Kurt Angle & WWE/TNA Цялата история

[djihad]

Ето един широк поглед на драмата със Angle от времето на неговото уволнение до подписването във TNA.Статията е взета от 411mania.

This week’s Piledriver Report takes a comprehensive, in-depth look at the Kurt Angle/TNA alliance. From his being released by World Wrestling Entertainment to his shocking debut in TNA, we look at it all, including where Kurt Angle goes from here, what this means for the WWE, and should we be concerned for Angle’s well-being.

Shocking, stunning, and unbelievable. In the most surprising signing since Scott Hall and Kevin Nash left the World Wrestling Federation for World Championship Wrestling; Kurt Angle has signed with TNA Wrestling. A few weeks ago, I wrote an article on the career of Kurt Angle. Today, I can't believe I'm already writing about his return to professional wrestling.

This past month has been a strange month in the Kurt Angle story. On August 25th, the WWE released a statement on their website. "Due to personal issues, Kurt Angle has been granted an early release from his contract. World Wrestling Entertainment looks forward to establishing a new relationship with Kurt in the near future."

After the initial shock, www.wwe.com issued another statement with a quote from Kurt Angle, " My body is so beat up and run down, I can't even think straight. I need my body to heal and rehab; I have done this for too long without a break. I haven't been able to really enjoy my life. I haven't seen my family, I've had problems with medication - I'm just fried physically and mentally. " In regards to returning to the WWE, Angle said, "I can't tell you that right now, I need to heal up mentally and physically. Until then, I can't even think about returning." Angle mentioned, "Early on in the match (against Rob Van Dam), I pulled my groin, but I kept going, feeding off the crowd. Then I pulled my abdominal muscle off the pelvic bone, but I kept going, as the crowd grew more wild. Finally, I blew out my hamstring, but we finished the match." According to the website, Angle was stated as saying, "Vince says when I'm ready, if I'm ever ready, to come back just sign on the dotted line. I'll tell you if I do return I'm going back to my roots, training on the mat like my amateur days. Longevity is the key."

In the article, Angle's business manager David Hawk was quoted, "Kurt's in a tremendous amount of pain, he's used prescription medication to deal with it. Kurt has come to the conclusion that unless he can get in the ring without the use of pain medication then he doesn't need to be in there. He realizes he was just endangering himself and his opponents."

Vince McMahon then issued a statement through the WWE website. Vince said, "Kurt has been dealing with that pain, and the advancement of that pain, as well as other injuries. He had been dealing with that injury since he won the gold medal; he had been masking it in many ways just so he could go out and compete. Kurt only knows 100-percent; he is not one of those guys who can go out and compete at an 85-percent level. He just cannot do that; he's a thoroughbred. He has to go as fast, and as great, and as strong as he possibly can; that's the only way Kurt Angle knows."

Kurt Angle issued another statement, this time through his website www.kurtanglewwe.com. In it, he wrote, "The letter you are about to read is not from World Wrestling Entertainment, nor from my agent, but from me- Kurt Angle…to my all fans. This is my personal ‘Thank You' straight from my heart, to all my fans for being here with me and providing me with the most honorable privilege to perform and entertain for you. Thank you for tuning into your TVs weekly, for visiting me at hundreds of house show chanting ‘You Suck' (I love that phrase), to every single good, bad or indifferent e-mail I've received over the past 6 years and continue to receive daily. Thank you for being there and making my life truly blessed. When I came to WWE, many fans had doubts that an Olympic Gold Medallist in Amateur Wrestling could turn and master the art of Sports Entertainment. To my humble surprise, God graciously granted me the gift to make this exciting transition in my life. Coming into the WWE, I had one goal in mind...to be the VERY BEST! Many say I am; some may say I'm not. But I want you to know with over six solid years of non-stop wrestling action under my belt from all the shows to the world tours...I treated every single match as if it were my last! I've never known a time in my life from training; competition or entertainment that I have not tried to give over 100%. I honestly do not know of any other way to wrestle or perform, and I have always wanted to give YOU, the fans, what I would expect to see. From the entertainment standpoint, (good guy or bad guy), it's been truly exciting, but I know in my heart that I have not reached my peak. Critics have compared me to very honorable wrestlers like Rick (sic) Flair, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and the Undertaker, all of whom I value and truly respect. But there is one BIG difference between us. I am by far the most aggressive and intense athlete of all on the mat. When I step into the ring, I treat it as real, it feels real and then I play it like a real shoot fight. As an amateur wrestler for 23 years and a pro for 6, unfortunately over the past 4 years I have suffered many injuries. I broke my neck twice and had two major neck surgeries. I've fractured my ribs, hip, tailbone, fingers and toes while also tearing almost every major muscle at least one time or another. Injuries have always been a natural part of the business and my life, but where I have failed is not taking the time off to recover. When I'm off the mental stress, sitting back becomes worse than the physical pain. Something tells my inner soul to go back regardless of the condition. The funny thing is, this obsession is what the industry loves, but this obsession can also be my destruction.

