Reported by Adam Martin of WrestleView.com
On Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 5:11 PM EST

Kurt Angle Spike TV Conference Call
Report by: Adam Martin of WrestleView.com

NOTE: If you use this recap, please provide full credit to both www.WrestleView.com and Adam Martin. Thank you.

Salil Gulati of Spike TV Press goes over TNA ratings on Thursday and demographic numbers.

It was mentioned that there was a record number of responses to this call today so in the interest of time, only one question would be asked per person.

Here is a full recap of the Conference Call earlier today (most of the recap are straight quotes from Kurt Angle himself):

- A caller asked what was on Kurt Angle's mind at WrestleMania 19 when Brock Lesnar botched his Shooting Star Press: Angle said he wasn't sure if he was coherent. Asked Lesnar a few times and he gave him a response of a "huh?". Wasn't sure what to to do and asked if he could stand. Lesnar responded with, "I think so." Angle helped to pick him up and told him what to do. All he had left was the finish. That follow-up turned it into a success. Angle said anything can happen in pro wrestling and gives Lesnar credit for finishing.

- A caller mentions that Angle said his career would be different each time he came back from injury and asks how things will be different in TNA: "In the past I was never given enough time to heal. With TNA you know I made an agreement with Dixie Carter that I would wrestle when I feel I could go 100%. If I don't feel that way, maybe I wouldn't wrestle this week or not next week. I was traveling 300 days a year with my former employeer and won't be doing that with TNA." Angle said he will wrestle as much as he can and that is how he will be used. "I am the new name and face in TNA and I have the responsibility to be at the most important events. At the same time, I will have time to heal. I can't go any less than 128%. I can't slow down and I give the fans what they pay for."

- A caller asked Angle what frustrated him in WWE: "Main thing was that I wasn't getting the proper medical care. Wasn't getting enough rest. Basically, I felt like I was being buried into the ground. When I asked for time off, WWE said I was getting it. When that time came, they said, 'we need you because someone else went down.' WWE was in a position where they needed me more this year than ever before. I was being treated very unfairly. I gave my heart and soul and in turn wasn't getting the respect I deserve." Angle mentioned that WWE still kept him on the road to do media appearances and felt that time should be spent to help him heal. "Don't make me go on the road when I don't need to," said Angle.

- A caller asked his intentions of entering MMA and a report out of Tokyo that he would face Brock Lesnar in K-1? "The offer was there," said Angle. "Am I interested in MMA? Yes. I've had every MMA company come to me and wanted to pay me retirement money. I feel I'm a big commodity and one of the most well known pro wrestlers in wrestling today. MMA companies knew in order to get me they would have to pay me a large sum of money. Am I going to do MMA? I went with TNA to spread my wings and get involved in MMA if I choose to. I have a boss (Dixie Carter), but I am no longer owned." Angle said he hated the feeling of being owned and being told what to do all the time. "TNA says they feel this is good or isn't good for you. With WWE, it was no-no-no you can only be a wrestler. I no longer wanted to be owned by anyone again. I want to reiterate. I have a boss and she is Dixie Carter. She is the one I answer to. At the same time, she gives me flexibility to do what I want to do. WWE owns you, your name and what you do. Vince never gave me the green light because I was his best wrestler."

- A caller asked if Angle feels any pressure to bring TNA to the top? "There is some pressure. We are talking about a company that is growing rapidly. Me coming in, including my boss, expect the company to get higher ratings. I believe that is happening, even without me, but even quicker with me. These athletes in TNA don't know how good they are. If you compare them to WWE athletes, they are five times better. WWE has a short list of guys who can main event. I watched shows of TNA in the last year. Every guy that has walked out, I said I could have a five star match with. I saw a company in TNA that has so much room for growth and have the ability to be on top in the next year or two. I wanted to be part of that. I can say I went over there to make it a huge success."

