Real Name: Kurt Angle
Height: 6'2
Weight: 220 lbs.
Finishing Move: Ankle Lock; Angle Slam
Major Titles Held: WWE Championship; WWE Intercontinental Championship; WWE European Championship; WWE Hardcore Championship; WCW Championship; WCW United States Championship
In late 1999, promos started appearing on WWE television hyping Kurt Angle's impending debut. In these promos, Angle would talk about his success at the 1996 Olympics, and brag about what a great wrestler he was. The promos would end with an announcer saying, "Kurt Angle. The only real athlete in the WWE."
Since those promos aired, Kurt Angle has consistently been the most over heel the WWE has had in quite some time. He accomplished more in his first year than most do in their entire careers. When he comes out for a match or an interview, the entire crowd chants "You Suck" to the tune of his music. No other heel gets the reaction from the crowd that Angle does. Angle was initially going to be brought in as an All-American baby face but the WWE realized that may backfire on them. Instead, they had him play an arrogant All-American who wanted to be a baby face but wasn't sure why the crowd booed him. His character has equal parts arrogance, goofiness, intensity, and cowardliness.
Angle was originally contacted by ECW to appear on one of their shows. When he was at that show, he was unimpressed by the violence of ECW and left the building before the show was over. Vince McMahon asked Kurt to sign with the WWE but he declined. After turning down the opportunity to wrestle in the WWE, Angle never really gave pro wrestling another thought until he say WWE Raw one night. He thought the mixture of comedy, drama and action was exciting. He signed with the WWE shortly after and went right into training. For months, Kurt wrestled on house shows and in dark matches before being called up to appear on the main card.
Kurt Angle made his WWE television debut at Survivor Series 1999 facing Shawn Stasiak, who was then known as Meat. The crowd was chanting "boring" and Angle grabbed the microphone and asked them why they were chanting "boring". The crowd suddenly got into the match, booing Angle and cheering Meat. After Angle won, he celebrated like he had just won the Gold Medal at the Olympics. He told everybody about his Three I's: Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence and became one of the top talkers in the business. He went on a long winning streak, beating opponents such as Val Venis, Steve Blackman, and The Godfather. At Royal Rumble 2000, Angle was scheduled to meet a mystery opponent. That opponent turned out to be Tazz, who was making his WWE debut. Tazz quickly choked out Angle, ending his winning streak. However, Angle claimed that since he was choked out and choking is illegal, he was still undefeated. A week later, it was The Rock who ended Angle's streak for good.
Angle beat Val Venis on Smackdown to win his first title, the WWE European Championship. He then challenged Chris Jericho, the WWE Intercontinental Champion, to a unification match at No Way Out. Angle pinned Jericho and declared himself the Euro-continental Champion. Over the next month, he feuded with both Jericho and Chris Benoit. He also brought in Mr. Bob Backlund as his manager. He was then put into a three way match at WrestleMania 16 against Jericho and Benoit. The stipulation was that the first fall was for the WWE Intercontinental Championship and the second fall was for the WWE European Championship. Angle didn't even have to be pinned to lose both belts. Angle was livid that he was put into this situation. At WrestleMania, it was learned that Backlund scheduled the match. Angle attacked Backlund, placing him in a Cross Face Chicken Wing. Benoit pinned Jericho to win the first fall and Jericho pinned Benoit to win the second fall. Without being pinned, Angle had lost both of his titles.
He took on The Big Show at Backlash and lost. He then formed a friendship with two other goofy, cowardly heels, Edge and Christian. They had several hilarious backstage skits and soon found themselves paired up against Rikishi and Too Cool at Judgment Day, with the baby faces coming out on top. Next for Angle was the King Of The Ring tournament. Angle beat Bradshaw and Buh Buh Ray Dudley to make it to the Quarterfinals on Pay-Per-View. It was there that he successfully beat Chris Jericho and Crash Holly to make it to the finals against Rikishi. Angle delivered an Angle Slam on Rikishi from the second rope and pinned him to become the 2000 King Of The Ring.
Angle then found himself in a feud with the recently returned Undertaker. Angle had desecrated his motorcycle and had mocked him by coming out for an interview on a scooter. At Fully Loaded, Undertaker destroyed Angle and easily pinned him. Throughout the summer, Angle had formed a friendship with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. They would flirt with each other and drive Stephanie's husband, Triple H into jealous fits. Angle, Stephanie and Triple H had many memorable segments on WWE television for months. Triple H and Angle met The Rock in a three way match for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. During the match, Angle suffered a concussion and had to be taken to the back to recuperate.
