Kurt Angle recently did an interview with SCNow.com that you can view HERE. The following are a few of his comments regarding TNA compared to the WWE, the politics in each company, his interest in working MMA, and more:
Whatâs TNA like compared to the WWE?
“Thereâs no comparison, talent-wise, to WWE. Weâve got much more talented wrestlers. Since Iâve been here, itâs probably progressed 200 percent. Itâs not me, though. The folks who started TNA have really built it up. WWE still makes over $100 million a year, but eventually weâll get there. Now they have a real competitor.
So I take it you believe, wrestling-wise, TNA trumps WWE?
Yes. and I think a lot of it is the athleticism. We recruit the best wrestlers from around the world. TNA doesnât discriminate. We look for the best athletes. A lot of our guys are under 6-feet (tall).
You donât think hiring smaller guys may hurt your fan base?
Not at all. Wrestlingâs an illusion itself, and fans realize it. Weâre coming into a more real world. We have a good mixture of wrestlers. We have (high fliers) like Rey Mysterio Jr., but we also have guys like me and Samoa Joe who are more of a ground-and-pound style, more mixed martial arts oriented.
In 2006, you left WWE for TNA. Why did you leave WWE?
TNA takes better care of me. They donât want to overwork me. They want to make sure I can stay wrestling for another five to eight years. Thereâs a lot of politics in wrestling, wanting to be the top guy. Thereâs no politics here. That was more important than anything. I canât say the same about WWE. Iâve seen guys who could elevate quicker, but because of politics, didnât.
Youâve mentioned in other interviews that you would like to try mixed martial arts. Is that still a possibility?
Well, my first priority is TNA. A lot of companies have asked me. In mixed martial arts, the danger is always there. If he puts me in a submission hold and Iâm too proud to tap out and he snaps my arm, Iâm out for a year or two. If I were to do it, the money would have to be unbelievable because if I get injured and Iâm out, I need to provide for my family. If the money I get in mixed martial arts does not exceed the money I make in TNA, itâs not worth it.
