The Kurt Angle Show - SummerSlam 2000 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

This week we’re talking about what is a major moment in your career - SummerSlam 2000. Before we get to the match let’s talk about how we got here.

You’re coming off one of the higher profile matches of your career at Fully Loaded where you wrestled the Undertaker and lost in just under 8 minutes. Getting in the ring with the man considered the leader of the locker room had to be nerve wracking. How was Taker to put that match together with?

Do you know at that show that the plan is for you to main event SummerSlam?

The Raw the next night in a re-match it’s you vs Taker but Big Show comes out and turns on Taker and it’s a 3-on-1 beat down with Shane McMahon joining in.

Commissioner Foley is upset about this and sets up the main event of The Rock & Kane versus you & Chris Benoit which ended in a schmozz but you end up on top of the Rock as the show goes off the air after hitting him with a chair. Did you think being paired with Shane like this was going to lead to a main event slot?

The next night on SmackDown is one of the most infamous SmackDown episodes in it’s short history at the time. It’s the episode where Triple H & Trish are scheduled to face Chris Jericho & Lita and Triple H is shown in the back helping Trish learn some moves when he puts her in a hammerlock and Trish bends down to do a reversal and in comes Stephanie. Triple H chases her out of the arena...at this point...has anyone come to you to let you know you’re going to be part of a love triangle - well really - a love square between Triple H, Trish & Stephanie?

You main event SmackDown going one-on-one with the Great One that ends in a DQ when Rock hits you and Chris Benoit and Shane McMahon with a chair. Did you enjoy working with the Rock?

Just Joe on Raw from MSG is passing messages from you, Stephanie and HHH. Did you ever think you would be part of a soap opera on a professional wrestling show?

Stephanie McMahon comes out in front of the crowd and announces you and her were just friends and that she wanted you & HHH to be friends and shake hands. Mick Foley interrupts and since you both want to be #1 Contender for Rock’s WWF title...but somehow Chris Jericho gets thrown into it and you & HHH don’t really touch in the match. That’s done on purpose right?

You & HHH give Jericho a double back suplex and pin him at the same time and both of you are named #1 Contender’s.

This is a big deal for you right Kurt? I mean you’re main eventing a World Wrestling Federation pay-per-view for the WWF World Title facing two of the biggest stars at the time in a storyline featuring Vince McMahon’s daughter. How much pressure are you putting on yourself?

On the Smackdown after from the Meadowlands you make a remark that you’d like to restore the title to the credibility of Bruno Sammartino. The amount of heat Bruno and Vince had during this time period was insane...who scripted this line and being a Pittsburgh native how big an influence was Bruno in your area?

Just Joe is once again in the middle of things on SmackDown...what do you remember of Joe E. Legend?

In something that’s interesting at the time Big Show is hurt and can’t work a main event match with you in Springfield, Mass and you end up teaming with Albert to face Undertaker & Kane. Do you remember this at all and how that match was put together?

On Raw from Providence you cut what Dave Meltzer calls at the time your best promo and how you’re Nancy Kerrigan and HHH is Tonya Harding and you kind of turn HHH babyface. Was there ever talk of you & Stephanie staying together against a babyface HHH?

Vince McMahon makes a special appearance and pulls you & HHH into a limo and that you both have to get along for the main event which is you, HHH & Shane taking on the Rock & the Dudleys. It’s a big deal when Vince makes an appearance on television is it not?

On a Heat taping you defeat Matt Hardy in what was an excellent match with Stephanie helping you and raising your hand after. The soap opera elements added to this really brings out another dimension in your character don’t you agree?

You help HHH defeat Rock on SmackDown after a chair shot. Do you think there was a possibility that you were leaving SummerSlam as world champion?

Brian Gerwitz...who you referred to recently as the best writer for the World Wrestling Federation...is reported as being the central push and writer for you, HHH & Stephanie. How much was this Gerwitz?

You & HHH team up on Raw to beat the Acolytes and the main event is Stephanie vs. Lita which ends with Lita winning the Women’s Title after all types of interference. How big a deal is two women main eventing Raw in the build up to SummerSlam?

Rock & Lita team up in the main event of SmackDown and the winner of a coin flip between yourself & HHH will team with Stephanie and you won the coin flip. Stephanie gets knocked out and sort of a reverse Mega Powers angle HHH carries her to the back for help but comes back out and attacks everyone for the DQ and the show goes off the air with you walking away and HHH taking a Rock Bottom.

You’re going to be doing an upcoming watch along with Paul Bromwell for AdFreeShows that covers this whole episode but man being put into a position to kiss the bosses daughter on a pre-tape. That’s a big deal!

You are part of a TV Guide cover push along with Rikishi, The Kat & Chris Jericho. Was this a big deal for you?

How much media are you doing at this time for the pay-per-view?

Well we’re here Kurt. SummerSlam 2000 but before we get to your match and what happens it’s important to talk about what happened before the main event.

Shane McMahon took on Steve Blackman and ended up coming off the titan tron for a 30 foot drop and a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match (although not called that yet) happens between the Hardyz, Edge & Christian and the Dudleyz. When you’re watching these matches...well if...are you thinking well we’re in the main event. The only way to top things like this is to have a bunch of dangerous stunts?

Does having those matches in front of you lead to you incorporating a table spot very early on in the match?

We’ve discussed part of this in your Rookie of the Year Part 2 episode...so be sure to check it out in the archives..and we talked about it in length about how everyone had to carry you through the match and Stephanie, Rock & HHH are calling out your spots for you to follow. Have you ever sat down and watched the match back?

It’s scary to watch your eyes roll and you’re just staring into space. It’s a terrifying scene really and you had no business going back out there. Obviously with the way WWE medical is now the business has evolved to be way more cautious of head injuries and the such. The clip of you going through the table was used for years in the WWF’s “Don’t Try this at Home” warning they had on TV. Do you think this injury pushed forward some injury precautions that happened at a later time?

Before the match you say that you satisfied Stephanie more than HHH ever could...Vince gave you that line didn’t he?

We all know the end of the match comes with Rock pinning HHH with the People’s Elbow after they piece the match together and you re-enter probably when you shouldn’t have of. Do you have any regrets going back out there looking back at it?

Is this your worst injury you ever had in a professional wrestling match?

Did anyone push you to go back out? Anyone at Gorilla? Vince? Bruce?

Did the injury you think cut short the Triple H - Stephanie storyline?