Kurt Angle is a pro wrestling legend in the eyes of many fans. He has the ability to have a good, great, and classic match with almost any wrestler he opposes in the ring. With younger wrestlers, Kurt does some carrying to guide the match's story and in-ring action. With older, more experienced wrestlers, Kurt has good in-ring chemistry with most of them.
While Kurt wrestled in TNA, he had some great matches at Bound For Glory, TNA's biggest pay-per-view of their year. He has fought a combination of veterans and rising wrestlers, with the majority of those matches meeting the expectations Kurt has set for himself.
7 Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Mr. Anderson - 2010
This three-way match was set to determine the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion, which had been vacant heading into this event. While this match featured some engaging spots, such as Kurt's release German Suplex onto both Hardy and Anderson and Kurt's moonsault that connected this time, the in-ring action was a bit overshadowed by the over-booked finish.
Jeff turned heel towards the end here, hitting Kurt and Ken with a crutch following interference by Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. In the end, the evil Hardy won the TNA World Title. Angle was more of a supporting player in this match, and he did his best with what he had to work with in this instance.
6 Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett - 2008
Angle and Jarrett were in their first rivalry here, and Mick Foley was involved as the special enforcer. This match was good enough, it was basic and featured both Angle and Jarrett's usual offense. Jarrett did deliver an unusual Blue Thunder Bomb in the middle of this match, which stands out a bit since Jarrett did not execute that one often. There was a referee bump and since Foley was an enforcer, he got physical.
Angle hit Foley with a steel chair with the referee down, leading to a Mandible Claw from Mick to Kurt and a guitar shot to Angle's head by Jarrett. Jarrett won from the guitar shot with Foley counting the pin. This match was over-booked to get Foley in the ring for the Mandible Claw spot, so that justified the choice to book the finish that way.
5 Kurt Angle vs. Sting - 2007
This match served as Angle's first-ever Bound For Glory match, and fitting for his talents, it was a defense of the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. This match had a personal aspect to it since Kurt was working heel at this time and a segment on Impact saw Kurt attack Sting's son Garrett in a parking lot to get more heat, in kayfabe.
The match itself featured both good and botched action, including Angle attempting a 450 Splash and missing the proper landing a bit, hitting his stomach and ribs on the mat while his feet hit Sting in his stomach and ribs. Angle and Sting worked through that error to create an entertaining match, with the finish seeing Kevin Nash get involved and taken care of. Sting won with his Scorpion Death Drop on Angle, and while this match was clustered with interference, it was entertaining and suspenseful anyway.
4 Kurt Angle vs. Matt Morgan - 2009
This match was an example of Kurt Angle using his abilities to carry a younger wrestler in the middle of a push to a great pay-per-view match. Morgan was a potential star on the rise at this time, which TNA recognized and put his skills to the test against Angle. This match was one-on-one, with no interference, and featured some exciting sequences.
Morgan is bigger and taller, so the psychology saw him use his size to his advantage and Kurt used his smaller size to outpace Morgan. Kurt hit a Frog Splash and his Angle Slam, which was not enough. A surprise electric chair roll-up was enough to get Angle the win, and while Morgan did the favors, he impressed nonetheless.
3 Kurt Angle vs. Bobby Roode - 2011
This match saw the official introduction of Bobby Roode into TNA's main-event picture. Roode was the contender to the TNA World Title here, and Angle had a great match with him. A noteworthy spot saw Roode throw Angle in a backwards German Suplex position from the top rope, causing Angle to backflip onto the mat below.
Roode applied a crossface submission hold, which Angle countered into an Angle Slam. Some other moves followed, and Kurt, working heel, poked Roode in his eyes and hit a second Angle Slam to win and retain. Angle used the ropes for leverage during the winning pinfall, which is a heel tactic but protected Roode in defeat nonetheless. This was a great match and Angle's final in a World Title match at Bound For Glory.
2 Kurt Angle vs. Bobby Roode - 2013
This match was Angle and Roode's second match at Bound For Glory, with Angle being inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame the same night. This match was a bit better than the fight two years prior because Kurt was working babyface here and did not cheat to win. Angle and Roode worked a great match with counters, submissions, and other exciting spots.
In the end, Angle connected with an Angle Slam from the top rope, which in kayfabe, injured his neck and allowed Roode to win despite taking the move. In the aftermath, it was booked where Angle nearly left the ring on a stretcher, but he was too proud and walked out on his own merit.
1 Kurt Angle vs. Eric Young - 2015
This was Kurt's best and final match at Bound For Glory. Eric Young was a heel here as "The World Class Maniac", which he portrayed very well to his credit. This match was No Disqualification, so Angle and Young took this stipulation seriously. There was brawling in the crowd, a chair shot from Young to Angle and a very well-done piledriver from Young to Angle.
Following this piledriver, Angle sold it to the point where the match was almost stopped. However, Young interjected and the match continued. After an exciting back-and-forth match, Angle made Young submit to his grape-vined Ankle Lock. This match contained some over-booking, but in a very effective way for the story being told. Angle's final Bound For Glory was a fitting way to end his run of matches at that show.