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.[4]
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.
After leaving WWE in 2006, Angle joined TNA, where he became a record six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and the second TNA Triple Crown winner, holding all three TNA championships simultaneously. He is also a two-time King of the Mountain. During his tenure with TNA, he also competed for NJPW and the IGF, winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship once. In 2013, he was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame. He is the second wrestler, after Sting, to be inducted into both the WWE and TNA Halls of Fame.
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, 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.[5]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".[6]
Early life
Kurt Steven Angle[7] was born in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 1968, the son of Jackie and David Angle.[8] He is of Welsh, German, Irish, Polish and Lithuanian descent.[9] 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.[10] He attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a degree in education in 1993.[11] His father was a crane operator who died in a construction accident while working on Fifth Avenue Place when Angle was 16.[12] 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.[13][14][15] Angle's mother died of cancer in 2015.[16]
Amateur wrestling career
Kurt Angle started amateur wrestling at the age of seven.[17] He attended Mt. Lebanon High School,[14] where he won varsity letters in football, as an All-State linebacker, and wrestling.[14][18][19] He was undefeated on the freshman wrestling team and qualified for the state wrestling tournament his sophomore year.[14] Angle also placed third in the state wrestling tournament as a junior and was the 1987 Pennsylvania State Wrestling Champion as a senior.[citation needed]
After graduating from college, Angle continued to wrestle. 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,[23] training between eight and ten hours a day.[24] 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.[13][25][15] As a result, Angle quit du Pont's team, searched for new sponsors, and joined the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club in Schultz's memory.[26]
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,[27]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.[28] 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.[29] Angle won four close matches to earn his spot in the gold-medal finals.[30]
In 2006, Angle was named the greatest shoot wrestler of all time by USA Wrestling,[31] as well as one of the top 15 college wrestlers.[31] In April 2011, Angle revealed that he was planning a comeback to amateur wrestling for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[32][33] 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.[34] In 2016, Angle was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame for his amateur wrestling accomplishments.[35]
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.[36] 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)
Developmental and main roster debut (1998–2000)
Despite achieving success in amateur wrestling, Angle initially held professional wrestling in low regard.[37] He rejected a decade-long contract with the WWF due to his unwillingness to accept scripted losses.[38][39] His opinion of professional wrestling changed when he began watching WWE Raw in 1998 and developed an admiration for Stone Cold Steve Austin's talents as an entertainer.[38] He later conceded that his negative attitude toward the industry was misguided and "stupid".[37]
In 1998, Angle had a tryout with the WWF after the rescindment of the WWF's original 1996 offer.[39] He was subsequently signed to a five-year deal in August 1998,[40] just three days after his tryout.[39] 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.[37] His debut match occurred in the WWF's then-developmental territoryWWA on August 20, where he faced his trainer Tom Prichard.[41]
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.[41]
In March, Angle began wrestling regularly for the WWF's Power Pro Wrestling (PPW) developmental league in Memphis, Tennessee.[41] 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.[42] 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;[39] 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.[43]
When World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the ECW were purchased by the WWF in 2001, the wrestlers from the WCW and ECW formed The Alliance. Angle and WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin joined forces to repel them. 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.[53] 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.[54] 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.[55][56] Angle lost the title to Austin on the October 8 episode of Raw.[57] 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.[55]
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.[58] 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.[59][60] 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!.[61]
Angle won his third WWE Championship at Armageddon on December 15 by defeating Big Show.[65] While still in his third reign, he gained the services of managerPaul Heyman and "Team Angle" (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin). He then began feuding with Brock Lesnar, who had won the Royal Rumble match on January 19, 2003.[66] Angle lost the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XIX on March 30 to Lesnar, due to needing time off to recuperate from injuries.[67] On April 11, 2003, Angle underwent neck surgery to repair nerve and spinal damage, calcium buildup, bone spurs, and intervertebral disc problems. Rather than remove the afflicted discs and fuse his vertebrae together, Angle opted for a less conventional surgery where only the spurs and selected portions of the discs were removed. The alternative surgery reduced Angle's rehabilitation time from one year to three months.[citation needed]
In 2003, Angle returned as a face on the June 5 episode of SmackDown!. Shortly after returning, Angle defeated Lesnar and Big Show in a triple threat match at Vengeance on July 27 to regain the WWE Championship for the fourth time.[68] After retaining the championship against Lesnar at SummerSlam on August 24, he lost the title to Lesnar in a 60-Minute Iron Man match on the September 18 episode of SmackDown!.[69] Angle then formed a five-man team to rival Lesnar's team at Survivor Series on November 16, with Angle's team coming out victorious, despite Angle being eliminated by Lesnar.[70]
Angle then got involved in a feud with Eddie Guerrero. At No Way Out on February 15, 2004, Guerrero defeated Lesnar to win the WWE Championship, while Angle defeated John Cena and Big Show in a triple-threat match to become the number one contender for Guerrero's title at WrestleMania XX. After losing to Guerrero at WrestleMania on March 14,[71] Angle began to once again suffer from legitimate neck problems and went in for surgery on his neck and was not scheduled to return to action for some time. On the March 25 episode of SmackDown!, Angle was made the on-screen General Manager of SmackDown!. Angle continued his feud with Guerrero throughout 2004. He cost Guerrero the WWE Championship against John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) in a Texas Bull Rope match at The Great American Bash on June 27 by participating in the worked finish: Angle came down to the ring and showed a replay where JBL's shoulder hit the corner pad before Guerrero's hand.[72] Angle was later fired by Vince McMahon as General Manager on the July 22, 2004, episode of SmackDown! after McMahon discovered that he was faking his handicapped status, and was put in a match against Eddie Guerrero at SummerSlam. At SummerSlam on August 15, Angle defeated Guerrero by submission. On the September 9 episode of SmackDown!, Angle fought Guerrero in a lumberjack match that ended in a no-contest when a brawl broke out and Big Show made his return, attacking both Angle and Guerrero. This led to a match at No Mercy on October 3 where Angle lost to Big Show.[citation needed]
