10 Huge Wrestling Matches That Were Given Away On Free TV

5. Stone Cold vs Kurt Angle - WWE Championship - Raw, Jan 8th, 2001

WWF programming in 2001 started with an elaborate series of matches to establish a new contender to Kurt Angle's WWF Championship. Originally, Rikishi, Kane, Steve Austin, The Undertaker, The Rock and William Regal all had matches to decide who would go on to face Kurt. Stone Cold won a triple threat match and the contender's spot, going on to face Kurt Angle for the WWF Title on January 8th. Because of the intricate series of matches and all of the set-up and build-up, it seemed like a big match that Austin might win. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x18zj9a_stone-cold-steve-austin-vs-kurt-angle-1-8-2001_creation The match was well fought by both men, but ultimately the match and previous events were all a vehicle for Triple H to return and interfere. Angle would retain his title by disqualification, later losing it to The Rock instead, while Stone Cold wouldn't get another title shot until he faced The Rock at Wrestlemania. However, Kurt Angle and Steve Austin would go on to face each other multiple times later in the year on Pay-Per-View for the WWF Title - a big match that originally happened on Raw.