Kurt Angle Interview - With Phil Allely

Kurt Angle Interview – I’ll battle Sting on the UK Tour!


By Phil Allely

TNA’s Kurt Angle was in the UK for a fan interaction event this past week, hyping up the upcoming Maximum Impact tour next January whilst talking to some of the local media. He also took some time out of his busy schedule to chat to Phil Allely about his past, his future, dreams, aspirations and much more.

Due to various reasons it has been two years since Kurt Angle was able to perform in the ring in front of fans in the UK. This whirlwind trip was to give fans and media the chance to meet the intense performer and hear how he feels about touring to the UK and what it means to him.

“You know everyone has been so great to me here, the media stuff is going real well, I’ve had two days so far and I’m still pumped up doing it. The Maximum Impact tour is really selling out, its popularity is great, even more so than our previous tours, it’s looking like sell-outs all round. Stings return to the UK is a huge thing, with guys like him and I on the card it’s gearing up to be an awesome tour.”

The announcement that current TNA Heavyweight Champion Sting will headline the tour has caused no end of added publicity for this upcoming series of live shows. It has been over a decade since The Stinger set foot in a UK ring and even longer for fans outside of London. With Sting on a limited appearance contract and nursing various injuries his appearance on the roster for the UK tour has indeed boosted ticket sales. With everyone scrambling to see one of the industry’s last real living legends of the squared circle.

“Yeah having a guy like Sting spearhead this tour is a big deal all round. I was so pleased to hear him mentioned for the shows. You know he never did tour much and it has been over a decade since he was here. So this is major news and I’m especially happy as I get to join him on this one. I’d love to face him on the shows, in fact it would make perfect sense to do just that. Us headlining would be the icing on the cake, he is one of the top guys of all time and he’s in the best shape he has been in years, both of us at our peak physically would be intense. Yeah I’m hoping that’s the case, though we do have so much talent here in TNA, the guys will be fighting to get a post on this tour. We intend to bring the best over here and put on the quality of shows you become used to.”

After missing the tour this past January angle is especially eager to get back in the ring on UK soil and show fans why he is still at the top of his game and continually in the title picture.

“You know last tour I’d just got here when I had to leave. My fiancé had complications with the birth of our daughter, luckily all was ok and we are a wonderful family now. The fans and TNA management were very sympathetic and everyone understood my missing the shows. So this time around I’m determined to show the loyal fans a wrestler at the top of his game.”

The majority of the wrestlers we are fortunate enough to meet in the world of journalism rave about the UK/Irish fanbase and how different they are from the ones in the US who see big name wrestling on a regular basis. Angle is another such grappler who has nothing but praise for these wrestle starved people.

“Yeah the UK has a speciall place in our hearts, we love coming here, they are by far our favourite fans. There’s always a good crowd, they are very vocal, smart fans even, they know the story and follow us into it. They are loud, have fun and when you have a live crowd like that it rubs off on us in the ring. They go with the program, you know realising the good guy/bad guy roles, I’d go as far as to say they are old fashioned and honest wrestling fans.

In recent months Kurt angle has teased retiring from the ring and become embroiled in a bitter, personal and bloody feud with perennial nemesis Jeff Jarrett and Jeff’s real life wife Karen (who just happens to be Angle’s ex-wife also). The pair have faced each other in every type of match imaginable, exchanging wins and continuing to belittle and outdo each other at every opportunity. Although good things must come to an end some time and fans are beginning to lose interest in the pairs battles.

“Well I believe that once I beat Jeff once and for all at Slammiversary , that will finish our thing. Then I really think it could be me and Sting facing off for the title. Which is why I believe it could be us for the gold on the maximum Impact Tour in January.”

Sting of course has to overcome Mr Anderson this coming week at Slammiversary to allow Kurt his dream.

“I agree Mr Anderson is a great wrestler, he has the style, talent, charisma and ability to beat Sting, so the champ will have to work hard. But Sting is on top of his game right now. I think it will be him and I next.”

Most wrestlers are happy if they can have one or two big matches under their belts to make their own personal highlight reel, when their in-ring career ends. Not everyone can have the long list of top matches in various promotions to choose form like Angle. But what does he class as his standout moment in the squared circle?

