10 Classic Matches Bettered By Spiritual Sequels

6. Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit - WWF WrestleMania X-Seven

Backlot Brawl Chicago Street Fight
WWE/TNA

Bettered by: Kurt Angle Vs. Desmond Wolfe - TNA Turning Point 2009

Angle and Benoit's first Pay Per View tussle smashed even the most conservative of expectations. A refreshing technical counterpoint to the all-out brawls and insane spotfests seen elsewhere at what many consider to be the greatest WrestleMania of all time, as good as it was, it suffered very slightly from ref bump shenanigans, a trope not usually associated with the narrative they were weaving.

They arguably bettered their own effort at Royal Rumble 2003 - but Angle definitively topped it in one of the top five greatest TNA bouts ever presented.

Angle Vs. Wolfe was an almost heartbreaking case of what could have been. Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff quickly marauded TNA's burgeoning sense of identity just months later, but before then, the Olympian and the Brit put on a clinic wrestled with as much in the way of restraint as intelligence. Not one impact move was struck within the opening three minutes, with the two technical specialists instead opting to wrestle an intoxicating cocktail of World of Sport and American grappling disciplines. The emphasis on realism made for one of the more satisfying finishes of the modern era, too.

Angle won not with his ankle lock but with a juji gatame - how often do you see a match (cleanly) won without the use of a trademark finisher?

If suspension of disbelief is the aim, this, in many respects, is among the best ever wrestled.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!