Kurt Angle's Top 10 Moments That Cemented WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Status

Kurt Angle will be the headliner of WWE's Hall of Fame Class of 2017, the company announced on Monday.

The revelation brings Angle back to the company he called home from 1999 to 2006, during which time he established himself as one of the greatest in-ring performers of his generation and an industry icon. While things may not have ended amicably between the two sides, there was never any denying how truly spectacular and special a performer Angle was.

During his seven years with the promotion, Angle was responsible for several matches and moments that established his place in WWE history.

As he prepares to take his place among the immortals, let's relive these 10 moments that helped earn him his spot in this year's Hall of Fame class.

10. An American Hero (Unforgiven 2001)

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 forever changed the world as we know it.

Just 12 days after the events of that infamous day, WWE held its Unforgiven pay-per-view, a show headlined by Kurt Angle vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for the WWE Championship.

The contest took place in Pittsburgh, Angle's hometown and a city just miles from the crash site of third hijacked plane United 93, Stonycreek Township.

The American spirit surged through the fans in attendance as Angle took to the ring for the night's main event, the overwhelming fan favorite battling the turncoat villain. The two Superstars took the fans on a wild ride that may not have lived up to the quality of their SummerSlam spectacular but was still a superb bout.

Angle would trap Austin in an ankle lock and force submission, bringing about the happy ending and triumphant victory so many had hoped to see. In the wake of one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the world, fans were treated to a brief reprieve from the doom and gloom in the form of Angle's patriotic win.

At a time when a hero was needed, Angle answered the call and provided a welcome distraction from the very real atrocities unfolding on the news.

9. From Gold Medalist to WWE Champion (No Mercy 2000)

In October 2000, Angle completed the greatest rookie year in WWE history by defeating The Rock to capture the WWE Championship.

Just one year into his stint as a Superstar for Vince McMahon's pro wrestling empire, Angle captured the industry's top prize by defeating its most recognizable star. Sure, he needed interference from Stephanie McMahon and Rikishi to accomplish the feat, but the history books do not reflect such meaningless information.

Angle's win cemented his status as a main event Superstar, one McMahon and Co. trusted enough to put at the top of the card, one of the faces of WWE.

The Olympian would carry the title through February of 2001, working the likes of Rock, Steve Austin, Triple H and Undertaker with regularity, leaving no doubt in the minds of fans that he was a Superstar on their level and a man driven to be the best he could possibly be.

8. Defeating The Hulkster at King of the Ring 2002

Hulk Hogan is wrestling's greatest star, a pop culture icon recognized even by fans who have never watched a second of the sport. He is as iconic as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Iron Man, Captain America, Batman and any other larger-than-life hero.

He transcends the industry, and as such has always been incredibly protected by the powers that be. Sometimes, that protection is even built directly into his contract via creative control.

In 2002, though, he was clearly on the downside of his career. Though he was incredibly popular, it had as much to do with the novelty of the character and its place in wrestling history than the fact that fans suddenly wanted to see The Hulkster beat younger, more athletically gifted stars on a nightly basis.

At the King of the Ring that June, Hogan squared off with wrestling's best, Angle, in singles competition. The match was better than it had any right to be, a true testament to the quality of performer the gold medalist had become.

The finish, though, is what was most extraordinary and earned the contest a spot on this list.

Late in the match, Angle trapped Hogan in the ankle lock...and forced a submission from The Hulkster.

So protected for so long, the idea of Hogan tapping out to anyone was foreign. That he opted to do that sort of favor for Angle not only enhanced the importance of the match but demonstrated the respect Hogan had for his opponent.

Angle has always prided himself on that respect, and it was a major influence in his enshrinement in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017.

7. The Kiss Heard 'Round the WWE Universe

The epic matches. The championship wins. The controversy that surrounded his departure from WWE.

All of those things helped define Angle's career in Vince McMahon's company, but they pale in comparison to the love triangle that played out over the summer of 2000.

Angle became infatuated with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, the wife of Triple H. Though they insisted they were "just friends," both Angle and Stephanie demonstrated affection for each other that drew the ire of Triple H.

The result? A soap opera storyline that captivated viewers and led to one of the most unforgettable moments in Angle's Hall of Fame career.

Just days before SummerSlam, Angle checked on a shaken Stephanie, fresh off a big bump during a match that sent her to the locker room, unable to compete further.

Leaning in, he kissed her, intensifying the feud between him and Triple H and ensuring an eventual blowoff between the two of them at some point in the near future.

The moment made WWE's list of the greatest in SmackDown history, and rightfully so. It was an extraordinary bit of storytelling that pulled Angle to the top of the card months before he captured the WWE Championship.

6. "Milk-a-Mania Is Running Wild"

Just 24 hours after a screwjob by referee Nick Patrick robbed him of the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2001, Angle rolled into Monday Night Raw in a milk truck and proceeded to douse the hated Alliance, headed by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, in vitamin D.

