Kurt Angle Suggests AEW Has a “Long Road Ahead”

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle recently answered some fan questions on his Facebook page about AEW, the King of the Ring tournament and more.. Below are some highlights.

Kurt Angle on the King of the Ring: “The winner of the King of the Ring will most likely be in the hunt for the World Title. I’m not going to mention who needs to win it because every single athlete in the tournament will need to win it. If you look at previous winners, most of them conquered the WWE after they won the King of the Ring.”

Angle on if there are any parallels with AEW to TNA in 2006: “I see some similarities. AEW has a very long road ahead of them. I know that the talent there is up for a challenge. The can succeed if done right, but AEW will need to realize they will always be #2. WWE is way too big and has way too many years behind them for a new company to step in and take over the top spot. I recall when TNA tried to compete against WWE on Monday nights. I told the TNA office that we will never beat WWE. I told them we should realize that we’re #2 and should be happy with it. AEW has a tough road. Can they succeed? Yes. Will they beat WWE in ratings and arena ticket sales? No.”

Angle on the most important non-camera role in pro wrestling: “I think there are many important roles. Excluding Vince McMahon, HHH and Stephanie, I’d say creative. Writing weekly every single day is the toughest job there is. I also give a lot of credit to guys like John Laurinaitis and Michael Hayes for the incredible job they do with helping talent with their matches. They’re two of the best.”

Angle on not experiencing fatigue or mental stress during a PPV: “No, I haven’t. I’ve always been up for challenges. The harder it is, the more I want to do it. On many occasions I rose to the occasion when I stepped into the ring during PPVs…. even when I broke my neck on four separate occasions. I’m a competitive person. I like being the best. It’s who I am.”

His favorite movie: “Visionquest. It’s an old movie, but it’s a good movie. It’s about a high school wrestler going on a quest to defeat the best wrestler in the state. Love that movie.”

Angle’s non-wrestling hobby: “I was an avid drummer, but I gave it up. My hobbies consist of helping my kids with sports. I take them to gymnastics, wrestling, swimming, dance and soon to be soccer. It’s a big job. I don’t have time for anything else. My kids and wife are first priority.”