WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has provided an update on his health after undergoing double knee replacement surgery back on May 24.

Angle knew that it was going to be a tough recovery process. During a recent discussion with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall, the Olympic gold medalist reveals the thought process that led him to have both knees fixed at the same time.

“Well, my knees were shot,” said Angle. “I had to have something done. I had a plan that I was going to have one knee done, and then wait about 6 months and have the other knee done, but they were both so bad, the doctors said let’s just get them out of the way.”

He added, “I’m glad I did because now I’m starting to come out of it a little bit, it’s been about a month. I was regretting having the surgeries up until now, but now I’m glad I did it.”

Athletic Ability Helped His Recovery

Angle explained that he was in constant pain before the procedure, “Yeah, it was very painful, when you get your knees replaced, you literally can’t walk at least for about a week, although I was walking the next day, I’m not going to lie to you.”

“Everybody’s different, you just have to go at your own pace. The doctor told me, the more active I was, the quicker my recovery time would be.”

It appears that Angle being an all-around athlete benefited him a lot in the recovery of this surgery. 

‘He [the doctor] said, ‘You’re a world class athlete. Just go at your own pace, just don’t do anything too crazy,'” Kurt added.

Watch Steve Fall’s interview with Kurt Angle:

If you use the quotes above, please credit the original course with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription. 

Wrestling legend Kurt Angle says he had a chance to join All Elite Wrestling, but didn’t feel he was physically up for what they wanted out of him.

Angle is now retired, but he has been in the wrestling business for around 25 years.  He is an Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling and former collegiate wrestler. Angle has won 21 total championships and is a 13-time world champion.

All Elite Material

During a recent discussion with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston, Angle opened up about an offer he received from AEW.

Angle had the following to say when he was asked about AEW reaching out to him:

“Well, you know what. They actually wanted me to wrestle in particular. Tony Khan gave me a call, wanted me to wrestle. They offered me a pretty good deal, but I just can’t do it anymore. I wish I could, but it’s just not possible. 

They did offer me two different times, and they did want me to do an on-camera personality as well, or a non-wrestling role. I actually turned that down as well. I just wanted to start up my supplement company, so I wanted to put more time into that. So, I didn’t want to leave the company at this particular time, so I decided not to do it,” he said.

“I decided not to do it because of my supplement company, and the fact that I’m just not the same as I used to be.”

– Kurt Angle on AEW’s offer

“They wanted me to have big special matches. They gave me a contract for ten matches, but they didn’t say how long it would be, so it might not have just been for a year. It might’ve been for three years, and I would’ve wrestled three matches a year. 

But I decided not to do it because of my supplement company, and the fact that I’m just not the same as I used to be. If I’m gonna go in there and wrestle, I want to be the old Kurt Angle, and I know I can’t be that anymore,” Kurt added. 

Not The Same Kurt Angle

Kurt was asked if he felt like he received a contract offer for the person he used to be. 

“Well yea, I did think that. You know what, I don’t want to perform if I can’t perform at my best. I don’t want to put together a match that is less than average. That’s what I felt like I was doing at that particular time, especially my retirement match. I didn’t think it was very good. I could tell that I was slower. I gained a lot of weight. I was more methodical. It just felt like it wasn’t the retirement I was expecting,” the 13-time World Champion explained. 

Sting & His Longevity

AEW currently have a few legends on their roster at the moment. One of them being Sting. At 63 years old, Sting is still an incredibly physical wrestler and defies the bounds of age. 

Kurt, like many, is in awe of Sting’s longevity within the business. 

The WWE Triple Crown winner said, “He’s timeless. The guy, it doesn’t matter how old he gets, he still can go. It’s amazing how Sting has been able to go this long. I mean, he’s had to be in the wrestling business for 40 years.”

Check out Steve Fall’s interview with the great Kurt Angle:

If you use the quotes above, please credit the original course with a h/t and link back to SEScoops for the transcription. 

Kurt Angle admits his last run in WWE wasn’t ideal.

Angle is a Hall of Famer and is widely regarded as one of the best performers the wrestling business has ever seen. With that said, many felt his final stretch with WWE left a lot to be desired.

Kurt definitely wasn’t as agile as he used to be by the time he returned to WWE. With that said, the general consensus is that WWE didn’t exactly give him a proper sendoff.

The reaction to his WrestleMania 35 loss to Baron Corbin certainly wasn’t a positive one and didn’t really do anything to elevate Corbin.

Kurt Angle on Last WWE Run

During an appearance on the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast, Kurt Angle said he wasn’t happy over how things ended with WWE.

