"They were showmen" - Kurt Angle highlights his favorite superstars to wrestle

The Wrestling Machine has wrestled a variety of opponents.
The Wrestling Machine has wrestled a variety of opponents.

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle talked about his favorite superstars to work with during his days in the company.

Kurt Angle was active in the ring from 1998 to 2019, working for both WWE and IMPACT Wrestling (FKA TNA), the latter being Vince McMahon's biggest competition during Angle's run. The Olympic Gold Medalist amassed 13 world championship reigns, split between two companies, and is a member of both companies' Hall of Fame. Angle wrestled his last match in 2019 at WrestleMania 35 in New York, losing to Baron Corbin.

In a recent episode of The Kurt Angle Show podcast, the Hall of Famer talked about his favorite people to work with throughout his career, mentioning superstars from WWE and the former TNA.

Angle cited the likes of Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit, but also mentioned AJ Styles, comparing the IMPACT legend to The Heartbreak Kid.

“Shawn and AJ, they have so many identical ways about them, especially their in-ring performances, their athleticism, the way they were showmen. Very identical styles. Of the guys I worked with, I would say AJ, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Benoit were my three favorites to work with. And Eddie Guerrero is in there too.” (H/T 411Mania)

Kurt Angle also talked about AJ Styles and IMPACT Wrestling

If fans were to find a name that is as synonymous as Kurt Angle with TNA, it would be AJ Styles, who worked for them from 2002 to 2014.

Angle talked about AJ's TNA departure on his latest podcast episode, calling him their 'franchise player."

“AJ was their franchise player. You get rid of him and you’re gonna have to build up somebody else to be the franchise guy. AJ was way too young to let go. At this point in his career, he was probably in his early 30s, so AJ was still in the prime of his career. You want to keep him, and you have to make him happy. They didn’t want to do that,” Angle added.

AJ Styles won the world championship five times during his TNA/IMPACT Wrestling run. He has won the WWE Championship twice and has had several reigns with the US and Intercontinental Titles.

What do you think of Angle's comments? Did you enjoy his work with AJ Styles in TNA? You can share your thoughts in the comment section down below.

Quick Links