Eyes on #2...Wrestlemania X-Seven

Match 5 - Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit

Kurt Angle locks in a Crossface of his own during his match with the Rabid Wolverine.

Kurt Angle is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Period. It goes without saying that Chris Benoit was too before his untimely death and subsequent black veil over his career and his life, as WWE continue to try and wipe all memory of The Rabid Wolverine from existence.

This match, however, showcases both athletes at their absolute pinnacle. It was built around Angle’s tapping to the Crossface during the build to the rivalry. This lead to several attempts to lock in the Crossface from Benoit before one of the greatest sequences I’ve ever seen, led from Benoit locking in the Crossface, only for it to be reversed by Angle into one of his own.

This just after Angle attempted to lock in the Ankle Lock, only for Benoit to reverse it and lock in one of his own.

Eventually, a Crossface lead to Angle tapping out once again, only for the referee, pre-occupied with a bump taken earlier in the sequence to miss it entirely. Quite literally edge of your seat viewing.

Several huge spots followed, with Angle Slams, power-slams, reversed moon-saults and a flying headbutt from Benoit that earnt him the closest 2-count of the match.

Angle then won with a reversed pin attempt by grabbing the tights after a low-blow. A genuinely excellent match, with Angle (the heel) resorting to desperate measures (the low-blow) to win, which was magnified by the fact it was the only bit of cheating. No chairs, no tables – just wrestling. A lost art nowadays.

Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.25/5

Eyes On Rating: 9/10