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Tag: Kurt Angle

  • Kurt Angle On Being The Greatest Of All Time, WWE Legends Working Part Time, More

    Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle spoke with Fox Sports to discuss his legacy, his upcoming WWE Hall of Fame induction and promote his appearance at Comic Con in Cleveland over the weekend.

    Angle recently sat down for an interview with Corey Graves, which will air in its entirety on the WWE Network in the coming weeks. Angle spoke about the importance of his legacy and wanting to be the greatest of all time, not just somebody who had that potential but squandered it due to personal issues. Fox asked Angle if he considers himself to be in that top tier. Angle believes he’s the greatest technical wrestler of all time, but admits that he didn’t have a long enough run in WWE to be the greatest Superstar of all time.

    “You know what, to be honest with you… I haven’t been there in 11 years. You can only have so much impact when you’re in a company for six and a half years [and] you’re injured for a year and a half of it, so really five years…

    Would I put myself in the history books as the greatest wrestler of all time? Yes. But not ‘WWE Superstar’. I was only there six and a half years. I also had a pro career in TNA for 11. You can’t combine them together unless you’re talking from a non-WWE standpoint. And the WWE is the monster, it’s everything. The longer you’re in there and the more successful you are, the more accolades you should have. I wasn’t John Cena, I couldn’t stay on top for 14 years. I tried. Very few individuals could do that.”

    Angle used Steve Austin as an example. He believes Stone Cold is the greatest of all time and his star burned as bright as anybody in history. However, Austin’s run was only about five years and some of that time was plagued by a neck injury. Nobody has the consistency of John Cena and you need that staying power to be considered the greatest. Angle says he had a consistent run with TNA, but he needed a very reduced schedule to stay healthy.

    In recent years, we’ve seen guys like The Rock, The Undertaker, Triple H, Brock Lesnar and Goldberg work part-time schedules. This luxury has extended their careers and allowed them to work big WrestleMania matches many years past their primes. Angle wonders how things would have been different if he could have worked a part time schedule after he left WWE back in 2006.

    “What’s crazy is two years after I left, they started doing that. It was like ‘damnit! I just missed it by two years.’ I would have stayed in WWE. I went to rehab back in 2006 and I got myself straight, took Vince McMahon’s advice, and I would have stayed. I wanted to stay, I just knew I couldn’t do that schedule …

    Part-timers usually have to put in that 20 or so years. So I understood that, but two or three years later they started doing that. I missed that moment where I could have stayed, and I could have been a 25-time World Champion.”

    Head over to Fox Sports to check out the full interview.

  • John Cena To Induct Kurt Angle Into The WWE Hall Of Fame

    John Cena To Induct Kurt Angle Into The WWE Hall Of Fame

    WWE announced on Thursday that John Cena will be the man to induct Kurt Angle into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania weekend.

    John Cena and Kurt Angle have a lot of history together. Cena made his WWE television debut back in June of 2002 when he answered an open challenge by the Olympic gold medalist. 15 years later, we’ve come full circle and it will be Cena honoring Angle as he takes his rightful place amongst the sport’s top legends.

    Since the announcement of Angle’s Hall of Fame induction, he’s done various interviews talking about who he wanted to induct him. On multiple occasions, he said that he requested The Undertaker, John Cena or Stone Cold Steve Austin.

    Both Angle and Cena commented on the news:

    The 2017 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place on Friday, March 31st from Orlando, Florida.

  • American Alpha Talk About Wanting To Work With Kurt Angle

    American Alpha Talk About Wanting To Work With Kurt Angle

    American Alpha recently spoke with the The Sun and gave their thoughts on Kurt Angle. SmackDown’s tag team champions acknowledged that they’ve been compared to Angle and sound excited about the prospect of working with him in some capacity.

    Jason Jordan: “It would be great to work with Kurt. He paved the way for us amateur wrestlers. Also, his mind – the way he works in ring – it’s a thing of beauty. It’s amazing.

    “There are all these stories we’ve heard about Kurt Angle ­– and obviously we’ve gotten some comparisons – but it would be really nice to work hand-in-hand with him, help get our game to the next level.

    “Obviously he has so much experience that he can put upon us. It would be great to just sit under the tree of knowledge and let him talk with us and give us some pointers.”

    Chad Gable: “We’re really looking forward to Orlando. Maybe we’ll get a minute to sit down with him and ask a few things.

    “He did the exact path that we’re trying to do right now and succeeded in the biggest possible way. If there’s anyone that’s going to help Jason and I, he’s the man for the job.”

    Kurt Angle takes his place in the WWE Hall of Fame on Friday night, March 31st from Orlando.

