Best Matches: Kurt Angle

2000:

• Kurt Angle Vs The Rock – No Mercy 2000 – 4 ¼* - It goes to show how great of a wrestler is when his first match on an ‘Essential Match List’ is his first WWF World Championship win. Kurt Angle became a major player in a really fast time, he debuted in November 1999, and by October 2000 he had obtained the following WWF Championships: European Championships, Intercontinental Championship and King of the Ring. But in this match he won his first WWF Championship, becoming the fastest person to do it at the time. The Rock and Angle had perfect connection with each other. Fun match, and nice to see an authentic amateur wrestler become a WWF Champion.
• Kurt Angle Vs The Undertaker Vs The Rock Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs Triple H Vs Rikishi – Armageddon 2000 - 4 ¼* - If you think of the attitude era, and don’t think of this match you’re crazy. It’s a straight up brawl with the top wrestlers at the time (and Rikishi). Really around this time a lot of the WWF fans loved multi-man matches so WWF just decided to put their top 3 feuds all in one match, lock them inside a Hell in a Cell and let chaos havoc. In a big shock, Kurt Angle would actually walk out of this match as still the WWF Champion and he boasted about winning the biggest Hell in a Cell match until he left WWE.

2001:

• Kurt Angle Vs The Rock – No Way Out 2001 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit – Wrestlemania 17 – 4 ¼* - You’ll see plenty of matches on this list with Benoit as Angles opponent, and personally I think that is because Benoit is Angles best counterpart. These two are so evenly matched when it comes to in-ring ability and that’s why every time they compete against each other it’s magic.
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit – Judgment Day 2001 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit – Raw 11/06/2001 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Shane McMahon – King of the Ring 2001 – 4* - Kurt Angle had competed in 2 matches prior to this match against Shane. This is the epitome of a brutal match, so violent, so ‘unsafe’. Memorable moments from this match: Kurt Angle trying to belly-to-belly suplex Shane though the glass, Shane McMahons shooting star press from the turnbuckle and Kurt Angle angle-slamming Shane McMahon from the top of the turnbuckle. Here’s a video of Shane and Kurt discussing the match.
• Kurt Angle Vs Stone Cold – Summerslam 2001 – 4 ½*
• Kurt Angle Vs Stone Cold – Unforgiven 2001 – 4* - This match isn't rated higher than their Summerslam match, but for personally I’d have it the other way around. This is one of my favorite matches from 2001. This was a rematch to their Summerslam match, and it was absolutely great. It was a feel good moment for wrestling fans, and a feel good moment for Americans as Kurt Angle in his hometown of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania would go onto win another WWF Championship, as it was just a few weeks after the whole 9/11 Terrorist Bombings. Taking away from that, these two men work very well with each other and it’s a very back and forth match.
• Team Alliance (Kurt Angle, Stone Cold, Shane McMahon, Booker T & Rob Van Dam) Vs Team WWF (The Rock, Chris Jericho, Undertaker, Kane & Booker T) – Survivor Series 2001 – 4 ½*

2002:

