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00:00Should be a classic, a classic, no doubt about it.
00:03It will be Ross John Michaels beating SmackDown's Kurt Angle.
00:09A rivalry between two of the WWE's biggest icons that started at the Royal Rumble.
00:16Wow.
00:24Kurt Angle.
00:25Here we go.
00:25Angle, the suplex of the world.
00:28Look at Kurt Angle.
00:29Uh-oh.
00:30Yeah, it's blocked.
00:32Blocked an Angle lock.
00:33Angle locked.
00:33Michael's trying to play kid music.
00:35Oh, no.
00:36Kurt Angle's out.
00:37God.
00:38Angle's quest to be in the main event at WrestleMania has been ended by Shawn Michaels.
00:45Shawn Michaels.
00:46My issue with you does go well beyond the Royal Rumble.
00:50It goes all the way back to 1996.
00:52I won a gold medal.
00:55And people are talking to me about some guy named Shawn Michaels
00:58gliding down from the rafters that year and putting on a wrestling clinic.
01:02And that ate me up, Shawn.
01:05Because truth be told, you are one of the best of all time.
01:08But to even suggest that you're the greatest wrestler of this generation
01:12is an insult to me and everything I stand for.
01:16He is the most decorated athlete in WWE history.
01:19I'm an Olympic gold medalist.
01:21Kurt Angle is a former European champion, tag team champion,
01:25intercontinental champion, WCW champion, a king of the ring,
01:30and a four-time WWE champion.
01:33I beat five of the greatest superstars of WWE history in a six-man Hell in a Cell.
01:39I, Kurt Angle, am the greatest athlete ever in the history of the WWE.
01:48Kurt Angle, the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels,
01:51is a doormat for absolutely nobody.
01:54Despite all the accolades, you have never had the chance
01:59to go to the biggest stage of them all against Mr. WrestleMania.
02:07I will give you a show like you have never, ever seen before.
02:12Why?
02:12Because I can.
02:14I am simply the very best sports entertainer in the world.
02:21Nobody has ever, ever outperformed Shawn Michaels in a big match situation.
02:30Shawn Michaels, this is what you can expect at WrestleMania.
02:35The Heartbreak Kid is a doormat for absolutely nobody.
02:51At WrestleMania, HBK and Kurt Angle, first time ever.
02:55Hey, check it out, JR, celebrities are out.
03:04Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top is here, right at ringside.
03:07Our old friend Billy Gibbons and Mark Hagenberger from CSI.
03:11Hi, Mark.
03:12Man.
03:13Got you.
03:15I think I keep it.
03:17I know I'm sexy.
03:19I've got the moves.
03:22They drive so good while I've got the moves.
03:26Let me hear you move up.
03:28I said chill.
03:30Up and down, that's fine.
03:32Just for sexy good.
03:36I'm not your boy, Tory.
03:40Just for sexy good.
03:42I'm not your boy.
03:44The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
03:48Introducing first, from San Antonio, Texas, weighing 227 pounds, the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels.
03:58JR, you said that you thought that Christie Hibby, Chris Stratus match was rooted in jealousy.
04:03What about what we heard from Kurt Angle?
04:05If that's not some jealousy of Shawn Michaels, I don't know what is.
04:09And the irony of that is what does Kurt Angle have to be jealous of?
04:13I don't get it.
04:14He's the only gold medal winner in WWE history.
04:17Shawn Michaels competing in his 11th WrestleMania has done it all.
04:23The first grand champion winner.
04:25He was, Shawn, the first man in the history of the company to win every major championship.
04:31The showstopper.
04:35Perhaps the icon, the wrestler of the decade.
04:39Or so Kurt Angle disagrees.
04:42Well, you're right there.
04:45That's what this match is all about.
04:47This should be a classic.
04:50You said it, the first and only gold medalist in WWE history.
04:56Fans don't think it sucks, but be that as it may.
05:01You said it, the first and only gold medalist in WWE history.
05:08Fans don't think it sucks, but be that as it may.
05:12From Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, weighing 249 pounds,
05:15the only Olympic gold medal winner in WWE history
05:20and a former WWE champion, Kurt Angle.
05:26Angle also, ladies and gentlemen, a two-time NCAA heavyweight champion.
