• BACKGROUND/INFO: I taped this match off of WWF RAW is WAR. It was the night after the Unforgiven Pay-Per-View, which saw Kurt Angle force WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin to tap out of the Anklelock. The controversial part was that Austin's arm was under the bottom ring-rope, which should have prompted referee "Blind" Earl Hebner to make Angle break the hold. Instead, Angle, who was not medically cleared to wrestle the match (in storyline, of course; he had been piledrived on the concrete floor by Austin on the previous SmackDown!), was declared the new WWF World Heavyweight Champion, beginning, at the time, his second reign (he had defeated The Rock for the title at No Mercy 2000, about a year before).

This match took place during the WCW/ECW Invasion storyline in late 2001. Booker T, who had recently come off of a handicap WCW Title match against The Rock (he teamed w/ Shane McMahon), was given a shot at Angle's newly-won WWF Title. Booker was playing the heel, while Angle was the face. This happened a few weeks after the tragic World Trade Center bombings (September 11, 2001), so Angle's far more over than he was before. There are many fans in the audience who are showing off their patriotism w/ American flags and such. Going into the match, color man Paul E. Heyman, who is on the heel side of The Alliance (WCW/ECW) (so, he wants Austin as champion, and not Angle) continually focused on the fact that Angle wasn't medically cleared to wrestle at Unforgiven, and therefore shouldn't be allowed to have possession of the title. One other thing: All other superstars were banned from ringside. So, Stone Cold, Shane McMahon, Commissioner William Regal, and everybody else couldn't interfere. So, let's go back in time...

WWF RAW is WAR
September 24, 2001
Columbus, Ohio

WWF World Heayvweight Title Match: Booker T vs. Kurt Angle (C)
Referee: "Blind" Earl Hebner

• THE ENTRANCES: The brand-new WWF World Heavyweight Champion, Kurt Angle, enters first. He's wearing the title around his waist, and it looks damn good w/ it, may I add. Some pyros go off as Lillian Garcia introduces him at 237 pounds. Angle goes into the ring and celebrates on top of the turnbuckles. Heyman: "Tell me how Kurt Angle thinks he can defend that title against Booker T, a man whose finishing manuever is a kick to the back of the neck (now there's classic Heyman for ya')? Can you dig that, sucka'?" Uhh...Paul, you're not ghetto. Jim Ross points out that Angle won the Olympic Trials w/ a broken neck. The WWF Title graphic is shown, signaling that the title's on the line. "Can you dig it, suckaaaaaah?" The old Harlem Heat music hits and "da' playa'" himself, Booker T, comes out. Lillian Garcia introduces him at 251 pounds. He comes out and gets some fiery pyros. Booker (who I'll call "Book" from now on) climbs through the ropes and climbs up onto the turnbuckle, but gets booed by most (not by me, 'cuz BT rulez).

• THE MATCH: "U.S.A.!" chant, which angers Book. They circle around. Tieup. Some reversals lead to Angle's waistlock, which Book elbows out of. Booker runs off the ropes, only to tossed via an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. 2. Some punches. Irish whip is reversed, and Book's standing back elbow sends Angle down. 2. Angle ducks a clothesline. Book runs into the ropes, but Angle floats over into a pinning combo, getting 2. Book reverses the whip and hits a gut sidekick. He locks Angle in a headlock. Whip by Angle. A shoulderblock sends Angle down. Book hops over, but comes off the ropes to be hit w/ a drop toehold. Angle immediately locks on the Anklelock, but Book grabs the ropes. Angle stomps a mudhole. He tries locking on the hold again, while JR hypes the RVD-Rock main event for later that night. Book hangs onto the turnbuckle while Angle stomps a mudhole in his leg. Angle pulls him out of the corner by the leg, but is hit w/ an enziguiri.

