Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestlerProfessional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is an athletic performing art where matches are prearranged by the promotion's booking staff. It is a non-competitive sport which contains strong elements of theatre, mock combat, and catch wrestling. Wrestling's origins date to 19th-century carnival...
,
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and
1996 OlympicThe Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
gold medalA gold medal is typically the highest medal awarded for achievement in a non-military field. The concept comes from the military, initially with a simple recognition of military rank, and later decorations for admission to military orders dating back to medieval times.Since the eighteenth century,...
ist. He is currently under contract with
Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling , a privately controlled integrated-media and sports entertainment company, deals primarily in professional wrestling. It uses television, the Internet, and live events, with additional major revenue sources from product licensing and direct product sales...
, where he is a former three-time
TNA World Heavyweight ChampionThe TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
, as recognized by promotion.
Angle was involved in amateur wrestling during both high school and college. In college at
Clarion University of PennsylvaniaClarion University of Pennsylvania, located on a campus in Clarion, Pennsylvania, is one of fourteen universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education ....
, he won numerous accolades, including being a two-time
National Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
Division I champion. After graduating, he won the 1995 World Championship tournament. Angle then competed in the
1996 Summer OlympicsThe 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, Georgia, where he won a
gold medalA gold medal is typically the highest medal awarded for achievement in a non-military field. The concept comes from the military, initially with a simple recognition of military rank, and later decorations for admission to military orders dating back to medieval times.Since the eighteenth century,...
in heavyweight
freestyle wrestlingFreestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
.
Initially turning down an offer to join the
World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF), Angle signed a multi-year contract with the company in 1998. His first big
pushIn professional wrestling, a push is an attempt by the booker to make the wrestler win more matches and become more popular or more reviled with the fans depending on whether they are a heel or a face...
in the company was in February 2000, when he held both the
WWF European ChampionshipThe WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. Along with the WWE Intercontinental Championship, it was one of two coveted midcard heavyweight singles championships in the promotion, with several superstars holding both titles...
and the
WWF Intercontinental ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It is the original secondary title of WWE...
. Not long after, Angle began pursuing the
WWF ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship and ECW Championship. It was established...
. He continued to be a part of main event matches until August 2006, when Angle was granted a release from his contract. Throughout his tenure in the company, he was a six-time world champion (four-time
WWF/E ChampionThe World Wrestling Entertainment Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship and ECW Championship. It was established...
,
World Heavyweight ChampionThe World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship and ECW Championship...
and
WCW ChampionThe World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the top title contested for in World Championship Wrestling...
),
WCW United States ChampionThe World Wrestling Entertainment United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw...
, WWF Intercontinental Champion, WWF European Champion,
WWF Hardcore ChampionThe World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship was a hardcore wrestling championship defended in World Wrestling Entertainment, under hardcore rules.-History:...
and
WWE Tag Team ChampionThe World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. The title is currently unified with the World Tag Team Championship, and defended together as the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship...
(with
Chris BenoitChristopher Michael Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler who was found by investigators and authorities to have murdered his wife and son before committing suicide...
). In addition, he was the winner of the King of the Ring tournament in 2000, the tenth Triple Crown Champion, and the fifth Grand Slam Champion.
After leaving WWE, Angle joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he became the second wrestler in TNA to win TNA's Triple Crown and the first man to hold all three TNA championships simultaneously. While in TNA, his real-life wife
KarenKaren Angle is an American former professional wrestling valet and personality. She is most famous for her stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2007 - 2008...
began accompanying him to the ring and playing a part in his on-screen storylines. Angle has also made appearances for
New Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972 and owned by Yuke's. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it is the largest wrestling promotion in Japan and one of the largest in the world....
and
Inoki Genome FederationInoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.-History:Antonio Inoki left New Japan Pro Wrestling, a promotion he founded in 1972, to start the IGF....
, where he was the IWGP Third Belt Champion. Also a three-time
TNA World Heavyweight ChampionThe TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
, Angle is a nine time World Champion overall, though TNA bills him as a thirteen-time world champion when adding the IWGP Third Belt Championship, his 1996 Olympic Gold Medal, and 2 NCAA World Freestyle Championships. He is also the 2007 and 2009
King of the MountainThe King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five or seven competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009. The match is a staple of the...
winner at Slammiversary.
Amateur wrestling career
Kurt started amateur wrestling at the age of six. Angle attended Mt. Lebanon High School, where he won
varsity letterA varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- The letter :...
s in
footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
and
wrestlingScholastic wrestling is the style of amateur wrestling practiced at the high school and middle school level in the United States. The wrestling style is essentially collegiate wrestling, with some slight modifications...
and was an All-State
linebackerA Linebacker is a position in American and Canadian football that was invented by football coach Fielding Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He went undefeated on the freshman wrestling team at Mt. Lebanon High and qualified for the state wrestling tournament his sophomore year. 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 PennsylvaniaClarion University of Pennsylvania, located on a campus in Clarion, Pennsylvania, is one of fourteen universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education ....
, where he continued to
wrestleCollegiate wrestling is the style of amateur wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling is sometimes known as folkstyle wrestling because by and large, it is the style that emerged out of the folk wrestling styles practiced in the early...
at an amateur level. He was a two-time
National Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
Division I champion, national runner-up in 1991, and a 3-time NCAA Division I
All-AmericaAn All-American "team" is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific All-America and typically referred to as All-American athletes, or simply...
n. 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 StylesThe International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...
Junior World Freestyle champion.
After graduating from college, Angle continued to wrestle. In 1995, he won a gold medal at the World Championships in Atlanta, Georgia. Following this victory, Angle began preparing for the
1996 Summer OlympicsThe 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
under
Dave SchultzDavid Leslie Schultz was an Olympic and World champion freestyle wrestler.-Early life:...
at the Pennsylvanian Foxcatcher Club, training between eight and ten hours a day. In January 1996, not long after Angle began training at the club, Schultz was murdered by
John Eleuthère du PontJohn Eleuthère duPont is an American and member of the prominent du Pont family who was convicted of murder in the third degree. He is also known as an ornithologist, philatelist, philanthropist, coach, and sports enthusiast....
, the sponsor of Schultz's team of Olympic prospectives. As a result, Angle quit John Eleuthère du Pont's team, searched for new sponsors, and joined the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club in Schultz's memory.
Angle faced further hardships while taking part in the 1996 Olympic Trials, when he suffered a severe neck injury, fracturing two of his
cervical vertebraeIn vertebrates, cervical vertebrae are those vertebrae immediately inferior to the skull.-Variation among species:In some species, some parts of the skull may be composed of vertebra-like elements, e.g...
,
herniaA hernia is protrusion of an organ or the muscular wall of an organ through the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes upwards into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm.-Pathophysiology:...
ting two
discsIntervertebral discs lie between adjacent vertebrae in the spine. Each disc forms a cartilaginous joint to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, and acts as a ligament to hold the vertebrae together.-Structure:...
, 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. 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
analgesicAn analgesic is any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos...
VicodinVicodin is a trademarked brand narcotic analgesic product containing hydrocodone and paracetamol Vicodin is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. It is usually found in tablet form with either the names Vicodin, Vicodin ES, or Vicodin HP imprinted on one side...
after injuring his neck.
He won his gold medal in the heavyweight (90-100 kg; 198-220 lb) weight class, defeating the
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
ian
Abbas JadidiAbbas Jadidi is an Iranian wrestler who competed in the Freestyle Heavyweight category at the 1996 Summer Olympics, losing controversially to Kurt Angle and winning the silver medal....