05:32Angle won the NCAA title at 199 pounds at heavyweight, beating a 275-pound man.
05:39My point in that is that Angle is an amazing man.
05:43He's a great guy.
05:46He's a great champion.
05:48He's a great man.
05:50He's a great man.
05:52He's a great man.
05:54He's a great man.
05:56He's a great champion.
05:57I just need one, two, three, four, five, six, or seven titles
05:59to get him to the top.
06:02I knowpurpose the tag team here.
06:07I just need one, two, three, four, five, six, or seven titles
06:10to get him to the top.
06:11I knowpurpose the tag team here.
06:21In the heart of the ring
06:25proved to be a very effective asset for the showstopper.
06:30As this match progresses, a SmackDown referee,
06:33Bryan Hitmer, has signed this contract.
06:36Angle again representing SmackDown, Shawn Michaels representing Raw.
06:40Uh-oh, uh-oh, and Michaels, and
06:45what a takedown by Angle, an aggressive
06:50takedown by Angle after being slapped in the face.
06:55Michaels trying to set out on Angle, but Angle, the consummate Matt Wrestler.
07:02There's no one in the WWE that can outmatch, wrestle Kurt Angle.
07:06Not in my opinion, anyway.
07:09I'm gonna tell you, I don't like the strategy of Shawn Michaels.
07:15You're right, you may have more experience than Kurt Angle, but
07:18you say yourself, nobody has the wrestling ability.
07:20Nobody in the entire WWE has the wrestling ability of Kurt Angle.
07:24Shawn Michaels to come out here and slap his face, start this thing off?
07:27I think what you're, I don't know, King, but
07:30there's a lot of mind games being played in these big match, this confrontation.
07:35We saw it earlier with the Undertaker at Orton.
07:37Right, that didn't work too well for Orton, did it?
07:39And maybe Michaels is just trying to get Kurt Angle out of his game,
07:43out of his wrestling mentality, and make this a fight.
07:47Side headlock takeover by Shawn Michaels, and a hair pull by Kurt Angle.
07:53Michaels side headlock, keeping it very basic here.
07:55And both men, their legs are so important in this match.
08:00Michaels with his sweet chin music, Kurt Angle with the ankle lock.
08:04And right now, Angle grounded shoulders into the mat for a long two,
08:09or a short two count.
08:11Well, I'm not, you know, don't get me wrong either.
08:13I don't think, when it comes to wrestling abilities,
08:17certainly Shawn Michaels is no slouch.
08:19He's beating the best of them.
08:20I don't think you want Kurt Angle to start off in a match like this on the wrong foot.
08:26Angle trying to free himself from that predicament he's in, the side headlock.
08:30And Michaels holding on, look at the position of Michaels' hands,
08:33how they are locked, wrist to wrist, and a suplex by Angle.
08:37And somehow, amazingly, Michaels able to retain the control of the headlock,
08:44all via being suplexed.
08:45You gotta give Shawn Michaels credit there.
08:50This is Kurt Angle, he is calculating, he's cold, JR, I've heard you say it.
08:55Cold as a stepmother's kiss.
08:56I mean, this guy is just, what did you say?
09:00Got the shot there, nice shoulder bop by Michaels.
09:06High headlock takeover by Shawn Michaels.
09:09And Michaels literally pulling a page out of the Kurt Angle playbook.
09:14Side headlock takeover, and look at Angle, turning into a pin.
09:18And the referee kept those shoulders up.
09:21He showed us he was counting them.
09:26Again, Michaels keeping it very basic.
09:29Michaels a master of the catch, just catch can style.
09:32Michaels can brawl.
09:33We've seen Michaels in many situations in the game.
09:36Nice.
09:37I'm gonna tell you something.
09:40This is more the strategy that I think Michaels could be successful with.
09:44I didn't like the slap to start off with, but now, ever since then,
09:49what Michaels has been doing has been successful.
09:52I'm impressed with the strategy employed early on by Shawn Michaels.
09:56As Angle pushes Michaels back into the corner.
09:59Referee calling for a clean break, and somewhat surprisingly, we get one.
10:03I'm checking those ears, they're huge, I'll tell you.