Leading up to Unforgiven, where Angle and Triple H were going to meet in a match, Stephanie appeared to be torn between the two of them. Near the end of their match, she entered the ring and kicked Angle in the groin, allowing Triple H to win the match. Unfortunately, one of the hottest feuds to hit the WWE in a while was now over. After Unforgiven, Angle was declared the number one contender and went to No Mercy to meet The Rock for the WWE Championship. Rikishi entered the ring and went to kick Angle but hit The Rock instead. Angle hit The Angle Slam on Rikishi and covered The Rock for the win and the title.
Kurt was overjoyed about winning the title. He was challenged by The Undertaker to a title match at Survivor Series. The Undertaker was dominating Angle and Kurt sought refuge under the ring. The Undertaker pulled him back out and delivered The Last Ride. When the referee went to count, he realized that whoever The Undertaker was trying to pin was not Kurt Angle. Angle immediately entered the ring and rolled up The Undertaker for the win. It was revealed that Eric Angle, Kurt's brother, was under the ring. The next night, both Angle brothers were destroyed by The Undertaker.
At Armageddon, Angle had to defend the WWE Championship against 5 other Superstars in a Hell In A Cell match. The other participants were The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Rikishi, The Rock and Triple H. Angle pinned The Rock to retain his title. Mr. McMahon then declared that Triple H was now the number one contender. At Royal Rumble, their feud resumed but this time it was Angle who was victorious after interference by Steve Austin. Angle was now approaching his fifth month as WWE Champion when he was scheduled to meet The Rock at No Way Out. The Rock and Angle had a great match with The Rock once again becoming WWE Champion.
As WrestleMania was approaching, Angle was upset that he did not have an opponent. Chris Benoit came to the ring and challenged Angle. They fought each other in a tremendous "wrestling" match at WrestleMania with Angle scoring the pin. Benoit and Angle went on to feud for several months. Benoit won a 30 minute Submission match at Backlash and later stole Angle's Olympic medals. Angle challenged Benoit to a 2 out of 3 falls match at Judgment Day. The first fall would be a standard match, the second fall would be a Submission match and the third fall would be a Ladder match. Angle won the second and third falls to regain his medals.
The next night on Raw, Angle held a ceremony for himself because he had won back his medals. Shane McMahon interrupted the ceremony and mocked Angle, who responded by placing Shane in an Ankle Lock. Angle entered The King Of The Ring tournament to retain his crown. He beat Hardcore Holly and Jeff Hardy to make it to the Quarterfinals on Pay-Per-View. Shane then challenged Angle and Angle accepted, however the match was scheduled to take place at King Of The Ring. That meant that Angle may have to wrestle 3 times. He defeated Christian in the Quarterfinals and then met Shane in a Street Fight. After close to 30 minutes, Angle was victorious over Shane. However, he was pinned by Edge in the King Of The Ring Finals. It was an amazing display of athleticism on Kurt Angle's part.
He formed a bond of some sort with Steve Austin and Mr. McMahon. Angle and Austin would constantly vie for McMahon's attention. At Invasion, Angle, Austin, Chris Jericho, Kane and The Undertaker faced Booker T, The Dudley Boyz, Rhyno and Diamond Dallas Page. During the match, Austin turned on Angle and on the WWE, allowing the ECW/WCW team to gain the victory. For the first time in his career, Angle was now a baby face. He won the WCW Championship from Booker T but quickly lost it back to him. Angle then went on to SummerSlam to face Austin for the WWE Championship. Angle won that match by DQ, so Austin retained the title.
Angle and Austin continued their feud with some amazing segments on WWE television. At Unforgiven, Angle finally beat Austin and won his second WWE Championship. Angle was over huge with the crowd at this point. In a rematch on Raw, William Regal hit Angle with brass knuckles and Austin regained the WWE Championship. Shortly after that match, Angle joined The Alliance and turned his back on the WWE. At Survivor Series, Angle Austin, Rob Van Dam, Booker T and Shane McMahon lost to The Rock, The Undertaker, The Big Show, Kane and Chris Jericho. Angle turned on The Alliance allowing Team WWE to get the win. He re-aligned himself with Mr. McMahon and could not stop bragging how he single handedly saved the WWE.
