RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Sports and Wrestling KURT ANGLE GONE FROM WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT

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World Wrestling Entertainment announced this evening that former WWE champion Kurt Angle has been released from the company.

The WWE website stated, "Due to personal issues, Kurt Angle has been granted an early release from his contract. WWE looks forward to establishing a new relationship with Kurt in the near future."

Earlier this week, Dave Scherer and I discussed many of the issues surrounding Angle in recent weeks on our Hot News Hotline in the PWInsider.com Elite section. We will have a hotline regarding the situation up on PWInsider.com's Elite section tomorrow as well.

The lone Olympic Gold medalist in WWE history, Angle signed a developmental deal with the then-WWF in 1998 and debuted a year later. He headlined Wrestlemania XIX against Brock Lesnar in Seattle, Washington. In recent months, Angle had been taken off the road to deal with personal issues. Shortly after his return, Angle suffered a groin tear during a match with Rob Van Dam in White Plains, New York which necessitated his removal from in-ring involvement in recent ECW on Sci Fi episodes and the Summerslam PPV.

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britneyspearsatemyshorts said:
From my understanding he has had injury after injury since dropping the steroids. He prolly needs time off to properly get his body fit for wrestling. If he or the WWE doesnt think that is possible I would say he will return for special events.

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Nowhereman said:
Yeah, I'd fully expect something similar to the deals they have with Hogan & Foley!

Ya gotta say though, TNA are probably already working out how to get his services!

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source: WWE.com

In an interview with WWE.com, Kurt Angle admited that years of non-stop wrestling had taken a major toll on his body, his mind and his family. The article notes that his departure was a mutual decision between both Angle and WWE. Here are a few quotes from the article:

"My body is so beat up and run down, I can't even think straight."

"I need my body to reheal and rehab, I have done this for too long without a break. I haven't been able to really enjoy my life. I haven't seen my family, I've had problems with medication - I'm just fried physically and mentally."

Angle's last straw came in a match with Rob Van Dam at the 8/13 ECW house show in White Plains, NY - which also happened to be his last match. "Early on in the match, I pulled my groin, but I kept going, feeding off the crowd. Then I pulled my abdominal muscle off the pelvic bone, but I kept going as the crowd grew more wild. Finally, I blew out my hamstring, but we finished the match. The crowd stood and applauded - a standing ovation and that meant so much to me."

Angle doesn't know if he will ever return to WWE. "I can't tell you that right now, I need to heal up mentally and physically. Until then, I can't even think about returning."

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Nowhereman said:
"East side!"

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WWE is still in a state of shock following Kurt Angle’s release on Friday, and many of the Superstars WWE.com spoke to backstage at RAW on Monday still couldn’t believe that it happened.

“I’m surprised; Kurt has been a great wrestler his whole career…well, more than great, fantastic,” said Intercontinental Champion Johnny Nitro. “I’m going to miss him because I’m such a fan of his; I loved watching him.”

Carlito added that Angle “is one of the greatest Superstars ever, and it’s a big loss that he’s gone. I wish him the best and hope that we see him back again.”

Despite his heated rivalry with Angle in recent months, Randy Orton goes back a long way with the Wrestling Machine and was sad to see him go.

"When I first came to WWE in 2002, I rode with Kurt for about four months. Ever since then, I’ve always looked to him as mentor of sorts, someone I could always get advice from,” Orton revealed. “I hold him very close to my heart as far as what he’s done for the business and the drive he has; whatever personal situations have arisen that call for this drastic of a measure…I think Kurt is one of the most valuable players WWE had, and I hope he comes back sooner than later. Whatever he needs to get in order, I hope he takes the time to do it.”

Another Superstar who had a recent rivalry with Angle, John Cena, echoed Orton's statement.

"Kurt and I have been teammates and adversaries; we've beaten the hell out of each other and we've basked in each other's glory. Since I've been here, he's been a good friend to me," Cena said. "He's always been someone I could talk seriously too. But sometimes it has to be what it has to be; he's a good friend of mine and I just wish him the best."

For Jeff Hardy, Angle’s release hit a little closer to home as well.

“When I got my first contract, I was in the same training camp as Kurt,” Hardy revealed. “For me, it was an honor to be training with an Olympic Gold Medalist. He was such a big part of WWE; when I heard that he was gone, it was mind-blowing. I was kind of speechless when I found out.”

Hardy spent three years out of WWE battling his own demons, so he can relate somewhat to what Angle is going through today. In fact, Hardy hopes Angle gets everything together and returns to WWE in the near future.

“Hopefully, he can just take the time at home and breathe, and not have to worry about where he’s going to be next week or beyond,” Hardy said. “I know he knows his talent in this world is to be a wrestler, and he’s got a God-given talent for that; hopefully it will find his way into his heart again and he’ll be back.”

On Friday afternoon, WWE and Kurt Angle came to a mutual agreement on an early release from Angle's contract. Several WWE Superstars have given WWE.com their reactions to Angle’s release, and on Monday afternoon, WWE.com spoke with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon about it as well.

“It’s unfortunate that Kurt was released, and it’s really unfortunate for the WWE fans who, for a while at least, won’t see Angle in action,” the Chairman told WWE.com. “(Angle) is a consummate professional; obviously he’s a great athlete, and he’s the only Olympic Gold Medalist in WWE history. Not to have Kurt with us is really unfortunate all the way around...but circumstances were such that Kurt should have been, and was, granted his release.”