10:11Foul of fire from all those years of wrestling as a youngster through the amateur ranks.
10:17Nice way of standing switch by another side headlock.
10:22Shawn Michaels again, very impressive with a side headlock takeover.
10:27And a little frustration beginning to boil by the Olympian, Kurt Angle.
10:32Grabbing the hair.
10:33Well, that's because the mat game is supposed to belong to Kurt Angle.
10:36And I don't think for one minute that Kurt Angle thought in his wildest dreams
10:40that Shawn Michaels would come out here and try to out-wrestle him.
10:43Yeah, a waist lock, hard elbow, hard elbow by Kurt Angle with a shoulder block.
10:48Angle with a shoulder block knocking down Shawn Michaels.
10:52And Michaels, high hip lock.
10:54High hip lock.
10:56And Michaels now applying a short arm scissors.
11:00I'm telling you, I haven't seen that in a long time.
11:02I've gotta believe, and I'm only assuming- Come on.
11:06That Kurt Angle did not prepare for a mat wrestling match as far as
11:10the offense of Shawn Michaels is concerned.
11:14And why should he have?
11:15I certainly would have thought that a little bit.
11:18Nice reversal.
11:19And Michaels reverses back.
11:20And Angle's gotta be careful.
11:22Those shoulders on the canvas for a long time count that time.
11:25One, two, three, four.
11:27Short arm scissors, a time-tested maneuver you don't see a lot of anymore.
11:33And Michaels trying to get, the shoulders are down.
11:36At least one of them was.
11:37And Michaels again using his leg strength and the leverage applied.
11:41I'm telling you, that's short arm scissors there.
11:45I can't get over the fact that Kurt Angle's been grounded in this match.
11:48I mean, if you were Kurt Angle, would you have ever thought that this is what you
11:52were gonna see from Shawn Michaels, this would be his game plan?
11:55I would have thought Michaels would have had a real fast pace by Franklin.
11:57And look at, man, what a strength.
12:01The strength and power of Kurt Angle.
12:03And Michaels counters, sends him limo in a near fall.
12:08Look at this, backslide.
12:09Backslide, backslide by Shawn Michaels in another near fall.
12:13And a left to the side headlock.
12:16And I just heard Kurt Angle slap the mat and said, damn it.
12:20So he's becoming very frustrated.
12:24I'm almost speechless at this wrestling clinic
12:28that Shawn Michaels is putting on on an Olympic gold medalist.
12:33Well, if you'd have watched tapes, if you heard Angle scouting Shawn Michaels
12:35preparing for this match, you'd have seen Michaels' sweep chin music,
12:39the high risk, the catch-as-catch-can style, the brawling.
12:43But you would have never thought the mat wrestling would have been an influence in
12:46this match, but it has been.
12:48And I'm sure that that's what Kurt has done.
12:49He's a student of the game.
12:50Look at this now.
12:51Angle, the right hand.
12:53And Michaels now retaliates with rights of his own.
12:56Angle again trying to gain an advantage.
12:58And look at Michaels.
12:59He's trying to wrap his legs around Kurt and wrap him up once again wrestling.
13:04He's having a challenging time separating these two men and
13:07getting them out of the corner.
13:08Michaels again retaliates with a right hand.
13:16Kurt Angle now trying to shut down Michaels.
13:18Kurt Angle with the hair, handful of hair.
13:20That's something Michaels can't retaliate in that area.
13:24A hard shot from behind, there's the ankle lock.
13:31The shot from behind led to the ankle lock, and a quick counter by Shawn Michaels.
13:35Whoa, what a clothesline.
13:37Both men over the top from the clothesline.
13:41Man, Michaels in a desperate state quickly, and
13:44I mean quicker than a hiccup, got out of that ankle lock.
13:47I'm gonna tell you something, this is, my God, come on now.
13:52Well, Shawn Michaels- So much for the wrestling, JR.
13:54Short fuse as Michaels has- This has been it, Shawn Michaels.
13:58This is what I expected from HBK.
14:02Michaels in a more, this is more WWE style right here.
14:06And Michaels rolling back in the ring to break the referee's ten count.
14:10I'm telling you, it looked like- Right hand, right in front of us.
