KURT ANGLE

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

Name: Kurt Angle

Height: 6 foot 2
Weight: 220 pounds
From: Pittsburgh, Penn.
Finishing Move: Angle Slam/ankle lock
Career Highlights: WWE Champion; WWE Tag Team Champion; Intercontinental Champion; European Champion; Hardcore Champion; 2000 King of the Ring; SmackDown! General Manager

From the moment Kurt Angle became an athlete, success has followed him.

He started as a football and wrestling star in his hometown of Pittsburgh, and he soon became one of the top amateur wrestlers in the entire country, winning a pair of NCAA titles at Clarion University in the rugged heavyweight division.

Angle captured national attention in 1996 when he won the 220-pound freestyle wrestling competition at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Angle's celebration photo was on the cover of USA Today, he appeared on numerous morning talk shows and he was honored with two parades in his hometown.

Angle was even given a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who at the time were looking to add a fullback to their roster.

Before his arrival at WWE, Angle also spent some time as a local sportscaster in Pittsburgh.

Still, Kurt Angle would go from a local hero to a national sports-entertainment Superstar when he joined WWE.

Four years after earning Olympic gold, Angle entered WWE for the first time and earned professional wrestling gold. Much like his college and Olympic careers, Angle was never satisfied until he was on top. Just weeks after entering WWE, Angle, who preached the virtues of his three I's (Integrity, Intelligence and Intensity) won the European Championship.

A short time later he earned the Intercontinental Championship and also won the 2000 King of the Ring. Still rolling, Angle then defeated The Rock at No Mercy to win the WWE Championship. Not bad for a rookie.

Besides being a four-time WWE Champion, Angle's resume includes stints as Intercontinental, European, United States, WWE Tag Team and Hardcore Champion.

But perhaps Angle’s most memorable accomplishment came in 2003. Angle underwent serious neck surgery in April, just weeks after losing the WWE Championship to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XIX. Amazingly, Angle was back on SmackDown! the first week of June. And at Vengeance on July 27, just 14 weeks after surgery, he regained the WWE Championship by forcing Lesnar to tap out.

Angle has also been a strong leader, forming Team Angle, a successful tag team featuring Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin, as well as combining Luther Reigns & Mark Jindrak. Angle even held a management position at WWE, serving as the General Manager of SmackDown! for five months in 2004.

He would lose that job in dramatic fashion when Mr. McMahon fired him on July 22 of 2004.

Since the summer of 2004, Angle has been back on the active roster.

Kurt Angle went on to face Shawn Michaels in a dream match at WrestleMania 21. After the two Superstars put on a virtual wrestling clinic, Angle eventually made HBK tap out to the dangerous ankle lock. Everyone thought it would be the only time their paths would cross as Angle was a SmackDown! Superstar and Michaels was on RAW.

But that all changed when Angle was RAW's second selection in the 2005 Draft Lottery. Angle and HBK immediately renewed their rivalry and met in the highly-anticipated rematch at Vengeance. HBK got the better of Angle this time, catching him with Sweet Chin Music. With both Superstars on RAW, WWE fans everywhere are certainly clamoring for the rubber match between these two RAW Superstars.

He also created the Angle Invitational on SmackDown!, where every week a local wrestler gets a chance to win Angle's Olympic Gold Medal if the hopeful can defeat, or sometimes even last just three minutes in the ring with Angle.

After a long winning streak, Eugene upset Angle to become the first man to collect on his offer. However, Angle took the Gold Medal back after making Eugene tap out at SummerSlam.

After dispatching of Eugene, Angle announced his hunger to reclaim the WWE Championship. This could be bad news for the rest of the RAW roster.

~~debbydo~~ · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 20005 Location: Hertfordshire

he look fierce in the ring .. :smt019

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 233 lbs

Real Name: Kurt Angle

DOB: 12/09/68

Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Other Names: "Your Olympic Hero"(WWF)

Wrestler Since: 1998

Finishing Maneuver: Olympic Slam, Ankle Lock

History: (Updated 2/06/04)

Kurt Angle is well-known as "the most celebrated real athlete in WWE history". He is one of the very few superstars to be a success in both amateur and professional wrestling. It's amazing to think about how much more he can do in the sport, since he's already been to the top numerous times.

Amateur Wrestling

Angle grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he attended Mt. Lebanon High School as a linebacker on the football team. While Angle had some skills on the football field, however, his talents seemed to lay elsewhere. Angle competed for the Mt. Lebanon wrestling team, where he won the 1987 Pennsylvania State Wrestling Champion in his weight class. Angle also competed in the Junior Nationals that year, where he once again was successful. Afterwards, Angle was approached by various colleges, but he opted to stay in state, attending Clarion University in Clarion, Pennsylvania. In 1990 and 1992, Angle went all the way, winning 2 NCAA National Championships. Angle also won the Canadian Cup Championship in 1990, among his various endeavors in other countries.

Another Sport?

After graduating from college, Angle signed to train with 1984 Olympic Champion Dave Schultz, as Angle began to look towards the Olympics. There were still other possibilities for Angle's career, however. In 1995, Angle was approached by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, who, despite Angle not having the experience usually expected, offered him a try-out. Intrigued, Angle showed up, to see if there was another course available to him. But, in Angle's own words (posted on NFL.com), "I had a very good tryout, but I never played college ball. Everything I did went exceptionally well, but my 40 time was really slow. I ran a 4.8 that day. It was February and it was snowing so it was very hard to get my traction on the turf out there." Angle was not given a spot on the team, and, thus, concentrated again on his passion, amateur wrestling. It was soon to be shown that he made the right choice.

The Olympics

Angle competed and won at the 1995 World Championships, giving him a clear road as a favorite for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic games. Angle was shaken, however, in January 1996, when Dave Schultz, his trainer, was killed at the Dupont estate. Angle contined working, though, and showed up at the Olympics more ready than ever before. Things weren't going to be easy for him, as he pulled a leg muscle early in the Games. Despite this, Angle made it to the 220-lb finals, wrestling against Iran's Abbas Jadidi. It was possibly the best match of the year, going to an 8-minute overtime that required a referee's ruling. In the end, Angle's hand was raised, earning Angle the gold medal. Angle collapsed to his knees, crying for joy, and later ran around the arena, carrying an American flag.

Professional Wrestling

For the next few years after the Olympic victory, Angle spent his time in Pittsburgh, doing motivational speeches and trying his hand at sportscasting. But Angle was looking to still compete, and Vince McMahon was looking for a competitor. In October 1998, McMahon signed Angle to a five-year deal, and sent him to Dory Funk Jr's Funkin' Dojo in Connecticut. It didn't take long for Angle to learn the ropes of professional wrestling, and Angle next competed in Power Pro Wrestling in Memphis, Tennessee, where he tried out being both a face and a heel. Angle had success there, as he won the PPW Heavyweight Title in July '99, beating J.R. Smooth (later known as Rikishi). Angle only held the championship for a few weeks before losing to Steve Bradley, but it gave him a taste of professional gold, and showed that he worked as a champion.

WWF

Angle debuted as "your Olympic Hero" in the WWF on Monday Night Raw in November '99. Preaching his three "I"s (Intelligence, Integrity & Intensity), Angle immediately came across as egotistical, and was quickly booed by the fans. At the 1999 Survivor Series, Angle competed in his first pay-per-view match, taking on Shawn Stasiak. During the match, fans began a "Boring" chant, which was quickly answered by Angle on the mic, claiming that the fans shouldn't be booing an Olympic champion. Angle then later beat Stasiak with his new finisher, the Olympic (Angle) Slam. Angle then finished out the year with a feud against Steve Blackman. Angle defeated Blackman at Armaggedon '99 with a belly-to-back suplex, but was attacked afterwards by Blackman and his numbchucks.

