Pro Wrestling Chronicle

HBK after the comeback, Kurt Angle before the downfall, and the last classic match of two Hall of Fame careers. It’s Angle/HBK Mania 23 in the second of three Mania matches for Steal This Match.

4.3.05 Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels Wrestlemania 21
I have no earthly idea what the build up for this match was. I know Michaels was a babyface (because Jesus won’t allow him to be a heel, much the way his great rival Bret Hart claims Canada wouldn’t allow him to be a heel).I also know Angle was suppose to be the heel here, as he’s always is SUPPOSED to be, but as usual, he gets a large degree of cheers in most matches. Add to HBK’s natural penchant for irritating people, and those who know what he’s done, and I’ll assume we’ll have a split crowd. Then again, this is taking place in Lip Stick City (LA), and for all I know people could be asleep for most of this match, much like famous people showing up to be seen at Laker games. So, while I can’t remember this specific build up, I do know Angle had an awesome match with Benoit in this venue in Sept. of 2002 that everyone needs to see, and HBK had a famous match down the rode against that Hart guy at another Mania. Oh wait, Marty Jannetty! I’m remembering something in the build up about Jannetty!

No video package to start out. Not that they didn’t do one, I just don’t have it on this compliation tape. WWE has such a great sound mix for their shows, especially the big PPV events. JR and King sound great, prominent even, without being overbearing, because they blend just enough. Crowd mic is good, as is the in ring audio. The crowd is buzzing by the way, as we begin.

Stare down to start. Earl’s kid, Dave Hebner, is the ref. HBK slaps Angle, and Angle runs over him with mat work. They stand off again. Now Michaels grounds Angle with a side headlock. He keeps it tight. Suplex by Angle, but HBK holds onto the headlock. Escapes, running the ropes, and again HBK grabs the side headlock. He tries to flip him over for fun cheap pins ever few seconds. Angle is really being tenacious here, trying to fight out. He’s on his feet now, walking around and trying to push HBK off. They’re separated, but Michaels grabs… the HEADLOCK! I’m trying to figure out if HBK influenced protege Brian Danielson, or if HBK has been watching ROH tapes! Fun psychology and story for the first five minutes. A well booked strategy for HBK given the characters, and JR puts over Angle not being prepared for Michaels to approach him in this way.

Crowd starts out cheering and chanting for Angle, but then we get dueling chants. Michaels, after reversals, gets an awkward looking short arm scissors submission. They’ve managed to keep it in first gear and keep the strategy and intensity there. Great reversals in and out of a hold to pin attempts by Angle at times. A sequence of well timed reversals and nearfalls leads right back to Michaels with a side headlock taker in control. We’re 6 minutes in.

They’ve really handled the opening well. Michaels is believable as barely holding onto control of the ground, which is Angle’s world. They’ve made the “restholds” mean something with movement, which is something I love about high-end ROH wrestlers in past years like Low Ki and Brian Danielson.

Breaks into a very good slugfest and tie-up. Small detail, but done with the intensity of an MMA tie-up. Angle gives a rabbit punch to HBK and grabs the Ankle Lock! Michaels desperately wiggles free and clotheslines both over the top. HBK and Angle understand teasing finishers early and playing urgency, as all great workers do.

We’re done with the feeling out process. Outside, they set up an announce table spot, tease HBK going through it via suplex. Great reversals lead to a twisting Angle Slam into the ringpost. Awesome movement and instincts by both. They both sell, and HBK’s back history is now in play. Phase 2 of the match begins 9 minutes in.

Everything – EVERYTHING – from Angle at this point is done to Michael’s back. Forearms, kicks, a suplex, and a submission stretch. All done with purpose, and for a purpose. Excellent “heat” segment.

HBK gets up for a fiery babyface comeback. He’s best when playing beatdown babyface. At first angle was the fan favorite, but now they cheer the comeback. Eventually they’ll just cheer the match itself.

Belly-to-belly on HBK’s back. Then another. JR’s announcing in this match is what it was five years before, and hasn’t been since. Angle submission on back and great replays of the back-to-ringpost bump tell the story.

Michaels gets a hopespot 12 minutes in with chops. They’re paced is well for this point. They are both “warn down”. Kurt Angle ends it with a vicious clothesline after being slapped hard in the face. It’s getting personal. They take it to the next level.

Awesome Sequence Alert. Angle put HBK up to tease a top rope belly-to-belly. He’s fought off and falls back to the canvas. HBK, to a big pop, goes for his top rope elbow drop (not rushing it), but he misses, landing on his injured back. They both sell.

