Kurt Angle Just Spilled the Tea on the Time Vince McMahon Made Him Prank Hulk Hogan
Kurt Angle has always been open about his wrestling career, but his recent story involving Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon might be one of the strangest. During the 2002 King of the Ring pay-per-view, Angle defeated Hogan by submission — the first time Hogan had ever tapped out in his WWE career. But what happened before the match was just as remarkable.
As Angle later told Ariel Helwani and discussed on his own show, Vince McMahon devised an unusual plan to prevent Hogan from using his backstage influence to alter the match result. Hogan was known for having a say in how his matches ended, and Vince wanted to make sure he accepted the finish. Before the show, McMahon called both men into his office, told Angle to sit knee-to-knee with Hogan, and then announced the planned outcome—that Angle would make Hogan submit. At that exact moment, Angle had been instructed by Vince to stand up and go nose-to-nose with Hogan to show confidence and prevent Hogan from challenging the decision.
Weirdest Meeting in WWE History
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Megan Elice Meadows
Angle couldn’t believe what he was being asked to do. He grew up watching Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino, two of his childhood heroes. Now Vince wanted him to “intimidate” Hogan into losing cleanly. Still, Angle went along with the plan. Hogan entered the room, sat down, and faced him. Following Vince’s instruction, Angle leaned in until they were practically touching noses. McMahon then made his announcement: “Hulk, Kurt’s winning by tap-out tonight.”
Angle braced himself for resistance, but it never came. Hogan leaned back, gave a casual thumbs-up, and said, “That’s cool with me.” The situation left Kurt both shocked and amused. Vince had expected a debate, but Hogan agreed without hesitation. Afterward, Angle laughed about how unnecessary the whole setup was. He admitted it felt awkward and thought Vince’s tactic was over the top, but it showed him that Hogan could be cooperative when it came to doing business the right way.
The Match That Made History
The match itself became a standout moment in WWE’s early 2000s run. Hogan, in his late 40s, still had plenty of energy, while Angle was at the peak of his athletic abilities. Their clash ended with the ankle lock that made Hogan tap, although he kept one hand on the ropes. That small detail was meant to leave room for a possible rematch that WWE never followed up on. The visual of Hogan tapping out to Angle’s signature move became an iconic moment.
For Kurt, beating Hogan was a career milestone that felt almost unreal. He had grown up seeing Hogan headline WrestleMania and carry the WWF into global fame. Sharing the ring with him and scoring that win marked his full arrival as a main-event star.