“No, not at all. I went back to WWE. It wasn’t a big welcome home. It was more of a, ’We’re going to show you what you did when you left us.’ I didn’t have any hard feelings about it, but Vince McMahon just didn’t have any plans for me.

“I was doing more jobs than I was winning. I don’t blame him for that. I left the company high and dry in 2006, and coming back, I think he felt that I was a little bit of a liability because of my broken necks. I had four broken necks in WWE back in the 2000s. I also had a painkiller problem that I got myself out of, but I think that he thought I was a little bit of a liability so he didn’t want to utilize me the way he should have.”

Despite his feelings, Angle says he remains close with Vince McMahon. He said Vince simply got caught in the crossfire of his painkiller addiction when he decided to leave the company back in 2006 to go to TNA Wrestling.

Quotes via WrestlingNews.co.

Kurt Angle is not able to use his legs or back after his double leg surgery but he is doing intense rehab to get back on his feet.

The WWE Hall Of Famer underwent the double knee replacement surgery back on May 24. He noted that his recovery would be a tough process.

The wrestling veteran provided an update on his condition on his podcast. He claimed that he is ‘pretty much useless’ because he can’t use his back or legs:

“A week later, I’m not doing much better. It’s pretty brutal. Especially when you have both knees done at the same time. I never went through anything this difficult.

I also have a little bit of a back problem so I can’t use my legs but I can’t use my back. So I’m pretty much useless.”

• Kurt Angle Recalls Trying to ‘Blow Up’ John Cena During WWE Debut

Though despite the temporary troubles, Kurt Angle is keeping his spirits high. The former world champion revealed his rehab schedule and said that he is very positive about the long process:

“I go to a rehab facility three days a week over near my house and then the other four days I do five different sessions of rehab on my own. It’s a long process but hopefully, it will work out. It should and I’m very positive about this,”

Angle also revealed that he couldn’t straighten his legs before his surgery because of all the injuries he suffered throughout his career. This is why he had the knee surgery and they are now trying to straighten his legs.

Quotes via Fightful

Kurt Angle admits he tried to get John Cena to blow up during his WWE debut in 2002.

Cena debuted on a June 27 episode of SmackDown, answering an open challenge from Angle at the time. Just days before the episode, Vince McMahon said on RAW that he wanted to see “ruthless aggression.”

When Angle asked what Cena possesses that makes him think he can get into the ring with an Olympic Gold Medalist, Cena answered by saying “ruthless aggression,” and smacking Angle before starting their match.

Angle ultimately wound up winning the match, but Cena certainly put up a great fight, impressing many in his debut.

Recently, Angle reflected on the moment during an episode of his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.”

Prior to their matchup, after finding out they’d be working together that night, Angle said Cena was very respectful towards him. He then noted he wanted to give him the “Angle test” inside the ring.

Angle admitted he wanted to make the match non-stop action, in an attempt to “blow up” Cena, or get him tired. However, Angle says that never happened, and Cena passed the test with flying colors.

“They told me the day of the show I was gonna wrestle John Cena. He came up to me and said, ‘Hey, Mr. Angle, I’m John Cena.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I’m gonna be working you tonight. It’s gonna be an honor to get in the ring with you.’ He was very respectful. You know what I tried to do with John?

“I really wanted him to take the test – the Angle test. I tried to blow him up and get him tired. I put the match together, and it was only 11 minutes.

“I made sure it was nonstop action and I wanted John to blow up. I wanted to take this monster-looking character, this Greek god, and show everybody how tired I could make him.

“And he didn’t get tired. The son of a bitch passed the test with flying colors. It was crazy.”

While Cena certainly impressed Angle inside the ring, his performance wasn’t completely flawless. Angle said he didn’t move as fluid as other wrestlers inside the ring, but made up for it with hard work.

“His moveset in the ring was awesome. He had a great moveset. He worked really hard – good-looking kid, great build.

“His only downfall was, you could tell the way he moved around that he’s not quite as fluid as other wrestlers.

“He’s more choppy and a little bit more uncoordinated, but he makes up for that with hard work. Being able to do what he does – nobody knew at this time how good a promo he cut.

“So, this was kind of a pleasant surprise when he eventually started doing it.”

Quotes via 411Mania

Kurt Angle had two knee replacement surgeries today, as he posted a video on Twitter updating fans.

“Thank you all for your prayers and best wishes for my 2 knee replacement surgeries today. So far so good. I realize rehab is going to be a bitch, but I’m ready for it.