On the November 4, 2004, episode of SmackDown!, during an unscripted segment of Tough Enough, Angle challenged the finalists to a squat thrust competition.[73] Chris Nawrocki won the competition, with the prize being a match against Angle.[74] Angle quickly took Nawrocki down with a guillotine choke, but Nawrocki managed to make it to the ropes, forcing Angle to break the hold. Angle then took Nawrocki down with a double leg takedown, breaking his ribs.[74] Angle then locked another guillotine choke on Nawrocki, pinning him in the process. After Angle defeated Nawrocki, Angle challenged the other finalists.[74]Daniel Puder, an American professional mixed martial artist, accepted Angle's challenge.[74] Angle and Puder wrestled for position, with Angle taking Puder down; however, in the process, Puder locked Angle in a kimura lock.[73][74] With Puder on his back and Angle's arm locked in the kimura, Angle pushed Puder's shoulders down, pinning him; one of two referees in the ring, Jim Korderas, quickly counted three to end the bout,[73][74][75] despite the fact that Puder's shoulders were not fully down on the mat, bridging up at two.[73][74] Puder later claimed he would have snapped Angle's arm on national television if Korderas had not ended the match.[74]Dave Meltzer and Dave Scherer made the following comments:
It was real. If you don't follow fighting, Puder had Angle locked in the Kimura, or keylock as Tazz called it, although Tazz didn't let on the move was fully executed. Not only was Angle not getting out of the move, but most MMA fighters would have tapped already. Angle couldn't tap for obvious reasons. The ref counted a three even though Puder's shoulders weren't fully down, trying to end the thing, because the reality was Angle would have been in surgery had it gone a few seconds longer or had Puder not given up the hold.
As you would expect, Kurt Angle was less than happy backstage at Smackdown after almost being forced to tap out to Tough Enough contestant Daniel Puder. Downright ticked off would probably be the best way to describe his mood. The unscripted nature of the contest was the main reason that Angle was made to look so bad since Puder just reacted to the situation and could have forced Angle to submit had the referees not thought quickly and counted a pin that wasn't there on Puder.
On January 30, 2005, at the Royal Rumble, after failing to win a triple threat match for the WWE Championship, which involved Big Show and champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL), Angle took part in the Royal Rumble match itself. Angle was quickly eliminated by Shawn Michaels, which caused Angle to return to the ring to eliminate Michaels in retaliation.[76] After mocking Michaels by defeating Michaels's former tag team partner, Marty Jannetty, and attacking former manager Sherri Martel, Angle defeated Michaels in an inter-promotional match at WrestleMania 21 on April 3, which won the Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) Match of the Year award.[76] On the April 14 episode of SmackDown!, Angle defeated Eddie Guerrero as part of a tournament to determine the number-one contender for the WWE Championship. In the same episode, Angle confronted fellow tournament entrant Booker T and his wife Sharmell after Sharmell predicted that Booker would win the tournament. On the April 21 episode of SmackDown!, Angle and JBL interfered in a tournament match between Booker T and Big Show, rendering it a no-contest and thus creating a four-way match against the remaining tournament entrants the next week, which JBL won. Over the ensuing weeks, Angle sexually harassed Sharmell, including a segment where Angle claimed that he wanted to have "bestiality sex" with her.[77] In another segment, he claimed that Sharmell had "molested" him and "fondled his privates". At Judgment Day on May 22, Booker T defeated Angle. On the June 2 episode of SmackDown!, Angle defeated Booker T and Sharmell in a 2-on-1-handicap match after pinning Sharmell in a sexual position. Angle would again lose to Booker T on the June 9 episode of SmackDown!, ending their feud. Angle appeared at ECW One Night Stand on June 12 as an anti-ECW "crusader". At the end of the show, Angle and other "crusaders" engaged in a brawl with ECW alumni led by Stone Cold Steve Austin, in which the crusaders were soundly beaten.[78]
Angle resumed his feud with Michaels upon being drafted to the Raw brand in the 2005 WWE draft lottery, losing to Michaels at Vengeance on June 26.[79] On the July 25, 2005, episode of Raw, Eugene took part in the "Kurt Angle Invitational" challenge. Angle was unable to make Eugene submit within the three-minute time limit, winning Angle's cherished Olympic gold medal (per match stipulation), and starting a feud between the two. The feud culminated at SummerSlam on August 21, where Angle defeated Eugene to regain his medal.[80] Angle later feuded with John Cena for the WWE Championship. He challenged Cena at Unforgiven on September 18, but won by disqualification, therefore not winning the title. On the October 3 "WWE Homecoming" episode of Raw, he wrestled rival Shawn Michaels to a 2–2 draw in a 30-Minute Iron Man match, after which Michaels challenged him for a sudden death overtime, but Angle refused and walked out. He challenged Cena for the WWE Championship again in a triple-threat match involving Michaels at Taboo Tuesday on November 1,[81] but lost, and then again lost to Cena at Survivor Series on November 27. Angle would continue his feud with Cena into 2006, defeating him in a non-title first blood match on the January 2, 2006 episode of Raw, after interference from Daivari.[82] At New Year's Revolution on January 8, Angle again challenged Cena for the title, this time in an Elimination Chamber match, also involving Shawn Michaels, Kane, Carlito, and Chris Masters. Angle would fail to win the match, as he was eliminated by Michaels.[83]
On the January 13 episode of SmackDown!, Angle returned to the SmackDown! brand as a surprise entrant in a twenty-man battle royal for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship. Angle won by eliminating Mark Henry, becoming a face (hero) in the process.[84][85] He retained the title against Henry at the Royal Rumble on January 29. Shortly after the match, The Undertaker made his return and challenged Angle for the title. At No Way Out on February 19, Angle retained the title against The Undertaker after a controversial finish where Angle pinned The Undertaker while locked in a triangle choke.[86] Their match was highly acclaimed, with it being considered by many to be one of the best of the year.[87][88][89] The Undertaker challenged Angle to a rematch on the March 3 episode of SmackDown!, where Angle lost by disqualification after Mark Henry interfered and attacked The Undertaker. This ensured that Angle would enter WrestleMania 22 as champion.[90] Angle then began a three-way feud with Royal Rumble winner Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton (who cheated to defeat Mysterio at No Way Out to gain entrance to the SmackDown! main event at WrestleMania). At WrestleMania on April 2, Angle lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Mysterio in the triple-threat match after Mysterio pinned Orton.[91]
On the May 29 episode of Raw, Angle was drafted to the newly created ECW brand. It was during this time that he acquired the nickname "The Wrestling Machine", wearing a mouth guard and quickly squashing opponents. Upon coming to ECW, he issued an open challenge for ECW One Night Stand on June 11, which was accepted by Randy Orton. Angle defeated Orton,[92] later losing to him in a rematch at Vengeance on June 25. On the June 27 episode of ECW, Angle challenged ECW World Heavyweight ChampionRob Van Dam to a title match, which he lost.[93] Angle appeared sporadically on WWE television throughout mid-2006. On August 25, 2006, Angle was granted an early release from his WWE contract for health reasons.[94][95] Angle stated in the Kurt Angle: Champion documentary DVD that he asked for his release from WWE because he could not take time off and was working hurt, severely so on some occasions. He also stated that when he quit, WWE lost their top talent, as he was at the very top of the payroll.[96] Angle wrestled his last match at an ECW house show on August 14, where he defeated Danny Doring.
