He was noted in 1996 when he won the 220-pound freestyle wrestling competition at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Four years after earning Olympic gold, Angle entered WWE for the first time in 1999 (where he defeated the Godfather) and earned professional wrestling gold.
Just weeks after entering WWE, Angle earned the European Title. A short time later he earned the Intercontinental Championship and also won the 2000 King of the Ring. Later, Kurt Angle defeated The Rock at No Mercy to win the WWE Championship. Kurt Angle is considered one of the best wrestlers ever only after a short career.
He is also a 2-time NCAA Division I champion, 1987 USA Junior Freestyle champion, 2-time USA Senior Freestyle champion, 1988 USA FILA Junior World Freestyle champion, 3-time NCAA Division I all-American.
His most famous feud was with Brock Lesnar, although he has feuded with many of the top names of WWE. In 2003, after suffering an almost career-ending neck injury, he opted for a new type of surgery that allowed him to return in two months rather than a year.