Week after week, day after day, 250 days a year on the road can be a living hell for anyone, especially when you're in daily pain for months on end. It was at home when I began to realize how severe the problems were- when a simple task like taking out the garbage is like a full workout and I needed Motrin in order to get up and do it. It's time to rest! After 6 long years, I looked into my wife's eyes and finally saw that she, too, was severely stressed and worn out due to my livelihood that she had to endure. My 3-year old daughter Kyra basically became my nurse, thinking she had to put ice packs or heating pads on my neck, back and legs because she could see the pain her daddy was in. At this point, something happened that made me realize that wrestling wasn't the most important thing in my life. I sat down with my wife Karen, who had tears in her eyes. I could see in her face how concerned she was for me. She said, "I love you. I didn't marry you because you were a WWE Superstar. I married you before you ever joined them. Kurt, I'm so worried that if you continue going at this pace, something bad is really going to happen and I don't want Kyra and Kody (our unborn son) to grow up without their father. I did take this all to heart, but then, as usual, a couple of days later, I went back on the road, wanting to electrify my new ECW fans.

My last event was at the Westchester Arena in White Plains, New York. The show was sold out. The main event was me against RVD. I had a great match against RVD as the fans were cheering for both of us. The more we wrestled (Rob and I wrestle more of a realistic shoot style), the more I wanted to give them. Ten minutes into the match, I severely pulled my groin. Most wrestlers would have quit right on the spot. But the fans were chanting louder and louder "THIS MATCH RULES!" continuously, so I kept going. Compensating for my groin injury, I pulled my lower abdominal muscle off my pelvic bone. Now, I was in trouble, but I looked up at the fans and they were screaming louder than ever. So Rob and I started into our finish, false finish after false finish, back and forth. But the one thing the fans noticed is that I was doing half of the match on one leg. That made it feel even more real for the fans. I can only thank God and the fans for keeping me going, as I was in so much pain. And at the end of the match, I had the opportunity to beat RVD. I set him up for the Angle Slam and Rob countered with a flying DDT. My hamstring blew out. The fans cheered and I could not move in the ring. As the agonizing pain grew greater, I could only look around. Every fan was on their feet giving me a standing ovation. And this was at a house show, not a pay per view. My only regret was that I could not stand up and thank them all for it. To the ones who love me, the ones who hated me and even the ones who loved to hate me- You were and are my inspiration. God was and is my strength and so is my family—my Mom, sister and brothers, my father (God rest his soul), my Manager Dave Hawk and most especially, my wife Karen, who went through hell during my career. She has never given up on me. Fans, thank you all for the memories. It was quite a ride. I would not trade any of it for the world. As I sit here a bit teary eyed, I do want all of you to know, I will be fine. I will finally get to spend some real quality time with my family… time that is much, much overdue. My plan and goal is to become stronger mentally, physically and spiritually. I, Kurt Angle, will be back! That's a promise. And that's DAMN TRUE! Vince, if you happen to read this, I want to again say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are a great man! When we get together, the next cup of coffee is on me. ; )

God Bless,

Kurt Angle"

Everything looked like it was a mutual parting of the ways. Kurt Angle was worn out mentally and physically. He was addicted to pain killers and needed a rest. Fans were happy, yet sad. They were sad to see him go after all of the enjoyment that he gave them throughout the years. However, they were happy for him, because he would not be the latest in a long line of wrestlers who have died before they were 40 years old. The most optimistic fan expected Kurt Angle to heal up, and then make his WWE return in time for WrestleMania 23.

Then, something strange started to happen. The WWE ran a message on their WWE Mobile Alert Service. The text message stated, "According to sources, the meeting between WWE Execs & Kurt Angle was heated & confrontational. Angle was an emotional wreck departing WWE Titan Tower." So much for a mutual departure.

