WWE SummerSlam’s Greatest Ever Performers

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12. Kurt Angle

Record: 5 wins, 1 loss, 4 Title Matches, 1 Main Event

Memorable Moment: Forcing Brock Lesnar to tap out in 2003

Of course, it was always likely that after his Summer Olympic Games success in 1996, Kurt Angle would find a special place to perform in SummerSlam. But for a wrestler that exuded pure athleticism, intensity and showmanship every night, Angle saved a little bit extra when it came to the big events on the calendar, and the summer special was no exception. He made sure every time he performed on one of these cards he brought a gold level standard, and that began immediately when he was thrust into the main event scene.

Angle had already been pegged as a major success story waiting to happen, but it was something of a shock that less than a year after his debut he found himself headlining SummerSlam, for the WWE Championship no less. Caught in heated personal feuds with both the Rock and Triple H, this resulted in an excellent triple threat with plenty of great moments. But Angle went even further at the following year’s event, as he produced an epic encounter with WWE Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin which made him look like a resolute warrior, and it took Austin getting himself disqualified to stop him from capturing the gold.

The following year he was opening the 2002 show, setting one of the greatest SummerSlam’s in history on a perfect note in a fast-paced classic with Rey Mysterio. Angle then walked into the event holding the WWE Championship that he was screwed out of two years earlier, and despite attempts to be cheated out of it once again, the Olympic Hero stood tall after forcing Brock Lesnar to tap out for the first time in his career. Next time out Angle competed with another technical master Eddie Guerrero, in a clash that might not have lived up to expectations, but was still very strong due to the ability of both competitors involved. His final summer battle proved to end on something of a flat note, as he defeated Eugene in a squash over his gold medal.

Next: The Rock