Kurt Angle: Difference between revisions
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**[[King of the Ring]] ([[King of the Ring#2000|2000]]) |
**[[King of the Ring]] ([[King of the Ring#2000|2000]]) |
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**[[Triple Crown Championship|10th Triple Crown Champion]] |
**[[Triple Crown Championship|10th Triple Crown Champion]] |
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*'''[[Fighting_Spirit_magazine|FSM (Fighting Spirit Magazine)]]''' |
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**[[FSM_Awards|Story Of The Year]] award in 2006 - jump to TNA |
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**[[FSM_Awards|Match Of The Year]] award in 2006 - versus The Undertaker |
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**[[FSM_Awards|David Bowie Award]] in 2006 |
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**[[FSM_Awards|Pillman Award]] in 2006 - leaving wrestling for MMA |
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**[[FSM_Awards|Kriss Kross Award]] in 2006 |
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**[[FSM_Awards|The Franchise]] award in 2007 |
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**[[FSM_Awards|10 Pounds Of Gold Award]] in 2007 |
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*'''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]''' |
*'''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]''' |
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**[[PWI Feud of the Year]] award in 2000 - versus [[Triple H]] |
**[[PWI Feud of the Year]] award in 2000 - versus [[Triple H]] |
Revision as of 15:51, 25 March 2008
Kurt Angle | |
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Born | Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania | December 9, 1968
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Kurt Angle |
Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1] |
Billed weight | 232 lb (105 kg) [1] |
Billed from | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1] |
Trained by | Dory Funk, Jr. Tom Prichard |
Debut | October 1998 |
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9 1968) is an American professional wrestler and former Olympic amateur wrestler. He currently works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is the current TNA World Heavyweight Champion. He is an overall 8-time World Champion as a singles wrestler according to Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
Angle was involved in amateur wrestling during both high school and college. In college, he won numerous accolades, including being a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I champion.[3][4] After graduating, he won the 1995 World Championship tournament.[3] Angle then competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, where he won a gold medal in heavyweight freestyle wrestling.[4][5]
Initially turning down an offer to join the World Wrestling Federation (WWF),[4] Angle signed a multi-year contract with the company in 1998. As part of the WWF (and later WWE), he was a WCW United States Champion,[6] WCW World Heavyweight Champion,[7] WWE Tag Team Champion,[8] four-time WWF/E Champion,[9] WWF European Champion,[10] WWF Hardcore Champion,[11] WWF Intercontinental Champion,[12] and WWE's World Heavyweight Champion.[13] In addition, he was the winner of the King of the Ring tournament in 2000,[14] the tenth Triple Crown Champion, and the fourth Grand Slam Champion.
After leaving WWE, Angle joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he became the second wrestler in TNA to win the Triple Crown and the first man to hold all three TNA championships simultaneously. Angle has also made appearances for New Japan Pro Wrestling and Inoki Genome Federation, where he is the former IWGP Third Belt Champion.
Amateur career
Medal record | ||
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Men's Freestyle Wrestling | ||
Olympic Games | ||
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1996 Atlanta | 100 kg |
World Championships | ||
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1995 Chattanooga, U.S. | 100 kg |
World Cup | ||
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1992 Moscow, Russia | 100 kg |
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1995 Chattanooga, U.S. | 100 kg |
Angle attended Mt. Lebanon High School,[15] where he won varsity letters in football and wrestling and was an All-State linebacker.[16][15][17] He went undefeated on the freshman wrestling team at Mt. Lebanon High and qualified for the state wrestling tournament his sophomore year.[15] Angle also placed third in the state wrestling tournament as a junior and was the 1987 Pennsylvania State Wrestling Champion as a senior.
