Ranking Every WWE Grand Slam Champion From Worst To Best
5. Kurt Angle
Presumably few achievements will ever match the emotion that coursed through Kurt Angle's veins and out of his tear ducts following his 1996 Olympic victory, but the manner in which he extended his passion for amateur wrestling into the professional world remains one of the more remarkable transitions in sporting history.
It was the lethal combination of his remarkable knack for the art-form as well as unparalleled competitive drive that saw Kurt booked as a 'Euro-Continental Champion' and d*ckhead heel almost immediately following his Survivor Series debut. Famously winning the WWE Title a month shy of his main roster debut, the former Olympian was force like few that had ever competed at the highest level.
In the two years that followed his maiden top title win, he'd also briefly reign as United States Champion and redfine tag team wrestling alongside Chris Benoit in an absorbing three-team war with Los Guerreros and the pairing of Edge and Rey Mysterio. The three squads traded tag belts in an illustrious period for the blue brand upon which they plied their trade. As 'The SmackDown Six' the group added renewed lustre to a division that had flagged since the Tables, Ladders and Chairs sextuplet parted ways.
It's a further testament to Angle's ability that he was back in both the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania main events as WWE Champion mere months later.