Kurt Angle Will Work BFG but Will Not Re-Sign with TNA; Taking a Break from Wrestling

[It's Damn Real!]

Kurt Angle, who is a guest on today’s episode of the Mark Madden show on the 105.9X radio station, just addressed his wrestling future, saying he will be taking a break from the profession next year.

Angle said he will not re-sign with TNA when his contract is up this January. He also noted that he will NOT pursue a deal with WWE either; Angle did not say how long the sabbatical would last, but did comment on his current TNA status.

He noted that he is close to 100 percent healthy, and will be back to appear at the TNA Bound For Glory pay-per-view in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Probably a sign his TNA run is also over. Even if we assume he's taking a years' sabbatical, for whatever the reason (likely to get healthy and clear his head), even if TNA does stick around after this Destination America television thing sorts itself out, it's unlikely they'll be operating in a position to afford to continue to pay Angle what he's made in the past.

I'd imagine he'll go back to WWE eventually, probably for a retirement run. While he's notorious for making statements he ends up going back on, all-in-all I trust his word that he won't be re-signing.

Bon voyage, Kurt. It's been real. It's been damn real.

 

[klunderbunker]

Good. For two reasons.

1. Most importantly, Angle's health. His body is a wreck and he needs to just go sit at home and relax. There's no need to destroy yourself over and over in a wrestling ring. Go train Olympic wrestlers or something, but stay out of the ring.

2. TNA relies WAY too much on Angle. I get that he's awesome and one of the best ever, but one of the major things holding TNA back over the years has been going back to Sting and/or Angle instead of building up many new talents. With Angle gone (and assuming the company survives), they have to put it on someone new. Or Jeff Hardy because he has star power. Not that the star power does much for them but he does in fact have it.

 

[timothy26]

I enjoyed most of Kurt's TNA run as much as his WWE run. He did say he's near 100 percent healthy but maybe still needs that time off - I wouldn't bet against him signing with WWE in the next 12 months though, he's saying he won't PURSUE a WWE contract but that doesn't mean he won't take one if they call with the right money.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I think this is good news.

Kurt's physical condition has been a concern ever since he left WWE- I'm amazed he's still able to wrestle to the high standard he does after all the injuries he's suffered over the years. However, whether he's "close to 100%" healthy as he says, or whether that's just pro-wrestler B.S, its definitely a good move for Kurt to take a break from in-ring competition to let any injuries heal up, to rest and recuperate and get himself healthy. He's only just had surgery on a tumour in his neck, so any time he spends resting up is a good thing.

Plus, if he can take it easy for a few months and recharge his batteries, this could allow him to come back to WWE for a short term "last run", giving him his retirement match at WrestleMania, which is what he deserves.

 

[Rayne]

I don't expect to ever see Kurt Angle in a WWE ring again, mostly because the two sides appear to have a very different idea on how he'd be used. Kurt seems to be looking for the Lesnar/Sting deal, where he comes in and works a few dates at the top of the card, then takes a break. The WWE says they want him on a full-time schedule- but that seems to me like making an offer that they know he can't accept. It's no secret Kurt's in bad shape, and while he can still go in the ring, he can't still go in the ring four nights a week.

Ultimately I think the WWE does want Kurt Angle, just in a role more similar to Rob Van Dam or the Dudley Boyz; to come in for limited periods of time to help put newer talent over. Kurt is the star of the show in TNA, and seems to think he should still have a starring role in the WWE. (The WWE doesn't seem to care what anyone did in TNA- it's like time spent unemployed to them. Christian came back from his great TNA run and debuted two nights after Wrestlemania on ECW. Also, Braden Walker.)

I don't see either side changing their expectations of the other, so I don't think this is a deal that gets done. Which quite possibly means that this sabbatical from professional wrestling could turn into a very slow retirement.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Kurt seems to be looking for the Lesnar/Sting deal, where he comes in and works a few dates at the top of the card, then takes a break. The WWE says they want him on a full-time schedule- but that seems to me like making an offer that they know he can't accept. It's no secret Kurt's in bad shape, and while he can still go in the ring, he can't still go in the ring four nights a week.

Yeah, they know there's no way his body can stand 4 matches a week, absolutely no chance.

I don't think WWE are going to give him the Lesnar/Sting type deal where he'll have a few matches a year for a couple of years, which sounds like what he's pushed for in the past, but I do think if he went to them and told them of his plans to retire after 1 more match, they'd sign him and give him that final match, before inducting him into the HOF.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I think this is good news.

Kurt's physical condition has been a concern ever since he left WWE- I'm amazed he's still able to wrestle to the high standard he does after all the injuries he's suffered over the years. However, whether he's "close to 100%" healthy as he says, or whether that's just pro-wrestler B.S, its definitely a good move for Kurt to take a break from in-ring competition to let any injuries heal up, to rest and recuperate and get himself healthy. He's only just had surgery on a tumour in his neck, so any time he spends resting up is a good thing.

Plus, if he can take it easy for a few months and recharge his batteries, this could allow him to come back to WWE for a short term "last run", giving him his retirement match at WrestleMania, which is what he deserves.

Frankly, he's done all he can do in TNA anyway. Probably three times over. I believe he's the most decorated champion in company history, unless Sting has him beat by a World Title run or two.

It's probably not the way he envisioned going out, but unfortunately the real world doesn't operate the way the fantasy world does. Sometimes it's a bad injury, or a series of injuries that just put you out to pasture.

I fear Rayne may have it right — it may be a slow but sure path to retirement.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Kurt is the star of the show in TNA, and seems to think he should still have a starring role in the WWE.

