Why Kurt Angle Retired From Pro Wrestling, Explained

• 

  kurt angle

  Birthname:

  Kurt Steven Angle

  Birthdate:

  1968-12-09

  Birthplace:

  Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania

  Notable Rivals:

  John Cena, brock lesnar, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin

  Current Promotion:

  WWE

  Height:

  6’0″

  Weight:

  220 lbs

  Championships Held:

  WWE Championship, WWE Intercontinental Championship, WWE World Heavyweight Championship, TNA World Heavyweight Championship, IWGP Heavyweight Championship

  Finisher:

  Ankle Lock. Angle Slam

  Twitter:

  https://x.com/RealKurtAngle?s=20

  Instagram:

  https://www.instagram.com/therealkurtangle/?hl=en

  Eye Color:

  Blue

  Hair Color:

  Bald

  Notable Allies:

  brock lesnar, Vince McMahon

  Debut:

  1998-08-20

Highlights

• Kurt Angle was a WWE and TNA champion, known for his intense wrestling style and technical skills.
• Despite regrets over how his career ended, Angle’s legacy as one of the best in the ring remains strong.
• From winning Olympic gold to becoming a WWE Hall of Famer, Angle’s 20 years in wrestling left a lasting impact.

Throughout his professional wrestling career, Kurt Angle was widely regarded as one of the very best to have ever stepped into the squared circle thanks to his high intensity and phenomenal technical skills. Before he was a professional wrestler, he won gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1998, Angle joined WWE and became a megastar. His success continued when he signed with TNA in 2006. Angle decided to end his career in 2019 at WrestleMania 35. However, it has been a mixed bag for Angle since retiring. He expressed a number of views regarding what he wishes he had done differently in his career.

Kurt Angle Is A WWE Hall Of Famer

Kurt Angle Was A Champion In WWE And TNA

• Kurt Angle was a four-time WWE Champion.
• Kurt Angle was a six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
• Kurt Angle was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Before he retired, Angle had a fantastic career in professional wrestling. When he stepped into the ring, it was guaranteed that he was going to put on a fantastic match. He was highly accomplished in the ring. In WWE, he became a four-time WWE Champion and had classic matches against Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, John Cena, and more. When he returned to WWE in 2017, he was the RAW General Manager and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

In 2006, Angle signed with TNA, which is where he actually spent the majority of his active in-ring career. Angle’s run of dominance continued as a member of the TNA roster. After making the best debut in company history, Angle competed against some of the company’s very best. He battled AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Sting, and more. In TNA, he became a six-time TNA World Champion and was also the first wrestler to hold that title. His run with TNA continued until 2016, with his last match being against Bobby Lashley.

Kurt Angle Has Regrets Over How His Wrestling Career Ended

Kurt Angle Wasn’t In Great Shape During His Final Matches

• Kurt Angle faced Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35.
• Kurt lost in his retirement match.
• Kurt Angle has dealt with numerous injuries in his career.

In 2019, Angle announced that he would have his final match at WrestleMania 35. While many speculated that his final opponent would be John Cena, something Angle himself wanted, he ended up losing to Baron Corbin. For Angle, he knew that his body could no longer continue to go at the pace that he had been for so many years. However, he did not go out the way he wanted to, which was something he struggled with for a while. Angle said in an interview on the True Geordie podcast:

“
Oh, I had it. I had it, say, for about a year after I retired. I didn’t go out the way I wanted to. I was not in the best of shape when I went out. I was slowing down. The reason why I retired is because I noticed that I wasn’t half the wrestler I was, and I didn’t want fans to remember me as this broken-down, aging wrestler. So that’s why I retired. I didn’t get to go out the way I wanted to, so that was really difficult on me. So I did go through a little bit of a crisis for about a year, and I finally got through it, and it took me some time. I thought, ‘You know what, you accomplished a lot. You should be proud of yourself
.” (
h/t WrestlingNews
)

Angle has also expressed that he believes that he probably should have retired earlier than he did. Throughout his career, Angle dealt with a number of different injuries. Not only did this happen during his time as a professional wrestler, but also as an amateur wrestler. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Angle said:

“
I wish [I could still go]. You know what, my quality of life right now, Chris, isn’t so good. I had my knees replaced about a year ago, I had back surgery about four months ago, I have to have my shoulder replaced, and I still have another neck surgery coming up. That will be my fourth neck surgery. I really paid the price wrestling as long as I did. I wrestled amateur wrestling for 20 years and then pro for 20. And looking back, sometimes I regret maybe I should have retired five years earlier
.” (
h/t WrestlingHeadlines
)

The “Wrestling Machine” Leaves Behind A Great Wrestling Legacy

Kurt Angle Is One Of The Best To Step Into The Ring

• Kurt Angle debuted in 1998 for WWE.
• Kurt Angle wrestled for over 20 years.
• Kurt Angle is a multi-time world champion.

Angle’s career in professional wrestling, which began in 1998, will always be regarded as one of the very best in history. He was known as the “Wrestling Machine”, and for very good reason. He put on excellent, technical, and hard-hitting matches. His resume in wrestling is second to none. He was one of the top wrestlers in the world during his era and will always be regarded for what he did in the ring.