Forgotten Favorites 01.29.09: SmackDown! 2002 – Angle vs. Benoit vs. Edge vs. Guerrero

Welcome back for another look at the matches that haven’t gotten their proper recognition in wrestling history. I’ve previously been focusing on matches that I felt WWE has passed over, regardless of their popularity in the IWC and non-WWE publications. I still stand by my earlier choices, as I do feel they haven’t gotten just treatment by WWE over the years, but this week I’ll try to change it up a little. Not only has this week’s match been “forgotten” by WWE, but I’m willing to bet there’s a sizable chunk of the wrestling audience that forgot it took place as well. Of course there are plenty of short-tempered smarks who will need to display their superiority and curse me for suggesting they’ve forgotten a televised match from over six years ago, but I’m prepared for this.

And since I encourage feedback and discussion, I figure it’s only right that I should respond to your comments. At the end of the column I’ll address some readers’ questions, concerns, praise, and hatred.

But you clicked the link to read about some wrestling, so let’s get to the important stuff first.

SmackDown! – December 5, 2002
Fatal 4 Way Elimination Match
Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit vs. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero

HOW IT WENT DOWN

Due to the extreme change the World Wrestling Federation underwent in 2002, this is heavily rumored to be Barack Obama’s favorite year in wrestling history. The biggest change was the forced renaming of the company due to a longstanding legal battle with the World Wildlife Fund. In May of 2002, commercials commanded fans to, uh, “Get the ‘F’ Out!” and World Wrestling Entertainment was born. Shortly before the name change took place, a draft was held to divide the E’s overflowing roster. Wrestlers became the exclusive property of either Monday Night Raw or Thursday Night SmackDown, with Ric Flair and Vince McMahon heading the brands respectively. At the time this was a ballsy move, since one huge roster for two shows had been the standard since 1999. While it took some time to feel like normal WWE television, it ultimately ended up paying off, giving a lot more airtime to guys who otherwise wouldn’t be featured.

By Fall, championships had become exclusive to each show. With Lance Storm and Christian holding the World Tag Team Championship on Raw, SmackDown GM Stephanie McMahon organized a tournament to crown the very first SmackDown-exclusive WWE Tag Team Champions. Featured in the tournament were the infamous SmackDown Six, a collection of superstars that had recently made their brand the hottest thing going in wrestling: Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit, a team built on a battle of one-upsmanship; Edge and Rey Mysterio, the exciting and fast-paced babyface tandem; and Eddie and Chavo Guerrero, the lawless heels who did anything to win. Different combinations of these six individuals in both singles and tag affairs gave fans some of the best wrestling ever seen on free television. The final round of the Tag Title tournament was held at No Mercy 2002, where Angle and Benoit defeated Edge and Mysterio in one of the best matches of the year. Edge and Mystero would later pick up the belts in a 2 Out of 3 Falls rematch on SmackDown, a match that I still have a hard time believing was aired for free. The peak of the SmackDown Six’s interaction came at Survivor Series 2002, where Edge and Mysterio defended their titles in a Triangle Elimination match against Angle and Benoit and Los Guerreros, a match where Eddie and Chavo won their first WWE tag team gold.

That same night another title changed hands when Brock Lesnar defended his WWE Championship against Big Show. Since Big Show and his newly acquired agent Paul Heyman refused to give Lesnar a rematch, a Fatal 4 Way was held on SmackDown to name a number one contender for Armageddon. The combatants included Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Edge, and one half of the Tag Team Champions, Eddie Guerrero.

The Fatal 4 Way almost became a 3 Way just minutes before the match took place. On his way to the ring, Edge was savagely attacked by a chair-wielding Albert, who did his damndest to injure Edge’s knee. After the future destroyer of Matt Hardy’s dreams was helped to the back, the match’s other three competitors made their way to the ring. But just as the bell was about to sound, Edge’s music kicked back up and the injured superstar limped down to the ring.

The match itself, almost in its entirety

I’d go into detail on the match but I could never do it justice. The four guys lit up the ring with their usual fast-paced offense, with most of the attention centering on Edge’s injured knee. After suffering a Spear from Edge, Eddie found himself trapped in Benoit’s Crossface, and five minutes in we’ve got our first elimination. Shortly thereater Benoit was on the receiving end of a Spear, and at seven minutes in we’re down to just Edge and Angle.

From here on out, the two guys just go nuts. All of the spots that made their Backlash and Judgment Day matches classics were revisited. Edgecutions, Angle Slams, Spears, and Superplexes all highlighted an amazing tug of war between two guys who wanted desperately to wrestle for the WWE Title. At twenty-two minutes in, Angle pulls off a miracle with an Angle Slam off the top rope and then it’s lights out for Edge. Three seconds later, Angle is named the number one contender for the WWE Championship. Not allowing his challenger anytime to bask in the recent victory, Big Show immediately storms out and Chokeslams Angle, and we are suddenly on the road to Armageddon — and basically WrestleMania 19 as well.

