The Kurt Angle Show - TLC 2017 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

This week Kurt we’re going to go back only 5 years ago to your first match back for the WWE in 11 years - and it wasn’t even supposed to happen! Before we get to that…let’s discuss how it had been 11 years since the last time you were wrestling in a WWE ring…from wrestling Danny Doring in Salisbury, Maryland to October 22nd, 2017 in Minneapolis. How much had you - let alone your body - changed in that time frame?

This was also going to be your first match in 6 months since you wrestled Cody Rhodes for NEW in a cage match and lost to him. What do you remember of that match?

Were you even training or thinking about wrestling anytime soon or was that supposed to be farther down the line?

The build to the pay-per-view features the first time the Shield of Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins getting back together for the first time since April of 2014. This was a big deal at this time wasn’t it?

You actually announce the match from your GM role on October 9th when it’ll be the Shield taking on Miz, Sheamus & Cesaro in a TLC match. These are some great workers - let’s break each down Kurt!

Roman Reigns - now the top guy in WWE for years - had been the heir apparent to John Cena at this point for the top star. What did you think of Roman at this time and his evolution to this point?

Seth Rollins - he seems to be this generation's Shawn Michaels. You can plug him in anywhere - he’ll give you a great performance - and he can do it all! What say you?

Dean Ambrose - the now Jon Moxley has been the one constant star in AEW since joining the company and has proven he can be a top guy. Have you seen Moxley’s transformation from the Dean Ambrose character and what do you think of that?

The Miz - wrestling fan turned reality star turned WrestleMania main eventer - he’s been doing it all for the last 10-15 years. Did you ever see him getting to the height he’s gotten to?

Sheamus - one of the hardest working men in WWE - another guy who’s done it all - and he’s been having banger after banger as of late has he not?

And Cesaro - now Claudio - who we just talked to a few months ago - do you think WWE missed the boat on him?

At the go-home show for TLC on Raw Ambrose would say the Shield could beat 4 or 5 men so the Miz added Braun Strowman and Kane. This is just done to make the baby faces look stronger when they win right?

Obviously your world is about to change in just a few days - but at this point - did you know what the plan was for you to come back to the ring for the first time for WWE? Was it supposed to be Survivor Series?

From the Observer:

WWE TLC 2017 - October 22, 2017 from Minneapolis.

Kurt’s first WWE match in over 11 years. His last match under the WWE umbrella was at an ECW-branded house show on August 14, 2006 in Salisbury, MD defeating Danny Doring.

First match in 6 months which was on March 3, 2017, losing to Cody Rhodes in a cage match at the NEW Wrestlefest XXI event in Waterbury, CT.

In the weeks leading up to the PPV there’s a slow build of The Shield getting back together, and on Raw October 9, 2017 - Kurt in his Raw GM role makes The Shield vs Miz, Sheamus and Cesaro as the main event for the upcoming TLC PPV.

Braun Strowman and Kane end up getting added to the match on the go-home show the following week, to make it a 5-on-3 handicap match after Ambrose said they could beat any 4 or 5 guys and Miz called them up on it.

Then just 2 days before the PPV everything has to get changed.

From the Observer:

“One of the strangest weeks in WWE history saw a viral contagious disease outbreak that took out two key wrestlers from the TLC PPV show, and led to a late decision to both put Kurt Angle in the ring for the main event, and have A.J. Styles, who himself was ill earlier in the week, fly from Chile to Minneapolis to have an unannounced first match ever with Finn Balor.

The issues started weeks ago when Bo Dallas took ill. By last week, there was some question whether his older brother, Bray Wyatt would be able to wrestle on the show.

Then, by midweek, Roman Reigns, the company’s most pushed, full-time star, was diagnosed with the mumps and also had to be taken off the show.

On 10/19, all the Raw talent was told they needed to immediately get shots for mumps, measles and rubella. Aside from Reigns, there is no confirmation of what either Rotunda brother, or ring announcer JoJo Offerman (Bray Wyatt-Windham Rotunda’s girlfriend) were diagnosed with.