2000

Angle had a strong winning streak, if not the fan's love, going into 2000. It was announced that Angle would face an unknown challenger at the Royal Rumble. Angle was annoyed, having to face someone that he couldn't train for, but he had tremendous confidence in himself. His opponent was soon revealed as Tazz, making his own WWF debut. The two had a battle of suplexes, with both getting some close pin counts. At the end, though, it wasn't a suplex, but the Tazmission that decided things, as Angle was forced out by the chokehold. After the match, Angle was carried out on a stretcher, and later claimed that he was still undefeated, since Tazz's chokehold submission maneuver was illegal.

February '00 turned out to be a great month for the Olympic champion. Near the beginning of the month, Angle made good on his first title match, defeating Val Venis for the European Heavyweight strap. Angle, though, wasn't satisfied, and began targeting the Intercontinental Champion, Chris Jericho. Angle claimed that he would soon be the "Euro-Continental" champion. At No Way Out '00, the two met, with Chyna on the outside for Jericho. When Jericho kicked out after the Angle Slam late in the match, Angle lost it, and tried to use his title on Jericho. The ref stopped him, allowing Jericho to get his Walls of Jericho submission hold locked on. Angle managed to get to the ropes, forcing the break, then ended up on the outside, where Jericho & Angle brawled (knocking down Chyna in the process). Back in the ring, Jericho tried a moonsault, but Angle brought the belt up (which was still inside the ring) and knocked Jericho out. Angle then made the pin, gaining Jericho's Intercontinental Title to go with the European gold.

Angle continued to feud with Jericho over the next few weeks, with another top contender, Chris Benoit, becoming involved as well. The three men met at Wrestlemania 2000, in a "Two Falls Triple Threat" Match. The first person to make a pin would win the Intercontinental Title. The second person with a win gained the European Title. It was a match weighed against Angle, since he had to get two wins to stay the double champion. Before the match even started, Angle was under assault, as Benoit attacked him before he could get to the ring. The three men put on a clinic of maneuvers, from technical to brutal (such as Jericho being shoved from the top rope onto the announce table). Benoit earned the first fall (and the IC Title) by hitting his Flying Headbutt on Jericho. Angle, now one title down, became more desperate, going for (and missing) a moonsault, a new maneuver to his repetoire. During a flurry of shots, the referee was knocked down. Benoit forced Jericho to tap to his Crippler Crossface, but with no ref, the match continued. Jericho then turned things around and got the Walls of Jericho on Benoit, but Angle broke it up with a shot from the European Title. Benoit then took out Angle, then went for another Flying Headbutt, but missed, allowing Jericho to capitalize with the Lionsault to get the victory. Angle wasn't beaten in the match, yet he lost both of his titles.

Stung by his loss, Angle began to lash out, focusing his energy on the Big Show. At this point, the Big Show was dressing up in all sorts of clothing, from a Scottish kilt to wearing a towel ala Val Venis. During this time, Angle was preaching for "Abstinence", saying that it was his job as an American hero to teach kids. When the Big Show handed out condoms to kids, Angle blew up, starting to feud with the giant. Angle called the Big Show a disappointment, saying that he could be great if he actually took things seriously. At Backlash '00, Angle came out to face the Big Show, only to hear Hulk Hogan's old music. The Big Show then came out dressed in yellow & red, doing all of Hogan's old motions. Angle, annoyed, attacked the Big Show, only to have him shake off the hits (again ala Hogan), take Angle down with the big boot and nearly win with a legdrop. Angle came back soon after, getting in some hits, but this only seemed to drive the fun out of the Big Show, who destroyed Angle and used the Chokeslam to win the match.

Angle finally started to regain some momentum in the WWF in May '00, as he began to hang around with Edge & Christian. The three had like minds, and frequently interfered for each other in matches. Angle also got a victory at Insurrextion, beating Chris Benoit in London, England. A few weeks later, Angle teamed up with Edge & Christian to take on Too Cool & Rikishi at Judgment Day '00. Before the match, Angle joined with his teammates in insulting the Kentucky crowd, wearing straw hats and dancing around with banjos. Angle's team didn't fare as well during the match, though, with Angle taking a Stinkface from Rikishi during the bout. Although Angle's team nearly got the win with Edge hitting Scotty Too Hotty with the ring bell (the ref was down, so there was no count), Grandmaster Sexay took out Edge with the Hip Hop Drop, then rolled Scotty on top, getting his team the victory.

Going into the summer of 2000, Angle began to show his love for a special person: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. This, of course, didn't sit well with her husband, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. But when problems began to brew between the couple (as well as with Linda and Vince McMahon), Angle took advantage, helping Stephanie defend the Women's Title against Lita on Raw. In the meantime, Angle entered into the King of the Ring tournament, beating Bradshaw and Bubba Ray Dudley in the qualifying rounds. At the pay-per-view, Angle faced off against Chris Jericho in the quarter-finals. Stephanie, who came out to the ring, helped out some, as she kept the referee distracted while Angle was trapped in the Walls of Jericho. She then accidentally hit Angle with the Women's Title, seemingly blowing it. But when Jericho went to kiss her, Angle took advantage, hitting the Angle Slam to win the match and move on in the tournament.

In the semi-finals, Angle faced off against surprise competitor Crash Holly. Angle underestimated him at first, almost allowed Crash to win with a big powerslam. But Angle came back, and finished Crash off with the Angle Slam, taking himself into the finals against a true heavyweight, Rikishi. Angle tried to take advantage by attacking Rikishi on the outside, but he soon lost the momentum. The fighting went back and forth, with Rikishi getting the edge long enough to hit his Stinkface on Angle. A disgusted Angle came back and got a huge Angle Slam, but only got a 2 count. Angle then tried a sunset flip on the big man, but Rikishi sat down on him, nearly winning the match. In the end, Angle caught Rikishi on the turnbuckle, then got a Belly-To-Back Superplex from the top, allowing him to get the 1-2-3 and win the King of the Ring, allowing him to call himself King Kurt.

On the next Raw, King Kurt's "coronation" was interrupted by Shawn Michaels, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and the new commissioner, Mick Foley. Triple H & Foley argued over who the #1 Contender to the Rock's World Title. When Angle came out to protest, saying that he deserved the shot due to winning the King of the Ring, Foley set up a Contenders match between Angle, Triple H, & the Rock, with the winner getting a title shot the next Smackdown (or, in the Rock's case, no match at all). At first, Angle and Helmsley worked together to try and double-team the champion. Eventually, though, the two turned against each other, as each wanted to make the pinfall for the title shot. During the brawl, Angle hit the Angle Slam on the Rock, but Helmsley made the save, then Pedigree'd Angle. Helmsley then would have gotten the win, but Stephanie unknowingly was distracting the referee at the time. Chris Jericho then ran down and took down Helmsley, allowing the Rock to get the Rock Bottom on Triple H and win the match. Thus, the Rock didn't have to defend his title the next week.

On Smackdown, an angry Angle wrestled against Hardcore Holly. During the match, Angle accidentally broke Holly's arm, putting Holly out of wrestling for a time. Although it was an accident, Angle used it, claiming that Holly disrespected him. On the next Raw, Edge & Christian were put into a non-title match against two monsters, Kane & the Undertaker. When the Undertaker was about to finish Christian, Angle ran in, hitting the Undertaker with his royal sceptor and causing the DQ. Angle then tried to apologize to the Undertaker later on, saying that he was just trying to help his friends. Angle later spilled milk all over the Undertaker's motorcycle, and again tried to apologize, but the Undertaker obviously didn't buy it, instead wanting a fight. Angle then tried to make amends by giving the Undertaker a scooter, but the Dead Man ended up throwing it off the stage. Angle later got some abuse in, hitting the Undertaker in the head with a sledgehammer. This, though, just led to a match being signed for Fully Loaded '00.