“If I won a gold medal with a broken freakin’ neck, I can handle this! Lol. It’s true!!!! Thank you all!!!!” Angle captioned the post with the usual positive demeanor.

“Hey, this is your Olympic hero Kurt Angle, and I’m in the hospital right now because I just had knee replacements done this morning.

“And I’m feeling pretty good right now, but my legs are not because of the epidural. [laughs] So, I know I have a long road ahead of me, and I’m willing to work very hard to get back to where I was before,” Angle said in the video (as transcribed by SEScoops).

“I wanna thank all of you for all your support and your wishes and prayers for my surgery. I really do appreciate it. God bless you all,” Angle concluded, as he was lying on a hospital bed in the video wearing a nasal cannula.

Wrestlers Anthony Bowens and Mike Magnum wished Angle a speedy recovery.

Fans too showered Angle with support in the replies to the video, wishing him the best for his recovery.

“You’re the greatest — and my hero for a reason. You’re going to make the tribulations after the surgery tap out — just like you have every other time previously. You’re just going to get stronger every single day,” wrote user @KeeganRW.

User @StephenBarry68 wrote, “As You Said You won an Olympic gold medal with a broken freakin’ neck, You can handle this!. You’re just going to get stronger every single day. Prayers for speedy recovery Kurt! God Bless!”

Recently, Angle said that he wishes Chad Gable get pushed a little more. The Olympic gold medalist said that he sees similarities between him and Gable.

Angle also hopes to manage a stable of Olympians one day, if he ever returned to the WWE. Get that scoop here.

Kurt Angle has taken notice of one WWE superstar who has pushed himself beyond the in-ring work.

Angle was a tremendous wrestler but he also had the charisma to match. Angle was wildly entertaining in his backstage segments and promos in the ring. It’s what helped him become a legend in the business.

The WWE Hall of Famer believes one current member of WWE’s main roster has found his entertaining side.

Kurt Angle Vouches For Chad Gable

Taking to his own podcast, The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic gold medalist said that Chad Gable has been able to separate himself from the pack thanks to his improvement as an entertainer (h/t Wrestling Inc).

“I do believe Chad Gable’s getting a better push, I wish he’d get pushed a little bit more. But I do believe that he is becoming more entertaining.

“I do see similarities between him and myself, and I’m really proud of the kid. He’s really come out of his shell and he’s been able to show that he has the ability to be an entertainer, not just an overall wrestler but an entertainer.

“He’s doing it, he’s succeeding.”

Angle isn’t the only one heaping praise on Gable. The Miz recently told Ryan Satin that Gable’s current character is a “money maker.”

Gable has found great success on WWE TV ever since he was paired with Otis. Together, the two are known as the “Alpha Academy.” They are former WWE Raw Tag Team Champions.

At the moment, Gable and Otis have found themselves in the good graces of Kevin Owens. All three have aligned in an attempt to prove that Ezekiel is actually Elias.

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has said he hopes to manage a team of Olympians one day should he one day return to the company.

Angle joined the WWF in 1998 and debuted on TV in late 1999, becoming the first Olympic Gold Medalist to join Vince McMahon’s promotion.

Speaking on his podcast ‘The Kurt Angle Show,’ the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion discussed his idea after saying he missed out on managing American Alpha.

“I’d like to manage the olympians… When Gable Steveson starts his career, he and Chad Gable, that would be the new Team Angle. I would love that.”

Kurt Angle.

Gable competed at the London 2012 Summer Games in the 84kg category but didn’t win a medal.

Steveson captured gold for Team U.S.A at last year’s Summer Games in Tokyo, competing in the 125kg weight class.

He signed with WWE in September 2021, becoming the second Olympic Gold Medalist (behind Angle) to do so.

In addition to Gable and Steveson, Ronda Rousey is also a former Olympian having won Bronze in the Women’s Judo (70kg) at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

The Original Team Angle

Kurt Angle is no stranger to managing young Superstars, as he managed Team Angle in 2003.

Comprising of Angle, Charlie Haas, and Shelton Benjamin, the group came together as part of Kurt’s feud with Brock Lesnar, though they failed to prevent Lesnar from winning the WWE Championship from Angle at WrestleMania 19.

After Kurt took time off to recover from an injury, the team would split upon his return with Haas and Benjamin being redubbed ‘The World’s Greatest Tag Team.’

• Kurt Angle Says Today’s Wrestlers Are Better Athletes Than We Were (April 2022)

Kurt Angle has four wrestlers in mind when it comes to his favorite he’s worked with.

