Kurt Angle vs. Christian Cage: Against All Odds 2008
A good video package is shown before both competitors make their entrances to begin the match. The video then brings me back to the bad memory with just a few clips of how better the storyline could of been, if they just kept focused on the match instead of bringing another angle or for a better definition storyline into this situation as they had more focus on Tomko being his 'own man'. But I'll end my talk of that. Joe being the speical enforcer for this match was not too much of a big deal for myself. But I would have prefer him to wrestle an actual match on the show then this. Since he had only about close to two months then where he'd win the heavyweight title. It might of added more to his credibility during that point. Christain Cage comes out of the entrance way first before Angle with his wife Karen accompanying him. I can already get the clue of distractions before the match is under way. Terrible. Anyway, the two have a strong start as Angle clearly acts arrogant while getting the better of his opponent on the mat. Christian then gets the advantage after as he takes control when Angle gets way ahead of himself at each point and shows off by having such confidence. It goes this way until after Angle hits the ringpost and Cage goes for a leaping splash on the top to the outside of the ring. When they get back inside, Angle quickly takes the opportunity to yank Cage from the leg right off the top. Decent move to put over the heel quickly wanting the match to fully go his way again. On another subject, I think it's more enjoyable to hear a crowd that isn't always from the Impact Zone. Which is another thing that can separate a match like this from their previous like a month before at Final Resolution. Fast forward back to the match, outside of the ring the two wrestlers battle for a few seconds until Kurt pulls a spot that is more known out of his Wrestlemania 21 encounter against Shawn Michaels. Olympic Slam into the ringpost appears in TNA. Thing is both Michaels and Cage sell the spot entirely different. Michaels sold it like his back was shot. Christian basically sells it like he's exhausted. I suppose you can say that it's good enough either way. Cage tries fighting back in the ring now. But Angle puts a stop to that with a kick to the gut and powerbombs him right on the turnbuckle! Alright it's official, Angle wanted to kill him. After not getting the three count, Kurt puts the body scissors on Cage. Fine follow up after those spots. Cage goes for a fast pin attempt to get out but Angle then starts go for german suplexes next and hits two. A third is about to be hit then Cage reverses to do an overhead release suplex. Match is going well here and the crowd looks like they were enjoying it more as they continued. Mid-way in Christian goes up top again for the frogsplash but Kurt comes a runnin' to take him down, Cage fights him off to hit the frogsplash for the long two. Cage has Angle hanging by a thread more as they continue. Onto another point of the match where Angle goes for the dreaded "I try to go for a german off the apron but I never can get it off" spot. Cage fought it off and uses the ropes to his advantage to kick Angle but it's caught in the Ankle Lock with Angle pulling him straight in the middle of the ring until Christian gets to the ropes. I loved how that was done. Angle takes the straps off as he seeks Cage to do an Olympic Slam on and we get a counter by Cage who is then countered by Angle into an Ankle Lock position which is then countered into a roll up by Cage. This is where it's going by a great pace by the way. Angle then rakes the eyes to hit the Olympic Slam and still gets the two count. Angle grows frustrated as he can't find a way to put Cage away and it begins to show when they keep it going. Time to bust out the moonsault! He goes up the top rope to try but Cage moves out of the way before it hits him. Angle moonsault miss #4,682. Christian goes for yet another try up the top rope but gets caught for an Angle Slam from there by Angle for a close fall. Kurt gets upset and then lifts Christian up to talk trash straight in his face while he slaps him across the face a few times. Excellent. But it only woke Cage to hit the Unprettier on him for another big two count. I am sucked in the effort they are putting in this. Soon right after I see a referee bump. Here comes the trouble. Joe comes in to make the call when Cage has Angle in his own submission finisher.
It's awesome enough until Karen gets pulled in and this becomes something that many other people see a lot of in TNA main events. There was at least one more sweet nearfall Cage did to Angle that got the crowd off it's feet right after the Karen involvement. Most of the rest of what I saw did more to take away from the match then just about anything. AJ trying to come in, the use of a crappy chair and the Tomko finish with interfering to take out Cage. I have more hate for these such things. I'll give one positive point and that is to say the end did put over more of a thought that Angle was a man who escaped with the title because of a lucky break by someone else. It was fitting for how his character came across here as a heel.
Rank this match better then what they did at Final Resolution. Lacks a better finish like the last but there are just many areas of it, I would call an improvement over the other.
Match rating - ****
It's up as my favorite TNA match this year for the moment and a top MOTC of mine.
Must catch up on a couple of more TNA & WWE shows in the year. I'm still too behind.
