Kurt Angle’s Best Matches: Olympic Hero’s WWE Highlights

Kurt Angle has to be one of the most imminently titled and highly respected professional wrestlers in history. An Olympic gold freestyle wrestler, Kurt Angle brought with him the legitimate athletic background into the World Wrestling Entertainment, where he quickly became one of the most diverse and talented workers the company had developed so far. Acclaimed for prowess in technical skills, charisma, and the ability to work a crowd, the Angle matches rank with the all-time best in wrestling history. In this article, we will look at Kurt Angle’s most memorable matches for the WWE, that helped shift him from an Olympic hero to becoming a cult en route to legend status.

Early Career and Arrival in WWE

Long before setting foot in a WWE ring, Kurt Angle’s road to sports entertainment superstardom began. The victory of Angle was in winning a freestyle wrestling gold medal during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. The contest was the one where he managed to do so with a broken neck. His Olympic victory propelled him into national heroics and became one of the most wanted athletes in professional wrestling.

Angle signed with WWE in 1998 and made his debut at the 1999 Survivor Series. Certainly, the amateur-to-professional wrestler transition was easy on him, as he fit very well into the WWE way with its heavy entertainment bias. Although the ” Angle character” was primarily introduced as a clean-cut, patriotic hero, soon enough, the arrogant and comic disposition came out to set him apart and make him quite an entertaining character.

Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Stasiak (Survivor Series 1999)
Whilst Kurt Angle’s in-ring debut against Shawn Stasiak at the Survivor Series 1999 cannot be hailed as the most popular one, it really set a big lane for his successful career with WWE. Angle polled up and put on a technical display that proved extremely charismatic to the audience, thereby putting them right through the roofs immediately. With this win, the way was paved for Angle to climb straight up through the ranks of the company very quickly.

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit, WrestleMania 2000

MSG, however, bore witness to one of the many early great Kurt Angle performances at WrestleMania 2000, where he defended both the Intercontinental and European Championships in a two-fall triple threat match versus Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit. What really made this match different was that not only did Angel lose both the titles in this two-falls type of match, he also failed to be directly pinned. It was incredibly technical, featuring some of the best chemistry one would see between three competitors.

Angle could hold his own against guys like Jericho and Benoit, which really cemented the fact that he was one of the top talents in the WWE.

Kurt Angle vs. The Rock (No Mercy 2000) In the main event of No Mercy 2000, Kurt Angle won his first WWE Championship by defeating The Rock. So very little other high stakes, high energy match would show just how brilliant of a future Angle had in store for working on top of the card in Main Events.The incomparable interference from Rikishi upon the realization blew everything off the hinges, causing Angle to take advantage of the commotion and actually pin The Rock for his first WWE Championship. This was significant to him as it placed him in the contention of all top category superstars within WWE.

Kurt Angle vs. Triple H – Royal Rumble 2001

At the 2001 Royal Rumble, Kurt Angle defended his WWE Championship against Triple H. It was a fantastic match, filled with lots of interference from both Stephanie McMahon and Trish Stratus. Amongst all the madness, Angle and Triple H were able to turn in a very good, technically sound performance. Angle winning the match went a long way toward proving that he was able to weather the storm and be in there with anyone under pressure.

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (Royal Rumble 2003)

One of Kurt Angle’s most critically acclaimed matches of his career was against Chris Benoit for the WWE Championship at the 2003 Royal Rumble. It was a technical clinic in wrestling between both men, who were showing their various submission and mat-based skills. Angle and Benoit had great chemistry en route to a match that would be universally acclaimed for intensity and storytelling.

Angel’s hand was raised in victory, but both men got an instant standing ovation to make this bout an instant classic.

Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania XIX)

Kurt Angle fought against Brock Lesnar in one of this year’s most anticipated matches at WrestleMania XIX. Both had legitimate backgrounds in amateur wrestling, and their meeting was one hot skirmish showcasing athleticism and power. However, Angle competed this match with a neck injury. There were awesome moments of the match—one where Lesnar botched his shooting star press.

Lesnar would eventually defeat him with a win for the WWE Championship, but Angle’s performance just spoke to his brute toughness and skill.

Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania 21
It is often held as one of the all-time great matches in wrestling history: Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 21. Billed as a dream match, the two had lived up to the buildup and worked a blinder inside the ring. There were spots, technical chains, high-flying moves, and dramatic near falls in a match all over the place. Angle’s victory was achieved by making Michaels submit to the Ankle Lock, thereby solidifying his reputation as one of the best in-ring performers of all time.

Kurt Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero (WrestleMania XX)

There would be Kurt Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XX. There had always been a psychological and storytelling brilliance to the matches, as two of the best in terms of technical and charismatic competency came to a showdown. The manner through which Guerrero came by his victory this time, using untoward means and a roll-up pin, turned out to be a watershed moment in his career. Wow—everything between Kurt Angle produced a highlight on demand, while his performance in this match further strengthened and solidified the claim to serious greatness.

Kurt Angle vs John Cena: No Mercy 2003
But the man who really ramped John Cena up to that next level in his career and to a main-event status was Kurt Angle. They had a very brutal No Mercy 2003 match that just showed the potential of Cena to be a top star really well. Angle adapted to Cena’s style quite easily, bringing out the best from him in that particular match. A victory by Angle only went to build him as the experienced mat veteran—the guy to rely on for getting others over.

