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What's the story?
Kurt Angle recently took to Instagram and reflected back on his WrestleMania XIX match with Brock Lesnar.
Angle stated that although he had neck surgery the other day, he went ahead with the match as he didn't want to disappoint the fans.
In case you didn't know...
Kurt Angle met Brock Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania XIX, exactly 16 years ago from today. The duo tore the house down and wowed the sea of 54,000 fans inside Safeco Field.
Brock Lesnar was all set to become the biggest Superstar of the Ruthless Aggression Era and this match cemented his place among the greats. The buildup towards the match saw Angle, Charlie Hass, and Shelton Benjamin do everything in their power to put down Lesnar, but to no avail.
The match was a tough one to sell, as it was following Austin vs The Rock III, which turned out to be Austin's last WrestleMania match. At one point in the match, Lesnar took a huge risk by trying a Shooting Star Press on Angle. This resulted in a botch that could have cost Lesnar his entire career. Angle held his own, but ended up losing the title.
Angle took time off after WrestleMania to let his neck heel completely, after the surgery.
The heart of the matter
The former Olympic gold medallist recently posted a photo on Instagram, and revealed the reason why he wrestled the match despite knowing that it could result in a disaster.
What's next?
Kurt Angle is widely regarded as being the most decorated athlete in WWE history. His list of accolades is a long one and he has earned the Hall of Fame ring he was awarded back in 2017.
What are your thoughts on this revelation? Can a case be made in favor of Kurt Angle being the greatest wrestler to have stepped foot in the ring?