At the pay-per-view, the situation between Angle, Stephanie & Triple H continued to grow, as Angle sent flowers to Stephanie's dressing room, causing Helmsley to question his wife. Meanwhile, the Undertaker arrived at the arena on his motorcycle, and spotted Angle hanging out. The Undertaker immediately began to chase Angle across the arena, trying to get his hands on him. Later on, Angle backtracked and tried to steal the motorcycle, but the Undertaker again found him. The two came out fighting from the back, heading towards the ring, where the bell finally sounded. The Undertaker dominated the majority of the match, although Angle did get in some offense after hitting the Undertaker with a wrench. It just wasn't enough to put the Dead Man down, though, as the Undertaker finished Angle off with a chokeslam, followed by the Last Ride powerbomb.

Twenty-four hours later on Raw, Angle asked for a rematch against the Undertaker, apparently wanting a chance to redeem himself. However, it all turned out to be a set-up, as Angle, Shane McMahon & the Big Show triple-teamed the Undertaker, trying to injure his knee. Angle would team with McMahon's faction (including the Big Show, Chris Benoit, Edge & Christian) for the next few weeks. Meanwhile, problems grew worse between Stephanie & Triple H, as Helmsley was caught bending over Trish Stratus (as he was trying to show her a wrestling maneuver) that drove Stephanie away for a time. On the first Smackdown of August '00, Angle was placed in a six-man tag match with Stephanie & Helmsley against Lita & the Dudley Boyz. During the match, Stephanie was about to be Bubba-Bombed by Bubba Ray Dudley, but Angle made the save, taking Bubba out of the ring and allowing Stephanie to pin an unconscious Lita for the victory. Stephanie & Angle hugged after the match, as a furious Helmsley looked on from outside the ring.

A few days later, both Angle and Helmsley demanded a World Title shot against the Rock. Once again, they were put in a #1 Contenders Match, this time with Chris Jericho also involved. Despite the animosity between the two wrestlers, Angle and Helmsley worked together at a crucial moment, hitting a double superplex on Jerico. Both wrestlers then pinned Jericho, with the ref making the count, then raising both men's hands, naming them BOTH #1 Contender. After the match, the Rock attacked both men, hitting Rock Bottoms on both of them, as well as Stephanie. The problems continued to grow between Angle and Triple H over the next few weeks, although Stephanie & Shane McMahon tried to keep them as a team. On the Smackdown before the PPV, Angle teamed with Stephanie against Lita & the Rock. During the match, Angle accidentally knocked down Stephanie, leading Triple H to take her to the EMTs in the back. Helmsley then came back out to help Angle, only to be triple-teamed by the Hardy Boys & the Rock, while Angle headed to the back to check on Stephanie. Angle then kissed Stephanie, a long kiss, to end the show.

At Summerslam '00, Helmsley confronted Stephanie about the kiss, but she said that it meant nothing, and that Angle took advantage of her. Helmsley told her to stay away from Angle, and she agreed. Before the main event match, Angle came out to the ring, and apologized for the kiss. He apologized for not kissing her sooner. A furious Helmsley then charged the ring, and the two men brawled all around the outside, not even waiting for the third participant, the World Champion, the Rock, to make it to the ring. Helmsley drove Angle through the announce table, then brawled with the Rock for a while. Medics put Angle on a stretcher and took him out (after a few more shots from Triple H). Later on in the match, Stephanie tried to use the World Title on the Rock, but hit Helmsley instead. Shortly thereafter, Triple H told Stephanie to go to the back. Stephanie did, where she found Angle still on the stretcher, and begged him to go back out and help Helmsley. Angle said he'd do it for her, and returned to the match, where he stopped Triple H from winning. Near the end of the match, Stephanie slid the sledgehammer into the ring, which was picked up by Angle. Helmsley tried to take Angle down before he could use the weapon, but he hit Stephanie instead, knocking her out. Angle then ko'ed Helmsley, but was taken out of the ring by the Rock, who then hit the People's Elbow on Triple H for the victory, retaining his title. After the match, Angle carried Stephanie to the back, leaving Helmsley behind.

On the next Raw, Helmsley showed up alone, demanding to know where his wife, Stephanie, was. Angle appeared in the ring, and told everyone that he didn't remember what happened the night before after the match, since he had a concussion. A furious Helmsley was later comforted by Chyna, which angered Chyna's boyfriend, Eddie Guerrero. Helmsley & Guerrero got into a match, which Angle interfered during, hitting Helmsley with a chair. Angle added a shot to Guerrero for good measure. It was found out shortly thereafter that Stephanie actually spent the night with her brother, Shane, who was brutally beaten in a Hardcore match with Steve Blackman. Angle tried to use footage of Helmsley hugging Chyna to break the couple up, but Helmsley managed to explain his actions. Problems continued to grow between the two men, as Angle stayed interested in Stephanie. On the Smackdown prior to the pay-per-view, Helmsley, after winning his match, mocked Angle, by 'crying' after the victory. Angle took advantage, hitting the Olympic Slam on Triple H. When Stephanie came in to help Helmsley up, Angle slipped in and hit Helmsley in the ribs with the sledgehammer. Stephanie tried to slap Angle, but Angle moved in, getting himself a forced kiss.

Angle & Helmsley finally got their one-on-one match at Unforgiven '00, with Commissioner Mick Foley as the special referee. During the night, Angle ran into Steve Austin, who was making his return after months of absence due to being hit by a car. Angle tried to make friends, giving Austin an honorary gold medal, but Austin just ended up beating Angle to the ground. Angle later complained to Foley, but Foley was unsymphathetic, making Angle's match with Helmsley a No Disqualification bout. Before the match, Angle sang "Happy Birthday" to Stephanie, since it was her birthday that night. The match was brutal, going inside and outside the ring. Angle went after Helmsley's injured ribs, while Triple H went for whatever he could hit. At one point, Helmsley tried to Pedigree Angle through the announcer's table. But Angle got in a low blow, then suplexed Helmsley into the other table instead. The end of the match, though, was decided by Stephanie. When Triple H told her to choose, Stephanie hit a low blow on Angle, allowing Helmsley to get the Pedigree and win the match. Afterwards, Helmsley roughly kissed Stephanie (who was hovering over the downed Angle), leaving some blood on her lips, then left the ring with her.

Angle flirted briefly with Trish Stratus after his loss at Unforgiven '00, but obviously still had feelings for Stephanie, forgiving her for her actions due to Helmsley's violent behavior. On the first October '00 Raw, Angle and Helmsley faced off again, in a #1 Contenders Match. During the match, when the referee went down, Chris Benoit came out to interfere for Angle. As Benoit messed with Stephanie, Helmsley was distracted, allowing Angle to hit the Olympic Slam and win the match, getting a World Title shot against the Rock at the pay-per-view. Angle's hopes heading towards the PPV were bettered the next week, as Stephanie, upset that Helmsley wouldn't let her come with him to the ring anymore, decided to be Angle's "business manager". Thanks to Stephanie, Angle started getting some impressive victories. Angle also put together a hiliarious segment right before the PPV, where he asked questions, then had segments from other Rock interviews give the answers.

