't show Trump at ringside. He was there for this one if I recall. I'd like to think his opinions of Mexicans actually originated from watching Eddie Guerrero lying, cheating and stealing and assuming he was representative of all Hispanic people. 

 

The match:

Big shiny American flag on the floor of the cool stage they set up at MSG, and Angle's gone full Captain America with his outfit. They're still tending to poor Molly Holly up there. There's a lady who should have gone in the Hall Of Fame before Beth Phoenix.

 

Here's that outfit on a different occasion:

 

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I know why it'll never ever happen again, but I'm still kind of gutted that there's probably never going to be another WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden. 

 

The super cool mid-point door things show the match graphics. I love it.

 

It sounds from the announcers like Angle's a face as well as Eddie Guerrero. Cool.

 

And here comes Eddie in his truck! He looked great with the WWE Championship on him. Such a shame.

 

I'm hyped for this match. It's going to be great. It's got to be.

 

I'm also unexpectedly sad watching Eddie with the title there. I think I remember why I haven't rewatched this match before - it's just such a shame, there he is, MSG, WWE Champion, the crowd chanting his name… :-(

 

Lockup to start and they break. Angle gets a front facelock, Eddie powers out, Angle takes him over into a headlock, leg scissors by Eddie and a standoff. A bit more grappling and another headlock which is reversed the same way. Duelling chant of "let's go Angle / Angle sucks" and Tazz says fans should chant whatever they want and cheer for whoever they want. NO TAZZ YOU'LL ENCOURAGE THEM 2017 IS YOUR FAULT TAZZ.

 

Everything's ending in a stalemate at this point, it really feels like a feeling out process as Guerrero gets a headlock of his own - he hits a series of shoulder blocks, each one quicker and more powerful than the last and Angle scarpers out of the ring. Nice.

 

Angle tries for a front facelock, Guerrero wrestles out of it, Angle wrestles out of THAT, and gets the hold successfully. I love that up to now it's just been exchanging holds, slowly building up, it feels like - and please don't let me sound like Jim Cornette here - proper wrestling. 

 

Angle picks Eddie up, but he counters with a backdrop and a couple of arm drags - now he's in control as he works on Angle's left arm with a keylock.

 

Just realised, we've not seen the Moonsault for AGES. 

 

Benoit knee gut flip bump by Eddie, and Angle locks in an abdominal stretch! Hold for hold stuff here. Eddie counters and gets the First Amigo, but Kurt's able to get in a German Suplex! Back Suplex over the top rope sends Eddie to the apron, Angle slides under, Eddie jumps over him, Angle recovers and tries for the apron German which so far has NEVER been successful, and it's not this time either as Guerrero elbows him away, following it up with a dropkick when Kurt gets back on the apron. Eddie goes up top for a dive but Angle moves and he hits the barricade. He was in the air for quite the amount of time there!

 

Back in the ring and we've got Angle in charge. Bodyslam, backbreaker, shoulders in the corner.

 

Chinlock City! It's been a few months. No! No, it's not, I'm getting ahead of myself, he's just doing a waistlock… no, no, it IS Chinlock City.

 

Bloody fucking annoying that Eddie's next challenger was Bradshaw. Fucking BRADSHAW. I ask you. Shit.

 

He's got out of the hold but Angle's still in control and hits a belly to belly and puts his arms out for approbations. A second belly to belly gets a 2 count. Waistlock reapplied. Eddie fights out of it superbly by trying to do this to Angle

 

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"WHO GAVE YOU THE ORDER!"

 

But before he gets to do the Full Martell to Angle, it's countered with another belly to belly.

 

Angle places Eddie on the turnbuckle and tries for the top rope version, is knocked down, Angle sprints up for it, is knocked down again, Eddie immediately jumps for the Frog Splash but misses! I've noticed how, unlike a lot of wrestlers, when it comes to Eddie Guerrero I'll use his first name far more often than his surname. He just seems that bit more identifiable, I don't know.

 

Cole's calling Angle a hypocrite now so maybe he's not a face after all.

 

He's been kicking and punching Eddie all over the shop, Guerrero's reeling but he does the "COME ON!" gesture, gets knocked down again and he gets RIGHT THE FUCK BACK UP because he's a champion. "COME ON!" He makes a comeback, we get the Bret Turnbuckle Bump for the first time in ages from Kurt, and a Back Suplex gives Guerrero a 2 count.

 

The First Amigo is tried again, but Angle again counters into a German. The second's countered into a rollup for two, Angle responds with his now trademark version of the clothesline where he goes down face first as the opponent goes down back first.

