TAKE PWTORCH
WITH YOU! Get our iPhone App (FREE!): Click Here Or enter "PWTorch.com" on your Blackberry or other Smart Phone browser for mobile-version of PWTorch.
TNA News
TNA News: Report on Kurt Angle's future in TNA - full-time into movies after wrestling career, claims he was close to signing with UFC Jun 22, 2009 - 2:33:43 PM
Kurt Angle says he expects to go full-time into movies after a few more years of wrestling in TNA. Based on interviews Angle did this past weekend when Angle said his TNA contract expires in two years, Angle probably won't re-sign as a full-time wrestler with TNA, but perhaps stay with the company as an "ambassador" beyond his wrestling career.
Angle was asked on The Pain Clinic radio show on Saturday whether he's going to balance full-time wrestling and acting like John Cena or move into acting exclusively. Angle said TNA has helped him do both for right now, but he believes he'll become a mainstream actor after his wrestling career is over.
"I believe I'll eventually just cross over to movies, but I don't plan on doing it full (time) for at least for a few years," Angle said. "I believe that I have a responsibility in TNA to help them grow in ratings and help them grow as a company."
Angle said TNA management has supported his pursuit of movies as the company sees potential for Angle to draw new eyeballs to the product as they continue to grow.
"(TNA president) Dixie Carter has been a God-send for me. She doesn't want to just contain me within the TNA bubble, but break through it and become a mainstream actor and also wrestle at the same time," Angle said. "I don't plan on leaving TNA for a few years, but when it's all said and done, I think my career will spring over to acting."
Angle also nixed the idea of moving into MMA out of personal obligation to TNA. Angle says TNA took a chance on him to wrestle after he left WWE in 2006 and he didn't want to leave TNA "high and dry" by moving strictly to MMA.
"I was thinking about making the cross-over from wrestling to MMA, but I decided right now, what's best for me and what's best for TNA is me to stick with professional wrestling," Angle said. "I really believe in TNA. It would be a crucial time for me to quit TNA right now."
Angle claims he met with UFC president Dana White on three separate occasions to discuss fighting for UFC. He says he even passed the Nevada State Athletic Commission tests to be licensed to fight in Las Vegas.
However, Angle says Dana White doesn't want performers to split time between UFC and any other organization. "Dana won't allow you to do anything but UFC. You can't do professional wrestling and fighting at the same time," Angle said.
Ultimately, Angle said he decided to stick with TNA even if it means passing up an opportunity to compete in a legit sport. Angle didn't sound disappointed reflecting on a potential opportunity gone-by.
"I'm not getting any younger. If I was ever to do MMA, I would have to do it pretty soon," Angle said. "If I don't, I can just thank Dana for the opportunity. TNA is right now my top priority."
INCREDIBLE BENEFITS! Over 50 full-length audio updates per month (iPod compatible)... New weekly award-winning Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter (text and printable pdf versions) with latest exclusive insider news, new Torch Talks, great columns, Keller's cover story, much more... Hundreds of full-length back issues of PWTorch Newsletter from late-'80s to today... Ad-free access to PWTorch.com's Main Listing... VIP Forum with interaction with other subscribers and Torch staff... Torch Talk Library with text and audio of hundreds of interview installments from last 20 years... Great layout... Deepest archives on pro wrestling history anywhere... Keller's PWTorch Today PDF Bulletins with email alerts... VIP Email reports on major PPVs and TV shows... Staff Roundtable Reviews (text and audio) followiing major events... The best staff of writers and world class reporting since 1987... We'd love for you to join us and experience the most entertaining, authoritative, experienced staff of professional reporters and commentators in the business...
Compare the value of four or five months of PWTorch VIP content to the price of just one PPV. Can you cut 25 cents a day from your budget to make room for PWTorch VIP?
AND NEW FOR 2009! Monthly "Vintage Audio Torch Talks." We are releasing for the first time ever audio versions of our text Torch Talk updates, the historical first series of insider interviews ever. Wade Keller's newsmaking in-depth interviews with wrestling's biggest names are now being made available exclusively to VIP members. But you must be a member each month, as these are not archived, so they are replaced with a new one each month! This debuted in January 2009 with a 68 minute interview with the late "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith. Who's next? Hulk Hogan? Eric Bischoff? The Rock? Goldberg? Jeff Hardy?
