Marty Jannetty Talks Losing Big WWE Contract After Match With Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels

It seems as ever since Shawn Michaels threw Marty Jannetty through the glass on "The Barbershop," the paths of The Rockers went in separate ways. Michaels became one of the most celebrated performers in WWE history while Jannetty went from mid-card status to someone who struggled to maintain a job with WWE.

One of Jannetty's last runs in WWE came in 2005 when he was called upon to help build the feud between Michaels and Kurt Angle. The Rockers had a reunion on Raw one night and Jannetty took on Angle in a singles match the next night on SmackDown. However, Jannetty's return was short-lived after that Angle match and he revealed why when he spoke to Wrestling Inc. for our WINCLY podcast.

"We did the Rocker reunion that night before on Raw. They called me up and said, 'Hey, would you be interested in this?' And I'm like, 'Hell yeah,'" Jannetty said before adding that he and Michaels were in sync throughout the match, but the only thing off was their kip-up.

"He fell backwards and I had to put a hand down [laughs]. We had never ever missed that before."

That Rockers reunion led to him getting offered a WWE contract and Jannetty joked that Michaels took credit for that for getting in Vince McMahon's ear.

"[Shawn] owns Vince... we don't need to know why [laughs]. But John Laurinaitis, who was VP at the time, came up and said, 'Vince liked you man so much. Sign this.' And it was the biggest contract money-wise for me. It was nice and half-a-million [dollars]," stated Jannetty.

"Then I had some legal problems come up later."

Jannetty was arrested due to a domestic disturbance and was unable to make the next WWE show which then led to his release. But the Kurt Angle match he had on SmackDown was a bonus because he already had signed the contract.

"But Kurt, on SmackDown the next day, gosh damn Kurt is good. Shawn is good ? he's one of the best, but I put Kurt right up there with him," admitted Jannetty.

He praised Angle's ability to transition from amateur to pro wrestling because of the different rules between the two. Jannetty was also an amateur wrestler in high school and college and he said it's hard for people to adjust.

"But that brother?unbelievable," Jannetty said of Angle. "I think Ronda Rousey's doing great..."

It's been 10 years since Jannetty last appeared in WWE and he revealed if he still keeps up with pro wrestling.

"I do seminars now and I've had a couple of wrestling schools that have been successful...," said Jannetty. "I'm trying so much to be in the movie industry because I've always said that my transition after wrestling?movies. We already have sort of an acting background.

"It's crazy now that Vince can do that for you because he's making movies."

Jannetty praised The Rock for opening the door for wrestlers in Hollywood but revealed that Shawn Michaels nearly had that door slammed for wrestlers when he appeared on the USA Network series Pacific Blue in 1999.

"They did not like him and they cut all wrestlers off. Like nope...no more wrestlers. I don't know what he did," Jannetty said of Michaels. "The word was no more wrestlers because of how he was on set. Knowing Shawn, I'm like, 'C'mon man. Damn, why'd you do that?'"

Speaking of his current relationship with his former tag team partner, Jannetty says he and Michaels are on good terms.

"We're good. Whenever we do signings and see each other, we hug up," Jannetty said before joking that Michaels was the one who attacked Bret Hart at the Hall of Fame ceremony. "Did you see Shawn jump Bret during the Hall of Fame thing [laughs]? We all thought if it wasn't Shawn, he was up to it."

The Rockers last saw each other at The Big Event in New York City last month.

"The Big Event?we saw each other there and we hugged up," stated Jannetty. "We're good. He's not the way he used to be. Excuse my language, but he used to be a d–k. But now with his religion and maybe older age, and he ain't got no hair [laughs]. I don't know what but he's different. He's good now and that's all you can do ? like a guy for what he's become."

Wrestling Inc's full, exclusive interview with Jannetty was included in a recent episode of our WINCLY podcast. It can be heard via the embedded audio player at the bottom of this post. In it Jannetty discusses the pain he is currently in at this stage in his life, why he has refused help from the fans, his infamous match with Kurt Angle on Smackdown, his current relationship with Shawn Michaels, if WWE should be held accountable for the health of it's former Superstars and more.

You can check out past episodes of the WINCLY here.

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