14 minutes in. Angle pulls the strap down!! Angle Slam. NOPE, counter arm drag. Angle charges like a bull, but takes a huge back body drop over the top rope. HBK, true to his character, hopes on the top rope and cross-bodies Angle on the outside. He killed him with his knee to the head. Only sloppiness in the first 15 minutes, if that even counts (high risk is high risk, not reckless).

Awesome Sequence Alert two. HBK tries to beat the ref’s ten count back in, but he’s grabbed on the apron getting back in by an angry Kurt Angle. Angle is obsessed with suplexing Michaels into the announce table (still teasing the table spot), which would cripple his back. He’s pulling back screaming, “Come on, Michaels! Come on! AHHHH!” a flurry of elbows by Michaels in desperation, and finally a back kick to the balls (AKA Flair special). Crowd boos, and HBK’s face sells exhaustion and the lengths he’ll go for self preservation.

Angle comeback and Michaels desperately kicks him off to the table, then does a springboard twisting cross-body putting both on and then over the table. The table didn’t break, so it looked sick. Crowd claps rhythmically as they sell, then counts along with the ref’s slow dramatic ten count. They both crawl in opposite sides of the ring, to a pop, then crawl towards each other. Angle is bleeding from the mouth. This is where you get the first true sense you’re seeing something really special. Something more then just as great match.

18 minute mark. HBK flying elbow and nip up. He’s selling the back, but he’s a (Dusty Rhode’s Certified) House of Fire babyface!! Elbow from the top hits! HBK gets the crowd going crazy with the foot stomp signaling Sweet Chin Music. The attempt… Angle catches it. Beautiful transition into the Ankle Lock. Brilliant. HBK is trying to roll through, but Angle holds on. Crowd is ballistic. Commentary is spot on. And the camera angles sell HBK in the hold. Michaels makes the ropes to a pop, followed by another segment of fans who boo.

It gets better. HBK pulls himself up. Angle Slam… no again. Sunset flip, but Angle grabs the Ankle Lock again! Another roll-through for an HBK nearfall. Sweet Chin Music? No, Angle finally hits the Angle Slam! Crowd counts along for a nearfall. We’re 21 minutes into the match.

Angle is pissed. Straps down again. But this time he pulls out his rarely used moonsault. No water in the pool. HBK milks the selling, pulls himself up to the top rope for what I assume is a big elbow drop, but Angle pops up for a top rope Angle Slam! Two count and the roof is coming off the building. 23 minutes in, and if the finish is right, it’s a classic.

Angle is stomping and pouting, grabbing Michaels by the face and screaming, “You tap out! You hear me, Michaels? You tap out!” Michaels shoves him away and nails a desperate (everything he does in this layout and character portrayal is) Sweet Chin Music! They both play dead. Wide shot of the crowd is amazing.

They’re still selling a minute later, right out of the HBK/HHH main event style playbook, and this time it’s working. HBK crawls and drapes the arm over Angle (think his win over Taker at H.I.T.C.) for a nearfall. Have I mentioned JR is back to the announcing form of the man who called Flair-Steamboat?

“Lets go Angle, lets go Shawn” dueling chants. Angle grabs the Ankle Lock and Michaels does the sell of a lifetime. He’s kicking Angle off, or trying, but Angle won’t let go. Angle drops down into a heel hook, and even my ankle starts breaking watching Michaels sell unbelievable pain. Dramatic reach for the ropes. He can’t make it. After two minutes HBK taps. Both fall to the ground and sell the epic encounter.

They’d have two more well known matches (actually 3), and all of them were great, but this is THE match. Often I get into a friendly debate (sometimes) with fellow staff member Paul Siegfried about the 2004 and 2005 W.O.N. Match of the year awards. In 2004 the HHH/HBK/Benoit Mania match beat out Joe-Punk 2, a result I still refuse to accept, and granted I love both matches. But in 2005, Joe-Kobashi beat out this Angle/HBK match for match of the year. It’s apples and oranges, and I did vote Joe-Kobashi (for the record, I was also their live, and not in LA for this match). All that said, I would gladly switch out Joe-Kobashi for Angle-HBK if something can be done about 2004, and I can not find fault in anyone who voted this as the 2005 match of the Year. In fact, barring the first 15 months of the decade (start the day after Mania 17) this is by far the match of the decade so far in terms of the WWE. It will probably hold up viewing it in ten years as well. Steal this match, and five for your friends while you’re at it. 4 ¾ stars.