By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

TNA star Kurt Angle talked in-depth about WWE, TNA, and general wrestling topics in an interview with the U.K. Sun while promoting TNA's European Tour.

TNA Related Highlights

-- Angle said he wanted TNA to pay Hulk Hogan to stay with the company, but he thinks it was the right decision to let him go.

"Hulk Hogan's a good friend of mine. It was disappointing, but we had to make a company decision. It was, 'Do we keep Hulk Hogan on without the physicality of wrestling?' Because it seemed like Hogan wasn't going to wrestle anymore. And, 'Will he benefit the company?' I believe he was benefiting the company," Angle said.

"I think that any amount of money he wanted was worth getting him, but the company at the same time had to make a business decision and decide if they wanted to keep him and pay him the big money or if they wanted to get rid of him and find some younger talent."

Angle said TNA probably would not have been able to sign younger talent if Hogan stayed on the roster. "Even though I hate to see Hulk Hogan leave, I think it might have been the right decision," Angle said.

-- Angle framed Sting's departure as the bigger loss for TNA because he was the "cornerstone" for the roster.

"Sting is the cornerstone of the company. Kurt Angle is not. A.J. Styles is not, as much as people want to say is the Face of the Company or Kurt Angle has helped the company more than anyone," Angle said. "Sting has always been our cornerstone and the man."

Angle added: "He's your go-to guy. To lose him is about as bad as it can get." Angle said someone else will have to step up to fill the void - whether it's A.J. Styles if he re-signs with TNA, Samoa Joe, or himself. "Losing Sting is a big blow to the company," he said.

Interesting was that Angle did not mention new TNA World champion Magnus despite this being an interview with a publication in Magnus's home country.

-- Angle talked at-length about his recent personal health problems stemming from depression because nothing will match the Olympic gold medal that he won in 1996.

Angle said winning a World Title or being successful in WWE or TNA will never live up to that achievement because he trained his whole life for it. "What I found is I'm not going to be able to match that gold medal. What I learned is I need to be happy where I am and not compare it to that gold medal," Angle said.

Angle said another contributor was isolating himself on the road away from his family. "Once you start isolating yourself and you stay alone, it can be quite depressing, especially if you're beat up, banged up, or even injured," Angle said.

-- Angle opened up about frustration with TNA Creative a few years ago that led to him finally saying something about his character direction.

"I didn't really realize how much I love pro wrestling until this past year. It's been a really frustrating two years with what TNA has done with me. Well, what they haven't done with me," Angle said.

"I didn't speak up; I just kept my mouth shut and did whatever they told me to do. I had a feeling they were dropping the ball, but I didn't want to say anything. But, I realized I have to speak up because if I love this so much, I have to show this passion to other people, not just myself."

-- Angle said he doesn't have a retirement timeframe because of how much love he has for pro wrestling now, even though he's banged up.

Angle said he can get out in the ring, get loosened up, and get the adrenaline flowing, but two hours later, he's sore again. But, he plans to continue wrestling as long as he can keep performing at a high level.

-- Angle also revealed that his Angle Foods line went out of business last year. Angle said they were building momentum, but were in so much debt that they needed another $1-2 million, so he decided to cut his losses and get out.

As for life after pro wrestling, Angle said he wants to do movies, radio, or coach wrestling. "I would really like to get back to coaching Olympic wrestling with little kids," Angle said.

[ Video HERE ]

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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