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Angle won numerous accolades while at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, including being a two-time NCAA Division I Wrestling Champion in the Heavyweight division. After graduating, he won gold medals in freestyle wrestling at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships and 1996 Summer Olympics. He is one of four people to win the Junior Nationals, NCAA, World Championships, and the Olympics. In 2006, he was named by USA Wrestling as the greatest shoot wrestler of all time and as one of USA Wrestling's top 15 college wrestlers of all time. In 2016, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.[3]
Angle made his first appearance at a professional wrestling event in 1996, and signed with the WWF (now WWE) in 1998. Although he was never a fan of professional wrestling and previously had a negative opinion of it due to its scripted nature, he was noted for his natural aptitude for it; after training for only a few days, he had his debut match within the WWF's developmental system in August 1998 and had his first official WWF match in March 1999. After months of dark matches, Angle made his televised in-ring debut in November 1999. Within two months, he was holding the European and Intercontinental Championships simultaneously. Four months later, he won the 2000King of the Ring tournament and began pursuing the WWF Championship, which he won in October and would go on to win a total of four times. He also became a one-time WCW Champion and one-time World Heavyweight Champion. He is the tenth professional wrestler to achieve the WWE Triple Crown and the fifth to achieve the WWE Grand Slam. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame's class of 2017.
Angle has won over 21 professional wrestling championships and is an overall 13-time world champion. He is the only wrestler to have won the WWE Championship, World Heavyweight Championship, WCW Championship, TNA World Heavyweight Championship, IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and an NCAA Wrestling Championship. He is also the first person to hold both the WWE and TNA Triple Crowns. He has headlined numerous pay-per-view events, including WrestleMania XIX and Bound for Glory on three occasions (in 2007, 2010, and 2011), the flagship events of WWE and TNA, respectively. In 2004, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter inducted Angle into its Hall of Fame and later named him "Wrestler of the Decade" for the 2000s.[4] Fellow professional wrestler John Cena called Angle "without question the most gifted all-around performer we have ever had step into a ring" and said "there will never be another like him".[5]
Early life
Kurt Steven Angle[6] was born in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 1968, the son of Jackie and David Angle.[7] He is of Welsh, German, Irish, Polish and Lithuanian descent.[8] He has four older brothers named David, Mark, John, and Eric, the latter of whom is also a wrestler; his older sister, Le'Anne, died at the age of 43 in 2003.[9] He attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a degree in education in 1993.[10] His father was a crane operator who died in a construction accident while working on Fifth Avenue Place when Angle was 16.[11] Angle dedicated both his career and his autobiography to his father. He stated in an interview that, following his father's death, he regarded his wrestling coach David Schultz as a paternal figure. While training Angle, Schultz was murdered in January 1996 by John Eleuthère du Pont, the sponsor of Schultz's team of Olympic prospectives.[12][13][14] Angle's mother died of cancer in 2015.[15]
Amateur wrestling career
Kurt Angle started amateur wrestling at the age of seven.[16] He attended Mt. Lebanon High School,[13] where he won varsity letters in football, as an All-State linebacker, and wrestling.[13][17][18] He was undefeated on the freshman wrestling team and qualified for the state wrestling tournament his sophomore year.[13] Angle placed third at the state wrestling tournament as a junior and was the 1987 Pennsylvania class AAA wrestling state champion as a senior.[19]
After graduating from college, Angle continued to wrestle, though he did have an unsuccessful tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers at running back, despite not playing football in college.[23] In 1995, he won a gold medal at the FILA Wrestling World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia.[21] Following this victory, Angle began preparing for the 1996 Summer Olympics (also in Atlanta) under Dave Schultz at the Pennsylvanian Foxcatcher Club,[24] training between eight and ten hours a day.[25] In January 1996, not long after Angle began training at the club, Schultz was murdered by John Eleuthère du Pont, the sponsor of Schultz's team of Olympic prospectives.[12][26][14] As a result, Angle quit du Pont's team, searched for new sponsors, and joined the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club in Schultz's memory.[27]
Angle faced further hardships while taking part in the 1996 Olympic Trials, when he suffered a severe neck injury, fracturing two of his cervical vertebrae,[28]herniating two discs, and pulling four muscles. Nonetheless, Angle won the trials and then spent the subsequent five months resting and rehabilitating. By the Olympics, Angle was able to compete, albeit with several pain-reducing injections in his neck.[21] In the fall of 1996, Angle stated that he temporarily became addicted to the analgesicVicodin after injuring his neck.[29] He won his gold medal in the heavyweight (90–100kg; 198–220lb) weight class despite his injury,[22] defeating several competitors including MongolianDolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar, CubanWilfredo Morales, UkrainianSagid Murtazaliev, and others.[30] Angle won four close matches to earn his spot in the gold-medal finals.[31]
In 2006, Angle was named the greatest shoot wrestler of all time by USA Wrestling,[32] as well as one of the top 15 college wrestlers.[32] In April 2011, Angle revealed that he was planning a comeback to amateur wrestling for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[33][34] He later announced he was unable to make the trials for the national team due to a knee injury, though he held an honorary title as team manager.[35] In 2016, Angle was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame for his amateur wrestling accomplishments.[36]
