Kurt Angle Opens Up About His Final Years In The Ring

In an interview with Chris Van Vliet's podcast, Kurt Angle discussed his return to WWE and why he was used for shorter matches before he retired from the ring.

“I knew I would go back, I just didn’t know when. I probably waited a couple of years too long. I did stay in great shape when I got back to WWE in 2016. I was ready to wrestle. I took a year off and I wrestled who I wanted I wrestled Rey Mysterio. I wrestle [Alberto] Del Rio. I wrestled Cody Rhodes a couple times, three times actually. So, I was just trying to keep my body fresh and obviously keep enough activity to keep my body in shape that if I did come back to WWE I’d be ready.”

“When I did, Triple H and Vince McMahon pulled me aside and said ‘We’re gonna induct you in the Hall Of Fame first. Is that okay?’ I said, ‘Yeah, but I’d rather wrestle first.'”

“I didn’t have any options and I think I understand why. I don’t think it was to criticize me because I did leave WWE high and dry in 2006. It was my choice to leave and I know Vince McMahon and I didn’t part on good terms and I went straight to the other company [TNA].”

“Coming back Vince never forgot that I had a severe painkiller problem and I had a severe neck problem and I think when Vince brought me back he looked at me as a liability.”

“I think that’s why he had me do the shorter matches. He had me put talent over. He never really ran with me with a title run or anything like that. So, I was expecting that. Goldberg came back [and had a title run] Sting came in and I think he at least had a title match, but it wasn’t in the plans. I don’t blame Vince for that. Me being a liability with my five broken neck and my painkiller problem from a long time. I don’t think he wanted to see me fall back into that.”