Kurt Angle Shares Insights On Gable Steveson, Fans’ Reception Of Him
During the latest episode of his “The Kurt Angle Show” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle delved into various topics including the comparison between WWE NXT’s Gable Steveson and himself due to their shared Olympic Gold medalist status, his own WWE tenure in 2003, and his interactions with the fans.
Reflecting on the comparisons drawn between him and Gable Steveson, Angle expressed empathy for Steveson being likened to him at such an early stage in his career. Angle underscored Steveson’s raw talent and athleticism, while suggesting that a fair assessment of the comparison would be more appropriate down the line. He said,
“Well I feel badly for him, because he’s been compared to me at this point in time. And he hasn’t even barely started. He just started right now. So I don’t know how his future is going to be. I know he’s talented, really athletic. I’m not sure how he is as far as entertainment-wise. But as far in the ring, I heard he’s really good. But no, I don’t think comparing him to me is a fair assessment to compare him to me right now. I think down the line, you can do that.
Angle also suggested an interesting strategy that WWE seems to be employing with Steveson, recounting stories of Steveson mimicking his mannerisms in the ring to incite fan reaction. Angle speculated that WWE’s intention is to groom Steveson as a heel, leveraging Angle’s own persona to elicit negative crowd responses. Commending WWE’s tactical brilliance in shaping Steveson’s character, Angle said,
“But I heard — this is crazy, but people have been coming to me and telling me, ‘Hey, he wrestled Baron Corbin in NXT, and the fans were booing the heck out of him. And then he pulled his straps down, and the fans were even more pissed.’ And you know what? That is something that the WWE is actually doing. They understand, they want to make him a heel, so they will have him copy and mimic me. This is what I believe. I think they’re going to have him copy and mimic me so he can piss the fans off so that he starts as a heel, because it’s easier to be a heel starting than it is to be a babyface. They’re ones that actually told him to do this stuff. I really believe that, and I think the WWE is brilliant for doing it.”
In a candid reflection on his WWE journey, Angle addressed a pivotal moment where the trajectory of his championship pursuit was altered. He revealed that he believed he should have won the WWE Title at SummerSlam rather than Vengeance back in 2003. Angle attributed the change in plans to his early clearance from injury, leading to a triple-threat match scenario at Vengeance and his eventual match at SummerSlam.
“Yes, yes. And like I said before, the reason — that was the plan; the reason I got changed is because I was cleared earlier. So Vince didn’t want Angle vs. Lesnar at Vengeance; he wanted SummerSlam, but he didn’t want to take me out of the world title hunt because I just gave up the world title at WrestleMania. So when I came back, I should be in the world title hunt. So he decided to have a triple threat with Big Show, Brock and myself. And he was gonna save Brock and me at SummerSlam. So because I came back early is why I wrestled at Vengeance.”
Angle also offered insights into his intriguing dynamic with the WWE fanbase at the time. He perceived a split sentiment among the audience, with half showing adoration while the other half exhibited disdain. This intriguing duality persisted regardless of his alignment as a face or a heel, creating a complex reception for his character. Angle reminisced about his attempts to transition into a villainous role, even partnering with Davari in an anti-American hero angle, only to find that the audience’s engagement defied conventional expectations.
“You know what, at this point in time it didn’t matter what I was, I will tell you this, I feel — this is my own opinion, but half the fans loved me, and the other half hated me. And they continued that, whether I was a babyface or a heel. I was a very likable heel. I was even saying comments that were so bad and degrading to the fans, and they were still cheering me. It was like, ‘Oh my God.’ Vince was trying to turn me heel so badly at one point, he put me with Davari and tried to make me the anti-American hero. And that didn’t even work. It was really tough being a heel at this point.”
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