Pro wrestling legend, dressed as Alabama icon, weighs in on election

No one would mistake Kurt Angle for Forrest Gump, but the wrestling legend gave it a shot while urging people to vote this week.

The World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist took to social media this week to encourage his followers to exercise their civic duty during Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

“Hey, everybody. This is my costume for Halloween. I’m Forrest Gump if you haven’t noticed,” Angle posted on X/Twitter. “I just want to encourage everyone to vote this year. You have until November 5th. And it’s the most important election in the history of our country. Make sure you vote.”

READ: 35 fascinating facts about ‘Forrest Gump’

He ended the video with his signature catchphrase: “Oh it’s true. It’s damn true.”

Angle, 55, did not express support for any candidate or issue in the video. In January 2016, Angle publicly supported Sen. Marco Rubio’s bid for the GOP nomination during the primary in the presidential election.

Sporting a red Bubba/Gump Shrimp hat and a light blue button-down shirt, Angle had the outfit down, but he did not attempt an Alabama accent, at least not in the 18-second video he posted.

In April 2016, Angle posted on X about the 45th president, who was then a nominee, “So Trump is leading the delegate votes,” followed by a meme of Angle in this wrestling gear that read, “That’s cute…but can he do it with a broken freakin’ neck?”

Pittsburgh native Olympic Gold Medal wrestler Kurt Angle attends the pre-game festivities before an NFL football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)AP

Prior to his debut as a WWE superstar, Angle won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olmpyics in Atlanta, while competing with a broken neck.

Angle signed with WWE in 1998. He has held the European Championship, Intercontinental Championship, WWF Championship, WCW Championship and World Heavyweight Championship. He became the 10th person to achieve the WWE Triple Crown and fifth to achieve the WWE Grand Slam. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017 along with Beth Phoenix, Diamond Dallas Page, Rick Rude, Theodore Long, and The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express.

“Forrest Gump” opened in theaters June 1994. It won six Oscars including best picture and actor (Tom Hanks) and grossed nearly $700 million worldwide. Gump grows up in the fictional town of Greenbow, Ala., and eventually plays football for the University of Alabama under Paul “Bear” Bryant.