The WWE Hall Of Famer recently took to his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show,” to discuss several professional wrestling topics. During the show, Angle touched on the similarities shared between former WWE Champions AJ Styles and Shawn Michaels.

Angle noted that the two men’s athletic abilities, their in-ring work, showmanship, and more make them so similar. He threw in that both Styles and Michaels are amongst his four favorite wrestlers he’s ever worked with, along with both Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero.

“Shawn and AJ, they have so many identical ways about them, especially their in-ring performances, their athleticism, the way they were showmen. Very identical styles.

“Of the guys I worked with, I would say AJ, Shawn Michaels, and Chris Benoit were my three favorites to work with. And Eddie Guerrero is in there too.”

Angle has had some great matches with all four men mentioned. Of course, Styles and Angle had some run-ins with one another during their days under the TNA banner. And who could forget Angle’s amazing WrestleMania 21 match with “HBK” in 2005?

The Olympic Gold medalist also shared the ring many times with Chris Benoit, who, despite the dark ending to his life, is regarded as one of the best in-ring performers of all time. And finally, Angle and Guerrero also put on a match for the ages at WrestleMania 20 for the WWE Championship.

All four of those men are undoubtedly some of the best in-ring talents professional wrestling has ever seen, and Angle can certainly count himself in that bunch as well.

AJ Styles and Bryan Danielson are two of the most celebrated wrestlers of today’s era. Both have followers that believe them to be the best in ring talent of the current generation. Kurt Angle recently revealed his pick between the two.

The Olympic Gold Medallist talked about a number of things on the latest episode of his podcast. He discussed topics such as his WWE retirement tour and more.

When asked to pick the better wrestler between Styles and Danielson, Angle picked Styles because of their history together:

“That’s tough, they’re identical, they’re so much alike and as far as their styles and everything they do, they’re great at submission, they’re great at highflying, they’re great at anything that belongs in the ring.

I will say this, I will pick AJ only because I wrestled him.” said Kurt Angle, “I never wrestled Daniel Bryan and if I did I might change my mind, so I’m saying AJ right now because I wrestled him.”

• Kurt Angle: Today’s Wrestlers Are Better Athletes Than We Were

The former Raw GM has a long history with the Phenomenal One. Both were part of TNA for a long time and did some of their best work while being part of the promotion. Angle returned to WWE in 2017, a year after Styles made his debut.

Who do you think is the better wrestler between AJ Styles and Bryan Danielson? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

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!

After making her return to WWE earlier this year at the Royal Rumble, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey decided to add the ankle lock to her in-ring repertoire.

Rousey already had a signature submission of her own with the armbar, a submission that helped her climb to the top of the UFC mountain several years ago. However, upon returning to WWE, while still using the armbar, Rousey has also been using the ankle lock more. The ankle lock, of course, was the signature move of WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle.

Angle was alongside Rousey during her WWE debut at WrestleMania 34. Angle and Rousey teamed up to defeat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a Mixed Tag Team match. Speaking in a vlog on her YouTube channel, chronicling her road to this year’s WrestleMania, Rousey explained why she decided to start using Angle’s ankle lock more.

Rousey noted that Angle is like a mentor to her, and has been her hero since she was a child. Now, she uses the move inside the ring as a homage to the Olympic gold medalist.

“I just really wanna be able to put over Kurt as the whole reason that I’m doing the ankle lock, and it’s a way to pay homage to him,” said Rousey (via WrestleZone). “And that’s all I really care about getting out because he was my first mentor in this business, and I never really got to honor him outside of our tag.

“I mean people compare us all the time because we were athletes outside of WWE and then came to it. As an Olympian, he has been like my hero since I was a little kid, so I love that he gave me the blessing to use the ankle lock.”

Ronda Rousey may have come up short against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 38 for the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship earlier this month, but she’ll get her rematch against “The Queen” at WrestleMania Backlash in an “I Quit” match.

WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle is the latest professional wrestling legend of note to chime in on Vince McMahon’s horrendous sell job of Steve Austin’s stunner at WrestleMania 38.

Angle took to his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show,” to reflect on WrestleMania 38 weekend and all of its big surprises. One of those surprises being Stone Cold Steve Austin making his in-ring return. Austin took on Kevin Owens in a No Disqualification match, his first official bout in over 19 years, winning with a stunner to close out the show.

The following night, Austin returned for Night Two, interrupting Vince McMahon’s celebration for his win over Pat McAfee. Austin hit stunners on Theory, McAfee, and McMahon – the latter being one of the worst sold stunners of all time. “The Olympic Hero” described the moment as a “disaster.”

