With a rookie year widely thought of as the greatest in WWE’s history and a professional career spanning more than 20 years, Kurt Angle will be forever held in the hearts of wrestling fans worldwide as one of the sport’s greatest entertainers. Angle wears many hats; Olympic gold medalist, pioneering wrestler, Hollywood actor, philanthropist, activist and public speaker, all of which he dons with abundant personality and effortless charisma.

Angle began his career not in entertainment or acting, but in amateur freestyle wrestling. The six-time US National Champion was selected for the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, bringing home gold in front of a rapturous home crowd. Impressed by the athleticism he saw in the performances on WWF’s Monday Night Raw, Angle signed to the company in 1998, becoming notorious for the unrivaled speed at which he learned the ropes, completing his training in a matter of days before appearing in front of eager audiences for the first time. Angle’s two-decade title-winning career has seen him repeatedly voted a longstanding fan favourite, inducted into esteemed wrestling Halls of Fame across the globe.

While still active with WWE, Angle has recently turned his attention to philanthropy and activism, giving stirring public speeches for a variety of charitable and corporate organisations, including Make-A-Wish, WalMart and his own #AngleStrong initiative, a foundation supporting those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.