"You guys always have great matches" - Vince McMahon offered high praise to two Superstars backstage
Vince McMahon is a constant figure in Gorilla Position at every WWE pay-per-view event, and the WWE boss is often the first to interact with Superstars after a match.
Passing the Vince McMahon litmus test after matches can often be a daunting task for the wrestlers, and it can be a moment to cherish for the performers if the WWE Chairman ends up being impressed.
Kurt Angle spoke about the backstage reactions to his 2001 match with Chris Benoit during the most recent episode of 'The Kurt Angle Show' on AdFreeShows.com.
Angle faced Benoit in an Ultimate Submission Match with a 30-minute time limit at Backlash 2001. The wrestler with the most submissions throughout the match would have been the winner, and Benoit managed to pip Angle that night with four submission victories to Kurt's three.
Kurt Angle revealed that the post-match reactions were quite positive. He enjoyed working with Chris Benoit, and his matches with the Rabbid Wolverine were always well-received by Vince McMahon.
Kurt Angle 'found it cool' that Vince McMahon thanked him after every match
Kurt Angle stated that Vince McMahon praised both him and Chris Benoit after the match.
Vince McMahon never doubted Angle and Benoit's ability to put on technical and intense bouts. Vince McMahon even expressed his gratitude towards the pair after their grueling effort at Backlash 2001.
Angle added that Vince McMahon always thanked him after matches and the gesture meant a lot to the Olympic hero.
"We were all happy. I enjoyed working with Chris and Vince, you know, said, 'great job guys, again, great job.' He said to me, I believe, 'You guys always have great matches, and I'm very thankful.' You know, he always said thank you after I wrestled my matches, and I thought that was really cool."
The Ultimate Submission Match suffered from the absence of an on-screen graphic to monitor the elapsed time. The live audience wasn't too hot for the match, but Angle still believed that WWE was right to remove pinfalls from the contest.
Angle loved new challenges, and the submission stipulation was something he keenly wanted to experience with Chris Benoit. The former RAW General Manager just wished to have had a clock during the match as it was the only blot in an otherwise solid wrestling match.
"I would still have done it (the submission stipulation). I love challenges. I believed in Chris and I that we would hit it off, and I didn't have any doubt in my mind. I just wished we would have had a clock. I really think that was the main issue."
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