Kurt Angle captured national attention in 1996 when he won the 220-pound freestyle wrestling competition at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. And the extraordinarily proud Angle -- some would say conceited -- surely won't let anyone forget about it!
When the crowd has the audacity not to cheer for him, Kurt wonders aloud how anyone can boo an Olympic gold medalist.

In 2000 -- Angle's first full year in World Wrestling Entertainment -- the Pittsburgh native had probably the best rookie campaign in history. After winning the European and Intercontinental titles, Kurt took 2000 King of the Ring crown. Then, in October, he won the WWE Championship, defeating The Rock at No Mercy.

The momentum did not stop in 2001. Angle won the WWE Championship for a second time -- beating Stone Cold Steve Austin in Angle's hometown -- as well as the WCW Title.

Whether the crowd is chanting "Angle! Angle!" as they did that night in Pittsburgh, or, more likely, "You suck! You suck!" there's no denying Kurt Angle's accomplishments. When it's all said and done, Angle could go down in history as the greatest of all time. Oh, it's damn true!

Kurt Angle was born on December 9, 1968. He has four older brothers and one sister. His father, David Angle, a construction worker, died when Kurt was 16. He grew up in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated in 1987 from Mount Lebanon High School. Kurt's tattoo is of his high school mascot.

In high school, he was an all- state linebacker, a Junior National Freestyle Wrestling Champion, and a State Freestyle Wrestling Champion. Kurt graduated in 1992 from Clarion University in Pittsburgh . He received a degree in Geography. After college, Kurt was a 4 time Athlete of the Year on the Olympic level, a 5 time national champion on the Olympic and World level and in 1995 he was a world champion.

Kurt also had a try out with the football team, The Pittsburgh Stealers. Kurt Angle won the Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 in the 220 lb division of freestyle wrestling when he defeated Abbas Jadidi of Iran in Atlanta, Ga. It was a great day for the country. From 1996 to 1997, Kurt worked as a weekend sports anchor for a Pittsburgh station. In his free time, he also gave speeches and endorsed products for Protos INC.

After his Olympic win, Kurt was offered a contract with the WWF. Kurt visited the training facilities but turned down the offer. Amateur wrestlers were taught never to have anything to do with the 'fake' pro wrestling. In October of 1998, Kurt began watching the WWF and became enthralled with the business. He, then, contacted the WWF and asked for a tryout. Kurt went to a training camp in Stamford, Connecticut run by Tom Prichard and Dory Funk JR. Our Olympic hero was signed to a 5 year contract on his 2nd day there. This was unheard of. On his 4th day with the company Kurt had his first match in Boston against Christian. This was another rarity. It took most wrestlers much longer.

On January 19, 1998, Kurt married his wife Karen. She owns a nail salon in Pittsburgh where the couple lives. ( I think Karen is awesome. You should read Karen's Korner on Kurt's website.) Kurt Angle made his official WWF debut in November 1999 at the Survivor Series. He defeated Shawn Stasiak in the opening match of the classic yearly event. Kurt was undefeated for quite some time until he fought the Rock in Pittsburgh. ( I don't count Tazz's illegal choke hold.) Kurt defeated Val Venis for the European championship and Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental championship at No Way Out 2000. Kurt was the first ever Eurocontinental champion. ( D Lo Brown doesn't count) He lost both championships at Wrestlemania 2000 without even being pinned. Kurt recovered by winning the King of the Ring tournament. Winning the tournament was a stepping stone for all wrestlers. (except for Billy Gunn) It means that you are on your way to being a main eventer. Past Kings have been HHH, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, and Steve Austin. Kurt won it after 7 months into his career. Kurt was elevated to the main event status with matches against the Undertaker and a triple threat match with the Rock and HHH for the championship. By August, anyone could see that it was Kurt's time. He was the man. That became even clearer in October 2000 at No Mercy when Kurt Angle defeated the Rock to become the WWF champion. He held onto the title until February of 2001. It was the longest title reign since three years before.

Kurt lost the title to the Rock at No Way Out. Kurt then had a 3 month long feud with Chris Benoit. At King of the Ring, a great thing happened. Instead of Kurt winning KOTR again, he was cheated out of it by Shane McMahon. It may have seemed like a bad thing, but it turned into something wonderful. After Kurt's loss he began hanging out with Steve Austin and Vince McMahon. If Kurt had won KOTR, it would have been a regression. Kurt became a main eventer again after KOTR.

He began a long feud with the WWF champion, Steve Austin and led his team to Invasion. Kurt became a face during the Invasion angle. He defeated Austin for the Championship at Unforgiving, but was cheated out of it shortly after. Kurt entered his first Royal Rumble this year but sadly lost to HHH. He was the 2nd to last man eliminated. Kurt got a # 1 contendorship match at No Way Out against HHH. HHH's jilted wife Stephanie was the referee and Kurt won the match. Sadly he lost a rematch the next night and his title shot. Kurt started a short and meaningless feud against Kane which led to a match at Wrestlemania.

Kurt then feuded with former Team member and friend Edge. Kurt defeated Edge at Backlash but that was only the beginning. Kurt and Edge embarked on a classic rivalry that ended with a loser shaves his head match at Judgement day. Kurt lost the match in a mixed blessing. (He looked pretty hot bald) In what was called a battle of the real americans, Kurt made the Immortal/untalented Hulk Hogan tap. Kurt earned a title shot and faced the Rock and The Undertaker at Vengeance. The Rock walked away with the gold to the disgust of many.

