No one WWE superstar epitomizes the term “sports entertainer” more than Kurt Angle. Angle’s uncanny ability to adapt his character to a specific role and perform with any superstar on WWE’s roster makes him the company’s most valuable asset. His latest in-ring gem occurred last Thursday on “Smackdown” in a “Fatal” four-way elimination match against Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit and Edge, with the winner earning a shot at The Big Show’s WWE championship next Sunday at “Armageddon.” The four superstars delivered an inspired 20-minute, pay-per-view worthy main event, and Angle eventually eliminated Edge after the two traded nearfalls for the latter part of the match. The finish came when Angle gracefully hopped from the bottom to the top rope and hit Edge with his “Olympic Slam.” Angle’s victory seems to be the first step toward a third title reign and eventual meeting between he and Brock Lesnar at “Wrestlemania” in March for the WWE championship. Watching Angle wow audiences with his athletic prowess and equally intoxicating persona is nothing new for WWE fans. No matter what he’s doing, saying or who he’s wrestling, Angle excels. He can match wits and comedic timing with The Rock. He can trade suplexes and submission holds with Chris Benoit. More important, he makes everyone around him better — the mettle of a true legend — and has a knack for not taking himself so serious that it begins to cloud his judgment and the overall success of the company. Not once has any “rumor” surfaced regarding Angle or his disdain for another colleague or unwillingness to “put over” a superstar who’s being positioned ahead of him, regardless of Angle’s status with the company. Wrestling against someone such as the fast-paced Rey Mysterio challenges Angle as an athlete and an entertainer. He cracks a few “short” jokes and keeps up with the Lucha Libra pacing that Mysterio crafted while competing in Mexico. A more insecure superstar would glance at Mysterio and quickly quell the notion of a feud with the established cruiserweight, perhaps citing a lack of size and credibility as reasons. But not Angle. He clearly embraced the opportunity to share the spotlight with the new WWE arrival, and their matches — most notably the one at “SummerSlam” — proved that. The grounded Angle truly seems to be enjoying himself and his success, which translates into a vibrant, colorful “Olympic hero” character that transcends the traditional definitions of heel and face. Angle can’t be classified as the customary good guy or bad guy; he’s simply entertaining, and fans appreciate that more than any silly necrophiliac or “HLA” segment. Angle’s knowledge and respect for the industry is even more impressive considering that the 1996 Olympic gold medalist has only been with WWE for a little more than three years. Angle once scoffed at the thought of being a WWE superstar, until he sat down and watched an episode of “Raw.” He appreciated the spectacle that was professional wrestling and valued the unique hybrid of sports and entertainment, so much so that he has become the prototype for which all incoming superstars should be critiqued. He also broke the stigma that amateur wrestlers can’t succeed or be taken seriously, competing in “fake pro wrasslin.” Angle, in his three years with the federation, has won two world titles and has transformed into a performer who WWE can depend on in any situation, a characteristic synonymous with greatness. Angle doesn’t style or profile like Ric Flair, doesn’t talk ad nauseam about his 24-inch pythons like the circa 1980s Hulk Hogan and doesn’t need to play Triple H’s modern-day political games to get ahead. Angle simply delivers — every time he performs.

Perry Saturn and The Godfather were released from their WWE contracts last week. … Ron Simmons (Faarooq) will most likely be given a job as a road agent as his in-ring career comes to a close.

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