"You really stepped up" - Vince McMahon rewarded star with world title win for working despite severe injury

Former WWE star Kurt Angle recently revealed why Vince McMahon decided to make him a world champion for the first time. The decision was made following his performance at SummerSlam 2000.

Kurt Angle faced Triple H and The Rock at the pay-per-view and unfortunately suffered a legitimate concussion during a botched table spot on the outside. Angle hit his head on the concrete following a Pedigree from Triple H.

Despite suffering a severe head injury, Angle managed to complete the match and an additional backstage segment with Stephanie McMahon.

While speaking on his podcast, Kurt Angle said that the SummerSlam 2000 match made him a superstar in the WWE. Vince McMahon was thoroughly impressed by his toughness that night.

The WWE boss saw a talent willing to sacrifice his body to ensure the show went on. McMahon decided to reward Angle with a well-deserved world title victory later that year.

Vince McMahon also had a backstage conversation with Kurt Angle at the RAW after SummerSlam and commended the wrestler for stepping up for his company. Kurt Angle went on to win his first world title in the WWE from The Rock at No Mercy a couple of months later.

20 years ago today, Kurt Angle won his first WWE championship at No Mercy 2000. Kurt defeated the Rock to win the title. He went on to have so many memorable feuds and rivalries. With the WWE championship, he gave the fans something to remember with classic after classic. pic.twitter.com/CWkpCdbFyP

— Samster203 サミー・カラフ (@KhalafSammy) October 23, 2020

Here's what Kurt Angle recalled about Vince McMahon's decision to give him the world title:

"This match made me who I am. Vince McMahon saw a person that sacrificed himself and would do whatever he had to at all costs to make the show go on. I think that night he decided to give me the world title, which I would win in the next couple of months against Rock at No Mercy, and I believe he told me after the match or the next day on RAW. He said, 'You really stepped up last night. What you did for me and what you did for the company, we are going to give it back to you, and before I knew it, I won the world title at No Mercy against The Rock two months later," revealed Kurt Angle.

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Kurt Angle's glittering championship record in Vince McMahon's company

Cure that PPV hangover when you revisit #SummerSlam 2000 with @RealKurtAngle on @TheAnglePod!https://t.co/5v6Q3sv3sk pic.twitter.com/WDvhWPiSGF

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Kurt Angle rose to superstardom in the WWE in record time. Angle had a total of five world championship reigns in the WWE and also captured every other secondary title available in the company.

The WWE Hall of Famer had reigns with the European, Tag Team, Hardcore, Intercontinental and United States (WCW) titles during his first WWE run before his 2006 release.

2000 was a banner year for Kurt Angle as he became WWE Champion and cemented his spot in the main event picture for years to come.

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