Kurt Angle vs Zack Sabre Jr is a dream match that actually happened, which may surprise you.
The pair seem to have been part of different generations, but crossed in an indie match in the UK in 2016. At the RevPro Angle Vs. Sabre Jr event, the show was main evented by the Kurt Angle vs Zack Sabre Jr.
Both men are known for their technical wrestling style, although their inspiration comes from very different places. Angle was inspired by amateur wrestling, where he excelled by winning the gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, Sabre Jr has revived the old-school British style of wrestling, bringing the British style of wrestling to the forefront in Japan and the United States. The American beat his English counterpart in the classic match, in what was the only encounter between the pair.
Speaking about his bout with Sabre Jr on an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, Angle spoke highly of the young British star. He named the Englishman “one of the most talented wrestlers” he’s ever wrestled, calling their match together “really, really good”.
He also lamented the fact the WWE had never signed him, claiming that if they were aware of his talent, they’d have snapped him up ASAP.
“That kid blew my mind. He is one of the most talented wrestlers I have ever got in the ring with. You know, he’s not a big kid, probably around 180-190 pounds, but incredibly athletic. He is a really good worker in the ring too. I had a lot of fun wrestling with that kid, and we had a really, really good match.”
“The crowd was incredible, probably around seven to eight thousand fans. This was an indie show in the UK, and Zach Saber Jr… I am really surprised that he is not in the WWE right now. I don’t know where he is at the moment, but I truly believe that if he had been exposed to the WWE, they would have picked him up in a millisecond. I’m not sure why they haven’t yet.”
“He’s pretty well-known now, especially in the indie circuit and other wrestling promotions, so I’m not sure why WWE hasn’t signed him. Well, you’ve got Triple H running the ship, so it could just be a matter of time, you know what I mean? If he becomes available.”
The New Japan star made it to the semi-final of the tournament, before losing to TJP in the penultimate match of the tournament. Zack Sabre Jr rejected the WWE deal to sign for NJPW, where he has become a multi-time champion and a New Japan Cup winner.
Kurt Angle vs Zack Sabre Jr Would Have Been Five Stars If Not For Angle’s Injury
While Kurt Angle vs Zack Sabre Jr was a great match, it could have been better. This is according to Angle himself, who confirmed he had a knee injury in the lead up to his bout in Rev Pro in 2016.
Angle was visibly sheepish on his feet during the match, with Sabre Jr working around him for the bulk of the match. Despite this, the incredibly loud crowd helped make the match even better than it should be, with 1200 screaming Britons making it a night to remember for both men.
Speaking again on The Kurt Angle Show, Angle puts over Zack Sabre Jr as a “huge name in the UK”, and claims he was shocked to find out he wasn’t signed by the WWE. He claims that he was “a machine”, and that if Angle did not have his knee injury then the match would have been a five-star classic.
“I love Rev Pro. I would have gone back there again, especially in the UK.” Kurt Angle said. “He’s [Zack Sabre Jr] a huge name in the UK and has been really successful in Japan.”
Angle added, “I figured some major promotion in the United States was going to sign this kid because he was so damn good. Now, back then when I wrestled him, he looked like he was 18 years old. Okay, he didn’t have much of a build on him, but man, he could go.”
“He was a machine, with so much great technique. I really loved wrestling with this kid. I think if my knee wasn’t that bad, we would have had a five-star match.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please give a H/T to BritWrestling for the transcription.
@britwrestling Kurt Angle thought WWE were going to sign Zack Sabre Jr after their match in #RevPro together đŸ¤” #kurtangle #WWE #BritishWresting #zacksabrejr #NJPW
♬ Beautiful Things – Benson Boone
