5. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (Unforgiven 2002)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xz6n7s_chris-benoit-vs-kurt-angle-unforgiven-2002_sport Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle had always had good chemistry when working together. One could say that Angle grew up as a worker against Benoit. If you follow along with their matches in chronological order, you can see the evolution of Angle and, for those of you that did not witness it, you can gain a better understanding of why those that did see it often refer to Angles pro wrestling learning curve as prodigious. By the beginning of 2002, Angle was the best performer in WWE. By the end of 2002, he was one of the best performers in WWE history. He was that good. No one ever disputed Benoits abilities. Angle vs. Benoit in 2002 and 2003 made the 2000 and 2001 matches look average by comparison. The WWE style had basically shifted to accentuate the talents that guys like them possessed. Technical wrestling never looked so entertaining than in a Benoit-Angle match. Angle perfected the art of the near tap out while wrestling the Rabid Wolverine. Benoit got over to an extent greater than he ever had before against Angle. Their Unforgiven bout in September 02 could have easily been #1 on this list.
Chad Matthews
Contributor
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
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