Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born in December 9, 1968 in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania) is an American 1996 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling and now a professional wrestler performing for World Wrestling Entertainment on its RAW brand. Among his trademarks is the audience — whether he is face or heel — chanting "you suck!" in time with his entrance music.
Amateur wrestling
Angle had a distinguished career in amateur wrestling even before winning in the 1996 Olympics. He was a 2-time NCAA Division I champion and a 3-time NCAA Division I All-American while attending Clarion University of Pennsylvania. He was also 1987 USA Junior Freestyle champion, 2-time USA Senior Freestyle champion, and 1988 USA FILA Junior World Freestyle champion. Angle reached the pinnacle of his amateur career at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, winning the 100 kg (220-pound) freestyle wrestling competition, becoming the only American to do this.
Not long after his high-profile Olympic success, he decided to enter the world of broadcasting. He was hired to do sports commentary during the 10 PM nightly newscast on Pittsburgh TV WPGH channel 53. Promoted as "The Angle on Sports", Kurt was visibly nervous and had trouble speaking on camera. His news career lasted only a few short months before he turned to professional wrestling. The move brought sharp criticism from his peers in the freestyle wrestling community who regard pro wrestling as a mockery of their sport.
On October 26, 1996 Angle was convinced to attend the taping of an ECW event named High Incident by Shane Douglas. Angle provided guest commentary during a match between Taz and Little Guido, but walked out of the building after the infamous "crucifixion storyline" (where Raven attached The Sandman to a cross using barbed wire). Angle was shocked by the controversial imagery and feared that his career prospects would be damaged if he was associated with the incident, so threatened to sue ECW owner Paul Heyman if he was shown on TV in the same broadcast as the stunt.
Template:Cleanup-sect Less than four years after earning Olympic gold, and after many months spent in developmental territories and competing in untelevised dark matches for the WWF, Angle officially debuted for the WWF on November 14, 1999 at the annual Survivor Series PPV event, held that year at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. He faced and defeated Shawn Stasiak in his debut match. His character, touting morality and the "three I's" -- intensity, integrity, and intelligence -- was a spoof of the all-American babyfaces of the 1980s; Kurt Angle was meant to be a heel in the anti-hero, Attitude Era 1990s.
WWF years
Angle initially embarked on an undefeated streak, though he suffered a loss in a tag team match when his partner, Steve Blackman, was pinned. This led to a match between the two at Armageddon 1999, which Angle won with a German Suplex. His streak continued into 2000, when he was scheduled to face an unknown opponent at the Royal Rumble. The opponent was revealed as the debuting Tazz, who rendered Angle unconscious using his Tazzmission hold. However, Angle claimed that the Tazzmission was an illegal choke hold, and his streak was therefore unbroken (he was finally beaten decisively by The Rock).
Angle won the European Championship on February 8, 2000, defeating Val Venis. On February 27 at No Way Out Angle defeated Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental Championship after (illegally) using the title belt to block Jericho's Lionsault. He would then unofficially merge the two titles into the "Eurocontinental" Championship. Angle was the third wrestler to hold both these titles at once, following D'Lo Brown (who, as Angle humorously put it on TV, "doesn't count") and Jeff Jarrett.
Veteran wrestler Bob Backlund became Angle's mentor, but, unfortunately for Angle, Backlund agreed to a match on Angle's behalf that would see him defend both his titles in a triple threat match. As this meant that Angle could lose his titles without being beaten, he was understandably angry, and used Backlund's own Crossface Chickenwing hold on him. This allowed Angle to adopt the Crossface Chickenwing as his new finishing move. On April 2, 2000 at WrestleMania XVI, Angle faced Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho, and lost both belts without being pinned or made to submit.
Angle joined Edge & Christian to form the faction Team ECK, which was joined by Rhyno the following year.