On October 26, 1996, Angle was convinced by fellow Pittsburgh native Shane Douglas to attend the Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) event High Incident.[22] He gave an in-ring interview and provided guest commentary during a match between Taz and Little Guido, but left the building after Raven attached Sandman to a cross using barbed wire.[37] Angle, shocked by the controversial imagery and afraid that his career prospects were going to be damaged if he was associated with the incident, threatened to sue ECW owner Paul Heyman if he was shown on television in the same broadcast as the stunt.[22]
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (1998–2006)
Training and developmental (1998–1999)
Despite achieving success in amateur wrestling, Angle initially held professional wrestling in low regard.[38] He rejected a decade-long contract with the WWF due to his unwillingness to accept scripted losses.[39][40] His opinion of professional wrestling changed when he began watching WWF Raw is War in 1998 and developed an admiration for Stone Cold Steve Austin's talents as an entertainer.[39] He later conceded that his negative attitude toward the industry was misguided and "stupid".[38]
In 1998, Angle had a tryout with the WWF after the rescindment of the WWF's original 1996 offer.[40] He was subsequently signed to a five-year deal in August 1998,[41] just three days after his tryout.[40] Angle trained under Dory Funk Jr. at the Funkin' Dojo training camp in Stamford, Connecticut. Within a week, he started wrestling in front of a live audience.[38] His debut match occurred in the WWF's then-developmental territoryWWA on August 20, where he faced his trainer Tom Prichard.[42]
Angle continued to wrestle for the WWA in August and September. Additionally, he sought bookings outside of the WWF, participating in a battle royal won by Steve Williams at the National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) 50th Anniversary Show on October 24. Angle also performed for Pennsylvania Championship Wrestling (PCW) defeating Steve Bradley and the East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) in February 1999 defeating Cyborg.[42]
In March, Angle began wrestling regularly for the WWF's Power Pro Wrestling (PPW) developmental league in Memphis, Tennessee.[42] He appeared on WWF television on Sunday Night Heat, where he took part in an angle with Tiger Ali Singh. He won over Brian Christopher on April 11. In the following months, Angle wrestled on house shows and in other dark matches, in preparation for his televised debut. He faced against Owen Hart in a dark match on Shotgun Saturday Night just two weeks before Owen died.[43] He also continued to wrestle for PPW through October and on July 24 won the PPW Championship. Angle then lost the championship to Steve Bradley on August 7. He is noted for learning the art of pro wrestling quicker than almost anyone else;[40] WWE executive and former opponent Triple H described Angle as "probably the fastest guy I've ever seen pick this business up", owing to "phenomenal" athleticism and an "aptitude" for the industry.[44]
Historic rookie year (1999–2000)
Angle made his televised WWF debut on November 14, 1999, at Survivor Series, where he defeated Shawn Stasiak.[45] He remained undefeated in singles competition until losing to the debuting Tazz at the Royal Rumble on January 23, 2000.[46]
On October 22, 2000, Angle defeated The Rock at No Mercy to win the WWF Championship for the first time.[49][52] Angle's first year on the main roster is widely regarded as the most impressive rookie year in professional wrestling history. In under 12 months, he won multiple championships, headlined pay-per-view events, and quickly established himself as a main-event-level talent. Wrestling publications and analysts have often cited his 1999–2000 run as one of the most accomplished debut years ever seen in the industry.
When World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and ECW were purchased by the WWF in 2001, wrestlers from WCW and ECW formed The Alliance. Angle and WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin joined forces to repel them, turning Angle face in the process. At the Invasion event on July 22, Angle and Austin captained a team of five WWF superstars against members of the Alliance. Team WWF lost to Team Alliance when Austin turned on Team WWF to join the Alliance.[57] Angle then began feuding with Austin over the WWF Championship and challenged him for the title at SummerSlam on August 19, and defeated Austin by disqualification.[58] After winning and losing the WCW Championship, WCW United States Championship, and the WWF Hardcore Championship in matches with Alliance members, Angle defeated Austin to win his second WWF Championship at Unforgiven on September 23.[59][60] Angle lost the title to Austin on the October 8 episode of Raw.[61] Angle later turned heel again and joined the Alliance himself. Angle ultimately returned to the WWF side by enabling The Rock to defeat Austin in a "Winner Takes All" match between the WWF and The Alliance at the Survivor Series on November 18.[59]
In his first Royal Rumble match at the Royal Rumble on January 20, 2002, Angle lasted until the final two before being eliminated by eventual winner Triple H. Angle briefly feuded with Kane, defeating him at WrestleMania X8 on March 17.[62] Angle was drafted to the SmackDown! brand and then reignited his feud with Edge, defeating him at Backlash on April 21. The naturally balding Angle lost a "hair versus hair" match to Edge at Judgment Day on May 19, having his head shaved bald, which he would retain for the rest of his career.[63][64] During mid-2002, John Cena made his WWE televised debut, losing to Angle after a roll-up pin on the June 27 episode of SmackDown!.[65]
Angle won his third WWE Championship at Armageddon on December 15 by defeating Big Show.[69] During this reign, he aligned with managerPaul Heyman and recently-formed "Team Angle" (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin). He began a rivalry with Brock Lesnar, who had won the 2003 Royal Rumble.[70] Angle lost the title to Lesnar at WrestleMania XIX,[71] needing time off for neck surgery. Rather than a traditional spinal fusion, he underwent a less invasive procedure where only the spurs and selected portions of the discs were removed, reducing his recovery time from one year to three months.[citation needed]
