Kurt Angle Recalls Defeating The Rock For WWE Title, Backstage Reaction To His Concussion At SummerSlam 2000

On a recent edition of The Kurt Angle Show, Kurt Angle discussed defeating The Rock for the WWE title at No Mercy 2000, the backstage reaction to his concussion at SummerSlam 2000, and much more. You can read his comments below. 

Kurt Angle on defeating The Rock for the WWE title at No Mercy 2000 and the backstage reaction to his concussion at SummerSlam 2000: “It blew my mind. I’m gonna beat The Rock for the world championship, one of the greatest superstars of all time. I think the reason was, and this is what Vince told me, is at SummerSlam that year a couple of months before, I had the triple threat with Triple H and The Rock. I got the concussion when Triple H went to Pedigree me though the table, and the table broke early and I landed down on the concrete floor on my head and got a concussion. I went backstage, and the match was supposed to be that way, but I wasn’t supposed to really get a concussion. But I did. So, I was supposed to get wheeled back anyway and be away from the match for five or 10 minutes and then come back and save the day. Well, I get wheeled back there and I have a real concussion. Vince is going crazy like, ‘What are we going to do? We need him to go back to the ring.’ I’m laying there and they’re filming all of it – the production team. I’m saying, ‘I have a pre-tape now?’ They’re like ‘yes.’

“So, I had a live pre-tape, and Stephanie is saying, ‘Will you go out and help Triple H?’ I was supposed to say, ‘I’ll do it for you, Steph. I’ll do it for you.’ They said it to me and they were getting ready to shoot. I said, ‘Wait, what am I saying again?’ They said, ‘Just say, I’ll do it for you, Steph.’ And I said, ‘What am I saying again?’ I said it like five times. Vince goes, ‘Goddamnit, somebody get him some smelling sauce.’ Eventually, I come to life, and I’m able to go to the ring, and Stephanie guides me out to the ring. When I get out there, I don’t know what I’m doing. I have a concussion, and I don’t remember what I’m doing in the match. So, Stephanie is telling me what to do. I get to the ring, and she says, ‘When The Rock hits the ropes, grab his foot and pull him out of the ring.’ So, I do it. I look at her, and she’s like, ‘Pick him up.’ I pick him up and I look at her, and she’s like, ‘Throw him into the steps.’ I didn’t know because I had a concussion. I throw him into the steps and I’m staring at her for five seconds. She goes, ‘Get in the fucking ring.’ Then Triple H calls the rest of the match for me.

On Vince McMahon’s decision to make him champion: “Vince, the reason he had me beat The Rock for the World title, he had me win it earlier because he knew he could depend on me. Even with a concussion, I went out there and wrestled and proved to him I’m loyal. Vince felt he owed it back to me. He said, ‘Listen, you’re gonna beat The Rock for the world championship. We’re gonna give you a nice, long title reign.’ I thought that was awesome, and you know what, he didn’t have to do that. I was excited just to go to work every week. I didn’t have to win the World title. Don’t get me wrong, it was great that I did, but Vince and I had a great relationship at this point in time and we were hitting it off pretty good.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit The Kurt Angle Show with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.