Of all the trios on this list, Team Angle lasted the shortest period of time. At just three months together, they hardly had time to grow and develop into the team they could have been had it not been for Kurt Angle's unfortunate neck injury. Still, there is no denying the level of success they had at the start of 2003. Angle was the reigning, defending WWE champion at the time, having defeated Big Show to win the gold and Chris Benoit in a Match of the Year candidate at the Royal Rumble. Arguably the best wrestler in the world at the time, he was on a collision course with Brock Lesnar and in need of backup. Who better to recruit than two young, former amateur wrestlers in Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas. Haas and Benjamin exploded onto WWE television, defeating Eddie and Chavo Guerrero for the tag titles. Together, they dominated tag team wrestling for the first half of the year, showcasing tremendous teamwork and perfecting the art form of tag team wrestling. With Angle by their sides, they learned and developed on the job and, in the process, found success at the top of the SmackDown brand as lead villains. When the former Olympic gold medalist returned from injury, he was understandably cheered by fans who appreciated his consistently great work and his willingness to work injured for their entertainment. Benjamin and Haas' egos had gotten the best of them, though, leading to a split that robbed fans of years of Team Angle delivering great matches and memorable moments.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
