Did Kurt Angle jumping to TNA hurt his career?

[President Evil]

When I think of Kurt Angle, I think of the time he was in WWE from his debut in mid/late 1999 to 2006. He had the "it" factor as well as any other great superstar. The look, mic skills, charisma, wrestling ability, athleticism, able to tell a story in the ring. He's easily one of the top 10 wrestlers of this generation.

Ive been a WWE fan for 25 years now. I can understand what wrestlers go through there, the touring, schedule, physical demands, stress, sometimes low pay, constant drug tests and being suspended for even the smallest trace of anything. Towards the end of his career in the E, he couldnt handle it anymore, I saw an interview with him on youtube one time where he says he had requested a lighter schedule, and they straight up said no to him.

I understand the advantages of working for TNA, lighter schedule, alot less touring, and people get a away with some things.

But its just so unfortunate someone the caliber of a Kurt Angle, who entertained us so much during his time in the WWE, to not have him there anymore and it doesnt look like he'll come back any time soon.

I dont watch TNA. Angle has lost perhaps millions when it comes to Wrestlemania paydays. And by this I mean its hurt his financial status. He's been arrested several times for DUI's, if he would have stayed in the E the stricter management could have kept him in a better path.

Plus still by the time Angle left he still had so much to give. Because of this were robbed of an opportunity to have things like a 3 disc set of his WWE career, with all his funny clips and stuff.

Plus he's still putting his body on the line, but with millions of people missing it because he's not at the big stage anymore.

Your thoughts.

 

[Danger Burger]

Yeah you're half right. He's obviously somewhere that pays less and has less exposure, so it was a step down careerwise. But he's put on some fantastic matches there with some guys he wouldnt have gotten to wrestle in the WWE.

Angle leaving WWE with so much left to give hasnt "robbed you" of anything, youre being lazy... Just tune in to TNA. Really, theres very little difference outside of entrance themes and the amount of wrestling you get to see.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

i agree with mack militant on this one. plus in my opinion kurt has had better matches in tna then he ever did in wwe. just look at this weeks impact if you don't believe me. the match with him and aj was fantastic one of the matches of the year for me. he has also had great matches with guys like samoa joe and james storm lately.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

I don't think so I mean Kurt had done pretty much everything in WWE and who would he have feuded with from then to now? Punk and Bryan are the only two guys really I would've wanted Angle to feud with. And those two have only really been top for the past year.

Glad he took the lighter schedule because he's done some amazing stuff in TNA and some of his best matches are from his time there IMO. If he had stayed in WWE he may have had to retire far earlier. Don't worry though he will come back to the E one day I'm sure of it.

 

[Lowdown]

Kurt didn't hurt his career by going to TNA. We don't know how much he saved over the years, so the financial aspect is kinda irrelevant. The schedule was lighter, and Kurt had put a lot of milage on his body by that point. He's won numerous championships since signing with TNA and put on fantastic matches against guys like AJ and Joe. Like Nailz said, you should check him out on Impact and youtube videos to see for yourself.

 

[Wolf Pac]

Posters above nailed it.

Career-wise, he may have gotten a lesser pay-day and less exposure but in the ring, it saved his life. Had he stayed in the WWE, wrestling with all those injuries, he probably would've followed in Eddie's footsteps and he had run out of fresh opponents by that time anyway, so not only did it save his life but he got new opponents & put on great matches with them just as he did with the stars in the WWE.

CM Punk, Jericho and all them wanna talk about being The Best In The World, I think Angle holds that title. He won an Olympic Gold Medal with a broken neck and puts on great matches with a broken down body like his, now imagine him when he's on his best damn day.

 

[DirtyD79]

He robbed us of a DVD set? Wow can you say overentitled? Did it ever occur to you maybe he wanted to go to TNA? Do you think maybe he enjoys it? Seriously if you wanna watch Kurt Angle so much, watch him in TNA.