At No Mercy '00, Angle and the Rock faced off in Angle's second "No Disqualification" pay-per-view match in a row. Before the match, Hunter Hearst Helmsley warned that, if Stephanie was hurt, Angle would pay the price. The match started out brutal and continued from there, as the two men fought heavily on the outside, with any weapons they could find. Stephanie also became a factor, getting physically involved early on. She also was a distraction, keeping the referee busy while Angle tapped out to the Rock's Sharpshooter, keeping the match going. Angle got a 2 count after clocking the Rock with the World Title, but the Rock came back, getting a spinebuster, then setting Angle up for the People's Elbow. When Stephanie got in the Rock's face, the Rock gave her the Rock Bottom, then set HER up for the People's Elbow, only to have Angle block it. Helmsley then ran out to the ring and attacked Angle, fulfilling his promise. Helmsley didn't stop there, though, Pedigree'ing the Rock for touching his wife. Triple H then carried Stephanie out, taking her away. The match was later decided by more interference, this by Rikishi, the Rock's relative. Rikishi (already a bloody mess due to Steve Austin's assault) accidentally hit a superkick on the Rock. Angle then got the Olympic Slam on Rikishi, then added one for the Rock, covering him and getting the 1-2-3. Angle was now the WWF World Heavyweight Champion.

On the next Raw, Angle came out with Stephanie McMahon in a celebration for his victory. He even read a poem, but was interrupted by Commissioner Foley. Foley congratulated Angle, and gave him a hug, before telling him that Angle would have to defend the belt that night in a Triple Threat Match against Hunter Hearst Helmsley and the Rock. The match had a surprising twist early on, as Stephanie decided to be in the corner of her "business partner" rather than her husband. During the match, Angle took out Triple H with the ring bell, causing EMTs to try to take Helmsley out, with Stephanie following. Helmsley rose up off the stretcher, though, and returned. At the end of the match, Angle knocked out both Helmsley & the Rock with the title belt, then was attacked by Rikishi, who forced the DQ. Angle then tried to leave, having saved the belt, only to be attacked on the ramp by Steve Austin.

Angle survived another title defense on Smackdown against Chris Jericho, when Kane attacked Jericho to cause another DQ. Angle then continued to feud with Helmsley, fighting with him in a non-title match on Raw. For the third match in a row, Angle won by DQ, due to Triple H not heeding the commands of the referee. Helmsley Pedigree'd Angle through a table, then hammered him with a chair, while also taking out Edge & Christian, who tried to make the save. Angle's 4th DQ in a row took place on Smackdown, where he defended the World Title against the Rock. Rikishi attacked the Rock during the match, giving the referee no choice but to throw the match out. Angle & Rikishi then double-teamed the Rock, until Steve Austin made the save. Angle & Rikishi were scheduled to take on Austin & the Rock in a tag-team match on the next Raw, but when the Rock was taken out before the match, Austin had to fight them 2-on-1. Helmsley seemed to come out to help, but he turned on Austin, beating him up with a sledgehammer and sending the match to a No-Contest.

When Angle came out a few days later and talked about he should be America's hero (since he had been complaining about Helmsley for a long time), he was interrupted by the Undertaker, who challenged Angle to a title match at the Survivor Series. Angle accepted the challenge, then said that he'd defend the title on Raw against a true competitor, who said he could beat Angle with one hand tied behind his back. This turned out to be Crash Holly, who actually had to wrestle with only one hand. Angle, not surprisingly, forced him to submit, then continued to attack Crash, until Hardcore Holly (returning to action) made the save. Edge, Christian, and the Undertaker all also became involved, leading to a 6-man match at the end of the night, with the Undertaker pinning Angle to win the match.

At Survivor Series '00, Angle assured Edge, Christian, and later Trish Stratus that he did not need help from anyone in beating the Undertaker, despite the fact that Stephanie McMahon wasn't in the building. Angle then came out confident, talking about all the greatest moments in his career in 2000. The Undertaker interrupted, though, starting the match. Angle was able to get a chair shot early on behind the ref's back, but it barely fazed the Undertaker, who came back strong, as the two fought in and out of the ring. At one point, the Undertaker made Angle tap to a submission maneuver, but Edge & Christian distracted the referee. The Undertaker then attacked Edge & Christian, then went back to work on Angle, even as the ref made the tag-team leave. At the end of the match, Angle crawled under the apron, apparently trying to escape. The Undertaker followed, pulling the man out and carrying him into the ring, where he hit the Last Ride and made the pin. But the ref refused to count, pointing out that the man was NOT Kurt Angle! A confused Undertaker was then rolled up and pinned by the real champion, who had come out from under the ring. Angle then celebrated with his brother, Eric, who had been the imposter, even as the two left the ring quickly.

The Undertaker got revenge on the Angle brothers 24 hours later, when he chokeslammed Eric, then threw Kurt off the ramp and through a table. Angle complained about the violence, with Commissioner Foley promising to put an end to it. Angle later had to defend against Steve Austin, but was helped out by a brutal attack on Austin by Helmsley. On Smackdown, Commissioner Foley made his announcement, saying that all the violence would end at Armageddon '00, where Angle would defend the World Title against Steve Austin, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Rikishi, the Undertaker & the Rock in a Hell In A Cell Match. Although Vince McMahon tried to get the match cancelled (due to the risk of one of his stars being badly injured), and although Angle protested mightily about it, the match stayed signed. Beforehand, though, Angle also defended the title at Rebellion '00, against Steve Austin, Rikishi & the Rock. Angle got the win while Austin & the Rock fought on the outside, hitting the Olympic Slam on Rikishi (whom Angle had broken an alliance with).

Angle was interviewed early on at Armageddon '00 by Lillian Garcia, where his nervousness was obvious. Angle, though, swore that he'd find a way to retain his title. Before the Hell In A Cell match, Angle seemed reluctant to enter the cage, where so many were waiting for their crack at him. Steve Austin helped him out, though, attacking him and throwing him inside. The match was as brutal as expected, with most of the wrestlers involved bleeding heavily during the fight. Angle nearly won at one point with the Olympic Slam, nailing the Rock, but Austin made the save, then hit the Stone Cold Stunner on Angle. The Undertaker broke up the pin. Vince McMahon later came down with a truck and tried to tear down the cage, but only succeeded in destroying the door before Foley (and police officers) threw him out of the building. The fighting poured out of the cage, with Angle taking some brutal shots from the Undertaker. To escape, Angle climbed the cage, with the Undertaker following. After some harrowing moments on the cage roof, Angle climbed back down, while Rikishi was thrown off into the truck by the Undertaker. At the end, Austin hit the Stunner on the Rock, then was attacked by Triple H, allowing a bloody Angle to slip in and cover the Rock for the victory, staying the champion. Afterwards, as Angle started to celebrate, Austin Stunned him to end the night.

Angle finished out the year with a mini-feud with Commissioner Foley, who placed Angle in a title defense against another former champion: Vince McMahon. McMahon and Angle turned it on Foley, though, beating him down with the help of Edge & Christian. Stephanie McMahon then announced that, since her mother Linda was "incapacitated" (due to them giving her drugs), Vince was the sole CEO, giving him the power to fire Foley as Commissioner. Angle later celebrated the Christmas Raw with all of his brothers, who helped him beat down Chris Jericho, until the Dudley Boyz made the save. During this time, problems began to build between Stephanie McMahon and Trish Stratus, who was "seeing" her father, Vince. Since Stephanie was sticking with Helmlsey, Angle began to partner up with Trish, since he was buddying up with Vince at the time.