Angle returned on the June 5 episode of SmackDown! and a month later won his fourth WWE Championship at Vengeance in a triple threat match against Lesnar and Big Show.[72] He successfully defended the title at SummerSlam but lost it back to Lesnar in a 60-Minute Iron Man match on the September 18 episode ofSmackDown!.[73] At Survivor Series, Angle led a five-man team against Lesnar’s, winning the match despite being eliminated.[74]
In early 2004, Angle began feuding with Eddie Guerrero. After becoming number one contender at No Way Out by defeating John Cena and Big Show, he turned heel by attacking Guerrero during a title defense on SmackDown!.[75] Angle lost to Guerrero at WrestleMania XX and later took time off for another neck surgery.[76] He returned as SmackDown's on-screen General Manager on March 25,[77] continuing his feud with Guerrero. At The Great American Bash, Angle helped JBL defeat Guerrero for the WWE Championship. He was later fired as GM by Vince McMahon after faking an injury, leading to a rematch with Guerrero at SummerSlam, which Angle won.[78]
Angle's feud with Guerrero continued into the fall, culminating in a match at No Mercy, where Angle lost to Big Show.[79] On the November 4 episode of SmackDown!, during a segment of Tough Enough, Angle challenged contestants to physical competitions, where Chris Nawrocki won an opportunity to have a match against Angle.[80] During this match, Angle would legitimately break Nawrocki's ribs whilst performing a double leg takedown.[80] Angle then faced Daniel Puder, a professional MMA fighter. Puder locked in a kimura lock during their unscripted exchange, but referee Jim Korderas quickly counted a pinfall on Puder despite his shoulders not being down to protect Angle from injury and having to submit.[81][80] Puder later claimed he would have broken Angle's arm had the match continued[80], whilst Angle was reported to have been "less than happy backstage"[81] over the whole incident.
Later in mid-April Angle entered a tournament to determine the number-one contender for the WWE Championship, defeating Eddie Guerrero and starting a feud with fellow tournament entrant Booker T. Over the following weeks, in a controversial storyline Angle began sexually harassing Booker’s wife, Sharmell.[83][84] Booker defeated Angle at Judgment Day, but Angle won a mixed handicap against Booker and Sharmell match on SmackDown![85] before losing the feud in a final singles match on June 9.[86] A few days later, Angle also appeared at ECW One Night Stand on June 12 as an anti-ECW “crusader” and was involved in a brawl with ECW alumni led by Stone Cold Steve Austin.[87]
Angle returned to the SmackDown! brand on January 13, 2006, winning a 20-man battle royal as a surprise entrant to claim the vacant World Heavyweight Championship, becoming a face in the process.[96][97] He retained the title against Mark Henry at the Royal Rumble, after which The Undertaker challenged him.[98] At No Way Out Angle defeated The Undertaker in a critically acclaimed title match.[99][100][101] A rematch on the March 3 episode of SmackDown! ended in disqualification, allowing Angle to retain the title heading into WrestleMania 22.[102] However, at WrestleMania Angle lost the title to Rey Mysterio in a triple threat match, which also involved Randy Orton.[103] In the 2006 brand draft Angle was moved to the new ECW brand,[104] adopting the nickname "The Wrestling Machine," wearing a mouth guard and quickly squashing opponents.
Angle made sporadic appearances through mid-2006, inlucluding unsuccessfully challenging Rob Van Dam for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship on June 27.[105]. On August 25, WWE granted his release due to health concerns.[106][107] In the Kurt Angle: Champion documentary DVD, Angle stated he had been working through serious injuries and needed time off. His final WWE match was at an ECW house show on August 14, where he defeated Danny Doring.[108]
Kurt and Karen Angle watching at ringside during Impact!
Angle debuted in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on October 19, 2006, shortly after signing with the company, making an immediate impact by confronting Samoa Joe, who had refused to return the NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt he had stolen from Jeff Jarrett. The confrontation sparked a heated feud between Angle and Joe, culminating in Angle defeating Joe at Genesis in November 19, ending Joe's undefeated streak in the company.[109] Angle then lost to Joe in a rematch on December 10 at Turning Point.
Angle and Joe fought again at Final Resolution on January 14, 2007, with Angle winning once more and earning a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He faced the champion, Christian Cage, at Against All Odds, but lost due to interference from Tomko and Scott Steiner. This led to a brief feud with Steiner, whom Angle defeated at Destination X. Angle then captained a team against Cage's in a Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown, where the man who gained the winning pinfall would earn a title shot for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Angle's team emerged victorious, with Sting being awarded the title shot. However, on the day of the Sacrifice PPV, where Angle, Sting and Cage would face each other for the championship,[110] the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) severed ties with TNA and stripped its champions of their titles.[111] Despite this, the triple threat match between Angle, Sting, and Cage still took place, with Angle declared the unofficial winner of the new "World Heavyweight Champion" after making Sting submit whilst Sting simultaneously pinned Cage.[112]
In the aftermath, Angle unveiled the newly created TNA World Heavyweight Championship, though the title was later vacated later that night due to the controversial finish at Sacrifice. A tournament for the championship culminated at Slammiversary 2007, where Angle won the King of the Mountain match match, officially becoming the inaugural TNA World Heavyweight Champion.[113] He soon entered into a heated program with Samoa Joe once again, this time playing the role of heel. At Hard Justice, the two faced off in a tag team match where all championships the two held were on the line at the time; Angle held the TNA World Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Heavyweight Championship, while Joe held the X Division and Tag Team titles. With help from his then-wife Karen Angle, Angle won the bout, becoming TNA’s second Triple Crown champion, as well as the first to hold all eligible titles simultaneously.[114] A month later Angle dropped both the X Division and Tag Team Championships to Jay Lethal and Team Pacman respectively, at No Surrender on September 9.
