[2001-02-11-WWF-Sunday Night Heat] Kurt Angle vs Essa Rios

[GSR]

This is the match that was set up on Smackdown where Essa challenged Kurt after he’d accused him of stealing his T-shirt and then made stereotypical racial slurs when he wanted him to buy a replacement (it’s funnier than it reads).  Kurt tries to make his pre-match promo as he’s walking to the ring but the fans are all over him, not giving him the quiet that he wants.  He gives up waiting and says that the people aren’t hallucinating, he’s agreed to Essa Rios’ challenge (non-title) as that’s just the kind of guy he is!  Angle then congratulates Essa informing him that after tonight he’ll have the honour of telling his future illegitimate grandchildren that he lost to the very best.  It’s all Kurt Angle to begin with as it looks like he’s going to make quick work of Rios.  Essa flips over on the back suplex and lands a spin kick to the chest.  The crowd are into this judging by the response that gets.  Angle misses a clothesline but then catches Essa with a release overhead belly to belly.  Whip to the corner, however Rios runs up the turnbuckles, back flipping over the incoming Angle.  Drop toe hold followed by a leg drop to the back of the neck.  Powerslam for a two count.  Essa runs into a big boot, but then cuts Kurt off before he is able to capitalize.  Double jump top rope rana for the closest of near falls.  Angle gets his knees up on the moonsault (Essa’s really is a thing of beauty) and picks up the ‘w’ after an ‘Olympic slam’.  Not satisfied he dumps Essa with two more ‘Olympic slams’ after the match.

The crowd here were surprisingly super into this match and super into Essa Rios’ comebacks which has to be all down to Kurt Angle judging by how all over him they were when he made his entrance.  Shame they never gave them longer as the crowd bit on that top rope rana, so every chance a few more near falls would’ve sent them over the edge.  Good stuff while it lasted.