- A caller asks Angle if he felt pushed out of WWE by Vince McMahon - similar to how Vince pushed Bret Hart out of WWE in favor of WCW: Angle laughs. "Let me start with why I left. WWE just signed me to a new five year deal. There was no reason for them to push me out. WWE needed me now more than ever. Vince is trying to compete with himself and wants to keep it that way. He doesn't want TNA to succeed." Angle said WWE was so desperate that they kept him on the road when they didn't need to. "Instead, they were so nervous about making money, they wanted Kurt Angle there and didn't put other guys in his spot. I'm the one who asked to leave WWE. I asked for the meeting. I asked for the release. I wanted to make it mutual with Vince. I'm talking about this to get the truth out. Vince wanted him to stay and I didn't want to. I wasn't having fun anymore. I felt the company was going in a downward spiral. I was not being utilitzed properly - and that is not the smartest thing in the world. I felt I was the best one there. WWE agents also aruged in my favor as well. The CEO of WWE didn't feel the same for whatever reason. Did he think I was a liability? Probably, but he didn't want to lose me. In a nutshell, I asked for the meeting, I got my release because I asked for it. For the WWE to save face, they made it mutual. I don't think I will ever work for Vince McMahon again. I can't rule anything out. My wife won't let him (laughs). In wrestling you never know. I promise one thing - working for TNA and Dixie Carter, I found that wrestling can be fun again. I'm not pressured into doing things you don't want to do. They look to you for ideas and where you want to go. There is no politics in TNA. I cant really discuss WWE, but I think everyone knows what is going on up there. I saw room for growth as a wrestler. I plan on staying with Dixie for the next 30 years. Whether that is an agent (what Vince calls a producer), promotiong, writer or whatever. I can't leave wrestling and I have a passion for it. I will always go back to it. I plan on having TNA as my home for good. Kurt Angle will get even bigger with a company that wants to use me in the proper way. There is no one there gunning for my spot. I'm not going to block anyone from a spot. I was very generous in WWE. I made atheltes look very good in WWE. I'm going to enjoy this and you will see TNA grow quickly."

- A caller asks if you could go back and re-think things, would you have gotten the neck fusion surgery instead? "No. Those guys are having a lot of problems with their neck. My operation was a success. Problem was, my neck was already broken. It was a five level problem. It was another level going out. Imagine if I had fused those? When you fuse, you depend on the other levels. Everyone else did the wrong move. Don't go get fusion. That is pre-historic stuff. Dr. Jho is innovative. That surgery saved my career. Each time a level would get out, I would get surgery on that. My neck is completely flexible. Those other guys are hurting every day. I tried to tell Vince and the wrestlers not to get fusion. Get minimum surgery to have flexibility. They didn't do it because they saw me getting injured all the time. Problem was, I was already injured before I got into the business. My neck is better now before it started. Is it 100%? No. Even when I fight in MMA. I was able to get the strength back in my arms and in my neck. Dr. Jho did a great job and I will continue to go to him."

- A caller asks about internet rumors that he took way too many painkillers: "I haven't taken painkillers in over 3 years. Once had a problem with it, doing with neck surgery and being overworked. I became dependent on them. At that point, I had no where else to go but go to the boss, talk to JR and Johnny Ace, then to Vince. I told them 'listen, I'm taking so many I'm afraid I'm going to die.' I couldn't function. Being on the road 300 days a year (wrestling and media) and overseas tours (8-10 a year), I had to take them to function. I couldn't get out of bed unless I took a large dose - a whole handful. It got so bad that I discussed with my wife where I needed to go. I found a pain doctor and had a PPV match with John Cena three days later. The doctor wanted to put me in rehab. I told him that I didn't want to take another painkiller from this day forth. The doctor said that was impossible and that I had to wean down to lower doses." Angle said he told the doctor he was stopping cold turkey that. Angle said the doctor informed him he could actually kill himself doing that. "I was willing to take the chance. I called Vince and told him I needed three months off and needed to go to rehab. Vince told me, 'You aren't getting three months off, you are an Olympic gold medalist. You will rehab on the road. I don't want to hear it, no excuses. You rehab by yourself on the road.' The doctor said that is impossible. Well, I actually did it. In the process, I got worn down even more. I thought I was going to have a heart attack when facing John Cena in the ring. The only thing WWE cared about was putting Cena over. That was more important to them than my health." When asked about his relationship with Vince McMahon, Angle said they had a great relationship before, but that really turned him against McMahon. "I probably made more money for him than most people. I felt like I was no longer being cared about. They just cared about who I could put over next. I made Cena look, well, much better than he is. When I got backstage, I fell on my face and was out. A few days later Vince called me and said that he needed him for a show in Baltimore to take Jon Heidenreich's place." That is when he said he lost tons of respect for Vince McMahon. "It got to the point where we stopped talking. Part of the fault was on Vince and part of it was my fault for not putting my foot down. I took the lowest offers from Vince after I won the gold medal in the Olympics. I felt Vince was the guy for me to go with at that time. I want to thank him for giving me an avenue. I didn't know what I was doing when Vince put the belt on me. I give WWE agents credit for helping me. I think Vince for giving me guys like that." Angle then added however, "I would never trade my life for a career in wrestling."

