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Backstage, Jeremy Borash interviewed Kurt Angle in his locker room. Angle said that the last time, he defeated the undefeated Samoa Joe and made him tap out. Angle promised that after tonight, they would never fight again. He said that after tonight, every fan and wrestler would know who the better man is, and that's "real, damn real."
They aired the Impact video package on the match.
Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe
Angle and Joe started out feeling each other out and tying each other up in the ropes to break moves. The crowd was doing dual chants immediately. Angle took Joe down with a back heel trip and a top wristlock. Joe fought to his feet but Angle took him down with a single leg takdown. Joe got to the ropes to force the break, so Angle kicked him.
They locked up again, with Joe hitting a shortarm clothesline on Angle. He began taking out Angle with kicks and punches in the corner. Joe measured Angle with bodyshots and punches. Joe whipped Angle into the ropes. Angle reversed and charged Joe, who backdropped him over the top to the floor.
Joe followed Angle to ringside and began nailing him with kicks. Angle began fighting back with lefts and uppercuts. Angle hit a dive to the floor. Angle slammed Joe's face into the ringside steps again and again. Angle returned to the ring, motioning that he was waiting for Joe. As Joe got to the apron, Angle went for a sliding kick. Once they got outside, Joe began nailing shots, so Angle returned to the ring. When Joe followed, Angle cut him off with stomps.
Joe cut off Angle as he charged in the corner. Joe charged Angle but Angle caught him with a shot to the neck and throat, taking him down. Angle measured Joe and nailed a suplex. Angle covered Joe but Joe kicked up at one. Angle scissored Joe from behind, trying to wear him down. Joe and Angle fought over extremities as they worked on each others' arms.
They battled into the corner. Joe came back with a series of rights and chops. Joe went for a running clothesline but missed, hitting the ropes and clotheslining himself. Angle measured him with uppercuts. Angle caught Joe with a belly-to-belly suplex. Angle scored a two count.
Angle cinched on a rear chinlock, trying to choke out Joe. The referee broke the move because it was too low. Angle went back to the scissor, forcing the air out of Joe. Angle went for a clothesline, but Joe ducked and caught Angle with a release suplex, tossing Angle upside down in the air. The crowd started chanting, "This is awesome."
They meet mid-ring with punches back and forth. Joe nailed Angle with a clothesline but Angle gets right back up. Joe went for the choke but Angle hit hit with a backwards headbutt. Angle grabbed Joe and hit a series of German Suplexed. Angle challenged Joe to return to his feet and stalked him from behind.
Angle went for the Olympic Slam. Joe landed on his feet, so Angle went for the Anklelock. Joe kicked Angle off into the corner. He placed Angle on the top rope and went for the Muscle Buster. Angle fought back but Joe dazed him with an enziguiri. Joe went for the Buster but Angle escaped into a sunset flip type move, going right for the anklelock in the center of the ring. Joe fought it off, finally tucking and rolling to kick off Angle. Angle hit the Olympic Slam for a two count. Angle was shocked Joe kicked up.
Angle went right back to the Anklelock but Joe pulled him backwards into the rear naked choke. Angle fought out and locked the anklelock. Joe fought out and got the choke. Angle teased tapping but then grabbed the ankle. Angle scissors it with Joe in the center of the ring. Joe fought and fought and finally made it to the ropes. Angle refused to break but finally did as the referee got near a 5 count.
Angle went right after the ankle, kicking and stomping it. Angle put Joe on the top rope and began nailing rights. He climbed to the top for a bellt to belly superplex but Joe headbutt Angle three times, taking him down. Angle leaped back up and hit a superplex, scoring a two count. Great match.
Angle goes for the Olympic Slam but Joe turned it into an armdrag takedown. Joe got up and nailed Angle as he charged. Angle bumped the referee in a collision that was perfectly timed and didn't look contrived. Joe locked in the rear naked choke in the center of the ring. Angle tapped but there was no referee to call for the bell. Joe realized the referee was out and tried to wake him. Angle nailed Joe with a lowblow from behind.
Angle left the ring and grabbed a chair from ringside. He tried to nail Joe with it but Joe ducked and Angle nailed himself in the head. Joe grabbed him from behind and Angle, after struggling to get to the ropes to save himself, was pulled backwards. Joe cinched in the choke. Angle tried to get to Joe's ankle but finally succumbed and tapped out.
Your winner, Samoa Joe!
They showed fans holding "Rematch" signs that had to be planted. They aired a highlight reel of moves and moments from the match. They showed Angle walking backstage as Joe watched from the other stage. They closed the PPV with a commercial for Final Resolution, which was built around Samoa Joe. Perfect timing.
This was just plain awesome. They smartly ignored the Impact match and treated this like a major rematch. If you love the physicality of a great wrestling match that looks like a war, this was for you. The Orlando crowd made this match seem like such a big deal that it created a "big fight feel." I thought this was better than the first match and I am looking forward to Joe vs. Angle III. It take a lot to get me exciting while watching a wrestling match in 2006, but this did the trick. You owe it to yourself to see the match.
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