Upon graduating from high school, Angle attended the Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where he continued to wrestle at an amateur level.[18] He was a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I champion,[3] national runner-up in 1991, and a 3-time NCAA Division I All-American. In addition, Angle was the 1987 USA Junior Freestyle champion, a 2-time USA Senior Freestyle champion, and the 1988 USA International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles Junior World Freestyle champion.[4]
After graduating from college, Angle continued to wrestle. In 1995, he won a gold medal at the World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia.[3] Following this victory, Angle began preparing for the 1996 Summer Olympics under Dave Schultz at the Pennsylvanian Foxcatcher Club,[19] training between eight and ten hours a day.[20] 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.[21][22][23] As a result, Angle quit John Eleuthère du Pont's team, searched for new sponsors, and joined the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club in Shultz's memory.[24]
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,[25] 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.[3] The injury led to Angle's future claim of having won his Olympic gold medal "with a broken freakin' neck." In the fall of 2006, Angle stated that he temporarily became addicted to the analgesic Vicodin after breaking his neck.[26]
He won his gold medal in the heavyweight (90-100 kg; 198-220 lb) weight class,[4] defeating the Iranian Abbas Jadidi by officials' decision after the competitors wrestled to an eight minute, one-one draw. The bout saw Jadidi earn a point after two minutes and 46 seconds by turning Angle, and Angle earning a point of his own with a takedown after three minutes and eleven seconds. The officials' decision was protested by Jadidi.[5]
Shortly after his victory, Angle turned down a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).[4][27] In the same year, he became a marketing representative for Protos Foods, the manufacturers of OSTRIM, an ostrich meat based foodstuff.[21][27]
Professional wrestling career
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996)
On October 26 1996, Angle was convinced by Shane Douglas to attend the taping of an Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) event named High Incident.[4] He provided guest commentary during a match between Taz and Little Guido, but left the building after Raven "crucified" The Sandman by attaching him to a cross using barbed wire.[28] Angle, shocked by the controversial imagery and afraid that his career prospects would 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.[4]
In 1997, following the incident, Angle worked for a year as a sportscaster on Pittsburgh's local FOX affiliate WPGH-TV.[29][30] He also shot a commercial for local pizza chain Pizza Outlet.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
1998–2000
In October 1998, Kurt Angle signed a five-year contract with the World Wrestling Federation. He was assigned to the Power Pro Wrestling developmental territory in Memphis, Tennessee, where he began training. Angle's first appearance on WWF television was on the March 7 1999 episode of Sunday Night Heat, where he took part in an angle with Tiger Ali Singh.[31]. This angle involved Singh paying him money to blow his nose on the American flag. Angle refused to do so and fought Singh off instead. His first official WWF match was a dark match victory over Brian Christopher on April 11 1999. In the following months, he wrestled in house shows and other dark matches in preparation for his televised debut.[31]
After several weeks of vignettes, Angle made his in-ring debut on November 14 1999 at the Survivor Series, defeating Shawn Stasiak.[32] In his initial push, he remained undefeated for several weeks, eventually losing to the debuting Tazz at the Royal Rumble.[33] Angle was booked to win both the WWF European Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship in February 2000,[33] billing himself as the "Eurocontinental Champion". He dropped both of his titles without ever conceding a fall in a two falls Triple Threat match with Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 2000; the match had been agreed to on Angle's behalf by his mentor, Bob Backlund.[33]
Throughout mid-2000, Angle and Edge and Christian ("Team ECK") feuded with Too Cool and Rikishi, with Angle defeating Rikishi in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament, which he was booked to win.[14] He went on to feud with Triple H after a love triangle between Angle, Triple H, and Triple H's wife Stephanie developed. As part of the storyline, he lost to Triple H at Unforgiven.[14] Following his feud with Triple H, Angle received another push and began pursuing the WWF Championship, defeating The Rock at No Mercy.[14] Angle retained the WWF Championship for the rest of the year in matches with The Undertaker at Survivor Series and in a six way Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon.[34]
2001–2002
Angle held the WWF Championship for almost four months, losing it to The Rock at No Way Out in February 2001. He then feuded with Chris Benoit, whom he defeated at WrestleMania X-Seven but lost to at Backlash in an Ultimate Submission Match; Benoit defeated Angle four falls to three in sudden-death overtime. Continuing the feud, Angle again defeated Benoit in a Two out of three falls match at Judgment Day. Benoit pinned Angle after an Angle Slam in a "Pinfalls Only" fall, and then Angle made Benoit submit with the Ankle Lock in the "Submissions Only" fall. Angle won the third fall, a Ladder match, with the help of Edge and Christian.
