Kurt Angle On Why He Doesn’t Get Enough Credit From WWE

Kurt Angle is an Olympian, a WWE Hall of Famer, and a multi-time world champion in multiple wrestling promotions, but the avid follower of "Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence" thinks the WWE sees him in a very specific way: as a TNA product.

On a recent episode of "The Ten Count" on NBC Sports, Angle was asked about the fact that he's not as well-featured in highlight reels as contemporaries like Steve Austin, The Rock ,or Triple H.

"There's a reason for that," Angle answered. "I left the company high and dry in 2006 and didn't come back for 11 years."

Angle was granted an early release from his WWE contract in August 2006, and despite claiming the release was for health reasons, he debuted in TNA Wrestling in October of that year. "When you leave a company like that," Angle continued, noting that the WWE wanted him to stay, "you're gonna pay a price."

Angle went on to wrestle for TNA (now Impact Wrestling) for 10 years. "I was in TNA longer than I was in WWE. So I think that has a bearing on it as well." Angle went on to win six TNA World Heavyweight Championships, as well as being a tag champion, an X Division champion, and the second TNA Grand Slam Champion in the company's history, and his presence in the fledgling promotion added a legitimacy that TNA had been searching for.

"Even though I'm a WWE product, it's where I started and it's where I ended, I think the WWE looks at me as a TNA product," Angle said. "And I think that's the reason why."

Angle doesn't seem entirely down about his sidelining in the WWE history books and video packages. "I beat The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, and those are two formidable names," Angles said. "It is surprising that I'm not in a lot of the highlight reels, but like I told you, there's nothing I can do about it."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the "The Ten Count" and give a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.