Kurt Angle talks about how close he came to signing with the UFC
In a recent interview with the MMA Hour, former Olympic freestyle wrestling gold medalist and pro wrestling star Kurt Angle detailed the multiple times he toyed with the idea of trying MMA out. Though the 46-year-old said that he gave up on the idea four years ago and has no regrets, he did acknowledge that he would have liked to have tried out MMA.
"I've had meetings with them all in MMA. ... I considered going until I turned 42," Angle said.
"I wouldn't even think about doing it now, unfortunately. I don't regret it. When I met with (UFC president) Dana White, he wanted me to quit wrestling entirely, but I had just signed with TNA (a top professional wrestling organization, second only to WWE). ... I couldn't tell (TNA owner) Dixie Carter I wanted to back out."
Many high-level international amateur wrestlers like Angle, including Randy Couture, Daniel Cormier, Dan Henderson, Mark Coleman, Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen, made successful transitions from wrestling to MMA. NCAA Division I wrestling champ Brock Lesnar also went from WWE to the UFC and won the heavyweight title.
Of course, former WWE star Phil "CM Punk" Brooks is now signed to fight in the UFC, as well. Angle said that he would have done well in MMA had he put time and effort into learning the craft.
The wrestler came close to signing with the UFC several times. The first time was in 2006, after he was let go by WWE.
White wanted to pit Angle against rookie pro wrestler and rising pro MMA fighter Daniel Puder, with whom Angle had an infamous and impromtu real life "shoot" submission grappling match during a live WWE broadcast. Angle challenged a group of aspiring WWE wrestlers, including Puder, to come in the ring and wrestle him.
Puder accepted, got taken down by Angle but used his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu knowledge to lock on a Kimura shoulder lock on Angle, who didn't know the hold. A referee came in and saved Angle, but once wrestling fans realized what had happened and the enusing real heat between Angle and Puder, White saw promotional gold.
By the time Angle got the offer from White, he had signed with TNA, however. Though if he and Puder would have ended up fighting, the Olympic champ is confident he could have won.
"Dana wanted to go with it," Angle said.
"Not that I'd say Daniel Puder would be an easy fight, but I don't think he'd have been a problem, and it was big money. But I'd just signed with TNA three days earlier."
White next offered Angle a UFC deal two years later. The offer was for Angle to be a participant on the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter, alongside the likes of Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, Brendan Schaub, Roy Nelson and Matt Mitrione. Angle was interested, but didn't feel he could be ready in time to shoot the show.
"The second time I met with Dana, I took the physical," Angle recounted.
"He wanted me to do The Ultimate Fighter with Kimbo. He was great. He was willing to pay me a good bit of money to be on the show. But he wanted me ready in four-and-a-half weeks. It just wasn't in the cards. I think it would have been great TV. He was willing to sign me to a six-fight deal after the show, but he wanted me on the show. But it wasn't going to happen in four-and-a-half weeks."
Angle also offered his own prediction of whether former UFC champ and current WWE roster member Brock Lesnar will return to MMA. "I think he's going to fight again," Angle said.
"I believe everyone knows he wasn't 100 percent in his last two fights (against Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem). He was really having a hard time when he went back to pro wrestling. I think if he went back now he could still do some damage. He's a beast. He's a great athlete. But I don't know if he'll do it when this contract expires."
Looking back on his own athletic career, Angle said that he is confident he could have been just as successful in MMA as he was in his entertainer role in professional wrestling. When he ended his amateur career, however, the money just wasn't in MMA and the UFC the way it is now.
"I believe I'd have been as good in MMA as I was in pro wrestling," he said.
"But I don't regret it. If the money was there in MMA when I came out of the Olympics, I'd have gone into MMA. But it wasn't there until I was four years into my WWE career. But I love pro wrestling, so it wasn't meant to be for me."