After just being released to heal his wounds, rumors were starting to run rampant that Kurt Angle would be back in the competitive fighting business sooner then later. Japan was calling, TNA was a rumor, and MMA companies such as Pride and UFC were also viable options.

Rumors regarding a possible career in the mixed martial arts arena were so strong that Jim Ross commented on the situation. "There is no doubt that the UFC-like entities will dream of Kurt Angle (some, no doubt, against Brock Lesnar) competing in an octagon or similar battle ground but my advice to Kurt would be to stay away from such activities and focus solely on getting healthy."

With Kurt Angle allegedly collecting a paycheck until February 2007, and a no-compete clause to match, few people thought that a decision on his future would be arrived at too soon. After all, by the time his no-compete ended, the WWE would be getting ready for its big push towards WrestleMania. Would Kurt Angle be able to turn down the big WWE payday at Mania for the smaller stage of TNA Wrestling? After being out of action for about five months, would Kurt Angle announce which MMA company he will compete for? After all, in a company like UFC, Angle would have the big stage, the big pay day, and a chance to experience something that he hasn't felt since he won his gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics; REAL COMPETITION.

Last week, Kurt Angle's manager Dave Hawk announced that Angle is retired from professional wrestling to ply his trade in the field of the mixed martial arts.

While all of this was going on, TNA Wrestling was undergoing tremendous changes. TNA even hyped the announcement of these changes on their next pay per view. These proclamations would change the face of TNA, and the wrestling industry forever. The first change was leaked out to the public late last week. TNA has added Vince Russo to its booking team. Most fans felt that this was the big surprise, and they were not too happy about it. TNA assured their fans that Russo was part of a change, but he wasn't the big surprise.

Many people felt the big announcement would be either a new or longer time slot for the TNA IMPACT show, or the arrival of a new wrestler to the company. If it was a new wrestler, who would it be? The list of rumored names were Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit, Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, or Kurt Angle. Chris Jericho was a logical name to be thrown out there. After all, he's been out of the business for over a year. The WWE has survived without him. He wants to try his hand at having an acting career. Working for three-four days a month, instead of a crazy WWE schedule, Jericho could still concentrate on an acting career. Plus, he's saved most of his money, so he doesn't need to worry about a earning WWE type paycheck. Chris Benoit never signed a new WWE contract. Therefore, he could pull a Lex Luger and show up in TNA at a moment's notice. Plus, he suffers from Christian-itis. That is he has main event talent, yet lingers as an under-pushed mid-carder. TNA could be a breath of fresh air for the talents of the "Rabid Wolverine." Goldberg has an exclusive contract with Spike-TV for the sole purpose of trying to work out a deal to join TNA Wrestling. Brock Lesnar is another big name that is out there. He is on bad terms with the WWE, was wrestling in Japan, and is now training in MMA. By signing with TNA, he can earn a paycheck for only three-four days of work each month. Remember, one of his reasons for leaving the WWE in the first place was due to the brutal road schedule. He would hardly have to travel for TNA, and he would have time to train and compete in MMA. Kurt Angle was another rumor. However, he seemed the least likely of the names out there. He was just released, and was talking about using his time to heal his body, his mind, and his marriage. Plus, everyone knows about the WWE's 90-day no-compete clauses. Angle was rumored to have a no-compete until February. Also, how could TNA afford the Olympic gold medallist when after a few months, he can go back to the WWE for big money?

TNA's pay per view No Surrender last Sunday answered a lot of the fans' questions. There was no mention of Vince Russo, so the fans knew that their surprise still had the chance to be a happy one. Late in the show, Jim Cornette announced that, as of November 16th, TNA IMPACT will be moved to a new time slot of 9pm-10pm. However, Cornette was eager to point out that this was not the major announcement. That left the fans with only one conclusion. The BIG surprise must be a new signing. They were NOT disappointed. As the show was about to close, they aired a video on the TNA-Tron. Kneeling in the shadows of the wrestling ring appeared a darkened figure, which started to shadow wrestle as the James Earl Jones voice over proclaimed "He is the former world heavyweight champion. An Olympic gold medallist. And arguably the greatest wrestler in the industry today." The spotlight shines on this covered warrior, as the announcer informs the viewers that "Kurt Angle is coming to TNA." Angle throws back his hood and intensely tells the audience "It's real! It's damn real! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

In a rarity for a professional wrestling organization, TNA definitely delivered a huge surprise. There was no Gobbledy Gooker inside of this giant egg. TNA promise news that would shake up the industry, and they the kept their word. In this world of high speed Internet, and instant news information, it is really amazing that TNA was able to keep the Angle signing a secret. How were they able to do it?