In 2006, Angle made his TNA debut on October 19 as a face, confronting Samoa Joe after Joe refused to relinquish the NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt that, according to the storyline, he had stolen from Jeff Jarrett. The two men ended up fighting while Jarrett retrieved the title belt.[97] Angle was then the special enforcer for the title vs. career match between Jarrett and Sting at Bound for Glory on October 22. However, as part of the worked finish, he took out referee Rudy Charles and assumed the referee's role for the rest of the match-up.[98] Angle's first match with TNA took place on the November 16 airing of Impact!, where he defeated Abyss with the ankle lock and was attacked after the match by Samoa Joe. At Genesis on November 19, Angle defeated Samoa Joe, ending Joe's undefeated streak.[98]
At Final Resolution on January 14, 2007, Angle defeated Samoa Joe in a thirty-minute Iron Man match 3–2 to earn a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Against All Odds on February 11, which he lost to Christian Cage after interference from Tomko and Scott Steiner. This led to a feud between Angle and Steiner, with Angle pinning Steiner at Destination X on March 11. After Angle defeated Steiner, he was picked to lead a team of four other wrestlers against a team of Christian Cage's choice in a Lethal Lockdown match at Lockdown on April 15. Angle chose Samoa Joe, Rhino, Sting, and Jeff Jarrett for Team Angle, while Cage chose A.J. Styles, Scott Steiner, Tomko, and Abyss. The man who gained the winning pinfall was to become the number one contender to Christian Cage's NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Team Angle was victorious after Jeff Jarrett hit Abyss with a gimmicked guitar full of thumbtacks and allowed Sting to score the pin fall victory. Cage was set to defend the NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Sting and Angle in a triple-threat match at Sacrifice on May 13.[99] The day of Sacrifice, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the owners of the NWA World Heavyweight and the NWA World Tag Team Championships, stripped Cage of the title and Team 3D of the tag team title.[100] NWA Executive Director Robert K. Trobich gave the reason as Cage's refusing to defend the NWA title at NWA live events.[100] At Sacrifice, Cage, still holding the physical NWA Championship belt, defended what was billed as the "World Heavyweight Championship" against Angle and Sting. Angle was the victor by making Sting submit, who had technically just pinned Cage, and he was announced as the new "World Heavyweight Champion".[101] At the Impact! following the event, Angle came to the ring with a new championship belt, and announced he was the new "TNA World Heavyweight Champion".[102] Afterward, Cage and Sting came to the ring and the three began to argue over who was the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion. Due to the controversial finish to their match at Sacrifice, the title was declared vacant by Cornette. A tournament was held for the title which culminated in a King of the Mountain match at Slammiversary on June 17.[102] There, Angle became the TNA World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Cage, Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, and Chris Harris. He then attacked Joe after denying a request for a handshake, reigniting their feud and turning heel in the process.
At Victory Road on July 15, newly crowned X Division Champion Samoa Joe teamed with Kurt Angle to face TNA Tag Team ChampionsTeam 3D, with the stipulation that if a wrestler pinned the other opponent, he won his championship. As part of the planned outcome of the match, Joe pinned Brother Ray of Team 3D to win both tag team belts, which he held by himself.[103] On the following episode of Impact!, Joe, now holding the X Division and TNA World Tag Team Championships, challenged Angle, the reigning TNA World Heavyweight and (IGF recognized) IWGP Heavyweight Champion, to a winner-take-all match at Hard Justice on August 12. While illustrating how he would take away everything important in Angle's life, Joe brought Angle's wife Karen into the fray, as she demanded a divorce. During the match at Hard Justice, however, Karen turned on Joe when she, along with a supposed new "boyfriend" accompanying her that night, both aided Angle. (The boyfriend was portrayed by Marc Predka, who was soon revealed to have added rap vocals to a new version of Angle's theme song. Angle would use this version for the rest of his time with TNA.) Angle won, gaining all the championships and becoming the second Triple Crown champion in TNA and the first to hold all three titles at the same time. Including the IWGP title, this made Angle a quadruple champion (and since Joe held the tag team titles by himself, that meant Angle's victory gave him both tag team championship belts, meaning Angle was now in possession of five belts).[104] Angle, however, dropped both the X Division and Tag Team Championships to Jay Lethal and Team Pacman, respectively, at No Surrender on September 9.[105] At Bound for Glory on October 14, Angle lost the TNA World Heavyweight Championship to Sting,[106] but won it back on the October 25 episode of Impact!.[107]
Angle then joined forces with A.J. Styles and Tomko as The Angle Alliance at Turning Point on December 2, against Samoa Joe, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall. Styles had planned for Christian's Coalition and The Angle Alliance to team up together. However, Christian Cage demanded to be the leader of The Angle Alliance after Cage denied Angle's request that he be Angle's "lackey". At Final Resolution on January 6, 2008, Angle successfully defended the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Cage, due to interference from Styles, and again at Against All Odds on February 10, with help from Tomko. At Lockdown on April 13, Angle lost the TNA World Heavyweight Championship to Samoa Joe after being pinned.
