At Lockdown 2008, Samoa Joe finally became TNA World Heavyweight Champion. He’d circled that destination for much of the prior eighteen minutes but had now completed the journey, defeating Kurt Angle in one of the promotion’s most unique main events. I say main events because once you go beyond that, it takes quite the effort to be among TNA’s “most unique” anything. That PPV’s headliner really was different though, as Angle and Joe worked an MMA-style bout inside the six sides of steel.
It was built that way too, featuring Frank Trigg and Marcus Davis as opposing coaches. The approach was actually quite successful, with the sport style presentation earning one of the promotion’s strongest PPV buyrates. Naturally, they never returned to that formula again. Personally, I don’t love the match but certainly appreciate their work within that context. At the time, it felt like a potential answer and they did a fabulous job with that play call, even if it’s not my preferred pro wrestling.
Either way, Joe became champion and just a few days later, worked his first taping as titleholder. That taping included a rematch with Angle that unless I’m mistaken, has since been entirely forgotten. This aired on April 24th 2008, concluding an episode also featuring Christian Cage and Rhino vs. The Motor City Machine Guns as well as Booker T and Sting vs. Beer Money. Wow. Along the way, we get an interview from Joe as he completes his pre-match training with Coach Kevin Nash.
‘Big Sexy’ can’t defend the belt for Joe though and so with that in mind, let’s get down to business. With that real fighting nonsense now out of their system, the lads share a good old fashioned lockup, wrestling for position in centre ring. Angle appears to weigh around 180lbs here and isn’t wearing kneepads, which is deeply unsettling. Regardless, Joe twice tackles Angle to the mat as the still energetic iMPACT Zone crowd gets behind the new champion.
Joe continues to roll too, dictating the action with a persistent headlock. The idea is that Joe’s confidence has been transformed by his victory at Lockdown, while Angle suddenly finds himself in desperate pursuit. That desperation is pivotal before long also, as Angle goes to the eyes only to undo his emerging advantage anyway. Joe follows him to the floor, landing a massive dive as we go to a break. Once we return, it’s still all Joe, stringing together some signature offence for 2.
It’s staggering how much he’s taken here, dominating Angle for almost the entire duration through ten minutes or so. Angle eventually finds an answer though, scoring a German suplex that dumps Joe on the back of his head. Thankfully, he does just the one, as I’m not sure I could’ve stomached a seventeen-suplex salvo after such an extended Joe shine. Instead, Angle is surprisingly tame here, settling into holds and working an unusually traditional heat segment.
They reach a double down rather quickly too, as Joe catches Angle for his big corner slam. However, Joe can’t capitalise, hurting his knee as Angle ducks, sending him flying over the top rope. Joe collapses afterwards, encouraging an opportunistic onslaught from Angle as we head to another break. Angle is ferocious for our return, securing a Figure Four Leglock as we see that during the break, Nash gave Joe a peptalk. Howling.
Though they don’t get a particularly strong false finish out of the submission spot, it certainly doesn’t hurt their cause. Angle is excellent here, targeting the leg with palpable intent. Joe’s selling is decent too, stumbling his way through a comeback that Angle barely survives. The challenger can’t close the show either, with neither Ankle Lock or Angle Slam getting the job done. Joe avoids his moonsault in response, doing a hilarious forward roll in order to secure the choke.
Angle simply counters though, regaining the Ankle Lock only for Joe to score his own reversal, snatching the choke for an incredible false finish. Unfortunately, nonsense follows, with Earl Hebner eating a kick as they go into their 2008 TNA finish. Man, I understand the motivation to protect Angle but this is Joe’s first defence, just let him win. Anyway, Scott Steiner comes down and hits Angle with a pipe, allowing Joe to win and undercutting the entire thing in doing so.
I love Scott Steiner, but making him central to a finish between Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe in 2008 is insane. Better yet, it’s honestly a perfect embodiment of TNA’s flawed identity, sacrificing quality in order to set up something that no one even asked for. This episode was built around “the biggest rematch in TNA history” and yet, it goes off the air by announcing that at Sacrifice, Scott Steiner will be joining Angle and Joe for a triple threat match.
Either way, that frustrating finish isn’t my actual focus, as this match is excellent. They put in some time here and tell a really compelling story, giving this particular entry a distinct personality. In fact, I’m not totally convinced that this isn’t the closest they came to a complete, proper World’s Title tilt. Obviously, the finish prevents it from being actually complete, but still. Upon thought, that’s probably false anyway, I’ll have to revisit their Turning Point 2006 match at some juncture.
Regardless, this is a terrific time, world class pro wrestling that reiterates the potential of this TNA era. Ultimately, it’d remain potential but even as a Joe superfan, I’m always amazed by just how fondly remembered his series with Angle is. Not because their matches aren’t good obviously, I’m just slightly stunned by this brand’s apparent reach at that time. Loved this match, a television main event that borders on outright greatness at times. Hidden gem, for my money.
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