That's what I believe was the key to his failed negotiations with WWE last year. No, I don't know any more than the rest of you, but the way he was talking in the months before his TNA contract expired, I got the feeling he figured WWE was dying to bring him back and he figured he'd essentially be able to name his price. For all we know, his saying "Maybe I'll stay in TNA or maybe I'll go to WWE" aggravated the powers-that-be in WWE and bombed the deal. At that time, I don't think he had any intention of returning to TNA, but it wound up being the only practical course of action left to him.

At any rate, I think he licked his wounds after that negotiation and is now saying: "....he will NOT pursue a deal with WWE either" as a defensive measure against what happened before.

Still, the idea of a 46-year-old man taking a break from pro wrestling seems a little strange, no? What, he's going to return to the ring at 47 or 48?

Who knows, at that time, maybe WWE will take him for a Rob Van Dam type abbreviated run. He'd be too old for anything else and if Kurt and WWE share that belief, we might see him in a WWE ring once more.

 

[TDFG]

I can see why Angle has made this announcement.

Angle could finish up a night or two after BFG considering the taping schedules of TNA, which means he'd be free to rest up and see out the last couple of months of his contract.

For international markets (at least) TNA will probably do one set of multiple tapings after BFG and then show the One Night Only tapings which should see them through the rest of 2015.

If Angle is a free agent by January and has rested up for another 3 months then I wouldn't be surprised if we see him as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble, even if it is a one night deal with WWE.

 

[Prince Vee]

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Probably a sign his TNA run is also over. Even if we assume he's taking a years' sabbatical, for whatever the reason (likely to get healthy and clear his head), even if TNA does stick around after this Destination America television thing sorts itself out, it's unlikely they'll be operating in a position to afford to continue to pay Angle what he's made in the past.

I'd imagine he'll go back to WWE eventually, probably for a retirement run. While he's notorious for making statements he ends up going back on, all-in-all I trust his word that he won't be re-signing.

Bon voyage, Kurt. It's been real. It's been damn real.

Yes I assume the same as well. Hypothetically, for now it may seem like his WWE return would be impossible but on the longer run. it's something inevitable. He certainly needs to take care of his health at the moment. The staph infection in his neck added to the long tormenting neck injuries might've led to this decision. It's not the right time to gamble with his career options.

Good luck Kurt Angle!

 

[FlairFan2003]

Angle should take a few months and resurface around Royal Rumble Time, for a "Final Run" culminating at WM 32. Make sure fans know it's his "Last Match", maybe one last tangle with Lesnar or Taker, but make "Kurt Angle's Retirement" a centerpiece of the show, like the ends for Ric Flair & HBK were. Given the size of the stadium WWE will need to pull out all the stops to get a sell out and since top draws of the recent past like Austin, Flair, Hogan, & Hart all cant go in the ring and HBK is unlikely to wrestle then you've got squeeze every last ounce out of what you have....Cena, Taker, HHH, The Rock (if you can get him), Lesnar, and Angle.

It's a shame, given Angle's skill level he should be close to his prime performance wise, look at how good Taker, HBK, Flair, HHH, all were/are in their mid 40s, but Angle has had so many injuries that he is breaking down. Sting is in better wrestling shape at 56 than Angle, but after a break and some rest there is no reason he couldn't work a limited schedule of RAW's and maybe a PPV leading into a Mania farewell, especially since he wouldn't have to wrestle per se on every RAW/Smackdown appearance, he can move story along with promos (where he is great).

Just like Sting deserves a farewell tour of sorts and last hurrah so does Angle. He was an integral part of WWE success during some of it's most profitable times and one of the biggest superstars to come from the era AFTER the 80s (Hogan, Piper, Dusty, Flair, Savage, etc) and early 90s (HBK as a singles star, Hart, Nash, Austin, etc). Other than The Rock it's hard to think of anyone that started in the mid to late 90s and achieved higher success and name recognition than Angle, at least until Cena.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

There was a time, when I believed WWE would bring Angle back for a HOF induction without any wrestling, but with the way things are now, I can't see that happening. The powers that be in WWE obviously want nothing to do with Angle, because they believe he's too much of a liability to take a chance on for a number of reasons, and Angle himself said WWE treated him like a "nobody" when he contacted them about a comeback.

And it's already been said, but Angle will not receive the red carpet treatment with the likes of Brock Lesnar, The Rock, and Sting. He'll have to settle for the second-tier team with the Dudley Boyz, and if all the reports about Angle wanting to return to WWE are true, you get the feeling Angle wants nothing to do with a secondary role, because he believes he should be in the upper echelon.

I just have a hard time picturing Angle returning to WWE in a non-wrestling or wrestling role, and I have no reason to believe it'll happen, when you consider recent events with Hogan, Snuka, and Seth Rollins' girlfriend. WWE quickly severed all ties with Hogan for something that happened eight years ago, and Hogan's legacy in pro wrestling easily trumps Angle's legacy.

Angle taking a break is the right the move, and as others have said, this might be a slow process for Angle easing his way into retirement. He's conquered every milestone imaginable in TNA, and I'll be shocked if WWE decides to give him another chance in the future.

 

[Lowdown]

Angle had given himself to TNA many, many times over, so he deserves to take as much time as possible to break up. He also deserves to be able to go wherever he may be needed. The guy has been in the industry for almost 20 years, and that means he's lot a lot of mileage on his body. Much like Sting I wouldn't be mad at Angle it he decided to have one more WWE run.