 

Angle Slam beautifully countered into an arm drag - as good as Mysterio's as Summerslam 2002, that was - and a headscissors. One Amigo, Two Amigos, it's countered AGAIN before all three can connect, this time into the Anklelock! Countered. Guerrero dropkick, he goes up top, and this time the sprinting belly to belly superplex connects! Two count.

 

Straps down, Anklelock again, quick counter into a rollup for 2! Another German Suplex. Stampy stamps, which again we've not seen for a while, Angle Slam COUNTERED INTO A DDT SUPERB! Eddie goes up top, the crowd are on their feet, FROG SPLASH! ANGLE KICKS OUT! Pheeeeeeeew that was close.

 

Eddie goes to pick Angle up but it was all a trick because he sneaks into the Anklelock! Tapout teased… teased again… "just hang on Eddie!" cries Cole - and Angle's flung outside. "EDDIE, EDDIE" chants as he sells the ankle. He's hurt, rolling around all over the place as the 10 count goes on, and is clutching at his boot in what I'm sure is a genuine expression of agony and anguish.

 

Angle's up again, I'm fairly sure Eddie goes "oh shit" and starts backing away - Angle goes straight for the Anklelock again… THE BOOT COMES OFF! ROLLUP! 1! 2! 3! "EDDIE WINS, EDDIE WINS, EDDIE WINS!"

 

Eddie's chuffed as Nick Patrick hands him the belt, Angle furiously throws the boot at him so Eddie picks it up.

 

The replay shows Eddie used the bottom rope to help with the rollup as well! Ha!

 

My thoughts:

That was excellent. Probably one of my favourite matches I've watched since the start of this thing. I think the reason I might not have remembered it very well was because it's wrestled at a very deliberate (you could argue 'slow' but I think that's harsh) pace, and it doesn't go flashy or finisher-finisher-finisher. That's because it doesn't have to. It just very organically builds and builds until it reaches its natural peak with a great ending. Excellent excellent match, definitely one for you to go back and watch again if you're following this thread.

 

I was half-tempted to rewatch Lesnar-Goldberg I because that's another one I haven't seen since the time, but after the quality of Angle-Guerrero I don't think I'll bother!

 

Angle landmarks:

It's reached the point now where landmarks are few and far between. Angle's got every aspect of his act now, it feels. But at a stretch, I believe this match makes him 0-3 for PPVs at Madison Square Garden. Between this, the Tazz match and Survivor Series 2002, he's never won on PPV at the Garden. Unless I've missed one.

 

PPV record so far:

23 wins by pinfall
13 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 team win (Survivor Series)
1 win by DQ
17 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
2 losses by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
Angle takes another break from wrestling after this, and we don't see him again until Summerslam and a rematch with Guerrero (only not for the title this time because by Summerslam it was in the hands of an undeserving shitarse, I'm sorry JBL fans but I'll just never be able to get on board with that 2004 run) so that's where I'm headed next!
 
(He was also in the corner of Luther Reigns for a match at the Great American Bash but like shite am I watching that if I don't have to, so Summerslam it is.)
 
 
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That's a quality match v Eddie. May be a little nostalgia though as Mania 20 was my first and Eddie was my God.

Since rewatching I can kinda cosign some of the criticism that these 2 had a proper personal feud and then go in there and chain wrestle. I'll still always be very fond of the match though, Eddie's title run is just one of the best things ever even if it was short. Just him celebrating at No Mercy and the following Smackdown feels real as fuck and the crowd is just 100% with him too. It's my happy place

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I'm not watching any pre-match videos or build-up for any of these matches so any disconnect between the feud and the match itself is lost on me. Perhaps it's even better without context!

 

Rematch time now, though. Angle-Guerrero but at Summerslam, in a match I don't think I've seen because I can't recall seeing much of this show beyond the first couple of matches for some reason. Maybe the recording cut off.

 

Anyway...

 

The match:

There must have been some silly Olympic style event videos for this show judging by the PPV opening.

 

Angle and Eddie's video, which I just catch the end of, gives us ANOTHER nose-squishing face off. These are becoming a bit old hat now.

 

There is some semblance of reaction to Kurt coming out, with the "You Sucks", but he's out there with Luther Reigns and it actively feels like the heat is being sucked out of the place by him being there. Like there's a Dementor suddenly glided into the room and you'll never be happy again.

 

So by this time, Kurt's been GM of SmackDown, Eddie's lost the WWE Title, and so the rematch is your standard grudge match. Possibly Kurt cost Eddie the title, I don't remember. Cole thinks that Kurt's never got over the fact that Eddie cheated to win at Mania.

