The Complete History of the WWE Championship - Part 12

Kurt Angle (July 27, 2003 - September 16, 2003)

Kurt Angle: Won a fourth and final WWE Championship at Vengeance 2003

Kurt Angle returned as a babyface after undergoing minimally invasive neck surgery following WrestleMania and reappeared on WWE television in June.

He was immediately placed back into the title picture and was part of a triple threat bout with Big Show and the champion, Brock Lesnar at Vengeance on July 27, 2003.

Angle pinned Lesnar in a stunning triple threat match to become WWE Champion for a fourth time (becoming only the seventh wrestler to do so).

Angle and Lesnar were friends in the storyline following Angle's comeback but Lesnar betrayed his boss and aligned himself with Vince McMahon. He turned heel on Angle to set up a blockbuster SummerSlam rematch of their 'Mania encounter.

Their SummerSlam title bout was another incredible in-ring effort which saw Angle earn the win clean with the Ankle Lock.

Another rematch was booked for the September 16, 2003 episode of SmackDown. A compelling match saw Lesnar regain the strap by five falls to four in an Ironman match.

Angle remained at the top of the card for the next six months before he was sidelined in April 2004 with further neck problems.