Kurt Angle to sign with UFC?

[4thstreetpete]

Upon hearing the terrible news of the passing of Mike Awesome I would like to discuss another topic that will be making news. We need a distraction from all these talk of former and current wrestlers dying much too young. I really don't know how much more I can take of this.

Something really needs to be done with the industry and as much as people like to knock Vince Macmahon, at least he is doing 'something' with the drug testing that is done with the wwe. The latest suspension it seems like is Test who is being pulled from house shows (but still on TV) for failing a drug test.

Which brings me to one of my most favourite performers. Kurt Angle has admitted himself that he is on the verge of something really bad happening. He was addicted to painkillers and at times couldn't get off the couch to take out the garbage when he was at home. He was one of the worst case in the wwe and this was what eventually led him to quit the wwe due to the hectic schedule.

He has joined TNA and to be frank, I couldn't be happier. He's working a much more lighter schedule and it won't be exclusive to TNA, which means he can pursue MMA if he wants to. Had something bad happen to Kurt Angle I would've been very saddened, so I think this is a great move for him.

I haven't seen this brought up but Kurt Angle did a radio interview on http://www.betweentheropes.com/ this past week and it was VERY VERY interesting. He's been doing non stop radio shows when he first signed with TNA and had always expressed interest doing MMA.

When Angle first quit the WWE, every fighting organization under the sun offered him a contract. Among them was UFC who offered him one of the biggest contract in UFC history as well as Pride who offered him 30 million for 5 years. At the time UFC president Dana White wanted Angle to quit wrestling to join UFC because he wanted to market the UFC as a legitamate sport and didn't really wanted one of his fighters to be also wrestling in TNA at the same time.
This was really the deal breaker for Angle as he still wanted to do wrestling and didn't really wanted to be exclusive to one company.

Well this all changed as Kurt signed with TNA and when showtime's EliteXC offered Kurt Angle a contract, Kurt accepted and will be doing MMA. Word got out to Dana and how quickly his tune changed. As you could imagine when Dana found out that Angle accepted the deal with EliteXC he must've been shaking in his boots. Dana definately do not want EliteXC to grab a major star like Angle right now. He called up Dixie Carter and asked him why he isn't signing with UFC. She told him that the UFC wanted him exclusively. Dana changed his tune and asked to speak to Angle so they can work something out. As you're reading this they are under heavy negotiations as we speak.

Kurt Angle says he doesn't know who he wants to sign with now, EliteXC or UFC. Angle is definately doing MMA and wants a 3 fight deal, he'll have to do it soon as he's getting older. He's definately signing with one of these companies but if you read betweent he lines it's definately going to be with UFC. Kurt Angle vs Renzo Gracie or Frank Shamrock has no where the appeal that Angle vs Chuck Liddell, Ortiz or Crocop does.

Dana White knows that with Angle signing it will draw the biggest buyrate in UFC history and will eclipse Liddell/Ortiz by a HUGE margin. It will draw the wwe/pro wrestling fan holdouts into MMA as well. With the biggest buyrate in UFC history as well as getting a percentage of the PPV, Angle stands to make much much more than the $2 million that Tito and Chuck made for their fight.

I thought this was a very insigtful interview and if you get a chance check it out at http://www.betweentheropes.com/ . Kurt has always said that he wanted to do MMA and now the door is open for him. Not to mention that he's friends with Randy Couture.

Kurt Angle vs Chuck Liddell or Mirko Crocop is MONEY folks.