Kurt Angle Reflects on His Wrestling Career

Kurt Angle, a name many associate with his impressive WWE run, achieved remarkable success there, securing six world titles and becoming the fifth Grand Slam champion in the company’s history. But he didn’t just start with that fame; he earned an Olympic gold medal before stepping into the ring, which is, well, pretty remarkable in its own right.

If you’re a fan of pro wrestling, particularly Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), you’d know that Angle truly thrived there too. In fact, during nearly a decade with TNA, he clinched six world championships, along with two tag team and one X Division championship.

In a recent interview, Angle expressed his belief that his career in TNA was actually better than his time in WWE. He mentioned, “To be honest with you, I had an incredible career in both WWE and TNA, and I believe that I had a better career in TNA. Unfortunately, a lot of those WWE fans didn’t get to see it.” He noted that while TNA has dedicated fans worldwide, in the U.S., it has often been overshadowed by WWE. “I would have loved for the WWE fans to see me wrestle in TNA,” he added wistfully.

During his time there, some of Angle’s standout matches included memorable encounters with wrestlers like Abyss, Samoa Joe, and A.J. Styles. For WWE fans who’ve missed these matches, Angle recommends checking out his bouts with Joe and Styles. He described his debut match against Joe—possibly at a pay-per-view event—as a standout experience, appreciating Joe’s physicality and Styles’ athleticism.

When discussing the dynamics of wrestling, Angle explained how Joe’s ground-and-pound grappling complemented his freestyle style. Despite Styles’ high-flying tendencies, Angle noted they meshed well together, which made for exciting matches.

During his TNA career, Angle achieved notable success, winning two King of the Mountain matches. This unique match type involves competitors striving to hang a title belt on a hook above the cage—kind of like a reversed ladder match, if you will.

Angle was later inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2013, joining a roster of other legends like Sting, Jeff Jarrett, and Mickie James.

Reflecting on TNA’s creativity, Angle expressed surprise that some of their unique match types hadn’t made it to WWE yet. “I’m surprised it hasn’t already,” he remarked, suggesting that WWE could benefit from incorporating some of TNA’s innovative ideas, even tweaking names and concepts if necessary.

Looking ahead, TNA is set to induct three new members at its upcoming Bound for Glory pay-per-view in October. ODB, Amazing Red, and Konnan will be added to this prestigious list.