Amateur wrestling is one of the most physically demanding sports out there. And, in the US, collegiate wrestling holds a special place in fans’ hearts thanks to the long line of internationally acclaimed wrestlers it has produced. Even among them, Kurt Angle commands respect like few others, which can be attributed to his exceptional success in both amateur and professional wrestling careers.

Over the years, the Olympic gold medalist has been the role model for many of his successors who vie to match the former’s legacy by their own rights. While it certainly isn’t an easy task, wrestling connoisseurs believe it’s time to evaluate Angle for his true worth.

Kurt Angle’s towering legacy in amateur and beyond

Kurt Angle’s WWE career is arguably one of the best runs in the business. And yet, the one thing that will overshadow his accolades in the square ring is undoubtedly his gold medal win at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the 100kg bracket. Angle’s achievement doesn’t end just there. With one World Championship and two NCAA D1 gold medals under his belt, the retired wrestler has his own arguments about being considered one of the all-time greats of the sport. But fans are reluctant to pay heed.

In a recent post on the Subreddit r/wrestling, one fan sought to ponder what others think about Kurt’s legacy. “Where does Kurt Angle rank all time,” enquires the discussion. With multiple titles, Angle’s stint at the professional wrestling giant earned him a large fan following over the years. However, throughout all that time, his Olympic gold medal has been a major selling point as well.

Naturally, the question prompted many fans to come forward with their views on the matter.

Fans show reservation in giving Kurt the top spot

The USA’s collegiate wrestling scene is a fantastic one and has produced several Olympic gold medalists including David Taylor, Kyle Snyder, and more. Many of them also boast formidable NCAA careers, that can give Angle a run for his money. Considering that, one fan thinks Kurt might not show up in the list of top 100 American wrestlers. “He is not even in the top 100 American wrestlers of all time. Def. top 1000 though,” the fan still couldn’t keep Angle entirely off the radar.

Transitioning from amateur to professional can be a difficult move for many wrestlers. But Kurt handled the change like a champion. “One of the reasons is that in amateur wrestling, you don’t show any emotion, and in pro wrestling you want to show you’re angry or excited or scared or hurt,” said Angle in an interview from 2021. Many fans still believe that if the neck injury didn’t hinder his career, Angle could have added more feathers to his cap.

“That is an excellent amateur wrestling career any way you slice it, but he’s definitely a notch below the greats…Who knows what he could have done if he career had been longer, but he left to do pro wrestling fairly young,” reminded Redditor einarfridgeirs.

Kurt had confessed about his early days in the industry, reminiscing the thrill of that period, saying: “I had the time of my life, especially the Olympics and my WWE rookie year. I didn’t expect to be as successful as I was my first year, which was arguably one of the greatest rookie years of all time.” And yet, taking into account just how far the country’s collegiate wrestling has come since makes a fan wonder if Kurt could have etched his name among the elites under today’s circumstances. “He was great and had a great career but we’ve hit a golden age of American wrestling since then, so only the absolute best of older generations are still talked about,” the fan tried to reason Kurt’s relatively under-the-radar status.

However, even Angle sounds hesitant whenever asked if he thinks he’s the greatest wrestler of all time. “Will I say was I the greatest of all time? No, because to be the greatest of all time, I think you need to put in 20 consecutive years with one company. I didn’t do that,” Kurt said in another interview years ago. Highlighting the very same thing, one fan also commented: “As far as Angle, the only thing that really keeps him out of the conversation of all time greats is longevity.”

For many other fans, Kurt Angle’s history with performance enhancers has made it difficult for them to consider him an elite wrestler, despite using the substance during his pro wrestling career. Even Angle admitted to his usage when he revealed, “I got stuck in a bind because I broke my neck and I got introduced to pain meds by a doctor. I started taking one and then the body builds up a tolerance, then it became two a day, then four, then eight. And before I knew it, I was racking up 65 extra strength Vicodin a day and there was no way to get off it.” Understandably, that didn’t sit well with many wrestling purists. “Top 50 for sure. Likely top 25. You could make an argument for top 15 but I wouldn’t put him there,” Redditor Evkero didn’t beat around the bush about their views either.

Where would you place Angle on your own list of favorite wrestlers? Tell us in the comments!