When WCW and ECW formed The Alliance and invaded the WWF in mid-2001, Kurt began an angle where he joined forces with WWF Champion Steve Austin to repel them. At Invasion, Angle and Austin captained a team of five WWF superstars against five handpicked members of the Alliance. As part of the angle, Team WWF lost to Team Alliance when Austin turned on his team to join the Alliance. At the close of the match, Austin nailed Angle with a Stone Cold Stunner, causing him to get pinned by the other team.[35] After winning and losing the WCW World Heavyweight Championship,[36][37] WCW United States Championship,[38][39] and WWF Hardcore Championship in matches with Alliance members,[40] Angle was booked to defeat Austin in a SummerSlam rematch for his second WWF Championship at Unforgiven.[41] He dropped the title back to Austin on the October 8 2001 episode of Raw when WWF Commissioner William Regal joined the Alliance and cost Angle the match.[42] As part of the storyline, Angle subsequently joined the Alliance himself,[43] but ultimately returned to the WWF by enabling The Rock to defeat Austin in a "winner takes all" bout between the WWF and The Alliance at Survivor Series.[41]
After dropping the US Championship to Edge, the duo were booked into a lengthy feud. During this feud, Edge started the "you suck" chants every time Kurt Angle entered a WWE ring, usually in tune with Angle's entrance music. This proved significant because the chants followed Angle throughout the rest of his WWE career. In the course of the feud, Angle lost a "hair versus hair" match to Edge at Judgment Day, and his head was shaved bald.[44] Following the legitimate loss of his hair, Angle's storyline called for him to wear a wig and insult bald people,[45] leading to a feud with Hulk Hogan, who stripped Angle of his wig.[46] Angle later scored a submission victory over Hogan at King of the Ring.[47]
In October 2002, Angle became the fourth WWE Grand Slam Champion when he was booked to win the WWE Tag Team Championship with Chris Benoit.[48] After dropping the titles to Edge and Rey Mysterio on an edition of SmackDown!,[49] Angle won his third WWE Championship at Armageddon, defeating The Big Show, with the help of Brock Lesnar.[50] While still in his third reign, Angle began a new storyline when he gained the services of manager Paul Heyman and "Team Angle" (Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin).[51]
2003–2004
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Lesnarangle.jpg/200px-Lesnarangle.jpg)
He then began feuding with Brock Lesnar, who had won the most recent Royal Rumble match,[52] after Lesnar claimed to be the new top superstar on SmackDown!. The match between Lesnar and Angle going into WrestleMania XIX marked the first time in WWE history that two accomplished amateur wrestlers met in a ring. Angle dropped the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XIX to Lesnar, who was receiving a major push at the time.[53]
On April 11 2003, Angle underwent neck surgery performed by Dr. Hai-Dong Jho to repair nerve and spinal damage, calcium buildup, bone spurs, and intervertebral disc problems. Rather than have Jho remove the afflicted discs and fuse his vertebrae together, Angle opted for a less conventional surgery where Jho removed only the spurs and selected portions of the discs. The alternative surgery reduced Angle's rehabilitation time from one year to three months.[54][55]
Shortly after returning, Angle defeated Brock Lesnar and Big Show in a Triple Threat match at Vengeance to regain the WWE Championship.[56] After retaining the title in a singles bout with Lesnar at SummerSlam, he dropped the title to Lesnar in an Iron Man match on an episode of SmackDown!.[57][58] Angle then formed a five-man team to rival Lesnar's team at the Survivor Series 2003, with Angle's team coming out victorious at the pay-per-view.[59]
Following WrestleMania XX, Angle began to once again suffer from legit neck problems.[60] As a response, he was made the on-screen General Manager of SmackDown!,[61] with his absence from the ring attributed to injuries suffered after Big Show chokeslammed him off a ledge.[62] Angle feuded with Eddie Guerrero throughout 2004 for the WWE Championship. He cost Guerrero the championship against John "Bradshaw" Layfield in a Texas Bull Rope match at The Great American Bash 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.[63] Angle was later kayfabe fired by Vince McMahon as General Manager in July 2004.[64]
In November 2004, Angle initiated the Kurt Angle Invitational, a worked weekly segment where "hometown heroes" (known as plants) challenged him to a match, with Angle promising to give his Olympic gold medal to the first person to last more than three minutes in the ring with him.[65] The Invitational was won by Eugene in July 2005 starting a new angle for both men.[66] As a result, Angle faced Eugene at SummerSlam, defeating him by making him tap out to the ankle lock. The crowd, however, did not react well to this victory, as Angle had pretended to offer a microphone to the challenger, but then brutally slammed it into the young man's face, stunning him, and allowing Kurt to finish him off with practically no challenge.
