The Kurt Angle Show - Judgement Day 2005 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

This is a topic that’s been asked for a lot. Judgment Day 2005! You’re coming out of WrestleMania 21, after your match with the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels. It’s a big win by submission on the biggest show of the year, but the next pay-per-view is Backlash which is a Raw brand PPV. Do you think having these pay-per-views bounce back and forth hurt your momentum?

Also at that WrestleMania it would see the crowning of John Cena as the new WWE Champion. Did you think John was ready?

Did you assume coming out of Mania and your victory and his victory that you two would be the top program for SmackDown?

The Raw after Mania Shawn does say though that he wants a rematch with you…did you know if that was going to be something revisited down the line?

Cena also would debut a new championship belt which is now a spinner title. What did you think of the change of the title belt itself?

JBL challenges Cena for a title rematch on the Smackdown after WrestleMania, and then Eddie comes out and wants a show, and eventually Booker, Show, Mysterio & you finally come out with the line of the night…

“I was arrested Sunday night on charges of armed robbery. I was arrested for stealing the show.” Who came up with that line?

You point out to JBL, Guerrero and Show, and said that they all lost at Wrestlemania. You pointed at Booker and said he wasn't even good enough to wrestle at Wrestlemania. You then pointed to Mysterio and said he didn't make the minimum height requirement for a title match. Teddy Long came out and announced yet another tournament for the title shot. This is some good stuff but Booker didn’t wrestle at WrestleMania - did you know at this point this was going to be your next program?

You do another Kurt  Invitational over Jose Gonzalez and it was announced Angle vs. Guerrero in the tournament on next week's Smackdown from Chicago.

There’s an Australian tour just a week after Mania 21. What did you think of Australia?

You would put over Booker T in Melbourne and then Big Show in Perth. Any memories from this tour?

The last night of the tour you’re in Adelaide you team with Luther Reigns to take on Eddie & Rey. The match goes over 20 minutes but it’s reported that Reigns didn’t look good in the match. What did you think of Luther and his work?

If it’s reported that he doesn’t look good with Eddie & Rey - two of the best workers in the world - that’s gotta be tough doesn’t it?

On SmackDown in the first round of the title tournament you take on Eddie Guerrero. From the Torch:

The big story from this episode was a TV match of the year contender featuring over 25 minutes of Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero at their best. Well-paced, dramatic, believable, with their respective characters shining as they interacted with signature moves and fun spots. One highlight was when Angle and Guerrero threw a chair back and forth like a hot potato not wanting the knocked- down ref to get up and see them with the chair.

In the end, with the ref knocked out at ringside, Angle brought a chair into the ring. Rey Mysterio ran to the ring and yanked the chair away from Angle before he could use it. Angle bailed out of the ring. Guerrero then came to and noticed Mysterio wielding a chair. He feared Mysterio showed up to pay him back for costing him his match against JBL earlier in the tournament for the WWE Title shot. As Guerrero begged off, Mysterio tried to explain he was there to help. As they talked, Angle returned to the ring and knocked Rey, and the chair, into Guerrero. The ref came to and Angle scored the pin.

The finish fit the ongoing storylines, but the 25 minutes of action stole the show.

Kurt - this has to got to be one of your favorite matches right?

From the Observer 4/25/05:

“Bobby Heenan went nuts after seeing the Angle-Michaels match live, and has told friends it was the greatest pro wrestling match he ever saw, and you can imagine the gravity of that statement. He said it was better than Dory Funk vs. Jack Brisco in St. Louis or any Ray Stevens match he saw.

If you don't know Heenan, you can't understand the gravity of this statement, but he called up Howard Finkel to get both men's number and called them up after the match to tell them it personally.

He did spend half the conversation playing a joke on Angle, pretending to be talking to him only to see if he could get him a job with the company before telling him why he really called.”

Kurt - any memories of this conversation?

Does this mean anything to you to hear this from Bobby Heenan?

SmackDown 4/21/05 from MSG:

Booker T fought Big Show to a no contest at 5:20 in the final Title Shot Tournament match. JBL and Kurt Angle joined Michael Cole and Tazz on commentary. They bickered with each other in entertaining fashion. After a few minutes, JBL and Angle attacked Show and Booker at ringside. They thought that would eliminate both from the tournament. Instead, Teddy Long announced the finals would be a four–way match instead of a three–way match. He also said there would be a tag match later with all four. (3/4*)

This is quite the program and story here - did you enjoy being on commentary with JBL, Cole & Tazz?

Give us some good stories on all 3 Kurt!

“…Booker T & Big Show beat JBL & Kurt Angle at 13:13. Booker T's wife Sharmell again cheered on her husband from ringside. Late in the match, Angle opted not to save JBL from a chokeslam by Show leading to the pin. Angle waved as he walked away.”

At this point - did you know it wa going to be you & Booker? Did you have any idea that Sharmell would play a role in this?

After an Australian tour now you head on the European tour and you team with JBL to take on Cena & Big Show in Dublin, Ireland. This is a ton of travel on you right after WrestleMania. We’ve always heard the money is good but the travel is tough right after Mania with all these international tours. Is that how you remember it? Good money, shit travel?

You’d go to London and put over the Undertaker, before heading to Bologna, Italy and losing to Booker, in Milan you put over Taker again before doing it again in Cardiff. You didn’t care about putting these guys over right?

Any fun memories from this?

SmackDown from Birmingham, England has you make OVW wrestler Steve Lewington tap out to an ankle lock during Carlito’s Cabana.

Kurt we haven’t had a chance to discuss this - did you see Backlash in Puerto Rico. What did you think of Carlito & Savio Vega’s appearances?

Any fun stories of Carlito?