 

[hatehabsforever]

It is all according to how he prioritizes the various aspects of his career. Money, fame, profile, legacy, health and welfare, and several other aspects can be discussed in this regard.

If one looks at the types of things that celebrities generally are assessed by, there's no denying that the jump to TNA has hurt his career. Whether you are a fan of WWE or not, or whether you are a fan of TNA or not, there's no denying that the bigger stage is WWE, and that TNA is a distant second place promotion. So someone going from the bigger stage to the smaller one, even by his own choice, has to be seen as a step backwards from a career perspective. Less money. Less profile. Greater anonymity. Anyone who suggests this has advanced his career is incorrect and in face a little biased and naive.

Having said this, the pace and rigors of WWE were taking their toll on Angle. His health and welfare were suffering, and I'm not sure he would still be competing professionally today if he was still there. So overall, I guess the move to TNA was a favorable move for him. But there's absolutely no denying, when all is said and done and he has hung up his professional wrestling boots once and for all, the legacy of of Kurt Angle won't be anywhere near where it would have been had he been able to withstand the frenetic pace of WWE and continued to excel in it. After all, you're career has to be viewed more favorably if you've done it on the grandest stage of them all, as opposed to the indies (Punk's words, not mine).

 

[midgensa]

There are many pluses and minuses to Kurt Angle moving over to TNA from WWE.

Obviously, we have not seen him on the grandest stages since his move. No WrestleMania or SummerSlam classics. No real feuds with the likes of Main Event Cena, Punk, Batista, Orton, etc.

But, his work in TNA has been phenomenal, and his flexibility there has allowed him to extend his career in my opinion. He was getting mega-beatup in the E and got to take some time off and heal up and put on great shows in TNA.

His matches with AJ, Joe and Jarrett are absolute masterpieces. His recent work with Jeff Hardy was fantastic as well. All, easily as good as his top performances in the E.

In the end, I think his move was great. It made Impact relevant, even if WWE wants to pretend its not. It made them a place for people to be and look at if they do not like the WWE and its control of the wrestling scape.

I am glad he left when he did and got me much more interested in the smaller company.

 

[Danger Burger]

To add a little to what i said above, what more had angle to achieve in the WWE anyway.
He's had several wrestlemania moments, he's one of the three superstars to have held every active male title in the WWE, several world title runs and some classic moments, such as winning the six man hell in a cell match, and put on some of the best matches maybe of all time against Lesnar or Benoit.

The move to TNA in no way hurts the guys legacy, but only serves to improve it. He's won many more world titles and added a bunch of five star matches to his resume. He ended Joes undefeated streak AND introduced the TNA championship. That and his drunk tweeting are timeless achievements! What did he miss out on in WWE but maybe a match against Cena, edge and batista.

Matches against Punk and Bryan would be gorgeous, but seeing as he left WWE for being forced to work HURT chances are he wouldnt have lasted as long as he has now!

I wish the OP would throw a further two cents into the discussion so I can see what kind of ANGLE (geddit?) he's coming at this from! Come! Discuss!

 

[jacdnwarrior]

Angle had been with WWE for 6-7 years according to your numbers. Gave us a lot of great moments in the ring wrestling or on the mike. Even with the reduced schedule that's still a long time, with very little time off. He approached WWE to get a reduced schedule and they said no, and then asked for his release.

Angle went to TNA, and no matter where Angle goes he will be among the best talent on the roster (if not the best). He is the complete package, mike skills, in-ring ability, he has it all. He'll get his money, and even better he'll have people who actually respect him enough to listen to him and work to meet his needs. I don't watch a lot of TNA, but to be fair, what I have seen, it seems he hasn't missed a beat, he's energized and still performing at a high level. Angle is so good at what he does, he can go to the Indys, Japan, Mexico, anywhere and he would make money as the top star or near the top at any given place. WWE is the bigger stage, and can offer bigger paydays, but his career has still continued, endured and thrives after he left there.