2005–2006
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/KurtAngleSs05.jpg/175px-KurtAngleSs05.jpg)
In January 2005, Angle took part in the Royal Rumble, but was eliminated by Shawn Michaels, who he returned to the ring to eliminate in retaliation.[67] Angle then became a storyline heel, and after mocking Michaels by defeating his former tag team partner, Marty Jannetty,[68] and attacking former manager, Sherri Martel,[69] Angle defeated Michaels in an interpromotional match, which won Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) Match of the Year at WrestleMania 21.[67] He continued to storyline feud with Michaels upon being drafted from SmackDown! to Raw in June 2005,[70] losing to Michaels at Vengeance.[71]
Angle returned to the SmackDown! brand in January 2006, where he was pushed to gain the vacant World Heavyweight Championship in a twenty man battle royal.[72][73] He retained the title in bouts with Mark Henry at the Royal Rumble and The Undertaker at No Way Out,[74] before dropping it to Rey Mysterio in a Triple Threat match, which also included Randy Orton, at WrestleMania 22.[75]
On May 29 2006, Angle was drafted to the newly created Extreme Championship Wrestling brand, where he quickly turned face.[76] Upon coming to ECW, he issued an open challenge for One Night Stand, which was accepted by Orton.[77] Angle defeated Orton at One Night Stand,[78] later losing to him in a rematch at Vengeance. Angle appeared sporadically on WWE television throughout mid-2006. On August 25 2006, he was granted an early release from his WWE contract due to "personal issues".[79][80]
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2006–present)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Kurt_TNA.jpg/175px-Kurt_TNA.jpg)
A few weeks after his WWE tenure had ended, Angle signed a contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), eliciting a minor backlash on the internet. It was believed Angle was let go from his WWE contract out of fear for his health. The new signing was viewed as a promotion not having concern for the health of a wrestler.[81] On September 24 2006 during the closing segment of the No Surrender pay-per-view, TNA President Dixie Carter announced that TNA Wrestling had signed Angle to a contract, with Jim Cornette introducing video footage of Angle training in a six-sided TNA ring.[82]
Angle made his TNA debut on October 19, 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.[83] The two men ended up fighting while Jarrett took the title back.[83] Angle was then the special enforcer for the Title vs. Career match between Jarrett and Sting at Bound for Glory, but, 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.[84] Angle's first match in TNA took place on the November 16 airing of iMPACT!, where he was booked to defeat Abyss with the Ankle lock and be attacked after the match by Samoa Joe.[85] At Genesis, Angle defeated Samoa Joe, ending Joe's push as undefeated.[84]
At Final Resolution, Angle was booked to defeat 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,[86] which he lost to Christian Cage after interference from Tomko and Scott Steiner.[87] This led into a feud between Angle and Steiner, with Angle pinning Steiner at Destination X.[88] 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 April's Lockdown. 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 would become the number one contender to Christian Cage's NWA World Heavyweight Title. Team Angle was victorious after Jeff Jarrett hit Abyss with a gimmicked guitar full of thumbtacks and allowed Sting to score the pin.[89] At Sacrifice, Angle was booked to defeat Cage and Sting in a Triple Threat match to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.[90] The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) does not recognize this reign, however, because they had stripped Christian Cage of the NWA Title earlier in the day, prior to the Sacrifice event, after severing their business partnership with TNA.[91]
On the following episode of iMPACT!, after hearing complaints from Cage and Sting about the controversial finish to the match, Jim Cornette stripped Angle of the title.[92] One month later at Slammiversary in a King of the Mountain match, Kurt Angle became the first TNA World Heavyweight Champion by defeating Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, and Chris Harris.[93] He then attacked Joe after denying a request for a handshake, reigniting their feud.