  • Why Kurt Angle Was Backstage At SmackDown, Brie Bella Maternity Shoot (Video)

    Why Kurt Angle Was Backstage At SmackDown, Brie Bella Maternity Shoot (Video)

    – 2017 WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle was backstage at Tuesday’s SmackDown Live, which took place from his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Angle was on hand to film content for the upcoming “WWE 24” WWE Network special as well as material for social media.

    https://twitter.com/randyperkins65/status/841783394858070016

    In case you missed it earlier this week, check out this video of Kurt Angle’s recent reunion with Vince McMahon after 11 years.

    – The Bella Twins’ official Youtube channel has published the following behind-the-scenes video from Brie Bella’s recent maternity photo shoot. Brie and her husband, former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan, are expecting their first child in the spring. They’re expecting a girl named Birdie Joe Danielson.

    – Speaking of The Bella Twins, Nikki Bella took part in a photo shoot in Pittsburgh while she was in town for Tuesday’s SmackDown. She shares some images on Twitter from the shoot:

    – David Otunga and Mauro Ranallo were both absent from this week’s SmackDown broadcast, leaving announcing duties to the duo of JBL and Tom Phillips. Otunga had the night off to film a movie, and Ranallo had travel complications due to the storm in the Northeastern United States. Otunga is believed to have been filming for either Days Like This or Sandy Wexley, both upcoming comedy films.

  • Kurt Angle Arrives At SmackDown, Video Of Shane McMahon Leaving Arena

    Kurt Angle Arrives At SmackDown, Video Of Shane McMahon Leaving Arena

    – WWE released the above video after SmackDown went off the air showing Shane McMahon leaving the arena on his own two feet. He was attacked by AJ Styles earlier in the night, and then announced at the very end of SmackDown that he would be facing Styles at WrestleMania in April. McMahon was accompanied out of the arena by Fit Finlay and Jamie Noble.

    – 2017 WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle was backstage at the PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday in his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Angle wasn’t booked to appear on SmackDown, and was reportedly just backstage at the arena to film material for a “fantasy warfare” feature WWE will be sharing on their social media pages.

    https://twitter.com/randyperkins65/status/841727606928080897

  • Shawn Michaels Talks About Working With Kurt Angle, Angle’s Legaacy

    Shawn Michaels Talks About Working With Kurt Angle, Angle’s Legaacy

    WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels was recently interviewed by Sports Illustrated and spoke about his experience working with Kurt Angle. The two squared off at WrestleMania 21 in a ‘dream match’ that is still talked about to this day. Ahead of Angle’s WWE Hall of Fame Induction in less than two weeks, Michaels reveals Angle was the only opponent he ever faced that he felt he had to specifically train for.

    “There was never even a possibility that someone could have more gas in the tank than me, but Kurt was different,” Michaels admitted. “I confessed to myself that Kurt was that guy, and I knew that match had to live up to extremely high standards, so I made sure I prepared extra. Kurt was the one guy I wondered if he could actually blow me up, so I had to work to make sure that didn’t happen.”

    Michaels says he and Kurt Angle were on different brands at the time and their matches were usually ‘special attraction’ affairs, since they didn’t work long programs together. He says no matter what Kurt Angle did ‘in other places’ over the past decade, he’s a WWE guy and his best matches were on the WWE stage.

    “I’m so amazed that he could go from this gold-winning Olympian and transition so flawlessly into our line of work. Nothing was out of the ballpark for him. He could wrestle, he could be silly, he could out-wrestle guys. Kurt adapted to the world of the WWE unlike anybody with his unbelievably legitimate credentials behind him.”

    Head over to SI.com to read the full interview.

  • Kurt Angle Reunites With Vince McMahon (Video), Angle WWE 24 Special in the Works

    Kurt Angle Reunites With Vince McMahon (Video), Angle WWE 24 Special in the Works

    During Monday night’s “Bring It To The Table” event, WWE broadcaster Corey Graves presented a preview clip of his recent sit-down interview with Kurt Angle. Angle spoke about returning home to the WWE family and addressed his legacy. Angle says he still wants to be considered the greatest of all time and does not want people saying, “He could have been the greatest if he would have just stayed out of trouble.”

    It was also revealed that Angle will be the subject of a new WWE 24 documentary special. It’s unknown at this point if the Kurt Angle WWE 24 will air before WrestleMania, or if they’ll wait until afterwards to include footage of his Hall of Fame induction.

    Here is a clip from Kurt Angle’s first appearance on WWE television in 11 years including his reunion with Vince McMahon.

  • Mick Foley Says Kurt Angle Would Make A Great RAW GM, WWE Snubs CM Punk, 205 Live Star Injured

    Mick Foley Says Kurt Angle Would Make A Great RAW GM, WWE Snubs CM Punk, 205 Live Star Injured

    – WWE RAW General Manager Mick Foley posted a message on Facebook asking fans, “Assuming Mrs. Foley’s baby boy gets the boot sometime in 2017, who would you like to see in the GM role?”

