Whilst Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko toiled in the midcard, Chris Benoit thrived in it, snatching Kurt Angle's Intercontinental Championship in a tucked-away treat that also saw Chris Jericho snare European Championship "glory".
It all represented typically brilliant use of the uber-talented midcard WWE were gradually assembling (and more on that next), with Jericho and Benoit trading falls to jumpstart their own programme as well as protect former double Champion Angle as he lost both belts without actually having to lose.
Angle's gifts were apparent even at that early stage and he was handled magnificently here as a result. Even binning off his part-time heater Bob Backlund here enhanced his aesthetic. It's true. Few mourned the loss. It's damn true.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