At Victory Road, newly-crowned X Division Champion Samoa Joe teamed with Kurt Angle to face TNA Tag Team Champions Team 3D, with the stipulation that if a wrestler pinned the other opponent, he won his championship.[94] 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.[94] On the following episode of iMPACT!, Joe (now holding the X Division and Tag Team Championships, with Kurt holding the TNA and IWGP championships) challenged Kurt to a match at Hard Justice for all the championships.[95] While illustrating how he would take away everything important in Kurt's life, Joe brought Kurt's wife Karen into the fray, as she demanded a divorce.[96] During the match, however, Karen betrayed Joe and aided her husband.[97] As part of his newest push, Kurt 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.[97] Angle, however, dropped both the X Division Title and the TNA World Tag Team Titles to Jay Lethal and Team Pacman, respectively, at No Surrender. At Bound for Glory, Angle lost the World Title to Sting, but won it back on the October 25 edition of iMPACT!.
Angle then joined forces with A.J. Styles and Tomko as the Angle Alliance at Turning Point against Samoa Joe, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. Styles had planned that Christian's Coalition and Angle Alliance could team up together, but Christian Cage demanded to be the leader of Angle Alliance after Cage denied Angle's request of being his "lackey". At Final Resolution, Angle successfully defended the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against Christian Cage due to interference from Styles and again at Against All Odds with help from Tomko.
Japan (2007–2008)
On February 18 2007, Angle made his debut in New Japan Pro Wrestling, teaming with former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata to defeat fellow TNA wrestler Travis Tomko and fellow WWE alumnus Giant Bernard.[98]
Angle was booked to face Brock Lesnar in a champion versus champion match for the Inoki Genome Federation on June 29 2007, defeating him by submission for the IWGP Third Belt Championship and challenged him to an MMA fight.[99] On December 19 2007, Angle defended the IWGP World Title successfully against Kendo Kashin.[100]
On January 4 2008, Angle made his third successful IWGP Third Belt Championship defense when he defeated Yuji Nagata at the New Japan Pro Wrestling supershow Wrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome by forcing Nagata to tap out to the ankle lock.[101] On February 17 2008 Kurt lost the IWGP title to Shinsuke Nakamura in a unification match thus ending his year long run in Japan.
Personal life
Kurt Angle attended Clarion University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a degree in education in 1993.[2] In his later life, Angle got a Clarion University Golden Eagle tattooed on his upper back.
Angle has four older brothers (one of whom, Eric, is also a wrestler) and a sister, Le'Anne, who died of a drug overdose.[102] His father was killed in a construction accident when Angle was sixteen, and Angle dedicated both his career and his autobiography It's True, It's True to him as a result. Angle claimed in an interview that, following the death of his father, 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.[21][23][22]
He married wife Karen Smedley[103] on December 19 1998,[104] and the couple has a daughter, Kyra, who was born on December 2 2002. They also have a son, Kody, who was born on October 26 2006. In August 2007, Karen debuted in TNA as Angle's regular valet.
In regards to his future, Angle has expressed interest on several occasions in pursuing an acting career after retirement from professional wrestling.[5]
Kurt Angle was arrested at his home by Moon Township, Pennsylvania police on a charge of drunk driving on September 28 2007 after being reported by a woman who claims that he almost hit her while leaving a local restaurant. Officials said Angle failed a field sobriety test but refused a blood test. Angle is charged with driving under the influence and careless driving,[105] but he denies the charges.[106]
Steroid allegations
On March 6 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.[107] The magazine alleged Angle had received prescriptions for trenbolone (which is not approved for human use by the FDA) and nandrolone, both anabolic steroids. Angle responded on his official website: "I did not improperly receive prescriptions. It is well documented that in my career I have broken vertebrae in my neck on five occasions and each time the course of treatment was under the care and supervision of my doctors. Any attempt to link me to the athletes in the current news accounts who may have improperly sought performance-enhancing drugs is without foundation."[108]
Approximately two weeks later on March 19 2007, Sports Illustrated posted on its website another article in its continuing series investigating a steroid and HGH ring used by a number of professional athletes in several sports. That article mentioned that 10 other professional wrestlers were implicated to have received performance-enhancing drugs from the same drug ring including four current WWE wrestlers and Eddie Guerrero.[109]
Kurt Angle never failed a drug test for pain pills. He did, however, fail a steroid test under WWE's Wellness Policy because his prescription for Deca-Durabolin had expired.[110]
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
- Standing ankle lock, sometimes grapevined for additional pressure and leverage
- Olympic slam / Angle Slam, sometimes done from the top rope
- Rolling German suplexes
- Moonsault - Usually reserved for high-profile matches
- Headbutt
- Crossface chickenwing - 2000; Adopted from Bob Backlund
- Overhead belly to belly suplex, sometimes from the top rope
