10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Nov 13)

10. Kurt Angle Told Vince McMahon He'd Be A Babyface In The WWF

Before he started working for the then-WWF, Kurt Angle was courted by Paul Heyman and the original Extreme Championship Wrestling. Unfortunately for Heyman, the Olympic Gold Medalist was horrified by the action the promotion presented. Vince McMahon was only too eager to swoop in and snap him up several years later, and the rest is history. Angle took to pro wrestling very quickly. Making his proper WWF debut at the Survivor Series in 1999, it wasn't long before Angle established himself as one of the best in-ring workers on the roster. Working brilliantly as a goofy heel, Kurt incredibly told Vince McMahon that fans would love him when he finally debuted on television. Angle was going by fan reaction during an earlier, one-off appearance for the company, during which they recognised his Olympic achievements. It was eye-opening for the man when fans started to rebel against his cheesy smiles and 'holier-than-thou' approach. McMahon knew people would see Angle as dorky and unlikeable, but it's fascinating to learn that this was a surprise to the wrestler himself. According to Kurt, Vince used the example of The Rock as a reason why Angle had to play heel.