Kurt Angle Talks Winning Olympic Gold, Attempting an Olympic Comeback, Addresses His Current Pro Wrestling Status, Health and More

July 31, 2016

Former WWE and TNA star Kurt Angle recently spoke with ESPN.com and below are some interview highlights:

On winning the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta:

“It was the best moment of my life as far as my career is concerned. Nothing has ever matched it.”

On attempting an Olympic comeback in 2012 and training for the games:

“Every two weeks something would go. I was 42, 43 — to be able to try out at that point in your life … you’re past your prime, you’re still young, you know you can still go, but it’s just little things.

“I tore my hamstring, then I tore my groin, then my shoulder went, then the knee went. It was just a lot of nagging injuries, not real serious, but enough to pull me out of it.

“I just couldn’t do it. I tried. The thing is, I wanted to get that feeling back that I had in ’96. I wanted to do it again in 2012. But it was just a little bit too late, a little bit too long.”

On his current pro wrestling status, his future and current health:

“Wrestling has treated me very well. I had a great time in WWE, I had a great time in TNA. I’m very proud of my accomplishments, but I’m at a point in my life where, right now, family is more important, and it’s time for me to spend more time with them.

“So we’ll see how it goes, and I’ll go from there. I’m not gonna say I’m gonna retire. I just wanna get a feeler this year and see what I wanna do and see where I wanna go.”

“I’m 47 years old and I have my pains and aches just like anybody else, but the thing is, I can still go in that ring. I’m as good as anybody if not better. Even at 47, I’m at the top of my game, so the only thing I need is a little bit more time to recuperate. Other than that I can put on the five-star matches.

“So I’m not really concerned about my performance, I’m more concerned about how I’m gonna feel for the next 30, 40 years.”

Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.

Nick attended New York University and graduated in 2001 with a degree in Drama.

Nick first entered the internet wrestling community back in 2004 when he became the co-host of The Voice of Wrestling Radio Show. From there, Nick made the transition from radio personality to editor when he began working with WrestleZone in 2008.

Nick is a member of two Off-Broadway theatre companies, Another Urban Riff, and the Drama Desk Award winning Godlight Theatre Company. Nick has appeared in over a dozen Off-Broadway plays since he moved to New York City, and has shot several short and feature length films. In 2010, he completed principle photography on a film titled "How to Score Your Life," which also features TNA Knockout ODB.

Inspiration in his life has come from many people including his family, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Jack Nicholson, The Beatles, and of course, Lassie.