WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle agrees that the times are changing in professional wrestling – and the days of the big men being the only ones who can survive at the top of the card, are gone.
Recently, Angle was interviewed by WhatCulture Wrestling to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. During the interview, Angle gave his take on the landscape of the industry today. Angle noted that he believes the days of big guys like Hulk Hogan, John Cena, Batista, and others being at the top of the food chain are over; thanks to guys like AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio helping change that stigma.
Also, according to Angle, these younger talents who are on their way up are more athletic than he and those who came up with him during his heyday in WWE.
“I think people don’t buy into the fact that you have to be big to be dominating. There are a lot of athletes like AJ Styles that are undersized, that are doing tremendously well,” Angle said (via Wrestling Inc.). “I credit those guys. These guys today are so much better athletes than we were in our heyday. It’s because of the new training. The core training and the CrossFit training and everything that they have going on.
“Technology has put them ahead of the game now. Rey Mysterio is still going, and he’s been so undersized. 140 lbs, and look what he’s done in the business. I like where the business is headed. I just wish they would pull it back a little bit. Slow down and take their time in the matches, rather than it being a spot fest.”
Kurt Angle came up during a time when the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, and The Undertaker were sitting atop the card. None of those men would typically be described as “high flyers,” however, in terms of pure athleticism, an argument could be made that the talent today has more to offer in that respect.
Of course, there’s no denying that the likes of Austin, Rock, “The Game,” and Undertaker are athletic specimens in their own right. What do you make of Angle’s comments? Do you agree that today’s talents are more athletic than those of Angle’s generation? Sound off in the comment section!
