In the summer of 1996, the eyes of the wrestling world weren’t transfixed on ratings or politics. They were locked onto 27-year-old American Kurt Angle, who was putting the finishing touches on one of the most decorated careers in the sport’s modern history with an Olympic gold medal victory in Atlanta.

Now, the concern in the wrestling world is whether the sport’s tradition can earn it a spot in the 2020 Games and beyond — and it’s all Angle’s icy blue eyes are focused on.

“It’s all about politics and money, and there’s no more tradition or history that really interests the IOC [International Olympic Committee], or at least that’s the way it’s basically perceived now,” lamented Angle, who at 44 is on top of an entirely different world of wrestling.

There wasn’t much left to prove after Angle defeated Abbas Jadidi of Iran for the gold in ’96. He had already captured whatever championships there were at any level: a Pennsylvania state championship with Mount Lebanon High School, two NCAA championships for Clarion University, a gold medal in the World Championships, and the Olympic gold. He had risen so high in the sport that his head was crashing against the ceiling.

The Finlay family casts a large shadow whenever the Newnan wrestling team rolls out the mats.

Led out on the floor by Cougar senior David Finlay, a 2010 state qualifier and team captain, the Finlays have become the first family of wrestling at Newnan High School through their dedication and love for the sport.

For mother Mel, and father David Jr – better known among the pro wrestling world as ‘Fit Finlay’ in the WWE and WCW, originally from Northern Ireland – it’s a way to give back to the community.

Serving as lay coaches also allows the Finlays to put their faith on display.

That faith was at the forefront in 1997 when Mel received some devastating news: a diagnosis of breast cancer at just 27 years old. A battle with the disease ensued, and Mel became a survivor.

Last year, the couple met with Newnan athletic director Steve Allen to begin the process of getting certified as lay coaches, and the couple quickly made a connection with the team.

“We had to take an extensive test in order to become certified, and I was a little worried about that,” she said. “I have never tested too well, and some of the language was different than what I was used to.”

The Olympic gold medallist-turned-WrestleMania headliner on neck injuries, imminent movie stardom and why he’s hoping to regain his title at London 2012.

You retired from amateur freestyle wrestling in 1996. What’s convinced you to return at the age of 42?
Well, I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think I could win Olympic gold. There’s also the fact that my employer Impact Wrestling was happy for me to dedicate my time to the Olympics. It’s not every company that would do that. Of course, I’m under no illusions about how hard it’s going to be. Amateur wrestling’s booming in the States at the moment so it’s going to be damn hard to qualify. But if you know me, you’ll know that I’m not someone to shirk a challenge.

Since freestyle wrestling’s not that big over here, why should people buy tickets to see you compete at London 2012?
The fastest growing sport at the moment is Ultimate Fighting. And most of the top guys – Brock Lesnar, Georges St-Pierre and so on – their background is in amateur wrestling. So if you come and check out the freestyle wrestling at London 2012, the odds are you’ll be seeing the MMA stars of the future. It could be like watching the boxing at Rome in 1960 and watching the young Cassius Clay in action.

By Tyler Huey
Nisqually Valley News

Kurt Angle won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1996 Olympics and now, 15 years later, the 42-year-old is training to make a comeback in hopes of qualifying for next summer’s 2012 Olympics. Maybe this is nostalgia talking, but if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s a true American hero like him.

I remember when Angle, who wrestles for TNA and turns 43 in December, made his WWF debut in 1998. That was back in the heyday of professional wrestling for my friends and I. Angle was introduced as “the most celebrated real athlete in WWF history” and became a heel by insulting the crowd’s intelligence and rubbing his gold medal — which he “wore” to the ring — in everyone’s face. Although I didn’t like him at first, his arrogance became comical and I eventually started rooting for the bad guy.

Does Angle have a realistic chance at making the Olympic team? And if he does do it, could he medal against the best amateur wrestlers in the world, many of whom are 15-plus years younger than him? Eh, it’s a long shot, but it’s fun to cheer for the underdog. At least he is realistic about his chances.

Kurt Angle

By Travis Smith

Kurt Angle seems to have done it all in professional wrestling. He has been world champion 14 times, a former WWE King Of The Ring, a triple crown winner in WWE and TNA, and was named by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter the wrestler of the 2000s decade.

With everything Angle has done, nothing matches his greatest accomplishment: his 1996 Olympic Gold medal in freestyle wrestling. The accomplishments are great, but Angle is again striving for more, as he will be competing for his second gold medal.

Angle has not been favored by many wrestling fans as of late for some of his out of the ring issues in the past three years, but wrestling fans around the world should support Kurt in this challenge because it is not every day that a professional wrestler gets a chance to compete for a major title/medal in any sort of athletic company.

The last time something like this did happen was when Brock Lesnar attempted to land a gig in the NFL in 2004 and then went on to achieve greatness in the UFC. If Angle does succeed in his latest challenge, then he will become one of the oldest athletes ever to win a gold medal.

