Even Though Kurt Angle Is Re-signed He’s Still Considering A Future In WWE

Along with the earlier news of his next – and probably last, according to him- contract being with Dixie Carter and Impact Wrestling, Kurt Angle recently did a ninety minute interview with Vince Russo.

The entire thing is for subscribers of Russo’s pay site, but they have released a free show that includes some footage from before and after the version for which they’re charging.  You can see that embedded below; the Angle section starts about 49 minutes in after some opinion, rumor reporting and plugging of sponsors.

In it, the Olympic Gold Medalist speaks pretty frankly about working for TNA and WWE, and where he stands with the power brokers in each organization.

On TNA President Carter, he talks about her learning curve, and doesn’t entirely disagree with Russo’s criticism that Dixie brings in others to run things because she doesn’t want to make decisions :

I think Dixie makes decisions, but I think it takes her a while to be an expert in the business. She’s been in entertainment for a long time but not necessary wrestling. She may not know the business as well as the people she brings in. She has a big heart; perhaps too big. The way she has treated me has been nothing short of incredible. She has made some mistakes with some things she has done, with people she hired and the direction they wanted to go. It’s definitely been a learning experience for her. I don’t know, Vince. You made a lot of good points.

Comparing and contrasting the experience of working for Carter with that of working for Vince McMahon in WWE, Angle touches on the CM Punk podcast from last week.  His exit from the company was certainly different from Punk’s, but working with and through injury played a part in both.  And, in his case, Kurt places the burden of that on himself:

Dixie has the motherly love. With Vince, he treated me like I was kind of a son. Whether he cared about me or not, he took care of me. I was the first one he called every New Year’s Eve. He was always there for me. I never had a problem with him. I listened to the CM Punk interview. I don’t know who’s telling the truth or not. I don’t know if CM Punk went over the top or not. I haven’t had that type of relationship with Vince that Punk did. Dixie is not Vince. Vince knows the business like anyone else. I don’t think anyone can be like Vince. Of course Vince will treat you better if you’re making him money. I always had a great experience with both of them. Dixie has always treated me good. I think she has sometimes put people in charge that hasn’t treated me well. I don’t think it was her fault. She’s the boss. With McMahon, you have to be a work horse to work in the WWE. Vince didn’t put me in that situation. I put myself in the situation. I put the responsibility on me for not speaking up for three years…

You get a sense from this interview that Angle’s both at peace with this decision, but still looking to a future that could include returning to WWE.  That’s smart, since even ifImpact Wrestling experiences a major resurgence in their new home on Destination America, his legacy will still mean more, and be worth more financially, with a WWE Hall of Fame birth and the McMahon company promoting his every retirement move.

Rumors are prevalent that Triple H worked to prevent Kurt from returning to WWE, stories that Angle knows about but says he doesn’t believe:

I thought about it. I’ve never had a problem with Triple H. When I was there, he treated me well. We did business the right way. I’ve seen and heard rumors about that. When I talked to WWE, Vince and I buried the hatchet from years ago and we don’t have a problem with each other. I haven’t heard anything about Triple H saying and doing anything that blocked me. So, even though I don’t know for sure, from my experiences talking to WWE, I don’t think it’s a problem. I think a lot of it is rumor. But I don’t know for sure. I wouldn’t know. There’s no way to possibly know unless he went and told me himself. I’ve read things but I can’t believe what I read because most of what we read is bullcrap. Triple H hasn’t been a problem and I don’t have any problem with Triple H, WWE or Vince at all. The good thing about this the past year is Vince and I were able to be on speaking terms again and we haven’t been in eight years.

We don’t have details on the new TNA deal, noteably its length.  But just because he probably will never wrestle for WWE again, he still thinks he’s got something to offer:

My days are winding down. There’s no doubt about it. I probably won’t be able to go more than a year or two. I’m so good on what I do. Whether it would be in WWE or TNA, I think I have a future as an agent or in coaching/teaching. I’m actually better at coaching than as an actual wrestler. At the same time, I’m good at coaching/teaching amateur wrestling than I was as an Olympic gold medalist. I am torn on whether to go back to my amateur roots or pro wrestling. I have had offers on both sides.

Looking forward to Angle’s return to Impact?  Do you think we’ll eventually see back in WWE at the end of his career?  Does the thought of Kurt working at the Performance Center do anything for you?