As a self-confessed commitment-phobe, big milestones can sometimes scare me. However this time it actually excites me to think I have sat down and posted 100 reviews on this blog for you amazing people. It brings me joy to be able to bring content that you enjoy and even may not, if it inclines you to give me suggestions to help improve however, you're more than welcome to call me on anything you may not like or any improvements you can see to be made here. As it was pretty late when I noticed this fact (I have a number of unfinished drafts I still need to sort skewing the numbers I was shown slightly) I wasn't able to think for long about what I wanted to do. So for simplicity's sake I have reviewed the prequel match if you will, to the next match I shall be reviewing in my Summerslam Series. (although that does make it sound like a non-wrestling fan trying to name the last event they watched at a friend's house). So without further ado, we move on to Wrestlemania XX where it all Begins, again. Eddie Guerrero was the WWE Champion looking to defend his championship against an Olympic Gold Medalist in front of a Madison Square Garden audience at Wrestlemania.
Michael Cole and Tazz on commentary for Smackdown's main event, of course. Eddie Guerrero won the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar last month at No Way Out, with an assist from a Goldberg Spear and a DDT on the belt. It was an amazing feel good moment for most, seeing Eddie finally climb to the top of the mountain. Kurt Angle was not on that list, as he was ashamed a man like Eddie Guerrero, a former drug addict, a man with so many flaws it is impossible for him to be a role model to WWE fans. Kurt Angle wanted to bring a good American Hero name back to the championship and the company. The barbers and Victoria are still tending to Molly Holly as Kurt Angle makes his entrance. He's the number one contender that wants to bring pride back to the championship, but Eddie Guerrero's a reformed man. Eddie drives down beside the stage in a lowrider pickup, Tazz calls it an escalade but I'm not a car guy. If Eddie Guerrero wins this match he'll be the 5th person in history to successfully defend the championship at Wrestlemania. I like the graphic opposite the hard camera for this event.
EDDIE GUERRERO © VS. KURT ANGLE (WWE CHAMPIONSHIP)
WWE Wrestlemania XX (14th March 2004)
There's “Eddie” chants before they even touch, and Kurt Angle takes Eddie to the corner in a collar-elbow tie up. Kurt Angle breaks it clean, going back to a lock up and mat wrestling with Eddie. Eddie escapes a standing front facelock and trips Angle, showing he can work on the mat too. Kurt Angle arm drags Eddie down and grabs control of his arm before applying a headlock. Eddie counters with a headscissors forcing Kurt to kick out and break up the sequence. Kurt Angle shoots behind Eddie with a waistlock, but Eddie switches positions, only to get thrown over Angle's shoulder back into a headlock. Tazz coaches Eddie from the commentary table as Eddie gets to his feet. Angle snaps him back down to the mat so Eddie has to use the headscissors again for another standoff. Eddie Guerrero is the first to get a side headlock on Angle this time, Angle tries to escape with a top wristlock, but switches momentum to a hammerlock grabbing a headlock of his own. Eddie sends him off the ropes and is knocked down with a shoulder tackle.
The first (relatively) high impact move of the match leads to a standoff, with neither man too eager to make the first move. They lock up and Eddie gets a side headlock, Kurt Angle is able to send Guerrero off the ropes but Eddie knocks him down. Two more knock downs send Angle out of the ring for a strategy meeting. Angle cautiously gets back in the ring, and tries to take Eddie down with a front headlock, but Eddie takes Angle over with a fireman's carry, grabbing the armbar. I notice Angle keeps his shoulder up in a nice touch, and he's able to keep Eddie slowed down with a front facelock on the mat. Eddie gets to his feet, but only for a second as Angle drops to his knees. Angle rolls Eddie into a cover but Eddie kicks out at two. Kurt Angle doesn't release the facelock though, keeping the pressure on the champion. Angle gets another nearfall before Eddie gets to his feet. Angle tries to throw Eddie over but Eddie reverses it! Kurt Angle runs into a pair of arm drags, holding on to Angle on the mat with an arm bar.
Eddie Guerrero transitions to a top wristlock on the mat, showing Angle he can wrestle too. Angle rolls through and gets to his feet, trying to push Eddie's head and neck away. Angle escapes the top wristlock and sends Eddie into the ropes, knocking him down with a knee to the gut. Kurt Angle follows that up with an abdominal stretch in the centre of the ring, Eddie is able to release the hold by moving Angle's leg and goes straight into a suplex! Eddie holds on but Angle avoids a second and hits a german on Eddie, Angle keeps his grip and rolls through but Eddie elbows his way free of Angle. Kurt Angle brings Eddie up for a back suplex, sending him over the ropes but Eddie lands on the apron and avoids a baseball slide. Kurt Angle has cat-like reflexes and he's behind Eddie on the apron, attempting a german suplex! Eddie holds on for dear life and he's able to free himself of Angle again getting back in the ring. Eddie thinks about going to the top rope but decides against it, instead dropkicking Angle off the apron. Eddie goes to the top after inflicting that damage, diving off at Angle. Kurt Angle moves! Eddie hits the barrier ribs first!