 

"Eddie" chant to start off. Angle using his power to start off with some holds and takedowns, but Eddie counters with a fireman's carry, they both stand up again and try to get a hold locked in, but the referee - who, I am sad to announce, is a Hebner - and break it up. Cole references the 'bizarro world' fans chanting for Angle. The constant justification of 'unusual' crowd reactions in the early/mid 2000s makes me less and less surprised that they're such a big thing these days.

 

A few more takedowns and Kurt gets a keylock but Eddie powers out and hits an armdrag into an arm hold, into a hammerlock, but Kurt gets the first big move in much earlier than at WrestleMania by hitting a German Suplex. The second is reversed and Eddie Guerrero pops in the Anklelock! Angle's sort of selling the pain but at the same time, the anger at being caught in his own hold so quickly. A thumb in the eye - like Eddie did at Mania, I guess - gets him out of it and he gets the Angle Slam! Already!

 

Straps down, now Kurt's got the Anklelock. Eddie grasps and grabs at Kurt's foot and tries to get Kurt in the same move, but no, Kurt's not having that, and keeps his submission stuck in. Guerrero reaches the ropes and Brian Hebner decides it's time to get into a shoving match with Angle so Luther Reigns can smack Guerrero one. Shitty, shitty Hebners who fall for things that no other referee falls for. Do the referees help plan out the matches and suggest these things, or do the road agents just assign Hebners to all the matches where the ref's an idiot/twat?

 

Angle now working on Guerrero's leg and ankle, hitting it off the ring post. Eddie fights back with some chops but Kurt just goes back for some more legwork. He twists the leg around and … that is a submission. I don't know what it's called. Close up of Eddie shows he's bleeding from the eye - presumably from Angle's thumb before ("WHO GAVE YOU THE ORDER!" all over again - hey, whatever happened to Halfthor Bjornsson after he was at that NXT Takeover that time? There's your next big star, WWE! Sign the Mountain!) - where was I? Kurt's weird submission, that's right. It might be some variation of an STF, maybe?

 

Doesn't really matter, because by now Eddie's got out of it, Angle's had a go at undoing Guerrero's laces, we get a little diversion into Chinlock City and Eddie gets another comeback ending in him hitting the Angle Slam on Angle himself. Both men down.

 

Cut to: Luther Reigns, looking angry.

 

I can confirm, as they stand back up, that Eddie's laces are undone. That must be bloody annoying, they look like they'd take ages to tie. Three Amigos all connect (on the first attempt, an improvement on Mania) and Eddie's gone to the top, but Angle gets the sprinting belly to belly superplex (again, on the first attempt, also an improvement on Mania!) for 2.

 

Stampy stamps from Kurt, but another Angle Slam's countered into a DDT and Eddie's going to the top again. Not advisable after last time I'd say, and I'm right because Angle rolls out of the way of the Frog Splash and hits his second Angle Slam of the match. Michael Cole says "this one is over" so I already know Eddie's kicking out before he does.

 

"Eddie" chant starts up again. Angle looks tired. The boot is off. Anklelock to Eddie Guerrero's ankle sock, aaaaaand there's your Hebner ref bump. Eddie boots Angle in the face - which is breaking the rules, but if the boot was on his foot at the time, it'd have been fine? Not sure about the logistics of that one - and dispatches Reigns, then pretends he got hit as the ref wakes up. Frog Splash connects this time and Angle kicks out!

 

I'm not a fan of Luther Reigns, but I would LOVE/be vaguely amused for a couple of seconds by them bringing him back as a distant relative of Roman.

 

Anklelock again, tried a grapevine, gets it, he's screaming his head off… Eddie taps and Kurt gets a win back.

 

My thoughts:

Good match - of course it bloody is, it's Kurt Angle vs Eddie Guerrero - but if you're only going to watch one Angle/Guerrero PPV match, pick WrestleMania. This one's good but it doesn't quite hit the heights of their first encounter.

 

Angle landmarks:

First match with Luther Reigns association

 

PPV record so far:

23 wins by pinfall
14 wins by submission
1 win with ladder
1 team win (Survivor Series)
1 win by DQ
17 losses by pinfall
5 losses by submission
1 loss by unconsciousness
2 losses by elimination (Royal Rumble)
1 team loss (Survivor Series)
7 multi-man match losses (Angle not defeated)
 
 
 
Looking at the card for No Mercy… it's another Big Show match. Hmm. May as well get this one out of the way tonight, I'll do Survivor Series and Armageddon tomorrow, and that's 2004 done and dusted! Powering through!
 
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