WHY IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED

Anyone who was watching during the SmackDown Six’s run will require no explanation for why this period should be remembered. It pains me to think that there are some new or young fans today who don’t know about a time when great wrestling action was guaranteed every week. Raw didn’t always deliver in the ring, but every Thursday night you were guaranteed at least one or two knockdown dragout nail-biters. Sure the SmackDown Six put on some of the show’s best matches, but the roster was far from dependent on them. Brock Lesnar, Undertaker, and Big Show were tangling for the WWE Title; Matt Hardy, Tajiri, and Jamie Noble were making the Cruiserweight Title mean something; and fresh faces like John Cena, Shelton Benjamin, and Charlie Haas were starting to turn heads. SmackDown’s 2002-2003 roster was arguably the most impressive in the brand extension’s history, at least workrate-wise. With some of the crap WWE throws against the wall these days, it’s hard to imagine quality wrestling being guaranteed on free television every week. But it happened before, and dammit, that means it could happen again. I hope that this time is remembered simply because it’s proof that WWE can and will deliver in the ring on TV when they feel up to it. If Vinnie Mac can look back and realize the amount of joy he once brought to sad IWC people like me, maybe he’ll re-think his current position on TV bookings and offer us something that’s actually compelling inside the ring. Although it’s more likely that we’ll continue to see JBL’s sloppy ass and HHH taking on the world in 15 on 1 Handicap matches.

And this ties right in with another reason why this match and time period needs to be remembered. It wasn’t Vince who was booking SmackDown at the time, nor was it his daughter Stephanie. Instead, it was some dude named Paul Heyman. That’s right, Paul Heyman booked a WWE television show. Is it a coincidence that the quality of matches rose when Heyman was on the E’s booking team? I think not. Heyman may have been exposed as a piss-poor businessman back in ECW, but there was no arguing that the man could book a compelling wrestling card. Paul E. took those skills to WWE’s creative staff and fans reaped the benefits. Eventually Heyman clashed one too many times with Stephanie McMahon and his booking duties came to an end, but for a brief period of time SmackDown was booked like a true wrestling show. There were amazing athletes competing in distinct championship divisions, and each match had a purpose. The interaction in the back and on the mic perfectly complemented the action inside the ring. It was a balanced show, and it delivered well.

But then again, there are certain things that can completely disprove everything I’ve just said about this time period being awesome. Like, for example, this:

Al Wilson in his underwear = Ratings?

Aside from storylines about old men dying from “marathon lovemaking sessions” (WWE.com’s exact words at the time, I shit you not), SmackDown in 02-03 was pure gold. Heyman’s masterful booking plus an amazing collection of talent made for a level of wrestling that hasn’t been seen on WWE television since then.

WHY IT ISN’T REMEMBERED

There’s one major thing working against this match, and I think you know what I’m talking about. It’s a shame that a man’s last miserable actions should taint his entire career, but for a lot of people that’s exactly what’s happened. I personally get all sorts of weird vibes whenever I see Benoit in the ring, and I know I’m not alone in that. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the hard work he put in, because it’s undeniable that he was clearly head and shoulders above nearly everybody when it came to workrate. But I can no longer just sit back and relax while watching a Chris Benoit match. I don’t see a wrestler. I see a guy who killed his family. I see a guy who brutally woke me up to the fact that heroes on television are not necessarily heroes in real life. He shouldn’t be removed from the history books, as WWE has seemed dangerously close to doing, but he doesn’t necessarily deserve any extra attention. Going in at number one and winning the Royal Rumble in 2004 was an historic feat, but I’m pretty sure no one was surprised when Benoit was left out of all the Rumble hype this year. It’s tragic, since matches that induced so much emotion and passion in viewers now evoke completely opposite responses. The feel-good closing to WrestleMania XX is a memory that will likely never be revisited again by WWE, amazing considering the amount of emotion involved when it actually took place.

Another reason 2002 feels like a lifetime away is because at the time Edge was one of the most over faces in the company. Today it seems hard to imagine that a guy who has consistently generated such enormous heel heat over the years was once a cheered fan-favorite, but that was the case just seven years ago. With the heights Edge has risen to over the past couple of years, earning multiple World Titles and headlining WrestleMania, the man has solidified his spot as the villain in WWE. Edge found his niche as the arrogant Rated-R Superstar, a character he is now defined by. If Edge is to remain one of the most hated men in the company, it makes little sense for WWE to harp on Edge’s past babyface glories. Edge’s 2002 wasn’t nearly as career-defining as anything he did from 2005 and on, so a retrospective would naturally put its primary focus on his rise to the main event and onwards. But then again Edge’s recent Decade of Decadence DVD did feature some awesome 2002 singles matches with Angle and Guerrero, so maybe I’m pushing it on this one. Whatever the case, I feel like Edge’s current mega-heel status has had at least some small effect on this match’s legacy.