2001

A tournament was put together by Stephanie McMahon at the beginning of the year, to choose a #1 Contender to Angle's World Title. Through a strange set of matches, Steve Austin won the shot, taking on Angle on Raw. The match was furious, and included attempted interference from William Regal on Austin (which failed). At the end, Austin hit the Stunner on Angle, but the count was broken up by a returning Triple H, who pulled out the referee and knocked him unconscious, sending the match to a No-Contest. Afterwards, Helmlsey put Austin through the announcer's table, laying him out. Vince McMahon later announced Helmsley (his son-in-law) as the new #1 Contender, setting up a match between Angle and Triple H at the 2001 Royal Rumble. Helmsley claimed that the only reason Angle had held the title so long was because Triple H's attention was on other things. Now Helmsley was ready to collect. Angle answered, in a way, by choosing Trish Stratus to be in her corner opposite Stephanie.

The match-up between Angle & Helmsley at the Royal Rumble was another wild affair, made mostly because of the women at ringside. The fighting was furious, both inside and outside the ropes. When Triple H put on a Figure Four leglock on Angle, Trish tried to help him escape, but Stephanie attacked her, leading to a catfight between the women. Surprisingly, Vince McMahon came down to break them up, carrying Trish to the back, with Stephanie following, still trying to attack her. The fight distracted Helmsley, allowing Angle to get back in the match. During the action, the referee was knocked out, allowing Angle to try to hit Triple H with the title. But Angle missed, and Helmsley got the Pedigree. With the ref down, though, there was no count. Steve Austin then came out to get revenge on Triple H, hitting him with the title, then landing the Stone Cold Stunner. Afterwards, a hurting Angle made the pinfall, getting another title defense to go with his gold medals.

Angle fought in a mixed-tag match the next night with Trish Stratus against Triple H & Stephanie. The match was decided when Helmsley Pedigree'd Trish, allowing Stephanie to pin her. A few days later, an angry Vince McMahon complained about how Trish was treated, and although Angle tried to suck up to him and apologize, Vince put him in a title defense against Kane. Angle was dominated by the Big Red Machine for a while, but got some help from Rikishi & Haku, who were feuding with Kane. Haku's superkick knocked Kane out, allowing Angle to get the pin and win the match. Angle next had to contend with the Rock, who had won a 4-Corners Contenders Match. Triple H also got into the match, thanks to a distracted Vince (who was rushing off to see Trish). Angle still won the match, when he hit a low blow on Helmsley when the ref was down. Steve Austin, who was at ringside, made the ref's hand count to 3, giving Angle the win. Angle still continued to have problems with the Rock, though, and a match was signed between the two for the February pay-per-view.

Angle tried to get things started quickly at No Mercy '01, by taking a swing at the Rock with the World Title. The Rock ducked, though, then took Angle down with a clothesline. The two great athletes switched momentum frequently, with Angle getting on the Ankle Lock early on only to have the Rock escape to the ropes. The Rock similarly nearly won with the Sharpshooter, but Angle managed to get out. The match was later interrupted by the Big Show, who chokeslammed the ref, Angle, and the Rock before leaving. More referees came out and decided to let the match continue. The Rock scored with his People's Elbow, but Angle kicked out. Angle then came back once more, using an exposed turnbuckle to stun the Rock and land the Olympic Slam. The Rock somehow got a shoulder up, though, then returned the favor by slamming Angle's head into the metal 'buckle. Two Rock Bottoms later, the Rock finally got the World Title away from Angle, getting the 1-2-3.

Angle tried to get revenge on the Rock the next Raw, when they fought in a Triple Threat Match, with the Hardcore Champion, the Big Show, as the third man. While the Big Show was fighting off various hardcore challengers, Angle got the Rock in the Ankle Lock, threatening to break his ankle, until Steve Austin made the save, hitting the Stunner on Angle. Angle continued to show his rage in the coming weeks, taking out his anger at losing the title on guys like Scotty Too Hotty, breaking his ankle. Angle later gained a rematch for the World Title against the Rock on Raw, but his anger got the best of him, as he wouldn't release the Ankle Lock even though the Rock had reached the ropes. Angle was DQ'ed, but still wouldn't let go. When Debra (the Rock's assigned manager at the time) came in, Angle attacked her as well, locking on the Ankle Lock on her. Steve Austin, Debra's husband, rushed the ring and took out Angle, then nailed the Rock as well for letting Debra get hurt.

Angle's problems with the Rock and Austin led him to start teaming up with another "crippler", Chris Benoit. At one point during a tag match, Angle put his Ankle Lock on the Rock, while Benoit locked on his Crippler Crossface. Still, problems existed between the two, each of whom believed they were the best technical wrestlers in the WWF. A week before Wrestlemania, Angle came out and complained about not having a match, despite main-eventing the last PPV. Benoit then came out and said that he was tired of Angle's whining, and that since he didn't have a match either, he would challenge Angle, who accepted. The two then fought it out, with Benoit making Angle tap to the Crossface until Edge & Christian made the save. Angle continued to claim afterwards that he didn't actually tap out, and got some revenge on Benoit with the Ankle Lock on Smackdown.

At Wrestlemania X-7, Angle was shown in the back with Edge & Christian, obsessively watching the video from Raw of Benoit's Crossface. Angle still said that he didn't tap, that he never taps. In the match, Angle and Benoit started off with some mat wrestling, going back and forth to the cheers of the crowd. When Benoit started to get the edge, though, Angle turned to brawling, slugging Benoit and knocking him out of the ring. The two fought outside for a while, then came back in, where Benoit used both the Ankle Lock and the Crossface on Angle, who escaped both times. Angle then came back with a Crossface of his own on Benoit, who managed to get a foot on the ropes. The referee was later taken out accidentally by Angle, who was then put back in the Crossface by Benoit. Angle tapped, but there was no referee. Angle later got the Olympic Slam for a 2 count, then opted to try his top-rope moonsault, but landed on Benoit's knees. Benoit nearly won with the Swandive Headbutt, with Angle barely kicking out. Angle then pulled a fast one, kicking Benoit and rolling him up with a handful of tights to end the match, winning at Wrestlemania for the first time. Angle celebrated in the back later on, only to be ambushed by Benoit and locked up in the Crossface again.

Angle continued to have problems with Chris Benoit over the next few weeks, while also contending for some gold by fighting Kane in a Hardcore Title Match (which Kane won). Angle also helped out Commissioner William Regal in fighting Chris Jericho, trying to break Jericho's ankle at times, with Benoit making the save. A week before the pay-per-view, Angle & Regal teamed up in a "Tag Submissions" Match against Benoit & Jericho. Many submissions were used, including Angle putting the Ankle Lock on Jericho. But when Angle was busy outside fighting Jericho, Benoit was able to put Regal in the Crippler Crossface and win the match. However, Angle & Regal got revenge on Smackdown, winning a tag-team match under "Dutchess of Queensbury" Rules (a DQ was reversed by Regal).

At Backlash '01, Angle and Benoit fought in an "Ultimate Submission" Match. Whoever got the most submissions in 30 minutes would be the winner, and prove who was the better technical wrestler. Not surprisingly, both men started out trying for their finishers. Benoit put Angle in the Crossface outside the ring, making Angle tap, but it didn't count in the totals. Angle then tried to use a chair, but was stopped by the referee. Angle later got the first submission, using a knee lock to force Benoit to tap. But Benoit came back, and used a cross-armbreaker to tie things up. However, Benoit lost all the momentum when the referee got knocked down. Angle used a chair on Benoit, then applied the Ankle Lock for a submission. Angle followed almost immediately with the Crippler Crossface, putting him up 3-1 in the contest. For a while, Angle dominated Benoit, both in and out of the ring. But Benoit wasn't through, getting a series of submission maneuvers and finishing Angle off with a half-crab. Angle stalled for time afterwards, trying to run out the clock and hang onto his lead. But with only a few minutes left, Benoit got the Ankle Lock, tying it all up at 3. With time running out, Angle recovered and got his own Ankle Lock applied, with Benoit tapping out after the clock ended. The referee ruled that the score was still 3-3, and that the match must continue until there was a winner. A frustrated Angle was left open, and Benoit used the Crippler Crossface to win the match.

