If circumstances had been different...

[loopydate]

...would we be talking about Kurt Angle as one of the 4-5 greatest wrestlers ever?

I've been rewatching Rumble PPVs all week, and I was reminded of how perfect Angle was. He could talk, he could fly, he could brawl, he could (obviously) work on the mat. His stamina was unmatched, he drew insane reactions (mega pops as a face, mega heat as a heel), and he had "it" (whatever that means).

If it hadn't been for his neck injury and subsequent personal issues, would Angle have been the guy on top of WWE for the last decade? If he could have stayed healthy and clean, would we be talking about him the way we talk about Hogan, Flair, Austin, and Cena?

[BigDaddyCool]

yes

[road doggy dogg]

100p

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think a lot of people actually do already put Angle in that elite bracket.

[Heyman]

.

I've been rewatching Rumble PPVs all week, and I was reminded of how perfect Angle was. He could talk, he could fly, he could brawl, he could (obviously) work on the mat. His stamina was unmatched, he drew insane reactions (mega pops as a face, mega heat as a heel), and he had "it" (whatever that means).





I agree with everything you said except for the part that I bolded. While Angle did get tremendous heat/reactions as a heel (both jeers and cheers), his runs as a face were not overly successful...........and more times than not, his reactions would start to die down after a few months of being face (which would then ultimately lead him back to heeldom).


In my opinion, Angle should have been pushed as a tweener, or even as a heel that simply got cheered (i.e. like an 'inverse' of John Cena).

[Corndad]

Angle is elite. Period. Personal Favorite Wrestler of all time.

Dude could be serious like no one else. The next week could be a comedic genius. I hope he gets one last run in WWE before hanging it up.

[Emperor Smeat]

Yes to him being in the talk for all-time greats but no on him taking over Cena's spot as the "guy" for the past decade.

[loopydate]

Would Cena have been the guy if Kurt had stuck around? Or would Cena have been the Batista/Orton/Punk/Bryan to Angle's Cena?

[Emperor Smeat]

Think Cena would have been the guy regardless if Kurt was around or not. Debuted against Angle in a match that made him look really good and within a year was already feuding with Lesnar who was the "man" at the time.

Angle might have been more of Cena's "Edge" in the sense of being his greatest rival had health issues and bolting to TNA not been an issue.

[Maluco]

Was thinking about posting this very same thread a few days ago. Very frustrating to me that he spent so much of his career in TNA, like you say, he really was the total package.

I just think that because he has spent so much time in TNA, that he will never be considered as one of the greats by WWE

[Jordan]

If you consider The Rock, Austin or Brock Lesnar as one of the all time great wrestlers then I think Kurt Angle should be in that group as well.

It is a pity that he has been with TNA and will probably wrestle his last match there. I do believe he will be inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame eventually.

[Ruien]

I agree with everything you said except for the part that I bolded. While Angle did get tremendous heat/reactions as a heel (both jeers and cheers), his runs as a face were not overly successful...........and more times than not, his reactions would start to die down after a few months of being face (which would then ultimately lead him back to heeldom).


In my opinion, Angle should have been pushed as a tweener, or even as a heel that simply got cheered (i.e. like an 'inverse' of John Cena).

His face pops during the Invasion angle were amazing. His feud with Stone Cold for those 3 months was just pure gold.

[Ruien]

And Angle will always be elite.

[Franchise]

Kurt Angle is easily in the top 20 of all time and maybe the top 10 at a push.

Hogan, Rock, Austin, Undertaker, Ric Flair, HBK, Mick Foley, Macho Man, Sting, Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho, John Cena, Triple H, Kevin Nash, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, Edge, Andre the Giant and maybe Booker T or CM Punk. Yeah he makes the top 20

[Corkscrewed]

If Angle had kept it together, yes, I'd count him among the all time greats, for all your reasons. True "five tool" wrestler, very strong in every category, and popular with both the fans and internet fans.

[NormanSmiley]

angle IS elite. dude could go and could make any match look legit. hbk had "issues" and everyone puts him top whatever. angle was better on the mic than hbk