    A fan suggested 2017 WWE Hall of Fame inductee Kurt Angle, since he’s got a storied history with commissioner Stephanie McMahon. Foley replied,  “Kurt would be a great choice.”

    – 205 Live star Cedric Alexander will be out of action for 3-5 months due to a knee injury, according to Pro Wrestling Sheet.

    – WWE.com is running a poll asking fans about their favorite Undertaker WrestleMania match. Each option description includes the event and the opponent, except one. Conspicuously absent from the list is Taker’s WrestleMania XXIX opponent, CM Punk.

  • More On Kurt Angle’s Rumored Return To WWE Television

    More On Kurt Angle’s Rumored Return To WWE Television

    Kurt Angle returns to the WWE Universe later this month as the headliner of this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class. Since the announcement of Angle’s induction, the Olympic Gold Medalist has been very outspoken about his desire to compete in a WWE ring once again. We don’t know if Angle has taken the WWE medical exams required for him to wrestle, but it’s looking increasingly likely that Angle will be returning to WWE television after the Hall of Fame.

    Earlier this week, Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported that Angle is scheduled for WWE RAW from Orlando the night after WrestleMania. In an update to this story, Johnson now says that Angle will also be appearing at SmackDown Live the following night.

    Angle hasn’t appeared live on WWE television since August 2006 when he was one of the top stars in WWE’s ECW reboot. Since leaving TNA last year, he’s been working the independent scene, competing against the likes of Cody Rhodes and Alberto El Patron in recent months. It’s worth noting that he does not have any independent bookings lined up after his WWE Hall of Fame induction.

  • Possible Spoiler On Kurt Angle’s Return To WWE Television

    Possible Spoiler On Kurt Angle’s Return To WWE Television

    Wrestling legend Kurt Angle returns to WWE on March 31st when he’s inducted into the Hall of Fame and it’s sounding more and more like Angle will be sticking around after he’s inducted.

    PWInsider Elite is now reporting that Angle is scheduled for WWE RAW the night after WrestleMania. Angle hasn’t appeared on one of WWE’s weekly TV shows since 2006. Shortly thereafter, he joined TNA Wrestling where Angle says he entered the prime of his career.

    Over the past several years WWE has been reluctant to bring Kurt Angle back due to his health and previous struggles working a full time road schedule. While it’s unclear if Angle has taken any WWE medical exams yet, Angle told ESPN in January that he’s been clean and sober for four years.

    Angle has been working the independent scene since leaving TNA last year but does not have any bookings lined up after March.

  • Kurt Angle On What HHH Said To Him About Returning To WWE TV, Who Will Induct Him Into HOF

    Kurt Angle On What HHH Said To Him About Returning To WWE TV, Who Will Induct Him Into HOF

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sr-vsc7J2aQ

    Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle recently appeared on CBS Sports Radio to discuss being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. Now that Angle is on working terms with WWE again, one question on his fans’ minds is if he’ll compete in a WWE ring again or take on some other recurring on-air role. Angle says he hasn’t discussed those specifics with the company yet, but that he expects to return to WWE programming in some capacity.

    “I honestly, I talked to Triple H and I did throw that at him and he said ‘Listen, we’re not gonna talk about all of that until after the Hall Of Fame,’” Angle recalled. “He did say we will talk afterwards. My guess is I will return.”

    Angle clarified that he can’t speak for WWE on the issue of his return, but that he is still actively wrestling and doesn’t plan on stopping just yet.

    “I was surprised I got it this early,” Angle said of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. “At 48 years of age, I’m not even done wrestling yet so it was a huge honor. I didn’t spend a lot of time in WWE, I think I was there six and a half years, so to make the kind of impact I did to be a Hall Of Famer in six and a half years made me feel pretty good.”

    Angle revealed that WWE will announce the person who’ll induct him in the next week or two. The former WWE & TNA World Champion says he requested for either The Undertaker, Steve Austin, or John Cena to induct him, but he doesn’t know how much say he has in the matter. Angle also suggested Brock Lesnar, but didn’t seem to think that would be very likely as he’s “a man of very few words.”

  • Kurt Angle Talks About Who Will Induct Him, “Ready To Go” If WWE Wants Him To Wrestle

    Kurt Angle Talks About Who Will Induct Him, “Ready To Go” If WWE Wants Him To Wrestle

    2017 WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle was interviewed this week by Donald Wood for Ring Rust Radio. Here are some highlights of what Angle said about:

    Who Will Induct Him Into The WWE Hall of Fame:

    “I wanted someone that had a huge impact on the business and no one had a bigger impact than those three. With John Cena, I was more of a teacher to John when he started in WWE. I was his first match. Not only that, but Vince McMahon put me with him to kind of teach the trade a little bit, and for six or seven months, we traveled the world and I was giving him my advice and trying to bring him along. Vince really loved John and I don’t blame them for that. He is very marketable, great personality and he’s a great athlete. It was my job to kind of groom him a little bit.

