What You Don’t Know About Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle is a WWE veteran with his own spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. While we know loads about this American wrestler, who is still one of the most talked about wrestlers in the world, there are still some things we do not know about Angle. Here are the main facts to remember about Kurt!

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1. He’s An Olympic Gold Medallist

Kurt Angle being an Olympic gold medalist is probably one of the best-known facts surrounding Angle. However, it is still a fact that should be mentioned here. Being an Olympic gold medalist is an incredible feat and it takes a lot of sacrifices to get there.

Angle won Olympic gold in 1996. Shortly after his win, he received an offer from the UFC. The deal involved $150,000 for only 10 fights, but Angle refused. Fortunately for us, he made his way to professional wrestling afterwards.

2. He’s Battled an Addiction

Kurt Angle had a serious struggle with addition. During his stint in TNA, Angle had 4 alcohol-related arrests over the course of four years. Angle also admitted problems with pain medication after suffering from serious injuries. Kurt has spoken candidly about his struggle in a WWE Network documentary and told everyone how it impacted his life and career.

I’m mentioning this fact for one reason only. Not to put Kurt Angle in a bad light, but to show everyone that making mistakes is human. Angle is one of my personal heroes, beating his demons and making himself the success he was meant to be. His road to success and happiness may have been a little longer, but the journey made him the person he is today.

3. He’s Married and Has Five Children

Kurt Angle is currently married to actress Giovanna Yannotti. The couple announced their engagement in 2010 but did not get married until January 22, 2011. Giovanna and Kurt have three daughters together. Kurt also credits Giovanna for helping him to get his life back on track.

Before marrying Giovanna Yannotti, Kurt Angle was married to Karen Smedley. He was married to her for ten years and the couple had two children, a daughter and a son. Karen filed for divorce in 2008.

The name Karen Smedley may not sound familiar, but it might if you knew her current name is Karen Jarrett. Yes, Karen is currently married to Jeff Jarrett, the co-founder of Impact Wrestling and a WWE Hall of Famer. She has made many appearances in the promotion over the years, but also briefly appeared in the WWE, including in Unforgiven 2001.

4. He Refused a Multi-Million Dollar Contract with the WWE

Many believe that Kurt’s initial stint in the WWE happened easily, but that is not necessarily true. After winning at the Olympics, he received many deals from a number of companies. The WWE even offered him a multi-million dollar contract, which he refused!

Even though Kurt refused the WWE deal, he changed his mind three years later. However, WWE management had taken the deal of the table, telling Kurt he had to try out if he wanted to join the company. Fortunately for us, the try-out went well!

5. He Was One of the Best WWE Rookies Ever!

Angle is an amazing athlete, so I’m not surprised to learn that he was one of the most impressive rookies the WWE had ever seen! Over the course of just 11 months, Kurt won the WWE Championship, the European Championship, and the Intercontinental Championship; this is a feat that is almost impossible for any rookie coming up these days.

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