Hey so everyone around here knows I loved me some classic wrestling and randomly watch matches whenever I get some free time. Well I decided to do something about it. Every once in a while I think I'll share my thoughts. Whether that be on a match, a promo, a PPV, a year, a faction. Whatever I may have on my mind. Well today that is a match. Summerslam 2001 Kurt Angle vs Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Austin was your star attraction. I know he had only been a heel for a couple of months and had just joined with the Alliance but people still loved the guy and he had everyone's attention. When the feuds with Kane and Taker and with Jericho and Benoit ended at KOTR he needed a new opponent.
Angle had already had the title late in 2000 and was the other top card WWF guy, he was nothing more special than Taker, Kane or anyone else that was on the WWF team at Invasion. They decided they needed a challenger for Austin and he fit the bill. The fans didn't really seem to believe in him as a serious threat though.
This is one of the greatest booking decisions I have ever seen in my life. The match itself is actually pretty good too but it's the effect it had that made me post this article.
Angle took every single blow Austin could dish out and just kept coming back.
This match had wrestling and some great close calls. False finishes were already popular but not at the level they are now. Quite frankly Angle is one of the biggest culprits of this, but at the time he was not.
This match had brawling, Angle was beaten to a bloody pulp.
They had the fans eating out of the palm of their hands. Every false finish was believable. The people were also behind Angle more and more as it went on.
Austin takes out three referees in this match. Every time it looks like Angle may get an upperhand, Austin would do whatever he could to turn the tide. After taking out the third ref, Angle grabs momentum and looks like he is going to win the thing.
Then you have the finish. Most people complained about it at the time and most people I know still do but if you actually look at it, it was brilliant.
This occurs when Austin takes out the third ref and Angle hits the Angle Slam. Nick Patrick the WCW ref comes running down and looks like he will count the 3 and then turns and calls or the bell. Austin retains the title and Angle comes out looking like a million bucks.
We know the rest. Angle takes the title a month later and then becomes the big star that turns and turns back to win the Survivor Series match for the WWF. None of that is possible without the momentum he gained here.
I just decided to post this because I forgot how great this match and booking actually was.
Video is below.
[video=dailymotion;xlpbx]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlpbx_wwe-kurt-angle-vs-steve-austin-s-c_sport[/video]
Austin was your star attraction. I know he had only been a heel for a couple of months and had just joined with the Alliance but people still loved the guy and he had everyone's attention. When the feuds with Kane and Taker and with Jericho and Benoit ended at KOTR he needed a new opponent.
Angle had already had the title late in 2000 and was the other top card WWF guy, he was nothing more special than Taker, Kane or anyone else that was on the WWF team at Invasion. They decided they needed a challenger for Austin and he fit the bill. The fans didn't really seem to believe in him as a serious threat though.
This is one of the greatest booking decisions I have ever seen in my life. The match itself is actually pretty good too but it's the effect it had that made me post this article.
Angle took every single blow Austin could dish out and just kept coming back.
This match had wrestling and some great close calls. False finishes were already popular but not at the level they are now. Quite frankly Angle is one of the biggest culprits of this, but at the time he was not.
This match had brawling, Angle was beaten to a bloody pulp.
They had the fans eating out of the palm of their hands. Every false finish was believable. The people were also behind Angle more and more as it went on.
Austin takes out three referees in this match. Every time it looks like Angle may get an upperhand, Austin would do whatever he could to turn the tide. After taking out the third ref, Angle grabs momentum and looks like he is going to win the thing.
Then you have the finish. Most people complained about it at the time and most people I know still do but if you actually look at it, it was brilliant.
This occurs when Austin takes out the third ref and Angle hits the Angle Slam. Nick Patrick the WCW ref comes running down and looks like he will count the 3 and then turns and calls or the bell. Austin retains the title and Angle comes out looking like a million bucks.
We know the rest. Angle takes the title a month later and then becomes the big star that turns and turns back to win the Survivor Series match for the WWF. None of that is possible without the momentum he gained here.
I just decided to post this because I forgot how great this match and booking actually was.
Video is below.
[video=dailymotion;xlpbx]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlpbx_wwe-kurt-angle-vs-steve-austin-s-c_sport[/video]