    The Undertaker and Austin, I don’t have to say much about those two. They are the biggest names in wrestling. They taught me a lot about the trade, in ring psychology, what to do and timing. They taught me more than anybody, and I would add up there Triple H as well. I know I won’t get Triple H because he is a Talent Relation director, but I wanted one of those three.

    I have not been told whether or not if I could pick, but I don’t believe the talent is the one that gets to pick. I think WWE sets up who they want to induct you. I would be surprised if it wasn’t one of those three. Vince McMahon and Triple H know the type of relationship I have with Undertaker and John Cena and Stone Cold. They do know I want one of those three, so looks like it will be one of those three.”

    Goldberg’s Return Giving Him Hope For Another WWE Match:

    “That gives me a lot of hope. Goldberg’s a great wrestler and in his prime he was the man, especially for WCW. I don’t think his WWE career ended the way he wanted it to, but he is an incredible athlete and he has done a lot of pro wrestling. It’s nice to see somebody of his stature and somebody that hasn’t been there in 14 years to go in there and get a great spot. It does give me a lot of hope. I wouldn’t doubt once we get pass the Hall of Fame, I take the physical and pass it, which most likely they are going to want me to do. I wouldn’t doubt that I would be in the title hunt.

    When you have big names like that you have to use them the right way. You don’t put them on an opening card match and not promote that. When you have a name like Goldberg, or Brock Lesnar comes back, or the Undertaker comes back when he’s been gone for 10 months, or a Kurt Angle that hasn’t been there in 12 years, you’re going to want to put them in a pretty high profile spot. I expect that if I do wrestle, so I’m looking forward to it. I’ve kept my body in great shape. I’ve been wrestling the Indies with great talent like Del Rio, Cody Rhodes and Rey Mysterio just to keep my body in shape in case WWE does call me, I’m ready to go.”

    His New Anglestrong Addition Recovery Mobile App:

    “What we’re hoping to do is help with the epidemic in the United States. Right now, it’s the worst epidemic in the United States history. Over 60,000 people have died in the last few years of heroin overdose and it’s getting worse and worse. I worked on this Anglestrong app with Dr. Jonas, who is a recovering addict and a doctor. He has been recovering for 30 years. He came out with an incredible concept with the app.

    It’s an app that you follow every single day. You use it to check in daily and if you don’t check in daily, your lifelines—whether it’s your family, friends, loved ones, or sponsor—will get notified and it’s also GPS enabled so if you do relapse they will find you. It’s more of a way to hold yourself accountable and join up with Kurt Angle type of app. I walk you through it and there are so many different things on this app that are really cool. For the most part, you follow the app, you follow the program and hopefully that will keep you in recovery.

    We are really hoping that a lot of people sign up and join. You can sign up at AngleStrong.com and I also have a lot of workout programs on there, AA meetings closest to you and we are going to have a monthly call with me where you will be able to talk to me and I’ll be answering questions. It’s a pretty cool concept and we are excited to bring it to the market.”

  • Kurt Angle Explains Why John Cena Is The Greatest of All Time

    Kurt Angle Explains Why John Cena Is The Greatest of All Time

    Ahead of his WWE Hall of Fame induction during WrestleMania 33 weekend, Kurt Angle continues to heap praise on a former rival of his, John Cena. Angle has been doing the media rounds in recent weeks and John Cena’s name has come up numerous times. During an interview with Forbes published last week, Angle said Cena will go down as the greatest WWE Superstar of all time.

    “John Cena is the man. I don’t know anybody else who has gone 13 years on top…I’m not going to say he’s was greatest athlete in WWE history, but he will go down as the greatest of all time in WWE history.”

    Angle has posted a new blog entry at KurtAngleBrand.com and once again declares that John Cena is the “G.O.A.T.”

    Angle argues that John Cena may not be the most gifted technical wrestler to lace up a pair of boots and names several men who were better technical workers than Cena. However, none of those men have stayed on top of WWE as long as Cena. Angle notes that his time as a top-guy in the WWE only lasted 7 years, 2 of which he dealt with injuries. While Cena has been sidelined with injuries before, he seems to always bounce back faster than people expect.

    Discussion: We know Kurt Angle would love to wrestle for WWE again – what do you think of John Cena as a potential opponent for Angle later this year?

  • Kurt Angle Thinks John Cena Is The Greatest Of All Time, Rob Gronkowski To WWE?