The deal was put together between Angle and Dixie Carter. The only people in TNA that had any knowledge of a deal was the company's Chief Financial Officer and Jeff Jarrett. Apparently, Dixie Carter made a list a few weeks ago, which featured the names of Kurt Angle, Goldberg, Chris Jericho, and Brock Lesnar. Carter asked to rank these men in the order of their potential benefit to TNA. Dave Meltzer believes that Kurt Angle's name was on the top of the list.

Angle arrived in Nashville on September 20th to film his promo, which was seen during the No Surrender pay per view. The segment was filmed at a local warehouse around midnight. To keep things secretive, TNA's regular film crew wasn't even used to record Angle's promo. The only information that was leaked was that a group of local wrestlers were hired to set up the ring. Despite never seeing Angle or being privy to the information that Angle would be there, these workers had to sign confidentiality agreements before they left. They weren't the only ones. It appears that only a handful of people inside of the company knew about Angle joining TNA. To make sure no member of this circle leaked the news, they were also forced to sign confidentiality agreements. To ensure that the talent wasn't the last ones to know, yet couldn't leak the information once they found out, TNA management let the wrestlers in on their little secret a mere fifteen minutes before the rest of the world found out. Now that TNA answered the question of what their big surprise would be, there is a bigger question that now needs to be answered. What happens next?

According to the Wrestling Observer website, Kurt Angle's manager, Dave Hawk, said that the deal with TNA is not an exclusive deal. While being under contract with TNA, Angle would be allowed to work for Mixed Martial Arts organizations. Angle is open to competing in MMA in 2007, and has had discussions with many different MMA promotions. David Hawk has suggested to Dana White that UFC should use Kurt Angle as a trainer during the next season of "Ultimate Fighter," in order to build up to Angle's UFC pay per view debut. Dana White was extremely confident that he would sign Angle, that he was set to sign Daniel Puder as his opponent (taking advantage of the Puder/Angle shoot incident from SmackDown! that the WWE failed to capitalize on).

David Meltzer wasn't sure about the length of Angle's TNA contract. He believes that if it's a shorter deal, the more likely Angle's TNA signing would be so he can keep his name in front of the public. Then once the tension dies down between the WWE and himself, Angle could return to the WWE.

While it was reported that Kurt Angle had a no-compete clause with the WWE, that was not the case. The WWE paid him until February 2007, as if he did have a no-compete clause. However, they just wanted to severe all ties with Kurt Angle, so they didn't include the no-compete option.

Despite Kurt Angle's health issues, this is a very exciting time for the TNA organization, and its fans. After years of signing WWF/E cast-offs like Ron Killings, Rhyno, the Dudleys, the New Age Outlaws, D-Lo Brown, Ken Shamrock, and Christian, TNA finally landed a big fish. One of the biggest fish in the industry. The excitement created by the Angle signing could be compared to the time Bret Hart left the WWF for World Championship Wrestling.

Both wrestlers were considered among the top one or two wrestlers in the industry at the time they crossed over. Both signing were viewed at with mixed emotions of sadness and excitement. After 13 years in the WWF, the fans were sad to see Bret Hart leave the company. They grew up as Bret grew up. They followed his career from a mid-card singles wrestler, to a tag team champion, to a multiple time WWF World Champion. To make matters even more depressing, the Survivor Series screwjob happened.

Like Bret, the fans invested a lot of time and emotions into following Kurt Angle's career in the WWF/E. He gave the fans 110%, whether it was in the ring or on the microphone cutting a promo or comedy sketch. When you mention the name Kurt Angle, ten different fans could easily mention ten different matches as the greatest Kurt Angle match they ever saw. Angle fought classic battles against Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guererro, Brock Lesnar, and even Shane McMahon.

When word first broke out that Kurt Angle was leaving the WWF, after the shock wore off, there was a tremendous amount of sadness, but relief. The fans were sad, because all of the five-star matches that Kurt Angle gave us would be no longer. We would only get to see those great battles in our memories and on DVD. Never would we get to witness a Kurt Angle match in person. Despite our selfishness, we were glad to hear that Angle would be getting the rest and healing that his body and mind needed and deserved.

Now that Angle signed with TNA, despite our worries about his health, there is a buzz amongst the wrestling fans. Just look at this website, and the numerous articles that were written about Kurt Angle this week.