• Kurt Angle Vs Edge – Backlash 2002 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Edge – Judgment Day 2002 – 4 ½* - If you’ve ever wondered how Kurt Angle went from a short hair male man to a bald hair male man – than this is the match you need to see, as it was contested in a Hair Vs. Hair Match. These two had excellent chemistry with each other and absolutely killed their feud with each other in 2002 whether that’d be singles or tag-team action.
• Kurt Angle Vs Edge – Smackdown 30/05/2002 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs The Rock Vs The Undertaker – Vengeance 2002 – 4 ½*
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit – Unforgiven 2002 – 4 ½* - In Benoit’s first Smackdown Brand Exclusive feud he got to compete his former arch nemesis – Kurt Angle. These two must’ve loved fighting with each other, because here we are again discussing one of their matches, although this time I would say this match is less known to most fans. It’s still as good as their previous matches against each other, but what helps it more is that it leads to them becoming tag team partners with each other in the next couple of months.
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit Vs Rey Mysterio – Smackdown 27/09/2002 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Edge – Smackdown 03/10/2002 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit Vs Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero – Smackdown 17/10/2002 – 4*
• Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit Vs Edge & Rey Mysterio – No Mercy 2002 – 4 ¾* - This was the final match in the tournament for the Smackdown Tag Team championships quite frankly its one of the best matches from the Smackdown brand in 2002. The mix of these four wrestlers styles works so good with each other, the endless possibilities of what they could do with each other is unfathomable. If you’re watching for the first time it’s very hard to pick who will win this match, highly recommend. It may have only involved 4 out of the 6 ‘Smackdown Six’ but it just goes to show how great each person was.
• Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit Vs Edge & Rey Mysterio – Smackdown 07/11/2002 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit Vs Eddie Guerrero Vs Edge – Smackdown 05/12/2002 – 4 ½*

2003:

• Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Charlie Hass & Shelton Benjamin) Vs Chris Benoit & Edge – Smackdown 16/01/2003 - 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit – Royal Rumble 2003 – 4 ¾* - This to me is Chris Benoit's and Kurt Angles best match in WWE, well for me at least. These two had wrestled many, many times (hell if you’ve actually read the list you’ll see they’re listed several times.) I love these two mens wrestling abilities, two technicians giving their absolute all in a close to 30-minute match. This is the perfect 5 star match to me, and if you don’t agree with me, rewatch the match and be the judge for yourself. Also watch after the match finishes when Benoit finally gets to his feet and you can hear the crowd give Benoit a standing ovation for his performance. This match goes to show that WWE saw Benoit as one of their future World Champions.
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Benoit – Smackdown 06/02/2003 – 4 ¼* - This is a rematch from their Royal Rumble match a week or so prior and it’s just as good and I highly recommend everyone watches this forgotten gem.
• Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Charlie Hass & Shelton Benjamin) Vs Chris Benoit & Brock Lesnar – No Way Out 2003 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar – Wrestlemania 19 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar – Summerslam 2003 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs The Undertaker – Smackdown 04/09/2003 – 4 ¼* - To be quite honest Undertaker from mid-2002 (except his Lesnar feud) up until the point onwards was well. boring. He didn’t have much memorable matches, or feuds quite honestly. The matches he did have were very slow and same-old, but this was one of his first matches that really incorporated his MMA style wrestling. The opponent of Angle, really brings out the best of ‘Taker and despite a disqualification finish, it’s one of the best Smackdown matches in 2003. They would have another great match a few years later at No Way Out 2006.
• Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar – Smackdown 18/09/2003 – 4 ¼* - Following the interference of the Taker, Lesnar would get another opportunity at the WWE Championship he lost to Angle a few weeks later. During the original brand split it’s easy to say that Smackdown was winning. Great storylines. Great matches. But in 2003, they made the decision to have the first ever 60 minute Iron Man Match on television. It would be for the WWE Championship against two of the greatest all around professional wrestlers Brock Lesnar & Kurt Angle. This is the final match in their trilogy of matches.
• Kurt Angle Vs John Cena – No Mercy 2003 – 4 ¼*

2004:

• Kurt Angle Vs Eddie Guerrero – Wrestlemania 20 – 4* - These two got to be one of the main events of the 20th Wrestlemania and it’s really decent match; fantastic back and forth chain wrestling with each other. What makes this match better for me is that it’s a classic Guerrero style win – Lie, Cheat, Steal.

2005:

• Kurt Angle Vs Rey Mysterio – Smackdown 07/02/2005 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Michaels – Wrestlemania 21 – 4 ¾* - Two of the greatest wrestler’s all time face to face at Wrestlemania, what more can you ask for. I wont say much, just mainly watch this match. Arguably one of the best technical matches during the Ruthless Aggression.
• Kurt Angle Vs Eddie Guerrero – Smackdown 14/04/2005 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Michaels – Vengeance 2005 – 4 ½* - This is a rematch of their Wrestlemania 21 and it’s just as good as their first encounter with each other.