- When asked about politics in WWE & not taking advice from family: "I hate to say it, but my wife was always right. She said to never buy into WWE and what they said. That caused a lot of animosity between myself and my wife. My wife and I separated at one point. I almost lost marriage and family life. I don't think Vince really even cared. If I was single, he could use me even more. I'm not saying that was in his plans or that he wanted to see me divorced, but when he saw that coming, he saw more opportunity. I didn't listen to my wife and listened to WWE. When that happened, I lost my wife and daughter. I regret that." Angle then went on to speak about his new relationship with TNA. "If you are going to be my boss, give me time off to heal and respect my family or I won't work for you. That is why I went to TNA. Dixie Carter cares more about your family than the business. Not that she doesn't care about the business, she wants it to be successful as ever, but she has family values because she has her own family. The CEO of WWE didn't spend any time with his family. I can attest to that. Many of the agents moved away from Vince because they couldn't take the constant meetings. I don't think he (McMahon) spent more than 10 days with his children a year. I wanted to be a family man. God is first, family is second and wrestling is third."

- A caller asked about how Christian Cage was the new face of TNA last year and wondered who he would like to see come to TNA next? "Chris Benoit. Only problem is Benoit has a five year guarantee (with WWE). He is out of the picture right now. If we could get Chris Benoit, that would take it over the top. He is one of my favorite wrestlers to perform with. He would be a great teacher and mentor for the wrestlers in TNA. These wrestlers in TNA, they don't even know how good they are. My job is to make them realize that and take TNA far. With or without Benoit, we are gonna do it."

WrestleView.com's own Adam Martin asked Angle about his reaction to fans caring more about his health than getting back into the ring too soon and if that surprised him? "I didn't know what to expect. When people reacted, it spoke volumes about what people thought they could do for TNA. I have a lot of respect for the audience." Angle said he was very happy to see they cared about his well being. "I can reassure them from the bottom of my heart that I am 100% healthy and there is nothing to worry about. I'm completely focused on making TNA the top company in the world. I took the comments to heart about my health. I asked myself if he was to the point where I couldn't wrestle anymore, but everything told me no." Angle himself thought he could go and he has a lot more to offer. His doctors thought there was no reason he shouldn't come back. They did all kinds of tests and found his health to be great and cleared him.

- A caller brought up how Angle said he was watching TNA for a year and asked if the WWE stars are aware of TNA and conerned? "Without a doubt. Sure they are concerned. They see this new innovative style of wrestling. What TNA has done, they have their Heavyweight Division and they made the X Division just as pouplar. WWE has a Cruiserweight Division that doesn't meant squat. TNA re-invented wrestling and brought it back. It's not sports entertainment anymore. They put the word "wrestling" back into pro wrestling. I think pulling your pants down and have someone kiss your ass isn't entertaining. TNA is so innovative." Angle later went on to talk about TNA needing an extra hour of TV. "They don't have enough time. God willing, Spike will give them a two hour slot. You are going to see ratings go up a lot quicker and a lot higher (if that hapens)." He also talked about the backstage morale about TNA wrestlers. "They aren't moping backstage. I was in a different company where guys not being used were moping and complaining about not being used. With TNA, everyone is hungry."

- A caller asks if he would have liked to have wrestled at the Bound For Glory PPV this Sunday: "I'm looking forward to getting in the ring, but I'm satisfied with my spot on the card for Bound For Glory this Sunday. Angle said he wanted to feel out TNA first. "I study film for hours and hours. That is just who I am. I study my opponents. To just throw me in the ring with nothing to build off of would be stupid. If I came in 1 or 2 months earlier, I could see me wrestling at Bound For Glory. They (TNA) are smart about this. Jeff Jarrett and Sting will have a great match and I don't want to take that away from them. That is something I would buy if I was sitting at home. The whole rest of the card is great as well. TNA has no reason to be desperate and add me to the card so soon."

