UseTheSledgehammerUh

WWF Raw is War - June 11, 2001 - Richmond, Virginia Chris Benoit Vs. Kurt Angle - Steel Cage Match Announcers: Jim Ross, Paul Heyman, & WWF Champion Steve Austin (guest commentary) Backstory: Benoit and Jericho are the WWF World Tag Team Champions, and less than 2 weeks later would face Austin at KOTR '01 in a triangle match for the WWF Title. Austin and Angle are dueling for Mr. McMahon's appreciation, and do not like each other. Both, however, are now the top heels. Benoit & Angle had been seriously feuding since 6 days before WrestleMania X-Seven. The Match: Angle immediately spears Benoit to start. Angle with an overhead belly-to-belly...and a second! A third is reversed into three seperate attempts at the Crossface by Benoit, but Angle instead throws Benoit head first into the cage wall. And he does it again! Angle works Benoit over in the corner, Benoit fires back with knife-edge chops! After five chops, Benoit runs at Angle, but the Olympic Champion flapjacks Benoit into the cage wall. Angle utilizes the cage again, running Benoit's back into it. Benoit still fires back, with chops and two snap suplexes. Angle mounts a recovery, with a gutwrench suplex. Second gutwrench by Angle. Neither man can seemingly take the true advantage. A third gutwrench puts Angle in control. Angle climbs the cage, using the ropes, but Benoit catches up to him. Benoit with his german suplex attempt? But Angle blocks...Angle finally breaks Angle free....GERMAN SUPLEX OFF THE TOP ROPE ONTO ANGLE! Angle lands on the shoulder. Benoit climbs up...but Angle is miraculously able to catch him and throws him to the mat. Flying Elbowdrop by Angle! Trading right hands, and Benoit launches Angle into the cage headfirst! And again! A third time, shoulder-first! Benoit climbing the cage, but Angle sneaks up and punches him in the groin, sending him to the mat! ANGLE SLAM by Angle! Angle puts Benoit in position and climbs to the top rope...now up to the top of the cage!! Wide-angle shot....it's A MOONSAULT OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE!!!!! Angle misses perhaps the most beautiful moonsault EVER and lands stomach-first! Benoit stomps Angle, and a running knee takes Angle down! A second running knee flips Kurt over and to the mat. Angle reverses an Irish whip and launches Benoit into the cage! Ehh...too quick a recovery for my tastes. Angle should be dead. Angle picks Benoit up and throws him head-first into the cage wall. Loud "Angle Sucks!" chant. Benoit sneaks out of a slam...GERMAN SUPLEX by Benoit! "2!" "3!" A fourth! Five! Six! And Benoit lets go. Crowd applauds! Benoit goes to escape the cage via the door, but Angle jumps and misses him, and crashes into the cage! GERMAN SUPLEX NUMBER SEVEN! Eight! Nine! Benoit climbs to the top rope...he's at the top of the cage! He can escape right here. Steve Austin leaves commentary and has a chair. He threatens Benoit to climb down, wildly slamming the chair into the cage wall! Benoit standing on top of the cage...FLYING HEADBUTT FROM THE TOP OF THE CAGE CONNECTS WITH KURT ANGLE'S HEART!!!!! Both men lay down, hurt, for a short while. Austin attacks the outside referee...he won't allow Benoit to escape via the door. benoit dropkicks the cage door into Austin's face! Angle sneaks up...ANKLE LOCK applied to Benoit! Benoit on one foot...enzuigiri to Angle! Benoit crawls to the door, and Austin slams the door on Benoit's head! Angle goes to the opposite cage wall and climbs up...Angle to the top of the cage....over the top.....and he...drops to the floor and wins! Winner: Kurt Angle via cage escape at 14:29 After the match: Angle brutalizes Benoit with chairshots and by driving the chair into Benoit's mid-section about 15 times. Six chairshots follow as the WWF Champion grabs his title and leaves to his own music.

Minutes taken up by The Raw World Champ and #1 Contender this Week: 30 by Orton, 65 by Benoit, plus a DVD commercial. Minutes taken up by the Smackdown World Champ and #1 Contender this Week: 0 combined. Nice.

On a lighter note... Anyone here seen the post-WrestleMania VII match on Coliseum Video between The Hart Foundation and The Legion of Doom? LOD goes over, but honestly, I don't remember if it was any good. I was just happy to see such a bout. I'd include that over say, the KOTR 93 bouts or the 1st HBK ladder match, because it's just as rare as the ladder match, and for the marks, I think less people have seen it than the Michaels bout. Still, my KOTR tape will remain a favorite.... "Your dad never beat my dad!"

Sting/Bret from Mayhem a gem? Bret/Benoit from Mayhem a gem? I guess when you sit on the toilet and go #2 you see "gems". These were two mediocre matches, that were elevated into "great" status...you know, what, let me interrupt myself... Sting/Bret was shit. Benoit/Bret was elevated into "what a final!" status, due to Mayhem '99 as a whole BEING UTTERLY AWFUL. Benoit/Bret from Mayhem was okay. Marred by interference by EVERY SINGLE MAIN EVENTER. Benoit/Bret "Owen Tribute" was a good match. It wasn't "super special", IMO, but it was "special" in that it paid respect to Owen, and was a good, clean bout. The Mayhem match PALES in comparison. I doubt you'll see Razor/Bret KOTR, nor Bret/Bigelow KOTR. Honestly, Bret's WCW run was a disaster. He had not one memorable match that mattered. Ever. The match with Benoit at "Kember" was non-storyline (Bret cleanly defeated the TV Champ), and although good, didn't reflect either man's storyline. I say, McMahon...and Bret...PORTRAY BRET'S RUN IN WCW AS BEING TERRIBLE. Because by that time, Bret was over the hill, as were his regular opponents (Flair, Hennig, Luger, DDP, Sting, Vicious). And don't even show Goldberg's "career ending kick". Because the actual kick is not even impressive. And if anyone has anything to argue or say against this, I will back it up with clips, posted here, or reports, of Bret's most ridiculous "tenure" in WCW. As a major WCW historian, I sometimes try to ignore that Bret Hart ever existed in the company. And it's not all his fault. Just his opponents and lame bookers. Edit: To FRIGIDSOUL: Souled Out 1998. (Vs. Flair)

