[2003-02-06-WWE-Smackdown] Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWE World Champion Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit - Smackdown 2/6/03

 

Kurt Kobashi powerbombs Chris Misawa into the turnbuckles only for Chris Misawa to duck under and hit a German where Kurt Kobashi lands on his belly. I am so glad "This is awesome" has NOT been innovated yet. Even with this bit of campy excess, I still thought this was a really good match. There is an authenticity that Benoit brings to the ring that is sorely lacking in today's WWE. The way he wrestles in the beginning, he is just out to overwhelm you. He is the Russians at Stalingrad, no steps back, only moving forward. It is just a barrage of strikes, holds and suplexes. It never looks choreographed. He looks like he is wrestling a legit contest. Angle actually matches him for violence at the beginning. One thing Angle lacks in my opinion is that viciousness, that mean streak. He shows glimpses of it here and I think when you are in the ring with Benoit, you have to have that. Angle's heat segment does drag between a chinlock and some boring clobbering. Benoit is an amazing comeback. Those chops are scintillating. You cant take your eyes off him. I thought the submission chaining between the Anklelock and Crossface was done better here than at the Rumble. Angle runs up the ropes, but headbutts Benoit by accident busting him open bad the hardway. That's when the aforementioned All Japan cosplay happens. Benoit misses the diving headbutt and Angle goes for pin that should have been the finish but they do one more Angleslam to really call it. I liked this. It was your typically solid Chris Benoit match. ***1/4

[ohtani's jacket]

I thought this was a great television match. I was sick to death of this feud when they were tag partners, but their singles work keeps getting better and better. When you think of Benoit vs. Angle, the first thing that springs to mind is a bunch of endless Crossface into Ankle Lock into Crossface into Ankle Lock counters, and a million suplexes, but the bulk of this match was gritty as fuck matwork. Tremendous stuff that looked totally out of place on WWE TV. Benoit getting busted open hardway as cool as fuck. This feud has moved up in my estimation.