One of the things that many WWE fans disagree on is the importance of part-time wrestlers to the company. While many show annoyance that part-time stars like Brock Lesnar, Undertaker, Goldberg, and Triple H get prime spots at "WrestleMania 33" over full-time stars, others know that this brings in a lot more viewers for big events. In a recent interview with Fox Sports, Kurt Angle said that he wishes these part-time contracts existed in 2006 because then he never would have left the WWE.
Kurt Angle's original WWE run
Kurt Angle was a gold medal winner in the U.S.
Olympics and the WWE made a strong run at signing him after that. It was a huge move for both Angle and the WWE. He went on to win a number of world titles in the company and was one of the best characters in the promotion during the Attitude Era. However, he broke his neck before winning his gold medal and that injury came back to haunt him throughout his career. That caused him to need to take time off from the WWE and eventually ask for his release knowing he couldn't work a full-time schedule anymore. In the interview, Kurt said that there were very few part-time contracts at the time, and they were saved for long-time veterans like Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, and The Undertaker. Instead, he left the WWE and enjoyed a strong career in Tna Impact Wrestling.
Kurt Angle's post-WWE career
Kurt Angle signed with TNA Impact Wrestling after leaving the WWE at a time that they were actively trying to compete with the WWE. That left a bad taste originally because Angle said that Vince McMahon believed he would return when the WWE granted him the release. However, Kurt went to TNA instead and won their world title six times.
He did so well in TNA Impact Wrestling that they put him in their Hall of Fame in 2013. However, it was in TNA that he began to suffer more injuries and then developed both an addiction to painkillers and alcohol. After multiple DUIs, Angle insured that he wouldn't return to the WWE anytime soon. However, he has since rehabilitated and has his life under control. That has allowed Kurt Angle to finally mend fences and return to the WWE as the main inductee of their 2017 WWE Hall of Fame class.