14:15And a hard European uppercut form by Kurt Angle, the Olympian.
14:20Another big shot.
14:21It looked like Shawn had lost his temper and
14:23was gonna plan something with that table in the center of it.
14:26Look out here, King.
14:27But now Kurt Angle's gonna use that announce table.
14:30Kurt Angle's got a suplex, Michaels on the announce table.
14:34And Michaels now retaliating, and Kurt Angle, Angle slams.
14:41My God.
14:42Shawn Michaels' spine and
14:44his lower back from the angle slam into the steel ring post.
14:49And you talk about a difference maker, a tight turner in a match,
14:53as Kurt Angle in the ring to break the referee's count.
14:56But the end may have been called, the bell may have been sounded for HBK.
15:02Check this out.
15:04God, that's sick.
15:05That is sick.
15:06The lower back, that back that's torquing.
15:11We know Shawn Michaels was away five years approximately from the WWE.
15:17From a back injury, having major back surgery.
15:20Yeah, we know it, and so does that man.
15:22Kurt Angle certainly knows it, and he's gonna capitalize on it right now.
15:25Angle focusing on that lower back, the kicks, the knees, the floor,
15:29the high impact moves.
15:31The concussion moves to the lower back, trying to knot up that back and
15:35continue to apply the pressure.
15:37And this will certainly slow down the ultra quick Shawn Michaels.
15:42Momentum has changed in this match.
15:45That's suplex, that's suplex, the cover, and a lateral press.
15:48Another cover, and you heard the referee with a two count.
15:54Well, you said that, I mean, in the emphatic statement there,
15:57the momentum has certainly changed.
15:59I mean, the first part of this match was all Shawn Michaels, but now-
16:03Listen, get up, get up ahead, let's go, one, two, three.
16:06Kurt Angle applying the old Joe Stecker body surgery,
16:09trying to press on that lower back and add more.
16:11I got a little strong legs wrapped around Shawn Michaels.
16:17There's just a mean streak of Kurt Angle.
16:21All legal in that regard.
16:22That form's not an illegal maneuver, but
16:25it does show the tenacity of Kurt Angle as he runs that forearm across the face,
16:30the bridge of the nose of Shawn Michaels.
16:32Go, Kurt, go, Kurt, go, Kurt, go, Kurt, go, Kurt, go, Kurt, go, Kurt, go, Kurt, go.
16:37Michaels back up, in a fighting mood here.
16:39Michaels back up to a vertical base, Angle with a hard knife-edged chop.
16:45And another one, you can hear that one.
16:46Look out here, the velocity that Angle sent Michaels to the corner.
16:54Turned Michaels inside out, belly to belly, overhead suplex.
17:00Michaels landing on that injured lower back, and Kurt Angle is in control.
17:05Momentum is in the court of Kurt Angle.
17:09Kurt Angle has got to be feeling that victory is near for him.
17:13I think right now Kurt Angle is so confident he's in no hurt while he comes up in.
17:17The cover, the cover, can Michaels, no, Michaels kicked out.
17:20Angle popped those hips so expertly, textbook suplex by the Olympian.
17:26Look at that knee, look at that right knee.
17:28That right knee intended to do more damage to Shawn Michaels' already damaged
17:33lower back.
17:34The pressure not only on the neck, but
17:36more primarily on the lower back of Shawn Michaels after being Angle slammed and
17:42whiplashed around the ring post just a few moments ago.
17:45Hey, come on, look at this now.
17:48You've got to get a break there.
17:51You would think the referee might make him break the entire hold, but no.
17:55Yeah, you would think, be that as it may.
17:57Smackdown referee, of course.
17:58I tell you, Michaels has not been the same since this move right here.
18:02Look at this, the tweak of that back, and again,
18:06no one really knows exactly how tender that Shawn Michaels' back is right now.
18:13After seeing things like this, it's a testament to who HBK is that he's still
18:19in this match.
18:20Michaels standing and fighting Kurt Angle, and
18:23maybe this is Michaels' strategy here, now let's just fight.
18:28No one will ride him by Angle, but Michaels, known for his brawls and
18:33his slugging, and Angle, known for his wrestling, and another slap to the face.
