Random Chicago Wrestling Match Review (December 24, 2011)

This week, I am doing a review of a random Chicago wrestling match because this is Chicago Week and RAW is in Chicago this Monday. I have some WCW and ECW matches that were in Chicago but the match I will review this week will be a WWE match. I created a list of 33 Chicago matches. Normally, I pick a match a few days early so I can prepare for it but I know these matches so well that I waited until today to pick my random number. Right now, I have no idea which match I will review. I'm hoping for CM Punk vs. Umaga from Judgment Day 2009. That was an underrated CM Punk match. Okay...the number I randomly selected was 9. I have no idea what match that is. The Chicago match I will review is...

Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle vs. Randy Orton (Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship Match) from WrestleMania 22- April 2, 2006

I'm happy with this selection. This match was one of the matches I was hoping to review. Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, and Randy Orton are all future WWE Hall of Famers in my opinion. Kurt Angle is now a member of TNA but he was included on the WWE's Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century and Top 50 Superstars of All Time DVDs so I do think Angle will eventually get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

The Facts:

• WrestleMania 22 was the third WrestleMania that Chicago hosted. Chicago also hosted WrestleMania 2 and 13.
• The attendance at WrestleMania 22 was 17,159.
• WrestleMania 22 grossed $2.5 million in ticket sales making it the highest grossing one-day event in the Allstate Arena’s history. The Allstate Arena (formerly known as the Rosemont Horizon) opened in 1980 and has hosted several concerts including Michael Jackson, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Madonna, and U2.
• Rey Mysterio won the 2006 Royal Rumble but put his WrestleMania title shot on the line against Randy Orton at No Way Out and Rey lost. Five days later, on the February 24 edition of SmackDown!, General Manager Theodore Long announced that the World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 22 would be a Triple Threat match involving Mysterio, Orton, and champion Kurt Angle.
• Rey Mysterio had never won the World Heavyweight Championship going into this match.
• This match is included in WWE's Top 50 Superstars of All Time DVD.
• Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter gave this match a ***1/2 rating.
  
• Michael Cole and Tazz were the commentators for this match. 
• The time for this match was 09:18. It was the shortest advertised WWE World Championship match at WrestleMania since Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna (08:55) at WrestleMania IX on April 4, 1993.

The Match:

I am not going to do a complete play-by-play of this match despite this match being less than ten minutes long. It takes too long to review every spot. Before the match started, Randy Orton hit Kurt Angle with the World Heavyweight Championship title. Michael Cole said that it was before the bell rang so Orton was not disqualified. I thought all triple threat matches were no disqualifications. If Orton was disqualified, does that mean the match would have continued with Angle and Rey Mysterio? After getting hit with the title, Angle was outside the ring. Less than a minute after the match started, the match had its first awesome spot. Rey jumped off the turnbuckles towards Orton and Orton dropkicked Rey while Rey was still in the air. Angle got back into the ring and hit a DOUBLE GERMAN SUPLEX ON REY AND ORTON!!!

That was an amazing spot. Later in the match, Rey charged towards Angle, Angle lifted Rey over his head, Rey landed on Orton who was sitting on the top turnbuckle, and Rey did a hurricanrana on Orton! Wow, three great spots after only two minutes! After the hurricanrana, Angle threw Rey out of the ring and got a near-fall on Orton. How often do you see a near-fall after only two minutes at WrestleMania? A little bit later in the match, Orton was out of the ring so Rey and Angle started wrestling each other. Angle tried to do a sunset flip on Rey but Rey avoided the pin and kicked Angle in the head. Rey did a nice head scissor and had Angle set-up for the 619. Rey looked liked he was going to hit the 619 but Angle grabbed Rey's leg and turned it into an ankle lock! Orton tried entering the ring with a chair but the referee stopped him. While the referee was trying to stop Orton, Rey tapped out. But the ref didn't see it, so the match continued. I don't know why this match wasn't a no disqualification triple threat match. How can you disqualify someone in a triple threat match? That wouldn't be fair to Rey if the match ended because Orton got disqualified. The fans started chanting, "You tapped out! You tapped out!"

After that, Angle hit three German suplexes on Rey and Orton. Then Angle hit Rey with an Angle Slam. Instead of landing on the mat, Rey landed on the floor outside of the ring! Angle put the ankle lock on Orton and Orton tapped but Rey grabbed the referee! Angle won this match twice and the match is not over yet! Angle put another ankle lock on Orton and Rey broke it up with a springboard leg drop on Kurt Angle! There were so many great spots in this match. Angle was able to toss Rey out of the ring and that gave him an opportunity to defeat Orton. Angle went for the Angle Slam but Orton reversed it with an RKO! Orton went for the cover and Angle kicked out! Orton went to the top turnbuckle while Angle was still recovering from the RKO but Angle got up and quickly hit a belly-to-belly suplex off the top rope! Angle started resting on the ropes which was a bad decision because Rey climbed onto the ring apron and tried to attempt a 619. But, Rey slipped and fell to the floor. Rey quickly got up and kicked Angle in the face. The fans started chanting, "You fucked up! You fucked up!" Rey then hit a seated senton on Angle and pinned Angle but Angle kicked out. Orton kicked Angle out of the ring which left him alone in the ring with Rey. Orton was trying to set-up the RKO but before he had a chance to hit an RKO, Angle returned to the ring and hit an Angle Slam on Orton. Angle went for the cover and Orton kicked out! Tazz asked, "How many near-falls are we gonna get here tonight?" Angle went for the Angle Slam on Rey, but Rey countered it with an arm drag and Angle fell out of the ring. Orton got up but Rey kicked him into the ropes. Rey then hit the 619 on Orton. Rey did a springboard off the ropes and did a hurricanrana pinning combo on Orton. Angle tried to get in the ring to break the pin but he was too late and Rey became the World Heavyweight Champion!

Winner: Rey Mysterio

Rating: ****1/4

This match might be the most exciting nine minute match I have ever seen. It is considered a short match but it has just as much great spots as a 20 minute match. The three wrestlers accomplished a lot of great spots in nine minutes and there weren't any boring moments during the entire match. It was an amazing match and I enjoyed it a lot. The amount of time this match got does not bother me. I'd rather see a fast-paced and exciting nine minute match than a slow and boring 20 minute match. I'm not a big fan of "storytelling". I want to see great spots and this match had several great spots.


Wrestlemania 22 Kurt angle vs Rey Mysterio vs... by deminatrix