The Rock will most likely drop the title to Brock at Summerslam which I hope will lead to a great match later this year and hopefully the Olympic hero will wear the championship belt. Kurt's wife Karen is expecting a girl in December. I think they should consider the name Rebecca. lol There are many rumors that Kurt will leave the WWE to participate in the 2004 Olympics.

Kurt Angle quotes

" You do not boo an Olympic Gold Medalist. I'm the best in the world. I came here for you. You dont' boo me."
Survivor Series. This was Kurt's first live speech ever in the WWF.
" Your Olympic Hero has arrived in Wooster, Massachusetts. As all of you know, I have built a lifetime of success over a simple set of rules that I call the 3 I's: Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence."
"And just like so many other cities in this great nation, Greensboro, North Carolina doesn't' have the most intelligent people in the world and nor will they ever.But, just like the old song goes: two out of three aint bad, so if you stick with the intensity and the Integrity, you'll do just fine."
"Down here, I see a 7 foot tall 340 pound bag of muscle who hides behind a mask and doesn't speak a word and why, because he lacks integrity and he obviously lacks intelligence. Sure he has intensity. There's no doubt about that, but that can only take you so far, Kane."
"This is going to be the most exciting match of the night and why? Because these people love me, and why not? I am an Olympic Champion. I'm a European Champion. I am an Intercontinental Champion and I am a role model for all people."
"Mark Henry's greatest accomplishment was impregnating a 82 year old woman."
"Now, I was told by reliable sources and this is true because I am a man of integrity and I would not lie. I was told by reliable sources that Chyna was going to steal my belt and sell it; hawk it for money, so that she could buy even more plastic surgery."
"You know there are certain things in life that make sense. Why the grass is green? Why the sky is blue and why the Houston Oilers would want to get the heck out of this town and never come out."
"Your Olympic Hero is scheduled to wrestle a match against the man they call the big red retard; not that I have anything against retarded people cause I don't. As a matter of fact, I have a lot of retarded fans out there that admire and respect your Olympic Hero "
"I have received calls from parents telling me that their children were too depressed to go to school today."
"You can dance and you can prance, but when it comes to relationships, keep it in your pants."
"Join me in Olympic Heros for Abstinence. The best sex is no sex."
"If you want to suck on something, suck on this."
"The big show is a big ass and I do not like, nor do I appreciate big asses. Speaking of big asses, my opponent tonight is Rikishi. Maybe if Rikishi's parents would have practiced abstinence, we wouldn't be exposed to that awful repulsive rectum that he carries with him today."
"I love gladiator movies."
"Virginia is for lovers, provided those lovers are not from the same family"
"I used to think that the only good thing that came out of Canada was maple syrup and Michael J Fox, but I was wrong."
"Even though, I suplexed an 82 year old pregnant woman, I am still a role model for children not to mention elderly people."
"It's to my understanding that late Monday night, millions of children went to sleep crying their eyes out because of the cowardly attack your Olympic Hero suffered at the hands of Chynia.... Parents have called me saying, saying that their children were having nightmares of Chyna attacking them as well.That's pretty horrifying, but to have Chyna in your dreams is bad enough. I don't even want to think about it. I just want to say to you, to all my fans and and also my fans in Luxensburg, Denmark, and especially Belgium that your Olympic Hero is A okay."
Back to Home
"There's no one that likes posing with midgets more than I do, but I have more important things on my mind, like European gold."
Once again, your Olympic Hero is going global.
"I am privileged to defend the honor of Stephanie McMahon- Helmsley. What? You ask why? Because Stephanie possesses something that unfortunately none of you here in Long Island could ever possess. And that my friends is class. It's True. It's True and Chris Jericho, when you insult Stephanie McMahon- Helmsley, you insult everything that is good and pure about society today."
"Maybe it's the way you people in Samoa greet each other."
"The intercontinental belt weights five ounces more than the European belt. I think it's because there are more countries that represent the Intercontinental belt than the countries that represent the European belt."
"Like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie. The Big Show is a big waste of talent. And Like Abraham Lincoln, I'm honest almost to a fault. If the Big Show had my 3 I's, then maybe he wouldn't be such a big disappointment and like Marion Barry, actually I'm nothing like Marion Barrt and shame on you for reelecting that guy."
"I might be the only hero all of you have left.
"Ever since I teamed up with Edge and Christian, your Olympic Hero noticed he's been getting a lot of extra attention, from teenage girls. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.In fact,word on the street is your Olympic Hero is considered to be "all that". It's true. It's true. For teenage girls I have a word of warning in the form of a nursery rhyme. " Don't be like the people here shacking up with different guys. Be clean. Be pure. Be abstinent and follow my 3 I's"
"I was a little upset that I will not be starring in the film, but if they have a sequel, I'm sure Mr. Spielburg has that on his mind."
"Actually, I never met the guy. I'm sure he's a big fan and I'd love to meet him."
Your a commoner and I need a commoner's perspective. What do you think about these names? King Kurt? Hold on a second. How about King Angle? Hold on a second. I have a better one. How about Kurt Angle Royal Gold Medalist.

Unofficial

The Olympic Volunteers Resource!

Home Page