Express Hall of Fame Induction: Kurt Angle

First offered a contract following his gold medal win, and turning it down due to how he viewed pro-wrestling as someone coming from the world of amateur wrestling. One what if that has been around the dark shadows of wrestling is what would've happened if Kurt Angle didn't walk out that night when he was visiting ECW. Angle would sign with WWE eventually getting trained by Dory Funk Jr and was I believe one of the last trainees at the old WWF warehouse. 

Debuting at Survivor Series 1999, Kurt Angle was pushed immediately with an undefeated streak. Kurt would proceed to win the Intercontinental, European, and WWF World Championship all in the year 2000 which made for an amazing rookie year for the former Gold Medal Winner. The rocket was attached to Angle for the next five years with him becoming one of the biggest stars in wrestling. In June 2006, Angle would leave WWE and head south to TNA Wrestling becoming the leader of Impact/TNA Wrestling from 2006 to 2015 before returning to WWE for one more run. 

Kurt Angle is one of a handful of stars to hold both WWE Championships (WWE and original World Heavyweight), IWGP World Championship, and TNA World Heavyweight. Fun fact Kurt Angle was the first ever TNA World Champion winning the gold after the company left the NWA. Kurt Angle holds the record for most reigns as TNA World Champion at six and the record for spending most days as champion at six hundred and eight days as champion. 

Not sure anyone expected Angle to return as general manager of Raw following his Hall of Fame induction. Though some might believe Angle's WWE retirement tour could've ended better and I don't disagree, there was a time when nobody thought he'd return to WWE. At this point though there isn't much else to say other than welcome the "Olympic Gold Medalist" Kurt Angle into the 2024 Wrestling Express Hall of Fame.