An obnoxious braggart who never missed an opportunity to remind fans that he won an Olympic gold medal (with a broken FREAKING neck), Kurt Angle rubbed fans the wrong way from the moment he stepped foot inside a WWE ring. A legitimately great athlete who picked up the professional wrestling business faster than anyone ever has, Angle was truly extraordinary between the ropes. There was something about his goofy, moral character that did not quite mesh with the Attitude Era setting and as a result, the evoker of the "Three I's" became one of the most hated heels. Whether he was championing the cause for celibacy, teaming with Edge and Christian to mock Kentuckian history or threatening to have "bestiality sex" with Booker T's wife Sharmell, Angle perfectly blended goofy comedy with despicable villainy. He was as likely to mock Shawn Michaels by ridiculously singing "Sexy Kurt" as he was to bloody and decimate a handcuffed Eddie Guerrero. So why, if he was such an effective heel, does he rank so far down this list? The answer lies in the quality of his ring work. Despite being a first-rate heel, Angle was such a talented wrestler that fans respected him. No matter how vile his actions may have been, the people in the stand cheered him because of his ability to steal any show, against any opponent, at any given time. His workrate was unmatched by his fellow Superstars and his willingness to put his health second to his performance. That he gave so much in the name of entertaining the fans and preserving his legacy as one of, if not the, best of his generation only further endeared Angle to the audience. Had he been just an awful wrestler, he may have gone down in history as one of the five greatest heat magnets of all-time. Luckily for fans of Angle and his stellar work, he is not.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
