Kurt Angle Shuts Down Working For AEW – “I’m Happy Where I Am At In WWE”
Kurt Angle has admitted that while he has spoken to AEW about joining the company in the past, he is perfectly happy being a part of WWE.
Even though he retired as a pro wrestler a few years ago, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle is still headlining shows in 2022. On the December 9th edition of Smackdown in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Kurt Angle was on hand to celebrate his 54th birthday with fellow Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson by the end.
That edition of Smackdown ended in a familiar scene as Angle sprayed milk on Alpha Academy’s Chad Gable & Otis in the ring. It was a recreation of Angle’s Milk-o-Mania moment in 2001 when he gave Steve Austin and “The Alliance” a milk bath that was a bit of a recreation of Austin’s classic “beer bash” segment against Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon and The Rock in 1999.
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WHAT AN INCREDIBLE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!@RealKurtAngle@GableSteveson#SmackDownpic.twitter.com/NiT8R3ycvP
— WWE (@WWE) December 10, 2022
Ever since AEW launched in 2019, which is the same year Angle retired as a wrestler at WrestleMania 35, Angle has been rumored about possibly joining AEW. However, the master of the Angle Slam doesn’t appear interested in joining the promotion any time soon.
On a recent episode of his Kurt Angle Show podcast, Angle admitted that he talked to AEW’s Owner/President/General Manager Tony Khan about joining the company in the past.
“Honestly, I talked to Tony a couple of times. I dabbled and threw some numbers at him that were astronomical, just to see if he would bite. Tony’s a good guy. He was a big fan of mine. He was the one he told me that he wanted in his company because I was one of his favorite wrestlers. I guess he was a wrestling fan growing up. So I was considering it.”
As Angle continued, he said he had a great relationship with WWE that includes a “nostalgic contract” that could be in reference to a Legends Contract that some all-time WWE greats have signed after retiring.
“Now, I have such a solid relationship with the WWE. I have a nostalgic contract with them. I do a lot of programming on TV with WWE. So I don’t think it’s going to happen, unfortunately. I’m happy where I am at in WWE.”
“I look back and I know I left the WWE in 2006 and came back in 2017. I don’t regret that because I had a great career in TNA, but a little small part of me says ‘I wish I would have stayed.’ I can’t imagine what my career would have been like if I would have continued on for another 11 years in the WWE. So, you know, I’m just happy to be where I am.”