Angle was more successful on holding on to the World Championship. While he briefly lost the title to Sting at Bound for Glory in October,[115] he won it back on the October 25 episode of Impact!.[116] He then formed an alliance with A.J. Styles and Tomko, known as The Angle Alliance, and entered another feud with Christian Cage. He successfully defended the title against Cage at Final Resolution and Against All Odds in early 2008 with help from his Alliance. However at Lockdown on April 13, despite interference from the Alliance Angle lost the championship to Samoa Joe.
Later that year, Angle returned from neck injury[citation needed] and attacked A.J. Styles, kicking off another feud which lead to Angle and Jeff Jarrett's paths crossing. After feuding with Styles and Jeff Jarrett throughout the summer, Angle aligned with Jarrett’s enemies (Booker T, Kevin Nash, Sting and Scott Steiner) to form the Main Event Mafia, a stable of established wrestling veterans positioned against younger talent. The stable would dominate TNA for much of late 2008 and early 2009. During this time, Angle had multiple main-event matches with Abyss, Rhino, and continued to feud with Jarrett, culminating in a loss to him at Bound for Glory IV in a match featuring Mick Foley as the enforcer.
In 2009, Angle lost control of the Main Event Mafia to Sting after a match at Sacrifice, but regained leadership after winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for a fourth time at Slammiversary via assistance from Samoa Joe. On the following episode of Impact!, Angle and the rest of the Mafia attacked Sting while introducing Joe as their newest member. Angle held the title until No Surrender, losing the belt to A.J. Styles captured the belt in a five-way match. Angle turned face a month later, praising TNA’s younger talent and leaving the Mafia on the October 22 episode of Impact!.[117]
Various feuds (2009–2011)
Following his departure from the Main Event Mafia, Angle began feuding with Desmond Wolfe, trading wins in late 2009[118][119][120] before ultimately defeating him in a "Three Degrees of Pain" match at Final Resolution. In early 2010, he entered a title feud with A.J. Styles, now aligned with Ric Flair, losing multiple championship matches against Styles due to murky finishes and interference. Frustrated, Angle teased leaving the company[121] but ultimately stayed and feuded with Mr. Anderson after losing in the 8 Card Stud Tournament at Against All Odds.[122] The feud saw both men trading victories through early 2010, ending with a steel cage match at Lockdown, which Angle won.[123] which Angle won. Angle then took a brief hiatus but returned in May, vowing to climb the new TNA Top 10 Rankings on merit and earn another title shot.[124] Over the next few episodes of Impact! and TNA PPVs, Angle defeated several of the other "Top 10" ranked wrestlers, (Kazarian,[125] Desmond Wolfe,[126]D’Angelo Dinero,[127]Hernandez,[128] and A.J. Styles[129]), boldly claiming that he would retire if he lost during this climb.[130]
Angle would not get the opportunity to rise any higher in the ranks. In August the TNA World Heavyweight Championship was vacated, with an eight-man tournament created to crown anew champion.[131][132] While Angle was victorious in his first-round match,[133] at No Surrender Angle faced Jeff Hardy in the semi-finals. The match first ended in a time-limit draw and later, after the match was restarted, a no-contest due to Angle accidentally blading his forehead too deeply.[134] Both men were added to the finals at Bound for Glory, where Angle was pinned by Hardy after interference from Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan, who turned heel and formed Immortal with Hardy, Jarrett, and Abyss.[135]
Following the loss, on the next episode of Impact! Angle teased making good on his vow and retiring, but was attacked by Jarett and TNA's security officers Gunner and Murphy,[136] with Jarett revealing he was involved with ensuring Angle lost at Bound for Glory. Throughout the spring of 2011 the two would bitterly feud over a series of personal and intense matches, which often featured Jarret's wife (and Angle's ex-wife) Karen, playing upon the real-life tension between the trio.[137] Eventually, the feud ended with Angle defeating Jarrett in a loser-leavesParking Lot Brawl on the June 16 episode of Impact Wrestling, forcing Jarett to leave TNA.[138]
The month prior, Angle signed a new three-year contract with TNA, stating he was "here for the long haul."[139]
After ending his feud with Jeff Jarrett, Angle allied with Sting to oppose the Immortal stable, including TNA World Heavyweight Champion Mr. Anderson.[140] On the July 14 episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle helped Sting reclaim the title from Anderson.[141] At Hardcore Justice on August 7, Angle defeated Sting to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for a record fifth time, turning heel in the process after hitting him with a chair.[142]
Angle later revealed he opposed Sting’s plan to return control of TNA to Dixie Carter, claiming Carter had lied to him about her knowledge of the Jarretts’ relationship. He aligned with Hulk Hogan and Immortal, vowing to dismantle TNA’s younger talent, starting with attacking Crimson that night.[143] Angle successfully defended the title against Sting,[144] Mr. Anderson,[145][146] and Bobby Roode[147] in the following months. However, on October 20, he lost the championship to James Storm.[148][149]
Angle returned in November, attacking Storm and revealing himself as the person who had cost him a title match the previous week.[150] Their feud continued through the end of 2011, with both men trading wins and Storm ultimately coming out on top.[151][152][153] In early 2012, Angle returned to begin a rivalry with Jeff Hardy, defeating him at Victory Road but losing a steel cage rematch at Lockdown.[154][155] Angle then feuded with A.J. Styles and defeated him at Sacrifice, turning face by saving Styles from an attack by Daniels and Kazarian.[156][157][158] At Slammiversary, Angle and Styles defeated the duo to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship,[159] although they lost the titles back to them weeks later.[160] Angle participated in the 2012 Bound for Glory Series but was eliminated by Jeff Hardy. He and Styles unsuccessfully challenged for the tag titles at No Surrender[161] and Bound for Glory[162] .
