Round 3, ECW - Harlem Heat vs. Benoit/Angle

[Uncle Sam]

You have a day to debate, then three more to debate and vote. Extreme Rules are in place.

ECW Region
Harlem Heat - Booker T & Stevie Ray
vs.
Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle​

 

[klunderbunker]

Oh my. Well, in this case I don't think my usual style of this guy over that guy and the other guy over the other guy works. As far as individual talent goes, this is one sided. However, I think the key here will be teamwork. Angle and Benoit always played the I can top you game and it usually cost them in the end. Booker and Stevie are a great team that never really fought other than the NWO period. I'll take them, due to their teamwork and Booker T who can beat both Benoit and Angle on some days.

 

[NSL]

Usually, I'd side with KB, and say the teamwork gives Harlem Heat the edge here, but teamwork doesn't really mean a whole lot in an ECW ring. Angle can be singled off with one, while Benoit is singled off with the other. In a one-on-one match between any of these guys, I can't give Stevie Ray the win. But, Booker T was certainly at his best here, and would be a test for either of his opponents.

While I think it will be a great match, and would be very exciting, I'm giving the edge to the submission specialists. They'll both work over their opponents, and are both obviously technically sound, so once they get their opponents locked into their respective finishers, it's over.

 

[X]

Whilst I'm a big fan of Harlem Heat, let's face it, their competition in the tag division was mostly shit for their entire career. The biggest challenges they faced were the Steiners and The Outsiders, and frankly I think Benoit and Angle are better wrestlers than both of those teams. Usually I'd go with the more established team here, and Harlem Heat has definitely accomplished more, but I'm still going to vote for Benoit/Angle. Why? Because I fucking like them, that's why.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Wow, this is happening? thanks for telling me, GUYS.

Anyhow. As crazy as it is for me to go against the team im responsible for getting into the damn thing, I gotta go for Harlem Heat. Back in their heyday, Harlem Heat were some scary, badly scarred up thugs. Also, in an environment such as this, were there will be frightening amounts of brutality and blood, you need your bother going back to back into battle with you, not some guy who hates you.

I also dont think there is much argument about whom contributed more to tag team wrestling, and who was a better team for longer either. Goin with The Heat.

 

[Big Sexy]

Whilst I'm a big fan of Harlem Heat, let's face it, their competition in the tag division was mostly shit for their entire career. The biggest challenges they faced were the Steiners and The Outsiders, and frankly I think Benoit and Angle are better wrestlers than both of those teams. Usually I'd go with the more established team here, and Harlem Heat has definitely accomplished more, but I'm still going to vote for Benoit/Angle. Why? Because I fucking like them, that's why.

C'mon X, Harlem Heat had to deal with more then just the Steiners and the Outsiders. Let's not forget about the Nasty Boys, Blue Bloods, and Sting and Luger. As a team Benoit and Angle only had 6 matches, and in those 6 matches they went 3-3. One of their wins came over pre gangster Cena and Billy Kidman. They lost matches to Los Guerreros and to Edge and Mysterio. Harlem Heat is much better then both those teams.

Benoit and Angle hated each other. If Harlem Heat can beat a main event team of Sting and Luger that actually liked each other then why couldn't they beat two guys that couldn't stand each other?

Also X, I hate to say this but you are being somewhat hypocritical. When the Mega Powers were taking on the NAO your whole argument was based on the fact that two main eventers thrown together for a few matches shouldn't beat one of the best tag teams ever. The same applies to this match up.

 

[jmt225]

Man oh man this would've been an epic match! Booker T has worked tremendously with both Benoit and Angle singles wise, but in a tag match, where his partner is that beast Stevie Ray? It would have been fantastic.

But anyway... got to go with Harlem Heat here. No matter how you look at it, either kayfabe or simply who was the better tag team, Harlem Heat wins here. I mean, from a kayfabe point of view, look at Booker T's matches against Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle over the years. First of all, in an absolutely TERRIFIC 'Best of Seven Series', Booker T beat Chris Benoit. And then, Booker T has beaten Kurt Angle a couple of times (most memorably at Judgment Day 2005). So that's all you need to know that from a kayfabe point of view, Book DEFINITELY has these two guys' number, perhaps more so than anyone. He knows how to beat them.

