WWE Survivor Series: 5 Debuts Made at the Show
By Carl Gac
WWE.com
Kurt Angle
It’s true, it’s true, your Olympic Hero made his televised in ring debut at the 1999 Survivor Series.
After making an infamous appearance in the original ECW in 1996, Angle finally signed with the WWF in late 1998. He was assigned to developmental and made TV appearances but his in ring bow came against Shawn Stasiak at Survivor Series, being pushed as the only Olympic Gold Medal winner to ever wrestle in the WWF.
Whilst he put in a good performance the crowd really weren’t into the match or Angle at all. On more than one occasion they entertained themselves with “Boring” chants. A frustrated Angle broke off from the match to grab the microphone and tell the crowd they should not be booing him. Something of a break from the norm in the landscape of 1999 WWF, Angle was the perfect man to play the “I’m better than you” heel. Getting the win with the move that would become known as the Olympic Slam Angle received boos from the crowd.
They may have not realized it at the time but Angle would go on to be one of the most important guys the company would have for the next few years. Winning every major title, wrestling every major star of the era and producing some of the best matches the company were putting on at the time. If you’ve never seen them seek out his matches with Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit, you won’t be disappointed. Kurt Angle is a safe bet to one day enter the WWE Hall of Fame.
Next: Making the step up