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
takedownA takedown is a martial arts and combat sports term for a technique that involves off-balancing an opponent and bringing him or her to the ground, typically with the combatant performing the takedown landing on top. The process of quickly advancing on an opponent and attempting a takedown is known...
after three minutes and eleven seconds. The officials' decision was protested by Jadidi.
Shortly after his victory, Angle turned down a contract with the
World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF). In the same year, he became a marketing representative for Protos Foods, the manufacturers of OSTRIM, an
ostrichThe ostrich, Struthio camelus, is a large flightless bird native to Africa. It is the only living species of its family, Struthionidae and its genus, Struthio. Ostriches share the order Struthioniformes with the kiwis, and other ratites...
meat based foodstuff.
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1996)
On October 26, 1996, Angle was convinced by
Shane DouglasTroy Shane Martin is an American professional wrestler and promoter, better known by his ring name Shane Douglas. In the course of his career, which has spanned two decades, Douglas has wrestled in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling and briefly in the World Wrestling...
to attend the taping of an
Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW) event named
High Incident. He provided guest commentary during a match between
TazPeter Senerchia is an American retired professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
and
Little GuidoJames Maritato is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring names Little Guido Maritato and Nunzio...
, but left the building after
RavenScott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, actor, writer, and producer, best known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and most recently returning to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling along with Shane Douglas...
"
crucifiedCrucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
"
The SandmanJames "Jim" Fullington better known by his ring name Sandman, is an American professional wrestler, best known for his career with Extreme Championship Wrestling , where he developed into a "Hardcore Icon" and became a five time World Heavyweight Champion...
by attaching him to a
crossThe Christian cross is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity. It is a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is related to the crucifix and to the more general family of cross symbols...
using
barbed wireBarbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
. 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 HeymanPaul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best-known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, and commentator. He is also an occasional actor in film....
if he was shown on television in the same broadcast as the stunt.
In 1997, following the incident, Angle worked for a year as a sportscaster on Pittsburgh's local
FoxThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
affiliate
WPGH-TVWPGH-TV is the FOX-affiliated television station for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 43 from a transmitter at its studios on Ivory Avenue in the city. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 7 and in high definition on digital channel...
. He also shot a commercial for local pizza chain
Pizza OutletVocelli Pizza is a pizzeria based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. , the chain has stores in the District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia...
.
1998-2000
In October 1998, Angle signed an eight-year contract with the World Wrestling Federation. He was assigned to the Power Pro Wrestling developmental territory in
Memphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. Memphis rises above the Mississippi River on the 4
th Chickasaw Bluff just south of the mouth of the Wolf River....
, where he began training. Angle's first appearance on WWF television was on the March 7, 1999 episode of
Sunday Night HeatWWE Heat was a professional wrestling show for World Wrestling Entertainment....
, where he took part in an angle with
Tiger Ali SinghGurjit Singh Hans is an Indo-Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Tiger Ali Singh. He is the son of legendary wrestler Tiger Jeet Singh.-Career:...
. This angle involved Singh paying him money to blow his nose on the American flag. Angle instead blew his nose on Singh's flag and fought him off. His first official WWF match was a dark match victory over
Brian ChristopherBrian Christopher Lawler is a professional wrestler currently performing for Memphis Wrestling and other independent promotions. He is the son of professional wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler and brother of wrestling referee Kevin Christian...
on April 11, 1999. In the following months, he wrestled in
house showA house show is a short professional wrestling show run by a major promotion, such as World Wrestling Entertainment or Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , that is not televised or taped...
s and other dark matches in preparation for his televised debut.
After several weeks of vignettes, Angle made his in-ring debut on November 14, 1999 at the
Survivor SeriesSurvivor Series was the thirteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
, defeating
Shawn StasiakShawn Emile Stipich is a Canadian-American chiropractor and semi-retired professional wrestler, better known as Shawn Stasiak. He is the son of former WWF Champion Stan "The Man" Stasiak.-Early career:...
. In his initial push, he remained undefeated for several weeks, eventually losing to the debuting
TazzPeter Senerchia is an American retired professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
at the
Royal RumbleRoyal Rumble was the thirteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 23, 2000 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York....
. Angle's television character was an "American hero" gimmick based on his gold medal win at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In his promos, Angle presented himself as a role model and stressed the need to work hard to realize one's dreams, stressing the
3 Is, "Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence". In his promos and ring entrances, Angle would always wear replicas of his gold medals around his neck. Despite standing for many principles that are associated with
fan favoritesIn professional wrestling, a face or babyface is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains. Not everything a face wrestler does must be heroic: faces need only to be cheered by the audience to be effective characters...
, Angle's character was arrogant, talked down to the audience, and behaved as if he thought he was better than the fans, leading to him quickly becoming a
villainIn professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling storylines. They are typically opposed by a babyface or more simply, face . Some tweeners exhibit heel mannerisms...
. Angle won both the
WWF European ChampionshipThe WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. Along with the WWE Intercontinental Championship, it was one of two coveted midcard heavyweight singles championships in the promotion, with several superstars holding both titles...
and the
WWF Intercontinental ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It is the original secondary title of WWE...
in February 2000, 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 BenoitChristopher Michael Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler who was found by investigators and authorities to have murdered his wife and son before committing suicide...
and
Chris JerichoChristopher Keith "Chris" Irvine better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-born Canadian professional wrestler, television and stage actor, author, radio host, television host and rock musician...
at
WrestleMania 2000WrestleMania 2000 was the sixteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 2, 2000 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California...
; the match had been agreed to on Angle's behalf by his mentor,
Bob BacklundRobert Lee "Bob" Backlund , is an American professional wrestler and actor with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years...
.
Throughout mid-2000, Angle and
Edge and ChristianEdge and Christian is a former tag team of on-screen brothers made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation and the Canadian independent circuit...
("
Team ECKTeam ECK, later known as Team RECK, was a professional wrestling stable in World Wrestling Federation from 2000 to 2001. The stable consisted of Kurt Angle, Edge and Christian, and Rhyno. The stable lasted from mid-2000 to mid-2001...
")
feudedA professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with
Too CoolToo Cool is a professional wrestling tag team and former stable most notably active in the World Wrestling Federation between 1998 and 2001 and for a short time in 2004...
and
RikishiSolofa Fatu, Jr. is a Samoan-American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi. Fatu is a member of the extensive Samoan Anoa'i wrestling family, and the nephew of the Wild Samoans, Afa and Sika, who trained him in the 1980s...
, with Angle defeating Rikishi in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament. He went on to feud with
Triple HPaul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of his former ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
after a love triangle between Angle, Triple H, and Triple H's wife Stephanie McMahon developed. As a change to the intended storyline of Stephanie turning on HHH and going with Angle, he lost to Triple H at Unforgiven. Following his feud with Triple H, Angle received another push and began pursuing the
WWF ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship and ECW Championship. It was established...
, defeating The Rock at No Mercy, after interference from Rikishi. Angle retained the WWF Championship for the rest of the year in matches with The Undertaker at
Survivor SeriesSurvivor Series was the fourteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on November 19, 2000 at the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida.-Results:...
and in a six way Hell in a Cell match at
ArmageddonArmageddon was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Federation that took place on December 10, 2000, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. It was the second annual Armageddon event....
.
2001-2002
Angle held the WWF Championship for almost four months, losing it to The Rock at
No Way OutNo Way Out was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It was the third such annual event and took place on February 25, 2001 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada....