WWE officials denied either had viral meningitis, which was the word going around, and WWE talent was only told what to get shots for and not the specifics.”

When do you hear about this?

Did you have to get the shots?

Who called you to tell you they were putting you in the ring?

How emotional was it for you to get back into the ring?

Were you disappointed that there wasn’t even a TV episode used to build to this?

Were you worried and was your body ready for this match?

Any hesitation or thoughts on saying no considering it was a TLC match or did you think/know you were going to be taken care of?

Who was your agent for the match do you remember?

Did you think the crowd was going to be disappointed you were replacing Reigns?

Who’s idea was it for you to wear the Shield gear?

Before the match, Rollins and Ambrose give Angle a Shield suit to wear for later

“Vince McMahon made the call to do something that would be considered equally special, one of the few things, and maybe the only one left on the table, which was the return of Angle to a WWE ring after 11 years. Angle was already slated for a program, likely for WrestleMania. There was a lot of belief that they sacrificed what could have been a huge deal with a strong build to get Angle out of retirement, for something just to save the show and squander the Angle return storyline. It was noted that Angle has been back for months, and usually WWE rushes into these things, like with Bill Goldberg when they put the first Brock Lesnar match at last year’s Survivor Series even though Goldberg felt he needed more time to get fully ready (although they protected him in the match so it wasn’t a factor). So the argument was if they were going to do a long build, why give it away now. But to the fans, the Angle return felt as big or bigger than The Shield reunion, and they can still do the Shield first match soon.”

Did you think it was a sacrifice to have you do this match or at the end of the day were you happy with it?

Also from the Observer: “In the end, under trying circumstances, in all cases things ended up arguably better for the fans. Angle returning seemed to have more interest in the last day than The Shield reunion, even though The Shield reunion has been the hottest thing on television. And the reunion and the run of them as the top babyfaces is still going to happen soon. It’s hard to say if the match was any better or not with Angle instead of Reigns. Angle being in there

required them to tell a different story.”

Kurt’s entrance as a honoree Shield member:

What was it like to walk the aisle again in WWE…well out from the crowd. That had to be a unique experience for you…

Is it disappointing that in your return match you’re not coming down to your own music?

“The TLC match was built more around a series of stories. Angle was taken out early and came back to win it for his team. Braun Strowman was turned babyface after being turned on by Kane, to set up that program. There were a lot of bumps through tables, but the real dangerous crazy falls off ladders were toned down, the risky ladder bumps were toned down, and the bumps onto ladders were non-existent. It wasn’t as wild as most TLC matches, but it had more of a story. It got silly, since the heels ended up putting Strowman in the back of a garbage truck, and he was broken down and compacted. The crowd jokingly chanted about it being a murder, even though Strowman will be back in a few weeks for revenge on Kane. The match delivered. Some didn’t like the story aspect but it worked for most.”

Strowman takes Kurt out of the match with a devastating running powerslam through a table early in the match

Any issues with the powerslam through the table?

Who’s idea was it to take you out for a decent chunk of change or was it because you weren’t really ready for the ring at this point?

Kurt’s miraculous return for the end of the match

8. Kurt Angle & Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose beat The Miz & Cesaro & Sheamus & Braun Strowman & Kane in a TLC match in 35:29.

Before the match, in an interview, Miz promised they were going to treat the other team like garbage and take them to the dump. Earlier in the show, Rollins & Ambrose gave Angle Shield gear, so he worked with that on. The match opened with Angle & Rollins & Ambrose using chairs to beat down Kane. Fans were doing the “Yes” chant during this.