18:38And not just KO Angle, who almost beheaded Shawn Michaels with a clothesline.
18:44The cover is on Michaels.
18:46Barely, and I mean barely able to kick out Angle,
18:49thought that he had the show stopped.
18:51Slaps are never a good idea.
18:53All they do is, like you say, KO somebody.
18:56This came right after the slap, but Angle, he didn't slap Shawn,
19:01he tried to take his head off.
19:03Angle now setting Shawn Michaels up on the top turnbuckle.
19:08This classic battle between two future Hall of Famer, don't do it now here.
19:12Michaels left bad back, Michaels trying to hold on.
19:15He knows the results of a suplex from this position.
19:19I don't think that HBK can withstand one of those, and he's not gonna have to.
19:23Michaels knocked off the top.
19:25Shawn Michaels, he's, wait a minute, Shawn, uh-oh.
19:29This is not, this is not a wise move here in the bad back.
19:33Here comes the showstopper.
19:34Shawn, the showstopper could not connect.
19:37Michaels again crashing and burning on his lower back.
19:42Michaels, it was all or nothing there.
19:45And now Kurt Angle has got to be sensing victory.
19:50Angle poised and ready for Michaels to stand.
19:56And Angle going for the Angle Slam.
19:58Look at that.
19:58Nice counter arm drag.
20:00The arm drag by HBK.
20:03Watch it, watch it.
20:04My God.
20:05The back body drop over the top.
20:09Shawn Michaels, the veteran, using Kurt Angle's own momentum against the Olympian
20:14and back dropping Angle over the top rope all the way to the floor.
20:18I'm gonna tell you something a few seconds ago,
20:20I thought Shawn Michaels was out of it.
20:22But he missed that move off the top rope.
20:23What the hell is Shawn doing?
20:25I don't know.
20:26Shawn Michaels with a cross body.
20:29Michaels with a cross body.
20:30His knee may have hit Angle in the face.
20:33No, this is, let's see if I think you're right there.
20:37Watch Shawn Michaels' knee.
20:39Oh, that is an ill move, I'll tell you.
20:42A nasty move to say the least.
20:45Angle laying out here in front of us.
20:48Michaels trying to fight his way back in the ring to beat the referee's ten count.
20:53Said I think Shawn Michaels' leg and knee went right into the face,
20:56the mouth, the nose, I don't know what.
20:57Michaels has to be pleading for the nose.
21:01And Angle trying to angle back in this thing, and Angle on the apron.
21:05My God, no, no, no.
21:06Angle's gonna try to, he's trying to German suplex Shawn Michaels off
21:11the apron of the ring, through the table.
21:14Hang on, Shawn, hang on for your life.
21:16My God, Michael's gotta hang on.
21:18His career is at stake here.
21:21A German suplex from the edge of the ring through a table to bring Michaels back.
21:29Michaels fighting, desperately fighting.
21:31Throwing those elbows right to the face of Angle.
21:34And the referee is up.
21:37Luckily for Michaels, went undetected with a low blow.
21:41Well, desperate men have to resort to desperate measures.
21:46And I think that Shawn Michaels, certainly this match, his entire career and
21:51maybe his life could have depended on him not getting suplexed into that table.
21:56And Michaels kicking Angle away.
21:58And Shawn Michaels, Shawn Michaels, wait, no, no, yeah, my God.
22:04Michaels leapfrogging, springboarding off the ropes,
22:10putting his body and soul on the line.
22:13And my God.
22:16My God, this, Michaels and Angle are motionless.
22:22You can see that these tables, you saw it there.
22:24They've got so many people busting through tables that they've reinforced
22:27these tables with steel.
22:29And look at this.
22:30Michaels hit the mark, but man, the price paid by both men.
22:39That table did not snap.
22:41As you said, reinforced human bodies bouncing off a table.
22:47Referee out to check on both these men on their well-being.
22:51I guess you would say their health, but this match could end momentarily,
22:55quite frankly.
22:56Neither one of these men may be able to continue.
23:01Referee is counting, starting his ten count.
23:03These men have got to return to the ring before that ten count.
23:07Blood coming from the mouth of Kurt Angle.
23:09I don't know if that's from that knee into his face earlier from Shawna,
23:14from internal injuries from Kurt, smashed into that table.