At Vengeance, Angle met Austin in another WWE Championship match. Austin pinned Angle to finally end their feud. Kurt then prepared himself for the Royal Rumble. He made it to the final two, but was eliminated by Triple H. He challenged Triple H to a match at No Way Out where the winner would move on to WrestleMania to face The Undisputed Champion. Angle pinned Triple H but lost the number one contender status back to Triple H. Angle was drawing massive heat from the crowd every time he appeared. He and Kane got into several altercations leading up to their match at WrestleMania, a match that Angle won.
His next feud was with Edge. Their feud included equal parts comedy and intensity. Kurt won their match at Backlash and then challenged Edge to a Hair vs. Hair match at Judgment Day. Angle was pinned and had to have his head shaved. He would appear on WWE television with amateur wrestling headgear and a wig, which drew even more heat from the crowd, who wanted to see him bald. His latest feud is with Hulk Hogan and they are scheduled to meet at King Of The Ring. No matter who steps into the ring with Kurt Angle, they are immediately going to be getting a baby face reaction because nobody is more reviled by WWE fans than Your Olympic Hero.
Pay-Per-View Appearances
1999
Survivor Series
-beat Meat
Armageddon
-beat Steve Blackman
2000
Royal Rumble
-lost to Tazz
No Way Out
-beat Chris Jericho to unify WWE Intercontinental and European Championships
WrestleMania 16
-lost both titles but was never pinned in a three way match that also included Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho
Backlash
-lost to The Big Show
Judgment Day
-with Edge and Christian lost to Rikishi and Too Cool
King Of The Ring
-beat Chris Jericho, Crash Holly and Rikishi to win King Of The Ring tournament
Fully Loaded
-lost to The Undertaker
SummerSlam
-lost three way match that also included Triple H and The Rock (WWE Championship)
Unforgiven
-lost to Triple H
No Mercy
-beat The Rock to win WWE Championship
Survivor Series
-beat The Undertaker (WWE Championship)
Armageddon
-won six way Hell In A Cell match that also included Rikishi, The Undertaker, Steve Austin, The Rock and Triple H (WWE Championship)
2001
Royal Rumble
-beat Triple H (WWE Championship)
No Way Out
-lost WWE Championship to The Rock
WrestleMania X-7
-beat Chris Benoit
Backlash
-lost to Chris Benoit (30 minute Submission match)
Judgment Day
-lost to Chris Benoit in standard match; beat Benoit in Submission and Ladder matches
King Of The Ring
-beat Christian; beat Shane McMahon in Street Fight; lost to Edge in King Of The Ring Finals
Invasion
-with The Undertaker, Chris Jericho, Kane and Steve Austin lost to Rhyno, Diamond Dallas Page, Booker T and The Dudley Boyz
SummerSlam
-beat Steve Austin by DQ (WWE Championship)
Unforgiven
-beat Steve Austin for WWE Championship
No Mercy
-lost three way match that also included Rob Van Dam and Steve Austin (WWE Championship)
Survivor Series
-with Steve Austin, Shane McMahon, Booker T and Rob Van Dam lost to The Undertaker, The Big Show, The Rock, Kane and Chris Jericho
Vengeance
-lost to Steve Austin (WWE Championship)
2002
Royal Rumble
-participated in Royal Rumble
No Way Out
-beat Triple H (Number One Contender match)
WrestleMania X-8
-beat Kane
Backlash
-beat Edge
Judgment Day
-lost to Edge (Hair vs. Hair)
Title History
WWE Championship
-beat The Rock (October 22, 2000)
-lost to The Rock (February 25, 2001)
-beat Steve Austin (September 23, 2001)
-lost to Steve Austin (October 8, 2001)
WWE Intercontinental Championship
-beat Chris Jericho (February 27, 2000)
-lost three way match (April 2, 2000)
WWE European Championship
-beat Val Venis (February 8, 2000)
-lost three way match (April 2, 2000)
WWE Hardcore Championship
-beat Rob Van Dam (September 10, 2001)
-lost to Rob Van Dam (September 10, 2001)
WCW Championship
-beat Booker T (July 24, 2001)
-lost to Booker T (July 30, 2001)
WCW United States Championship
-beat Rhyno (October 22, 2001)
-lost to Edge (November 12, 2001)
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