On May 13 at Sacrifice, Angle defeated Styles in a rematch, following another interference from Daniels and Kazarian. After the match, Angle made the save for Styles, chasing Daniels and Kazarian out of the ring. This turned Angle face once again.On June 10 at Slammiversary, Angle and Styles defeated Daniels and Kazarian to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.On the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle entered the 2012 Bound for Glory Series, taking part in the opening gauntlet match, from which he was eliminated by Daniels.[163] Two weeks later, Angle and Styles lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship back to Daniels and Kazarian.[160] Angle wrestled his final match in the 2012 Bound for Glory Series on the August 30 episode of Impact Wrestling, losing to Jeff Hardy, which resulted in him being eliminated from the tournament.[164] On September 9 at No Surrender[161] and Bound for Glory[162] On the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle defeated Daniels and Styles in a three-way match to become one of four wrestlers in consideration for a shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.[165]
New Main Event Mafia (2012–2013)
In late 2012, Angle began feuding with the Aces & Eights stable after being attacked by them on the October 25 episode of Impact Wrestling.[166] He defeated stable member Devon at Turning Point[167] An and continued battling the group with other wrestlers such as Samoa Joe and Wes Brisco. He later unmasked D'Lo Brown as the group's vice president and continued feuding with Aces & Eights through early 2013.[168][169][170][171]
By May, Angle had entered a feud with A.J. Styles, who had refused to answer whether was associated with Aces & Eights on the May 9, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling.[172] This resulted in a match at Slammiversary XI, where Angle won.[173] That same night, he was announced as the second inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame.[174] Shortly after, Angle began a storyline with the debuting Rampage Jackson and later joined Sting in reforming the Main Event Mafia.[175] The new faction would soon recruit Samoa Joe, Magnus, and Jackson.[176][177][178] Angle's association with the storyline would be cut short, following when in August he went on hiatus after entering rehab for drug and alcohol use.[179]
Director of Wrestling Operations (2013–2014)
Angle returned on the October 10, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling, attacking EGO and challenging Bobby Roode to a match at Bound For Glory. In the lead-up, Roode mocked Angle’s Hall of Fame induction, provoking a feud. At the pay-per-view, Angle declined to accept the Hall of Fame honor, stating he hadn't earned it and wanted to achieve more in TNA. Later that night, he was defeated by Roode after a rough landing during a suplex.[180] Their rivalry continued, with Angle suffering (kayfabe) injuries, including concussions,[181] amnesia[182] and issues with his knee.[183] Despite being cleared later, Angle was attacked again by Roode and lost further matches in the ongoing TNA World Title tournament due to Roode's interference. At Genesis, Angle defeated Roode in a steel cage match to end their feud.
In early 2014, Angle began a feud with Ethan Carter III (EC3), who injured his knee during an attack. Angle officially accepted his Hall of Fame induction on February 27, but the ceremony was interrupted by EC3. At Sacrifice, Angle teamed with Willow to defeat EC3 and Rockstar Spud. In May, Angle underwent ACL surgery and was sidelined.[citation needed]
While still not medically cleared to wrestle, on June 20, 2014, Angle was appointed (kayfabe) Executive Director of Wrestling Operations by TNA's board. During this time, he reinstated Bobby Roode, who had been indefinitely suspended by MVP, and officially retired the inactive TNA Television Championship. On October 29 (taped September 18), he served as special referee for the TNA World Championship match between Roode and Lashley.
Around the expiration of his TNA contract in September 2014, Angle reached out to WWE about a return, but was reportedly turned down.[citation needed] He later re-signed with TNA on a part-time deal, before being offered and signing a full-time contract.[184]
Angle returned to in-ring action on January 7, 2015, during TNA’s debut on Destination America. On March 20 (taped January 31), he defeated Lashley to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for a record sixth time. He successfully defended the title against Eric Young, Lashley, Rockstar Spud, and Austin Aries, before losing it to EC3 on the July 1 episode (taped June 25) of Impact Wrestling. He failed to regain the title in a rematch on the July 8 of Impact Wrestling.
At Bound for Glory on October 4, Angle defeated Eric Young. The following month, he announced his departure from TNA after the upcoming UK tour in early 2016. Angle’s "Farewell Tour" included matches against TNA 's top stars. He defeated Drew Galloway on January 12, 2016, but lost to Matt Hardy in a title match on February 2 and to Galloway in a rematch on February 9. After defeating Bobby Roode on March 1, Angle wrestled his final TNA match on March 8, 2016, losing to Lashley.