23:20Referee's up to seven now.
23:23These men are in danger of being counted out here.
23:26What a shame for a match to end of this magnitude by a count out.
23:30Angle's trying to crawl back in.
23:32He's in.
23:32Shawn is in.
23:33Shawn is in.
23:34Referee's saying both men are in.
23:35Both men are in.
23:37About a second to spare is all they had.
23:40But nonetheless, as Angle bleeds from the mouth,
23:43you don't know what shape Michael's back is in.
23:46I think that may be from some sort of internal injury.
23:50Both men trying to stand, and they do, looking eye to eye.
23:54These two icons, anybody's game.
23:57And a right hand angle, suddenly right got blocked.
24:00Michael's in the ninth bench top, fighting back into it.
24:03The will of Shawn Michaels,
24:04the will to win this match is overwhelming.
24:08And the same can be said for Kurt Angle.
24:10These guys are trying to literally destroy each other.
24:14Look out.
24:16Flying forward by Shawn Michaels.
24:19The showstoppers, pulling it off.
24:21No.
24:22Michael somehow reaching down into places men don't have.
24:26Able to nip up after the punishment that he's taken.
24:30And a right hand to Kurt Angle.
24:32And another right hand.
24:35Inverted atomic rock.
24:36Michael's now building momentum.
24:38You can feel the momentum changing.
24:40You can feel the momentum back in the corner of Shawn Michaels,
24:43as he may be thinking about one of his favorite tunes.
24:46I'm gonna tell you something, Kurt Angle keeps, he's,
24:48he's holding his stomach.
24:50I think there's internal injuries on Kurt Angle.
24:53Blood coming from his mouth.
24:54This could be it right here.
24:56Michael's gonna take another chance.
24:58Michael's going for it all here.
25:00It will be all or nothing for Shawn Michaels.
25:02He got it, he got it.
25:04Stuck the elbow.
25:05Michaels stuck the elbow from the top.
25:08Driving it into the, into the sternum, into the heart of Kurt Angle.
25:13And now Michaels feels it.
25:15He can sense it.
25:17His body filled with adrenaline.
25:20I'm gonna tell you the turning point was Shawn landing on the ribcage,
25:25midsection of Kurt Angle out on that announce table.
25:30Michaels tuning up the band.
25:31Versus Sweet Chin Music.
25:33Michaels needs one shot with that right foot.
25:36He's looking for it.
25:36And no, he got, no he didn't.
25:38My gosh.
25:39Angle blocked, Angle blocked into the ankle lock.
25:42My gosh.
25:44Angle blocked Sweet Chin Music into the ankle lock.
25:48You can't believe that Kurt Angle still has the stamina and
25:51the wherewithal to catch Shawn Michaels at mid-kick.
25:54An excruciating maneuver that could easily break a man's ankle.
25:58And Angle's tenacious, tenacious, do not let go.
26:02He's gonna break his leg.
26:03He's gonna break his leg.
26:04The three in great position as Michaels, if he wants to give up, Michaels.
26:10He's trying desperately to get to the rope.
26:12And that is absolutely the only thing that could save him.
26:16Michaels reaching, desperately reaching for the rope.
26:20He just inches away.
26:21Push, stretch.
26:23WrestleMania has meant so much to Shawn Michaels' career, to his life.
26:28And now he finds himself in a position where he may have to give up.
26:32That's the hands of Kurt Angle in his ankle lock.
26:34And I mean, he's so much, he always does.
26:39Referee's counting, you gotta let go.
26:42Maybe this is why Shawn Michaels calls himself Mr. WrestleMania.
26:47He excels.
26:48He somehow pulls it all out at WrestleManias.
26:52And he saved himself once again.
26:54But Michaels was in the ankle lock for a long time, a long time.
26:58Angle slam, reverse.
27:00Michaels trying to get, no.
27:02Angle got the gear.
27:04The ankle lock applied again to Shawn Michaels.
27:06And Michaels counters.
27:07He's got him, he's got him.
27:08Did he get him?
27:10Did he get him?
27:11That's a long two count, a real long two count.
27:15Angle looking for a clothesline.
27:17Again, Michaels.