- A caller brings up how WWE issued a statement that his release was mutual and then issued a text message a week later that Angle was an emotional wreck departing Titan Tower. The caller added that Vince said his competitive streak would be his demise and that he wasn't thinking long term. The caller asked what his reactions were to all of this? "Vince McMahon didn't tell you the same story. He said he was going to release me because he thought I would come back. Vince said I could get another five year deal when I'm ready to come back." Angle talked about being attacked by WWE officials for wanting to work less. "Instead of listening, they attacked me. I said personally I want a release. That shocked them. They said I was acting irratic. Was I? Yes. Was it drug use? No. Was it done on purpose? You're damn right. They rushed to sign me to a new five year deal and I felt like I signed a deal with the devil for another five years. I thought the chances of me getting released was slim to none. I got emotional, started crying. That is when Vince had a change of heart and he said 'I will let you go, I will let you get released.' I was told I would make 30 million in Pride." Angle said Vince told him to take some time off, do what you need to do and a five year deal was waiting for him. "What he didn't know was that I wasn't coming back. If he knew TNA was in the picture, he wouldn't have agreed. TNA never came up. If he wanted me to go to TNA, he would have brought it up. He thought I was going to MMA. I related to Dixie Carter and that is why TNA fit. Spike TV is where it is at right now." Angle later went on to talk about the meeting with Vince. "I was an emotional wreck and Vince dropped his guard for a second. It was so quick and he said 'we will wire you the money for this deal.' He said, 'listen, come back, I'll sign you to a new five year deal.' It told me he didn't want to be liable if he thought something bad would happen. Vince played the good guy and bad guy at the same time. I would never talk about this if Vince hadn't allowed that news to go public. Vince had a feeling I was doing something. I was very offended. Vince didn't fire me. I went up there to get released. When I went to TNA, maybe Vince did or didn't know. Vince did what he could to hurt my reputation and it didn't at all. He drew attention to himself and that is what he does best."

- A caller brings up Kurt Angle's talks with UFC and his reaction to Dana White's comments that UFC isn't open to actors & only fighters: "Well, Dana sure was all for "an actor" with the deal he offered me. I respect Dana White, but I compare him a lot to Vince McMahon. White wanted me exclusively. I didn't want to be owned by anyone ever again. If you give me that promise, I will be even more faithful to. I will work even harder for you. I was considering going with Dana White and he wanted to sign me to an exclusive deal. He wanted me to fight a kid that doesn't belong in the octagon (Daniel Puder). He thought this storyline would be great and he get rich off my name. When I was in with the "Tough Enough" kid, I was far from healthly. I had no feeling in my arms. Dana knew I would destroy this kid. Although the money was great, I couldn't vision myself just sitting in the crowd for the next year or so and not having a purpose. Knowing I had only one fight hurt me. I think Dana is great, UFC is on the rise and they are part of Spike TV as well. I'm not going to be owned. I'm always open to Dana White. One thing he will never have is me exclusively." When asked if he would face Daniel Puder in TNA? "Sure, but he wasn't a good wrestler at all. We tried with him in WWE. He is no where near the level of the guys in TNA. He needs to start working on it if he wants to be like them. I heard he was blabbing on the internet that he hurt me and made t-shirts about me. I don't respect that. If TNA wants to sign him, that is fine. I'll even have a shoot fight with him and take him out in 40 seconds. I'm a completely different Kurt Angle right now. I was more worried about the bigger guys in Tough Enough at that time than Puder. I was in horrible shape and it was bad on Vince's part to allow that."

- A caller asked who he would like to work with the most in TNA: Angle said he would like to work with Samoa Joe in TNA. "He has a well documented undefeated streak and he is built up like a monster. He is farther along than some other guys in TNA." Angle said at first, he thought they should stay away, but felt the time was right to do it now. Angle mentions this Thursday night and how he will confront Samoa Joe. He said his confrontation with Joe was great and described it almost as a shoot at times.

- On being constantly approached by WWE to sign a new contact: Said he was hounded by WWE to re-sign with the company. He would get calls and numerous face-to-face confrontations. He finally gave in when they came to him after a show in the locker room. "I did have fun in WWE, stuff with Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and Steve Austin. After a while, it got old. They would use me for wrestling and that is it. God has blessed me with tremendous talent and at times, it's a curse. Vince saw how good I was and put me with other guys to make them. I watched Rock and Austin have their runs. When I came back and was ready to go, it was never given to me. WWE always wanted me to be a dork, whatever. I encouraged wrestlers to go talk to Vince if they were upset. Lots of top guys would mention, "No, no one is getting my spot." If you are better than me, you can take my spot. That is the problem in WWE right now. The people in charge in WWE are also the ones in the ring."

- A caller asks how his debut in TNA's Impact Zone was at the TV tapings: He said it was great. "The best part, TNA asked me what I wanted to do. WWE gave me The Patriots theme song and gave me no real direction. TNA let me pick my own music and entrance. It blows away Triple H and Rey Mysterio's entrances and is the best in wrestling today."