. He then feuded with Chris Benoit, whom he defeated at
WrestleMania X-SevenWrestleMania X-Seven was the seventeenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 1, 2001 at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas...
but lost to at Backlash in an
Ultimate Submission matchAn Iron Man match is a professional wrestling match type that is set to go a specific amount of time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, with the competitor with the most decisions at the end of that time named the victor...
; 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 DayJudgment Day was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It was the third such annual event and took place on May 20, 2001 at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California....
. 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 matchA ladder match is a type of match in professional wrestling that is most commonly used to describe a match where an item is hung above the ring, and the winner is the contestant who climbs a ladder and retrieves the item...
, with the help of Edge and Christian.
When
World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and his...
and ECW formed The Alliance and invaded the WWF in mid-2001 (dubbed as "The Invasion"), Kurt became a fan favorite and began an angle where he joined forces with WWF Champion
Steve AustinSteve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
to repel them. At
InvasionInvasion was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on July 22, 2001 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio....
, 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 StunnerA stunner is a common term in professional wrestling referring to the seated three-quarter facelock jawbreaker maneuver, predominantly used by and named after Stone Cold Steve Austin, but invented by Mikey Whipwreck, who called it the Whipper-Snapper, and also used by Disco Inferno naming it the...
, causing him to get pinned by the other team. After winning and losing the
WCW ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the top title contested for in World Championship Wrestling...
,
WCW United States ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw...
, and the
WWF Hardcore ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship was a hardcore wrestling championship defended in World Wrestling Entertainment, under hardcore rules.-History:...
in matches with Alliance members, Angle was booked to defeat Austin in a
SummerSlamSummerSlam was the fourteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 19, 2001 at the Compaq Center in San Jose, California....
rematch for his second WWF Championship at Unforgiven. He dropped the title back to Austin on the October 8, 2001 episode of
RawWWE Raw is a professional wrestling television program for World Wrestling Entertainment that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States. The show's name, which is sometimes stylized as RAW, is also used to refer to the Raw brand, in which WWE employees are assigned to work and perform...
when WWF Commissioner
William RegalDarren Nathaniel Matthews also known by his ring names Steven Regal and William Regal, is an English professional wrestler, currently signed to the World Wrestling Entertainment where he is performing on its ECW brand....
joined The Alliance and cost Angle the match. As part of the storyline, Angle subsequently turned into a villain again and joined the Alliance himself; during a
WrestleMania X-SevenWrestleMania X-Seven was the seventeenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 1, 2001 at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas...
rematch between
Vince McMahonVincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestler, promoter, in-ring announcer, play-by-play commentator and film producer. He currently serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of World Wrestling Entertainment and is the majority shareholder of WWE. He is the creator...
and
Shane McMahonShane Brandon McMahon is an American executive and part-time professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , appearing primarily on the Raw brand. He is the son of the current WWE Chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon and brother of Stephanie McMahon, making him...
, he interfered seemingly to aid Vince but instead struck the members of team WWF with a steel chair. However, this was all a swerve as 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
Survivor SeriesSurvivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
. Kurt, however, remained a villain by claiming sole responsibility for the destruction of The Alliance.
After dropping the
WWE United States ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw...
to
EdgeAdam Joseph Copeland is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to an injury....
, 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, as Edge told the crowd to chant "you're bald". Following the loss of his hair, Angle's storyline called for him to wear a wig and insult bald people, leading to a feud with
Hollywood HoganTerry Gene Bollea better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American actor and retired professional wrestler....
, who stripped Angle of his wig. Angle later scored a submission victory over Hogan at King of the Ring.
In October 2002, Angle became the fifth WWE Grand Slam Championship winner when he won the
WWE Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. The title is currently unified with the World Tag Team Championship, and defended together as the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship...
with Chris Benoit. Their team was successful but problematic, as the two bickered constantly, with Benoit often fed up with Angle's over-the-top antics. After dropping the titles to Edge and Rey Mysterio on an edition of
SmackDown!, Angle won his third WWE Championship at
ArmageddonArmageddon was the third Armageddon professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on December 15, 2002 at the Office Depot Center in the Ft...
, defeating
The Big ShowPaul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its Raw brand where he is one half of the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions with Chris Jericho.In professional wrestling, Show is a...
, with the help of
Brock LesnarBrock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist as well as a former professional and amateur wrestler...
. While still in his third reign, Angle began a new storyline when he gained the services of
managerIn professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
Paul Heyman and "
Team AngleThe World's Greatest Tag Team was a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Entertainment. The team consisted of Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, and started out captained by Kurt Angle, during which time they were known as Team Angle.Haas and Benjamin made their debut on the...
".
2003-2004
He then began feuding with Brock Lesnar, who had won the
2003 Royal Rumble matchRoyal Rumble was the sixteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . The event took place on January 19, 2003 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts....
, after Lesnar claimed to be the new top superstar on
SmackDown!. The match between Lesnar and Angle going into
WrestleMania XIXWrestleMania XIX was the nineteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on March 30, 2003 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Washington...
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.
On April 11, 2003, Angle underwent neck surgery performed by Dr. Hai-Dong Jho to repair nerve and spinal damage,
calciumCalcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft grey alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth most abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
buildup, bone spurs, and
intervertebral discIntervertebral discs lie between adjacent vertebrae in the spine. Each disc forms a cartilaginous joint to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, and acts as a ligament to hold the vertebrae together.-Structure:...
problems. Rather than have Dr. Jho remove the afflicted discs and fuse his
vertebraA vertebra is an individual bone in the flexible column that defines vertebrate animals, e.g. humans. The vertebral column encases and protects the spinal cord, which runs from the base of the cranium down the dorsal side of the animal until reaching the pelvis. From there, vertebra continue into...
e 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.
Angle returned as a face in June. Shortly after returning, Angle defeated Brock Lesnar and Big Show in a Triple Threat match at
VengeanceVengeance was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on July 27, 2003 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. It was the third annual Vengeance event and starred wrestlers from the SmackDown brand.Eight professional wrestling...
to regain the WWE Championship. During this time, Lesnar seemed to become an ally to Angle. However, Lesnar secretly worked with Vince McMahon on a plot against Angle and stated that he never tolerated losing the belt to him at Vengeance. After retaining the title in a singles bout with Lesnar at
SummerSlamSummerSlam was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on August 24, 2003 at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona...
, he dropped the title to Lesnar in an
Iron Man matchAn Iron Man match is a professional wrestling match type that is set to go a specific amount of time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, with the competitor with the most decisions at the end of that time named the victor...
on an episode of
SmackDown!. Angle then formed a five-man team to rival Lesnar's team at the
Survivor SeriesSurvivor Series was the seventeenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
, with Angle's team coming out victorious.
Angle would then get involved in a feud with
Eddie GuerreroEduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family...
. At
No Way OutNo Way Out was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on February 15, 2004 at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California...
, Guerrero defeated Lesnar to win the WWE Championship, and Angle won a match to become number one contender. Angle would turn heel again shortly afterwards, claiming that a "drug addict" like Guerrero didn't deserve to be champion. After losing to Guerrero at
WrestleMania XXWrestleMania XX was the twentieth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on March 14, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was a joint-promotion pay-per-view event, featuring performers from the Raw and SmackDown! brands...
, Angle began to once again suffer from legitimate neck problems. As a response, he was made the on-screen General Manager of Smackdown!, with his absence from the ring attributed to injuries suffered after Big Show
chokeslamA chokeslam, or in Japanese, a "nodowa otoshi", refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on...
med him off a ledge. Angle continued his feud with Guerrero throughout 2004. He cost Guerrero the WWE championship against
John "Bradshaw" LayfieldJohn Charles Layfield is a retired American professional wrestler and a current commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League...
in a Texas Bull Rope match at
The Great American BashThe Great American Bash was the 15th Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event, and the first produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on June 27, 2004 at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event...