Angle began showing feelings to Triple H's wife Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. Stephanie sought a guy she can express her feelings to, and she chose Angle after she caught Triple H with Trish Stratus. This resulted in a feud with Triple H. During the storyline, both Angle and Triple H along with Stephanie were still known as heels. However, Angle's loss in popularity would make Triple H a new fan favourite. This feud also involved The Rock. Around this time, Angle adopted a new finishing move, an elevated spinning back suplex variation he called "The Olympic Slam". The feud ended after Stephanie dumped Angle by kicking him in the groin, followed by a Pedigree from Triple H.
In addition, Angle won the King of the Ring tournament in June 2000, defeating Rikishi in the finals, and wrestled in the main event of SummerSlam in August. With his on-screen nerves totally gone, Angle's light-hearted holier-than-thou routines provided the perfect complement to his intense and tough wrestling style and helped to get him 'over' to fans massively.
The perfect proof of this fast progress came with his crowning achievement: defeating The Rock at No Mercy in October 2000 to win the WWF Championship. His title reign was impressive, defeating The Undertaker at Survivor Series (with some help from older brother Eric Angle) and eventually winning the 6-Man Hell in a Cell at Armageddon. His victory at Armaggedon was regardly known as the greatest title defense ever, defeating the greatest of the World Wrestling Federation, The Rock, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Rikishi. Entering 2001, Angle adopted the lethal ankle lock submission hold, made famous by Ken Shamrock. He would acquire the managerial services of Trish Stratus and renewed his feud with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. Thanks to Stone Cold Steve Austin, Angle defeated Triple H at Royal Rumble. He held the WWF Title for four months before losing it to the man he defeated for the title, The Rock.
He teamed up with Chris Benoit to take on The Rock. However, Angle turned on Benoit, and as a result Benoit was face. At WrestleMania X-Seven, Angle hooked Benoit's tights to get the pinfall victory. The feud was far from over. At Backlash, Benoit and Angle went at it in an Ultimate Submissions Match (an Iron Man Match in which only submissions count as victories). Benoit and Angle used a variety of submission maneuvers. Benoit won. At Judgment Day, the two went at in a 2 out of 3 Falls match with Angle's gold medal placed on the line. Benoit won the first fall. Angle went for Benoit's own Flying Headbutt but Benoit moved out of the way and gave Angle the Olympic Slam. Angle would win the second fall. Angle no-sold Benoit's DDT and gave him the Olympic Slam followed by the ankle lock for a submission. Angle won the third fall and retained the gold medal after his goons Edge and Christian interfered.
When The Alliance invaded WWF, Angle was forced to team with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin eventually turned on him by joining the Alliance. Angle became face in the Federation for the first time. Angle led the World Wrestling Federation while Austin led the WCW/ECW Alliance. The two wrestled several matches. At SummerSlam, Angle lasted three Stone Cold Stunners and was about to win when he gave Austin a second Angle Slam. Unfortunately, there was no referee to make the count. Alliance referee Nick Patrick came but called for a disqualification. Patrick explained that the disqualification was caused as a result of Austin's abuse towards the referees. As a result, the belt stays with Austin, as titles cannot change hands via disqualification. Obviously Patrick just wanted the belt to stay with the Alliance. A frustrated Angle gave Patrick the ankle lock.
It is during this time that Angle won the WCW Championship defeating Booker T, Hardcore Championship defeating Rob Van Dam, and the United States Championship. Angle has been in the business for less than three years, and he has captured the attention of millions of fans worldwide.