I wish he were still in WWE, I think him in WWE makes the company all that much better, but the truth is WWE fucking blew it. One of you best stars is suffering from burn out, asks you to lessen his dates, and you tell him no and let him leave ? If Vince and/or WWE management had any sense they would lessened his schedule, and find a way to keep him.

The better question to ask is ... Has Kurt Angle jumping to TNA hurt WWE ?

 

[FlairFan2003]

If memory serves me Angle was let go from WWE, he didnt voluntarily leave. This was amid numerous allegations of drug issues and rumors he refused re hab. He already had run ins with the law when he worked for WWE, a troubling aspect that has continued in TNA but didnt start there.

If anything Angle hurt his own career by not staying out of trouble. Certainly with WWE struggling with low ratings and a lack of star power he would be a major player if he were there today, definately in the main event scene.

He's put on some great matches in TNA, won multiple titles, he's showed how good he is, he's a HOF caliber talent. Jumping to TNA hasnt hurt his career, substance abuse issues have.

 

[HBsam31]

Angle did everything he could with WWE anyway. I don't think good things would have happened if he continued the course he was on, and that is more important than any match. On top of that he has put on a lot of great matches in TNA. I loved his stuff with Joe. He doesn't get seen by as many people, and missed some Mania paydays, but all in all I think him going to TNA was a positive move for Kurt.

 

[RawIsJericho]

He's one of the all time greats, did everything he could in WWE, came to TNA to help with establishing a new wrestling promotion, putting over a bunch of new faces in the process. I think if anything that's an admirable direction to take his career.

There's the argument that he doesn't get to work on the big stages now, the flip side to that argument is that he gets to put on fantastic matches with a wide variety of opponents in a promotion where the workers have much more freedom in their matches.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I don't think it hurt his career in terms of him being a quality pro wrestler. Angle going to TNA ultimately proved to be a positive experience for him. He came to TNA at an opportune time for him. Kurt Angle quite possibly has more influence in TNA than any other member of the roster. Angle makes more money than the vast majority of the roster, takes all the time off he wants when he wants, can pretty much pick & choose who he wants to work with, can get pushed whenever he wants and can win titles whenever he feels like it. In terms of influence & stroke, Angle's deal is probably the best in wrestling since Hogan's time in WCW.

Angle has Dixie Carter wrapped around his little finger. Whatever he wants, she does her absolute best to give it to him. When Jeff Jarrett started seeing Angle's ex wife Karen, Angle went ballistic and demanded that Jarrett be fired. After Angle was calmed down enough, they were able to talk him out of firing Jarrett, but Jarrett was pretty much exiled from TNA for the next 6 months. Realistically, Jarrett probably couldn't be fired from TNA seeing as how he still owns about 25% of the company in and of itself. The fact that Dixie pretty much banished Jarrett from the company that he originally owned and founded because Kurt Angle wanted it just shows how much stroke Angle really has.

Angle going to TNA won't hurt his legacy, it'll probably only help to cement it even further. When you leave out all the backstage antics, all the drama and all the politics; Kurt Angle will still be looked upon as one of the best pro wrestlers of all time. His time in WWE was well spent and so has his time in TNA. TNA isn't on the same level as WWE when it comes to money, overall recognition and audience size; but that doesn't mean that Kurt Angle hasn't done well and put on quality performances since his time there.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I don't think it hurt his career in terms of him being a quality pro wrestler.

True. Angle was going to be one the finest performers of all time wherever he worked. But therein lies the problem: in my mind, it's more than just where Kurt Angle feels like working......and yes, he has the right to work wherever he wants. Very good performers can work in either major promotion and do okay for themselves. Guys like Christian and Matt Morgan can bounce back and forth as much as they want and manage to look good. But when you're one of the true, certified legends in the sport (as Angle seems to feel he is.....and I agree) I think you owe it to wrestling fans, as well as to yourself, to perform in the place that is the undisputed leader of the profession, the place in which you'll be seen by the most fans.....and the place that can promote you best, which is to your advantage as well as theirs.