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. Angle was later fired by
Vince McMahonVincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestler, promoter, in-ring announcer, play-by-play commentator and film producer. He currently serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of World Wrestling Entertainment and is the majority shareholder of WWE. He is the creator...
as General Manager in July 2004.
In November 2004, Angle initiated the
Kurt Angle Invitational, a worked weekly segment where "hometown heroes" (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. The Invitational was won by
EugeneNicholas "Nick" Dinsmore is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time working World Wrestling Entertainment...
in July 2005 starting a new angle for both men. As a result, Angle faced Eugene at
SummerSlamSummerSlam was the eighteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 21, 2005 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C...
, defeating him by making him tap out to the ankle lock.
On November 4, 2004, episode of
SmackDown!, during
Tough Enough, Angle challenged the finalists through a
squat thrustA squat thrust is a calisthenic exercise. Similar to a Burpee it typically is performed as follows:# From a standing "parade rest" position, drop to a squat position with your hands on the ground near your feet....
competition. The winner was Chris Nawrocki, and the prize Nawrocki won was a match against Angle. After Angle defeated Nawrocki,
Daniel PuderDaniel Puder is an American professional mixed martial artist who trains at the CSW Training Center, in Fullerton, California, under the tutelage of Erik Paulson, known for having trained at the American Kickboxing Academy, in San Jose, California,, having competed in the MMA promotions,...
, an American professional
mixed martial artistMixed martial arts is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques, from a mixture of martial arts traditions and non-traditions, to be used in competitions. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground...
, challenged Angle. During the match, Angle and Puder wrestled for position before Angle took Puder down; in the process, Puder locked Angle in a
realA Shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. The name originates from a takedown, or shoot, in wrestling. This term has come to mean a legitimate attack or fight in professional wrestling and it's meaning has...
submission hold, a
kimura lock. With Puder on his back, one of two referees in the ring,
Jim Korderas__FORCETOC__Jim "Jimmy" Korderas is a Canadian professional wrestling referee who worked for WWE for over 22 years.- World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment 1987- 2009 :...
, quickly counted three to end the bout, but some observed that during the pin, Puder's shoulders were not on the mat. Puder later claimed he would have snapped Angle's arm, thus making Angle tap out on national television, if Korderas had not ended the match. Following the incident,
Dave MeltzerDave Meltzer is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter . Sports Illustrated senior writer Frank Deford has praised Meltzer's work, saying that "Meltzer, I believe, is the most accomplished reporter in sports journalism." Meltzer has written for the Oakland Tribune, the Los Angeles Times,...
gave this comment;
2005-2006
In January 2005, Angle took part in the
Royal RumbleRoyal Rumble was the eighteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
, but was eliminated by
Shawn MichaelsMichael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American professional wrestler. He performs for World Wrestling Entertainment , formerly the World Wrestling Federation, on its Raw brand...
, who he returned to the ring to eliminate in retaliation. After mocking Michaels by defeating his former tag team partner,
Marty JannettyFrederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one-time Intercontinental Champion and one-time Tag...
, and attacking former manager,
Sherri MartelSherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri...
, Angle defeated Michaels in an interpromotional match at
WrestleMania 21WrestleMania 21 was the twenty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 3, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California....
, which won
Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
(PWI)
Match of the Year AwardThe PWI Match of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best match of the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Shawn Michaels has won the award a record 9 times; 4 in a row and has won the last five years in a...
. He continued to feud with Michaels upon being drafted from
SmackDown! to
Raw in the
2005 WWE Draft LotteryThe 2005 World Wrestling Entertainment Draft Lottery took place over a three week period in June. There were ten draft picks and an eleven-person trade conducted between the promotion's two brands: Raw and SmackDown!, where twenty-two superstars were drafted and traded overall...
, losing to Michaels at
VengeanceVengeance was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on June 26, 2005 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the fifth annual Vengeance event. Professional wrestling is a type of sports entertainment in which...
.
Angle later challenged
John CenaJohn Felix Anthony Cena is an American actor, hip hop musician, and professional wrestler currently employed by World Wrestling Entertainment on its Raw brand....
for the WWE Championship at
UnforgivenUnforgiven was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was the seventh annual Unforgiven event and took place on September 18, 2005 at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
, where Angle won the match by disqualification, thus not winning the title. Angle also challenged Cena again in a Triple Threat match along with Michaels at
Taboo TuesdayTaboo Tuesday was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on November 1, 2005 at the iPayOne Center in San Diego, California. It was the second annual Taboo Tuesday event in which the fans were given the chance to vote on...
, in a losing effort.
Angle returned to the SmackDown! brand in January 2006, where he was pushed to gain the vacant
World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship and ECW Championship...
in a twenty man
battle royalIn professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
, turning face in the process. He retained the title against
Mark HenryMark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment performing on its Raw brand. Aside from wrestling, he is a 1992 Olympian and winner of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Strongest Man Contest...
at the
Royal RumbleRoyal Rumble was the nineteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
. Shortly after the match, The Undertaker made his return and challenged Angle for the title. Angle retained the title in a match with Undertaker at
No Way OutNo Way Out was the eighth annual No Way Out professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on February 19, 2006 at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, Maryland and was a SmackDown! brand-exclusive event...
before dropping it to Rey Mysterio in a Triple Threat match, which also included
Randy OrtonRandal "Randy" Keith Orton is an American professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its Raw brand, where he is the reigning WWE Champion...
, at
WrestleMania 22WrestleMania 22 was the twenty-second annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 2, 2006 at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois....
.
On May 29, 2006, Angle was drafted to the newly created ECW brand. Upon coming to
ECW, he issued an open challenge for
One Night StandECW One Night Stand was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was held on June 11, 2006 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York....
, which was accepted by Orton. Angle defeated Orton at One Night Stand, later losing to him in a rematch at
VengeanceVengeance was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on June 25, 2006 at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was the sixth annual Vengeance event. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured on the...
. 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." On November 3, 2008, Angle appeared on
Howard SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio and media personality most notable for his radio show which since January 9, 2006, has been broadcasting on Sirius XM, an uncensored satellite radio service...
's Sirius XM Radio program and stated that the reason for his departure from the WWE was that he became addicted to painkillers and the WWE denied him time off to go to rehab.
In early May 2009, the WWE stated that they had actually offered for him to go to rehab before, but he refused, stating he could rehab on the road.
2006-2007
A few weeks after his WWE contract expired, Angle signed a contract with
Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling , a privately controlled integrated-media and sports entertainment company, deals primarily in professional wrestling. It uses television, the Internet, and live events, with additional major revenue sources from product licensing and direct product sales...
(TNA). Angle was let go from his WWE contract out of fear for his health. The new signing was viewed by some as a promotion not having concern for the health of a wrestler. On September 24, 2006, during the closing segment of No Surrender, TNA President Dixie Carter announced that TNA Wrestling had signed Angle to a contract, with
Jim CornetteJames Mark "Jim" Cornette is an American professional wrestling manager, commentator, promoter, and booker. Cornette is the former "Commissioner" of Ring of Honor and is formerly a road agent for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
introducing video footage of Angle training in a six-sided TNA ring. On the December 28, 2006 episode of
TNA Impact!TNA Impact! is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs on in the United States and Canada on Spike, and airs on Bravo in the United Kingdom...
, this was announced as the "Moment of the Year" for TNA.