Angle eventually toppled Austin for his second WWF Title in an emotional bout in September 2001 in his home town by making Austin tap out to the ankle lock. He lost it back to Austin just a few weeks later when WWF Commissioner William Regal turned heel and joined the Alliance as well. Angle would then be scheduled to team up with Survivor Series. Angle then turned heel again by turning his back on the WWF and joining the WCW/ECW Alliance he'd spent months fighting against. He explained that all members of Team WWF were losers. He stated the fact that he achieved more in his two-year run than The Undertaker's eleven-year. He also said that Kane should've stood up for himself and not just be a follower. Chris Jericho and The Rock were feuding. He said he could not put his career on the line. The risk is too much. So he decided to follow Austin's ways. Cheating, but at least he got the job done. At Survivor Series, Angle eliminated The Undertaker, but was eliminated by The Rock. As Austin was about to win, Angle returned to the ring to pick up the title belt as the ref was down. It looked as though Angle was about to strike the Rock but struck Austin instead which led to the Rock getting the victory. Angle returned to the WWF fold and remained a sneering, patronizing, yet humorous heel.
At Vengeance, Angle was one of four men to take part in the tournament to crown the first ever Undisputed Champion. After a strong battle with Austin, he became victim of the Stone Cold Stunner and was eliminated from the mix.
WWE years
At the Royal Rumble 2005 on (January 30, 2005 in Fresno, California), Kurt Angle lost in a triple threat match against The Big Show and JBL when JBL pinned Angle after the Clothesline From Hell. However, later in the event, Kurt Angle bullied Nunzio and took his Royal Rumble spot, only to be eliminated by Shawn Michaels with a superkick, knocking Kurt over the top rope, whom he later attacked after Michaels was eliminated, dumping Michaels over the top rope to eliminate Michaels, then hitting him in the face with steel ring steps and locking in an ankle lock, kicking a feud into high gear that started when Angle insulted Michaels during 2004's Survivor Series. Meanwhile, other attempts to capture the WWE Championship came when Kurt Angle and WWE US Champion John Cena were the finalists of a #1 contenders' match. Ultimately, Cena defeated Kurt Angle after Cena repeatedly battled out of the ankle lock and finished Angle with the F-U.
As a result of what happened at the Royal Rumble, Shawn Michaels issued a challenge to Kurt Angle for a match at Wrestlemania 21, which Kurt Angle accepted when he appeared on RAW to attack Michaels. The two would continue to taunt and ambush each other until Wrestlemania in a RAW vs. SmackDown! Match. The match ended when Shawn Michaels tapped out to the deadly ankle lock.
This feud later saw Angle say he would accomplish everything Michaels has done in his 16 year career in 4 weeks. This saw Angle compete in his first ladder match during one of his "Hometown Hero" sections (for his Olympic Gold), which of course he won with ease. After the match, Angle announced that he will face Marty Jannetty, Michael's former tag team partner from the 1980s and early 1990s. Angle claimed that since Jannetty had taught Michaels "everything he knows" while part of the Rockers, he could teach Michaels "how to tap out" by forcing Jannetty to submit on SmackDown!
The next week, on SmackDown!, Angle made good on his promise and forced Jannetty to submit to his ankle lock submission, but only after a nearly 20-minute match and a strong showing for Jannetty which saw him nearly pin the Olympic champion. Next, Angle would bring in another "blast from Shawn Michaels' past" in "Sensational" Sherri. Angle came to the ring with Michaels' former manager, copying Michaels' entrance almost exactly. The pair performed their own version of Michaels' theme music, before Angle turned on Sherri and made her tap out to the Ankle Lock.
Finally, Angle beat Michaels by submission with the ankle lock/legbar combo in the highly anticipated "interpromotional" match at WrestleMania 21 on April 3, 2005. Many fans considered the match the best of the four-hour show.
On the May 12, 2005 edition of WWE SmackDown!, Angle cut a promo about Booker T's wife Sharmell, saying he wanted to have "bestiality sex" with her and then "that kind of perverted sex." At Judgment Day on May 22, he lost the resulting match with Booker T. Angle then gave Booker T an Angle Slam, and went after Sharmell with handcuffs. Unfortunately for Angle, Booker T stopped him and handcuffed him to the ropes, and let Sharmell slap Angle in the face and kick Angle between the legs.
