Returning to singles action did a lot to re-ignite Kurt Angle’s competitive fire. But for all the intensity, integrity and intelligence Angle brought to his main-event battle against Drew McIntyre, The Scottish Psychopath defeated the WWE Hall of Famer at his own game, concluding the match with a rare submission of the Olympic Gold Medalist that snapped Angle’s chances of captaining the Raw Men’s Survivor Series team for a second straight year.
Indeed, minus an early Glasgow Kiss that knocked Angle silly, McIntyre built his game plan largely around submission holds, only reverting to strikes when the Olympian began to rally. The match was functionally over after McIntyre dropped Angle with a Claymore, but rather than pin his opponent, the former NXT Champion decided to demoralize him. McIntyre insulted the Olympian to his face and offered him his leg, prompting a last-gasp Ankle Lock from the legendary Superstar.
It wasn’t enough. The Scotsman retaliated with maneuvers from Angle’s own arsenal, dropping him with the Angle Slam and grape-vining the Hall of Famer in an Ankle Lock of his own that was so agonizing that the gold medalist was forced to submit. It was a less a passing of the torch than a potential blaze of glory for Angle, whose future was openly speculated by the commentary team in what might not have been as much of an overreaction as it seemed. After all, Kurt Angle is no stranger to fighting past his physical limits and letting his spirit carry him through. This is the first time in a long time where even that wasn’t enough.