10 Most Essential WWE European Title Matches

4. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit (WrestleMania 16)

An Olympian, a wolverine and a rock star walk into WrestleMania…

No, this isn’t an intro to a crappy joke, but the setup for one of the best European Title clashes of all time; as three future World Champions do battle for both the IC and European Championships under the millennial spotlight of WrestleMania 2000.

So let’s set the scene; a revitalised Kurt Angle had been running roughshod over the World Wrestling Federation’s mid-card scene since his undefeated streak was brought to an end by the debuting Tazz at the Royal Rumble earlier that year. Following the defeat, Angle rebounded by capturing both the European and IC championships in February from Val Venus and Chris Jericho respectively, smugly proclaiming himself the WWF “Euro-Continental” Champion.

Meanwhile, red-hot babyface, Jericho, would be out for revenge, looking to reclaim the very title he had lost; while fellow Canadian, Chris Benoit, fresh off his debut in the company, was rabidly intent on getting his first taste of championship gold.

Forming a brief yet memorable alliance with fellow “All-American Boy”, Bob Backlund, Angle began using the Crossface Chickenwing during his matches while Backlund played the role of manager. That was until Mr Backlund made the mistake of suggesting to WWF brass that the dual champ be booked in a Triple Threat bout where both titles would be at stake; earning himself a Crossface Chickenwing of his own and severing the relationship as a result.

Backlund’s decision would prove a costly one for our “Olympic Hero”; who would go on to lose both titles without even conceding a fall. Benoit would win the IC belt by pinning Y2J in just eight minutes after a huge Diving Headbutt, while Jericho would gain a measure of revenge in response; pinning Benoit with a Lionsault to capture the European Title five minutes later.

Unfortunately for Jericho, the delicious taste of European victory would fade quicker than a bootleg Fozzy t-shirt and Y2J would hold the title for just 24 hours before losing the belt to the legendary “Latino Heat” Eddie Guerrero. Despite the quick turnaround, Jez would avenge his European loss one month later by reclaiming the Intercontinental Title from – you guessed it – Chris Benoit, in a neat bow of poetic justice.

The Triple Threat match itself is constant action from bell-to-bell and a genuine highlight of largely forgettable WrestleMania. While the Triangle Ladder Match between the Hardyz, Dudleyz and Edge & Christian is commonly cited as Match of the Night (with good reason), the Triple Threat war between Angle, Jericho and Benoit still remains a strong alternate for that spot; with each man looking to make a statement in their collective WrestleMania debuts.

Due to the nature of its combatants, the “Euro-Continental” bout is habitually ignored whenever WWE focuses on great WrestleMania matches of years gone by and sadly, due to Benoit’s prominent role in the contest, it’s highly unlikely that the match will gain any mainstream recognition in the near future. Nevertheless, the bout is a classic and as good as any in European Championship history. Better still, the PPV itself is available in full on the WWE Network, allowing fans worldwide the opportunity to unearth the match at home.

The three men would prove to have great chemistry together over the following year, with Jericho and Benoit squaring off at six more PPV events within the span of a year. Meanwhile, Angle and Benoit would return to the “Grandest Stage of Them All” 12 months later in one-on-one competition, turning in an absolute technical masterpiece at WrestleMania X-Seven.