    Kurt Angle Thinks John Cena Is The Greatest Of All Time, Rob Gronkowski To WWE?

    Kurt Angle was recently interviewed by Forbes and stated that John Cena will do down as the best of all time.

    “John Cena is the man. I don’t know anybody else who has gone 13 years on top…I’m not going to say he’s was greatest athlete in WWE history, but he will go down as the greatest of all time in WWE history.”

    Angle also revealed that he would like either Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker or Brock Lesnar to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. You can check out the entire article by clicking here. 

    Mojo Rawley did an interview with ESPN and was asked about his friend Rob Gronkowski. Rawley revealed that Gronk may wind up in the WWE after he is done playing football.

    “Trust me, we’ve been talking about this for years and whenever the time is right and whenever the stars are aligned, I can tell you he will be raring to get over here. He’s fired up doing something with me here at WWE, and I can’t wait to have him. We’ve been dreaming about it for years.”

    Check out the entire ESPN article by clicking here.

  • Latest On Kurt Angle Wrestling For WWE Again, Potential Opponents

    Latest On Kurt Angle Wrestling For WWE Again, Potential Opponents

    With Kurt Angle scheduled to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 33 weekend, there remains a good chance that we could see the Olympic gold medalist back in a WWE ring this year. Angle has stated in numerous interviews that his talks with Triple H thus far have been about the induction, not him wrestling again. During a recent interview with Forbes, Angle shed some light on where things stand:

    “I wouldn’t be surprised if I do a few more matches somewhere down the line, but they haven’t talked about it so it’s not official. This Hall of Fame thing is just the beginning, so let’s see how it goes and we’ll go from there.”

    “I have a lot to offer in professional wrestling and I really love the sport, I love sports entertainment. It’s been really good to me. I caught on very quickly and I’ve been a great student, now I’ve become a great teacher.”

    Since leaving TNA Wrestling, Angle has continued working independant shows. As recently as this past weekend, he competed against Alberto El Patron. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer wrote that WWE is on board with Angle wrestling for them again as long as he can pass their medical exams.

    “I don’t know when or how extensively at this point, but the plan right now is that Angle will be doing at least some wrestling in WWE. He would have to pass a physical, and obviously at best it would be very limited”

     

    As for which WWE Superstars he’d like to work with, Angle has a few familiar opponents in mind.

    “I’ve had my best matches with AJ and Joe, so it’d be nice to do it on a bigger platform in the WWE so we’ll see what happens,” he said.

    Discussion: If Kurt Angle does wrestle for WWE again, name 3 opponents you want to see him work with before he retires for good.

  • Matt Riddle: Independent Wrestling’s New Chris Hero? (Editorial)

    Matt Riddle: Independent Wrestling’s New Chris Hero? (Editorial)

    When it was announced that Chris Hero had re-signed with WWE and would be returning to NXT it created a chasm across the Independent wrestling scene, both in the United States and Europe.

    After his original departure from WWE back in 2013, Hero toured the world performing for numerous promotions big and small and establishing himself as quite possibly the best independent wrestler on the planet. What is truly astonishing is the quality and variety of matches that Chris Hero had in 2016; from his bouts in UK based Revolution Pro against Tomohiro Ishii and Katsuyori Shibata, his show stealing PROGRESS bouts against Mark Andrews and Marty Scurll, his PWG tag bout alongside Tommy End against Fenix & Pentagon Jr through to his EVOLVE matches with Dick Togo, Timothy Thatcher, Zack Sabre Jr……and Matt Riddle.

    One of Hero’s biggest draws was that he seemed just as happy performing in front of thousands of fans as he did in front of a smaller crowd, eager to help as many promotions as possible gain traction and build their fan base.

    Before I started writing this I saw a tweet from a very small UK based promotion stating that Matt Riddle would be performing for them in April against Josh Bodom, himself an up and coming star on the UK scene. Counter this with Riddle’s other matches so far in 2017 in the UK for the likes of Rev Pro and PROGRESS and you can see why I drew the comparison to Hero, he appears to be working for independents big and small.

    Now, Riddle has only been wrestling for around 3 years and while he is not quite at the caliber of a Chris Hero just yet, he certainly has all of the tools to get there. Ever since his departure from UFC Riddle has taken to Pro Wrestling at an astonishing rate, earning him comparisons to the likes of Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar. His natural charisma and ability to read is what established him as a star in EVOLVE.

    Riddle’s temperament seems to be the same as Hero’s, he wants to work for as many companies as possible, get as much experience as he can and build his brand globally. As I mentioned before the hole that Chris Hero left in the Independent scene was substantial. Indie companies desperately need a performer that can come in and elevate both your company and the stars on your roster  Matt Riddle looks set to be the man to fill those boots with his willingness to work in diverse matches against a litany of different opponents.

