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Kurt Angle released by WWE
By Luke | August 26, 2006
Yup. Your eyes are not deceiving you. WWE really did release Kurt Angle today. I just read the news myself on F4WOnline.com, so I’m still in shock.
I’ll say that even though I don’t watch any WWE these days, I do know that Kurt Angle is in VERY~! rough shape these days, due to working an insane schedule on an injured, broken body that needs time off.
Some of the punishment and suffering he’s subjected himself to over the years could’ve been avoided if he had gone through with the traditional neck surgery back in 2003, instead of the Dr. Jho surgery, which allowed to return faster, but was much riskier.
As some readers here probably know, Kurt Angle was an Olympic Gold Medallist in ‘96 in Atlanta, and he won the Gold medal on a broken neck. Kurt Angle is popular among MMA internet fans because of his legit amateur wrestling background, and Olympic performance.
Topics: All Topics, Luke Nicholson, Pro-Wrestling, WWE | | Permalink | Trackback | Share This
[...] Yes, i’m in shock too. Kurt Angle has been released from the WWE. [...]
Must be some real tough times he’s going through, being released by WWE, body mostly broken, and getting divorced from his wife…
Some interesting questions that one can dream of…
1) Would any MMA promotion be willing to make him a big-money offer, knowing exactly what they would be getting?
2) Two-parter: If Angle is fully released from his WWE contract, a) would TNA consider paying him the big money to bring him in and b) should they do it considering his medical history?
The thing that i could see happening in the future (though not in the next few months, as hopefully Kurt will take some time to get his head on straight) would be an offer from K1, posibly for an exhibition match against Lesnar or Sakuraba. Pride may be trying to get a share of the american market by using Tyson, but let’s be honest, there’s not much of an audience left for Tyson. Angle on the other hand would surely bring in an significant amount of new fans, especially pitted against Lesnar. As athletes both are still very high regarded by both the amateur and the pro-wrestling crowds, and both names still have some sort of ring to it in the eyes of the casual fans.
As for TNA: i’d bet my house that they’re already slobbering like Pavlovs dogs, just thinking about the possibility. Should they bring him in? If he can work out his personal problems, and heal his body - yes, absolutely. They could use him in a similar role as Stings, with only occasional matches (even though i guess he’d be going crazy, not wrestling on every show). He’s a much better talker than sting, and even with all his injuries still a better worker, so he’d definetely bring something to the table. Not to mention that all the closeted Pro-Wrestling fans in the MMA-community would have a reason to keep watching Spike-TV after TUF is over
Angle going to TNA would rock, but then much of the roster will get overshadowed even more. Look at the fates of Chris Sabin, Sonjay Dutt, Jay Lethal, etc. They are pushed down the card even more. I think TNA should go after Angle ONLY WHEN they get a second hour of national television. I know TNA has Xplosion, and I don’t even watch that, and I am as big of a TNA fan as they come.
I think Angle would be great in New Japan or NOAH. Sucks for me that I don’t watch much NOAH or New Japan these days. Shit, I have to get some DVD’s and such soon. Or maybe Angle in ROH? Naw, I doubt that will happen.
1. If Kurt going to UFC to do anything but be color commentator or wacky interview guy is insane. Kurt has bumped and trained himself to the point where he has nothing left and is near death. This is in a strictly worked enviroment, in MMA he may literally get his head knocked off.
2. Assuming this is legit, and not just a way to stir up the internet before announcing that Kurt has been resigned as an Agent or trainer or something, then I assume TNA would be driving up to his house in limos filled with money and pills. TNA has nothing of a drug policy and would likely have no problem allowing Kurt to kill himself in their ring.
I don’t really buy that this is legit though. As WWE added that they wanted to Reestablish a relationship with Kurt in the future. Which probably means they’re sending him to rehab and if he comes out clean they’ll give him an agent gig. If this is legit, I fully expect him to be flooded with offers, debut, make an impact, then in six months be found dead in his hotel room.
If he can work out his personal problems, and heal his body - yes, absolutely.
- That ain’t happening.
TNA should book Angle the way WCW did Hogan. Build him up with Promos and back stage stuff. Put him in the ring once every month or so. But even so they should wait long enough until he is healthy and let him wrestle 25 minute matches doing a lot of catch-as-catch-can stuff. The way he did vs Benoit and Lesnar back in 2003 or so.
I don’t think that Angle would go to TNA because WWE is probably in contact with him. He could do a backstage job or just play a character on TV.
Angle is in rough shape and wrestling in another promotion would just put him in a wheelchair. Espcially in TNA. Even though he would have five star matches with guys like Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Chris Daniels and other wrestlers, you have to remember that these guys give a 100% because they are young and in better shape. Kurt Angle is the type of person that gives 100% when he is 50% and wrestling would do him harm. Just look at his body. He has become smaller since the drug policy but still does the same stuff as before.
If he does leave the WWE for good and wrestle in TNA, Ring of Honor, or even Japan, it would be a dream come true as he gets to wrestle better wrestlers. However to me, it would be hard to watch because it can only take one move to put Angle in a wheelchair for good.
The only place Angle is going is straight to bed. He’ll be out of wrestling for a least 4-6 months.
The day that WWE lost the only thing CLOSE to anything to wrestling…hope he getz picked up by NOAH or PRIDE….MMA or Wrestling, his still my fav gaijin wrestler…
Kurt should join HUSTLE and work an angle with Hard Gay. That = ratings.
I hope nobody signs Kurt for anything for 6 months. He needs to heal the one hundred and one physical problems and stop using chemical assistance to get through the day.
I know all over the place (a billion and one message boards) are saying ‘Kurt should join ROH and TNA 4ever!!!11111′ and others are going ‘NO! Kurt should rest and heal up!!!’. How about this guys…………let’s let Kurt Angle choose what Kurt Angle wants to do. If he wants to continue to kill himself for his enjoyment (not that I really want that to happen, but still), then let him. If he wants to say ‘fuck this business, I’m out!’, then let him. He’s a grown ass man. He can make his own life decisions.
We should feel bad for him and much of what he went through, but if he wants to continue to go on with his career, then why should we stop him? I just think it’s shit that he used a lot of chemical “enhancements” to go on with his career. I’m sure he learned his lesson about steroids and such the hard way. And I know I have already mentioned that I want to see him in other feds, but if he says “FUCK THAT!!”, then so be it.
He could have a great career in politics, as long as he DOESN’T stop using chemical assistance to get through the day. .
And Chuck, why should we feel bad for him? Is he an unknowing victim of some terrible crime?
Wait maybe he is, i forgot that american hospitals are responsible for 1/4 million deaths @ year due to wrong meds, infection and wrong treatments etc.
If you like the guy just be glad he’s still alive…..
Grafdog, I didn’t mean feel bad for him like we would feel bad for someone’s family member dying, or a rape victim, etc. I just pretty much threw that in so people wouldn’t think I am a cold hearted person for saying “if he wants to kill himself for our enjoyment, let him”. You get waht I am saying?
I would say to feel bad for Vicki Guerrero for Eddy’s death, but now the fact that she is on WWE television having to do with Eddy….