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WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle Issues Statement Regarding Controversial Past

By John Canton • Published 24th January 2025
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Kurt Angle saw his name trending on social media due to mistakes he made in the past, so he issued a statement about it.

The wrestling career of Kurt Angle saw the Olympic Gold Medalist become a WWE and TNA Hall of Famer due to his incredible career as a pro wrestler from 1999 until his 2019 retirement. Some people also believe Kurt Angle is the greatest in-ring performer ever while also having the ability to do it all as a character as well.

While wrestling fans are going to remember Kurt for his incredible matches with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker, John Cena, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and many others, there were also times in Angle’s career when things didn’t go so well for the master of the Angle Slam.

It is well-known among wrestling fans that Angle had serious addiction issues throughout his career. Angle suffered a broken neck multiple times, yet he’d find ways to keep coming back and was still able to perform at a high level. Angle also had multiple DUIs due to his alcohol addiction.

In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Angle was asked about the “Perc Angle” name that some people used to mock him since he used to take painkillers like Percocet heavily just to get through the day.

“I know that fans, it’s almost like they want me to feel good about it, the fans are having fun with it because I was the best wrestler in the business. So they want to say that, Kurt Angle was Perc Angle. That’s why he was doing it, because he was all perked up. The thing is, I didn’t use painkillers while I was wrestling. I did them in the morning, and then at night I would wrestle, then I did painkillers after I got done wrestling. So I never wrestled high.”

When asked if he wrestled well because of painkillers, Angle dismissed that thought.

“No, listen, you can’t wrestle messed up. It’s going to be sloppy. You’ve seen people in the past that have wrestled high, people are like what’s wrong with them? So you can’t do that. It’s almost impossible, especially to have a good match. You have to be sober or you’re not going to have a good match.”

“I’ve Been Clean For 12 Years” – Kurt Angle

Following that interview, a lot of websites and social media accounts focused on the “Perc Angle” remarks due to how controversial they were. In a post on social media, Kurt Angle wrote about how he’s been clean for 12 years and he’s committed to helping others.

“I’ve noticed the ‘Perc Angle’ nickname trending on social media. While I know it’s made in jest, it reminds me of a time when I struggled deeply with addiction and mental health challenges. Those memories are painful, but they also fuel my commitment to helping others.

I’ve been clean for 12 years and have since built a life dedicated to purpose and service. Addiction destroys lives, but it’s never too late to get help. I appreciate all the positive feedback and support. To my fans: thank you for never giving up on me. I love you all.

-Kurt Angle”

While Kurt Angle has made some WWE appearances in recent years, he is mostly out of the public eye while spending time with his wife and five children. On his social media, Angle often shares photos of his daughters competing in amateur wrestling companies just like he did when he was young.