Kurt Angle vs The Undertaker – No Way Out 2006
One of the most memorable fights featuring Kurt Angle was that at No Way Out 2006, where he successfully managed to retain his sizzling World Heavyweight Championship pole against The Undertaker. The match was nothing less than a technical and psychological masterpiece, with both men giving the deepest and most dramatic of performances for the night. Angle finally counteracted the power of The Undertaker with his technical skills to make the contest compelling enough. Though Angle retained the belt, both men were heralded for greatness.

Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe – TNA Lockdown 2008
One of those is the Kurt Angle vs Samoa Joe match in the 2008 TNA Lockdown. Expectations were through the roof given the fact that two of the world’s best wrestlers were going to step into the ring together. It was a steel cage match and was very brutal and hard-hitting. The manner in which Angle was able to put in performances second to none outside of WWE also epitomized great versatility and continued talent.

Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania At WrestleMania 22, Kurt Angle lost the world heavyweight title in a three-way affair to Rey Misterio and Randy Orton. That match came at a very quick pace, with these three men going full throttle with their various styles unique to each competitor: Angle’s technical prowess, Mysterio’s high-flying moves, and Orton’s methodical style—all combined to set up an exciting dynamic match, where Mysterio won out in the capture of the World Heavyweight Championship, but Angle’s performance was one of the highlights.

Kurt Angle vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (SummerSlam 2001)

In 2001, arguably one of the most intense feuds of Kurt Angle was with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Their 2001 SummerSlam encounter was brutal and hard-hitting, as the two men pushed each other to the limits. The match ended controversially in a disqualification, but the performance and resilience of Kurt Angle were highly appreciated.
The feud didn’t end here; it went on till Angle finally won over Austin for the WWE Championship at Unforgiven 2001, in what was most emotional and has been remembered to this date.

Kurt Angle vs Edge (Backlash 2002)

The Edge/Kurt Angle feud in 2002 must be analyzed as a defining period in both of the wrestlers’ professional lives. Their match at Backlash 2002 was a straight technicality and entertainment value one could get from these two wrestlers. Angle’s arrogant heel act, working as a face here, played well off the resiliency of Edge. But Angle picked up the win, further establishing himself as one of the top heels in the company at the time.

Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles (TNA Genesis 2010)

Another superb match from the works of Kurt Angle in TNA was a contest against AJ Styles at Genesis 2010. The match definitely brought out the athleticism and technical wrestling abilities of both combatants, as each man performed well. Angle facilitated in keeping up with the aerial moves of Styles before making a switch to his own style, which just speaks highly of being versatile and infinite talent.

The match was lauded by many for the amount of action it could fit in while still pouring on the story; this would further solidify Angle’s legacy as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar (SmackDown Iron Man Match 2003)

One of the most memorable matches that Kurt Angle ever had was the 60-minute Iron Man against Brock Lesnar on SmackDown in 2003. This, accordingly, formed a severe hard test of endurance, skill, and strategy on the part of both men to outclass each other with their performance. How Angle was able to hang for 60 minutes with Lesnar is a measure of conditioning and technical ability.

Lesnar eventually emerged victorious to win the match and the WWE Championship. But the way Angle performed just said a lot about his grit and talent.

Kurt’s Back: Kurt Angle’s Return to WWE
It was only in 2017, after a few long years, that Kurt Angle would make his glorious return once again to the WWE. Every fan was thrilled with the prospect of seeing the Olympic hero back in the ring. In 2017, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, getting him positioned rightly among the best wrestlers ever.

Kurt Angle’s Impact and Legacy
Kurt Angle undeniably impacted professional wrestling. Technical prowess and charisma have not been done away with; the ability to adapt to all of the different styles has seen him justifiably put at the forefront as probably the most universally respected and admired wrestler in history. Inevitably, many of Angle’s bouts are described as some of the best in wrestling history, with testimony not only to how amazingly talented he is but how truly dedicated he is to sports. It’s amazing how someone like Angle could so easily exchange one for the other and become one of the WWE’s top professional stars, which really says much about work ethic and passion. The matches he had with Shawn Michaels, Brock Lesnar, and The Undertaker are some of the all-time classics, with his impacts on future generations of wrestlers going deep.

Conclusion
Kurt Angle’s career describes athleticism, perseverance, and passion. From being an Olympic hero to becoming a WWE legend, whatever number of feuds or face-offs went on, Angle’s games have indeed marked the pro-wrestling genre. His technical ability, charisma, and potential for memorable performances have forever set him in stone with the greatest wrestlers to ever grace the ring. Whether it is battles with Shawn Michaels and Brock Lesnar or wars with Undertaker and Eddie Guerrero, it is clearly indicated that Angle’s best matches underscore talent and versatility. That brilliance at adopting different styles and evolving an opponent must be accounted for as one of the demographic loves in the professional wrestling icon. The legacy Kurt Angle has set, as an Olympic hero and WWE legend, will still go on as an inspiration for other wrestlers coming in the future generations. His matches will be praised and remembered as some of the best in the history of wrestling, truly cementing Kurt Angle as one of the greats of all time.