by Matt Duda

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Oct. 20, 2002 - Judging from the roaring cheers that resonated throughout the ALLTELL Arena, the WWE Tag Team Championship Match was perhaps the most crowd-pleasing affair on a night full of unpredictable action. Although the four Superstars involved gasped for breath after the frenetic marathon of a match, they all agreed that the result of their in-ring work made the effort worthwhile.

Even Edge, who battled nausea caused by a case of the flu, had few complaints. "It was fun, but I thought I was going to throw up through most of it," Edge told WWE.com backstage just moments after tapping out to the ankle lock. "I really thought I was going to throw up across the front row to be perfectly honest."

Edge managed to keep his lunch in place and showed no signs of being slowed. "You just swallow the bile that's in your throat. You just kind of suck it up and do it. We wanted to put on a good match and I think we did that. It's a really good feeling because you know you're about to do something special. I can say without trying to sound cocky that I think we're four of the best in the world today. When you put that kind of talent in the ring, special things are going to happen."

Kurt Angle, tired but pleased with the match, concurred. "The match was phenomenal," Angle said. "It was one of those matches that when we were done, I think, all four of us were exhausted. We were spent. We were tired. When that happens, you know that you did everything you could to make the match incredibly great. I think the fans proved that by the way they reacted. To be in the ring with Edge and Rey Mysterio and Chris Benoit, if you don't rise to the occasion like they do, you're going to stick out like a sore thumb. So to have those guys, I knew I had to be ready, I knew I had to be prepared, I knew I had to go in there with the right frame of mind and I was able to do that. I feel very privileged and very proud of the match."

All four men involved agreed that with so much ability coming together within the 20 x 20-foot ring, good things are bound to happen. "I really feel blessed that I've got guys like Edge, Kurt and Chris to work with," Mysterio said. "It pretty much guarantees that we're going to have great matches."

Prior to No Mercy, it was common knowledge that Benoit and Angle felt more than comfortable competing against each other in singles action.

Sunday night proved that the experienced mat technicians are just as at ease when performing out of the same corner. "You know, as long as I'm in the ring with Chris Benoit, I feel that my competitiveness and just my ability to rise to the occasion and my intensity as well has always been much more aggressive," Angle said. "As a wrestler, being with Chris Benoit and having him around - if you don't keep up with him, he'll blow you away. So to me, it's very important to have someone like Chris alongside or in front of me. I know (with him) I'll have some of the best matches I've ever had."

Angle and Benoit by default must continue to team up in defense of their newly-won titles. If given the choice, the Wolverine would rather see Angle as an opponent. But he views his current role as another lesson to be learned in the ever-changing arena of sports entertainment.

"Personally, I'd rather go against him in singles," Benoit said of Angle. "He's just so competitive and so creative. Every time you step in there with him, we're doing something new. We've never had the same match or anything that is even remotely the same. I've got to give him so much credit for his ability and creativity. I really enjoy working against him in a singles situation, but in this business there's such a wide spectrum. I believe that when you get to the point when you feel that you know it and you've got a grasp, it's time to hang the boots up. You never stop learning in this business. It's a great experience to be in a tag situation with him because you learn from him and play off each other and I think it's good for the fans. I think they can appreciate our wrestling styles and our aggressiveness in there. So we compliment each other in that way. But if you asked me to choose one or the other, it'd probably be against him."

It is unclear if there will be a rematch anytime soon. Angle, for one, has no problem if that opportunity arises. "I thought the match came off really well," I think Edge and Mysterio are two of the best guys in WWE. Chris Benoit and I are considered to be two of the most intense wrestlers, so it was great chemistry. I thought the finish was great. I think the crowd was really enthusiastic tonight, great crowd here. I'm looking forward to some future endeavors with those guys, definitely."

*credit WWF.com*