2006:

• Kurt Angle Vs The Undertaker – No Way Out 2006 – 4* - This is my favourite match of 2006 hands down. This is Kurt Angles best defence as World Heavyweight Champion; I can’t reiterate it enough, that this match should’ve been the Smackdown Main Event at Wrestlemania 22. I’d also go all the way to say that this is Undertaker’s best match after returning as the Dead Man persona up to that point. They would go on to have a rematch on the Smackdown following this PPV.
• Kurt Angle Vs Rey Mysterio – Smackdown 31/05/2006 – 4 ¼* - (Can’t find link, sorry.)

Disclaimer: At this point we start Kurt Angle’s TNA Career and I want to be 100% honest with everyone. I’ve watched very limited TNA matches, I will go and watch a few of them this week and add some times, but there will be only a few matches I’ve added notes to that I’ve watched – so if you have an interesting short note about a match listed below feel free to comment it and I will add it to the post.

• Kurt Angle Vs Samoa Joe – TNA Genesis 2006 – 4 ¼* - This was Angles first PPV match under the TNA banner and oh boy did it open eyes to newer people. Even the common fans who only watched WWE would go onto watch this – and allowed people to gain knowledge and start supporting Samoa Joe. This may be one of the rare matches I watched when Angle joined TNA.
• Kurt Angle Vs Samoa Joe – TNA Turning Point 2006 – 4 ¼*

2007:

• Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, Rhino, Samoa Joe & Sting Vs AJ Styles, Abyss, Christian Cage, Scott Steiner & Tomko – TNA Lockdown 2007 - 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles Vs Chris Harris Vs Christian Cage Vs Samoa Joe - TNA Slammiversary 2007 - 4 ¼*

2008:

• Kurt Angle Vs Yuji Nagata - NJPW Wrestle Kingdom II – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Samoa Joe – TNA Lockdown 2008 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles – TNA Hard Justice 2008 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Abyss – TNA Turning Point 2008 – 4 ¼*

2009:

• Kurt Angle Vs Jeff Jarrett – TNA Genesis 2009 – 4 ½*
• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles – TNA Impact 06/10/2009 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Matt Morgan – TNA Bound for Glory 2009 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Desmond Wolfe – TNA Turning Point 2009 – 4 ¼* - Doing this list I knew close-to-all TNA wrestlers listed that Angle had matches with, this was the only exception. I had never heard of this ‘Desmond Wolfe’ before, so I decided to watch this match (and their Final Resolution match) and I was shocked to find out it was Nigel McGuiness and was even more shocked with how much I loved this match. Honestly, this may be one of my favourite TNA matches I’ve ever seen. So in that vein I highly recommend this match for everyone.
• Kurt Angle Vs Desmond Wolfe – TNA Final Resolution 2009 – 4*

2010:

• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles – TNA Impact 04/01/2010 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles – TNA Genesis 2010 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Mr. Anderson – TNA Lockdown 2010 – 4 ½*
• Kurt Angle Vs Kazarian – TNA Slammiversary 8 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Jeff Hardy – TNA No Surrender 2010 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Jeff Hardy Vs Mr. Anderson – TNA Bound for Glory 2010 – 4*

2011:

• Kurt Angle Vs Jeff Jarrett – TNA Against All Odds 2011 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Jeff Jarrett – TNA Lockdown 2011 – 4*

2012:

• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles – TNA Sacrifice 2012 – 4*
• Kurt Angle & AJ Styles Vs Christopher Daniels & Kazarian – TNA Slammiversary 2012 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle & AJ Styles Vs Christopher Daniels & Kazarian Vs Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez – TNA Bound for Glory 2012 – 4*

