This day in Pro Wrestling history - 23rd March: Kurt Angle becomes SmackDown GM
Kurt Angle has had many onscreen roles in the WWE. Angle played a cowardly heel during his early days in the company before turning face and becoming the ‘American hero’ during the Invasion angle. He would also portray a comedic heel during the same time and later became the ‘Wrestling Machine’ during his final days in the company.
But in between all that, Angle served as the onscreen GM of SmackDown during 2004.
Angle had health issues at the time and the move was to keep him on TV while he recuperated. Angle would be a torment to the babyfaces on SmackDown, including Eddie Guerrero and John Cena, and would even be relegated to a wheelchair for some time following a Chokeslam off the ledge by the Big Show.
Angle would continue the gimmick, declaring that he could no longer wrestle, before appearing as a masked luchador during a steel cage match between JBL and Guerrero to prevent the latter from becoming WWE Champion again.
He would soon return to in-ring competition, beating Guerrero at Summerslam.
Today, we look back at the day when Angle became SmakDown GM. We also look back at the match that started the Attitude Era and saved a WrestleMania from total despair. And have you heard about SHINE Wrestling?
#1 Kurt Angle becomes SmackDown GM – 23rd March 2004
Paul Heyman had quit as SmackDown GM and Triple H had just been drafted to SmackDown, so when the Game’s music hit to open SmackDown on the 23rd March 2004 tapings, fans were surprised to see Kurt Angle coming out instead.
Angle declared that he was the new SmackDown GM and that his first official act as SmackDown GM was to trade Triple H back to RAW for three Superstars. Those three Superstars turned out to be the Dudley Boyz and Booker T.
Also read: 5 things we learned from Kurt Angle's Reddit AMA
Angle said that he was putting his wrestling career on hold to take on GM duties, but in reality, he had been having neck troubles following his WrestleMania XX match against WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero. Angle would go on to have feuds with the likes of Guerrero and John Cena during his time as the GM.
Angle would have Luther Reigns and Mark Jindrak watch his back, forming the Angle Alliance after he returned to in-ring competition at that year’s Summerslam.