Jake Hager

When former University of Oklahoma wrestler Jake Hager goes to work, he still has to every now and then sit back to take a breath.

Hager wrestles for World Wrestling Entertainment as one of their superstars, and his character, “Jack Swagger,” is one of the top villains on the WWE’s television show Smackdown! that comes on every Friday night on the SyFy Network.

“It’s so crazy because I grew up watching the same guys I’m in the locker room with now,” Hager said. “I grew up idolizing Rey Mysterio, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Big Show; I mean these guys were on my TV every Monday night.”

Hager initially came to OU as a defensive tackle from high school wrestling powerhouse Perry. Hager appeared to be doing well, but hadn’t attained the level of success to which he was accustomed.

The former Oklahoma high school wrestling state champion turned his attention back to the mat and decided his best chances for national success would come in collegiate wrestling.

It was a rough transition for a young man, who was suddenly competing for one of the toughest college wrestling programs in the country.

Kurt Angle arrested on PFA violation, possession of HGH
By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pro wrestler Kurt Angle is free on bond following his arrest today on charges that he violated a protection of abuse order obtained by his girlfriend earlier in the morning.

Mr. Angle, 40, of Moon, was arrested by township police around 7:50 a.m. in the parking lot of a Giant Eagle Supermarket where his girlfriend, Trenesh Biggers, had taken refuge, according to a police affidavit that supports his arrest.

She told police Mr. Angle, who already had abused her physically, had been stalking her from outside a Starbucks where she was using a computer to send e-mails.

She said she was afraid to use her home computer because Mr. Angle lives there, the affidavit said.

She called police after she again saw him circling the supermarket parking lot.

In addition to the PFA violation, Mr. Angle also was arraigned on charges of harassment, possession of the human growth hormone Hygetropin, and possession of a syringe to use the controlled substance, police said.

Mr. Angle told police the drug is prescribed to him legally, the affidavit said.

LAS VEGAS – So Brock Lesnar, in the parlance of pro wrestling, had gone straight heel.

After bludgeoning Frank Mir to retain the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight championship at the hyped UFC 100, the former pro wrestling star decided to put on a real show.

Lesnar ran around the octagon flipping off the Mandalay Bay Events Center crowd with both middle fingers. He shouted at Mir as the challenger sat on a stool trying to regain his equilibrium. Mir stood up and they went sort of nose-to-broken nose before Lesnar cackled with laughter.

In the post-fight interview, Lesnar encouraged the booing fans to “keep going” before continuing to taunt Mir.

No one and nothing was spared. Lesnar even turned his attention to the UFC itself, which paid him an estimated $3 million for the fight, pointing at the giant Bud Light advertisement in the middle of the octagon.

“I’m drinking a cooler full of Coors Light, Coors Light because Bud Light won’t pay me anything.”

Anything for the children at home, big guy?

“Hell, I might even get on top of my wife tonight.”

The former University of Minnesota wrestling All-American and current Ultimate Fighting Champion heavyweight title holder in an interview credited God — and not steroids — for his physique.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Former University of Minnesota wrestling All-American Brock Lesnar, the current Ultimate Fighting Champion heavyweight title holder, took a swipe at President Obama in an interview and bragged that he is “built like a black man” as he credited God — and not steroids — for his physique.

Lesnar’s smorgasbord of comments came in an interview with Maxim that was published in May and posted Friday on Fightline.com, a website that covers mixed-martial arts, ultimate fighting and other forms of professional wrestling.

Lesnar was a two-time All-American and 2000 NCAA heavyweight champion for the Gophers. His post-college career took off when he became a star with the WWE for two years, a part of his life that he recalled with some regret.

“You live a double life,” the 285-pound Lesnar said. “I was tired of trying to be who I was in the ring and then coming home for two days to be normal. They didn’t allow you to be. The guys who get out are the smart ones, really and truly.”

For everyone who followed pro wrestling from childhood, there was always a lingering question: How would certain guys, not necessarily the biggest stars but the ones who are known by fans as real-life tough guys, do if the battle was real?

The question was more on people’s minds during old-school pro wrestling’s heyday than in recent years, largely because the Ultimate Fighter has answered a lot of questions about putting guys with different backgrounds into an arena and seeing what styles come out on top.

In the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, many amateur champion wrestlers fared well simply through takedowns and the ability to control and keep opponents on their back.
But in today’s mixed martial arts, you have to be a well-rounded fighter, with knowledge of wrestling or judo for balance, jiu-jitsu for submission awareness and avoidance, and both boxing and kickboxing techniques.
Brock Lesnar isn’t coming to UFC to answer any age-old questions. He’s coming because it’s a sport he’s watched since its inception, and now after more than a year of full-time training, after trying pro wrestling and pro football, he feels that it’s the sport he was put on earth to participate in.