It's an awesome DVD, I plan on watching the "indy/Japan/ECW" part and then going to the gym and then watching the WCW/WWE half... And by the way, ONE THING... For *ANYONE* that *EVER* argues that Mankind/Taker is a 5-star match, because the "bumps were amazing" and "sick" and "one of a kind".... WATCH BENOIT/ANGLE CAGE MATCH FULL. German Suplex....OFF THE TOP ROPE. Top of the Cage Moonsault. Top of the Cage Headbutt (with a highly fucked up neck...a move Benoit did NOT want to do). And then tell me Foley/Taker is "5 stars"... If anything, Angle/Benoit is 10 stars, on that scale.

And Deadwood is terribly boring.

Benoit's father tells the story of Chris's missing tooth. They were walking their large Rottweiler in the backyard, who jumped up, cracked its head with Benoit's jaw, and out popped the tooth.

Lotsa good ECW stuff in the main feature. Shows Dean & Chris winning the tag straps, a couple Benouit superbombs, Triple Threat promo, Benoit throwing around Sabu, Myers, & Snow... Benoit's WCW re-debut (coming out of the limo) is shown. Watch in amazement during Eddie Vs. Benoit from 10/16/95 Nitro as Bischoff tries to call moves, and then when the other announcers get them right, Bischoff interrupts them and says "I swear I saw it clearly, it was...<move> instead". Some odd coverage of Benoit's WWF 2000 arrival. They do the entire buildup package and match for The Rock at FL 00....but when it comes to Stone Cold, the Edmonton match is completely ignored except for a brief mention. God Benoit had an awful outfit in 93 for WCW.

God, the footage of Orndorff from '00 Nitro...... Benoit discusses Orndorff coming back from a neck injury and his entire right side being week and having no muscular development. It's sad footage. If it was Russo's call to put Orndorff in the ring in that kind of shape, fuck you, Vince.

Footage of Benoit Vs. Bob Holly from 1995 Raw, tryout match. Owen footage just teared me up Benoit...Chris breaks down several times during this DVD.

Watching it now. FYE for 19.99...14.99 after rebate.

Hey, can anyone give me some help: Past couple of weeks my buddies and I have been makin' Raw more fun with a "Take a Shot" Raw drinking game: Examples including: - "Take a shot for hearing that awful "WHEN I OPEN MY EYESSSS!!!" song during the "Diva Search" - "Take a shot for Jericho insulting a larger wrestler only to get pinned or pummeled later" Since more than half the show will be HHH/Benoit match, obviously, a large amount of the game will have to do with these two stars. Can some people list some drinking rules for the match, and any other funny nuinsances from the past month or so? Annoying things that make the show suck are what we're looking for: Not needing 100 posts of "Drink if..." Just like, 5 or so at a time 'til I get a decent list. Thanks! Edit: Thanks to whoever moved this and made in a new thread. I thought it'd be flame bate for starting another Raw-related thread the day of the show.

Tie Domi, across the forehead, rusty fork

Becca.

Jarrett's not a main eventer. He's only been so in USWA, WCW, and TNA because he's a medium-sized ex-WWF fish in a little pond. Two of the three companies have gone out of business, as well. Jarrett's a very strong mid-card wrestler/champion. He should stay there. If I was Austin, I wouldn't want to work him either. He draws apathy heat, is generic, and generally annoying to watch wrestle.

To correct some posters' errors: SHREK 2 is right now 170 million behind Titanic's U.S. record. SHREK 2 is over 1 billion dollars behind Titanic's Worldwide record. So slow your role on the "Shrek 2 is so close to Titanic!" Also, Return of the King is the #7 grossing U.S. movie. It went to #2 Worldwide, however.

I watched the entire match, from Benoit's entrance on WWE.com. Perhaps they updated it.

I certainly think this has the potential to be a CLASSIC THREAD, in time. However, there's just a little something missing. That one thing to elevate the thread. One more wacky, hilarious idea...anyone...

Yes, Shane ran down to stop Elizabeth from coming to ringside during Flair/Savage. Good eye.

That Arsenal guy is what, 100 lbs? Why is he wrestling/winning matches?

Becca trying to give the 'net a "Rude Awakening" is as threatening as Rucde himself attempting to execute the move on the likes of Sting and The Ultimate Warrior. Not bloody likely. MAN that site runs slow...

Did anyone get a "Rude Awakening" yet?

I believe Psicosis had a short haircut, now. He's not even using "Psicosis" anymore is he? Isn't it "Nicho el Milionairo" now?

Bradshaw's character sucks when he acts like a pussy.

I'd love these two to just have a stiff as hell match at SummerSlam. Why not, their both "locker room generals" apparently, and been around a while, let them take it to each other, Texas-style.