[2009-12-20-TNA-Final Resolution] Desmond Wolfe vs Kurt Angle

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Kurt Angle vs Desmond Wolfe - TNA Final Resolution 2009 2 out of 3 Falls Cage Match

First Fall (Pinfall Only): I thought this was a big step up in intensity from the previous month. The chain wrestling looked much tighter here and I thought both men were really grappling for an advantage. Great use of the hammerlock by both men, it is a very underutilized hold that is great. Wolfe had some great side headlock takedowns. Really ripping Angle over. There is an interesting highspot in the middle where Angle hits a vicious powerbomb into the turnbuckles. While Wolfe does a great job selling having his bell rung, it is not a very consequential move. Wolfe regains control by snapping Angle down by the bad arm. Wolfe does a great job attacking the arm. We get the usual Angle comeback with a belly-to-belly suplex and then Germans. They named that Hanging Ace Crusher, Tower of London, which I do remember now and it looks fine, but man there is zero heat surrounding it. Angle kicks out. Angle kicking out of this move twice is doing it no favors. Angle comes back with a fucking schoolboy, well thats an odd choice. Angleslam, which Tenay calls a back suplex, which made me laugh for some reason. Angle misses the moonsault and LARIAOTOOOOOO! Tower of London it is almost out of defiance as Wolfe says "Fuck you all Im getting this move over" to win the first fall. All of Angle's matches should be pinfall only because no Anklelock reversals!!! Loved the first half, I thought the finish stretch fell kinda flat and there were some odd choices about move selection. 

Second Fall (Submission): Hell On Earth. Ok, it wasnt that bad. I was dreading this fall so bad, I decided to go to bed last night. Yes there were a ton of shitty anklelock counters, but Wolfe did have one nifty one that felt out of Volk Han's playbook and then ended up with a double wristlock out of it. All of Wolfe's submissions were cool and interesting. While we got the same cliched Anklelock transitions. It is not just being cliched it is how loose and easy everything looks. No struggle. Pretty much wiped out all the goodwill from the first fall. 

Third Fall (Escape): Great final fall. Really if it was just the third fall with maybe five minutes tacked on at the beginning to establish the body part psychology I would say this is a great match. I loved the great use of the cage and all the great selling. Then the symmetry of each one trying to climb the cage only to have their opponent slam the injured body part into the cage was awesome! Really good stuff. My favorite part was when Angle went for a splash and Nigel put up his bad foot and it hit Angle's bad arm. Nigel's selling was really damn good! Nigel goes for the door, but Angle drags him back in by the bad leg and locks in the anklelock to make sure he cant move. They went with the race finish with Nigel looking for the door and Angle going over, Angle wins. 

2/3rds of this match is great and the second fall could have been worse it wasnt that bad. ***3/4