By Craig Phillips, contributing writer

the main event level," Angle said, explaining his rapid ascent into prime time. And, then he won it all.
There are thousands of professional wrestlerswho ply their trade and very few reach the WWFwhere there are four levels- opening card, middle card, pre- main event and main event.Preciousfew earn main event status.
"I was very excited to getto (the main event) level," said Angle, who waspictured on the cover of TV Guide during the week of Aug. 19-25.
Angle's character, which bearshis name, contends that through the three Is-Intensity, Intelligence and Integrity-hisisthe only true wrestler in the WWF.
He hasbeen a smash success whilehis character continuesto evolve.
Angle sayshe has someinput into his character, butmaintains the WWFchairman Vince McMahon has thefinal say.

" You're al ways going t o have to deal
with injuries."

F^{romTippin Gymto TV Guide, fromClarion to cable TV . .}
. from Mount Lebanon High School to the World Wrestling
Federation'sMount Olympus.
Clarion University graduate Kurt Angle ('92) defeated The Rock for the WWF'stitle belt on Oct. 22 in the pay-per-view "No Mercy" atthe PepsiArena in Albany, N.Y.
The victory-which puthim in elite company of former WWF championssuch as Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Brett"The Hit Man" Hart, Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, TripleH and Stone Cold Steve Austin-completed Angle's journey fromwatching theaterproductions at Clarion University to the center stage of America's mainstream.
Since capturing the belt, hehascontinued to defend it successfully, including a pin over TheUndertaker on Sunday, Nov. 19.
Angle, 31,alwayshasbeen a talented athlete. After winning the gold medal in freestyle wrestling in 1996 at the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, he turned hisfocus to being in front of the camera.
Following a brief career as abroadcaster, he signed with the WWF and had made a meteoric riseto the upper echelon of the sports entertainmentbusiness. WWF's"Smackdown!" was the top-rated cable television show aweek ago and "Raw IsWar" is alwaysamong the leaders.
The professional wrestling craze is sweeping the nation and Angleisriding the crest of the wave.
"Being the No. 1 contender allowed me to make the jump to