The example I've often used to illustrate this is if Derek Jeter of the Yankees decided he liked playing in Triple A ball better than the majors and spent his career there instead of at Yankee Stadium. Would he still be Derek Jeter? Yes, but with many fewer people watching him ply his trade, his legend and fame would never measure up to what it would be in the major leagues.

Can you imagine if Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair spent their careers performing in high school gyms in West Virginia? Do you think they'd be as famous as they are today?

Look, I understand that Angle's health issues might have forced him to make the move to TNA. If that's the case....okay. But still, when all-time greats like Angle and Sting decide to spend the latter parts of their careers working for a lesser wrestling organization despite having the opportunity to go bigger, I do feel they've hurt their careers.....or at least limited them. And that's a shame for all of us.

 

[Dagger Dias]

How could going to TNA have possibly hurt Angle's career? TNA may be a lesser known federation, but Angle had accomplished just about everything he could in WWE. He knew he had a great opportunity and he decided to take it. It didn't hurt his career, it added another chapter to it. Angle has been one of the biggest additions to TNA's roster and has helped them quite a bit; both in the in-ring category and having a more famous name on their roster. There really wasn't anything else for him to do in WWE and he had just gotten put on ECW when it got revived as the third brand. If he was going to help by putting people over on a third brand, why not do the same for another federation so it can grow into competition?

Angle going to TNA was a HUGE deal and several years later he remains one of the biggest names they have ever signed. What would he have accomplished by staying in WWE? He would have been stuck on ECW for a bit and then MAYBE won a world title or two. Nothing new. At least over in TNA he had a chance to help them grow, which he has certainly been a big part of. I think it was a very smart decision that Angle made and it will pay off in the end when he can add being a key player in TNA's growth during earlier years to his list of things to brag about.

 

[Danger Burger]

The example I've often used to illustrate this is if Derek Jeter of the Yankees decided he liked playing in Triple A ball better than the majors and spent his career there instead of at Yankee Stadium. Would he still be Derek Jeter? Yes, but with many fewer people watching him ply his trade, his legend and fame would never measure up to what it would be in the major leagues.

Can you imagine if Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair spent their careers performing in high school gyms in West Virginia? Do you think they'd be as famous as they are today?

No offense intended here Sally, but those are based on the idea of spending the entire career in the minors (I should admit right now, i know very little of baseball so i'm going to ignore most of that part).

Angle being a great performer would have been wasted had he ONLY wrestled in TNA, and the same for the Flair and Hogan examples, but the fact is Angle had already achieved the height of his fame and worth in the WWE when he left. He couldnt have done anything more.

But his résumé or list of accomplishments has grown immensely since leaving. Less people see him, but they all know who he is. His legacy isnt hurt or lost in anyway. In fact he now holds some very unique honours, such as first ever TNA champion, first guy to be triple crown champion in both WWE and TNA, the only wrestler to have won both the king of the ring AND the king of the mountain. And was still voted wrestler of the decade from 2000-2010.
(you're damn right i copied it all off Wikipedia.)

The argument you put forth ignores that Angle was already hugely popular and successful! I still think you're super cool though!

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Angle going to TNA is not like Jeter going to the minors, because TNA is not the minors no matter how thick your bias may be. It's a nationally televised promotion with major financial backing and is home to a number of highly relevant wrestling stars.

If anything—and I know dick about baseball, so forgive my ignorance here—it's like Jeter saying he doesn't want to spend his career as a Yankee (one of the more famous teams), but rather would like to be an Oriole, or whatever franchise is still know, but far less known and far less respected for it's history.

And no, the jump didn't hurt his career. It just hurt the feelings of WWE fans who refuse to watch another promotion. If anything, as Angle has noted himself, it saved his life.

