We go backstage to see Byron Saxton with Kurt Angle. Saxton says Angle was at one point, undoubtedly the best in the world. Angle says he has the butterflies again and it feels good. He says most people doubt he can do it tonight, but most doubted he could win the Olympics with a broken neck. Angle says he isn’t here to write the exclamation point on his career, he’s here to begin the next chapter.
Angle makes his entrance and it’s a little weird seeing the All-American hero in this setting.
WWE World Cup Tournament Round 1
Kurt Angle Vs. Dolph Ziggler W/Drew McIntyre
The match gets underway and Ziggler shoots for a single-leg but Angle rolls him over. This time Angle goes for the leg and looks to trip Ziggler but Dolph takes his back. Angle reverses it and slams Ziggler down for a facelock but Ziggler transitions into a headlock. Angle gets to his feet and shoots Dolph to the ropes but gets hit with a shoulder block.
Angle then catches Ziggler with a belly-to-belly, followed by a German suplex. Ziggler rolls to the apron, where Angle goes out and looks to German suplex him off of the apron but Dolph holds onto the ropes and elbows Angle to the floor. Ziggler whips Angle into the steel steps hard, then gets him back in the ring.
Ziggler hits the Hall of Famer with a neckbreaker for a two-count, then applies a sleeper hold. Angle climbs to his feet, with Ziggler still on his back, and runs into the corner to break the hold. Angle follows-up with three German suplexes for a near-fall. Ziggler follows-up with a snap DDT for a two-count. Dolph kicks Angle in the knee and looks for the Fame-Asser but Angle moves and hits the Angle Slam for a near-fall. Angle takes the straps down and looks for the Angle Lock but Ziggler kicks him off and connects with a Fame-Asser for a near-fall!
Ziggler jumps onto Angle’s back for the Zig-Zag but gets shrugged off. Angle rolls through a sunset flip and applies the Angle Lock. Ziggler cries in agony and crawls to the bottom rope but Angle drags him back to the centre. Dolph swings himself around and Angle falls over. Angle runs into the ringpost and Ziggler connects with a Zig-Zag for the shock win!
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Dolph and Drew leave the ring, and Graves questions what kind of pain Ziggler will be in following the ankle lock. That’s the first round over, so the announcers run down the rest of tonight’s card. There’s still seven matches to come!
