7 Stars Who Turned Down WWE Contracts

7. Kurt Angle

WWE.comWWE.comMany know Kurt Angle as a WWE and TNA legend, a mainstay in the WWE for 7 years between 1999 and 2006. Some may not know, however, that Angle's run in the company would have likely started a couple of years earlier, had he not only rejected the WWE's contract offer-- he ripped it up! After his outstanding run in the 1996 Summer Olympic games, Angle was weighing his options following his win. While he settled on sports broadcasting in Pittsburgh, there was a major offer on the table for him from the WWE. Instead, he and his manager symbolically ripped up the contract, rejecting the company's offer. Angle would go on to make a single non-wrestling appearance for ECW later in the fall. In 1998, Angle was flipping channels and saw Stone Cold Steve Austin running amok on WWE programming, and quickly changed his mind about pro wrestling. Angle contacted Jim Ross to find out if the original contract offer was still available, but much to his dismay, wasn't. Instead, a developmental deal was offered, and Angle made his way through the ranks, and became one of the greatest in-ring competitors of all-time.
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Sean Ross Sapp, 28, is a convergent media major at Morehead State University, and a news/feature writer for RantSports and WhatCulture. Before taking a managerial role for the Kraken Fight Team, Sapp was a two-time submission wrestling medalist in the region. He is also a contributor to Bill Apter's 1Wrestling.com, and an editor for Cage Passion Sports. He has also published over 300 articles for Fansided. You can contact Sean Ross Sapp for news tips and radio appearances at SeanRossSapp@gmail.com