WWE Hall of Famer To Serve As Guest Judge For Upstart MMA Promotion's Scouting Program

WWE legend, Kurt Angle, set to appear as guest judge at 2023 Professional Fighters League Challenger Series on Feb. 10. Getty Images/THOMAS SAMSON/AFP

KEY POINTS

WWE legend Kurt Angle will be judging an MMA scouting program
Angle is a four-time WWE Champion and a WWE Hall of Famer
He also won an Olympic gold medal in 1996

"Oh, it's true!"

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Famer and multiple-time world champion Kurt Angle will be making a guest appearance as a celebrity judge in Week 3 of the 2023 Professional Fighters League (PFL) Challenger Series, which airs this coming Friday, February 10th.

The 54-year-old will be joining former UFC champions Frank Mir and Vitor Belfort as the guest celebrity judges for the third installment of this year's Challenger Series, which will feature up-and-coming fighters in the heavyweight division.

The celebrity judges represent a third of the voting pillars that decide which fighter earns a lucrative PFL contract for that week.

In the past weeks, the panel of celebrity judges has included NFL legend Ray Lewis and rapper Wiz Khalifa, as well ex-UFC fighters Tyron Woodley, and Paige VanZant.

The Challenger Series is PFL's version of a developmental showcase, which features talented prospects from all over the world looking to earn a spot in the promotion's million-dollar tournament.

Last year, the Challenger Series produced names like Jarrah Al-Silawi, Josh Silveria, and eventual welterweight finalist Dilano Taylor.

So far this season, two fighters have already earned PFL contracts in welterweight Thad Jean and women's featherweight Amanda Leve.

Headlining this week's four-fight offering, which takes place in Orlando, Florida, will be Brazilian grappler Danilo Marques vs. Ras Hylton of the United States.

A true legend in professional wrestling, Angle is perhaps one of the industry's most beloved and respected stars.

Angle is a former four-time WWE Champion, a former World Heavyweight Champion, a former WCW Champion, and a former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, among many other accolades.

In 2017, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold medalist in freestyle wrestling was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Angle retired from professional wrestling in 2019, competing in his final match against Baron Corbin at Wrestlemania 35.

Since then, he has made sporadic guest appearances on WWE television, with his most recent one being a humorous segment alongside fellow legends D-Generation X and a promising stable known as the Imperium, led by current WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther.