Kurt Angle Says He Was First Promised The WWE Undisputed Title At Vengeance 2001

Kurt Angle is a legend in the business of professional wrestling. That perhaps should go without saying of course. As it would turn out though, he could have been even more of a legend – if that is at all possible – because he now states that he was once promised the first-ever Undisputed Title back in 2001.

Of course that was an honor that went to Chris Jericho. Jericho ended up defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock on the very same night, and that was of course no small feat. It could have been Kurt Angle, though, and that’s quite the shocking bit of news. He said as much on adfreeshows.com, revealing the goings on during the weeks leading to the PPV.

“Vince McMahon had me picked as The Undisputed Champion. He wanted me to win the two titles. Vince came to me the week prior to the PPV and said, ‘Listen, is it ok if I give it to Jericho because I want to start pushing Jericho and I think this would be great for him.’

I said, ‘You should do that. I think Jericho needs it and this is a great opportunity for him.’ So I was supposed to win The Undisputed Championship but Vince McMahon changed it at the last second and gave it to Jericho.”

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Of course this is huge news to wrestling fans and it could have totally changed the landscape of the game for many reasons. Chris Jericho did amazing things with his career and that win is still very special to him, as he said on his appearance on The Broken Skull Sessions with Steve Austin earlier this year. The fact that Angle saw fit to step aside in favor of Jericho speaks volumes about the man as well.

Had Kurt Angle won, would his career have gone the same way? In 2006 would he have left the company for TNA, as a result to the falling out he had with Vince McMahon? Questions, questions, questions. Ones we’ll never really get an answer to, but what a revelation by the legendary Kurt Angle to make!

*Thanks to wrestling news for the quote.