Kurt Angle Responds To Shamrock & Otto
January 8, 2008
A couple of weeks ago on HDNet’s Inside MMA, Ken Shamrock and Kurt Otto had some not-so-flattering things to say about Jarry Parker (catchy, eh?) Kurt Angle‘s interest in mixed martial arts. Basically, Otto said that after Angle sat in the front row at an IFL event in September 2007 he got cold feet and decided against fighting Shamrock at an IFL event. Shamrock then implied that Angle was scared to go toe-to-toe with “The World’s Most Dangerous Man.”
As always, there’s two sides of every story. Angle has been travelling all over this great earth lately so he wasn’t available for an official interview but he did tell me this when I asked why he backed out of the IFL deal:
“That’s because they tried to force a fight with me and Ken in two and a half months. (It’s) not enough time to take off from TNA and train for a fight. They rushed it…I would have never been ready. They didn’t care. He just wanted PPV buys.”
He went on to say that:
“They are only trying to push my buttons – to start another angle. My rep in MMA is that I back out. No I don’t. Usually they back out of the deal because of my price. I want giant money. Usually they say they will pay me what I want then they change it and tell me they will pay me on the back end. I want it up front PERIOD.”
At this point, I doubt we will ever see Angle fight in an IFL ring. Obviously, money talks but it appears that their unsolicited shots at him closed the door for good. And, while we’re at it, until he officially announces a deal with a promotion all the talk of Angle competing in an MMA fight should end.
13 Responses to “Kurt Angle Responds To Shamrock & Otto”
kurt angle would get smashed in any mma fight, his body is too broken and i think that as soon as he gets hit in the head he gonna panic and his cardio will blow right out the window.
By mr sinista on Jan 8, 2008
Valid argument but if he does fight a guy like Shamrock at this stage in their respective careers I wouldn’t completely doubt him.
By Ariel Helwani on Jan 9, 2008
Let’s see what he says after the Brock Lesnar Frank Mir fight!
At this point in his career he needs to have some serious competetive juices to do it and basically suck it up and accept the money offered to him. I bet he can cash out pretty good with some payperview shares at least once.
I don’t think he would stand a chance in mma because his skills have been finely honed and seasoned for scripted acrobatic wrestling.
By Andy on Jan 9, 2008
You are right. He has told me many times that someone needs to make it worth his while to step in an MMA ring or cage. He has little to gain and way too much to lose.
By Ariel Helwani on Jan 9, 2008
Granted, Kurt Angle may never step foot in an MMA ring but if he did, it would not be against someone like Ken Shamrock. Angle has made it clear that not only does he want big money for the fight but he wants it to be against someone who will draw mainstream intrest. Shamrock is not that guy, seeing as he has lost 4 in a row and 7 out of his last 9. “The Worlds Most Dangerous Man” he, clearly, is not.
Unless we’re talking about Lesnar, Couture, or Fedor, I don’t think we will ever see Angle in MMA.
By Neil on Jan 13, 2008
I hear you but Shamrock, given his age, would make a lot of sense.
That said, for more on Angle check out The Park tomorrow as he will be stopping by to further discuss all this stuff.
By Ariel Helwani on Jan 13, 2008
this guy is a walking/talking steroid junkie. i sure hope dana white wont let curt convert without random roid tests. this guy could go on till hes 60 with the amount of steroids in his body. (thus why he is not with wwe anymore) he is another chris benoit in the making.
By clint on Jan 25, 2008
Kurt will probably never fight in mma bouts, he is very clear about his price, and pro wrestling gives much more money than MMA
I respect brock lesnar for making this transition.
By lobo on Feb 4, 2008
It may not be likely that Angle will ever fight in the MMA, but if he did it would draw alot of revenue. Say what you want about his extensive wrestling background hindering him because its probally all that he knows but almost all fights end up on the ground and there isnt many people that can hang with his kind of prestige when it comes to that kind of fight. He would find a way to bring his oppents to the ground.
By Chris on Mar 18, 2008
kurt angle v’s Anderson Silva and i think Kurt would get MMA LESSON THAT WILL WAKE HIM UP. wwe and other orginisations do very well but serious martial artist like my self can see the fake fighting and that dont impress anyone.
Anderson Silva is a great fighter and a greats sports man that shows awesome striking and mind blowing ground game and most of all exellent disipline.
By DIL on May 12, 2008
kurt angle vs. anderson silva? wow you must really hate kurt to want to see him get crushed like that
By no no on May 14, 2008