His final bout will be at Wrestlemania 35 next month
One of wrestling’s standout icons will enter the ring for the final time next month after Kurt Angle confirmed his retirement.
A long career will draw to an end at Wrestlemania 35 in New Jersey on 7 April. It began some 30 years ago and the American won the gold medal in the freestyle discipline of the 1995 World Wrestling Championships, and gold at the following year’s Olympics.
He became a professional wrestler with the WWF in 1998 and became a true fan favourite, winning five world titles and wrestling in many all-time classic matches.
In 2006, he’d jump ship to TNA, where he’d stay until 2016. He’d also have stints in New Japan Pro Wrestling and on the independents, before returning to WWE in 2017, and being inducted into the hall of fame.
“At Wrestlemania, I will compete in my farewell match,” he told the crowd at Monday Night Raw in Pittsburgh on Monday night.
“I’d like to thank the WWE, I’d like to thank every superstar I’ve shared the locker room with, but most importantly, I want to thank each and every one of you.
“You made it so much fun for me. I literally had the time of my life. Thank you. And I think it’s only right that I have one last match right here in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.”
.@RealKurtAngle announces on #Raw that he will compete in his farewell match at this year's #WrestleMania. #ThankYouKurt pic.twitter.com/iE0PaEf0FB
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2019
Exactly who Angle will fight in Wrestlemania is yet to be confirmed, the 50-year-old stating after the announcement that he has been considering the decision for some time.
He told WWE official media: “It was really tough to come to this decision, it’s actually been nipping at me for the past year.
“We’ve got a lot of names that are thrown in there, from Cena to AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, to Drew McIntyre, Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley, so you never know who it’s going to be. I just hope that I do win and have a great Wrestlemania moment.”
