[2005-02-20-WWE-No Way Out] Kurt Angle vs John Cena

[ohtani's jacket]

This was such a smartly worked bout. The intensity and focus from Cena was remarkable. I damn near bought into his story and it's 20 years later and the match was commentated by Taz and Michael Cole. The defining thing about the bout was that they established the psychology and stuck to it. It was clear that Cena couldn't outwrestle Angle on the mat and that his only way of beating Kurt was to force him into a more traditional pro-wrestling bout. So often in WWE matches the early psychology of the bout disintegrates into finisher spamming, but in this bout they rode it out to the end. The selling during the finishing stretch isn't something you usually associate with Kurt Angle matches, but Cena was working this bout like it was the biggest match of his life. I have no idea who wins when I watch most of these bouts, so I naturally assumed it would be Angle, but they worked me good. I like being worked. Being worked is good. I don't know if this was a star-making performance for Cena, but it sure as hell got my attention. Even the finish was brilliant in its own way. This had all the hallmarks of whoever laid out those brilliant Eddy matches from 2004. Word Life.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Kurt Angle vs John Cena - WWE No Way Out 2005 

Shockingly good. They both played to their characters perfectly. This shows the beauty of respecting the strengths and weaknesses of each wrestler. If every wrestler is just the all around best and can do everything everyone else can do it is fucking boring as shit. These two stayed in their respective lanes and a kickass match was born out of it.

Winner goes to WrestleMania to face JBL for the title. Simple story But effective Angle is going to have his way on the mat and Cena will be outwrestled. Cena needs to use his power and heart to turn this into a street fight. A lot of times in Angle matches he loses his way and gets highspot happy But he stuck to the script and kept this straight wrestling and Cena was forced to react. I love how Angle took control with some cool takedowns and established the mountain Cena had to scale. Cena blasts Angle with one his ugly clotheslines and tackles him on the outside over the announce table. Cena is going to have to win ugly. German Suplex to the buckles was such a meaningful momentum shift away from Cena and put over Angle’s throws can happen from well any angle. Now they have established both strategies they can let them cook.

Angle works holds and in & out of holds is throwing suplexes. Eventually Cena bulldozes Angle with a Shoulder Tackle. This is before the Cena Formula was set and this shoulder tackle looked brutal. Couple meat hook clotheslines. Cena was sticking to the power game and wrestling ugly. He is all heart and brawn. Angle has the mind and the science. I liked Angle trying to get finishers but thwarted. Great organic setup for the top rope leg drop from Cena with Angle trying to get back in the Ring after the Anglelock counter. It really came off like Cena pulling out all the stops to get to WrestleMania. I was surprised he hit the FU and only got two as I thought that would have been protected by a rope break or something. 
 

I loved Angle’s reaction. He absorbed Cena’s biggest blow and just went berserk picking a part the leg. He was playing with his food now play time is over because he almost tasted defeat. I loved urgency and desperation. Great leg work and selling. Angle Slam into Angle lock. Great drama here. Angle refuses to let go of the and knocks the ref out. He gets Cena’s chain But Cena cuts him off at the pass and hits a FU for three. 
 

I thought finish was a little weak especially after the earlier kick out. I think Chain + FU would have been sick like if there was a way to get Angle to punch himself with the Chain. Cena wrestler this like the biggest match of his life because it was. It was his opportunity to get to WrestleMania and I loved how he poured his heart for this one. The wrestler vs street fighter story really rocked. They established each strategy early. Each man got a segment to execute and show off their strategy. Then Angle said fuck this and went to town only to deviate from the game plan and lose. With a better finish this could have been a classic going to go **** but I wouldn’t bat an eye if someone went higher. Early Cena was so raw and unpolished so gripping to watch.