An angry Angle showed up at Raw saying that Benoit had cheated the night before, since, according to IOC rules, Benoit's tapping to the Ankle Lock should have counted. Angle accepted the loss, though, saying that at least he was still a gold medalist, something that Benoit could never achieve. Benoit interrupted Angle, saying that Angle would never live down his loss to the Rabid Wolverine. The two then brawled, with Benoit putting Angle in the Crossface, then taking Angle's gold medals for himself. Angle would chase Benoit for his medals over the next few shows, including facing Benoit in a "3 Falls" Match at Insurrextion '01. Benoit told Angle that the medals were in a very safe place before the match. The fighting, as expected from these two, was furious, with Benoit scoring the first fall after his Swandive headbutt. Later on, after Angle escaped the Crossface, Benoit rolled him up for the win, surprisingly beating Angle twice in a row. After the match, a gloating Benoit showed Angle where the "safe" place was, pulling the gold medals out of his pants.

Angle, with the help of Commissioner Regal, chose to fight Benoit at Judgment Day '01 in a "Three Falls/Styles" Match. The first match was scheduled as "pinfalls only". The match was decided after Angle missed a top-rope maneuver, allowing Benoit to hit the Angle Slam for the victory. The second portion was a "Submissions" Match, with both men trying for each other's submission hold. Benoit dominated for a while with a series of leg submission holds, but Angle fought back with the Angle Slam, followed by the Ankle Lock, evening the series at one all. Finally, the two men squared off in a "Ladder" Match, with the gold medals hanging from above. Multiple ladders came into play, and many violent maneuvers were performed. Benoit managed to get the upper hand by putting Angle in the Crossface, but Edge & Christian then came to the ring and attacked, beating on Benoit until Angle could climb the ladder and reclaim his gold medals, winning the match.

Angle had a medal ceremony on Raw, complete with an Olympic stand for him to stand on. The ceremony was interrupted, though, by Shane McMahon, who wanted to talk about his company, WCW. Angle, annoyed at someone disturbing his time, put Shane-o-Mac in the Ankle Lock, then left the ring. Later on, Vince McMahon rewarded Angle by giving him an IC Title shot against Kane, only to have Shane interfere and help Kane win. Angle next had a mini-feud with Spike Dudley, slamming him into a locker with the Olympic Slam at one point. Angle soon, though, became interested in other things, as the King of the Ring tournament had come around again. As the last year's champion, Angle wanted to repeat, keeping the crown. Angle beat Hardcore Holly in the preliminaries, then took down Jeff Hardy in a grueling match to reach the semi-finals at the pay-per-view. However, Angle was also interested in Shane McMahon, signing to fight him in a "Street Fight", making it a possibility of Angle fighting in three matches at KOTR.

The tension was high in Angle's locker room at the King of the Ring, since his buddies Edge, Christian & Rhyno were the other three semi-finalists. Angle faced Christian in the semi-finals, with the two putting aside their friendship in the quest for the crown. The two had a hard-fought match, with Shane McMahon coming to ringside to distract Angle. However, when Christian hit his finisher and made the cover, Shane-o-Mac pulling Christian off, allowing Angle to get the Olympic Slam for the victory, moving him to the finals against Edge. Before the final match, Angle apologized to Edge for some comments that were made, then shook his hand. Angle then asked Edge to forfeit, allowing Angle to stay fresh for his match against Shane. Edge disagreed, punching him and kicking him down in the corner. The two fought back and forth, with Christian distracting the referee at one point when it seemed Edge had the win. Later on, Angle got the Ankle Lock on Edge, but the referee had been knocked down. Shane McMahon then ran in and speared Angle, allowing Edge to get the Edge-o-Matic for the victory, costing Angle the crown.

Later on that night, Angle faced off against Shane in the Street Fight match. Angle's fatigue from fighting two other matches showed early on, with Shane opening a cut above Angle's eye, bringing some blood into the mix. Shane later took advantage with his kendo stick, wearing Angle down. But when Shane missed a shooting star press onto a trash can, Angle came back, fighting with Shane up the aisleway and suplexing him twice into a window, finally sending Shane through the glass. Both men were now bloody, suffering from a myriad of cuts and scrapes. Shane later almost won with the Olympic Slam, but Angle fought back, and delivered some massive punishment, before putting up a piece of wood in the corner for some balance. He then lifted Shane-o-Mac onto the 'platform' and did a huge Olympic Slam off of it for the victory, his second win of the night in three matches. Afterwards, Angle headed to the back, while the crowd gave Shane McMahon a standing ovation for the abuse he took.

On the next night, Shane-o-Mac announced that WCW was invading the WWF, and that Booker T would be leading the charge. Angle, who was hanging out with Steve Austin and Vince McMahon at the time, went with Austin to the New York restaurant where the two men appeared to be, but Shane & Booker T actually came back to the arena, where they attacked Vince. Throughout the month of July, Angle joined (reluctantly) with Austin and other members of the WWF roster to fight against the WCW invasion, which was made even more dangerous when many former ECW wrestlers reformed and allied themselves with the WCW wrestlers, creating the Alliance. At one point, Angle nearly won the WCW World Title from Booker T, only to have the WCW referee, Nick Patrick, screw him over and allow Booker T to cheat out a victory, saving his title.

At Invasion, Angle allied himself with Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Kane & the Undertaker, facing off against Booker T, Diamond Dallas Page, Rhyno & the Dudley Boyz. The match started off with a brawl between all participants, which worked right into Austin's favor. Austin dominated the early going, but most of the wrestlers were tagged in at one point or another. Angle was tagged in by a hurting Jericho during the match, and cleaned house for a while, suplexing both Dudleys. But Angle later took a beating by many of the Alliance members, including the Dudley Boy headdrop and DDP's Diamond Cutter. Angle managed to tag in Austin, but the referee didn't see it and didn't let it happen. A brawl soon broke out again, with all groups splitting to various parts of the arena. The Undertaker and DDP even fought to the back. Many people went through tables on the outside, as Angle was double-teamed by Booker T & Bubba Ray Dudley. Angle fought back, though, hitting the Angle Slam on Bubba Ray, then putting the Ankle Lock on Booker T. Austin then threw a referee into the ring, apparently to count Booker T's submission. But Austin attacked Angle, hitting the Stone Cold Stunner and helping Booker T get the win. Austin had betrayed the WWF and joined the Alliance, taking the WWF World Title with him.

On the next Raw, Austin justified his actions by saying that Vince McMahon didn't respect him enough. Austin believed that Vince cared more for the returning Rock, as well as Angle, who had "stolen" Vince. A furious Angle came down to the ring and brawled with Austin, kicking him out of the ring. Angle then told Vince that he would be the leader of the WWF now that Austin had left. On Smackdown, Angle proved that he could be the leader, in a fight against the WCW World Champ, Booker T. When Angle had Booker T on the ropes, Alliance members ran out to interfere, with Kanyon hitting Angle with a chair. WWF wrestlers cleared out the Alliance members, settling things back down, but only for a while, as Steve Austin ran in when Angle got Booker T in the Ankle Lock. Austin hit the Stunner on Angle, then left the ring, as Booker T did his Spinaroony. But Angle surprised Booker T with another Ankle Lock, forcing him to tap out. Angle, thus, had taken out the Alliance's momentum by winning the WCW World Heavyweight Title.

