Kurt Angle On Possibly Wrestling For WWE, Relationship With Vince McMahon, Addiction, More (Videos)
Above is video from this week's ESPN SportsCenter "Off The Top Rope" segment with Jonathan Coachman looking at this week's WWE RAW and SmackDown as the road to the Royal Rumble continues. In the video below, Coach looks at various moments from the career of 2017 WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle.
In the videos below, Coach is joined by Angle. Angle talks about receiving the phone call from Triple H last week and says he was blown away by the news. Angle says he was really surprised and honored. Coach asks about Angle's 2006 WWE departure and Angle talks about being banged up and having issues with painkillers. Angle says he just needed to get away and he felt like he was just a liability to Vince McMahon and the company. Angle says it was the right thing to leave. Regarding his relationship with Vince, they didn't talk for years but they have a great relationship now. Angle says it was a mutual departure after he had a lot of fun with the company. He says he misses WWE but going into the Hall of Fame is the best thing he could ask for right now.
Coach mentioned how Angle appeared for "a variety of different promotions" and asked what was the biggest change for Angle as a performer in the time he was away from WWE. Angle says he grew more as a pro wrestler and got better. Angle says it would have been nice to perform for the WWE Universe over the past 10 years because he feels that was his prime but he can't complain about his WWE career. Angle says he wasn't planning on retiring and doesn't know if he is or not but right now the induction is the most important thing to him.
Coach asks how Angle's battle with addiction has changed him. Angle says it's made him a better husband, father and a better man. He says you learn to appreciate the finer things in life after pulling yourself out of a dark place, you look at family, love and God instead of fame and money. Angle says he's proud of what he's been able to do and wants to continue to help those struggling with addiction through his new #AngleStrong initiative.
Regarding a return to the WWE ring, Coach asks if it might happen with this Hall of Fame induction. Angle says he can't say what he will do after this Hall of Fame induction. He would like to wrestle for WWE but he's focused on the Hall of Fame induction and will go from there.
Angle also talks about going from the Olympics to WWE, the #AngleStrong initiative, if he has favorite matches from his WWE career and more.