Every WCW Heavyweight Champion: Where Are They Now?

3. Kurt Angle

Now we're into Vince McMahon's attempt at keeping the belt alive, planting the strap on Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle for the first of six reigns under the WWE banner.

He knocked off Booker T on an episode of SmackDown in 2001, but dropped it straight back to him just six days later on Raw for his brief run with the Big Gold Belt.

He would go on to win a few more World Championships in the ensuing five years with the promotion before falling away from the company, turning his sights to TNA where he became their franchise player for a decade, dominating the title scene and becoming the face of the company.

Some quick stop-offs in Japan, Mexico and Europe finally led him back to WWE in 2017, entering the Hall of Fame and returning as an on-screen character, first as the Raw General Manager, then as a wrestler as his career wound down.

After retiring at WrestleMania 35 at the hands of Baron Corbin, he slipped into a backstage producer position, but was unfortunately released in April as a part of the company's big budget cuts. With his in-ring career seemingly over, it will be interesting to see where Angle may end up next.