After suffering a neck injury, Angle was out of action. In the storyline, he returned to Impact! to ask his estranged wife Karen to reunite with him, but she declined his offer. Later that night, after Styles suffered a beating at the hands of Team 3D, Booker T, and Tomko, Angle added to the mugging by hitting Styles with a steel chair. At Slammiversary on June 8, Angle lost to Styles, being pinned after interference from Karen. At Victory Road on July 13, Angle and Team 3D won a six-man tag team Full Metal Mayhem match defeating the team of Christian Cage, Rhino, and Styles. At Hard Justice on August 10, Angle once again lost to Styles – this time in a Last Man Standing match. The feud continued on the next episode of Impact!, with Styles winning Angle's gold medal in a mock amateur wrestling match. The next week Angle challenged Styles to a ladder match for the Olympic gold medal. As they both stood on the top of the ladder, the arena went dark and Jeff Jarrett's music played. When the lights turned on, Styles had a guitar and performed an Acoustic Equalizer on Angle to win the match. Angle began a feud with Jarrett after No Surrender on September 14, when Jarrett hit Angle with his guitar, during a match that involved Angle, Christian Cage and Samoa Joe for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the October 2 episode of Impact, Mick Foley announced that he was going to be the special enforcer for Angle's match with Jarrett at Bound for Glory IV on October 12. Angle lost to Jarrett in this match, being pinned after taking the mandible claw from Foley and a guitar shot and Stroke from Jarrett. He started attacking other superstars backstage in order to get a rematch against Jarrett. On the first HD Impact!, Angle, Booker T, Kevin Nash, and Sting started a new stable of legends called The Main Event Mafia. Scott Steiner joined the group the following week. Angle then defeated Abyss at Turning Point on November 9 in a Falls Count Anywhere match. After weeks of being pestered by Angle to give him a rematch, Jarrett said that if Angle could defeat Rhino at Final Resolution on December 7, with Mick Foley as the Special Enforcer, he would grant it. Angle defeated Rhino to earn a rematch with Jarrett at Genesis on January 11, 2009 after Al Snow made a surprise appearance and distracted Foley so that Angle could cheat. At Sacrifice on May 24, Angle lost his leadership of the Mafia to Sting because of their match's stipulation. On June 21 at Slammiversary, Angle won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for the fourth time in a King of the Mountain match with help from Samoa Joe. On the following episode of Impact!, Angle regained leadership of the Main Event Mafia after he and the rest of the Mafia attacked Sting while introducing Joe as their newest member. At No Surrender on September 20, Angle lost his championship to A.J. Styles in a five-way match which also included Matt Morgan, Sting, and Hernandez.[108]
Various feuds (2009–2011)
After defeating Morgan at Bound for Glory on October 18,[109] Angle came out on the following episode of Impact! and touted the younger talent of the company, thus leaving the Main Event Mafia and turning face once again. Afterward, he was assaulted by the debuting Desmond Wolfe,[110] who defeated him via knockout in a street fight the following week.[111] At Turning Point on November 15, Angle defeated Wolfe in a rematch.[112] The following month at Final Resolution on December 20, Angle faced Wolfe in a "Three Degrees of Pain" two out of three falls match. Wolfe managed to gain the first fall by pinning Angle following the Tower of London, but Angle forced him to submit with the ankle lock to win the second fall. In the final fall, which could only be won by escaping the Six Sides of Steel, Angle managed to escape first and won the match.[113] On the January 4, 2010, live, three-hour, Monday night edition of Impact!, Angle received a shot at A.J. Styles' World Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated in the main event of the show.[114] Two weeks later at Genesis on January 17, Angle received one last shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but was once again defeated by Styles, who turned heel with the help of Ric Flair and struck Angle with the title belt. As a result, Angle was barred from challenging for the title as long as Styles is the title holder.[115] Due to the circumstances surrounding the loss, Hulk Hogan gave Angle another shot at Styles and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on the January 21 episode of Impact!, but this time Angle lost the match after referee Earl Hebner, who was later revealed to have been paid off by Flair, called for the bell to be rung, in an incident similar to the Montreal Screwjob. Angle responded to the incident by spitting in Hogan's face, threatening to quit TNA and go back to WWE.[116] Angle apologized to Hogan, after being saved by him from Scott Hall and Syxx-Pac.[117] At Against All Odds on February 14, Angle took part in the 8 Card Stud Tournament to crown a new number-one contender, but was defeated in the first round by Mr. Anderson, after Anderson used Angle's dog tags to choke and strike him.[117] On the following episode of Impact! Angle promised to make Anderson suffer for disrespecting the U.S. soldiers, but was in the end once again defeated by him, effectively starting a feud between the two.[118] At Destination X on March 21, Angle defeated Anderson in a rematch.[119] Angle and Anderson were scheduled for a rubber match inside a steel cage at Lockdown on April 18.[120] On the April 5 episode of Impact!, Anderson defeated Angle in a ladder match to win possession of the key to the cage door.[121] At Lockdown, Angle defeated Anderson in a steel cage match and afterwards announced that he would take some time off from wrestling.[122]
Angle returned on the May 20, 2010, episode of Impact! and was ranked number two by the Championship Committee in the inaugural top 10 rankings for a World Heavyweight title shot. Angle, however, decided to take his name out of the running for a title shot and vowed to fight his way through the top 10 and earn his spot at the top of the company.[123] At Slammiversary VIII on June 13, Angle started his climb back to the top by defeating Kazarian, who was ranked number ten.[124] Angle continued his climb, defeating Desmond Wolfe, who was ranked number nine prior to the match, on the June 24 episode of Impact!, and D'Angelo Dinero, ranked number eight, at Victory Road on July 11.[125][126] Prior to his match with Dinero, Angle announced that should he lose on his way to the top of the rankings, he would retire from professional wrestling.[127] On the July 22 episode of Impact!, Angle defeated seventh-ranked Hernandez and followed that up three weeks later by defeating sixth-ranked A.J. Styles.[128][129] On the August 19 episode of Impact!, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship was vacated and, instead of continuing his climb, Angle was entered into an eight-man tournament for the title, defeating X Division Champion Douglas Williams in his first-round match.[130] At No Surrender on September 5, Angle first wrestled Jeff Hardy to a twenty-minute time limit draw, after which Eric Bischoff ordered five minutes of extra time. After that and a second five minutes of extra time, also ending in draws, it was ruled that, due to a cut, Angle could not continue the match, ending the match as no-contest.[131] After wrestling to a draw on the September 16 episode of Impact!, it was announced that both Angle and Hardy had advanced to the finals at Bound for Glory on October 10, to wrestle Mr. Anderson in a three-way match.[132]
