Daniel Puder wasn't smiling when he got back through the curtain after performing in a segment on the November 4th 2004 Smackdown, that's for sure... Puder gained a measure of infamy (at least in some circles) after almost breaking Kurt Angle's arm during an impromptu shoot wrestling match as part of the $1,000,000 Tough Enough competition. Puder answered the challenge after Angle had easily dispatched of squat thrust competition winner Chris Nawrocki. Not only did Nawrocki lose to Angle (after being exhausted with exercises), but The Olympic Hero broke one of his ribs in the process. Some prize, that. Undeterred by what had happened to his competitor, Puder (who had MMA/UFC experience) stepped up in Narwocki's place. During their tussle Puder managed to lock in a Kimura on Angle, and came very close to breaking Angle's arm. It was only the quick thinking of referee Jimmy Korderas and Jerry Brisco (who was watching on a monitor backstage and knew what was happening) that saved Kurt's blushes - and his arm. The ref performed a dubious three count and Angle was declared the victor just in the nick of time. Angle went nuts afterwards, asking Puder if he was 'f***ing stupid' and reportedly going ballistic backstage. Puder, to his credit, was only reacting to the situation WWE put him in and wasn't to know what he could or couldn't do, given the spontaneity of the segment. WWE made a big mistake by allowing Angle, who was falling apart due to injuries at the time, to be placed into a shoot fight scenario. They should have ended the thing before it had a chance to really start. Kurt may have been an Olympic gold medal winner in freestyle wrestling, but he was nearly embarrassed by the rookie and could have been put on the bench for some time, if Puder had managed to synch in the Kimura. Big mistake, WWE.
