Kurt Angle Names His Amateur Wrestling Mount Rushmore
During the latest episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the WWE Hall of Famer answered questions from fans on topics that included his time with TNA Wrestling, whether his career would be different if he had come to WWE in 1997, and shared praise for Chad Gable's current push with WWE.
The Olympic Gold Medalist also spoke about amateur wrestling and provided his all-time Mount Rushmore. Angle went in-depth describing why he chose the four wrestlers he did for the list and broke down his criteria for making the Mount Rushmore.
"I would say, John Smith, Dan Gable, Danny Hodge, and a guy named Dave Schultz from Fox Catcher," Angle said. "The guy who got shot and murdered by John du Pont from Team Fox Catcher. Dave was the greatest wrestler I ever saw in my life, the greatest technician, the most intense wrestler I had ever seen, and a badass.
"It wasn't that he dominated, he did dominate but not as much as the other wrestlers we're talking about. So Dave won a World Championship, might have won two but his brother actually did better. His brother won three World Championships and made two Olympic teams. But Dave was the best, he was the greatest technician of all time, I learned so much from him and I had so much respect for him.
"I have to put him in the top four Mount Rushmore. John Smith was one of the greatest takedown artists I had ever seen. He had a new move called the low-single, he would act really low on the ankles. He was so quick you couldn't catch him and whenever you go to step in to tie up with him, he had your foot and leg.
"It was incredible and he had this technique the low single that he dominated, he won four or five World Championships and two Olympics all back to back, seven years in a row. The only wrestler to do that from the United States. John Smith is definitely up there. Kenny Monday is another one I'd put up there but not right now. I'm going to go with Danny Hodge, Dave Schultz, Dan Gable, and John Smith."
Speaking of Mount Rushmores, Kurt Angle recently revealed on another episode of the podcast his Rushmore of talent he's worked with throughout his legendary career, putting AJ Styles among that list.
Continuing to talk about amateur wrestling, the one name omitted from Angle's list was Gable Steveson, someone who Angle believes will be a big star in the WWE and would like to form a stable with.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit The Kurt Angle Show with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.