5 WWE TV matches that were pay-per-view worthy

#1 Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar – Iron Man Match on WWE SmackDown, September 18, 2003

Possibly the best WWE match to ever take place on TV instead of pay-per-view, Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar were very familiar with each other heading into it. Both wrestlers had one win apiece in previous matches.

This was set to be the rubber match for the two WWE Superstars. The match was an Iron Man Match for Kurt Angle’s WWE title.

The two men were at the end of their rope with each other and held nothing back from the beginning. Both of them were looking to do the best they could and that worked.

Lesnar lost the first fall by getting himself intentionally disqualified by hitting Angle with a number of steel chair shots. However, those shots allowed him to weaken Angle to a point where he got three consecutive falls, going up 3-1. He even made Angle tap out to his own Ankle Lock.

Angle came back to win one, but Lesnar got another two falls, leading to a 5-2 advantage. Kurt Angle showcased in that WWE match the grit that allowed him to be so successful. He targeted Lesnar’s leg and focused on it, leading to getting two falls back. He was 5-4 behind, and with seconds to go, he locked in his Ankle Lock.

Unfortunately, time ran out and Lesnar survived. In the end, Lesnar rolled out of the ring and remained the champion as Kurt Angle lost despite his heartbreaking attempts to win.