“I gave him a hug and said good luck to him. I didn’t see him afterward. I’m sure he was a little pissed off about Vince and the way he took the Stunner,” Angle said. (via Fightful). “Yeah, it was crazy because Austin was chugging these beers and you could see his lips say ‘That motherf***er.’ Vince’s timing was just bad.

“You know, he didn’t know when the jump. He didn’t know where you’re gonna go down, up and down. He just thought you’re gonna go up and down and with Austin, he didn’t expect the boot to the gut, he thought he’s just gonna Stun him.

“So when Steve booted him, Vince went to his knees… Steve had to pick him back up and then he tried to get him and Vince backed up into the ropes, and he bounced off the ropes. It was like a disaster.”

Although the stunner was terrible, it was still nostalgic for fans to see Austin and McMahon rekindle their rivalry that helped make “The Rattlesnake’s” run during the Attitude Era so iconic. Not to mention how shocking it was to see Austin make another appearance after everyone thought he was done following his victory the previous night where he closed out Night One of WrestleMania 38.

From one Olympic gold medalist to another, Kurt Angle has some tips for Gable Steveson.

Steveson has wrapped up his phenomenal amateur wrestling career and is now primed for a transition into the world of sports entertainment. Steveson is under contract with WWE and has said he will attend WrestleMania 38.

Kurt Angle’s Words Of Wisdom For Gable Steveson

Kurt Angle spoke to Sports Illustrated and he detailed what Gable Steveson must do in order to thrive in this industry.

“He’ll need to make sure he’s well prepared and learns all the techniques, which I think he will do very quickly, but the hardest part is the character perspective. I would tell him to practice daily, look in a mirror and work on those promo skills. He needs to show he has a lot of fire and personality. That’s where a lot of former amateur wrestlers have failed in professional wrestling. They didn’t have the personality.”

Angle also shared his opinion on what made Steveson so good in the amateur ranks.

“To be in the very best in the entire world at his age at only 21, it’s very rare. And Gable proved he is the best in the world … The way he’s able to shuffle and turn his matches into a dogfight, and then come out on top, he’s really good at that.

“He’s such an incredible athlete for his size. Watch his balance; it’s amazing. He has a good knack for knowing where his body and his hips are. The kid is so mature, from a physical standpoint and a mental standpoint.

“And he brought a positive light on the sport of amateur wrestling. To me, that is incredible. Now he has the chance to make a big splash in WWE.”

A lot of comparisons between Angle and Steveson have been made. Angle was a multiple-time world champion in WWE and Impact Wrestling. He was even a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Angle’s success didn’t just boil down to his incredible in-ring work. He also had the personality to match. Time will tell whether or not Steveson can captivate the WWE Universe.

Kurt Angle has looked back on the reaction that Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar from WrestleMania 20 received.

WrestleMania 20 took place 18 years ago. The show was held inside Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 14, 2004. One highly-anticipated match was Goldberg vs. Lesnar but things went south quickly as fans roasted both men for leaving WWE.

Backstage Reaction To Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar

During an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic gold medalist revealed what the backstage reaction was to Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar turning into a disaster (h/t 411Mania.com).

“I was backstage watching it on the monitor and it was crazy. The fans really turned on those guys. They sh*t on the whole match. This was a big feature match, this was a money match for the WWE. It’s a dream match that everybody wanted to see, but because both guys were leaving the company, the fans didn’t want to see it anymore.

“They were surprised, but then again, they weren’t surprised. We do understand that the fans are loyal to us, as long as we’re loyal to them and I do believe they felt cheated that Brock and Goldberg were leaving. The boys, they weren’t laughing, but they were like, ‘Holy sh*t, I can’t believe this is happening.’ The match was such a big match, it was something everybody wanted to see.

“Even the boys wanted to see it. When the fans crapped all over it, it was like, oh gosh, this is crazy. Some guys were laughing, some guys were like, oh crap, this is horrible. Everybody treated it differently.”

Goldberg and Brock ended up leaving the company but returned under far more fan-friendly circumstances. Goldberg defeated Lesnar at the Survivor Series PPV back in 2016. They had a rematch at WrestleMania 33 and it was far better than their 2004 match. Lesnar emerged victorious in that encounter.

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle recently posted an image to social media where he looked absolutely jacked.

Angle has been retired from the pro wrestling ring for some time, but fans took the image of the Olympic Gold Medallist being in incredible shape as a sign that he may be preparing for a comeback.

The former WWE Champion addressed the situation on The Kurt Angle Show podcast, saying that he wasn’t prepping for a return to wrestling, not yet anyway, but his weight loss was for a different reason.

