Kurt Angle Talks Problems With WWE Matches These Days, Says Indie Talent Are Almost As Good As WWE
On episode 373 of The Steve Austin Show, WWE Hall Of Famer Steve Austin spoke with TNA Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle. Among other things, Angle talked about the current independent professional wrestling scene and his concerns over WWE's in-ring product.
According to Angle, the indie scene is strong right now and he never imagined he would be getting paid like he is.
"It's crazy, man. These indies now, they're doing really well, especially in the UK, and Scotland. I mean, they're getting 4,000 to 7,000 fans at these events and they're live streaming it on pay-per-view. And, I mean, the money's incredible, especially for an indie show, so it's pretty good. Wrestling right now is really good no matter where you are. I never thought I'd be getting paid the money I'm getting paid to wrestle at these indies."
Moreover, the Olympian claimed that there is not a great drop off in talent between WWE and the indies.
"I think that right now I really believe the indie scene is just about as good as it is in WWE. I wouldn't say completely because, obviously, WWE gets the cream of the crop. They continue to recruit and they have a lot of talented individuals. But the indie scene isn't that much worse. I mean, there are a lot of great matches, a lot of great wrestlers."
In Angle's view, WWE performers need to slow down and sell more, as working at a breakneck speed could be harmful to the professional wrestling business. Angle suggested that performers are working so fast nowadays because they are trying to maximize their TV time.
"I look at WWE, and there are a lot of good talent right now. Now, their style, I think they've picked up the pace a little bit more. And I think they need to pull that back a little bit and get back to being a little more old school. I think the pace is going too fast. And I think the one thing they're not doing is not selling as much as they used to. I think that down the road, if they continue to do that and continue to pick up the pace, it will, it could kill the business a little bit. [Austin knows] that wrestling goes in cycles and there was a time, I remember when I was in WWE where I'd say I had 50 straight matches where I didn't tie up. It started with punches. But then, it slowed down, and then, the style came into technical wrestling and I know [Austin] and I did a lot of that, so I think that it'll come around. I just think right now, they're probably giving these wrestlers less time on TV and if you give them less time, they're not going to have time to tell that story at the beginning, showing that wrestling ability. Instead, they just go right into a high spot."
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Source: The Steve Austin Show