Fans would cheer out of fear for their lives whenever Edge threatened to shoot them

And what exactly is this match’s legacy? None really, other than the fact that it crowned a number one contender who would go on to win the title. The match itself wasn’t settling any long term blood rivalries. It was a spur-of-the-moment main event that was announced the night of the show. But this match, insignificant as it might seem to WWE’s history books, led to Kurt Angle’s title victory at Armageddon, which then gave way to Angle’s heel turn, his alliance with Paul Heyman, and a main event match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. The ball got rolling on WrestleMania 19 when Angle eliminated Edge that night on SmackDown. The only problem, legacy-wise, is that everything surrounding and resulting from this match was far more important than the match itself. Edge, Guerrero, and Benoit were far from consistent World Title threats at this point, so unless Edge was going to get the super-push it seemed fairly obvious that Angle would win. The only other person in the match who would come close to the WWE Title shortly after was Benoit at the Royal Rumble, and we all know what Benoit’s involvement does to a match’s legacy. Kurt Angle winning the belt, siding with Paul Heyman, leading a young Team Angle, and battling Brock Lesnar were all far more important to this time period than a randomly tossed together Fatal 4 Way. So as great as this match may have been, it still paled in comparison to the amount of important storylines, swerves, and stables that surrounded it.

WILL IT BE REMEMBERED?

It would’ve been, had a certain Canadian Crippler not gotten his steroid-soaked panties in a wad two years ago. Just like every other Benoit match, WWE will cast this Fatal 4 Way aside and pretend as if it didn’t happen. This match’s greatest hope for living on would’ve been to make it onto the Benoit or Eddie retrospective DVDs that were released before their deaths, but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be. Now with Benoit’s entire history of matches severely tainted in both WWE’s and fans’ memories, the chances of seeing this on a future DVD are slim to none. As far as WWE concerns itself with its own history, this match might as well have never happened.

Will WWE forget about this match? Yes. But will fans? Probably not. At least not the IWC. Benoit was a god to internet wrestling fans before his death. There are a large number of fans who even (for some unknown reason) defend Benoit, suggesting he was just a sick dude who lost control and that his legacy shouldn’t suffer for his actions. I may not be totally comfortable with watching his old matches, but there are certainly others who still are. While Benoit may be “dead” to WWE (you know what I mean), his legacy is still very much alive for some fans, and for that reason alone his in-ring accomplishments will never be completely forgotten.

There may be other factors involved, but I think it really just comes down to Benoit. Edge is in excellent standing with WWE, so aside from a hesitance to highlight his strong babyface run there’s no reason to ignore his involvement in this match. Eddie has been inducted into the Hall of Fame and is considered a certifiable legend by WWE. Angle, though he may not have left on the best terms, has never been trashed on-air by WWE, and he’s been included in several DVD releases since his departure for TNA. These three guys have done nothing to hinder the historical value of their Fatal 4 Way. But that other dude, the one who’s missing teeth/a soul, he kind of spoiled the party for everybody. One month after this match, Angle and Benoit tore the house down for the WWE Title at Royal Rumble, putting on one of WWE’s best matches ever period. And yet I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that this classic will also never get another reference on WWE television.

Moral of the story? If you want people to appreciate what you did with your life, try not to kill your family. Or, at the very least, try to pin it on Kevin Sullivan.

Feedback! (or, Proof That The World Knows I Exist!)

Sure fire Hall of Famers? I’d easily give the honor to Foley, but The Rock doesn’t make it in my eyes.

Posted By: Just Saying…

You may be right, but it’s a tough call. Savio Vega will obviously get in before both guys, but I think Rock might have a decent chance eventually.

In one of Foley’s biography’s he mentions that he actually was very offended by the match. Because The Rock hit him too many times with the chair, then out of all the people that came to see if he was okay after the match, The Rock was not one of them. This really upset Foley, which is the only reason that I can come up with as to why it’s not more well known.

Posted By: Kerwin White

I think this was Foley’s first autobiography. I vaguely remember reading this part, but it’s been nearly ten years since I read the book so I’m a little hazy. But I also remember Rock encountering Foley backstage in Beyond the Mat as BigDog6ft9 pointed out in another comment. All I know is that the number of chairshots and the manner in which they were dished out were not totally okayed with Foley before the match. But as far as whether Rock really didn’t check on the Mickster after the match, that part I’m not sure about. Anybody have more information on this?

da rock rulezorz

jim grimm uz mah h3rrow

Posted By: Clayton Bigsby

Preach on, Brother Clayton.