 

[cubuff37]

I don't know if I'd say it hurt his career, but it definitely slowed it down. Kurt Angle has held more championships in the WWE than anyone with the exception of Edge. If he would have stayed, he'd probably be at 40 championships right now, an amazing accolade. TNA is like the minor leagues as far as I'm concerned. When Angle jumped ship I thought he was going to wrestle in TNA for 1 maybe 2 years and then come back to WWE. However, it looks like TNA is his home for good. Like I said, it didn't necessarily HURT his career, but if he stayed with WWE, he'd be much bigger than he is now.

 

[The Crock]

Kurt Angle's jump to TNA most definitely did not hurt his career. Angle had a long and fruitful run in the WWE, but he's been TNA's rock since joining the fold. Not to mention, Angle's physical well-being is undeniably higher than what it was in TNA and -- one could argue -- the quality of his matches has significantly gone up since we've last seen him in WWE. Sure, Angle hasn't been tip-top outside of the ring -- DUIs and other strange arrests say as much -- but that's not a TNA problem, that's a Kurt Angle problem. He was drugged out in WWE, too. He's got serious injury issues.

From a legacy standpoint, Angle's TNA run is filled to the brim with good matches. He went from being a good performer, to being a great one. Angle can consistently put on match of the night caliber matches and he'll be remembered for it. Angle made a fine decision in moving to TNA, one I'm sure he's happy with.

 

[ajdb]

I think it's never bad to try something new because for you to get credit for making a company legit you have to be there through the dark days like Kurt has.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

Let me preface: I am not just some TNA basher and I have appreciated their product at times.

BUT OBVIOUSLY!

TNA means less money & exposure.

Automatically it is a step down for anyone's career (That isn't just starting out or on the indies) . No one in WWE could "benefit" by going to TNA unless they were a jobber in WWE & TNA makes them a main eventer (which still probably wouldn't be much more exposure or money.)

As a fan of Kurt's I think TNA was something new & different for him and he looked like he could use a break. But I think being there too long has started to hurt his legacy.

I think we all want to see Kurt back in WWE before he retires, hopefully sooner rather than later!

 

[ABMorales787]

Let me preface: I am not just some TNA basher and I have appreciated their product at times.

BUT OBVIOUSLY!

TNA means less money & exposure.

Automatically it is a step down for anyone's career (That isn't just starting out or on the indies) . No one in WWE could "benefit" by going to TNA unless they were a jobber in WWE & TNA makes them a main eventer (which still probably wouldn't be much more exposure or money.)

Not really. The argument can be made, but if you compare a case like maybe Christians, he certainly was making more money in WWE. But in TNA he was of far greater value and standing within the company. Maybe back then being a big star in TNA wasn't such a big deal, but nowadays it's a far harder achievement.

As a fan of Kurt's I think TNA was something new & different for him and he looked like he could use a break. But I think being there too long has started to hurt his legacy.

Why? He still puts 5 star matches yearly. He's still main event level talent. He's still the only Gold medalist in wrestling. If anything hurts him, it's him and his Twitter account.

I think we all want to see Kurt back in WWE before he retires, hopefully sooner rather than later!

Not really. I like my Kurt Angle to be an utter dick. I don't think it's something allowed in today's WWE.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

It depends on what your basis for a successful career is.

If you base a successful career on making the most money, then yes it probably did hurt his career. When he left WWE he was their highest paid wrestler. I'm sure guys in TNA do okay for themselves but their employees aren't paid as much as WWE guys.

If you base it on being a constant presence in the company, then no. Angle has been in the main event picture the entire time, and aside from his disaster of a match against Steiner at Destination X '07, he has put on quality performances the whole way.

If you base it on being in the public spotlight, you could argue going to TNA was a boost to his career. Look at the things that have happened, both positive and negative, since he went to TNA. He started acting, he made more TV appearances, he is in commercials. The negative brought him attention too, his divorce and feud with Jeff Jarret, his legal troubles, his Twitter account.