Angle made his TNA debut on October 19, confronting
Samoa JoeNuufolau Joel Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
after Joe refused to relinquish the
NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first "World Heavyweight Championship," which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title...
belt that, according to the storyline, he had stolen from
Jeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard "Jeff" Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and promoter currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is also Vice President of Creative Writing. He is well known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
. The two men ended up fighting while Jarrett took the title back. 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 CharlesDaniel Engler is an American professional wrestling referee, better known by his ring name, Rudy Charles...
and assumed the referee's role for the rest of the match-up. Angle's first match in TNA took place on the November 16 airing of
Impact!TNA Impact! is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs on in the United States and Canada on Spike, and airs on Bravo in the United Kingdom...
, where he was booked to defeat
AbyssChristopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion....
with the ankle lock and be attacked after the match by Samoa Joe. At Genesis, Angle defeated Samoa Joe, ending Joe's undefeated push.
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, which he lost to
Christian CageWilliam Jason Reso is a Canadian professional wrestler and actor, currently signed with World Wrestling Entertainment wrestling on its ECW brand as Christian, where he is the reigning ECW Champion. Reso has also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Christian Cage, where he was notable for...
after interference from
TomkoTravis David Tomko is an American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Tomko. He is best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was a member of Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance and often worked alongside A.J. Styles. He was also notable for his time in...
and
Scott SteinerScott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
. This led to a feud between Angle and Steiner, with Angle pinning Steiner at Destination X. 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
LockdownLockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on April 15, 2007 at the Family Arena in Saint Charles, Missouri. This was the second monthly pay-per-view, after Bound for Glory 2006, to be held outside Orlando, Florida. It was...
. Angle chose Samoa Joe,
RhinoTerry Gerin is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Rhino and Rhyno. He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
, Sting, and Jeff Jarrett for Team Angle, while Cage chose
A.J. StylesAllen Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles , is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is the current TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
, 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 Championship. Team Angle was victorious after Jeff Jarrett hit Abyss with a gimmicked guitar full of thumbtacks and allowed Sting to score the pin. At Sacrifice, Angle was booked to defeat Cage and Sting in a Triple Threat match to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The
National Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a governing body for a group of independent professional wrestling promotions and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(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.
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. One month later at
SlammiversarySlammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on June 17, 2007 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the third event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the fifth anniversary of...
in a
King of the Mountain matchThe King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five or seven competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009. The match is a staple of the...
, Kurt Angle became the first
TNA World Heavyweight ChampionThe TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
by defeating Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, and
Chris HarrisChris Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner James Storm....
. He then attacked Joe after denying a request for a handshake, reigniting their feud. This attack also turned Kurt Angle heel in the process.
At Victory Road, newly-crowned
X Division ChampionThe TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
Samoa Joe teamed with Kurt Angle to face
TNA Tag Team ChampionsThe TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
Team 3DTeam 3D is a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
, 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. 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. While illustrating how he would take away everything important in Kurt's life, Joe brought Kurt's wife
KarenKaren Angle is an American former professional wrestling valet and personality. She is most famous for her stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2007 - 2008...
into the fray, as she demanded a divorce. During the match, however, Karen turned on Joe and aided her husband. As part of his next 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. Angle, however, dropped both the X Division Title and the TNA World Tag Team Titles to
Jay LethalJamar Shipman , better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and
Team PacmanTeam Pacman was a professional wrestling tag team in the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. The team, originally consisting of professional American football player Adam "Pacman" Jones and his partner Ron "The Truth" Killings, held the TNA World Tag Team Championship once, but when Jones'...
, respectively, at No Surrender. At
Bound for GloryBound for Glory was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on October 14, 2007 at the Gwinnett Center in the Atlanta suburb of Duluth, Georgia. It was the third event under the Bound for Glory chronology...
, 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 NashKevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. Nash has wrestled under various ring names, but most notably by his own name, for World Championship Wrestling and wrestled by his own name and as Diesel in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
, and
Scott HallScott Oliver Hall is an American professional wrestler. In the course of his career, which has spanned three decades, Hall has wrestled for the American Wrestling Association , the National Wrestling Alliance , Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , World Class Championship Wrestling , World...
. Styles had planned for
Christian's CoalitionChristian's Coalition / Team Cage was a villainous professional wrestling faction in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling led by Christian Cage...
and The Angle Alliance to team up together, but Christian Cage demanded to be the leader of The Angle Alliance after Cage denied Angle's request of being his "lackey".
2008-present
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. At
LockdownLockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on April 13, 2008 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts. It was the fourth annual event under the Lockdown chronology. Eight professional wrestling matches were featured...
, Angle lost the TNA World Heavyweight Championship to Samoa Joe after being pinned. After suffering a neck injury, Kurt was out of action. He returned to
Impact! to ask his (kayfabe) estranged wife Karen to reunite with him. She declined his offer. Later that night after A.J. Styles suffered a beating at the hands of Team 3D,
Booker TBooker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, and Tomko, Kurt added to the mugging by hitting Styles with a steel chair. At
SlammiverserySlammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 8, 2008 from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi. It was the fourth event under the Slammiversary chronology and marked the sixth anniversary of the...
, Angle lost to Styles, being pinned after interference from Karen. At
Victory RoadVictory Road was the fourth Victory Road professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by American promotion, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Angle and
Team 3DTeam 3D is a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
won a six-man tag team Full Metal Mayhem match defeating the team of Christian Cage,
RhinoTerry Gerin is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Rhino and Rhyno. He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
, and Styles. At
Hard JusticeHard Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on August 10, 2008 at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. It was the fourth annual event under the Hard Justice chronology...
, Angle once again lost to Styles - this time in a Last Man Standing match. The feud continued on the next edition 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 SurrenderNo Surrender was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on September 14, 2008 at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada...
when Jarrett hit Angle with his guitar. On the October 2 edition of
Impact,
Mick FoleyMichael Francis "Mick" Foley, Sr. is an American actor, author, comedian, voice over, and professional wrestler, currently signed with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is the storyline "Executive Shareholder"...
announced that he would be the special enforcer for Kurt Angle's match with Jarrett at
Bound for Glory IVBound for Glory IV was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on October 12, 2008 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. It was the fourth annual Bound for Glory event and the first to be referred to in roman numerals...
. Angle lost to Jarrett in this match, being pinned after taking the
mandible clawThe mandible claw is a professional wrestling maneuver which, when applied correctly against an individual, is purported to cause intense, legitimate pain...
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!, Kurt Angle, Booker T, Kevin Nash, and Sting started a new stable of legends called
The Main Event MafiaThe Main Event Mafia is a villainous alliance in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. Scott Steiner would eventually join the group the following week. Angle then defeated
AbyssChristopher J. "Chris" Parks , better known by his ring name "The Monster" Abyss, is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion....
at
Turning PointTurning Point was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on November 9, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fourth annual event under the Turning Point chronology and first event under the name to take...
in a Falls Count Anywhere match. After weeks of torturing Jeff Jarrett to give him a rematch, Jarrett said that if Angle could defeat
RhinoTerry Gerin is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring names Rhino and Rhyno. He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment...
at the
second Final ResolutionFinal Resolution was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on December 7, 2008 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the fifth event under the Final Resolution chronology and second Final Resolution event to take...
of 2008, with Mick Foley as the Special Enforcer, he would grant it. Angle would go on and defeat Rhino to earn a rematch with Jarrett at Genesis after
Al SnowAllen Ray Sarven is a professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name of Al Snow. He is best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.-Early career:...
made a surprise appearance and distracted Foley for Angle to cheat. Amidst all this, Angle's Main Event Mafia are also feuding with the TNA Frontline (Samoa Joe, A.J. Styles, Team 3D, Rhino, Jay Lethal,
Eric YoungJeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he is the current Legends Champion.-Career:...