Unfortunately, Angle's title reign only lasted a few days, as Booker T regained the belt the next Raw thanks to a Stone Cold Stunner from Austin, who then ran from the arena. Angle took out part of his anger on Austin's wife, Debra, telling her to her face that her cookies sucked. Angle then went after Booker T, who was celebrating in the Alliance locker room.As the heart of the WWF at this time, Angle also associated a lot with the Rock, who had come back and rejoined the WWF. In a hiliarious scene, Angle gave the Rock a glass of milk, which the Rock promptly took the glass, turned it sideways, and drank it down, showing that the two were together on the war against the Alliance. Still, things seemed more serious in the few shows leading up to the pay-per-view, as Angle dearly wanted to get his hands on Austin. Angle had to deal with a sore ankle, though, after Austin jammed it between a chair at one show, then jumped off the turnbuckle onto it.

At Summerslam '01, Angle & Austin couldn't wait to fight, immediately starting to brawl in the aisle. Austin worked over Angle's ankle at first, focusing on the injury, but Angle had his own focus, hitting 7 German Suplexes in a row. Still, Austin dominated the early going, including hitting a superplex, followed by the Stone Cold Stunner. The pin attempt only got two, though, and when Austin followed up with a 2nd Stunner, Angle rolled out of the ring. Austin brutally attacked Angle on the outside, ramming him repeatedly into the ringpost, bloodying him. Soon, Angle was wearing a crimson mask, bleeding heavily from his forehead. Angle still had some of his instincts, though, grabbing Austin on the outside barricade and applying the Ankle Lock. When the ref told him that he couldn't win from there, Angle threw Austin back into the ring, then applied the Ankle Lock again, only to have Austin make it to the ropes. Austin later got a 3rd Stunner, but Angle kicked out again, then came back with the Angle Slam. This is where Austin got desperate, attacking 3 WWF referees in a row when they came down. Angle then got the Angle Slam again, with Nick Patrick running to the ring. But Patrick ended the match rather than count the pinfall, saying that Austin was DQ'ed for hitting the refs. This gave Angle the win, but kept him from getting the title. A nearly insane Angle attacked Patrick, putting him in the Ankle Lock, before walking away from the ring in disbelief.

The Alliance celebrated Austin's "victory" on the next Raw, calling it "Austin Appreciation Night". All of the Alliance came to the ring at the end of the show, showering Austin with gifts (including an awful song from Stephanie McMahon). Angle broke up the party, though, driving down to ring in a milk truck. Angle threw some milk cartons at the Alliance members, then grabbed a hose and sprayed all of them with milk, especially Austin. Angle then chugged a couple of milks (just like Austin does with beers), before departing. On the next Raw, Angle & Chris Jericho were scheduled to take on Austin & Rob Van Dam. But Austin, claiming a shoulder injury, placed Raven as RVD's partner. Angle, not accepting the decision, attacked Raven before the match, badly injuring his ankle. But Austin still refused to wrestle, putting Tazz in instead. Angle & Jericho won the match, with Angle nailing Tazz with the Angle Slam. But Austin attacked Angle after the match, beating him down and stealing Angle's gold medals.

Angle tried to track down Austin on the next Smackdown, but Austin continually ran away, leaving the arena. After Angle won a match over Booker T at the end of the night, Austin appeared on the Titon Tron, telling Angle that he needed to beg to get a title shot, and to get his medals back. When Angle refused, Austin tied the medals to a cinderblock and threw them into the river. On the first Raw of September '01, Austin bragged about what he had done, with the Alliance getting Austin a present for his actions: a new truck. But as Austin was admiring the truck, Angle attacked him with a steel pipe, then threw Austin into the truck, as well as a cinderblock, and drove away. Angle took Austin to a bridge and tied him to the cinderblock, threatening to throw Austin off just like Austin did with Angle's medals. Austin yelled that Angle didn't want to do this, and Angle agreed, saying that he needed to find a higher bridge. Eventually, Angle & Austin were shown again, with Austin apologizing like crazy. Angle eventually got him to beg, then cry, then finally give Angle a WWF Title shot at Unforgiven. Angle then pushed Austin over into the kiddie pool that was set up behind him, fulfilling his promise to toss Austin in the water.

Unforgiven '01 was held in Pittsburgh, Angle's hometown, so his entire family came out to see him. The match between Angle & Austin started out the same as the previous one, as they fought on the ramp before even making it to the ring. Angle controlled the match early on, hitting Austin so many times that Austin tried to take his title and walk away. Angle naturally chased him down and threw him off the stage, before carrying him back to the ring. The two fought on the outside for a long while, with Austin continually suplexing Angle onto the Spanish announce table. The two eventually fought back into the ring, where Angle delivered a Stunner on Austin, and Austin later got the Angle Slam on Angle. At the end, Austin seemed to have things wrapped up after a piledriver, but he wanted to hit the Stunner to end it. Angle countered the Stunner, though, and applied the Ankle Lock, forcing Austin to tap out in front of Angle's family. For the 2nd time, Angle was the WWF World Heavyweight Champion.

Over the next few weeks, Angle successfully defended his title against guys like Booker T and Shane McMahon, while Steve Austin continuously failed to turn up. Austin claimed that, since he had managed to grab the ropes while he was tapping out, the match should not have ended, and he should still be the World Champion. Austin sent in faxes at one point, demanding that the title be returned to him. Shane McMahon then set up a match between Angle and Rob Van Dam, with the stipulation that, if Angle won, he'd get a shot at unifying the WCW/WWF Titles, but if RVD won, Angle would have to defend against Austin on Raw. Thanks to Shane hitting Angle with a chair, RVD got the win. On the next Raw, Angle went against Austin, with the title on the line. Commissioner William Regal also made a rule that no Alliance members could be at ringside, and he stayed there to make sure they stayed away. However, when the referee was down, Regal pulled the WWF Title away from Austin, then hit Angle with it! Austin used this advantage to hit the Stunner on Angle and steal away the WWF World Title, taking it back to the Alliance.

Angle demanded a rematch for the title at No Mercy '01, with Austin reluctant to give it to him. But when Regal was fired from the Commissionership due to leaving the WWF, a new Commissioner was appointed: Mick Foley. Foley quickly had an impact, making a Triple Threat Match for the PPV, between Austin, Angle, and Rob Van Dam. RVD had been having problems with Austin in the Alliance, as Van Dam had been more of an influence as a leader in the locker room. On one show, he had the chance to drop his Five Star Frog Splash on either Angle or Austin, and chose to hit Angle, helping Austin win the match. But in another match, after Austin had berated him for talking with Vince McMahon, RVD got the Frog Splash on Austin, showing that the pay-per-view was wide open, with no major double-teaming.

At first at No Mercy, Angle was double-teamed by Austin & RVD. But Austin broke that up by flipping Van Dam the bird, making it a true Triple Threat Match. Van Dam put a new element into the Angle/Austin feud, bringing his high-flying antics to the match-up. At one point, RVD somersaulted over the ropes and hit both men, then later put a leg drop on Austin on the announce table. In one series, Austin got the Stunner on Angle, but RVD was there, hitting a split-legged moonsault on Austin, followed by Angle getting his Angle Slam on Van Dam, with Austin breaking up the cover. Vince McMahon was also part of the match, smacking Austin in the back with a chair and nearly helping RVD win, with Angle breaking it up. Angle then nearly got the win on RVD with another Angle Slam, but Shane McMahon broke it up, taking Angle to the outside. Austin then got the Stunner on RVD and pinned him for the victory, retaining his title.

