[2001-02-12-WWF-Raw] Kurt Angle & Raven vs Big Show & Essa Rios

[GSR]

It was the sheer randomness of these two teams that made me check it out, you have the World champion teaming with the Hardcore champion on one side and almost a comedy team on the other with how they’ve been respectfully presented.  Show is wanting some revenge after what happened on Smackdown and it sounds like he duped Angle into the match by using Essa Rios, coming off that cracker on Heat last night, as a pawn.  Not too sure how Raven is part of this as I only have the match and none of the build up.  Big Show immediately makes a beeline for Kurt, who does a runner away from him, leaving Raven and Essa to kick things off.  As soon as Show is on the apron Angle wants in, flooring Essa with a clothesline.  Belly to back suplex.  Rios counters the Raven powerbomb with a facejam.  He staggers into the opposition’s corner where Show headbutts him in the back of the head.  Tag to Show and all he’s interested in his Kurt Angle, he couldn’t care less about the man who is in the ring.  Show again takes off after the World champion, stalking him around ringside, however referee Teddy Long never saw Essa’s tag.  As he’s telling Show this, Angle slides into the ring and gives Rios the Olympic slam, Raven making the cover for the win.  Show attacks Raven post-match and as he unloads on him in the corner Angle cheap shots him from behind.  Those shots have no effect and things aren’t looking good for him until a Raven low blow stops Show in his tracks.  Raven gestures to the back, some masked Ninja lady wheeling a grocery cart full of weapons out.  Tori Poch is the masked lady in a short lived and forgotten gimmick.  A 2x4 over the head brings Show down to one knee, but all that does is make him mad.  Kurt, on seeing the look on his face, sacrifices Raven, shoving him at the Big Show while he high tails it out of there.  Chokeslam for Raven, Show still appearing to have unfinished business with Angle.

Nothing to this and nowhere near as good as Angle’s singles match with Rios from Heat. I wonder where Show goes from here?  Angle has both Rock and Austin on the horizon, while Triple H is up there in the mix too.  Show has been pushed hard since his return at the Royal Rumble, yet despite that push doesn’t feel at that very top level.   That ending certainly seems to indicate at least a match between the two.