27:18Switching music.
27:19Angle slam in the center of the ring with a crash of a car wreck.
27:25That should do it.
27:27The hook to the leg, and the- No, it's not a count of three.
27:32I thought it was a count of three.
27:34What are these men gonna have to do?
27:38I think Kurt Angle has lost some teeth.
27:42Angle saying, I don't know what he said, but the expression tells the story.
27:46He can't believe it.
27:47He's frustrated, wondering what the hell he's gotta do to beat Shawn Michaels.
27:52And maybe it's not Kurt Angle's night.
27:55Uh-oh.
27:56He's rededicated himself to this match.
27:59What's he doing now?
28:00Wait a minute.
28:02Wait a minute, that's a Shawn Michaels-like maneuver.
28:04Look out!
28:06Angle went for the moonsault.
28:09A page out of Shawn Michaels' book.
28:11Angle has said, whatever Shawn Michaels can do, I can do better.
28:15Angle left his ground attack, left his wrestling fundamentals, and
28:19went for the high risk.
28:20The high risk is right, and look at this.
28:23High in the air.
28:25But nobody home when he came down.
28:27That may be the deciding factor in this match.
28:31Shawn Michaels can fight back into it because Angle knocked the breath out of
28:35himself.
28:36He took that huge chance, and now what is Shawn Michaels doing?
28:39I don't know.
28:40I don't know how he'll be able to climb, much less, I mean, even stand here.
28:45He's had that ankle lock clamped on not one, but both of his legs.
28:49And he's still going to the top.
28:50Michaels, fearless, absolutely fearless.
28:54He's climbing to the top to put the Tennessee Tempers on Angle.
28:57And Angle- No, no, no, no!
28:59The ankle slam off the top.
29:02Angle with a cover.
29:03The cover, the cover, the three.
29:05No, no, a low, a low two.
29:10And somehow, the will to survive for
29:13Shawn Michaels again comes to the front.
29:16He kicked out.
29:17He is Mr. WrestleMania.
29:19I'm a believer.
29:21Discapacity crowd of over 20,000 fans, absolutely stunned.
29:26They've all gone so wrong.
29:28And Kurt Angle, nobody is more stunned than Kurt Angle.
29:31No, no, Kurt, you can't beat him tonight.
29:33The tenacity of these two men.
29:36And now Angle is- You think you're done?
29:39You think you're done?
29:41Let's tap out.
29:42You hear me, Michaels?
29:44Tap out.
29:45And Angle- Angle popped too much.
29:50He talked too long.
29:51He got a foot in his mouth.
29:53My gosh!
29:54Angle was bad-mouthing Shawn Michaels.
29:56You told Shawn to tap out.
29:58Your days are done.
30:00And the next thing you know, Kurt Angle, he's out like a light.
30:04The thing about it is that Michaels scores with Sweet Tim music, but
30:08he can't capitalize at this moment.
30:10What?
30:11Man.
30:12What a knockout shot.
30:13It couldn't have been more perfect.
30:15What a knockout shot.
30:17But what have we got here?
30:18Both of these men are down.
30:19Both of them are out.
30:21Murphy's only got one option here, and that's to count.
30:24Shawn Sterling.
30:26Let's see this kick one more time.
30:27You hear it, listen.
30:28Whoa!
30:30Man.
30:30Perfect.
30:31That was a shot.
30:34A shot heard around the world, if you will, by Shawn Michaels.
30:37Knocking down Kurt Angle, and
30:39Michaels trying to crawl as well, all Michaels can do.
30:41He's getting an arm across him.
30:42He's out, Shawn.
30:44Just cover him any way possible.
30:47Michaels' eyes blazed.
30:48There you go.
30:49And the claw of over.
30:50It'll count.
30:51It'll be over.
30:52It'll count.
30:53Wait a minute.
30:56Did he get his shoulder up?
30:58Angle got his right shoulder up.
31:00Some fans certainly cheering for
31:03Michaels thought it should have been a three, but it's not a three.
31:07Smackdown referee, that might have been the longest count I've ever seen.
31:12Well, in any event, Angle got his shoulder up.
31:14The match continues.
31:16This is a one-fall match between two men who, no doubt in my mind,
31:21will both be in the WWE Hall of Fame someday.
