12 Wrestlers Who Competed Under The Influence
10. Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle’s September 18th 2003 Iron Man Match against Brock Lesnar is remembered as a masterclass of endurance and storytelling, but behind the scenes, it was a performance delivered under unimaginable personal and physical torment.
The night before this classic clash, Angle was informed of the devastating news that his sister had passed away due to a heroin overdose. Dealing with his grief, Kurt explained how he turned to Vicodin; a drug he was already dependent on due to the relentless punishment his body endured during his wrestling and amateur careers.
Per his own recollection, Angle overdosed on the pills that night by taking 20 in his hotel room on top of what he estimates was a 65-a-day habit thanks to a dangerous culmination of his addictions at the time. Somehow, the Olympic gold medalist woke up after passing out and pushed forward. The next day, Kurt stepped into the ring with Brock Lesnar for the gruelling 60-minute SmackDown contest, delivering a performance so incredible that it masked the agony he was enduring.
In hindsight, the match - like many he'd have from the time period - symbolises Angle’s unyielding commitment to his craft but also serves as a sobering reminder of the unchecked pain, addiction and bouts of recklessness he was experiencing at the time.