On a recent edition of his “The Kurt Angle Show” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle recalled defending the WWE Championship against The Undertaker, The Rock, Triple H, Rikishi, and Stone Cold Steve Austin in a Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon 2000.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On his reaction to finding out he would be working a Hell in a Cell match: “No, but you knew something was brewing because they kept having these matches, #1 contender’s matches and these tag matches with all six of us. It was just, you knew that something was going to come. They just didn’t tell me until about two or three weeks before the event. No, I had no idea. And when I found out I was, I was nervous as hell. No, I was like, ‘Oh s**t man, I gotta climb that cage.’ I remember when Mick Foley got thrown off of it a few years earlier, and I knew that we were going to have to do something as crazy as that, and I didn’t want to be a part of it. And I wasn’t, thank God. They said, ‘Who wants to do the crazy stunt?’ And I didn’t raise my hand. I believe Rikishi raised their hand and Triple H raised their hand, and I think that was it. And the other four of us didn’t.”
On hearing it would be a six-man Hell in a Cell match: “I’ve never been in that type of match. I’ve never been in a cage, let alone having six guys all in one match. And I knew that, you know, timing is everything in those matches because you don’t want to trip on anyone else’s spots. So you’re going to have six guys in the ring. They’re going to be two in one area, two in another area, and two in another area. You have to map out your spots right when you guys, what order you’re going to go and it’s really complicated. It’s all about timing.”
On whether he got advice from Mick Foley about wrestling in Hell in a Cell: “Ironically no, he wasn’t involved at all. But we knew that we had to do one crazy-ass spot. And this was in particular because of what Mick Foley did in the past. And you know, when WWE does something crazy, the fans expect it again and again and again. So you’re kind of caught in that curse that you have to continuously do something crazy. And what Mick did? Nobody will match that. Even what Rikishi did in that pay-per-view, the pay-per-view I was in. Yeah, it was not even close to what Mick did. Rikishi had a controlled bump, chokeslam backward into a truck with a bunch of padding in it. Mick got thrown head first off of the cage and landed on a freaking table.”
On whether they did rehearsals before the HIAC match: “Yeah, we got to climb it and get a feel on top, because the top is not the most stable place to be. If you remember, Mick Foley kind of fell backward a couple of years prior. So we all wanted to get a feel for it, get up there and walk on it and make sure it was sturdy. You know, we went over some spots we were going to do. I think Undertaker was going to choke slam me or somebody up there in the cage. And then they wanted to go over the spot with Rikishi. So we got a feel for everything. We walked through everything, we made sure our timing was perfect. And you know, right now, we’re — The Undertaker and I am just chopping wood because this spot’s coming up with Austin and Triple H, so we had to make sure that we didn’t run into each other’s spots. Everybody had a certain time to do it, and we did it in that time.”
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In the world of professional wrestling, few matches are as iconic and thrilling as the Hell in a Cell match. This brutal and unforgiving structure has witnessed some of the most memorable moments in WWE history. One such match took place at Armageddon 2000, where WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle defended the WWE Championship against The Undertaker, The Rock, Triple H, Rikishi, and Stone Cold Steve Austin in a six-man Hell in a Cell match.
In a recent episode of his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show,” Angle shared his thoughts and experiences about this historic match. He revealed that he had no prior knowledge of the match until a few weeks before the event. When he found out, he admitted to feeling nervous about having to climb the intimidating cage. Angle vividly remembered Mick Foley’s infamous fall from the top of the cell years earlier and wanted to avoid any similar risks.
Angle also discussed the challenges of working in a six-man Hell in a Cell match. With six competitors in the ring, timing and coordination became crucial. Each wrestler had to carefully plan their spots and ensure they didn’t interfere with each other’s actions. It required meticulous preparation and communication to execute the match flawlessly.
Interestingly, Angle mentioned that he didn’t receive any advice from Mick Foley, who had famously participated in multiple Hell in a Cell matches. However, he acknowledged the pressure to deliver something extraordinary due to Foley’s past performances. The fans had come to expect jaw-dropping stunts, and Angle and his fellow wrestlers felt compelled to live up to those expectations.
To ensure their safety and familiarity with the structure, the wrestlers did rehearsals before the match. They climbed the cage, walked on top of it, and practiced their planned spots. Angle emphasized the importance of stability on top of the cell, referencing Foley’s fall. They meticulously went over each spot and timing to ensure a seamless and exciting match.
The Armageddon 2000 Hell in a Cell match remains etched in WWE history as a thrilling and unforgettable encounter. While Angle didn’t participate in any of the extreme stunts, the match showcased the physicality, athleticism, and storytelling that make Hell in a Cell matches so captivating.
As wrestling fans, we can appreciate the dedication and preparation that goes into creating these spectacular matches. The wrestlers’ commitment to their craft and their willingness to push their bodies to the limit is what makes these events so special. The Armageddon 2000 Hell in a Cell match serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of this unique and exhilarating match type.
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