On January 4, 2008, Angle made his third successful IWGP Heavyweight Championship defense when he defeated Yuji Nagata at the NJPW supershowWrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome by forcing Nagata to submit to the ankle lock.[188] On February 17, 2008, Angle lost the IWGP title to the NJPW-recognized champion Shinsuke Nakamura in a unification match.[189] He returned in August during the G1 Climax, in two special tag matches with A.J. Styles as his main opponent. In those matches Shinsuke Nakamura and Masahiro Chono became Angle's partners while Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinjiro Otani became Styles' partners. Angle's team won both matches.[190]
Angle made his debut for Mexican promotion company AAA on August 5, 2012, at Triplemanía XX, where he teamed up with Jeff Jarrett as Team Dorian Roldán in a hair-vs.-hair match, where they faced Team Joaquín Roldán (Electroshock and L.A. Park), with the Roldáns' hairs on the line. Electroshock won the match for his team by pinning Angle, forcing Dorian to have his head shaved bald. However, after the match, Angle, Jarrett, and Dorian overpowered the winners and shaved Joaquín bald.[194]
Independent circuit (2016–2017)
On March 20, 2016, Angle competed for URFight, going against former rival and fellow WWE alumnus Rey Mysterio in a losing effort in a two-falls match that saw Angle as a heel. Angle wrestled for Revolution Pro Wrestling on June 12, where he defeated Zack Sabre Jr. On August 27, Angle lost to Cody Rhodes at Northeast Wrestling's Wrestling Under the Stars in Wappingers Falls, New York.[195] Angle defeated Joe Hendry at the October 6 What Culture Pro Wrestling video tapings.[196] On November 20, 2016, Angle lost to Joe Coffey at Insane Championship Wrestling's Fear & Loathing IX. On February 12, 2017, Angle defeated Alberto el Patrón at WCPW True Destiny in his final match in the United Kingdom.
On March 3, 2017, Angle appeared for Northeast Wrestling in Connecticut, where he was defeated by Cody Rhodes in a steel cage match. This was his last match on the independent circuit.[197]
Return to WWE
Hall of Famer and Raw General Manager (2017–2018)
Angle as Raw General Manager in July 2017
On January 16, 2017, WWE announced that Angle would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.[198] On March 16, WWE revealed that his long-time rival John Cena would induct Angle at the Hall of Fame ceremony.[199] On the April 3 episode of Raw after WrestleMania 33, Angle made his first WWE appearance in nearly 11 years, after Mr. McMahon appointed Angle as the new general manager of Raw.[200] He was included into a storyline where Jason Jordan was his son.[201]
At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Angle has his first match with WWE in 11 years when he teamed with The Shield (Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins) to defeat the team of Braun Strowman, Kane, The Miz, Sheamus, and Cesaro in a TLC match.[202] On the October 30 episode of Raw, while addressing the fans, commissioner Stephanie McMahon confronted Angle, announcing that Angle would be the team captain of Team Raw at Survivor Series, adding that if Team Raw would lose, Angle would be fired. At the event, Angle's teammate Triple H attacked him, leading to his elimination by Shane McMahon; however, Team Raw still went on to win the match. At the Elimination Chamber, Angle, along with Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, was present when Ronda Rousey signed her Raw contract, where Angle brought up the confrontation that Stephanie McMahon and Triple H had with Rousey and The Rock at WrestleMania 31 and that they both want to manipulate her. This caused Rousey to put Triple H through a table and be slapped by Stephanie McMahon before signing her contract. The following night on Raw, Angle claimed the allegations he made were false, to keep his job, before being attacked by Triple H. As a result, the following week, Angle scheduled himself to team with Rousey against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a mixed tag team match at WrestleMania 34, which Angle and Rousey won.[203] Angle participated in the 50-man Royal Rumble match at the Greatest Royal Rumble event later that month. He entered at number 16 and eliminated Bo Dallas, Primo Colón, and Dolph Ziggler before being eliminated by Elias. Following WrestleMania, Angle found himself in a power struggle over control of Raw, when the McMahon family appointed Baron Corbin as the constable of Monday Nights on the June 4 episode of Raw. This continued until the August 20 episode, when Stephanie McMahon sent Angle on "vacation" before announcing that Corbin would be acting general manager in Angle's absence.[204]
Final matches and retirement (2018–2019)
On the October 8, 2018, episode of Raw, Angle made a surprise return, disguised as "The Conquistador", winning a battle royal after last eliminating Baron Corbin to qualify for the WWE World Cup at Crown Jewel.[205] At the event, Angle was defeated by Dolph Ziggler in the first round of the WWE World Cup Tournament.[206] On November 5, Angle competed in his first match on Raw since 2006, for a spot in the Survivor Series men's tag team match, losing to Drew McIntyre, with McIntyre using Angle's own ankle lock finishing maneuver to make him submit.[207] Angle returned at TLC on December 16 to help Braun Strowman, along with Apollo Crews, Finn Bálor, Bobby Roode, Chad Gable, defeat Baron Corbin to strip him of authoritative power.[208] The next night on Raw, Angle, along with Crews, Roode, and Gable, easily defeated Corbin in a no-disqualification handicap match to prevent him from being the permanent general manager of Raw.[209] At the 2019 Royal Rumble on January 27, 2019, Angle entered the match at number four but was eliminated by Shinsuke Nakamura.[210]
