The Kurt Angle Show - Armageddon 2002 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Man did you blow up the internet the other day with your Brock Lesnar news with TNA!

Speaking of Brock Lesnar…Brock dropped the WWE title at Survivor Series to Big Show. Was this a mistake in your mind?

Did you know at this point you were working with Brock at WrestleMania?

Big Show being champion with Paul Heyman is only to be champion for a short time - did you talk to Big Show about this - was he unhappy about it?

Are you told after Survivor Series the plan is for you to become champion? When are you told this?

The tag feud kind of continues on the SmackDown after the show - and you get to wrestle Eddy Guerrero…was working with Eddie different in 2002 compared to 2000?

From the Observer:

“Angle over Eddy was a good match, with Angle working as a babyface as the first step in a planned face turn (of course, that’s been delayed many times). This was a decent match. Probably even good for anyone else, but not at the level you’d expect. Maybe ***1/4.

Storyline was that Chavo kept interfering. Benoit was on the ramp watching but refused to help Angle. Angle ended up cleaning house on both while Benoit stood on the ramp and clapped.

The match featured the single worst missed spot, a DDT by Angle, that shockingly made the air on a taped show. That ruined the illusion that Angle never made a mistake inside the ring.”

A lot to break down there from the Observer. First off - how long was your babyface turn planned for?

Did you think your babyface turn was hurt by what ended up being Brock’s babyface turn and Show’s heel turn at Survivor Series?

Is this too much of the roles switching? Do you think it makes it confusing for the viewer?

Kurt, here's something fun…

They show a feature on the 11/23 edition of WWE Confidential, Kurt of you doing a supermarket sweep dash competition at a K-Mart, where you and 3 separate contestants have an allotted time to get as much stuff in the supermarket carts as you can.

When you get to the third contestant, you blow up straight away and can’t continue and the guy’s girlfriend has to take over.

I know you guys get blown up in the ring sometimes… but in a K-Mart?

What happened Kurt?

At the Thanksgiving SmackDown Brock now is suspended by Stephanie for attacking Big Show the previous week and you end up teaming with Benoit to take on Los Guerreros.

Observer:

Los Guerreros beat Angle & Benoit in a very good match. Not of the caliber of the best Smackdown matches of the past months, but the best thing on this show. Benoit & Angle were back to feuding, as Angle broke up a sure win when Benoit had Eddy in the crossface. Benoit also kicked out of Eddy’s frog splash before taking a belt shot to the head.

This is the sort of blow off of all the tag team work that had been built for the last few months and the Smackdown Six…is no more. Were you sad to see this end?

Did you know at this point - you’re going to be winning the title, taking on Benoit at Rumble and Brock at Mania? Was it all that far mapped out?

You’re dealing with some knee issues so you’re still doing tag matches between the PPVs on house shows teaming with Chris against the Guerreros and they’re winning every night. How much less taxing is doing tag matches against singles matches?

On Smackdown 12/5 from Dallas we are setting up the Armageddon main event finally.

And in an incredible main event, you won Kurt over Benoit, Edge and Eddie in a fatal four way to get the shot at Big Show at Armageddon.

From the Observer:

Can’t say anything bad overall about a show with a ****½ main event with Angle’s win over Benoit, Eddy Guerrero and Edge.

Edge was tremendous in selling his earlier beating from Albert the whole match, and making the strong comeback at the end. Can’t say enough for Angle. Some super near falls at the end.

The interviews took more of a serious tone to them, as Angle, and especially Benoit and Edge made the main event important and the title the elusive dream.

Kurt this is such a great match and it really is sad to see this all end. You all had to be proud of the body of work you all had done in the last few months right?

On the go-home Smackdown from Atlanta the program is sort of launched…

From the Observer:

They started the Angle-Lesnar program as Angle came to a Lesnar autograph signing and said if he could get Lesnar off suspension, could Lesnar be in his corner at Armageddon. Angle also said that if he won the title and defended against Lesnar, it would be the greatest match in WWE history. Lesnar said he’d think about it.

You firmly believed you and Brock could have the greatest match in WWE history couldn’t you?