, the Motor City Machineguns, Consequences Creed, and
ODBJessica Kresa is an American professional wrestler better known as ODB , currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where she is the current TNA Women's Knockout Champion.-Early life:...
. At
TNA SacrificeSacrifice is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event held by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in the month of May. The first one was held in August 2005. When event names were shuffled by TNA for 2006, the event was moved to May. Sacrifice has had a tradition of being the final round of...
pay-per-view, Kurt lost his leadership of the Mafia to fellow Mafia member Sting, who pinned him to become the new leader of the Mafia. On June 21 at
SlammiversarySlammiversary was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on June 21, 2009 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was the fifth event under the Slammiversary chronology and used to commemorate the seventh...
, Angle recaptured the
TNA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
for the third time in a King of the Mountain match with help from
Samoa JoeNuufolau Joel Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
. On the following edition of
Impact!, Kurt regained leadership of the Main Event Mafia after he and the rest of the Mafia, attacked Sting while introducing Joe as the new member of the Mafia.He then made a deal with Mick Foley that he would give Foley his rematch if Foley gave Booker-T and Scott Steiner a shot at the TNA Tag Team titles and Kevin Nash a shot at the
TNA Legends ChampionshipThe TNA Legends Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the United States–based Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion...
at
Victory RoadVictory Road was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on July 19, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
where all members of the Mafia were victorious he would then form an alliance with fellow stable World Elite and their leader
Eric YoungJeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he is the current Legends Champion.-Career:...
. He would then wrestle Sting and Matt Morgan who has been trying to get into the Mafia for weeks in a Triple Threat Match for the title at
Hard JusticeHard Justice was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on August 16, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
where he retained his title by pinning Morgan and at the same event Samoa Joe captured the X Division title thus giving the Mafia all the male championships. At
No SurrenderNo Surrender was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on September 20, 2009 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
Angle lost his championship to A.J. Styles in a five-way match which also included Matt Morgan, Sting and
HernandezShawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
.
New Japan Pro Wrestling / Inoki Genome Federation (2007–2009)
On February 18, 2007, Angle made his debut in
New Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972 and owned by Yuke's. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it is the largest wrestling promotion in Japan and one of the largest in the world....
, teaming with former IWGP Heavyweight Champion
Yuji NagataYuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, now currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
to defeat fellow TNA wrestler
Travis TomkoTravis David Tomko is an American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Tomko. He is best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was a member of Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance and often worked alongside A.J. Styles. He was also notable for his time in...
and fellow
WWE alumnus Giant Bernard.
Angle was booked to face
Brock LesnarBrock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist as well as a former professional and amateur wrestler...
in a champion versus champion match for the
Inoki Genome FederationInoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.-History:Antonio Inoki left New Japan Pro Wrestling, a promotion he founded in 1972, to start the IGF....
on June 29, 2007, defeating him by submission for the IWGP Third Belt Championship and challenged him to an
MMAMixed martial arts is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques, from a mixture of martial arts traditions and non-traditions, to be used in competitions. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground...
fight. On December 19, 2007, Angle defended the IWGP World Title successfully against
Kendo KashinTokimitsu Ishizawa , better known by his ring name Kendo Kashin , is a Japanese professional wrestler...
.
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. On February 17, 2008, Kurt lost the IWGP title to
Shinsuke NakamuraShinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Career:...
in a unification match thus ending the IWGP championship controversy. Kurt Angle is not recognized as an IWGP Heavyweight Champion by New Japan. He would return in August during the
G1 ClimaxThe G1 Climax professional wrestling tournament is a weeklong event held each August by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. The G1 draws standing room only crowds each night, record receipt gates and generates front-page coverage on the sports sections of several of the daily newspapers in Tokyo...
in two special tag matches A.J. Styles as his opponent with Shinsuke Nakamura and
Masahiro Chono, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He primarily wrestles for New Japan Pro Wrestling , but has also made appearances for the now defunct World Championship Wrestling, as a member of the New World Order. Chono, called Mister Black Jack when he first started as a villain, is one of the top...
as Angle's partners and
Hiroshi Tanahashiis a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling.- Career :Before entering the world of professional wrestling, Hiroshi Tanahashi was a baseball player in high school. He started wrestling while attending Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto and was fairly successful...
and Shinjiro Otani as Styles' partners. Angle's team would win both matches.
He returned at the January 4 Dome Show in a special 8 Man Tag match with Kevin Nash, Chono, and
Riki ChōshūMitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , is a Korean Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker...
against G.B.H. Angle would get the win for his team, however he was attacked after the match by Giant Bernard. Angle would face Bernard at New Japan's ISM tour on February 15 and defeat Bernard. After Hiroshi Tanahashi retained the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Nakamura in the main event, Angle would challenge Tanahashi for his IWGP Heavyweight Championship which Tanahashi accepted. Tanahashi defeated Angle April 5 at New Japan's
Resolution 09 with two High Fly Flows to retain the title.
Personal life
Kurt Angle attended
Clarion University of PennsylvaniaClarion University of Pennsylvania, located on a campus in Clarion, Pennsylvania, is one of fourteen universities of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education ....
, graduating with a
degreeA degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study.- History :...
in
educationEducation in its broadest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual...
in 1993. In his later life, Angle got a Clarion University Golden Eagle, wearing a singlet, tattooed on his upper back.
Angle has four older brothers (one of whom,
EricEric Angle is a former amateur and professional wrestler. He is the older brother of professional wrestler Kurt Angle and worked with his brother in occasional storylines in World Wrestling Entertainment.-Amateur wrestling:...
, is also a wrestler) and a sister, Le'Anne, who died of a drug overdose. His father was killed in a construction accident when Angle was sixteen, and Angle dedicated both his career and his
autobiographyAn autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
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 SchultzDavid Leslie Schultz was an Olympic and World champion freestyle wrestler.-Early life:...
, as a paternal figure. While training Angle, Schultz was murdered in January 1996 by
John Eleuthère du PontJohn Eleuthère duPont is an American and member of the prominent du Pont family who was convicted of murder in the third degree. He is also known as an ornithologist, philatelist, philanthropist, coach, and sports enthusiast....
, the sponsor of Schultz's team of Olympic prospectives.
He married
Karen SmedleyKaren Angle is an American former professional wrestling valet and personality. She is most famous for her stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2007 - 2008...
on December 19, 1998, and the couple have 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
valetIn professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
. In September 2008, it was reported that Karen had filed for divorce from Kurt.
In regards to his future, Angle has expressed interest on several occasions in pursuing an acting career after retirement from professional wrestling.
Angle is featured on the cover artwork and TV ad footage of
EmmureEmmure is an American deathcore band from New Fairfield, Connecticut, formed in 2003. The founding members, Ben and Joe Lionetti met Frank Palmeri and Jesse Ketive on the internet and began rehearsals together. Mark Davis joined when the original bass player had to leave for work-related reasons....
's
The Respect IssueThe Respect Issue is the second studio album by deathcore band Emmure. The album was released on May 13, 2008 with pre-orders available on March 11. Kurt Angle, professional wrestler and former Olympic wrestler, is featured as a boxer on the cover art and throughout the inlay...