On the March 11, 2019, episode of Raw, Angle announced he would retire at WrestleMania 35 and chose Baron Corbin as his final opponent at the event.[211] Over the following weeks, Angle embarked on a "Farewell Tour", facing several handpicked opponents, including Apollo Crews,[211] Chad Gable,[212]Samoa Joe,[213] and AJ Styles.[214] At WrestleMania 35, Angle lost to Corbin in his final match.[215] Afterwards, Angle transitioned to a backstage role as a producer.[216] Despite working with Corbin, Angle asked Vince McMahon to wrestle John Cena in his retirement match, but McMahon declined his petition.[217] Angle also pointed that he decided to stay retired after he watched his last matches with WWE and saw his decreasing mobility and athleticism.[218]
Since 2019, Angle has made appearences on WWE programs, like Raw Reunion[219] or the August 5 episode of Raw in his hometown of Pittsburgh, where he was the special guest referee for a match between Drew McIntyre and Cedric Alexander.[220] On April 15, 2020, Angle was released from his WWE contract as part of budget cuts stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.[221][222]
On the May 27, 2020, episode of NXT, Angle served as the special guest referee in a steel cage match between Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher.[223] He appeared again two days later on the May 29 episode of SmackDown to announce the arrival of Matt Riddle to the brand.[224][225] In an interview with CBR.com, Angle revealed that WWE offered him a new deal to come back under the role of Matt Riddle's manager, but he turned it down in order to focus on his health and his nutrition business.[226]
Angle would appear on the August 29, 2022 episode of Raw, which took place in his hometown of Pittsburgh,[227] on the December 9 episode of SmackDown, where he celebrated his 54th birthday,[228] After the show went off the air, Rey Mysterio led the superstars and audience in singing "Happy Birthday" to Angle.[229] or the Raw is XXX on January 23, 2023, in a segment with D-Generation X.[230]
When Angle began to train as a professional wrestler, he was asked to not watch old tapes, since the style had changed during the Attitude Era and the matches were more aggressive. Instead, he learned by watching then-current wrestlers such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, or The Rock.[231] Angle said his match against The Rock at No Way Out 2001 was the transition between the "funny, goofy Kurt Angle to a more serious competitor", including more offense.[232]
Angle's Olympic gold medal has frequently been incorporated into his professional wrestling persona. His personality varies depending on his alignment as a face or heel. As a face, Angle usually performs as a role model; but as a heel arrogantly uses his achievements to insult other people. He mixes aspects from his amateur wrestling background with his in-ring work, performing various suplexes, including the belly-to-back, German,[120] and belly-to-belly, as well as submissions, such as the rear naked choke[233] or the triangle choke.[120] He primarily performs two finishing maneuvers to end his matches: an Olympic slam, dubbed "Angle Slam", and an ankle lock.[1]
During Angle's entrances in WWE, it is common for fans to chant "you suck!" to the tune of his entrance music. The chants originated during Angle's feud with The Rock in February 2001, but gained popularity during his feud with Edge in 2002. The chants have become a trademark of Angle's persona, regardless if he is a face or heel.[234] The theme song was later adopted by UFC fighter Colby Covington.
Angle expressed interest in pursuing an acting career after retiring from professional wrestling. In 2008, he made his film debut as a racist prison deputy in the short filmChains.[236] In 2009, he played serial killer Brad Mayfield in the film End Game. On a third-season episode of Pros vs. Joes, he was teamed up with Jimmy Smith and Kendall Gill against the Joes. Angle appeared in the "Car Wreck Vanish" episode of Criss Angel Mindfreak. He played Russian MMA champion Koba (in a non-speaking role) in the 2011 film Warrior, and starred as town sheriff Will Logan in the film River of Darkness.[237][238]
On the Right After Wrestling program on Sirius Satellite Radio, Angle revealed he would become a part-time wrestler after his contract expired in 2011 to focus on Angle Foods and his acting career.[239] In the 2013 film Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies, he plays himself as both a human and a zombie.[240] Angle also had a small role in the 2014 cult-film Sharknado 2: The Second One and in the 2014 romantic-comedy film Not Cool. He appeared in the film The Last Witch Hunter.[241] He also made a cameo appearance in the movie Pain and Gain, in which he brawls with Dwayne Johnson's character in a prison fight. Angle appeared on an episode of Duck Dynasty in February 2016.[242]
In 1996, Angle became a marketing representative for Protos Foods, the manufacturers of OSTRIM, an ostrich-meat-based foodstuff.[12][245] In 1997, he worked for a year as a sportscaster on Pittsburgh's local Fox affiliate WPGH-TV.[246][247] He also did a commercial for Pittsburgh-based pizza chain Pizza Outlet. Both Angle's pizza commercial and his time on WPGH-TV would be referenced on WWE television (the latter through the WWE Network show Ride Along), and his time with WPGH-TV would also make him an alumnus of WPGH-TV parent Sinclair Broadcast Group without having ever appeared for Sinclair-owned wrestling promotion Ring of Honor.[248][249]
Angle is a longtime fan of MMA, and has occasionally talked about his desire to compete. UFC president Dana White stated that Angle was in talks to appear as a heavyweight contestant on the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter, but did not meet the medical requirements. Angle signed with Bellator MMA on October 28, 2015. He attended a fan convention on November 6, the eve of Bellator 145, then joined the commentary booth the next night, during the Bobby Lashley vs. James Thompson match, where he teased possibly fighting for the promotion himself.[250]
Angle's book, It's True It's True, was released on September 18, 2001.[251] In 2008, Angle was selected to be featured on the cover for metal band Emmure's second album The Respect Issue, where he is depicted on the front and back covers for the record, as well as on the inlay.[252][unreliable source?]
