10 Wrestlers We Had To Hate Before We Could Love

9. Kurt Angle

Long before he was the highly-respected ass-kicking 'wrestling machine', Olympic gold medallist Kurt Angle debuted in the WWF in November 1999 with a carefully calculated heel gimmick. Someone at Titan Towers had taken careful note of the way in which 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock had gotten over with the fans as heels first before they became babyfaces, and theorised that they could use the same mechanic to create a heel character, just in reverse.

That's how Angle - under his own name - found himself playing an enthusiastic yet overweening white meat babyface, preaching Hogan-style motivational nonsense via his three 'I's: Intensity, Integrity and Intelligence. With his patriotic singlet, his habit of wearing gold medals to the ring and his triumphalist 'Rocky' like theme music, he was the Attitude Era's perfect fit for a despised heel. Angle and the fans connected instantly. The crowd began to chant "you suck!" in time to his music, whilst Angle displayed a natural ability on the mic with this new geeky character, who for the most part remained oblivious to the cheerful hatred the fans had for him.

What's great is that, in his debut at the 1999 Survivor Series, babyface play-by-play guy Jim Ross was pro-Angle and heel colour commentator Jerry Lawler the opposite - that is, until an agitated Angle grabbed the mic mid-match to remind the crowd that "you do not boo an Olympic gold medallist". At that point, the two veteran announcers seamlessly changed sides, J.R. now anti-Angle, the King now pro. Well done, boys. Over time, the fans would likewise turn in his favour also.