It was announced on the next Raw by Vince McMahon that the WWF/Alliance war would end at Survivor Series, with two teams going at it. During the night, Angle was shown talking with Edge about what had happened at No Mercy. But the talk ended when Rhyno appeared out of nowhere and Gored Edge into a garage door! Angle was held back by officials, then went to help Edge. Due to the attack, WWF Commissioner Mick Foley placed Angle in a match against Rhyno, with Rhyno's US Title on the line. The two fought a tough match, with Rhyno even Goring Angle out of the ring at one point. But Angle managed to reverse a move into the Ankle Lock, forcing Rhyno to tap out. Angle, thus, earned some revenge on the Alliance, taking away their WCW United States Championship.

A week later, Angle was brought out as part of the WWF's Survivor Series team, along with Chris Jericho, the Rock, the Undertaker & Kane. However, Shane McMahon came out and bragged that one of the men in the ring would be turning on the WWF that night. Angle was seen later in Steve Austin's dressing room, trying to find out from him who the traitor was (leading Angle to a confrontation with the Rock). Angle also defended the US Title against WCW Commissioner William Regal, winning out with the Ankle Lock. At the end of the night, the WWF team rushed the ring to battle with the Alliance members. Angle was last out, with a steel chair, but he surprisingly used it on Jericho, then attacked the rest of the WWF members, showing that Angle was the turncoat. Angle then helped Shane-o-Mac win his "Street Fight" Match with his father, Vince, and celebrated with the Alliance, joining the faction that he had feuded with for months. Later on, it was announced that Austin had actually NOT thrown Angle's gold medals off the bridge a few months back, and that, as a reward for joining the Alliance, Austin gave them back to Angle.

At the Rebellion '01 pay-per-view, Angle tried to win the WCW World Title from Chris Jericho, but lost when Jericho got a quick roll-up for the win. Afterwards, an angry Angle hit two Angle Slams on Jericho, then left him in the ring. At the end of the night, Angle interfered during Austin's WWF World Title defense against the Rock, tripping the Rock and helping Austin retain the belt. Austin later repaid the favor by helping Angle keep the WCW US Title on Raw in a match-up against the Undertaker, as Austin caused the DQ. However, problems began to develop between Austin and the rest of the Alliance, as Vince McMahon insinuated that Austin would be betraying the Alliance team at the pay-per-view. The problem grew when Austin hit the Stone Cold Stunner on Angle after a tag-team match, apparently because of Angle's lack of trust in him. When Angle came out on the next Raw to demand an apology, Edge came out instead, insulting his former friend and asking for a US Title shot, which Angle granted him. Angle had the advantage late in the match, as he went for the Ankle Lock, but Kane's music hit, distracting him. Edge then Speared Angle and pinned him for the victory, taking away the US Title. After the match, Kane came to the ring and brutally attacked Angle, trying to break his ankle, before Alliance members came to his aid.

Angle teamed up with Austin, Rob Van Dam, Booker T & Shane McMahon for the Alliance side of the Survivor Series "Winner Takes All" Match. They took on the Rock, the Undertaker, Kane, Chris Jericho & the Big Show. The first elimination took out the giant, as the Big Show was hit by RVD's Five Star Frog Splash, followed by Shane McMahon's elbow drop, then pinned. Shane was the next to fall, though, taken out by Jericho's Lionsault. A brawl then broke out, with RVD taking advantage of the situation, eliminating Kane with a Missile Dropkick. Later on, Angle was in trouble against the Undertaker, but Austin interfered, hitting the Stunner on the Undertaker, with Angle making the pin, giving the Alliance a 4-on-2 advantage. The Rock worked to bring things back to the WWF, rolling up Booker T for the quick elimination. Jericho then took out RVD with a massive face-slam, making things even again. Things got worse for the Alliance when Angle quickly tapped out to the Rock's Sharpshooter. But Austin still had something left, catching Jericho with the Stunner and making it Austin vs. the Rock, 1-on-1. With both referees in the match knocked down, Austin countered the Rock Bottom into another Stunner. But when Austin went to revive a ref, Angle suddenly returned to the ring, hitting Austin with his WWF World Title! The Rock then got the Rock Bottom for the victory, thus eliminating the Alliance! Angle celebrated outside the ring, as the night ended.

Angle continued to brag about being the 'savior' of the WWF on the next Raw, even going to the Rock's dressing room to get a "thank you". The Rock refused, however, still remembering Angle hitting him with a chair. This led to a match between the two, with the Rock's World Championship (formerly the WCW strap) on the line. Angle again had a great match with a bad ending, as the Rock rolled him up for the pinfall. Angle attacked the Rock after the match, but was Rock Bottomed. Chris Jericho then rushed the ring and ambushed the Rock, allowing Angle to get in some shots as well. Later in the night, a sulking Angle talked to Vince McMahon about how no one appreciated him for what he did. McMahon told Angle to come to the ring with him, bringing along Steve Austin's WWF Heavyweight Title. McMahon announced that, since Austin was not there, he was going to strip him of the title, apparently giving it to Angle. But before McMahon could finish, Ric Flair came out, announcing that McMahon's children had sold their stocks to him, making Flair and McMahon business partners. Flair then brought out Austin, who attacked Angle and took back his title, as Angle & McMahon fled the ring.

Angle continued to feud with both Austin and the Rock over the next few weeks, as well as a few confrontations with Chris Jericho. The four men were named the top contenders for the unification of the two World Titles, in a two-match tournament at Vengeance '01. Angle fought against Austin in the first match, with Austin's title on the line. Although Angle came close multiple times, he couldn't put the Rattlesnake away, allowing Austin to surprise him with a Stunner and get the victory. Austin moved on in the tournament to face Chris Jericho, who had beaten the Rock earlier in the night. Angle tried to help Jericho, hitting Austin with a steel chair before the match. Angle then was chased away by the Rock. Austin came back from Angle's interference, but couldn't survive additional problems from Booker T, as Chris Jericho won the Unified World Titles.

On the next Raw, Angle put his title loss behind him and came out with a challenge for Rikishi. Angle wanted to get revenge for Rikishi's actions the week before, when Rikishi gave the Stinkface to Vince McMahon. Angle's plans backfired, though, when Rikishi tried for the Stinkface on him as well. Angle rolled out of the ring and stayed away, getting counted out. Afterwards, Angle attacked Rikishi during the big man's dance celebration, but Rikishi took him down, then applied the Stinkface, embarrassing Angle. But shortly thereafter, a furious Angle brought a chair back to the ring and viciously struck Rikishi again and again, knocking him cold. On Smackdown, Angle continued to fight against Rikishi, as he teamed up with William Regal to face Rikishi & Edge. Angle's team lost, though, when Regal was speared by Edge and pinned. After the match, Regal tried to use his brass knuckles on Rikishi, but missed, hitting Angle instead. Regal was then knocked down and Stinkfaced.

Angle's small war with Rikishi continued on Raw, with Angle & Yest winning a tag-team match over Rikishi & Edge, due to Angle taking out Edge with the Angle Slam. This earned Angle an Intercontinental Title shot against Edge on Smackdown, but Angle was disqualified after pulling the ref in front of him to block a Spear attempt. Angle couldn't believe it, and took out his frustration on Edge, putting him in the Ankle Lock and trying to break Edge's ankle. During the Christmas edition of Raw, Angle got another title shot, fighting in a Triple Threat Match with the Undisputed Champion, Chris Jericho, and the Rock. In the end, Angle nailed the Rock with a DDT off of a steel chair, but Jericho took full advantage, quickl

~~debbydo~~ · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 20005 Location: Hertfordshire

God i'm knackered reading all that .. [smilie=love sick.gif]

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

~~debbydo~~ · Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 20005 Location: Hertfordshire

He still scares me .. :roll: