WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold medalist Kurt Angle has revealed that he once almost signed for the UFC. The American Hero, is currently retired from professional wrestling, after making sporadic appearances in WWE, over the last few years.
Speaking in the Pat McAfee Show, Kurt Angle spoke of how he received an offer from the UFC, way back in 1997, before Dana White purchased the company. He went on to say that he had to turn it down, since the money wasn’t great and wasn’t willing to risk concussions and injuries. He also divulged how, Dana White wanted him to do one fight and turn up at every UFC PPV, back in 2006; when Angle left the WWE.
‘I even talked to Dana White when I left the WWE in 2006‘
Kurt Angle was quoted as saying, “UFC approached me in 1997 and they offered me a ten-fight deal. The money wasn’t that great back then. I was gonna get the highest deal, and it was $15,000 a fight, $150,000 for ten fights. It’s still good money but it’s not great money for putting your body on the line like that. You’re risking concussions and injuries, and it’s just too much. I declined the offer. This is before Dana White purchased the company. UFC didn’t explode until after I had gotten into WWE. That was around 2000 or 2001. I came to WWE in ‘99 and, being in there, I had a great rookie year. One of the best ever. And I just felt like I didn’t want to start over again.” [via BJPenn.con]
Speaking about what went on with Dana White, back in 2006, Angle said, “I even talked to Dana White when I left the WWE in 2006. He flew me to Las Vegas and he’s a great guy. He treated me very well. He told me that he wanted me to do one fight and he also wanted me to show up at every pay-per-view, wave in the crowd and be there. It was a lucrative deal but I’d just signed with TNA – IMPACT Wrestling. I asked Dana if I could do both, but he said I couldn’t do both, you had to do one or the other.” [via BJPenn.com]
He however seemed glad that he didn’t sign for the UFC. Speaking of which he said, “So it never happened and I’m glad it didn’t because breaking my neck five times in total, it’s a lot of damage. And I didn’t have any upper body strength. If somebody had got me in an armbar, there was no way I could fight it. They would have ripped my arm off. So I decided that it wouldn’t be the best option for me and that I would rather stick with the entertainment stuff.” [via BJPenn.com]
How would Kurt Angle have fared, had he signed for the UFC?
