10 Things We Learned From WWE Hall Of Fame 2017 Induction Ceremony
2. Kurt Angle Had An Unusual Demand The First Time WWE Reached Out To Him
Many fans know the story of how Kurt Angle's first exposure to wrestling came when he attended an ECW show - the same show with an infamous crucifixion angle. The Olympic Gold Medalist was so turned off that he had nothing to do with the business for a couple of years.
In his Hall of Fame speech, though, Angle had another anecdote detailing early flirtations with pro wrestling. Apparently, shortly after his Olympic victory, he was offered a lucrative contract with WWE, one which he accepted - under the caveat that he never lose a match. On the one hand, it makes sense that someone who was recently crowned the undisputed best wrestler in the world wouldn't simply lose to his peers, but anybody with any pro wrestling familiarity (which Angle didn't have back then) knows that isn't how things work.
Angle never heard back from Vince McMahon after that, but over the next couple of years, he started watching Raw, then reached out to J.R. asking if the deal was still on the table. It wasn't, but he was offered a tryout, and that's how his career took off.