Angle Interview

Source: KHTK 1140AM (Sacramento)

Kurt Angle was a guest this week on the Showgram, hosted by Jim Kozimor and Henry Turner on KHTK Sports 1140AM in Sacramento, California. Here are the wrestling-related highlights:

-- Angle did not watch WrestleMania 24 but he is glad Ric Flair was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and respects Flair for all he has done and accomplished.

-- Angle said he believes TNA will be in a ratings war with the WWE within two to three years, much like it was during the late-'90s when it was WWE and WCW. He said TNA has come a long way in five years and has gone further than the WWE did in their first five years.

-- Angle said TNA has been great to him. They're very flexible and supportive in allowing him to try different things such as movies, TV shows and training for an MMA fight with Randy Couture in the fall.

-- Angle said he and Couture have both signed with a promotion but won't say who. Angle said they will be looking for more promoters to help make the event something big and special. Angle said the fight would more than likely take place in California but did not mention a city.

-- Angle is training twice per week and will intensify his training program as the fight gets closer

-- Angle said his neck is 100 percent and is glad he didn't do the fusion surgery.

-- Angle said he talked to UFC's Dana White two weeks after signing with TNA. Angle said White would only sign him to a deal if he didn't wrestle for TNA. Angle said he couldn't do it and wanted to be loyal to TNA as TNA was flexible and supportive in other ventures Angle wanted to pursue.

-- Angle said he would fight Brock Lesner, but only if the money was right as they are very good friends.

-- Angle said that Sting told him after one of their matches that Sting said Angle was the best wrestler he has ever faced.

TNA & WWE will never be in a ratings war.

Keep dreamin' Kurt. There will never be another Monday night war.


McMahon will sit back and wait 'til they become a threat, TNA starts having financial difficulties, and McMahon will offer a lucrative buyout.

I think there will be a war soon but i dont think TNA can beat WWE as you said money difficulty then a buy out that is how it is going to go.

Times have changed. Vince's company was MUCH smaller in 1997-98 when WCW was ruling the roost.

Ya but if they move SD back to thursdays like i have been hearing when the leave CW this summer i think that there will be a ratings war between WWE and TNA and the battle ground Impact and SmackDown. I still think WWE will win though.

I dont know, They would have to do a total redo on smackdown, Because right now they could not beat jack shit.

Well I think after the draft if they send some main eventers there then it will be a really good show. Also get rid of the hole Vicky Edge storyline because that is dragging it down. But other than that i would say that SD is good enough to take down TNA if it had to. I now RAW is the flagship brand but i like SD and with just some more main eventers like maby jericho and Umaga it would be an awsome show.

Personally i feel like WWE should make SD the main brand because it has the better wrestling. But RAW has the history and ECW is definately WAY behind. Huhh i cant wait until the draft when SD gets equipped with a huge, good roster. SD is a better show now. Its has way better ratings than TNA and would beat TNA if it went to Thursday. Face the facts WWE is bigger now than ever.

I actually prefer the TNA shows to SD lately. However, I don't believe TNA has the publicity or money to go into a war with WWE yet. Although we all wish it would - the Monday night War was the best time for wrestling.

When there is competition you always step up your game and if there is a war for ratings both shows will try to put up the best matchs, so all i can say is the real people who win in these wars are us fans who watch because they always put on great matchs when you fight for the fans.

Well I like SD! better than RAW back then!

I mean, they use to focus as a wrestling program and SD! was like WCW especially with their titles!

But as far as RAW goes, the only reason that I watch RAW is for the Women's Division, but it ain't diddley squat nowadays!

as for TNA, I wouldn't mind seeing that!

I mean RAW took on NITRO and Thunder took on SD! for the 1st 4 months before SD! took on NBC!

and now, we'll just have to wait and see!

Now if this is true that SD! will move to MyNetworkTV, then I won't be watching SD! anytime soon b/c right now, I don't have MyNetworkTV and I don't think that this will be a good move for SD! to move to MyNetworkTV and The CW is thinking about becoming more like Lifetime and focusing on programming for women!