    Who’s your Hero? It’s Matt Riddle….bro

     

     

     

  • WCPW True Destiny Results: Kurt Angle vs. Alberto El Patron

    WCPW True Destiny Results: Kurt Angle vs. Alberto El Patron

    What Culture Pro Wrestling held their True Destiny iPPV over the weekend. SEScoops correspondent Mike Hogan was in attendance for the event and will be sending in a live report this week, so stay tuned for that. The show was headlined by the first-ever match between Kurt Angle vs. Alberto El Patron. Jim Ross and Matt Striker called the action.

    Here are the results and some reactions from Angle, El Patron and JR.

    – Ricochet defeated Will Ospreay

    – Rampage defeated Primate in an I Quit Match

    – Drago defeated El Hijo de Dos Caras

    – Zack Sabre, Jr defeated Travis Banks

    – Scott Wainwright & Will Ospreay defeated Tag Team Champions Johnny Moss & Liliam Slater vs. El Ligero & Gabriel Kidd vs. Prospect (Archer & Gracie) to become the new Champions.

    – Nixon Newell defeated Bea Priestly

    – Drew Galloway defeated Joe Hendry to retain the What Culture PW Championship

    – Kurt Angle defeated Alberto El Patron via submission when El Patron tapped out to the Ankle Lock. After the match, Joe Hendry came out and got in the ring to congratulate Kurt Angle. Hendry praised Angle as one of the best of all-time. He extended his hand for a shake and instead attacked Angle. Hendry hit Angle with the Angle Slam as the PPV went off the air.

  • Kurt Angle: Thinks He’ll Wrestle For WWE Again, The UFC Career That Never Was

    Kurt Angle: Thinks He’ll Wrestle For WWE Again, The UFC Career That Never Was

    2017 WWE Hall of Fame inductee Kurt Angle joined Busted Open with Dave LaGreca and Larry Dallas earlier this week. The guys sent in audio clips from the main topics, which you can hear below.

    Kurt promoted his new AngleStrong initiative and mobile app and really dove into his addiction and how he handled it. He also believes that if back in ’96 if the UFC had been the billion dollar company that it is now, he probably would have chosen a career in MMA.

    https://soundcloud.com/siriusxmrush/kurt-angle-on-anglestrong-his-addiction-and-if-he-would-have-gone-to-ufc

    Kurt also discussed the current WWE roster and who he would want to face at a potential Wrestlemania match-up down the line, the way Roman Reigns has been booked and what he thinks of him in the ring (which he’s been very outspoken on) and John Cena’s 14 year career and how he’s been able to stay on top for so long.

    https://soundcloud.com/siriusxmrush/kurt-angle-on-a-future-wm-opponent-roman-reigns-booking-and-john-cenas-longevity

    Finally, and most importantly, Kurt goes into detail on his conversation with Triple H about his plans for wrestling for the WWE in the future. He says “Triple H and I did not talk about wrestling for the WWE after Wrestlemania. Do I think it will happen? Yes. But nothing is for sure right now.” He also comments on what it’s been like wrestling on the indie scene, mentions matches with Zack Sabre Jr., Cody Rhodes, Alberto Del Rio in the UK this weekend for WCPW, and Joe Coffey.

    https://soundcloud.com/siriusxmrush/kurt-angle-on-the-indie-circuit-and-if-hell-ever-wrestle-in-the-wwe-again

    Busted Open can be heard weekdays from 2p-4p Eastern Time only on SiriusXM Rush Channel 93 and any time on the SiriusXM App.

  • Kurt Angle Talks About Who He’d Want To Wrestle In WWE, His Battle With Substance Abuse

    Kurt Angle Talks About Who He’d Want To Wrestle In WWE, His Battle With Substance Abuse

    Kurt Angle recently spoke with JP Zarka of ProWrestlingStories.com about his upcoming WWE Hall of Fame induction, his past substance abuse, fatherhood, who he’d want to wrestle if he ever competed for WWE again and more. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

    WWE Hall of Fame Induction: 

    “I was pretty surprised that I got the call this early. You know, at forty-eight years of age. I’m not even done with my wrestling career! I got a call from Triple H and he said how they wanted to induct me into the WWE Hall of Fame. That just puts an exclamation point to my pro wrestling career. I’ve been inducted into every hall of fame but the WWE in both amateur and pro, so this is definitely a huge honor.”

    His Recovery From Substance Abuse:

    “I’ve been in recovery for four years. I decided to enter rehab back in 2013 when I got my fourth DUI in five years. I got pretty reckless. It started with painkillers because I was having a lot of anxiety when I broke my neck four times in two-and-a-half years. I went to Xanax, so I was taking both of those. WWE didn’t even know I was taking it. Back in 2003, they didn’t have the drug testing they do now. They have a great drug testing policy now, but back then it wasn’t implemented yet so I was getting away with a lot of stuff.

