Every Major Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar Match, Ranked

The rivalry between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar helped define the Ruthless Aggression Era. WWE changed their approach to in-ring storytelling with the physicality between the two creating a different style. Fans enjoyed the ground and pound wrestling with submissions and intense moves. Angle and Lesnar felt like the right opponents for each other with the magical chemistry in the early 2000s.RELATED: 5 Reasons Kurt Angle Is Brock Lesnar's Best Rival (& 5 Why It's The Undertaker)Each noteworthy match between the two had a different execution, but all had interest from the fans heading into them. There was even a rare Japan match when both talents left WWE and wanted to work together one more time. Every important match between Angle and Lesnar deserves a watch back to compare them.

9 Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar (Smackdown: March 11, 2003)

WWE tricked fans into thinking the WrestleMania XIX main event between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar would come early during an episode of Smackdown. Angle agreed to defend the WWE Championship until his plan was revealed.

Brock had the easy advantage over who we thought was Kurt until it was shown to be his brother Eric Angle. Kurt came from the back to roll up Lesnar and score the pin in what shouldn’t be considered a match, but it was an official one according to WWE.

8 Team Angle Vs Brock Lesnar (SmackDown: February 18, 2003)

Another storyline-driven match to take place on Smackdown in the build to WrestleMania 19 featured Brock Lesnar facing off with Kurt Angle’s faction in a gauntlet. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin joined Kurt in Team Angle in a match where Brock faced them one at a time.

Lesnar scored victories over Haas and Benjamin in the respective singles matches as expected. However, Angle instantly attacked him with a weapon to get disqualified a second into the third match. Kurt didn’t care about that match, and it was a story to give him an advantage moving forward heading into the bigger attraction.

7 Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar (IGF Toukon Bom-Ba-Ye)

One of the most shocking matches in the rivalry between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar featured them facing off in Japan. Brock Lesnar won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in New Japan, but he refused to drop the title.

NJPW crowned a new champ as Lesnar took the title to IGF and requested to drop it to Kurt Angle due to their history. Brock wasn’t motivated to have great matches at the time, so it was more of a spectacle for Angle to win the belt. This allowed Lesnar to leave wrestling again and start his MMA career in UFC.

6 Team Angle Vs Brock Lesnar & Chris Benoit (No Way Out 2003)

The Royal Rumble match win for Brock Lesnar in 2003 saw him making it clear he’d challenge Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XIX. WWE needed a way to keep the story going into the No Way Out 2003 PPV before.

Kurt’s prior rival Chris Benoit teamed with Brock to face off with Team Angle. The faces won the tag match when Benoit made Charlie Haas tap out with the crossface. WWE did a nice job having a fun match as a placeholder before the bigger title match.

5 Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar Vs Big Show (Vengeance 2003)

The return of Kurt Angle from an injury in the middle of 2003 saw him having a great face run. Angle was the most beloved wrestler heading into a triple threat match for the WWE Championship at Vengeance 2003.

Brock Lesnar, Big Show and Angle had one of the more underrated WWE PPV main events with exciting action all around. Angle ended Lesnar's reign and scored a huge victory for another run with the top prize in WWE.

4 Team Kurt Angle Vs Team Brock Lesnar (Survivor Series 2003)

The feud between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar ended at Survivor Series 2003 when both men were given the chance to lead their own teams. Angle picked John Cena, Chris Benoit, Hardcore Holly and JBL as the faces.

Lesnar stacked a monster heel team with Big Show, A-Train, Matt Morgan and Nathan Jones doing his bidding. The match was quite exciting and had a memorable finish. Angle was shockingly eliminated before the end, but Benoit and Cena survived to win for his team as a way to start their big pushes.

3 Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar (SummerSlam 2003)

WWE turned Brock Lesnar heel in the middle of 2003 when Kurt Angle returned as a face. The pairing felt more authentic this way with Brock aligning with the evil boss character of Vince McMahon on the Smackdown brand.

SummerSlam 2003 featured an exciting match of the technical wrestling and submissions going back and forth. Angle won to a huge ovation from the crowd and even got to beat down Vince after the match to make it a more memorable moment.

2 Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania XIX)

The biggest match between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar featured them main eventing WrestleMania XIX. WWE trusted them to close the show over other attractions like Vince McMahon vs Hulk Hogan and the final Steve Austin vs The Rock match.

Angle and Lesnar did a good job using their strengths as in-ring workers to stand out. The shooting star press botch by Brock at the end was the only negative of the match. Both wrestlers gave their all to close one of the best shows in WWE history.

1 Kurt Angle Vs Brock Lesnar: Iron Man Match (Smackdown: September 16, 2003)

Only five Iron Man matches have been trusted to receive an hour of television time to tell the story of who can score the most falls. Kurt Angle defended the WWE Championship against Brock Lesnar on Smackdown with the Iron Man match stipulation in play.

The story was unlike other matches with the stipulation as Brock intentionally got disqualified by using a chair to get multiple pins and the advantage. Angle and Lesnar gave their all to make the stipulation a hit and one of the best matches in Smackdown history. The title win for Brock put him back into the top spot to culminate their feud in grand fashion.