, a
Deathcore-Characteristics:Deathcore is heavily influenced by modern death metal in its speed, heaviness, and approach to chromatic, heavily palm muted riffing and dissonance. Traditional growls, and screaming are prevalent, often combined with metalcore vocals. Much of deathcore features breakdowns and...
album released May 13, 2008 by
Victory RecordsVictory Records is a Chicago-based record label founded by Tony Brummel. It is a privately held corporation with several imprint labels, as well as a music publishing company called "Another Victory Publishing."...
. He was also seen wearing an Emmure shirt to the ring on various
Impact! broadcasts.
Acting career
In the spring of 2008, Kurt Angle made his film debut in the short film
ChainsChains is an American 2008 live action short film starring Kurt Angle and Charles Greaves.-Plot:Jay Uz arrives to prison an innocent man. The racist prison guard, known only as The Deputy , or "Dep", has heard the "I'm innocent rant" before...
. He played a racist prison deputy, credited as The Deputy.
In the fall of 2008, Angle made his feature film debut by playing the role of maniacal serial killer Brad Mayfield in the movie
End Game.
In an episode of Pro's vs. Joe's season three, he was teamed up with Jimmy Smith, and Kendall Gill against the Joe's.
Early in 2009, Angle was cast in the lead role in the upcoming action film entitled
Rescue from Hell. He also made an appearance on
Criss Angel MindfreakCriss Angel Mindfreak is a show distributed by A&E Network. It debuted in 2005, and centers on unusual stunts and street magic acts by magician Criss Angel...
, during the segment "Car Wreck Vanish".
Angle will also make an appearance in the upcoming 2010 film
Warrior as the
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n champion mixed-martial artist Koba.
He stars alongside with
Kevin NashKevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. Nash has wrestled under various ring names, but most notably by his own name, for World Championship Wrestling and wrestled by his own name and as Diesel in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
and Bill Hinzman in the movie
River of Darkness who is directed from Bruce Koehler.
Wellness Policy violation
On March 6, 2007,
Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. It has over 3 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men, 19% of the adult males in the United States. It was the first magazine with circulation over one...
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. The magazine alleged Angle had received prescriptions for
trenboloneTrenbolone is a steroid used by veterinarians on livestock to increase muscle growth and appetite. To increase its effective half-life, trenolone is not used in an unrefined form, but is rather administered as trenbolone acetate , Trenbolone enanthate or Trenbolone cyclohexylmethylcarbonate...
(which is not approved for human use by the FDA) and
nandroloneNandrolone is an anabolic steroid that may be present naturally in the human body, albeit in minute quantities of less than 0.4 ng/ml. Nandrolone is most commonly sold commercially as its decanoate ester and less commonly as a phenylpropionate ester...
, both
anabolic steroidAnabolic steroids, or anabolic-androgenic steroids , are a class of steroid hormones related to the hormone testosterone. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue , especially in muscles...
s. 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."
Approximately two weeks later on March 19, 2007,
Sports Illustrated posted on its website another article in its continuing series investigating a steroid and
HGHGrowth hormone is a peptide hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates growth and cell reproduction. In the past growth hormone was extracted from human pituitary glands. GH is now produced by recombinant DNA technology and is prescribed for a variety of reasons...
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 WWE wrestlers and
Eddie GuerreroEduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family...
. Kurt 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-DurabolinNandrolone is an anabolic steroid that may be present naturally in the human body, albeit in minute quantities of less than 0.4 ng/ml. Nandrolone is most commonly sold commercially as its decanoate ester and less commonly as a phenylpropionate ester...
had expired.
Driving under the influence charges
Kurt Angle was arrested at his home by
Moon Township, PennsylvaniaMoon Township is a township along the Ohio River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The origin of its name is unknown for certain, although it has been suggested that it derives from a crescent-shaped bend in the river. Moon is a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area as it is located ...
police on September 28, 2007 on a charge of
driving under the influenceDriving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, is the act of operating a vehicle after consuming alcohol or other drugs...
after being reported by a woman who claimed that he almost hit her while leaving a local restaurant. Officials said Angle failed a field sobriety test but refused a blood test. Angle was charged with driving under the influence and careless driving, but he denies the charges. On September 9, 2008, Angle was cleared of all charges pertaining to his DUI arrest.
2009 arrest
On August 15, 2009, Pittsburgh-based
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
affiliate
WPXIWPXI digital channel 48 is the NBC television affiliate based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. Its transmitter is located on the north side of Pittsburgh...
reported that Angle had been arrested. His girlfriend stated that she had filed a protection from abuse (PFA) order and that he was stalking her in the Robinson Township area. Angle was charged with "driving while operating privilege is suspended, prohibited acts-possession, harrassment and prohibited acts".
HygetropinHygetropin is a synthetic human growth hormone produced by Zhongshan Hygene Biopharma Co., Ltd by recombinant DNA technology in E.coli secretion expression system. Hygetropin has the same amino acid sequence with 191 residues as the native human growth hormone produced in the human body. Hygetropin...
, a
human growth hormoneGrowth hormone is a protein-based poly-peptide hormone. It stimulates growth and cell reproduction and regeneration in humans and other animals. It is a 191-amino acid, single-chain polypeptide hormone that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the somatotroph cells within the lateral wings of...
, was found in his car; Angle maintained that he had a prescription for the drug. On September 15 a District Court Judge dropped the harassment, suspended license, and drug charges against Angle. A separate trial will be held for the assault and PFA charges.
In wrestling
-
- Angle Slam/Olympic slam, sometimes from an elevated position – innovated
- Ankle lock, sometimes followed by grapevining the opponent's leg
- Crossface chickenwing – 2000; adopted from Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund , is an American professional wrestler and actor with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years...
-
- Bodyscissors
- Double leg takedown, often transitioned into a pin or a suplex
A suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling. The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
- European uppercut
- Headbutt
- Moonsault
A moonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is a professional wrestling aerial technique. Much of its popularity in American wrestling is attributed to The Great Muta, despite it being used in North America by "Leaping" Lanny Poffo years before Muta came from Japan.In a standard moonsault,...
- Multiple suplex
A suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling. The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations
- Bridging / Release belly to back
- Bridging / Release / Rolling German
- Overhead belly to belly, sometimes from the top rope
- Rear naked choke
- Managers
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund , is an American professional wrestler and actor with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years...
- Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best-known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, and commentator. He is also an occasional actor in film....
- Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon is an American executive and part-time professional wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment , appearing primarily on the Raw brand. He is the son of the current WWE Chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon and brother of Stephanie McMahon, making him...
- Stephanie McMahon
- Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known as Trish Stratus, is a former fitness model, former professional wrestler and television personality from Canada....
- Luther Reigns
Matthew "Matt" R. Wiese is an American former professional wrestler and actor. He is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Luther Reigns, where he performed on its SmackDown brand....
- Daivari
Shawn Daivari is an Iranian-American professional wrestler, best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as simply Daivari. He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Sheik Abdul Bashir....
- Tomko
Travis David Tomko is an American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Tomko. He is best known for his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was a member of Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance and often worked alongside A.J. Styles. He was also notable for his time in...
- Karen Angle
Karen Angle is an American former professional wrestling valet and personality. She is most famous for her stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2007 - 2008...
- Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. Nash has wrestled under various ring names, but most notably by his own name, for World Championship Wrestling and wrestled by his own name and as Diesel in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
- Frank Trigg
Dewey Franklin Trigg III is an American mixed martial artist, color commentator, pro wrestler and co-host of MMAWeekly radio show and TAGG radio show. He is currently employed by the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
- Nickname
A nickname is a descriptive name given in place of or in addition to the official name of a person, place or thing. It can also be the familiar or truncated form of the proper name, which may sometimes be used simply for convenience A nickname (also spelled "nick name") is a descriptive name...
s
- "The American Hero" (WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
/ NJPWis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in 1972 and owned by Yuke's. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it is the largest wrestling promotion in Japan and one of the largest in the world....