Kurt Angle on Weight Loss

“I gained a lot of weight during this pandemic,” Angle revealed on the podcast. “I got up to 260 and I got my butt down to 210 pounds, so I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in even before the Olympics as far as looks, not on a conditioning level or a strength level.

“As far as how I look, this is the best I’ve ever looked and I’m really happy with my progress” Angle continued.

“I started training hard again to get my body back in shape and, not that I’m planning on wrestling, but I want to keep the option open” the WWE Hall of Famer confirmed.

“I’ve been training a lot of physical therapy training, working on my smaller muscles, my core, everything like that. I lost a lot during this pandemic, I couldn’t even walk in a straight line, my balance was off, my strength was off and I was going through a really difficult time. I went through a lot of depression too” the Olympic Gold Medallist noted.

*credit to WrestlingINC for the transcription

Do you think that we will see Kurt Angle wrestle another match for WWE, AEW or someone else? Let us know in the comments.

Mickie James has one person to thank for convincing her to sign with Impact Wrestling.

Mickie was briefly featured on Impact Wrestling when the company was called “TNA Wrestling” from 2002-2003. She then signed with WWE where she gained notoriety before being released in 2010.

Kurt Angle Brings Mickie James Back To Impact

During an appearance on The Kurt Angle Show, Mickie James revealed that she wasn’t too keen on returning to Impact in 2010 before Kurt Angle kept ringing her phone.

“You know, there would probably be no Hardcore Country if it wasn’t for Kurt Angle. We go back to when I first came to Impact, well TNA at the time, and I wasn’t gonna come and I didn’t — remember Dixie had you call me multiple times to talk me into coming to Impact Wrestling at the time.

“It was pretty incredible and this is all thanks to Kurt Angle, right? Because he talked me into coming over there when I was like, ‘I’m so sad about wrestling. I don’t wanna wrestle anymore, I can’t believe it.’ So, I really appreciate that, Kurt. I really do.”

Mickie ended up returning to Impact Wrestling in 2010 and was able to bring the “Hardcore Country” character to life. Mickie returned to WWE in 2016 and was once again released by the organization in 2021.

As of late, Mickie has become a red hot name in the world of wrestling. Mickie walked into the 2022 women’s Royal Rumble match with her Impact theme and holding the Knockouts Championship.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Kurt Angle was supposed to have a program on WWE Television during the WrestleMania season but it was nixed by the officials at the last minute.

There were lots of rumors of what this program was supposed to be. Many even wondered if the Hall Of Famer was supposed to compete at the show of shows.

During the latest episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic Gold Medallist discussed how a lot of people think that he was being called in for WrestleMania

“There are a lot of rumors going around that I was supposed to be booked for WrestleMania 38, which is not true at all, if you saw the posts, a lot of people thought that I was talking about WrestleMania.”

Revealing the nixed plans, Kurt Angle claimed that he was actually supposed to be involved in a storyline between RK-Bro and The Alpha Academy:

“I was talking about what I was going to do at the Royal Rumble and have the program for a few weeks. Then the blow off would be in Saudi Arabia, where I would referee the match between RK-Bro and Alpha Academy.”

Angle also confirmed that he is not under contract with WWE. He said that it’s unfortunate that his return got nixed but there is nothing you can do about it.

Thanks to WrestlingNews.co for the transcribed quotes

Kurt Angle had revealed last month that WWE wanted him to make a brief return to TV but that program has apparently been nixed. The Olympic Gold Medallist recently talked about the Royal Rumble PPV on the latest episode of his podcast. The former world champion revealed that he was in the arena for the show.

Angle mentioned that he went to the show with his wife and they had a great time. However, the program he was supposed to be involved in got canceled at last minute:

“We went to the Rumble and I also did some documentary interviews a day before [and] a photo op with the fans.  But I want to make it clear, I’m not signed with the WWE. They weren’t gonna sign me anyway. It was gonna be a three-week program. It got cancelled,” said Kurt Angle, “but you know my obligation is to the show — the Kurt Angle show and that’s it.”

The former Raw GM didn’t reveal any detail on what the promotion wanted him for, or if the cancellation of it had anything to do with the debacle involving Shane McMahon. Kurt Angle was last seen on WWE TV on the May 23, 2020 episode of SmackDown, where he announced the arrival of Matt Riddle. WWE offered him the role of Riddle’s manager but he turned it down.

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has a rather hysterical reason for being the first person pinned in the New Year’s Revolution Elimination Chamber match back in 2006.