“In the four- way elimination match to crown a new #1 Contender to the WWE Championship, JBL pinned Kurt Angle. The end came when Booker T, after being eliminated from the match, re- entered the ring and KO’d Angle with a chairshot. Booker was seeking revenge on Angle rather than trying to help JBL. Nevertheless, Booker guided JBL to a re-match with John Cena for the Title he lost at WrestleMania 21.”

Shouldn’t this had been the story - not what was about to come?

On Smackdown from Trenton - from the Observer:

“Angle beat up Mike Reed (who was in his second pro match except against guys from the Monster Factory where he trained) with an ankle lock. It wasn't really a match as there was no bell and no ref. He then challenged Booker T to a match at Judgment Day”

Any memories of this guy being green and I’m sure nervous?

“Booker & Sharmell came to the ring. Angle called Sharmell a ”gutter slut”. Booker accepted the match for Judgment Day and then hit the ring and they brawled. Angle got the advantage and went after Sharmell. She tried to run away, but they did the slasher movie scene where she tripped and Angle almost put her in the ankle lock but it was quickly broken up.

Holy shit Kurt - what the hell? Did you feel comfortable about any of this?

Was Booker & Sharmell?

You had to be nervous about this?

On SmackDown 5/12/05 from Reading, PA:

“WWE continued to promote storylines revolving around sexual relationships when Kurt Angle suggested that he desperately wanted to have “bestiality sex” with Sharmell, the wife of Booker T. This did not sit well with Booker, who fought Angle in the main event match of the show, which served as a preview of their match at Judgment Day.”

Bestality? Who is writing this shit?

“The main event match turned personal when Angle zipped to the backstage area after knocking out Booker in the ring with the Angle Slam, and proceeded to run into Booker’s locker room, where Sharmell was hanging out. Sharmell screamed in horror from beyond the closed door, implying horrible things were happening to her.

Booker eventually ran to his locker room to save his wife, but was attacked from behind by Angle. After throwing Booker into a row of lockers, Angle smiled in Sharmell’s direction before leaving. Sharmell, who had been screaming throughout the entire ordeal, continued to wail next to the fallen body of her husband.”

Look - everything is well acted. Believable…I guess. And this is Sharmell’s highlight of acting at this point before Booker ever becomes King Booker…but Vince loved this shit didn’t he?

SmackDown 5/19/05 from Sioux City:

Kurt banned from the show for last week’s actions but in a promo on the TitanTron -

Kurt Angle “apologized” to Booker T and Sharmell for the sexual comments he made on last week’s show, but qualified his apology by saying Sharmell liked the sexual advances he made. Booker T kicked over a television monitor after watching the apology.

This is the go-home angle for the show Kurt. Like what the hell?

We’re here now at  Judgment Day 5/22/05 from Minneapolis:

“Backstage, Sharmell was ranting about Kurt Angle’s disrespectful treatment the previous few weeks. Sharmell received a gift of lingerie, which she thought was from Booker T. Booker said it wasn’t from him, then Sharmell pulled a pair of handcuffs out from the gift bag. Enraged, Booker said he would take care of things…”

They just really wanted to keep it going didn’t they?

“Booker T was shown walking through the backstage area of the Target Center trying to find Kurt Angle. After many unsuccessful attempts trying to get information about Angle from various wrestlers, the camera went back to Booker’s locker room where Kurt Angle snuck up behind Sharmell and told her she could find him anywhere.

Angle’s music came on the PA system preventing further advancements by Angle…”

It’s…quite the look and promo for you here. Were you ready to just wrestle Booker at this point?

From the Observer:

“From most accounts, the Angle vs. Booker T angle was both an embarrassment and a bomb. Live, there were noticeably people leaving their seats as they played the promos. Angle came out to little reaction, as if the angle was so preposterous it didn't resonate, and it took several minutes for fans to get into a grudge match they were building hard in the pre-game show and hard even after the show started. The two had a good match, so people were into it by the end, but like so much they've done over the years, they've put Angle in bad situations, and the only reason his character has survived at a near top level is because, as bad as he's been used, is people do respect him as a genuine star.”

Is this a fair assessment of what they were doing with your character?

Did you feel the crowd not reacting to you?

“4. Booker T pinned Kurt Angle in 14:09.

After all that work, the match had no heat early. Booker was aggressive, and Angle wound up with a bloody mouth as well as a forehead cut hard way. Booker used an ax kick on the apron with Angle draped over the ropes. Angle worked over Booker's back with a backbreaker and a reverse bearhug. Booker came back, but missed an ax kick, then Angle went for an Angle slam, and Booker escaped and hit the book end for a good near fall. Angle came back with two German suplexes and a belly-to-belly overhead suplex. He went for an Angle slam, but Booker reversed it into a cradle. This looked botched, because Angle kicked out, but Booker's music played and they ruled him the winner. Angle never once used the ankle lock. Post-match saw Angle attack Booker and finally hit the Angle slam. He then went outside the ring and grabbed Sharmell and threw her into the ring. Angle went to handcuff her to the ropes, but Booker made a comeback and ended up handcuffing Angle to the ropes. Booker beat the hell out of a tied up Angle. Sharmell then willed the spirit of Kenta Kobashi and threw a million blows in a row on Angle, before giving him a nasty low kick and walking off. ***1/4

The loss, and the nature of the post-match blow- off seems to indicate a good shot that Angle will be switched to Raw. Having no contenders seems to indicate that a top heel will be sent over from Raw as Cena's next challenger.”

Was this the original finish? Was it a mess up? What happened here?

Do you think this just didn’t click or do you think it was good?

How did you get so beat up in the match?

Do you regret doing this program?

Couldn’t you had just done an amazing match and program with Booker without all of it?