)
- "The Olympic Gold Medalist" (WWF/E / TNA
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , a privately controlled integrated-media and sports entertainment company, deals primarily in professional wrestling. It uses television, the Internet, and live events, with additional major revenue sources from product licensing and direct product sales...
)
- "The Olympic Hero" (WWF)
- "The Only Olympic Gold Medalist in Professional Wrestling History" (WWF/E / TNA)
- "The Wrestling Machine" (WWE)
- "The Godfather of The Main Event Mafia
The Main Event Mafia is a villainous alliance in the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
" (TNA)
- Entrance themes
Music in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- "Medal" by Jim Johnston (WWF)
- "I Don't Suck" by Jim Johnston
James "Jim" Alan Stanley Johnston is a music composer who has been working for World Wrestling Entertainment since the 1980s. His work is often accredited to the name James A...
(WWE)
- "Medal (Remix)" by Jim Johnston
- "My Quest" by Dale Oliver (TNA)
- "Gold Metal" performed by Tha Trademarc and composed by Dale Oliver
Dale Oliver is an American music composer who works for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Formerly a guitarist in BackHawk , Oliver serves mainly as a composer of theme music used in professional wrestling.-Music composer for TNA:Like his World Wrestling Entertainment counterpart Jim Johnston, and...
Amateur wrestling
- Canadian Cup Championship
- Collegiate / High School
- Pennsylvania State Wrestling Champion (1987)
- Clarion University Freshman of the Year (1988)
- Espoir World Cup
- International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...
- FILA Junior World Freestyle Champion (1988)
- FILA World Freestyle Champion (1995)
- National Amateur Wrestling
- National Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2001)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
- NCAA Division I
Division I is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States....
All-American (1990–1992)
- NCAA Division I Champion (1990, 1992)
- NCAA Division I runner-up (1991)
- Olympic Games
The Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
- Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
gold medalA gold medal is typically the highest medal awarded for achievement in a non-military field. The concept comes from the military, initially with a simple recognition of military rank, and later decorations for admission to military orders dating back to medieval times.Since the eighteenth century,...
in freestyle wrestlingFreestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
(heavyweight) (1996)
- USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling is the organization that currently governs freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling in the United States...
- USA Junior Freestyle Champion (1987)
- USA Senior Freestyle Champion (1995, 1996)
- USA Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2001)
- World Championships
- Gold medal in freestyle wrestling (heavyweight) (1995)
- Yasar Dogu Tournament
Professional wrestling
- Cauliflower Alley Club
The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprised of both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
- Future Legend Award (2000)
- Inoki Genome Federation
Inoki Genome Federation is a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.-History:Antonio Inoki left New Japan Pro Wrestling, a promotion he founded in 1972, to start the IGF....
- IWGP Third Belt Championship (1 time)
- Power Pro Wrestling
- PPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Comeback of the Year
The PWI Comeback of the Year Award, given yearly since 1992 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the most impressive comeback by a professional wrestler during the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Hulk Hogan has won this award twice.-Award winners and...
(2003)
- PWI Feud of the Year
The PWI Feud of the Year Award, given yearly since 1986 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best feud of the year in professional wrestling as voted by readers of the magazine. Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger are tied with Vince McMahon vs. Steve Austin each winning...
(2000)vs. Triple HPaul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of his former ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
- PWI Feud of the Year (2003) vs. Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist as well as a former professional and amateur wrestler...
- PWI Feud of the Year (2007) vs. Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
- PWI Match of the Year
The PWI Match of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best match of the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Shawn Michaels has won the award a record 9 times; 4 in a row and has won the last five years in a...
(2003) vs. Brock Lesnar in a 60-minute Iron Man matchAn Iron Man match is a professional wrestling match type that is set to go a specific amount of time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, with the competitor with the most decisions at the end of that time named the victor...
on SmackDown!, September 16
- PWI Match of the Year (2005) vs. Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American professional wrestler. He performs for World Wrestling Entertainment , formerly the World Wrestling Federation, on its Raw brand...
at WrestleMania 21WrestleMania 21 was the twenty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 3, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California....
- PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year
The PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best heel professional wrestler of the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Greg Valentine & Triple H have won this award a record 3 times.-Award...
(2000)
- PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year
The PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the most inspirational professional wrestler of the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan and Eddie Guerrero won this...
(2001)
- PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year
The PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best face professional wrestler of the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Sting has won this award a record 4 times.-Award winners and...
(2003)
- PWI Rookie of the Year
The PWI Rookie of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best professional wrestler of the year who, in that year, had their first year in the business, as voted by readers of the magazine...
(2000)
- PWI Wrestler of the Year
The PWI Wrestler of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best professional wrestler of the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Ric Flair has been voted wrestler of the year a record 6 times.-Award winners and...
(2003)
- PWI ranked him #1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2001
- Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , a privately controlled integrated-media and sports entertainment company, deals primarily in professional wrestling. It uses television, the Internet, and live events, with additional major revenue sources from product licensing and direct product sales...
- TNA World Heavyweight Championship
The TNA World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is currently the highest ranked championship in TNA and is primarily defended in TNA's heavyweight division...
(3 times)
- TNA World Tag Team Championship
The TNA World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily contested within TNA's tag team division. It was created and debuted on May 14, 2007 at the taping of TNA's primary television program,...
(1 time) – with Sting
- TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
(1 time)
- King of the Mountain
The King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five or seven competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009. The match is a staple of the...
(2007, 2009)
- Second Triple Crown Champion (1 time)
- Feud of the Year (2006)
- World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WCW United States Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw...
(1 time)
- WCW World Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the top title contested for in World Championship Wrestling...
(1 time)
- World Heavyweight Championship
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship and ECW Championship...
(1 time)
- WWF/E Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Wrestling Entertainment . It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of three in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship and ECW Championship. It was established...
(4 times)
- WWF European Championship
The WWE European Championship was a professional wrestling championship competed for in World Wrestling Entertainment. Along with the WWE Intercontinental Championship, it was one of two coveted midcard heavyweight singles championships in the promotion, with several superstars holding both titles...
(1 time)
- WWF Hardcore Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Hardcore Championship was a hardcore wrestling championship defended in World Wrestling Entertainment, under hardcore rules.-History:...
(1 time)
- WWF Intercontinental Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. It is the original secondary title of WWE...
(1 time)
- WWE Tag Team Championship
The World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Wrestling Entertainment. The title is currently unified with the World Tag Team Championship, and defended together as the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship...
(1 time) – with Chris BenoitChristopher Michael Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler who was found by investigators and authorities to have murdered his wife and son before committing suicide...
- Tenth Triple Crown Champion
- Fifth Grand Slam Championship
- King of the Ring
King of the Ring is a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by World Wrestling Entertainment. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1992, and from 1993 onward the tournament was produced as a pay-per-view event.The tournament endured a four...
(2000)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Best Gimmick (2000)
- Best on Interviews (2002)
- Best Technical Wrestler (2002)
- Feud of the Year (2003) vs. Brock Lesnar
- Match of the Year with Chris Benoit vs. Edge
Adam Joseph Copeland is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Edge. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to an injury....
and Rey Mysterio, No Mercy 2002No Mercy was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment that took place on October 20, 2002, at the Alltel Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas...
- Most Improved (2000)
- Most Outstanding Wrestler (2001–2003)
- Readers' Favorite Wrestler (2002–2003)
- Wrestler of the Year (2002)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter...
(Class of 2004)
External links