10 MMA-Inspired Wrestling Matches

2. Kurt Angle Versus Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe debuted in TNA in 2005, taking the company by storm and winning the X Division Championship in short order. He remained undefeated until the end of 2006, when a recently-arrived Kurt Angle made him submit in a dream match. The feud continued into 2007, but Angle typically got the better of the Samoan Submission Machine until things cooled down. In the spring of 2008, Angle was TNA World Heavyweight Champion and Joe emerged as a challenger. The two would battle at Lockdown, TNA's annual event where all matches take place inside a steel cage. The buildup was unique in that the program was treated as "real" - rather than manufacture ridiculous storylines between Angle and Joe, the focus was put more on each competitor's training regimen and how badly they wanted to beat their opponent. The bout itself was about as MMA-heavy as pro wrestling gets - submissions and hard strikes were the order of the day, with Angle (who wore gym shorts and taped feet) using a figure four leglock and an Ankle Lock, and Joe using kicks and his Coquina Clutch. In the end, Joe's Muscle Buster won him the match and the title, and TNA scored one of it's top PPV buyrates ever.