    Because of health issues and also feeling like I was a liability to Vince McMahon, I asked for a release in 2006 and Vince granted me it and I moved on with my life and they moved on with theirs. When I went to TNA, everybody drank and I never really drank alcohol. All of a sudden I was drinking alcohol and now I was mixing the three – it was a pretty deadly combination.”

    Who He Wants to Wrestle if Given the Opportunity in WWE: 

    “I’m going to have to put AJ Styles up there, too. He is frickin’, he is the best in the business without a doubt right now. I just watched him and Dean Ambrose on Tuesday. Gosh, does that kid ever have less than a five-star match? He’s phenomenal. I completely understand why AJ is so much fun to work with – you don’t have to do anything! He does all of it for you. Any other wrestler who would tell you different is lying. AJ does all the work. That’s what’s so cool about it. You know it’s going to be a five-star match if he matches your ability. I’m talking the Ambrose’s and the Rollins’, the John Cena’s and Kurt Angle’s.

    As long as you’re up there with him, you’re going to have that type of match with AJ because he is so easy to work with. I know this is going to be a little bit of a surprise but I really like Roman Reigns. I think he’s going to win the fans over eventually. It’s only a matter of time. I think he was pushed fairly quickly and the fans like to see that process. You know, the US title, the Intercontinental title, the King of the Ring and then the WWE title. He just went straight up. I think that’s the reason why a lot of fans, some fans I should say, are rejecting him.”

  • Kurt Angle Booked For WWE Axxess, Speaks On Stephanie McMahon & Steve Austin

    Kurt Angle Booked For WWE Axxess, Speaks On Stephanie McMahon & Steve Austin

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNUw9MsIJ7c

    – The Hall of Fame ceremony on March 31st isn’t the only WWE event Kurt Angle is booked for on WrestleMania weekend. It was announced this week that Angle will also be appearing at WWE’s Axxess fan convention. He’ll be meeting fans and signing autographs at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando on April 2nd at 8 AM.

    Tickets for WWE Axxess go on sale on February 4th. You can find more ticket info at WWE.com.

    – Speaking of Angle, he recently did a Q & A session with fans on Facebook, where he talked about who he wants to induct him into the Hall of Fame on 3/31. Angle said his three top picks to induct him would be Steve Austin, John Cena, and The Undertaker. Angle was asked about his favorite feuds from his WWE days, and mentioned his storylines with Austin, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Brock Lesnar, and The Rock. You can read the whole thing on his Facebook page.

  • Kurt Angle Completely Rules Out Wrestling At The Royal Rumble

    Kurt Angle Completely Rules Out Wrestling At The Royal Rumble

    Kurt Angle is WWE Hall of Fame bound, but don’t expect to see him step in the ring this Sunday at the Royal Rumble.

    News broke on Monday that Angle has been pulled from a live event scheduled for Saturday from Scotland. Immediately there was speculation that the move signaled Angle could be headed to San Antonio instead, but we reported that the Scotland 5 Star Wrestling Show was a TV taping that will air on Spike TV, which was likely the reason Angle pulled out.

    The Olympic Gold medalist does not want to get fans’ hopes up and is saying flat out that he won’t be stepping foot in a WWE ring any time soon.

    “Royal Rumble is not gonna happen,” Angle said. “A lot of people are assuming it, a lot of writers are writing about it … I haven’t talked to WWE about anything after WWE Hall of Fame.”

  • Kurt Angle Pulled From WWE Royal Rumble Weekend Booking

    Kurt Angle Pulled From WWE Royal Rumble Weekend Booking

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJg1SQ-d658

    Kurt Angle will no longer be appearing for Scotland’s 5 Star Wrestling this weekend. Angle had been advertised for the debut episode of “Dominant Wrestling” – 5 Star’s new series which will air on Spike TV.

    Already fans are speculating that Angle withdrawing from the event is a sign that we could see him at Sunday’s Royal Rumble event. WWE has never been keen on contracted talent appearing on televised shows for other promotions, so that’s likely the reason for the change.

    Kurt Angle is on the record stating that he’d like to wrestle for WWE again and has been competing at a high level on the independent circuit in recent months. Earlier this week, WWE COO Triple H spoke with IGN.com and casually said that Angle is a sure-fire Hall of Famer for what he’s accomplished in his career and for his future accomplishments in the business. There’s a decent chance we will see Kurt Angle wrestle for WWE again, but at this time we’ve seen no indications that he’ll be at the Royal Rumble.

