Kurt Angle has opened up about his first meeting with AJ Styles, before revealing where the WWE ranks on his all-time list of favourite opponents.
During his time in TNA, which would later become IMPACT Wrestling, Kurt Angle shared the ring with AJ Styles on numerous occasions. Many of these encounters were highly praised by fans, and are still fondly remembered today.
Speaking on a recent episode The Kurt Angle Show, available via AdFreeShows, the WWE Hall of Famer recalled his first meeting with Styles. Angle said that the pair hit if off from the beginning, before praising the Phenomenal One as incredibly easy to work with in the ring.
“He wasn’t brushing me off or kissing my ass,” Angle said. “But he did come up to me and introduce himself, he had a lot of respect for me and I had a lot of respect for him. The feeling was mutual and we just hit it off from the beginning.
“The incredible thing about AJ is when you’re in the ring with him, you don’t have to do anything. He does all the work for you, he bumps and feeds for you, all you have to do is catch him and you’re guaranteed a 5-star match, regardless. AJ was so easy to work with, you didn’t have to do a lot. You didn’t have to expend a lot of energy, he did it all for you.”
Expanding further, Angle broke down the similarities between the former WWE Champion and Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, before discussing where both rank on his list of favourite opponents.
“Shawn and AJ, they have so many identical ways about them, especially their in-ring performances,” Angle said. “Their athleticism, the way they were showman, very identical styles.
“I wouldn’t put AJ up there by himself. I think Shawn Michaels, and Chris Benoit, and Eddie Guerrero deserve to be up there too, but AJ is definitely in my top 3 or 4. He proved that to me every single time he went out there and worked with me. He impressed me every time.”
Upon embarking on his final WWE run before retiring at WrestleMania 35, Angle requested matches with a number of his former rivals. One of these rivals was AJ Styles. However, speaking elsewhere on his podcast, Angle described the match as “embarrassing.”
AJ Styles is currently preparing to face Edge at WrestleMania Backlash after being defeated by the star at WrestleMania 38.
H/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.