And as far as who was the better team... I mean, come on. Benoit and Angle were only thrown together to feud against one another a couple of months later. That's it. As a team, they had some fantastic matches against Edge and Rey Mysterio, but that's literally all they did. How could anyone vote for a team like that over one of the greatest tag teams in the history of WCW?

 

[X]

C'mon X, Harlem Heat had to deal with more then just the Steiners and the Outsiders. Let's not forget about the Nasty Boys, Blue Bloods, and Sting and Luger. As a team Benoit and Angle only had 6 matches, and in those 6 matches they went 3-3. One of their wins came over pre gangster Cena and Billy Kidman. They lost matches to Los Guerreros and to Edge and Mysterio. Harlem Heat is much better then both those teams.

You're right, they are. But let's not bring up the Nasty Boys when talking about credible tag teams please.

Benoit and Angle hated each other. If Harlem Heat can beat a main event team of Sting and Luger that actually liked each other then why couldn't they beat two guys that couldn't stand each other?

They could. Definitely. But, I prefer Benoit/Angle.

Also X, I hate to say this but you are being somewhat hypocritical. When the Mega Powers were taking on the NAO your whole argument was based on the fact that two main eventers thrown together for a few matches shouldn't beat one of the best tag teams ever. The same applies to this match up.

Oh I know I'm being hypocritical, that's why in my post I said I'm voting for them solely because I like them more than Harlem Heat. You're right, Harlem Heat is the better team. I still want to vote for Angle/Benoit though. Maybe it's just my disdain for Stevie Ray.

 

[Tastycles]

Benoit and Angle's entire dynamic was that they hated each other, and it got them wins over lesser teams, but the entire reason they existed was precisely because there weren't teams like HArlem Heat around to expose their lack of chemistry. Stevie Ray is a wrestler that I've really never got on board with, but I think it would be unfair to suggest that they couldn't get the biz done here based on that. So, yeah. Harlem Heat for the win.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Whilst I'm a big fan of Harlem Heat, let's face it, their competition in the tag division was mostly shit for their entire career. The biggest challenges they faced were the Steiners and The Outsiders, and frankly I think Benoit and Angle are better wrestlers than both of those teams. Usually I'd go with the more established team here, and Harlem Heat has definitely accomplished more, but I'm still going to vote for Benoit/Angle. Why? Because I fucking like them, that's why.

Are you back on the drugs, xfear? If so, for the sake of your sanity I beg of you to stop. You don't want to go back to being a street urchin again, it's nearly winter for Christ's sake.

Booker T has proven to be the equal of Chris Benoit on many an occasion and he defeated Kurt Angle on PPV a mere few weeks after probably the best match of his career.

And in kayfabe terms how are Benoit & Angle anywere near the team that the Steiners or Outsiders were? In reality they struggled with mid-carders, at the time, Edge, Rey Mysterio & Eddie Guerrero. Along with perennial nobody, Chavo Guerrero. They also didn't get along.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

My vote is going for Harlem Heat. Quite simply because they have a lot more tag team experience than Benoit/Angle where old school Booker could not be held a candle to by any one of the opponents. Stevie Ray may not be the best wrestler but he held his part in the team for keeping it up. If you have as much knowledge as HH with the whole tag team concept, something Angle and Benoit have not done on a long term basis at the times of these tag teams reigning supreme, experience will kick in and take over... no matter what the rules are.

Harlem Heat to get the victory.

 

[gd]

Tough matchup, wasn't really sure who to vote for coming in, but I've currently been swayed by the Heat supporters. They were a legit tag team, and a very good one at that. Booker T is one my favorite wrestlers and is quite tough/insane. Him and Stevie Ray are a more than formidable team.

The Pill Poppers are a very talented, relentless team, but they didn't fare as well as a tag team as they could have. Plus, they are both insane and wouldn't get along once the going got tough, which it would against Harlem Heat.

Would be a very good match, HH win my a slim margin.

 

[Theo Mays]

I gotta go with Harlem Heat here. They are the more established team and I think they would be able to contain Benoit and Angle in an ECW environment. This would be a fantastic duel between the 4 of them, but I think Harlem Heat will take this one, despite lacking the singles achievements Angle and Benoit have.