Angle had competed for John Cena’s WWE Championship in the match. Joining them were Shawn Michaels, Kane, Carlito, and Chris Masters. Ultimately, Cena retained and Edge successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.

Angle started off the match red hot. He was delivering German suplexes left and right but was quickly eliminated by Michaels courtesy of a Sweet Chin Music.

Classic Game To Blame (Or Thank)

On an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic gold medalist revealed that all the Elimination Chamber participants except for Cena competed in a game of rock, paper, scissors to see who would get eliminated first.

Angle won and he was thrilled to say the least. This also puts to bed the theory that Angle was out early due to Batista’s injury that same night working a house show.

“No, we didn’t know at that particular time [of Batista’s injury] and that’s not the reason I got eliminated early. The reason I got eliminated early is because I won [rock, paper, scissors].

“We had a competition because John Cena was the champion. He was gonna retain the title at Elimination Chamber. So, the other five of us decided everybody wanted to get eliminated early.

“They didn’t wanna last the whole match cause they weren’t gonna win and I won [rock, paper, scissors] so I got eliminated first [laughs]. That doesn’t happen very often but we did it that night.”

Angle also noted that he got to choose “HBK” as the one who eliminated him. Angle said he decided on Michaels because the two were going to start a feud that would lead to WrestleMania 21.

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Kurt Angle is set to become part of WWE programming once again in the near future. Angle revealed on his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show” that WWE reached out to him recently about playing a role on television.

“They want me to be involved in the show for the next month or so. I’m really excited about it, so we’ll see what’s in store for me,” Angle said on the show.

Angle was backstage during the Rumble Saturday night in St. Louis. He was not used on the show, however.

Angle didn’t reveal what he might be doing in WWE soon. Although this is just speculation, Angle could potentially be aligned with the new RAW tag team champions, the Alpha Academy Otis and Chad Gable. If the Steveson brothers are ready to appear on WWE programming, Angle could also be paired with them.

Back in November, Angle said on the Pancakes and Powerslams podcast that Gable Steveson is someone he would like to manage.

“Which superstar today would I like to be the manager of? Gable Steveson!” Angle said. “I think Gable will be very important to WWE in the future.”

“He has all the credentials to succeed in this business, I can assure you. His charisma, his personality and his character are suitable to make a bang in perspective. If he finds the right confidence and surrounds himself with trusted people, the sky is really the only limit for this guy,” Angle continued.

Angle spoke about Chad Gable during a recent Q&A session on AdFreeShows.com.

“Chad is still underrated. That poor kid, because of him being undersized, he hasn’t gotten much of a chance that he should. And I really believe that if they gave him that shot, he would be another great athlete like AJ Styles. AJ was undersized too, and I think that Chad Gable would have the same effect.”

Kurt Angle has unveiled a surprising name for someone who he considered to be an unsung hero of TNA.

Angle was a part of the TNA Wrestling roster from 2006 through 2016. His run with the promotion lasted longer than his first stint with WWE. During his time in TNA, Angle became a six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion.

Kurt Angle Praises Vince Russo

During an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic gold medalist chose Vince Russo as his pick for the unsung hero of TNA.

“The unsung hero that I think? I loved Vince Russo. I don’t know how fans think about him or how they feel about him but Vince was very talented.

“The success he had in WWE was phenomenal, the Attitude Era. When he went to WCW, the problem was he was writing for the wrestlers and they were like, ‘I’m not doing that. I’m gonna do whatever I want.’

“So, his storylines turned into something else cause the wrestlers turned it into whatever they wanted and it got diluted. I think that’s the reason that WCW kinda went downhill.

“But when he was in TNA he was phenomenal. He wrote for me every week and I didn’t have any problems with him. I know there are some fans that don’t like him, there are some wrestlers that don’t like him but Vince is very talented.”

Russo has been widely panned over the years for his booking decisions. Some have even credited him with killing WCW quicker.

With that said, Russo does have his supporters. He’s given his due by some in the industry, such as Kurt Angle, for successful segments during the Attitude Era both on the entertainment and business sides.

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Kurt Angle believes Samoa Joe has some time left before he decides to hang up his boots.

Angle and Joe had a memorable feud in TNA Wrestling. Joe was Angle’s first big rival in TNA. To this day, Angle doesn’t believe it was the right move to have a program with Joe right away because he would’ve rather had Joe go over.

Joe is known by hardcore fans for his ROH and TNA runs but of course, he also spent time in WWE. Joe was a former three-time NXT Champion and competed on the main roster. He even did some color commentator but Joe is no longer with WWE.