You forgot about the I Quit match at One Night Stand ’08 between Melina and Beth Phoenix. Sure, it was just a 10 minute submission match that looked like the Hart Dungeon’s greatest hits, but I loved that match. Easily one of the best women’s matches in recent memory.

Posted By: Gothekain

Good call. I completely forgot about this match. As athletic as they may be, I often have a hard time getting into women’s matches, but this is one that definitely worked for me. Please, WWE, more I Quit matches!

How can this be a forgotten favorite when most of the 411 columnists had this as one of the top 5 royal rumble moments? You want a forgotten favorite from a rumble…go find Rockers/Orient Express ’91

Posted By: Guest#8650

So far every match you have done a column on isn’t forgotten. Good concept, horrible execution.

Posted By: Polish Post

I’m pretty sure I thoroughly explained my reasons for my picks, but I get the feeling that most of the haters chose not to read my article and commented simply on its topic. This is fine, since this is the Internet, home of anonymous, ill-informed attacks. I may be wasting my time, but again, just for the record, my three prior articles were about matches that WWE has neglected on career DVDs and nostalgic flashbacks (WrestleMania “Rewind”s and such). To claim that my match choices thus far do not fall into that category is to tell the world a dirty, dirty lie. Regardless, I have tried to appease my dissatisfied customers with a more obscure choice for this week’s article.

Loved this match. Was actually there live and it single-handedly saved a lackluster PPV. Seeing Austin and McMahon got at it for a few minutes was fun, but everybody left talking about the title match. I still regulary watch it, and it’s one of the few matches that can get me to cringe time and again.

Posted By: neverAcquiesce

I don’t think you realize how jealous I am. You, sir (or lady, who knows), were a part of history that night. And I still cringe myself when a handcuffed Foley takes those wicked chairshots. That last one to the back of the head is just plain SICK to watch.

If you want to address a “Forgotten Favorite”, then why don’t you do Bret Hart v. Pierre LaFitte from 95? That was a five star match?

Or how about Fit Finley v. Steve Regal from Uncensored 96 (one of the stiffest matches ever to be in WCW)?

Those were solid midcard matches that haven’t gotten the recognition they deserved.

Posted By: Michael L (Guest)

I’m not familiar with the Hart match, and while I’ve seen plenty of Finlay/Regal matches, I haven’t gotten ahold of Uncensored ’96. I need to brush up on my WCW history. I’ll see what YouTube can do for me.

Also what do you mean by saying both have faded from historical significance the past few years? Both are recognized by the wwe, and in the past year alone Foley was an announcer and involved in promos with Edge, while the Rock was the undercard to Ric Flair’s Hall of Fame. You want the guys main eventing ppv’s?

Posted By: Official Manhugger (Guest)

I do actually. I’ll take Rock and Foley over Cena and JBL any day. But that wasn’t my point last week. I was saying that in comparison to other superstars, Rock and Foley’s historical signifance has taken a backseat the past couple of years. Attitude Era flashbacks almost always primarily focus on Steve Austin and D-X, giving minimal attention to the amazing work The Rock and Mankind did with one another.

“His Greatest Hits and Misses is a quality DVD, but two discs for his entire career is kind of selling the dude short.”
It’s been rereleased with 3 discs, so isn’t it 3 discs for his entire career?

Posted By: Guest#3567

I forgot about the re-release. You win this round, Guest#3567.

who exactly forgot this match?

Posted By: Drue

WWE.

You want an awesome match that people have forgotten?

Dean Malenko vs. Scotty 2 Hotty for the Light Heavyweight Championship from Backlash 2000

Posted By: Ron Mexico

Awesome match and definitely a potential future article. Good call, Ron.

then again: why do it? you are catering to a “IWC audience” (what the hell are readers of this site? “casual fans”? hell no!). why not make this column something really worth reading?

Posted By: guy incognito (Guest)

Hopefully this week is a step in the right direction. You’re completely right about readers of this site not being “casual fans,” and I’m going to try and focus on pleasing the target audience. But as far as making the column worth reading, don’t you think you’re asking a bit much?

– –

Alright guys, that’s it for this week. Special thanks to the dude who used to recap SmackDown on 411 back in the day, since I used his report to check up on the particulars of that evening’s broadcast. You can check that out here. It came in handy, even if the dude shit on the 4 Way for some reason.

As always, keep the conversation going with comments. Discussing classic matches never gets old. It’s your job to ensure that great wrestling will not be overlooked. Stay safe and, if at all possible, away from the flashing blue and white.