At Bound for Glory, Angle was defeated by Hardy, when he turned heel and pinned Anderson after an interference from Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, who then went on to form an alliance named Immortal, with Hardy, Abyss, and Jeff Jarrett.[133] On the following episode of Impact! Angle came out to make his retirement speech, after his failed attempt to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but was interrupted by Jarrett, who announced that he had made a deal with Hogan and Bischoff in order to end Angle's career at Bound for Glory, before attacking Angle, when he was restrained by TNA's security officers Gunner and Murphy.[134] The following week Angle returned, trying to get his hands on Bischoff and Ric Flair, before being stopped by TNA's security officers.[135] Angle returned three weeks later on the November 11 episode of Impact!, saving Samoa Joe from Jeff Jarrett, Gunner, and Murphy.[136] After not appearing again for two weeks, Angle made another return on the December 2 episode of Impact!, saving Samoa Joe from Jeff Jarrett and Abyss.[137]
On the January 6, 2011, episode of Impact! Angle interrupted Jarrett's $100,000 Mixed Martial Arts Challenge and signed a contract to face him at Genesis on January 9 in an MMA exhibition match, since he had promised not to wrestle again.[138] The match was nullified in the third round after Jarrett blinded Angle. After the match Jarrett bloodied Angle, before announcing that he was ending his mixed martial arts career and promising that his wife, Karen Jarrett (formerly Karen Angle), would join the retirement party.[139] On the January 13 episode of Impact!, Karen made her return and stopped Angle just as he was about to attack Jeff, telling him that she would not allow him to ruin their personal lives and promised to tell all about their divorce the following week.[140] The following week Karen slapped Kurt, providing a distraction which allowed Jeff to strike him. At the end of the show Crimson saved Angle from a beating at the hands of Immortal and Fortune.[141] The following week, Ric Flair reinstated Angle in order to place him and Crimson in a seven–on–two handicap match against Jarrett, James Storm, Robert Roode, Kazarian, Rob Terry, Gunner, and Murphy. The match ended with Jarrett pinning Angle for the win. Afterwards, Angle was saved from another beating by the returning Scott Steiner.[142] The following week Fortune turned on Immortal and aligned themselves with Angle, Crimson and Steiner.[143] On February 13 at Against All Odds, Jarrett defeated Angle in a singles match and as a result Angle was forced to walk Karen down the aisle, when she and Jarrett renewed their wedding vows on the March 3 episode of Impact!. After the match Angle hinted at a possible retirement by leaving his wrestling boots in the ring.[144] On March 3, Angle proceeded to destroy the wedding set with an axe and forced wedding guest New York JetBart Scott to submit with the ankle lock.[145] On April 17 at Lockdown, Jarrett defeated Angle in an "Ultra Male Rules" two out of three falls steel cage match, with help from Karen.[146] On the May 12 episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle revealed Chyna as his backup in taking care of the Jarretts.[147] At Sacrifice on May 15, Angle and Chyna defeated the Jarretts in a mixed tag team match.[148] Later that same month, Angle signed a new three-year contract with TNA.[149] With Karen out of the picture, Angle defeated Jarrett on June 12 at Slammiversary IX, in what was billed as the "final battle" between the two to retain his Olympic gold medal and become the number one contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.[150] However, on the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Jarrett challenged Angle to a Parking Lot Brawl and agreed to sign a contract that would force him to move to Mexico without Angle's children, should he lose the match. Angle ended up winning the fight after choking Jarrett with a shirt, forcing him to say "adiós".[151]
In 2011, with his feud with Jarrett behind him, Angle aligned himself with Sting to feud with the rest of Immortal, including the group's newest member, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Mr. Anderson.[152] On the July 14 episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle helped Sting regain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship from Anderson.[153] On August 7 at Hardcore Justice, Angle defeated Sting, after hitting him with a chair he snatched away from Hulk Hogan, to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for the record-breaking fifth time, thus turning heel in the process.[154] On the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle explained that he did not agree with Sting, who, using the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, wanted to hand the promotion back to Dixie Carter, as he had found out that she had lied to him about not knowing of the relationship between Karen and Jeff Jarrett. When Sting confronted Angle, he was attacked by Hogan, which led to Angle revealing that Hogan had been the one who had exposed Carter's lie to him. Angle also revealed that his goal was now to ruin Carter's youth movement in TNA by eliminating the younger wrestlers one-by-one, and started by attacking Bound for Glory Series leader Crimson after the main event, cementing his heel turn.[155] Angle made his first televised title defense on the September 1 episode of Impact Wrestling, defeating Sting in a rematch, following interference from special enforcer Hulk Hogan and the rest of Immortal.[156] The following week, Angle's title match with Mr. Anderson ended in a disqualification, following interference from Immortal. This led to a three-way match between Angle, Anderson, and Sting on September 11 at No Surrender, where Angle managed to retain the title, following interference from Hogan.[157][158] On October 16 at Bound for Glory, Angle successfully defended the title against Bobby Roode.[159] On the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle lost the TNA World Heavyweight Championship to Roode's tag team partner, James Storm.[160][161]
