Former WWE superstars Kurt Angle and Cody Rhodes are scheduled to face each other for the first time ever later this month; the rematch has also been scheduled and was announced on Friday. Rhodes and Angle have similar backgrounds as they both were amateur wrestlers; Rhodes is a two-time Georgia state champion and Angle is a two-time NCAA Division I heavyweight champion. They both work tight and technically sound matches and they also know the art of telling a story in the ring. When these two superstars clash it will no doubt be a classic.
When Cody Rhodes asked for his release last May it came as shocking news to many of his fans and to the WWE universe. Rhodes wrestled for the WWE for ten years and his latest gimmick was as Stardust. As The Post & Courier reported, Rhodes wasn’t happy with WWE creative or the Stardust character.
“This was always about the moments, and I’ll be damned if my father’s legacy is ‘Stardust’ or a series of sizzle-reels for NXT… My goal in pro wrestling has always been to win the WWE championship, the one accolade in the game my father never obtained, and for a decade I tried to convince both Vince and HHH that I could be their star player, their varsity quarterback if you will, but it seems we have reached the point where neither saw that in me.”
In May, Cody Rhodes tweeted a to-do list which included a list of independent wrestlers like Adam Cole, The Young Bucks, Pat Buck, Roderick Strong, and Kurt Angle.
After 8/19 pic.twitter.com/txeAKw9SSN
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) May 28, 2016
The name Kurt Angle is synonymous with main events and he has headlined dozens of WWE and TNA (Total Nonstop Action) pay-per-views. Rhodes will now have a chance to wrestle the legendary Angle in two main events of upcoming shows and can check one name off of his list. Their first match, marking the first time the two have ever met in the ring, will be on August 27 at Wrestling Under the Stars for Northeast Wrestling.
Aug27 “Wrestling under the Stars” Angle vs Rhodes. Go to https://t.co/q25jjWshP9 #itstrue #LMWGA pic.twitter.com/tBvwrJxlJP
— Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) May 31, 2016
It was announced on Friday that the rematch between Angle and Rhodes will take place in Altrincham, Manchester on October 8 for WCPW (What Culture Professional Wrestling).
????Someday you will find me caught beneath the landslide…???? in the Silver Blades Arena
10/8 https://t.co/gtYEZNZrNw pic.twitter.com/Cvt58YJbf5
— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) August 5, 2016
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Kurt Angle is not only a former WWE, IWGP (International Wrestling Grand Prix in Japan), and TNA champion, he won the gold medal in the 1996 Olympics in freestyle wrestling—with a broken neck. Angle is the most successful former Olympian to compete in the WWE, but he isn’t the only athlete who transitioned from being an Olympic competitor to a professional wrestler.
“Bad News” Brown captured the Bronze Medal for heavyweight judo at the 1976 Olympics. Ken Patera was the second-ever WWE Intercontinental Champion and at the 1972 Olympics, he competed in weightlifting. Former WWE champion Mark Henry was the captain of the weightlifting team at the 1996 Olympics but an injury held the behemoth back from reaching his usual numbers. Current WWE superstar Chad Gable competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling and finished in the top half of competitors—and the list goes on.
On Friday, TMZ caught up with Kurt Angle and asked the Olympic gold medalist if he thought anyone on the current WWE roster has what it takes to get on “the Olympic mat” to compete in freestyle wrestling. Angle responded in amusement with a resounding “no.” He then went on to say one is entertainment while the other is a real competition.
Summer is an exciting time for fans of both amateur and professional wrestling; WWE’s SummerSlam is right around the corner and Greco-Roman wrestling for the 2016 Summer Olympics will start on Sunday, August 14. Now wrestling fans can look forward to two former WWE superstars facing off when Kurt Angle takes on Cody Rhodes.
[Photo via WWE]