You only like SD better than RAW because they sent the WCW titles to SD.



Biased.

Well that's b/c SD! had better wrestlers and plus, I'd rather watch wrestling on SD! than see Vince McMahon on RAW pulling his pants down!

I mean hey, in case if you didn't know Axl, Booker T. said that when he was on SD! he liked every bit of it and there were no politics and no matter who was the champion, he had a great experience, but when he went to RAW, it was all about politics!

and also, SD! helped make new Superstars like London & Kendrick, Mr. Kennedy, The World's Greatest Tag Team, Melina and Jillian Hall!

But ever since they moved to RAW, some of them have been getting buried!

and Axl, the only title match that I like as of late on RAW is the I-C Title Matches, now the U.S. Title has been around since 1975, but lately, MVP has let that title go to waste!

and I'm not being biased, I'm being honest!

I like SD! b/c SD! was a WRESTLING Program, but ever since the whole Edge and Vickie Storyline, I'm disgusted!

I don't know why people want another Monday Night War, for one thing like Axl said, it won't happen. And if it does it will happen in ten plus years unlike the overly optimistic Angle. TNA has slid due to Angle imo.

Quote :

and I'm not being biased, I'm being honest!

No not when you like anything that is slightly connected WCW better than WWE product.

Well I respect your opinion Slash!

and just so you know, Kurt Angle is probably going to take a break from TNA b/c he's going to do a reality show coming up!

and also Slash, I'm here to share my thoughts and opinions!

and I hope that you and I can get along on this board!

I've been getting along w/everyone thus far and it's all good!

Since the Edge/Vickie storyline I have found it hard to wathc SD, but I have enjoyed the actual matches more than Raw. These last few weeks I have looked at the SD card and been genuinely excited - something that only hapens rarely.

I agree!

I like SD! more than I like RAW!

I mean when the Brand Extension Era began, SD! had great matches from the likes of Rey Mysterio, Matt Hardy, Brock Lesnar, Big Show, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, Booker T., the Cruiserweights, Tag Teams like The World's Greatest Tag Team, Los Guerreros, London & Kendrick and Women's Action from Torrie Wilson and Dawn Marie to Melina and Jillian Hall and now, thankfully we got Victoria, Cherry, Nattie Neidhart, and of course SD! Interviewer Eve Torres, but lately, the whole Edge/Vickie/Chavo Plot is getting ridiculous!

But the WCW Titles (World and U.S. Heavyweight Titles) and the SD! Tag Team Titles have what made SD! so unique!

But the only reason that I watch RAW is to see the I-C Title Matches, London & Kendrick, Mr. Kennedy and Melina, Jillian Hall and Lilian Garcia, but other than that, I don't care for Triple H, HBK, JBL, RKO, John Cena and their Heavyweight Division b/c it has become a joke, and so have their Tag Team Divisions, I mean why put Carlito with Santino?

and Mickie James and Beth Phoenix have been WAY overrated!

and as for HEaT, they got Charlie Haas, Super Crazy and of course DH Smith!

tnalockdownfan wrote:

But the only reason that I watch RAW is to see the I-C Title Matches, London & Kendrick, Mr. Kennedy and Melina, Jillian Hall and Lilian Garcia, but other than that, I don't care for Triple H, HBK, JBL, RKO, John Cena and their Heavyweight Division b/c it has become a joke, and so have their Tag Team Divisions, I mean why put Carlito with Santino?

I like all of the listed wrestlers other than Cena, in contrast to you. As for Carlito/Santino - while not an obvious pairing they are a good mix and their time on the mic is fairly entertaining, mainly due to Marella.

tnalockdownfan wrote:

Mickie James and Beth Phoenix have been WAY overrated!

and as for HEaT, they got Charlie Haas, Super Crazy and of course DH Smith!

I quite like Phoenix and James can wrestle quite well. As fot HEAT - I don't have time to watch it so I cannot comment much on it, but I did enjoy Haas in TWGTT and Super Crazy was hugely entertaining at ECW ONS '05 and on Raw at some point in time.