On June 13, Angle became the second person to be drafted from SmackDown! to RAW in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery. He continued his feud with Shawn Michaels who he faced at Vengeance 2005, but Michaels pinned him after sweet chin music, ending the feud. Angle went on to face Ric Flair on June 27, 2005 episode of RAW, which Angle won with the ankle lock.
Angle continued on with his "Kurt Angle Invitational" in which Angle had previously challenged "hometown heroes" while on SmackDown! to last three minutes in the ring with him; if anyone succeeded, Angle would give the successful challenger his authentic gold medal from the 1996 Summer Olympics. Two weeks in a row, Angle defeated Matt Striker to retain his gold medal.
The July 25, 2005 RAW from saw the end of the "Kurt Angle Invitational" when the returning Eugene survived three minutes against Angle to win Angle's gold medal and the first successful challenger in the event. Eugene then started "The Eugene Invitational" to begin on the August 1, 2005 RAW episode, the first edition of which Angle interfered in.
On the August 8, 2005 RAW episode Angle lost by disqualification in his hometown against Eugene for the gold medal in "The Eugene Invitational." Angle and Eugene met at SummerSlam, where Angle regained his Olympic gold medal.
On August 22, 2005 Angle was revealed as the number one contender for John Cena's WWE Title.Angle defeated John Cena by disqualification in the main event of WWE Unforgiven, as Cena struck Angle with his WWE Title belt. Angle attacked Cena after the match, only to be given an F-U through the Spanish announce table. Angle was almost awarded the title the next night on RAW by Eric Bischoff, but Vince McMahon intervened.
At the WWE Homecoming, Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels met in a 30 minate Ironman Match, which resulted in a two falls to two tie. The first fall went to Angle after an Angle Slam of the top rope. The second fall goes to Michaels after he reversed the ankle lock into a pinning combination. The third fall goes to Angle when Michaels tapped out to the ankel lock. The fourth fall goes to Michaels after a sweet chin music. With just 2 minutes remaining, Angle locked in the angkle lock and legbar combo, but Michaels somehow fought his way out by kicking Angle in the face several times. With only seconds remaining, Michaels connected with the sweet chin music but the time ran out before the ref could make the three count. Angle then declined Michaels's offer to extend the match under sudden death rules.
In a live interview on the November 7 edition of RAW, Angle vented his frustrations about the crowd costantly chanting, "You suck!" whenever he is introduced, eventually threatening to walk out of his upcoming tag team match with Chris Masters vs. Shawn Michaels and John Cena. Eventually, Eric Bischoff convinced him to stay and gave in to Angle's two pre-demands: that the crowd be "censored" every time it chanted "You suck!" (TV viewers heard the chant bleeped, although it was apparent that Angle was simply ignoring the crowd); and that a special "hand-picked" referee officiate the match. The man Angle introduced was Daivari (making his return in his Arab American heel gimmick), who sided with Angle and Masters throughout the match. Eventually, Daivari disqualified Michaels and Cena after Michaels attempted a chair shot. Afterwards, Daivari gave a chair shot to Cena in the back and raised Angle's arm in victory. Color commentator Jerry Lawler, who had often rooted for Angle, was disgusted by Angle's referee choice (since he despises Daivari).
After Daivari helped Angle defeat Shelton Benjamin on the November 21 RAW, Angle announced Daivari was his personal referee and will be the special guest referee for his upcoming match with Cena for the WWE Championship at the 2005 Survivor Series. However, Cena still won the match after SmackDown! referee Charles Robinson counted the fall. Angle would again lose to Cena in a triple threat, submission only match with Chris Masters the following night on RAW.
Angle will participate in the Elimination Chamber in New Year's Revolution 2006.