Samoa Joe Not Done In The Ring?

Taking to The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic gold medalist and WWE Hall of Famer predicted that Samoa Joe will continue his in-ring career.

“I believe we haven’t seen the last of him. I think he has more time left, I think he has more in the tank and he’s gonna produce for the fans.”

When asked what would make Joe a good mentor for younger talent, Angle had the following to say.

“Well, he has incredible knowledge and he is one of the most articulate individuals I’ve ever known. Joe can cut a promo like nobody else.

“His in-ring skills are incredible and what he has as far as athleticism, he has a lot to teach the young talent. I think that he would be an incredible teacher. I hope he continues to be one.”

Joe’s WWE release was a part of a slew of NXT departures. WWE has been gutting HHH’s vision of NXT.

Gone are the black and gold colors and the push to sign indie talent. Instead, NXT is now back to being a developmental hub with WWE focusing on younger and larger talent.

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Kurt Angle was hoping to make another run at the Olympics but it didn’t pan out.

Angle represented the United States at the 1996 Summer Games in freestyle wrestling. Angle was banged up going into his final match, to say the least. He had a severe neck injury but he ended up defeating Abbas Jadidi of Iran to capture the gold medal.

Kurt Angle Wanted In At 2012 Olympics

When Kurt Angle was wrestling for TNA, now known as Impact Wrestling, he announced in 2011 that he’d be training to make a bid for the 2012 Summer Games.

The amateur wrestling community wasn’t sold on Angle’s aspirations as it had been over 15 years since he last won gold and he was over 40 years old.

During an episode of The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic gold medalist said he was focused on making a run in 2012 but injuries caught up to him.

“Yes, I was [serious about making a run] and I started training really hard for it. Dixie Carter gave me ample time off where I didn’t have to be at TVs or the house shows for a while.

“I was very serious about this but at 40 years of age I found out very quickly that you’re gonna have injuries. Just like the injuries plagued my pro wrestling career, they continued to plague me. I couldn’t do it.

“I tried, I trained for about five months and I just kept getting reinjured. I knew I couldn’t follow through with it. So, I knew my dream of going to the Olympics again was gone.”

While the 2012 run didn’t come to fruition, the amateur wrestling world certainly didn’t forget about Angle’s accomplishments. He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

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Kurt Angle had a blast throughout his wrestling career but there were two things, in particular, that were trying.

Angle has established himself as a legend in the wrestling business. The Olympic gold medalist proved not only to be a special talent in the ring, but he was also tailor-made for the entertainment aspect of the business.

Angle is a WWE Hall of Famer but there was a time when he planned to make an early exit from wrestling.

Grand Opening, Grand Closing

When Kurt Angle entered WWE back in 1998, he had no idea that he’d be in it for the long haul. He revealed on The Kurt Angle Show, that he hasn’t forgotten about a conversation he had with Al Snow during his rookie year.

“No I didn’t [think I’d be in the industry for long]. In fact, I thought I would only be in the business five years. That’s what I promised myself.

“I signed a five-year deal with WWE and I remember my rookie year I ran into Al Snow. He said, ‘Kurt, how long do you think you’ll be in the business?’ I said, ‘Al, five years. That’s it, I’m gonna make as much money as I can and get out.’

“He said, ‘No way brother. You’re gonna be stuck in it for life.’ I said, ‘There’s no way in hell,’ and guess what? I’m stuck in it for life [laughs].

“He was exactly right. I actually wrestled 15 years longer than I originally planned to wrestle and I’m still somewhat involved in the business.”

Kurt Angle Lists Two Difficult Aspects Of Wrestling

Angle went on to say that there were two rough parts about the business but they didn’t ruin his enjoyment.

“I’m gonna be honest, I love the business more than anything I’ve ever loved in my life besides my family. Even amateur wrestling, I love pro wrestling better than amateur wrestling.

“I had a passion for it. That’s why I became so good so quickly. I really enjoyed it. Every week I couldn’t wait to come to TV to see what I was gonna do that week. It was a lot of fun and I had a blast in my career, I really did.

“The only hard things about it were the travel and the injuries. Other than that, I enjoyed the heck out of it.”

In turn, fans enjoyed watching Angle do what he did best for many years. Angle left WWE back in 2006 to link up with TNA Wrestling. He returned to WWE in 2017 to finish off his in-ring career.

Angle is retired now. While he says he’s dealt with the lingering effects of wrestling in terms of injuries, he has said he’s keeping his body in shape just in case he gets that itch again.

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