31:24And Shawn, I think he thinks he's won right now.
31:27Does he even know that the referee said that was just a two-count?
31:32Michaels is out of, Michaels is absolutely out of it here.
31:36And so is Kurt Angle.
31:38Angle is down on his shoulders and Michaels, but Michaels is not sure where he is.
31:44If he was, he would be covering Kurt Angle right now.
31:47I think Shawn Michaels thinks he won.
31:49Angle.
31:50No.
31:51Angle out of nowhere.
31:52My gosh.
31:53Angle out of nowhere with the ankle lock.
31:56Angle out of nowhere with the ankle lock.
31:57It was like something from a scary movie.
31:59He rose from the dead and grabbed that ankle.
32:01And Angle brought down with Shawn Michaels' ankle.
32:05He'll snap him on the quick and enjoy doing it.
32:08Michaels is reaching for the ropes.
32:10Kurt Angle dragging him back.
32:11And Michaels fighting with everything he's got.
32:14Kurt Angle will not let go.
32:15Michaels fighting desperately with a huge sense of urgency.
32:19My gosh, he's gonna break your ankle.
32:22Michaels in excruciating pain from the ankle lock from the Olympic champion.
32:28Michaels.
32:29Climbed up to the center of the ring.
32:32Michaels is writhing in pain.
32:35He doesn't want to tap at WrestleMania.
32:37He's fighting for his life here.
32:39Michaels reaching.
32:40He's leaping.
32:41He's lunging for a rope.
32:43For anything.
32:44And now what?
32:45Angle's right behind the legs.
32:47And look at that hideous position of Angle's ankle, of Shawn Michaels' ankle.
32:53It's in a sick position.
32:55It could break at any moment.
32:56I mean, I can't do anything short of a miracle here.
33:00What can he do?
33:03Michaels, the pain has got to be riveting, scintillating pain.
33:09Michaels can't get to the ropes.
33:13Why can't he get to the ropes?
33:14Michaels' ankle could snap at any moment.
33:18Michaels refusing, refusing to give up, refusing to die here.
33:23He will not, he will not, he is Mr. WrestleMania.
33:27Michaels doing all he can to counter.
33:29But how do you counter?
33:30No, no, the pain, no, no, no.
33:35Shawn, I thought he was gonna tap, but he didn't.
33:38And he's looking for a will, a will to win.
33:42Michaels trying everything he's got, everything he has.
33:45How long has this ankle lock been locked in?
33:48How much can he stand?
33:49No.
33:50Michaels taps out.
33:51My God.
33:51Michaels taps out with the ankle lock.
33:54It may have broken.
33:55The ankle may be broken.
33:56Here is your winner, Kurt Angle.
34:01Unbelievable.
34:04Wow.
34:07Only at WrestleMania will you see a match like that.
34:12Kurt Angle finally able to break by the leg while he had the ankle lock applied.
34:20Look at this, I mean, even fans that are saying you suck are applauding this
34:25effort by both of these superstars.
34:28It was a phenomenal effort by two amazing athletes.
34:32I'm worried that Shawn Michaels' ankle may be broken.
34:34That may be the only reason he would tap.
34:38A WWE has no two finer athletes than Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels.
34:43But on this night, it was SmackDown's Kurt Angle and
34:48his ankle lock that has led him to a very impressive victory.
34:54One we will talk about for years at WrestleMania 21.
35:00I'm gonna tell you, impressive is the word.
35:03I'm exhausted just watching that.
35:05I can imagine what these two individuals feel like right now.
35:08I'm gonna tell you, Shawn's ankle may be broken.
35:11It may be fractured.
35:12Michaels is gonna need some medical attention, no doubt about that.
35:17What a great effort.
35:17The fans cheering Shawn Michaels for his gallant, courageous effort.
35:23He's welcome, I'm not kidding, anyway.
35:27In a match, no one could argue the point.
35:30He could have gone either way on several occasions, Kane.
35:33Right there, I thought Shawn Michaels had it.
35:35There was a, what appeared to me to be a long recount.
35:39Hands up applauding Shawn Michaels, and rightfully so, that's what I think.
35:49Thank you very much.