- Rear naked choke
- Release German suplex / Bridging German suplex
- Belly to back suplex
- Body scissors
- European uppercut
- Double leg takedown
- Nicknames
- The Olympic Hero (WWE)
- The American Hero (WWE / New Japan Pro Wrestling)
- The Wrestling Machine (WWE)
- The Olympic Gold Medalist (WWE)
- The Only Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE History
- The Only Olympic Gold Medalist in Professional Wrestling
- Theme songs
- "Medal" composed by Jim Johnston (WWF The Music, Vol. 5) (WWE)
- "I Don't Suck" composed by Jim Johnston (WWE Anthology) (WWE)
- "Medal (Remix)" composed by Jim Johnston (WWE, ECW brand)
- "My Quest" composed by Dale Oliver (TNA)
- "Gold Metal" composed by Dale Oliver and performed by Tha Trademarc (Meltdown: The Music of TNA Wrestling Vol. 2) (TNA)
Championships and accomplishments
Professional wrestling
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Amateur wrestling
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Notes
- ^ a b c "TNA Profile". TNA Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ a b "Kurt Angle Bio at Washington Post.com". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved 2007-10-11.
- ^ a b c d e Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 4. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h Loverro, Thom. The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling (p.173)
- ^ a b c King, Peter. "Gripping Finish". SI.com. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "US Title History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ "WCW Championship History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ "WWE Tag Team Championship History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ "WWE Championship History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ "European Championship History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ "Hardcore Championship History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ "Intercontinental Championship History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ "World Heavyweight Championship History". WWE. Retrieved 2007-08-28.
- ^ a b c d PWI Staff. Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 106)
- ^ a b c Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 53. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 27. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 62. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 48. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 123. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Martinez, M. (2007-07-31). "Professional wrestler talks shop at West Valley Mall". Tri-Valley Herald. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
- ^ a b c "Kurt Angle, 1996 Olympic Gold Medal Wrestler Signs Multi-Year Deal With World Wrestling Federation". Business Wire. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ a b Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 5. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Heir Sentenced Up to 30 Years For Killing of Olympic Wrestler". The New York Times. May 14, 1997. Retrieved 2007-08-29.
- ^ Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 139. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 2. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Rossi, Rob. "Grappling with addiction". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
- ^ a b Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 200. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
: Unknown parameter|origdate=
ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ Loverro, Thom. The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling (p.172)
- ^ Thomas Chamberlin (February 2001). "It's True: He's a Real American Hero". Wrestling Digest. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
- ^ David Agostino (2005-08-12). "A grateful Angle comments on hometown reception". WWE. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
- ^ a b "1999 WWF event results". Angel Fire.com - Cawthon 777. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ PWI Staff. Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 104-105)
- ^ a b c PWI Staff. Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 105)
- ^ PWI Staff. Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 107)
- ^ Pro Wrestling Illustrated presents: 2007 Wrestling almanac & book of facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 108)
- ^ "SmackDown - July 26, 2001 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - July 30, 2001 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - October 22, 2001 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - November 12, 2001 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - September 10, 2001 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ a b 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 109)
- ^ "RAW - October 8, 2001 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - October 29, 2001 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ Michael McAvennie (2003). "WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition". Pocket Books. p. 127.
- ^ "SmackDown - May 23, 2002 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ Michael McAvennie (2003). "WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition". Pocket Books. p. 145.
- ^ Michael McAvennie (2003). "WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition". Pocket Books. pp. 152–153.
- ^ Michael McAvennie (2003). "WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition". Pocket Books. pp. 278–279.
- ^ Michael McAvennie (2003). "WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition". Pocket Books. p. 294.
- ^ Michael McAvennie (2003). "WWE The Yearbook: 2003 Edition". Pocket Books. pp. 329–330.