Angle returned on the November 17, 2011, episode of Impact Wrestling, attacking James Storm and revealing himself as the man who had attacked and bloodied him the previous week, costing him his match with Bobby Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.[162] On December 11 at Final Resolution, Angle was defeated by Storm in a singles match.[163] On January 8, 2012, at Genesis, Angle defeated Storm in a rematch.[164] On the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Storm defeated Angle in a number-one contender's match.[165] Angle returned on the February 16 episode of Impact Wrestling, costing Jeff Hardy his shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.[166] On March 18 at Victory Road, Angle defeated Hardy in a singles match, pinning him while grabbing a hold of the ring ropes.[167] On April 15 at Lockdown, Hardy defeated Angle in a rematch, contested inside a steel cage.[168] On the following episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle defeated A.J. Styles, following interference from Styles' rivals Christopher Daniels and Kazarian.[169] The following week, Angle warned the two Immortal associates never to interfere in one of his matches again.[170]
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.[171][172] On June 10 at Slammiversary, Angle and Styles defeated Daniels and Kazarian to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship.[173] 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.[174] Two weeks later, Angle and Styles lost the TNA World Tag Team Championship back to Daniels and Kazarian.[175] 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.[176] On September 9 at No Surrender, Angle and Styles unsuccessfully challenged Daniels and Kazarian for the TNA World Tag Team Championships.[177] Angle and Styles received another title shot against Daniels and Kazarian on October 14 at Bound for Glory, in a three-way match, which was won by Chavo Guerrero, Jr. and Hernandez.[178] 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.[179]
New Main Event Mafia (2012–2013)
On October 25, 2012, Angle was chosen as the number one contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated by Jeff Hardy in his title match. Afterwards, Angle was attacked by Aces & Eights.[180] At Turning Point on November 11, Angle defeated Aces & Eights member Devon via submission, despite the rest of Aces & Eights trying to interfere.[181] Angle continued his feud with Aces & Eights on the December 6 episode of Impact Wrestling, defeating DOC via disqualification after the rest of Aces & Eights interfered.[182] Three days later at Final Resolution on December 9, Angle teamed with Garett Bischoff, Samoa Joe, and Wes Brisco to defeat Devon, DOC, and two masked members of Aces & Eights in an eight-man tag team match.[183] Angle unsuccessfully challenged Devon for the TNA Television Championship on the December 20 episode of Impact Wrestling, after interference from Aces & Eights, Garett Bischoff, Samoa Joe, and Wes Brisco.[184] On the January 3, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle and Samoa Joe defeated Devon and a masked member of Aces & Eights in a steel cage tag team match. Afterwards, the returning Sting saved Angle and Joe from a beating from Aces & Eights before revealing the mystery member as the debuting Mike Knox.[185] The following week, Angle was sidelined with a storyline injury after Knox hit him in the neck with a ball-peen hammer.[186] Angle returned to in-ring action on the January 31 Impact Wrestling, defeating Aces & Eights member Mr. Anderson in a steel cage match. Afterwards, Angle's two allies Garett Bischoff and Wes Brisco revealed themselves as members of Aces & Eights and attacked him.[187] Angle infiltrated the Aces & Eights hideout on the February 28 Impact Wrestling and managed to unmask their vice president, but was beaten by the other members before he could reveal his identity to the cameras.[188] Angle revealed the vice president as D'Lo Brown on the following episode of Impact.[189] At Lockdown on March 10, Angle was defeated by Wes Brisco in a steel cage match, following interference from Brown.[190] Angle was defeated by Jeff Hardy in a four-way number-one contenders match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, which also included Magnus and Samoa Joe, on the March 21 Impact Wrestling.[191] In the following weeks, Angle continued to face Bischoff and Brisco in multiple tag team and handicap matches, that all ended with the two getting the advantage over Angle.[192][193][194]
Angle then began feuding with A.J. Styles, after Styles refused to answer Angle's question on whether he is with TNA or the Aces & Eights, which led to a brawl between the two on the May 9, 2013, episode of Impact Wrestling.[195] On June 2 at Slammiversary XI, Angle was announced as the second inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame.[196] Later that night, Angle defeated Styles in a singles match.[197] On the following Impact Wrestling, Angle got into a verbal confrontation with the debuting Rampage Jackson, who claimed he had to beat the best to be the best.[198] The following week, Angle was defeated by Styles in a rematch to earn the final spot in the 2013 Bound for Glory Series. Afterward, Angle was assaulted by Aces & Eights until Jackson came out and saved him.[199] On June 20, Angle attacked TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray at the end of the Impact Wrestling episode, and revealed himself as the first member of Sting's New Main Event Mafia.[200] In the following weeks, Angle and Sting recruited Samoa Joe, Magnus, and Rampage Jackson as members of the New Main Event Mafia.[201][202][203] Beginning on August 2, Angle took a hiatus from TNA after being admitted to rehab for drug and alcohol use.[204]
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. The following week, Angle stated his discontentment with Roode mocking his Hall of Fame induction and told Roode he would make him tap out. Roode responded by attacking Angle with help from his faction, EGO, forcing Angle to submit to the crossface hold in a precursory act prior to their match. At the PPV Angle was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame, but he refused to accept the offer as he felt he had let himself, TNA, and the fans down and didn't deserve a Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He also said he would accept the offer when he feels he has earned it, and he still has great things to do in TNA. Later in that night, Angle was defeated by Roode, after he landed awkwardly from a running belly-to-belly suplex.[205] On the October 31 episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle lied about gaining medical clearance, as Angle suffered (kayfabe) convulsions during the match against Bobby Roode after a bad landing from the same move, which resulted in referee Brian Hebner rewarding a knock out/count-out victory to Roode.[206] After the match, he also showed signs of post-concussive amnesia.[207] On November 5, Angle was reported as having tested negative for the concussion, but his recurring knee injuries still required monitoring.[208] The following week, Angle saw the New Main Event Mafia disbanded, then he was attacked by Roode, who accused Angle as using his injuries to get out of the match. On November 14, Angle won a submission match against Austin Aries in the World title tournament, but by using Roode's finisher: the arm trap crossface, with Roode at the ramp watching.[209] However, Angle lost his next match against Magnus, due to an interference from Roode. At Final Resolution, Angle was defeated by Roode in a 2-out-of 3 falls match, but Angle faced and defeated Roode in a Steel Cage match at Genesis to end the feud.
