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Jeremy Borash interviewed Kurt Angle. Angle said that when he came to TNA, he knew he was the best in the world but others had earned their place in TNA. He said that he targeted Joe when he came here because Joe was the best in the world. He said that for three months, he beat up Joe like he never beat up anyone before. He said unfortunately, Joe did the same to him. Angle said that tonight, his focus is on Christian Cage. He said Cage "was" a great champion and guaranteed he was going to be champion tonight.
They aired a video feature on Christian Cage vs. Kurt Angle.
NWA champion Christian Cage (with Tomko & Scott Steiner) vs. Kurt Angle: Samoa Joe as the ringside enforcer
They did the in-ring introductions by Jeremy Borash. No Steiner or Joe at ringside at the start. Tomko was thrown out of ringside before they rang the bell. Just as they started to lock up, Samoa Joe's music hit and he made his way to the ring with a chair. TNA was smart to give Joe the final entrance. It made him look like a star above or at Cage and Angle's level and if they want to go all the way with him, this is a smart way to help that cause.
Angle took Cage down with a foreaem and unleashed a series of kicks on Cage. They exchanged chops. Angle went for the anklelock early. Cage escaped to the floor and tried to pull Angle out but was kicked off. Angle and Cage brawled around ringside. Angle hit a double sledgehammer off the apron onto Cage. Cage slammed Angle into the ringside stairs. Cage and Joe went nose to nose. Angle grabbed Cage for the Olympic Slam,. then drilled Cage backwards into a ringpost.
Cage was tossed back into the ring, then backdropped by Angle. Angle hit a backbreaker for a two count. They ended up back on the floor, where Cage hit a Hangman's neckbreaker. Joe got out of his chair and began yelling at Angle to get up and fight back.
Back in the ring, Cage used his feet to crush Angle's chest, then hit a snapmare. Cage worked over Angle with a rear chinlock. Angle finally came back then picks up and dumps Cage over for a two count. Angle hit a backdrop suplex, but Cage flipped out of a second and landed on his feet. Angle went for the Olympic Slam but Cage escaped and went for the Unprettier. Angle turned it into an ankle lock attempt but Cage escaped and kicked Angle low. He nailed the Unprettier but Angle got his shoulder up at two.
Cage slammed Angle and dropped an elbow. Angle charges Cage in the corner but Cage hits a rear elbow. Cage went to the top but Sngle jumped up and hit a belly to belly superplex off the top. Angle hit a series of seven German suplexes, but Cage got his shoulder up at the last second.
AJ Styles came out and got on the ropes. Angle dared him to come into the ring. Joe chased Styles to the back. Off camera, Cage drilled Angle with a chair. He hit a top rope frog splash but Angle got his shoulder up at the last moment. Cage went for the Unprettier and nailed it as Joe returned to ringside. Angle kicked up at two as Cage can't believe Angle escaped the pin. Joe and cage began jawing at ringside.
Angle went for the anklelock but Cage shoved him off. Angle knocked the referee out of the ring. Joe went to look over him. Cage came from behind but Joe saw him and tossed him back into the ring. Cage was screaming at Joe, but Angle grabbed him and hit the Olympic Slam. Joe tossed the referee back into the ring. Cage kicked up.
Cage tried to clothesline Angle, who ducked. The referee took it and was out again. Tomko hit ringside and threw Joe into the ring steps. he hit the ring but Angle took him down and began nailing him with German suplexes. Scott Steiner hit the ring with a lead pipe but Steiner missed nailing him with it and Angle knocked him to the floor. Joe returned to the ring and clotheslined Tomko over the top to the floor.
Joe and Angle faced off mid-ring. Angle shoved Joe. Joe looked at him and charged but instead dove through the ropes on Tomko and Steiner. Joe and Steiner battled over a chair, before Joe and Tomko brawled to the back.
Angle locked on the Anklelock but the referee was out. Cage began tapping but there was no referee. Cage grabbed the lead pipe Steiner brought to ringside and nailed Angle in the shoulder. Cage tried to revive the referee, then nailed the Unprettier. Cage scored the pin.
Your winner and still NWA champion, Christian Cage!
Really fun match to close the show with a lot of good wrestling, a good story, and a lot of future teases for stuff involving Joe, Angle, Cage, Styles, and Steiner. TNA put its best foot forward with the top two matches.
The PPV went off the air with Cage, Steiner, and Tomko celebrating as Mike Tenay said Angle got screwed out of the title. Can we please retire that word from the pro wrestling jargon? Please?
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