From the Observer:

“In the main event, Big Show & A-Train beat Angle & Edge. I should point out that after feuding much of this year, including a hair match, and never doing one angle to get together, Angle & Edge were teaming with not so much as an angle or interview to get them together. If wrestlers who are supposed to hate each other get together without at least giving the fans a plausible reason, the fans aren’t going to believe in their characters. Even in a bad soap opera, when two people who have hated each other all season get together, there is at least a storyline and reason for it.

Anyway, Angle used the Angle slam on Show, but Heyman distracted him, turned around, and got choke slammed and pinned. Angle & Edge didn’t get a lot of offense in as the match seemed designed to get A-Train over as a new headliner. A-Train laid Angle out after the match and stood over him.”

So much to ask you Kurt…this A-Train push…the now Matt Bloom…created a lot of controversy supposedly. The spot was supposed to go to Matt Hardy who was to injure Rey Mysterio and put him on the shelf for his knee injury. Are you there that night when Matt finds out about it? The rumor and innuendo is that he was ready to walk out…did you ever hear that - do you remember seeing anything like this?

Teaming with Edge - after really the whole year you’ve had together…with no mention of anything…especially after he shaved your head…do you think that hurts the fans believability?

Was Albert or A-Train ready for the push?

Are you instructed to make him as big as possible?

From the Observer:

“Angle will be having his knee scoped after the PPV. They are hopeful the five weeks between Armageddon and Rumble will be enough for him to fully recover and not miss a major show.”

Is that the WWE hopeful or you? You’re a machine and a maniac so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was you pushing yourself for it…

How bad were you hurting?

Does Show know how bad you were hurting - are you two going to work around that?

The show on December 15th from Ft. Lauderdale is more remembered for a couple things other than your title victory sadly.

Triple H & Shawn Michaels in the main event do a 3 stages of hell match where Hunter would win and regain the World Title from Shawn. They would do a street fight, cage match and then ladder match. When you have those 3 gimmick matches to follow you - how hard is it to put together a spectacular match knowing they would have to follow?

Also on the show - the infamous lesbian angle with Torrie Wilson & Dawn Marie over Torrie’s Dad Al…did you ever pay attention to any of this?

Benoit would defeat Eddy in a singles match to determine Benoit being the #1 contender at the Royal Rumble to take on the eventual champion. You would’ve rather had face Chris than Eddy at this point even if the story didn’t have any build to it right?

The problem is Benoit doesn’t really have a defined role - and everyone was really enjoying the Guerreros. So there’s not a lot of heat to their match. For all the credit Paul Heyman gets as a writer - was this sloppy in your mind?

Before the match Kurt, you show Lesnar the finish of him losing to Big Show at Survivor Series to rile him up and try and get him to be in your corner again. Did you as two amazing wrestlers and competitors think you needed the gaga? Could you two had just been left to determine who was the better wrestler?

Let’s get to the match Kurt!

Observer:

“6. Kurt Angle won the Smackdown title over Big Show in 12:36.

This was the best laid out match of the show and had the most heat. It was still Angle’s worst PPV match so far this year because Show gassed real fast. Angle did a missile dropkick for a near fall. He went for a moonsault block but ended up kicking Show in the face on the way down, and landed awkwardly. Angle delivered an Angle slam for a near fall and put on the ankle lock. Show tried to choke slam his way out, but Angle blocked it and turned it into another ankle lock. Show kicked out and Angle collided for the ref bump spot. Paul Heyman (who got clobbered early in the match) threw in a chair, but Angle used it with one of those brutal brain rattling shots for a near fall. Angle used the ankle lock and show was tapping, but no ref. A-Train ran in and put Angle in the old Bruno Sammartino shoulder backbreaker, and dropped down. Show gave him a chokeslam. Brock Lesnar ran out and delivered an F-5, on a totally gassed Show and nearly lost him, allowing Angle to make the pin.”

**¼

Let’s watch you win the WWE Title for the third time Kurt:

Was this a disappointment to you?

Did Show gas too early?

Were there issues with the match?

How did it feel to be champion again?

Do you think your win was overshadowed by the Hunter - Shawn matches later on?

Does this title win rank highly in your career?