- On always playing a character during his WWE career: "In WWE, I was always playing characters. In TNA, you will get to see the real Kurt Angle." He said WWE had him play these character so un-like himself. Angle said he asked Vince to let him be me. "When that happened, fans cheered me and booed John Cena." Angle said he had ideas for merchandise, but Vince told him he doesn't make money off that. He said he was being blocked politically. "I can finally be me in TNA."

- On when he started wearing mouth guards when wrestling: I started wearing a black mouth guard when I got my teeth knocked out at a WWE House Show." Angle mentioned they were going to start selling them with TNA.

- A caller brings up WWE using Eddie Guerrero in current storylines: Angle first talked about Guerrero. "Eddie died from exhaustion. Had nothing to do with painkillers. With WWE using Eddie in storylines, they are taking care of his family and also making lots of money at the same time. The storylines help people remember Eddie. I would also like to see every cent made off Eddie go back to his family. He died with dignity and honor. If WWE wants to be the good guy, they will give money to his family. I guarantee his kids won't get near the amount Eddie made."

- A caller brings up rumors that he was unhappy about being moved over to ECW: "Vince painted a picture. We want to make ECW more real. When he I got there, there was nobody for me to work with. I had RVD and Sabu to work with. Then there was The Sandman and Balls Mahoney. Then Big Show was brought over. I already worked with Big Show a hundred times before." Angle brought up how Vince asked him to make Sabu look 100%. When he did it, Vince thanked him. "Then I looked around and wondered who I would work with next." WWE announced him as an agent for the ECW brand to help other ECW guys. ECW guys didn't like that and he was only trying to teach them. He would tell them they were doing great, but pointed out what they could work on. Angle told WWE they didn't want to listen to him. "I have a gift. I can watch a match and tell you what you did right and what you did wrong. Some of the ECW guys got offended by that. I wasn't happy being part of that anymore. Then they put me with Randy Orton, but Orton wasn't even in ECW. I went along with it, but I was unhappy because I had no one to wrestle. I'm not an ECW guy. I don't use weapons. I tell a story in the ring because I'm a wrestler. People enjoy that the most." Angle also talked about Rob Van Dam getting the WWE. Angle said RVD deserved the WWE Title for years and said was happy when RVD got that.

WrestleView.com's own Ryan Droste brought up to Angle that he came to WWE when it was on top and asked what he thinks needs to happen in TNA for it to grow? Ryan also added what he thought about the six sided ring: "The six sided ring is awesome. I don't run around in my matches. I stay in the middle and wrestle." Angle on TNA getting to the next level - "they need to keep doing what they are doing. Jeff Jarrett did a great job as champion. Dixie Carter is doing a great job as owner. I'm just part of the picture here. I saw TNA coming and this is selfish, but I saw this team of guys that were rapidly growing. I want to be part of that. I want to be part of history. When I got to WWE, they were already at the top. I got paid well, thanks to guys like Rock, Steve Austin, The Undertaker and even Triple H, to a certain degree. I saw so much room for growth and the athletes in TNA. TNA needs to keep doing what they are doing - stay with the basics, we have the best writer in Vince Russo and best wrestler in Kurt Angle. I told four TNA wrestlers that if they learn a few more things, they can be better than me. I feel TNA is just not going to grow rapidly, they will be on top and make lots of money. There is always room in wrestling for two companies to have success. I feel Vince will still be alright. TNA is going back to basics. We are wrestling. We aren't sports entertainment. We have entertainment in the shows, but our basic thing is going back to what wrestling use to be and that is telling a story. People pay to see that. They don't pay to see someone having sex on a bed in the middle of the ring. They pay to see a great main event. TNA is doing as good as they possibly could have done. Compared to Vince, TNA is primitive. In the next two years, TNA is going to grow so fast they will have to have their own headquarters and same amount of employees. TNA, The Carter's and Spike TV is meshing so well. No one is butting heads. When Spike enjoys TNA, you will get help from them. Now you got a marketing machine all the time. It's going to be Nonstop Action Marketing! TNA is going to be the biggest thing in wrestling since the Monday Night Wars. I was honored to be compared to Hogan's jump to WCW. TNA is in it for the long haul." Angle finished saying when Dixie Carter wanted him for 30 years, he loved it. He hopes TNA stays with Spike because they are unlimited.

NOTE: If you use this recap, please provide full credit to both www.WrestleView.com and Adam Martin. Thank you.