- ^ "SmackDown - December 26, 2002 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ PWI Staff. 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 112)
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 112-113)
- ^ "Angle ready to rumble after neck injury". Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "WWE.Com statement concerning Kurt Angle's injury..." Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 113)
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Dacts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 113-114)
- ^ "SmackDown - September 18, 2003 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ PWI Staff. 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 114)
- ^ Gray, Richard. "Further details on Kurt Angle's injury; Condition very serious". Lords of Pain. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "SmackDown - March 25, 2004 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "SmackDown - April 15, 2004 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 115-116)
- ^ "SmackDown - July 22, 2004 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "SmackDown-November 18, 2004 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - July 25, 2005 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ a b 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 117)
- ^ "SmackDown - March 17, 2005 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "SmackDown - March 24, 2005 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - June 13, 2005 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 118)
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated, May 2006". Arena Reports. Kappa Publishing. 2006. p. 130.
{{cite news}}
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ignored (help) - ^ Brady, Hicks. "2006: The year in wrestling". 2007 Wrestling Almanac and Book of Facts. Kappa Publications. p. 16. 2007 Edition.
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 119)
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 119-120)
- ^ "RAW - May 29, 2006 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "RAW - June 5, 2006 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ PWI Staff. 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 121)
- ^ Clevett, Jason. "WWE releases Kurt Angle". SLAM Wrestling!. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Angle talks about his release". WWE. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
- ^ "Wrestling Observer Dan Wahler". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 126-127)
- ^ a b "Impact - October 19, 2006 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ a b PWI Staff. 2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts. "Wrestling’s historical cards" (p. 127)
- ^ "Impact - November 16, 2006 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Final Resolution 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Against All Odds 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Destination X 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Lockdown 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Sacrifice 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Title History:NWA Heavyweight Championship". Gordon Solie. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
NWA Executive Director, Robert K. Trokich announced that the National Wrestling Alliance has ended its 5 year relationship with TNA Entertainment, LLC. Trobich also stripped Christian Cage and Team 3-D of the NWA branded Championships.
- ^ "Impact - May 17, 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "Slammiversary 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ a b "Victory Road 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Impact 07-19-07 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Impact 08-02-07 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ a b "Hard Justice 2007 Results". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Kurt Angle's Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
- ^ "Kurt Angle beats Brock Lesnar in Japan". 411mania.com. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ "IGF". IGF. 2007-12-22. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
- ^ "Strong Style Spirit". Strong Style Spirit. 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ Simno 'LILSBOY' Rothstein. "Wrestling with tragedy". The Sun Online. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ "Karen Angle biography". Retrieved 2007-10-12.
- ^ Angle, Kurt. It’s true, it’s true (Hardcover ed.). HarperEntertainment. p. 187. ISBN 0060393270.
{{cite book}}
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ignored (|orig-date=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Kurt Angle Wrestles DUI, Careless Driving Charges". WPXI.com. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ "Kurt caught with 'pills in mouth'". The Sun. 2007-10-06. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
- ^ Llosa, Luis Fernando (2007-03-06). "Inside the Steroid Sting". SI.com. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
{{cite news}}
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ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Angle, Kurt (2007-03-08). "Angle responds". Kurt Angle's Official Website. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
- ^ Llosa, Luis Fernando (2007-03-19). "Wrestlers allegedly tied to drug ring". SI.com. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Did Kurt Angle Ever Fail A WWE Drug Test For Pain Killers?". TNAWrestlingNews.com. 2007-07-29. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ^ "TNA World Tag Team Title". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
References
- "2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts". Wrestling’s Historical Cards. Kappa Publishing. 2007.
- "Pro Wrestling Illustrated, May 2006". Arena Reports. Kappa Publishing. 2006.
{{cite news}}
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ignored (help) - Kurt Angle (2002). It's True! It's True!. HarperEntertainment. p. 384. ISBN 0061098930.
- Thom Loverro (2006). The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling. WWE Books. p. 384. ISBN 1416510583.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Wikiquote-logo.svg/34px-Wikiquote-logo.svg.png)
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- 1968 births
- American professional wrestlers
- American sport wrestlers
- Living people
- Olympic athletes who wrestled professionally
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States
- Olympic wrestlers of the United States
- People from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
- People from Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania
- People from Pittsburgh
- Professional wrestling executives
- Sportspeople from Pittsburgh
- Wrestlers at the 1996 Summer Olympics