Kurt Angle, the Olympic Gold Medal Winner and former professional wrestler, recently revealed that he was pursued heavily by UFC and Dana White during the peak of his wrestling career. However, despite the interest, Angle ultimately decided not to pursue a deal with the mixed martial arts organization.
In an interview with ESPN, Angle discussed the first offer he received from UFC after his Olympic run. He explained that although he loves fighting, he didn’t love it enough to endure the physical toll for a relatively low payout. Angle chose to join WWE instead, where he experienced early success, winning world championships and defeating wrestling legends like The Rock and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.
As UFC started gaining mainstream popularity in the early 2000s, Angle admitted that he had a desire to compete in the octagon. However, he was already enjoying a thriving career in WWE and didn’t want to abandon the opportunities he had there.
Another offer came from Dana White when Angle signed with TNA/IMPACT in the mid-2000s. However, White didn’t want him to continue wrestling while fighting in UFC. Angle didn’t want to break his newly signed contract with TNA/IMPACT, so he declined the offer once again.
Although Angle had contemplated a potential UFC career, he eventually realized that he was past his prime for fighting. He began training but came to the conclusion that he couldn’t compete at the level required in the octagon. Despite turning down the offers, Angle expressed gratitude towards Dana White for considering him and described him as an incredible person.
In a separate interview, Angle also shared his thoughts on Gable Steveson, an amateur wrestler who recently signed with WWE. Angle believes that Steveson needs to break the mold of an amateur wrestler to succeed in the world of professional wrestling. To read more about Angle’s insights on Steveson, click here.
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