“Gee that’s a tough one. I’ve had a lot of good matches over the years. I enjoyed my one with Mr Anderson in the cage, Jeff Hardy was fun too. My favourite right now has to be my fights with AJ Styles, we have a real chemistry, our matches have been unbelievable. They are among my favourites of all time. I’d go as far as to say as to say that they have been even better than my WrestleMania match with Shawn Michaels.”

According to rumours Kurt is beginning to wind down his in-ring career and hopes to work a lighter schedule for the remained of his TNA years. Unlike many of his peers he has got an idea what he’s like to do when he does eventually hang up his boots.

“Well I’ve just signed a new three year contract with TNA, it will allow me a lighter schedule though, more time to be with my family and still be wrestling. What I’d really like to be able to do now and with my reduced schedule is to be able to help other wrestlers. You know give the next generation support and advice. You know a way of preparing the company for the coming years, as older guys move on and even retire. To give something back to the business and company who have done so much for me”.

Of course one big thing in the future of Mr Angle is his bid to one again grace the Olympics as a member of the US wrestling team.

“I started training two months ago for the Olympics, TNA are fully behind me with this and I’ll be able to do it at my speed and by my rules. A while back I was hoping to get into MMA and it just never worked out. The money was good and I did try, but it just never worked out, it all boiled down to start dates. With the Olympics it’s just like something clicked inside me, my competitive spirit returned, I’m more focused than ever. There are guys who say yeah Kurt Angle is all talk, he said he’d do MMA and didn’t so he’ll do the same with the Olympics. That’s not true, it never was a case of I never wanted to do it (MMA), it just wasn’t possible. This time the Olympic training is down to me, this stuff comes easy to me. It’s what I am used to. It may be 16 years since I won the Gold medal, but this is on my terms. I know I’m up against some world class wrestlers, but I’ll make the tram. You’ll see me at London 2012, once I make the team I’ll concentrate on getting another medal.”

Over the past few months the WWE have been distancing themselves from the term wrestling, whereas TNA have opted to embrace it. Changing the name of their TV show to Impact Wrestling and stating ‘We are Wrestling’, even going as far as to filming videos of key wrestlers explaining ‘Why Wrestling Matters’. Diehard wrestlers like Kurt surely have an opinion on this turn of events.

“It’s a gigantic mistake, you can’t take wrestling out of wrestling. If you are in this business and you have an issue, it ultimately comes down to wrestling. TNA are indeed wrestling, wrestling matters to us and we are a wrestling company. This development is a stepping stone for us as a company. You see that’s their (WWE) thing, they have their movies, music, TV programmes and other ventures on the go, so they want to try to distance themselves. Yet the irony is shows like Tough Enough are in fact about wrestling and TV shows, movies etc. get publicity because of the wrestlers involved. Them (WWE) doing this just helps us out even more, we are wrestling and always will be”.

Kurt’s also been branching out into the world of acting, many fellow wrestlers have been able to jump to the acting world with ease and carve successful careers for themselves.

“I actually made five movies last year. I’ve done three this year to date, I have an MMA themed one planned soon too. They sit well alongside wrestling to TNA, interestingly my original plan was to act, then I got the wrestling bug and never looked back. Wrestling has given me the opportunity to perform in front of the camera, work to a live audience and read dialogue or work off the cuff. I think that’s why many wrestlers can be great actors, we have already gained the experience and training without realising it”’.

With wrestlers jumping ship from company to company with ease these days and trends moving so quick. The chances of a big name WWE star coming to TNA has greatly increased. Recent years have seen names like Mick Foley, Christian, Hulk Hogan, Booker T, Kevin Nash and others make the trip. Given a free reign would Kurt wish any currently active WWE star to do the same?

“Great question, I’ll be honest I’ve two guys I’d love to see here (TNA). Rey Mysterio is a real talent and I’d love to see him round off his career here. He still has so much to give and we could let him do that. The other guy is Randy Orton (although I believe he has just signed a new 10 year deal). Those guys would be great here and we’d see they got to shine. Personally I’d enjoy being able to go around the ring against Randy and see Rey teach the X Division a thing or two. They’d be great here and compliment our already talented roster.

You can see Kurt angle on Impact Wrestling every week and as a part of the TNA Maximum Impact Tour next January. Check out www.tnawrestling.com for more details.