2013:

• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles – TNA Slammiversary XI – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Bobby Roode – TNA Impact 31/10/2013 – 4*

2015:

• Kurt Angle Vs Bobby Lashley – TNA Impact 20/03/2015 – 4 ¼*
• Kurt Angle Vs Austin Aries – TNA Impact 10/06/2015 – 4*
• Kurt Angle Vs Ethan Carter III – TNA Impact 01/07/2015 – 4*

Honourable Mentions:

• Kurt Angle Vs Abbas Jadidi - Atlanta Olympics 1996
• Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Stasiak – Survivor Series 1999 - Kurt Angle’s WWE Debut.
• Kurt Angle Vs Tazz – Royal Rumble 2000
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Jericho – No Way Out 2000 - Kurt Angle’s first WWE Intercontinental Championship.
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Jericho Vs Chris Benoit – Wrestlemania 2000 - Kurt Angle’s first Wrestlemania featured him competing in not one but TWO matches for TWO of his championships.
• Kurt Angle Vs Chris Jericho – King of the Ring 2000
• Kurt Angle Vs Rikishi – King of the Ring 2000 - Kurt Angle’s first (and only) King of the Ring win.
• Kurt Angle Vs Triple H – Royal Rumble 2001
• Kurt Angle Vs Hulk Hogan – King of the Ring 2002 - I really did forget about this match, but I actually went back and re-watched it making this list. Spoiler Alert… this is the only time Hogan taps out in his career.
• Kurt Angle Vs Rey Mysterio – Summerslam 2002
• Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit Vs Edge & Rey Mysterio Vs Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero – Survivor Series 2002 - This match was seen to be the big blow off for the ‘Smackdown Six’. All 6 men in this match were some of the greatest highlights from Smackdown 2002, as you can see from 2002 onwards on this list you can see that these 6 men put on great, continuous match with each other.
• Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar Vs Big Show – Vengeance 2003
• Kurt Angle Vs Eddie Guerrero - Summerslam 2004
• Kurt Angle Vs Eddie Guerrero – Smackdown 02/09/2004
• Kurt Angle Vs John Cena – No Way Out 2005 - Before Cena’s meteoric rise to the top of the WWE landscape by becoming WWE Champion for the first time, he had to go through his last foe, a familiar rival – Kurt Angle.
• Kurt Angle Vs Ric Flair – Raw 27/06/2005
• Kurt Angle Vs Shelton Benjamin – Raw 22/08/2005
• Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Michaels – Raw Homecoming - This was the final match in these two’s trilogy of matches. Unfortunately we never got a decider, of who the winner in this feud was, but still at least their last one on one match with each other was in a 30-minute iron man match and it’s a great one at that.
• Kurt Angle Vs John Cena – Survivor Series 2005
• Kurt Angle Vs Rob Van Dam – ECW 27/06/2006 - One of Kurt Angle’s last WWE matches (his last one would be against Sabu a few weeks later), this match is very fun and high pace, it was contested for the ECW Championship.
• Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar – NJPW 19/03/2007
• Kurt Angle Vs Christian Cage Vs Sting - TNA Sacrifice 2007
• Kurt Angle Vs Samoa Joe – TNA Hard Justice 2007
• Kurt Angle Vs Sting - TNA Bound for Glory 2007
• Kurt Angle Vs AJ Styles – TNA Slammiversary 2008
• Kurt Angle Vs Sting – TNA Hardcore Justice 2011
• Kurt Angle Vs James Storm – TNA Final Resolution 2011
• Kurt Angle Vs Eric Young – TNA Bound for Glory 2015
• Kurt Angle Vs Bobby Lashley - TNA Impact 31/01/2016 - This was Kurt Angle’s last TNA match before he left the company.
• Kurt Angle Vs Zack Sabre Jr – RevPro Angle Vs Sabre Jr. 2016