    Here’s the official announcement from 5 Star Wrestling:

  • Triple H Expects Surprise Rumble Finish, Talks About Kurt Angle’s Return

    WWE COO Triple H recently spoke with IGN.com to promote the new Surf’s Up 2: WaveMania animated movie, which is now available on DVD & digital streaming services.

    The Royal Rumble is just days away and it’s one of the most star-studded lineups in years. With big names like The Undertaker, Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins involved, it’s also one of the most unpredictable Rumbles we’ve ever seen. Triple H thinks we’re going to see a surprise finish that nobody saw coming.

    “Sometimes there’s a year in the Rumble where you think ‘Okay, I can see this or that happening. This seems like where the Rumble might be headed.’ But this year, it’s really tough to call. And I think that’s when the Rumble’s at its best, when you can’t really put your finger on what’s going to happen. I can see this year going a lot of different ways and I think it’s going to go in a way that nobody expects.”

    Of course the big news of the past week has been the announcement of Kurt Angle entering the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 33 weekend. Angle has been away from WWE for a decade and Triple H says it’s the a very well deserved induction.

    “We’ve had an association with Kurt for a long time but when Kurt was here in the WWE, he was one of the most impactful and memorable and iconic characters probably ever. One of the things that always stands out for me is that I was here when Kurt was coming out of the Olympics and training. And having never done this before, he went from zero knowledge of our industry to being one of the most incredible performers in the ring in the time frame of the Attitude Era where, you know, he was in there with some of the best in the world.”

    He continued, “[Kurt] very quickly went from walking to the ring for the first time to being one of the best in the world himself. It happened faster than anyone else. And that’s what I do now mostly in my day to day job. Most of my day is focused on talent and recruiting and training and talent development. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen someone pick it up as fast as Kurt.”

    Triple H said that on that basis alone, he deserves the induction. When you throw in everything he accomplished in WWE, what he’s accomplished since then and what he will continue to accomplish, it’s a no brainer.

    Check out the full interview at IGN.

  • AJ Styles & Jonathan Coachman Comment On Kurt Angle’s Hall of Fame Induction

    AJ Styles & Jonathan Coachman Comment On Kurt Angle’s Hall of Fame Induction

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_N4DnWlz7dM

    – AJ Styles took to Twitter this week to congratulate Kurt Angle on the news of his WWE Hall of Fame induction. Styles and Angle had a series of main event matches during their time in TNA. Angle was the first inductee announced for the class of 2017, and he’ll be inducted on March 31st in Orlando, FL.

    – Prior to the airing of his ESPN interview with Kurt Angle, Jonathan Coachman wrote on Twitter that he thinks the Olympic gold medalist is the best in-ring performer he’s ever seen.

  • Kurt Angle On Who He Wants To Induct Him Into The WWE HOF, What He’s Discussed With WWE

    Kurt Angle On Who He Wants To Induct Him Into The WWE HOF, What He’s Discussed With WWE

    Kurt Angle spoke with SI.com’s “Extra Mustard” site today and revealed that he wants Steve Austin to be the one to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. Angle said Austin being at the top of his list is a no-brainer.

    “That’s a no-brainer,” said Angle. “I had just started with WWE and had a program with Austin right after I beat Rock for the world title. I had a quick skit with Stephanie and Triple H, and then it was right on to Austin. We had some memorable feuds and some very funny segments, so he is at the top of my list.”

    “Steve was one of the most giving individuals,” he continued. “He took me in and allowed me to shine even when it was still his time. I don’t ever compare myself to Stone Cold. He is the guy who elevated wrestling to a level that nobody ever went before, but he enabled me to show my talents when he very well could have said no. He was a very giving individual, and he is one of the guys who had the biggest impact on my career.”

    Angle also revealed that he was with his family when he got the call from Triple H last week. “I was with my wife and my three little ones when I found out, and I had my other two kids on the phone with me, so we were all together watching in unison,” shared Angle. “It was a really cool moment with my family. My younger kids don’t know about my career, but they looked at the screen and said, ‘Daddy’s on television!’ And then my younger daughter started calling me ‘Kurt Angle,’ and I said, ‘No! I’m Dad, not Kurt Angle.’”

    While there’s much speculation on Angle returning to the ring for WWE, he insists there have been no talks about a return. He also says he has had no talks about being featured as a WWE 2K18 bonus.

    “I have yet to speak to Vince, but I did talk with Triple H,” said Angle. “It was a great conversation. This is all about the Hall of Fame, nothing else, and I’m OK with that. WWE wanted to show their appreciation for my career there. Even though I feel it was short-lived at six-and-a-half years, I made enough of an impact that they felt I was worthy of the Hall of Fame. They didn’t want to talk about anything about the Hall of Fame, and I understood. This is the priority, and I’m going to enjoy this and see where it goes from here.”

    You can read the full interview with Angle by clicking here.