Congratulations to WWE legend Kurt Angle
Congratulations to WWE Hall of Famer and legendary superstar Kurt Angle. One of the only Olympic gold medalists in WWE history is to get honored by the Cauliflower Alley Club.
According to PW Insider, the Cauliflower Alley Club has announced that Angle will be this year's recipient of the prestigious Lou Thesz/Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award.
"Kurt Angle's illustrious career is a testament to his unparalleled talent, dedication, and passion for the sport of wrestling. A decorated athlete, Angle's journey began on the amateur wrestling mats, where he secured an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games (with a broken frickin' neck), demonstrating his exceptional skill and tenacity. Transitioning to professional wrestling, Angle quickly became a household name in WWE, capturing the WWE Championship multiple times and earning a reputation as one of the most technically proficient and charismatic performers in the industry," the announcement read.
Kurt Angle joins fellow WWE Hall of Famers such as Ron Simmons, Rob Van Dam, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, and Ricky Steamboat on the list of Lou Thesz/Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. Angle will be honored in a ceremony at the 58th annual Cauliflower Club Reunion in Las Vegas, Nevada from August 19 to 21.
Some of the criteria to receive the prestigious award include having a strong amateur wrestling background and a very good professional wrestling career. It was named after legendary wrestler Lou Thesz and Cauliflower Club founder Art Abrams.
Kurt Angle almost signed with WCW
Before going to WWE to become a professional wrestler, Kurt Angle thought about signing with WCW. However, Ric Flair knew that WCW would have misused Angle so he convinced Vince McMahon to sign the Olympic gold medalist.
"We were in a gym working out in Nashville, TN and I met Kurt several times and he walked over and said, 'I'm thinking about getting into professional wrestling.' He said, 'What do you think about me going to WCW?' I went in the locker room, got my phone, came out, called Vince, put him on the phone and he was working out with Dory Funk Jr. two weeks later," Flair said on Busted Open Radio. (H/T SEScoops)
It was a great decision by Kurt Angle since he thrived in WWE, while WCW was gone by 2001. Angle had a great career in WWE and outside of it, and is often considered one of the greatest wrestlers in history.