This day in Pro-Wrestling history: 19th November
Today’s edition of ‘This day in Pro-wrestling history’ focuses on two monumental matches in TNA history that took place on 19th November ten years ago. While one made TNA look like a million bucks, the other made the management seem absolutely clueless about the pro-wrestling industry.
Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe would be involved and so would Sting. So which was the stinker and which was the classic?
This edition also features the return of one superstar to the WWE with the career longevity of a Bowhead Whale. This Canadian Superstar had left the company in 2005 and would return to the company two years later on an episode of Raw. So who was it?
Sit back and drink this list in, man!
#1 Samoa Joe’s streak gets an Ankle Lock – 19th November 2006
TNA was finally getting some traction in 2006 with many former WWE stars like Christian, Kevin Nash and Kurt Angle joining the roster, with homegrown talent like AJ Styles and America’s Most Wanted getting popular.
Another superstar belonging to the second category was Samoa Joe, who had debuted in 2004 and was on a Goldberg-like unbeaten streak stretching eighteen months.
TNA booked an Angle vs Joe match for the 2006 Genesis PPV and the build up was a rare gem, with the match being touted as the biggest ones in TNA’s history.
The bout was a classic which did not involve any of the usual TNA shenanigans of multiple interferences and in the end, Angle ended Joe’s unbeaten streak by making him submit to the Ankle Lock.
The decision drew much flak, mainly because it was Vince Russo’s controversial introduction into the fold that booked Joe to eat his first loss.
Joe would make Angle submit at their next PPV meeting and the decider would be a 30 minute Iron man match which Angle would win three falls to two.