Angle's up first, but gets dumped on the ropes w/ a flapjack. A right sends Angle down, and so does another. Book uses an armringer, but when Angle tries to counter it w/ one of his own, he's quickly hit w/ the Harlem Sidekick. Angle soon rises and tries fighting back, but Book uses a kneelift and snapmare. Angle's lying on the ground, face down. Book goes off the ropes and drops a knee right onto Angle's neck, which JR sells like the second coming of Christ. Book does the hand thing, but to my dismay, no Spineroonie. He twice chokes Angle w/ the ropes, until Hebner reaches the full count. Another snapmare is followed by a headlock, which eventually turns into a grounded version, subduing Angle. Angle starts rising. He uses two elbows to the gut and three punches, but Book reverses the whip. Angle ducks a clothesline, but is hit w/ a great turnaround spinning forearm by Book, who gets 2.

The replay is shown. Book uses a chop on Angle, sending him into the corner. Two more chops are responded to w/ some blows by Angle, who tries mounting a comeback. They exchange some blows, and Angle eventually gains the upperhand. Book reverses the whip, but is grounded w/ a forearm, and then a clothesline. Book is thrown into the ropes and is tossed w/ another second overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Book gets up and misses a clothesline. Angle hits a german suplex (w/ out a bridge). He hooks the leg and gets 2. Angle's mad now, and rips down the straps of his suit, gaining a loud response from the fans. Book turns around and Angle attempts the Angle Slam, but Book drops out and pushes Angle into Earl Hebner. Angle doesn't even get to turn around, as Book doesn't hesitate to hit him w/ a leaping calf kick. Hebner is down and seemingly out. Book climbs out of the ring and takes the WWF title belt from the timekeeper. He brings it in the ring and swacks Angle across the forehead, sending him down to the mat. Hebner recovers and counts: 1...2..KO by Angle!

Book is mad, now. A "U.S.A.!" chant begins. Angle turns around, and Book goes for the Book End (Rock Bottom/Uranage), but Angle twists out of it and brings Book up and over w/ a nice bridging northern lights suplex! KO at 2! Booker is up first and hits Angle w/ a spinning calf kick. It's time! Book begins seemingly worshipping his hand! He's down on one knee, and...the most electrifying move in sports entertainment: the Spineroonie!!! Book eventually rises, and so does Angle. Book attempts the Harlem Axe Kick, but Angle quickly steps aside. It misses, but Book lands on his feet. Book ducks a clothesline and locks Angle in a waistlock (german suplex position). Angle, though, uses a creative counter, rolling forward out of the hold, all the while legsweeping Book and grabbing the ankle. Book tries to scramble out of it, but Angle is able to secure the hold. Anklelock! Book reaches for the ropes, but can't stretch quite far enough. He holds out for about five seconds, but he eventually succumbs to the pain, repeatedly tapping out! Hebner makes the signal, and the bell rings (8:56).

• POST-MATCH: "Medal" hits, signaling that Angle has retained his title! Booker T tapped out of Angle's Anklelock. Lillian Garcia announces that Angle's retained the title. Hebner gets the belt from ringside and hands it to Angle, who gets up on each of the four turnbuckles and raises the belt high. Some U.S. flags are shown in the crowd, as we fade out.

• MATCH THOUGHTS: This was a good match, a bit better than most of the world title matches on RAW. There was considerable motion, especially w/ the "U.S.A.!" chants. We saw some creative holds and counterholds, including the finishing anklelock reversal. Each competitor got to use their trademark moves (we got to see the Spineroonie!), and the finsih was creative and unique. Angle's northern lights suplex was done nicely. Book used his typical repertoire of forearms, knees, and sidekicks, while Angle used all of his suplexes and reversals.

The match had a good flow. There was great drama and even better technical wrestling. If all of the WWF's televised matches were like this, their ratings would probably be a good .5 higher. The match was solid. I didn't see much that could've been bettered. They got significant time to go at it, something that high-level matches haven't gotten in the WWF as of late. Solid.

RATING: **1/2