Kurt Angle sees the opening and sends Eddie into the ring, immediately covering. Eddie still kicks out before the three so Angle drops Eddie's midsection across his knee for another nearfall. Kurt sends Eddie into the corner, using his shoulder to damage Eddie's gut now. Angle snapmares Eddie out of the corner, locking in a bodyscissors on the mat. Angle starts pushing Eddie's neck away, applying more pressure. Eddie spins out of it so Kurt Angle grabs a sleeperhold to go with the bodyscissors on the mat. Eddie is able to fight to his feet, unhinging Angle's legs and dropping to the mat for a jawbreaker. A Hot Shot sends Eddie's ribs onto the top rope and Angle covers for a nearfall. Kurt Angle sends Eddie over with a belly to belly suplex before posing for the crowd. He sends Eddie over again with a second before covering, but Eddie rolls his shoulder up again. Kurt Angle can't believe it and checks with the referee. Angle locks in a waistlock on the mat and Eddie agonisingly has to get to his feet. He tries to separate himself and Angle from the standing bearhug. Eddie resorts to gouging the eyes of Angle but Angle hits right back with another belly to belly suplex. Angle covers for another frustrating nearfall.
Kurt Angle perches Eddie on the top turnbuckle, softening him up with blows. Angle climbs to the middle rope but Eddie sends him back down gouging his eyes again before Angle can hit the belly to belly. Angle up like a cat! Eddie sends him back down and leaps for a frog splash but eats shit! Both men are down, but Angle's the first to his feet, taking it to Eddie in the corner with right hands and boots. Kurt Angle lets Eddie out of the corner and starts stalking him with a right hand each time he gets up. But Eddie does keep getting up, and he's getting fired up! Eddie blocks a right hand, hitting some of his own and he knocks Angle down with a pair of clotheslines but gets sent into the corner. Angle misses the charge, staggering into a back suplex. Eddie covers but Angle just gets the shoulder up at 2. Angle avoids a suplex and hits a german! Angle keeps hold of Eddie but Eddie rolls through the second attempt 1, 2, no! Kurt Angle ploughs through Eddie with a clothesline and sets him up for an Angle Slam, Eddie arm drags his way out of it, knocking Angle down with a clothesline.
Eddie avoids a clothesline from Angle hitting a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Eddie goes back to the Three Amigos suplexes, but only hits two before Angle reverses to an Angle lock! Eddie rolls back over, kicking Kurt away and possibly saving his title. Kurt Angle runs into a standing dropkick before Eddie goes back to the top. The ankle starts slowing him down so Angle is right there sending him off the top with a butterfly throw! Kurt Angle covers, 1, 2 2.999, no! Kurt Angle is the first to his feet and he brings the straps down, Angle locks in the Angle lock, but again Eddie rolls through! Angle kicks out, avoiding a right hand and planting Eddie with a german suplex! Angle lays in wait for an Angle Slam but Eddie counters with a DDT! This is how he won the belt! Eddie hits the Frog Splash! 1, 2, NOO! Kurt Angle gets his shoulder up at the last second. Eddie can't believe it, he tries to bring Angle to his feet but Angle clips Eddie's ankle! A third Angle lock has Eddie screaming in pain, Eddie's just out of reach of the ropes as he tries to counter it... He rolls through sending Angle out of the ring. Eddie loosens his boot, trying to keep circulation in his feet, and noticed Kurt on his feet. “Oh shit!” - Eddie Guerrero. Angle tears at Eddie's ankle again! Eddie's dragged closer to the centre of the ring! Eddie tries to kick at Angle and his boot, and gets it loose enough to roll out of it. Eddie rolls Angle up with the small package! Eddie retains the championship!
WINNER: EDDIE GUERRERO (STILL WWE CHAMPION)
I used to like the finish to this match. I still do but now when I look back on the entire arc pf Eddie Guerrero's WWE Championship reign it doesn't look much to a more jaded wrestling fan. To win the belt he needed the help of the belt, a ref bump, a leaving former WCW wrestler who worked on the other brand and the current champion leaving. Then his Pay-Per-View defences all ended with some form of shenanigans. At least with his Kurt Angle match here it came off as fun and at the end of a fantastic match. They knew that when it came to the big spots and spectacle it would be down to the other two “main events” so they could go out there and have a nice technical match without putting too much on their bump cards. The fans loved it and were behind Eddie the whole match. There were times where Kurt's popularity shined through too with duelling chants but it was 90/10 to Eddie really. They bit on him nearly pinning Angle off the DDT like last month, and loved his constantly avoiding the Angle lock for too lock. WORKRATE: 4/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 3.5/5 OVERALL 7.5/10
Kurt Angle's furious as Tazz said Eddie outsmarted him. His killer instinct hindered him for this match, and he throws the boot at Eddie. Eddie picks it up because he's not even mad. He takes his boots and belt to the back to celebrate.
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