Ambrose and Rollins used a double tope. Angle used a ladder on Strowman. Rollins used the springboard knee of Kane and Ambrose dropkicked Kane out of the ring. Rollins came off the apron with a clothesline on Kane. Cesaro started using chair shots. Rollins went after Strowman with chair shots and threw Strowman into the post. Rollins and Ambrose climbed the ladder and Ambrose splashed Kane off the top of the ladder through an announcers table. Rollins did the same to Strowman. Cesaro attacked Angle with chair shots to the gut. The fans were booing when they got heat on Angle. Miz & Cesaro & Sheamus acted like they were going to give Angle the Shield style triple power bomb, when Ambrose & Rollins made the save.

Angle used three German suplexes on Miz, and then one on Sheamus and another on Cesaro.

The crowd went wild for Angle. Angle put the ankle lock on Kane but Strowman broke it up and threw Angle into the barricade. Strowman power slammed Angle through a table on the floor. Angle was then taken to the back like he was injured and that made it five-on-two. Fans were chanting “We Want Lesnar.” Kane accidentally hit Strowman with a chair shot. They had given a tease earlier in the show during an interview that they may not get along. Strowman then shoved Kane down.``

What happens when you’re taken to the back? You just sit and chill in gorilla and catch your breath right?

What were you feeling back there while you were waiting for your cue?

“Sheamus & Cesaro were supposed to give Ambrose a double crucifix bomb through a table. However, Ambrose bounced off the table when it didn’t break. They quickly recovered from that as the table was put in the corner and Strowman threw Ambrose into it hard and he went through it. Miz then called for the garbage truck to come out. The heels threw Ambrose & Rollins into the back of the garbage truck. Ambrose & Rollins fought back and dove off the truck onto the floor on Kane, Cesaro, Strowman and Sheamus. With all four taken out, Ambrose & Rollins went after Miz. Kane saved Miz. Kane then attacked Strowman and choke slammed Strowman through a gimmicked part of the stage.”

We didn’t talk about Strowman and Kane earlier since they were added late - what did you think of Braun & Kane’s work? Was it great to be back in the ring with Kane?

“There was a set up with a line of chairs hung from the ceiling and Kane pulled down all the chairs which fell on Strowman. One of the chairs cut up Strowman’s elbow. Kane then choke slammed Ambrose and Rollins through a table. Ambrose landed badly on that one. Sheamus & Cesaro recovered at this point. Strowman got up from the part of the stage he went through and was now a babyface, and he threw Miz into the wall. He then decked Cesaro. Strowman went after Kane. He started beating on Sheamus & Cesaro until Kane decked him. They all started beating on Strowman. “

As you’re watching this - what did you think of all this? Is this one of the crazier matches you had watched?

“Then they all threw Strowman into the back of the garbage truck. The garbage truck turned on the compactor and Strowman was killed in Road Runner cartoon fashion. Fans chanted “This is murder.” The garbage truck drove off and that was it for Strowman. Everyone surrounded Rollins and started beating him down. Miz hit a DDT on him. Sheamus & Cesaro gave him a stuff white noise. Ambrose recovered and saved Rollins.”

As you’re getting ready - you have to be nervous to get back out there right? Is Vince pumping you up back there?

“Angle then came back out and went wild, including giving Sheamus an Olympic slam on the floor. He gave Cesaro an Olympic slam through a table. Angle knocked Miz out of the ring but then Kane took over on Angle. He went to tombstone Angle when Rollins hit Kane with a chair shot to the

back. Ambrose & Rollins gave Kane a double tackle through the barricade. Miz hit the

skull crushing finale on Angle, but he kicked out. Angle put the ankle lock on Miz, but Miz kicked Angle off and out of the ring. Miz was selling the ankle and Rollins hit him with the knee and Ambrose followed with Dirty Deeds. Angle then used the Olympic slam on Miz. Then Ambrose & Rollins called for the Shield triple team power bomb, with Angle in the Reigns position. They nailed Miz with it and Angle pinned him.

****¼”

Kurt - that’s gotta be a hell of a way to finish off the match - who’s idea was it for you to get the pin?

How blown up are you after the match?

Was it successful for you?

Do you think your quick return had any impact on your reaction?

Was everyone happy afterwards? Was Vince?