Kurt Angle Reveals Why He Didn’t Return to WWE

In a new exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated, former WWE and current TNA Champion Kurt Angle reveals why he didn’t return to WWE in 2015. He also discusses whether or not he still aspires to return some day, who all he wanted to face in WWE upon his failed return, and more.

Angle begins the interview sharing a story about legitimately wrestling Brock Lesnar in the ring before a show in 2002, but then quickly moves on to a discussion about why he re-signed with TNA Wrestling after telling fans in September of 2014 that when his last TNA deal was up, he would be returning to WWE to finish out his career.

Angle says,

“I haven’t spoke openly about this, but I opened up my options and was going to decide between TNA and WWE. I wasn’t going to leave TNA unless WWE was offering a fair deal.”

Sports Illustrated then writes the following to set up the rest of Angle’s quote on the matter,

“Angle, who lost his father when he was only 16 years old, developed a close friendship with Vince McMahon during his eight year run with WWE from 1998-2006. Yet, when Angle called McMahon, he was informed that a different man now runs the day-to-day operations.”

Angle goes on to talk about what went down during the Fall of 2014 between he and WWE, saying,

“Paul [Levesque (Triple H)] is in charge. I found that out when I contacted Vince. I’ve always had a good relationship with Paul, so I didn’t consider that a problem. But he decided they had enough talent.

For the Vince McMahon who I knew, enough was never enough. He always wanted more. I don’t know what was going on over there, but they even canceled our meeting. I never went to see them. They didn’t even sit me down and talk to me.

It blew my mind. It was as if I was a nobody, that I wasn’t Kurt Angle. From a wrestling standpoint, they just weren’t interested. But TNA not only stepped up, they gave me everything I wanted – the dates, the money, and it’s no secret that I’ve went to rehab in the past, and they gave me time off. You talk about a company that’s loyal to you, and you want to be loyal back. So I didn’t pursue the WWE any further. When it comes down to it, you’ve got to stick with the people who want to take care of you. And [TNA president] Dixie Carter took care of me.

But I’m going to be straight with you. The WWE would have made more money this year if they would have signed me. That’s no secret.”

Angle then goes on to talk about how he would have made WWE money, by working with the likes of Daniel Bryan, Rusev, and Brock Lesnar. He says,

“The best match of the year would have been between myself and Daniel Bryan. Rusev would have made sense, and Brock and I could have went at it again. There were just so many places to go.

I don’t know if they just thought I was too old, but obviously they’re not watching our product. Triple H is the same age as me. It was hard, but at the end of the day, I’m really happy.

Will I ever go back? I really don’t care. I’m happy to be here in TNA.”

The TNA World Heavyweight Champion goes on to talk about his favorite matches he had while employed with WWE, and recalls the infamous Shooting Star Press he called for Lesnar to attempt during their bout at WrestleMania XIX, saying,

“In WWE, I had a career that was so short, but it was second to none. I don’t think anybody can compare to my six-and-a-half year span while I was healthy. I loved my match with Chris Benoit at the Royal Rumble in 2003. We only threw one punch in the entire match – it was all wrestling submission tradeoffs.

And wrestling Eddie Guerrero – we wrestled when he was all banged up – and it was still special. I just wish I wrestled Eddie when he was firing on all eight cylinders. That would have been my best match ever, because I consider Eddie Guerrero in his prime to be the best wrestler ever.

I always have to put the match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 23 in my top three. That match was special. We’d never touched before that, but we had the right chemistry. And Brock at WrestleMania XIX was an incredible match.

I was already scheduled to drop the belt and go in for next surgery. So when Brock missed and landed on his head, I thought he was going to be going in for surgery with me. Part of me was worried about Brock, but I was also in pain, and I thought, ‘How the hell am I going to carry this title another day?’

I covered him, because I had to. I told him to kick, and even though he was completely out of it, he kicked out. I asked him if he was able to give me an F-5, and he said, ‘I think so.’ I told him to do his thing, and he lifted me up for an F-5 to close out the show. It was really scary.”

You can read the entire article here.

Editor’s Note:

Wait…so WWE didn’t even MEET with Angle? HHH…what in the world? Because of his history of demons, or what?