When it became apparent that Bret Hart was really coming to World Championship Wrestling, the fans started to salivate at the thought of all of the different opponents that Bret Hart would face. Sting, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, and Goldberg were just some of the names that rolled off many of the fans' tongues. While some of these opponents "The Hitman" had already fought while in the WWF, many others were matches that the fans only dreamed of.

Angle's TNA arrival is bringing the same thoughts. "The Wrestling Machine" Kurt Angle going nose to nose against Samoa Joe. Angle in a technical classic against AJ Styles or Christopher Daniels would bring back memories of Angle vs. Benoit. How about feuding with an old rival in Christian? What about a WWE sports entertainment style feud against Jeff Jarrett? For critics who have said that TNA's television shows are missing that special ingredient, even they have to smile at the thought of these possible matches involving Kurt Angle. Notice, that I didn't even bring up Scott Steiner or Sting yet?

Many observers don't believe that Kurt Angle's departure will create a true number two promotion to battle the WWE juggernaut. However, Angle's departure (without an expected return after a few months off) is a crushing blow to the WWE. His departure may not send viewers flocking to Spike-TV. However, his release may lead many WWE fans to look for other programs to watch instead of RAW, SmackDown, or ECW. It's not solely because of Kurt Angle. The Olympic gold medallist is just one link in a chain of wrestlers who have left the WWE over the last three years. Take a look at the list of wrestlers that have left the WWE since the first WWE Draft Lottery. Superstars such as The Rock, Kevin Nash, Hulk Hogan (on a full-time basis), the Dudleys, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Christian, and Steve Austin (except for a couple of spots a year) are no longer in the WWE. That's ten top wrestlers that the WWE has had a hard time replacing. After all, you can't replace star power like The Rock, Hogan, and Austin very easily, because you can't teach the "it" factor. Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho, and Eddie Guerrero were three of the WWE's top workers in this decade. Who replaced them, a bunch of green workers from Ohio Valley? Even the WWE's women roster has been effected. In the early part of the decade, the women could work as well as most of the men. With Trish Stratus leading the charge, you had Jacqueline, Ivory, Molly Holly, and Jazz. The WWE replaced them with the cookie cutter Diva wannabes that enter a stupid contest once a year. The losses continued this year as Stacy Keibler, Kurt Angle, and Trish Stratus have all left the company. In November, Lita is supposed to be following them out the door as well. The WWE had the deepest roster in professional wrestling history not that long ago. Today, the WWE has Triple H, John Cena, Edge, Carlito, Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, and Shelton Benjamin on RAW. SmackDown! sports the Undertaker, Booker T, Rey Mysterio, Chris Benoit, and Batista. That doesn't bring back memories of the SmackDown! Six from 2002. The WWE's third brand of ECW has the Big Show, Rob Van Dam, Sabu, and CM Punk. Maybe if all three brands joined together as one, there would be depth. However, it still wouldn't match the WWF/E's depth from the early years in this decade.

While the WWE is hurting from a lack of depth, the biggest concern in the Kurt Angle/TNA alliance has to do with Angle's health. It's common knowledge that Angle has been dealing with injuries and a tremendous amount of pain. It's also common knowledge that to deal with the injuries and the pain, he needs to use painkillers. Sometimes when you are in too much pain, you tend to abuse these same pills that are supposed to help you in your agony. It appears that Kurt Angle falls into this category.

If you are a wrestling fan, you have heard the horror stories. The list of wrestlers dying young is a mile long. The list of cause of death, however, isn't. Suicide, drug overdose (recreational and prescription abuse), and heart attacks (many caused by years of steroid and/or some form of drug abuse) are the usual cause of death. When you hear about a wrestler who has the competitive fire of Kurt Angle, a man who will compete to his fullest capabilities, regardless of what condition he's in, you tend to worry.

That's the scariest part of thinking about Kurt Angle continuing his wrestling career with any federation, regardless if it's TNA, WWE, or even UFC.

For those who think that Internet marks and newsletters, such as the Wrestling Observer, are reporting too negatively about Kurt Angle, and his use of painkillers. That his problem can't be too bad. It's just sensational journalism. If you think we are saying these things just for you to click on our links, or to sell newsletters, just read the passage below:

"He wanted to wrestle. That's what he wanted to do. There's no way you can talk him into anything else. He wanted to be a wrestler. Right now, he wanted to be a wrestler. He didn't see his wrestling career being over."

"We knew that he was hurting, but when you asked him, he would lie to you. ‘I'll be alright. I'm working through it."