On February 6, 2014, Angle had a match against Magnus. However, he won by disqualification, when Ethan Carter III (EC3) attacked Angle, performing a leglock, which injured Angle's knee. On February 27, 2014, Angle officially accepted his induction into the TNA Hall of Fame, but the ceremony was interrupted by EC3, with Angle attacking him. The next week, Angle was attacked by EC3 and his knees were severely damaged, thus losing his chance to fight at Lockdown.[210] Angle made his return on April 17, and vowing revenge.[211] On April 24, after Angle defeated Rockstar Spud in a match, EC3 attacked Angle but Willow saved him. At Sacrifice, Willow and Angle defeated EC3 and Rockstar Spud. In May, Angle underwent ACL repair surgery and was sidelined.
On June 20, 2014, Angle was named Executive Director of Wrestling Operations of TNA by TNA's board of directors. He announced a TNA World Heavyweight Championship rematch for the July 3 episode of Impact Wrestling between Lashley and Eric Young, and reinstated Bobby Roode, who had been indefinitely suspended by MVP. Angle also retired the TNA Television Championship, which had not been seen or defended since Abyss won it at Slammiversary 2013. On September 18, 2014 (aired on October 29 due to tape delay), Angle refereed the TNA World Heavyweight Championship between Bobby Roode and Bobby Lashley. Angle's contract with TNA was due to expire on September 14, 2014. Around this time, he reached out to Vince McMahon to offer his services for a return to the WWE. Unbeknownst to him Triple H had taken over McMahon's former duties. Angle offered to return as a part-time wrestler due to concerns of his age and health. Angle was caught off guard when WWE declined his services. It is speculated that WWE only offered a full-time contract which Angle didn't accept or WWE declined his return due to past relationship issues with him. After he was denied by WWE, he quickly signed a part-time contract with TNA Wrestling. On September 21, 2014, Angle's contract with TNA expired, ending his eight-year tenure with the company.[212] Angle teased a return to WWE; however, he was offered a full-time contract by TNA; so, Angle decided to stay.[212]
Angle returned to in-ring action on TNA's debut on Destination America on January 7, 2015, when he stopped a brawl, but started a street fight against MVP. On January 31, 2015 (aired March 20), Angle defeated Lashley to win the TNA World Heavyweight Championship for a record sixth time. He lost to Eric Young on May 1, at Hardcore Justice, in a stretcher match with the title not on the line. He successfully defended his title against Lashley once, and then again against both Lashley and Eric Young. On May 8, Angle defeated Young to retain his title, with Bully Ray as the special referee. On the May 29 episode of Impact Wrestling, he successfully retained his title once more against Eric Young, this time in a I Quit match. At Destination X, Angle defeated Rockstar Spud, who gave up the X Division Championship in order to challenge for the title. Later that night, Angle again successfully defended his title, this time against Austin Aries, who cashed in his Feast or Fired contract to allow him a title match. On the June 25, 2015, taping of Impact Wrestling (aired July 1), Angle lost the championship to Ethan Carter III. On the July 8 episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle faced Carter in a rematch in a losing effort.
On October 4, 2015, at Bound for Glory, Angle defeated Young via ankle lock submission. On November 19, Angle was announced for TNA's live debut on Pop. On the November 25, episode of Impact Wrestling, Angle announced that he would remain with TNA until the conclusion of their Maximum Impact Tour of the UK on January 31, 2016, after which he would part ways with the company. Angle announced his "Farewell Tour" which took place on TNA's tour of the UK. At TNA One Night Only: Live, Kurt Angle teamed with Drew Galloway in a three-way tag team match against Eli Drake and Jessie Godderz and The Wolves for their TNA World Tag Team Championship, in a losing effort. On the January 12, 2016, episode of Impact Wrestling, he defeated Drew Galloway. On the February 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, he challenged Matt Hardy for his TNA World Heavyweight Championship, but lost the match. On the February 9 episode of Impact Wrestling, he was defeated by Drew Galloway in their rematch. On the March 1 episode of Impact Wrestling, he defeated Bobby Roode. Angle's final match was against Lashley on March 8, 2016, which ended in a loss.