From January 2021 to January 2024, Angle co-hosted a podcast called The Kurt Angle Show with Conrad Thompson.[253]
Angle being helped by his then-wife Karen, with their daughter watching at ringside (far back)
Angle married Karen Smedley[255] on December 19, 1998.[256] They have two children together.[257] In September 2008, it was reported that Karen had filed for divorce from Kurt.[258] In 2010, it was reported that Angle was engaged to actress Giovanna Yannotti.[259] Angle and Yannotti were married on July 20, 2012.[260] They have three children, one of whom was adopted.[266]
In 2007, Sports Illustrated reported that Angle's name was found in the client database of a Florida wellness center suspected of being a front for distributing performance enhancing drugs.[276] The magazine alleged that Angle had received prescriptions for trenbolone (which is not approved for human use by the Food and Drug Administration) and nandrolone, both anabolic steroids. Angle denied the allegations, commenting that his neck issues were well documented.[277] Angle only failed a drugs test under WWE's Wellness Policy because his prescription for nandrolone had expired.[278] Angle has been open about struggles with addiction to prescription pain medication. He claims that he developed an addiction to pain killers in 2003, and that his addictions got so out of control that at one point he was taking up to 65 extra-strength Vicodin per day. Angle states that after completing rehabilitation following a 2013 DUI arrest, he has been clean and sober.[279]
Legal issues
In September 2007, Angle was arrested by the Moon Township Police Department in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, a part of the Greater Pittsburgh area, on a DUI charge, after police received a report of an erratic driver leaving a local bar. Angle was charged with driving under the influence and careless driving after police traced the description of the car to his home. Angle was later found not guilty on those charges when the complaining witness was unable to corroborate her story.[280][281]
On August 15, 2009, Angle was again arrested by the Moon Township Police Department.[282] His girlfriend stated that she had filed a protection from abuse (PFA) order and that he was stalking her in the Robinson area. Angle was charged with "driving while operating privilege is suspended, prohibited acts-possession, harassment and prohibited acts". Hygetropin, a human growth hormone, was found in his car; Angle maintained that he had a prescription for the drug.[283] On September 15, a District Court judge dropped the harassment, suspended license, and drug charges against Angle. On November 9, the PFA charges were dropped after he and former girlfriend Trenesha Biggers reached an agreement to avoid contact with each other.[284]
Angle was arrested in the early morning of September 4, 2011, by Virginia State Troopers for allegedly driving under the influence. Angle was placed in Warren County Jail, before posting $2,000 bail and being released.[291][292] State police revealed that Angle's initial breath test at the scene, where he was stopped by police, showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.091 percent, which was above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.[293] The test was later ruled not admissible; and when a second test, taken at the police station, showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.06, the DUI charge was dropped. Angle was still charged with reckless driving.[294] On November 8, 2011, Angle entered a plea of no contest and was fined $1,500.[295]
Angle is a record six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion (right hand), and former IWGP Heavyweight Champion (as recognized by IGF)Angle is a four-time WWE/WWE Champion and six-time world champion overall in WWE. Pictured here in 2025 with a replica of the WWE Undisputed Championship, he held this specific version of the title during two of his four WWE title reigns.
↑ Angle originally won both tag team championship belts from solo championship holder Samoa Joe. Sting won a four-way match to win the other share of the title, and joined Angle in his reign midway through.
↑ The World Wrestling Alliance based in Massachusetts in association with the World Wrestling Federation (August 21, 1998). "Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Stasiak". SummerSlam Fest (Day 2). Kurt Angle recently signed a five-year deal with the World Wrestling Federation.
↑ Jun 30, Tim Sherry/FanSided via Daily DDT Fansided; ET, 2017 at 10:28p (January 20, 2017). "Kurt Angle's Top 10 WWE Matches". Fox Sports.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
↑ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling's historical cards" (p. 119).
↑ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling's historical cards" (pp. 119–120).
↑ "WWE in 2006". History of WWE. Retrieved October 13, 2018. ECW World Champion Rob Van Dam pinned Kurt Angle; Dean Malenko was the guest referee for the bout
↑ Meltzer, Dave (January 22, 2011). "Sat. update: Angle rushed home from European tour, fiance labor induced, Team RKO put back together". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 23, 2011. Kurt Angle rushed back to Pittsburgh from the European tour last night when he got a phone call that his pregnant fiance, actress Giovanna Yannotti, had been rushed to the hospital with extremely high blood pressure and passed out. The doctors felt it necessary to induce labor and she gave birth to Giuliana Marie Angle, a 5.5 pound 18 inch long baby. The baby is said to be doing well, although she is about three weeks premature. At last word, the mother was still in intensive care with doctors today attempting to get her blood pressure under control.
↑ "411MANIA". Kurt Angle Thinks AEW ‘Has a Very Long Road Ahead of Them,’ Discusses What Winning King of the Ring Can Mean for Your Career. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
↑ Llosa, Luis Fernando; L. Jon Wertheim (March 6, 2007). "Inside the Steroid Sting". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 8, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
↑ Angle, Kurt (March 8, 2007). "Angle responds". Kurt Angle's Official Website. Archived from the original on March 10, 2007. Retrieved March 8, 2007.
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