The angle, a play on Austin's beer bath of Vince and Shane McMahon and The Rock two years earlier, generated a huge ovation from fans and represented the most over Angle had been as a babyface to that point.

More importantly, it struck the right chord for the character.

Always the wholesome American hero, milk was his drink of choice. As such, the milk bath to the hated Alliance was the perfect way to turn the tables on Austin and Co. In the process, Angle ensured himself a spot in Raw history with one of the show's most memorable moments.

5. Submitting Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 21

If Shawn Michaels was the best in-ring performer of the 1990s, Angle was the best of the 2000s, a virtuoso worker whose ability to take audiences on a roller-coaster ride of emotions through pure athleticism and grit was unrivaled at his peak.

In 2005, they crossed paths, meeting for the first time on the biggest stage known to professional wrestling. At WrestleMania 21, they battled in a legitimate five-star classic that ended with Angle trapping ol' HBK in the ankle lock and forcing a tapout.

Angle defeated the iconic Michaels clean in the center of the ring, a rarity for most. He did so in one of the best matches of his career, the winner of the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match of the Year award for 2005. It was a tremendous match that only reaffirmed the greatness of the Olympic hero and his opponent.

4. Making John Cena (SmackDown; June 27, 2002)

As great as Angle was, and as much as he knew it, the Pittsburgh native was always an entirely selfless performer. He never hesitated to put others over or create new stars when asked to do so.

On the June 27, 2002 episode of SmackDown, he ensured the future of professional wrestling by standing face-to-face with a young up-and-comer, putting him over in an extraordinary match.

That young star was John Cena, who answered an open challenge to face Angle and jump start the Ruthless Aggression Era of WWE.

Angle carried the largely inexperienced Cena, guiding him to a dramatic bout that established him as one of the brightest Superstars of the future. Some would suggest that the match made Angle look weak, but in reality, it enhanced his reputation.

On that night, the best in-ring performer of his generation recognized the importance of putting over a fresh face and, in the process, further established himself as an unselfish, admirable performer comfortable enough in his own greatness to make another look as good as he did.

3. Street-Fighting the Prodigal Son

There was no denying Angle's greatness from an in-ring perspective by the time 2001's King of the Ring rolled around. A superb technical wrestler, he had already waged war with Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, The Rock, Triple H and Steve Austin in stellar bouts.

There was still some question, though, as to how he would perform in a hardcore setting.

When it was announced he would take on non-wrestler Shane McMahon in a Street Fight at the annual June extravaganza, there was reason to be skeptical. 

The match was every bit as brutal and violent as one would expect, complete with Angle tossing McMahon on his head countless times before getting frustrated at a piece of glass that would not break and just throwing McMahon right through it.

Competing for the majority of the match on a broken tailbone suffered earlier in the contest, Angle showed the grit of a true in-ring great and a violent aggression fans had not seen from him before.

When all is said and done, this may go down as Angle's greatest achievement, primarily because of the fact that he carried McMahon to one of the best matches of the 2000s.

Oh...and it was only his third match of the show.

2. A Five-Star Classic at Royal Rumble 2003

To single out one match in Angle's career and call it the best is difficult. He has had so many classic bouts against so many Superstars who will one day join him in the Hall of Fame.

Yet when discussing his very best, it is hard not to focus one's attention on the 2003 Royal Rumble and his WWE Championship defense against Chris Benoit.

The two had waged war in numerous classics over the years, but that match at the annual January extravaganza was a fluid, flawless effort from both men.

The chemistry they had between the ropes was something special, unlike any two other Superstars at the time. After two years of repeated wars, the 2003 bout represented the peak performances of the two and the closest thing to a perfect match either of them had competed in to that point.

Angle won, but the match was such a thing of beauty that winner and loser mattered not.

All that mattered was the live performance art fans had just witnessed and its place in WWE history.

1. Risking Life and Limb for a Moment of Immortality (WrestleMania XIX)

Angle had no business competing in the main event of WrestleMania XIX.

As revealed in the 2004 documentary The Mania of WrestleMania, he was nursing a severely damaged neck. One wrong bump, and he could have found himself paralyzed or, worse, dead. It was an incredibly serious situation, one in which opponent Brock Lesnar felt an unbelievable amount of pressure.

And rightfully so.

Yet there Angle was, competing in the marquee match on the 'Mania card, his neck holding on by a thread. Just as he had done at the 1996 Olympics, he gutted through the pain and discomfort, turning in one of the most miraculous performances of his career.

More impressive is the fact that when Lesnar suffered a concussion late in the match, Angle carried him through the finish, essentially F-5ing himself and ensuring the correct outcome was reached.

To this day, more than any other match against any other opponent, the respect and admiration fans have for the American hero can be traced back to his willingness to literally break his neck for the industry he loves.