Kurt Angle on Choosing TNA Over WWE, Slammiversary

Current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle recently talked to The Mirror’s Neil Docking to help promote the upcoming “Slammiversary” event on June 28.

During the interview, Angle discussed why he inevitably chose TNA Impact Wrestling over a return to World Wrestling Entertainment, as well as what it’s like working with some of TNA’s top talent, including MVP, Eric Young and Ethan Carter III:

Last year you openly discussed your plan to finish your contract with TNA in September and re-sign with WWE to finish out your career. Can you clear up what happened there?

“You know what, when it came down to it, I talked to both companies and it was an easy decision. From every perspective, from amount of dates, to the amount of money, to the amount of interest, it wasn’t a hard decision – TNA trumped the WWE. And for whatever reason, maybe the WWE didn’t think I could still go, maybe they just wanted to start grooming younger talent, although they’ve obviously hired Sting, brought in Batista and brought guys back like Jericho… I don’t know the full story, it could be anything, but when it came down to it I had my options open. I never said I was going to leave TNA and I never said I wouldn’t go back to WWE, but when I looked at the best scenario for me, hands down it was TNA. It wasn’t something I had to sit down and think about for hours, the writing was on the wall. It was TNA for one more year.”

It’s been reported in some quarters that you didn’t want to work a full-time schedule. It’s also been suggested it was a case of personal differences between you and Triple H, after you approached Vince McMahon rather than him. Is that true?

“I don’t think so, I don’t think that Triple H and I have any problems with each other, I’ve always liked him. He’s always treated me with respect and I’ve always treated him the same. No, I don’t think it was that. There was a point when my manager talked to them and I believe they did say ‘he would have to wrestle full-time’. That is not an option for me, not at this point in my career. So, whether that was part of it, honestly I just don’t think they had that much interest in signing Kurt Angle at that point. For whatever reason, it could have been my mishaps in my past, it could have been that they didn’t think I was healthy enough to go – and obviously I am – but we never got a full answer of why they couldn’t give me what I wanted. And it wasn’t just what I wanted, it was a reduced schedule, but there was no option.”

“Dixie Carter gave me exactly what I wanted and it wasn’t a hard decision. I wasn’t upset, I was excited about signing another year with TNA. I think they did an incredible job this year. They had to refocus, they had to re-group, they had some issues in the past, and I think they’ve done an incredible job of making their way back. Are they back to what they were? No. But they’re on their way and they’re doing so many good things right now that make me excited about being part of the company.”

WWE’s loss was TNA’s gain – you returned to the ring when TNA made its debut on Destination America, which was a big moment for the company. You also got the chance to work with MVP.

“Yeah, you know I have just touched the tip of the iceberg with MVP. He’s one of the reasons that I wanted to come back and be able to wrestle. I love his talent, I think he’s great. I did want to wrestle Lashley, I also wanted to have another programme with Bobby Roode, I was very happy with the programme with Eric Young. Austin Aries I got a chance to wrestle him, it obviously hasn’t been aired yet, but that was awesome. That kid, wow, we had a five-star and then some, it was really good. But talent like EC3 and Drew Galloway, they are guys that make me excited about being a part of the company. I want to be able to challenge myself and them.”

You mentioned Eric Young , what do you make of his transition from a comic character in the middle of the card to a vicious villain in TNA’s main event scene?

“Well we all knew Eric Young was that talented. We all knew he had the ability to be a main eventer, a world champion, we just didn’t know how to get there. From not taking him seriously because he was kind of a goofball, we didn’t know what role would escalate him to that level, and we found it – he found it. He found it himself. I think that right now Eric Young might be, might have had the best matches in the past six months, more consistently than anyone else. He is a rare talent, he can go in the ring as good as anybody, he does it all, and I like the character he’s portraying, I really enjoy it.”

You can check out the interview by clicking here.

Angle will defend the TNA Championship in the main event of “Slammiversary XIII” against Ethan Carter III.

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