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.[216] On February 17, 2008, Angle lost the IWGP title to the NJPW-recognized champion Shinsuke Nakamura in a unification match.[217] 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.[218]
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.[222]
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.[223] Angle defeated Joe Hendry at the October 6 What Culture Pro Wrestling video tapings.[224] 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.[225]
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.[226] On March 16, WWE revealed that his long-time rival John Cena would induct Angle at the Hall of Fame ceremony.[227] 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.[228] On the May 29 episode of Raw, commentator Corey Graves informed Angle about some "scandalous information" that was sent to him about Angle, with Angle telling Graves "if this is true, it could ruin me". On the July 17 episode of Raw, Angle revealed that he had a son with a woman he dated in college. He stated that his son eventually ended up in the WWE. Angle then made the announcement that his (on-screen) son was Jason Jordan of American Alpha, thus moving Jordan to the Raw brand.[229]
On October 20, 2017, WWE announced Angle's in-ring return after 11 years, replacing Roman Reigns due to medical issues, and teaming with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins to face The Miz, Braun Strowman, Kane, and Cesaro and Sheamus in a 5-on-3 handicapTables, Ladders, and Chairs match at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.[230] Angle (dressed in The Shield's ring attire), Ambrose, and Rollins won the match, despite Angle having initially been taken out when Braun Strowman executed a Running Powerslam on Angle through a table .[231] 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.[232] 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.[233]
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.[234] At the event, Angle was defeated by Dolph Ziggler in the first round of the WWE World Cup Tournament.[235] 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.[236] 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.[237] 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.[238] At the 2019 Royal Rumble on January 27, 2019, Angle entered the match at number four but was eliminated by Shinsuke Nakamura.[239]
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.[240] Over the following weeks, Angle embarked on a "Farewell Tour", facing several handpicked opponents, including Apollo Crews,[240] Chad Gable,[241]Samoa Joe,[242] and AJ Styles.[243] At WrestleMania 35, Angle lost to Corbin in his final match.[244] On the Raw after WrestleMania, Angle attacked Corbin, and was subsequently attacked by a debuting Lars Sullivan.[245] Afterwards, Angle transitioned to a backstage role as a producer.[246]
On July 22, 2019, Angle appeared on Raw Reunion and raised a toast alongside Triple H, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and various other fellow wrestlers of his era.[247] On the August 5 episode of Raw in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Angle made an appearance as the special guest referee for a match between Drew McIntyre and Cedric Alexander. However, McIntyre and Alexander took out each other before the match began, and Angle was then attacked by "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt.[248] On April 15, 2020, Angle was released from his WWE contract as part of budget cuts stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.[249][250]
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.[251] He appeared again two days later on the May 29 episode of SmackDown to announce the arrival of Matt Riddle to the brand.[252][253] 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.[254]
On the June 27, 2022, episode of Raw, Angle made an appearance via a video message to congratulate John Cena on his 20-year career.[255]
Angle would appear on the August 29 episode of Raw, which took place in his hometown of Pittsburgh, sporting his old Team Angle attire. He would get into an altercation with Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) before being aided by The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford), which led to a tag team match between the two teams with the stipulation that if Alpha Academy won, Angle would have to join them. The Street Profits would win the match and afterwards, Angle celebrated with them by drinking milk. Later on in the night, Angle reunited with Edge backstage and would get pranked by him with rigged pictures containing mocking slogans on the back of them in a similar fashion to a segment the duo had in 2002.[256]
Angle made his next appearance on the December 9 episode of SmackDown, where he celebrated his 54th birthday. He interacted with various superstars backstage, including his storyline son, Jason Jordan, before once again getting into an altercation with Alpha Academy at the end of the show during his in-ring celebration. Angle would be aided by Gable Steveson, who drove a milk truck to the ring, with the two spraying Alpha Academy with milk from a hose, mimicking Angle's famous 2001 segment.[257] After the show went off the air, Rey Mysterio led the superstars and audience in singing "Happy Birthday" to Angle.[258]
On Raw is XXX on January 23, 2023, Angle appeared in a segment with D-Generation X (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg and X-Pac) before serving as the special guest referee in a six-man tag team match involving The Street Profits and Seth Rollins against Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci), which the former team won.[259]
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 Steve Austin, Triple H, or The Rock.[260] 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.[261]
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,[112] and belly-to-belly, as well as submissions, such as the rear naked choke[262] or the triangle choke.[112] 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.[263] 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.[265] 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.[266][267]
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.[268] In the 2013 film Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies, he plays himself as both a human and a zombie.[269] 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.[270] 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.[271]
In 1996, Angle became a marketing representative for Protos Foods, the manufacturers of OSTRIM, an ostrich-meat-based foodstuff.[13][274] In 1997, he worked for a year as a sportscaster on Pittsburgh's local Fox affiliate WPGH-TV.[275][276] 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.[277][278]
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.[279]
Angle's book, It's True It's True, was released on September 18, 2001.[280] 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.[281][unreliable source?]
From January 2021 to January 2024, Angle co-hosted a podcast called The Kurt Angle Show with Conrad Thompson.[282]
Personal life
Angle being helped by his then-wife Karen, with their daughter watching at ringside (far back)
Angle married Karen Smedley[283] on December 19, 1998.[284] They have two children together.[285] In September 2008, it was reported that Karen had filed for divorce from Kurt.[286] In 2010, it was reported that Angle was engaged to actress Giovanna Yannotti.[287] Angle and Yannotti were married on July 20, 2012.[288] They have three children, one of whom was adopted.[294]
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.[302] 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.[303] Angle only failed a drugs test under WWE's Wellness Policy because his prescription for nandrolone had expired.[304] 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.[305]
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.[306][307]
On August 15, 2009, Angle was again arrested by the Moon Township Police Department.[308] 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.[309] 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.[310]
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.[317][318] 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.[319] 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.[320] On November 8, 2011, Angle entered a plea of no contest and was fined $1,500.[321]
↑ 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.
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↑ 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).
↑ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling's historical cards" (p. 121).
↑ "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.
↑ 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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