7 Best Kurt Angle WWE Feuds

Whether it was wearing cowboy hats and competing to win Vince McMahon's affections with hugs or going at it hammer and tong inside the squared circle, Steve Austin and Kurt Angle were dynamite together in 2001. During the uncertain Invasion period, they were the ones carrying things forwards, taking WWE viewers on a rollercoaster of emotion.

Once Austin re-turned heel by joining the Alliance at the Invasion pay-per-view, top babyface Angle went after Austin and his WWE Title, attempting to bring it back to the home team, so to speak. He was unsuccessful at SummerSlam, after Austin assaulted a succession of referees, drawing the DQ from shady official Nick Patrick. On a positive note, the match itself was outstanding, one of the very best of the year.

Their rematch a month later wasn't quite as good as the SummerSlam effort, but it was still darn good. This time, Angle triumphed in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, given the American audience a much-needed boost so soon after the events of 9/11. Unfortunately, Kurt's reign wouldn't be a long one as he lost the title back to Austin on Raw two weeks later. The match was another great one by two guys who seemed incapable of producing a bad one.

Further televised matches followed once the steam ran out of their one-on-one feud but they were always good value. Austin was so good as the cowardly chickensh*t heel (check out the angle where Austin thinks Kurt is going to throw him off a bridge into a river) and Angle eased into his role as American Hero very well indeed.