Who had the better rookie year?

[NotoriousMEAT]

This could potentially be a series, but right now I just have these two in mind. All I wanna know here is who you think had the better rookie year between the two men below. I've given all the evidence you'll need to justify either decision.

#1 Kurt Angle: Survivor Series '99 - Survivor Series '00

Rookie year accolades:
-Undefeated for 2 months
-1 time European Champion
-1 time Intercontinental Champion
-Held European and Intercontinental Titles simultaneously
-2000 King of the Ring
-1 time WWF Champion

Big Pay-Per-View Matches
vs. Tazz (debuting) @ Royal Rumble (lost)
vs. Chris Jericho for IC Title @ No Way Out (won)
vs. Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit for IC & European Titles @ WrestleMania 2000 (lost)
vs. Rikishi KOTR Finals @ King of the Ring (won)
vs. The Rock & Triple H for the WWF Championship @ SummerSlam (lost)
vs. Triple H @ Unforgiven (lost)
vs. The Rock for the WWF Championship @ No Mercy (won)
vs. The Undertaker for the WWF Championship @ Survivor Series (won)



#2 Brock Lesnar: Day after WrestleMania X8 - Day after WrestleMania XIX

Rookie year accolades:
-Undefeated for 8 months
-2002 King of the Ring
-Royal Rumble Winner
-2 time WWE Champion

Big time Pay-Per-View Matches:
vs. RVD KOTR Finals @ King of the Ring (won)
vs. RVD for the IC Title @ Vengeance (lost by DQ)
vs. The Rock for the WWE Championship @ SummerSlam (won)
vs. The Undertaker for the WWE Championship @ Unforgiven (lost by DQ)
vs. The Undertaker for the WWE Championship (HIAC) @ No Mercy (won)
vs. The Big Show for the WWE Championship @ Survivor Series (lost)
vs. The Big Show @ Royal Rumble (won)
Royal Rumble Match (won)
w/ Chris Benoit vs. Team Angle @ No Way Out (won)
vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship @ WrestleMania (won)



The Similarities
Everyone knows they both come from an amateur background. But let's look professionaly. Both started with the typical undefeated streak. Both were catapulted to the main event by way of becoming King of the Ring, and both defeated The Rock to win their first WWF/E Championships. Also ironically enough, they both then entered feuds with The Undertaker to solidify their title reigns.

The Differences
Though he started hot, WWE seemed hesitant to throw Kurt in the main event right away. They didn't stick him with a manager though as his natural charisma allowed him to establish a character quickly. Getting started with mid-card championships and even forming a team with Edge & Christian kept him relevant for the majority of his rookie year until winning the King of the Ring. After initially failing to capture the WWF Championship, his first main event feud came with Triple H in a storyline involving the attentions of Stephanie McMahon. Though he never won the affections of the Billion Dollar Princess, just a short time later he would finally become WWF Champion, 11 months after bursting onto the scene. Brock Lesnar didn't appear after weeks of vignettes like Angle, however he seemed destined for the main event. He did spend his first two months feuding with the Hardy Boyz, but he came out of the gate with an established mouth piece in Paul Heyman. He dominated everybody that stood in front of him, even killing Hulkamania, on his way to becoming WWE Champion at SummerSlam, just 5 months after joining the main roster. He didn't just defeat The Undertaker, he demolished him in the most brutal Hell in a Cell match I've ever seen. It wasn't too long before WWE saw the next face of their company and gave into the cheers coming from their audience, turning Lesnar babyface. He'd go on to win the Royal Rumble and eventually conquer his former manager Heyman, and Kurt Angle himself in the main event of WrestleMania capturing his second WWE Championship on the final night of his rookie campaign.


Now the ball's in your court.
Who had the best rookie year between Kurt Angle & Brock Lesnar, and why?

 

[The Brain]

Brock Lesnar had the better rookie year because it was pretty clear form the start that he was going to be the top guy. Angle quickly developed into a top guy but despite a four month title reign he wasn’t the top guy. Lesnar was world champion only five months after his debut. He went over the Rock clean at the second biggest show of the year. He went over Hogan clean. He went over Taker clean. All this as a heel. Brock Lesnar was in the main event of WrestleMania on a card that featured Austin vs. Rock, Hogan vs. McMahon, Triple H in a title match, and HBK making his mania return. Angle’s first year was obviously great but he was mostly a comedy character and considered a fluke champion. Don’t get me wrong, he was great in the ring but his gimmick was somewhat cowardly. Lesnar was booked as a dominant force right from the start. Angle had a great rookie year but Lesnar’s was better.

 

[pepentorresHHH]

I gotta agree with the Brain here..... Kurt´s rise was more about his determination to get over, he mixed his great in ring abilities and took over wwe because of how good he was on the mic and how much charisma he had.... he didnt seem a big deal when I saw him on survivor series 99 but he won the european title, the ic title and became the eurocontinental champion... then king of the ring, then the main event of summerslam while feuding with HHH in arguably HHH best year, then took the title from the rock in the 11 month mark.... all done while giving us great promos AND making us laugh as a HEEL......

BUT....
You KNEW as soon as you saw Brock that this guy was gonna do it, he didnt or couldnt talk but he didnt need to because he had heyman.... he won the king of the ring, then took out hogan and then unseated the rock at summerslam 4 months after his debut, took out the undertaker, at no mercy in the cell CLEAN AS A HEEL.... and then went on to win the royal rumble and finished his rookie year not only main eventing but winning the title at the biggest show of the year....

Difficult choice but Lesnar had the best rookie year of all times.....

 

[barclayteo]

If it was to go by in ring ability i would say Kurt angle. But with Vince mcMahons love of big guys of course he was going to give Lesner the bigger rookie year. But with everyone else i will say Lesner had the best rookie year.

 

[HBsam31]

I had to go with Lesner as well. Angle was used for a lot of comedy in his first year, and his first title run was kind of seen as a fluke. With Lesner you could tell he was going to be the guy from the first time you saw him. He beat Rock, Taker, and Hogan clean. That is one hell of a year there in and of itself. It has to be Lesner.

 

[Infinity]

I don't even think this is an argument. Brock Lesnar had the greatest rookie year of all time, period. Royal Rumble, 2 time champ... there's just no comparison. Kurt is probably 2nd closest, but it's not that close at all imo.

 

[SuperKick36]

Lesnar's year may have made him look more dominant, but look how long he lasted, and look at the promos he cut.

Kurt Angle may not have been undefeated for as long or won the big one as quickly, but his year was more entertaining and established a basis for him to continue on to be one of the greatest wrestlers to ever step in the ring.

I say Kurt Angle. Besides... LOOK at this guy and all his glory!