Personal life
Angle separated from his wife Karen in August 2005, claiming that the strain of being on the road took its toll on their marriage. He and Karen have a daughter, Kyra. Angle has four older brothers, including Eric, also a wrestler, and one late sister, the latter of whom died due to heart complications, a problem for several Angle family members. His father was killed in a construction accident, and Angle dedicated his autobiography, "It's True, It's True" to him as a result.
Trivia
- Angle has a tattoo of an American eagle on his upper back.
- While Kurt Angle won an Olympic gold medal with a badly injured neck, his neck was not broken. In WWE, Angle exaggerates the severity of his injury, claiming that he won his medal with "a broken freakin' neck!" However, according to the official rule book of the Olympic Games committee, no competitor will be authorized to participate in an event if seriously injured, indicating that Angle was not seriously enough injured to warrant exclusion from the event.
- Angle can play the drums.
- Angle claimed in an interview that, following the death of his father, he regarded his wrestling coach as a paternal figure.
- Angle's older brother Eric has appeared with WWE on occasion, normally in order to impersonate Angle. Eric posed as Kurt during his WWF World Heavyweight Championship title defense against The Undertaker at the 2000 Survivor Series, enabling Angle to roll-up his confused opponent, and switched places with Kurt during a title defense against Brock Lesnar on SmackDown! in 2003.
- Angle suffered a serious concussion at the outset of the triple threat WWF World Heavyweight Championship title match at SummerSlam 2000 when Triple H attempted to Pedigree through a table which broke before he could execute the move. Angle was assisted backstage, but returned later in the match following a vignette in which Stephanie McMahon exhorted him to "help Hunter". Angle returned to the ring, but, rather than helping HHH, attempted to win the title for himself. Thanks to Angle's return, HHH's momentum was broken, and defending champion The Rock was able to pin HHH and retain his title. Angle credits the match with establishing him in the locker room, in that, despite the fact that he was completely out of it mentally due to the concussion, he was still able to complete the match.
Wrestling facts
Finishing and signature moves
- Ankle Lock (Standing ankle lock or grapevined grounded ankle lock)
- Angle Slam / Olympic Slam (Spinning belly to back suplex)
- Super Angle Slam (Top rope spinning belly to back suplex)
- Bridging belly to back suplex (In 1999)
- Crossface chickenwing (In 2000)
- Rolling German suplexes
- Moonsault
- Overhead belly to belly suplex
- Top rope overhead belly to belly suplex
- European uppercut
- Body scissors
Championships and accomplishments
- Amateur wrestling
- Pennsylvania State Wrestling Champion (1987)
- Clarion University Freshman of the Year (1988)
- 2-time NCAA Champion
- Espoir World Cup second Place (1989)
- Yasar Dogu Tournament second Place (1989)
- Canadian Cup Championship Winner (1990)
- Olympic Games - Freestyle Wrestling Gold Medal (1996)
- National Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame (2001)
- Professional wrestling
- PNW
- 1-time PNW Tennessee Heavyweight Champion
- Power Pro Wrestling
- 1-time PPW Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time PPW Young Guns Champion
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- PWI Feud of the Year, 2000 (vs. Triple H)
- PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year, 2000
- PWI Rookie of the Year, 2000
- PWI Inspirational Wrestler of the Year, 2001
- PWI Comeback of the Year, 2003
- PWI Feud of the Year, 2003 (vs. Brock Lesnar)
- PWI Match of the Year, 2003 (vs. Brock Lesnar)
- PWI Most Popular Wrestler, 2003
- PWI Wrestler of the Year, 2003
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- 1-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time WCW United States Champion
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- 4-time WWF/E Champion
- 1-time WWF European Champion
- 1-time WWF Hardcore Champion
- 1-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
- 1-time WWE Tag Team Champion (with Chris Benoit)
- Fourth Grand Slam Champion
- 2000 King of the Ring winner
Championship succession
Books
- Angle, Kurt and Harper, John (2001) It's True! It's True!, ISBN: 0060393270
Videos
- Kurt Angle: It's True! It's True! (VHS)