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WWE: Ranking The Top 10 Kurt Angle Matches

By Joe Anthony Myrick

31 Jul 1996: Kurt Angle of the United States holds the American flag at the free-style wrestling competition during the Summer Olympics at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
31 Jul 1996: Kurt Angle of the United States holds the American flag at the free-style wrestling competition during the Summer Olympics at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. /
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9. VS Eddie Guerrero – WrestleMania XX

The final moments between Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero – where Eddie unlaced his boot in time for an Ankle Lock, leading to a victory roll pin after his boot slipped out of Angle’s hand – is by far one of the most creative and memorable finishes to any wrestling matches. It’s often been duplicated – once, for example, by Rey Mysterio in a match against Jack Swagger at Money in the Bank 2010 – but no one can ever beat the real thing that started it all.

While their WWE Championship at WrestleMania XX will always be remembered for that finish, the match itself is a little more special than that. From a storytelling perspective, the story highlighted going into the match was of an underdog in Eddie reaching the promise land, but Angle insinuating that he is a poor excuse for a WWE Champion due to his past crimes. A changed man now that he’s centered into the main event, Eddie had something to prove going up against a man who’s been to the big dance countless times.

The match itself was fantastic because both men complimented each man’s stronger attributes while making up for their weaker ones. While Angle lacked Eddie’s speed and Eddie lacked Angle’s size and strength, both men compensated by highlighting each one’s disadvantage over the other for in-ring storytelling. Whenever Eddie used his speed to get the upper hand, Angle would toss him around. Whenever Angle used his size to press Eddie down, Latino Heat used his speed to wear the Olympian out. In that regard alone, these two had tremendous chemistry.

These two went on to have several great matches afterwards – including a sizzling SummerSlam match months after this – but their Mania match especially was money.

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