"He was beat up. He had his ankle problems, back problems. He did everything. He was a great performer. A great athlete. Near the end of his career, I believe he started suffering physically. It showed in the ring."

"You could just see it on his face. You could tell when it was bothering him. It was just on his face."

"Pain was a bother to him. It was something he needed to overcome. He might have compensated that pain with prescription painkillers. It was something he did to just continue to be in the business. It's something (wrestling) that he truly, truly loved."

"There was no one way he was going to get around it (the pain) without a lot of medication."

Those quotes could be used to describe most wrestlers around the world. It's a pain game, and they are its soldiers. After what has been reported regarding Kurt Angle, these quotes can easily be used when talking about the "wrestling machine." When hearing these quotes, that's exactly who I thought of. However, these words were not about Kurt. Those sentences were used to describe Brian Pillman in the new DVD called Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon.

It's scary when you think of it, because the parallels between the two are staggering. All Angle ever wanted to do was to compete and wrestle. He's been hurting for years, but always would down play his pain. He is a great performer, yet you can see his pain. He uses painkillers to continue to compete and entertain, as he knows he can't perform without them. I'm not the only one who feels this way. In the latest "Wrestling Observer Newsletter," I wasn't surprised to read Meltzer's comments confirming my beliefs. Meltzer writes "People who lived through both have seen incredible similarities between Angle and the late Brian Pillman, who passed away nine years ago this week. If anything, Angle is an even more heavily driven overachiever, but they share similar athletic mentalities as well as emotional fragilities. Their behavior is so identical that it is scary, other than of the two, Angle is the more extreme."

It's even scarier when you realize that Brian Pillman died a young man. He died of a heart attack due to a genetic defect. His reliance on prescription painkillers didn't help his heart any. Kurt Angle's family, friend's, and fans do not want him to suffer the same fate as the "Loose Canon." They want him to live a long life to be enjoyed with by his children and, eventually, grandchildren.

Despite the warning signs, this isn't to say that Angle is destined to be another casualty of the business. In the best case scenario, Angle will heal himself to the point where he is no longer hurting. Then the lighter work schedule of TNA will do wonders for his body and mind. It appears that TNA is starting things slow with Kurt Angle. He is not scheduled to compete in the ring anytime soon. He will appear at the October 9th TNA television tapings, most likely to cut a promo. Next, he will be at the next TNA pay per view Bound For Glory. He will be there as a "special enforcer" in the NWA World title match between Sting and Jeff Jarrett. Expect the in-ring referee to get knocked out. This would allow Angle to enter the ring, get into some small scuffle with Jarrett, count Double J's shoulders down for the three count, and raise Sting's hand in victory. After that, they will probably keep Angle from wrestling until the December pay per view. By then, wrestling 2 or 3 nights a month may not be too hard on his body.

Shortly after Angle left the WWE, he issued a statement on his website talking about his pain and suffering. After completing the filming of his promo that aired at No Surrender, Kurt Angle issued another statement. This time he sounded like a totally different man. Before, he seemed depressed and defeated. Now, he seems reinvigorated and determined.

"Being with TNA feels like I have finally found my home. I had fun in WWE at certain times, but I was never really happy. Now being part of TNA, I know I have a purpose. I feel like I am part of history, part of a company that is now only on the rise--not only going to be the number one watched wrestling show in the world within a short period of time--but TNA gives me an opportunity to spread my wings. The company has no limits to where it can go. The sky is the limit and the main reason is because they brought the 'real' back into wrestling and that is a perfect fit for the greatest wrestler in USA Olympic history. I have room to grow here and to help TNA grow. Working for these caring and very giving employers of TNA makes me feel like I have a purpose and that the sky is the limit. I don't feel trapped or held back like I did the first six years in my tenure with the other company. They held me back. Now, our wonderful audience will see the real Kurt Angle doing what I love to do--real wrestling--and that's what puts a smile on my face each time I come to work. I even smile when I think about it. TNA will be the most watched television show on cable television. It's only a matter of time. Now, I get the opportunity and privilege of being part of it. Thank you TNA for saving my career, my life and my desire to do what I love. I will be here in some capacity for the rest of my life. That's real...that's damn real."

Whether that's an act for the cameras, or the fact that Kurt Angle really is on the path towards being healthy and happy once again, only time will tell. The fans are willing to hop on and enjoy the ride as long as Angle can drive the machine painfree. If he can, then everybody wins, and that's true. It's damn true!