However, McMahon also said that Angle’s success has come at a price, and that price is part of what led to his situation.

“Kurt has a history of being one of the greatest athletes that America has ever seen. It’s no secret that even when Kurt won the Olympic Gold Medal, he did so with a broken neck,” he said. “Kurt has been dealing with that pain, and the advancement of that pain, as well as other injuries. He had been dealing with that injury since he won the gold medal; he had been masking it in many ways just so he could go out and compete. Kurt only knows 100-percent; he is not one of those guys who can go out and compete at an 85-percent level. He just cannot do that; he’s a thoroughbred. He has to go as fast, and as great, and as strong as he possibly can; that’s the only way Kurt Angle knows.”

The Chairman also confirmed that the door is always open for Angle to return if and when he is able.

"WWE would certainly welcome Kurt back with open arms,” the Chairman affirmed. “I think Kurt has some issues he has to face, as we all do from time to time. We all have our demons, and as human beings, it is important for us to overcome them and become better human beings, athletes and business people.”

One word describes what WWE superstars and officials are feeling over Kurt Angle's release late last week from World Wrestling Entertainment: SHOCK.

"I was shocked, I just couldn't believe it," said former World Champion Rey Mysterio. "I go back a long way with Kurt, and this has really affected me. I hope he can get his issues straightened out. We all have issues with this lifestyle because it's not easy. I hope he keeps plugging away because I'd love to see him in the ring again someday."

ECW representative Paul Heyman, who has known Angle for years says, "This is the best thing for both parties. Kurt has spent his entire life driven to be the best at what he does. Kurt's body, however, could no longer preform to the level that he envisioned for himself. (Kurt) was prepared to drive himself into an early grave simply to live with himself striving to be No. 1. This is a recipe for catastrophe, and taking time off to get his mind and body in sync is the only way to deal with these issues."

Former World Heavyweight Champion Batista says he's shocked as well. "I know Kurt is passionate about wrestling, so for this to happen, something must be going on. I am worried about him; I hope he's ok."

Longtime friend and ECW producer Dean Malenko says, "This is a big loss. Kurt is irreplaceable. He goes 130-percent every night; he's one of the best wrestlers I've ever seen. People have to worry about their life first, and Kurt needs to get his head straight and get himself happy."

Chavo Guerrero says he still can't believe Kurt and WWE have agreed to part ways. "He's a machine; there has to be something else going on."

When told Angle was so banged up that he admitted he couldn't enter a wrestling ring without using prescription pain killers, Chavo said, "This isn't ballet. We all get banged up, but Kurt's a different animal; he doesn't know how to downshift into a lower gear. I wish him the best, I respect him and Kurt always has the Guerreros in his corner."

Ken Kennedy says, "I'm shocked, but I'm happy Kurt's doing what's right. He's been in a lot of pain, and hopefully this decision saved his life. It sucks because Kurt is good for this company. He's the most intense wrestler I have ever seen."

Will Kurt Angle ever return to a WWE ring? Only time will tell if the six-time champion can get his head and body back to where it needs to be. If and when that time comes, WWE Vice-President of talent relations John Laurinaitis says the door will always be open.

"We look forward to doing business with him again. Kurt is a great athlete and an even better person. He will be missed."

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Rob Kamphausen said:
christ, its three separate articles!

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To all my respective fans in WWE/ECW,

The letter you are about to read is not from WWE, nor from my agent, but from me- Kurt Angle…to my all fans.

This is my personal ‘Thank You’ straight from my heart, to all my fans for being here with me and providing me with the most honorable privilege to perform and entertain for you. Thank you for tuning into your TVs weekly, for visiting me at hundreds of house show chanting ‘You Suck’ (I love that phrase), to every single good, bad or indifferent e-mail I’ve received over the past 6 years and continue to receive daily.

Thank you for being there and making my life truly blessed. When I came to WWE, many fans had doubts that an Olympic Gold Medalist in Amateur Wrestling could turn and master the art of Sports Entertainment. To my humble surprise, God graciously granted me the gift to make this exciting transition in my life. Coming into the WWE, I had one goal in mind...to be the VERY BEST! Many say I am; some may say I'm not. But I want you to know with over six solid years of non-stop wrestling action under my belt from all the shows to the world tours...I treated every single match as if it were my last!

I’ve never known a time in my life from training, competition or entertainment that I have not tried to give over 100%. I honestly do not know of any other way to wrestle or perform, and I have always wanted to give YOU, the fans, what I would expect to see. From the entertainment standpoint, (good guy or bad guy), it’s been truly exciting, but I know in my heart that I have not reached my peak. Critics have compared me to very honorable wrestlers like Rick (sic) Flair, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, all of whom I value and truly respect. But there is one BIG difference between us. I am by far the most aggressive and intense athlete of all on the mat. When I step into the ring, I treat it as real, it feels real and then I play it like a real shoot fight.

As an amateur wrestler for 23 years and a pro for 6, unfortunately over the past 4 years I have suffered many injuries. I broke my neck twice and had two major neck surgeries. I’ve fractured my ribs, hip, tailbone, fingers and toes while also tearing almost every major muscle at least one time or another. Injuries have always been a natural part of the business and my life, but where I have failed is not taking the time off to recover. When I’m off the mental stress, sitting back becomes worse than the physical pain. Something tells my inner soul to go back regardless of the condition. The funny thing is, this obsession is what the industry loves, but this obsession can also be my destruction.

Week after week, day after day, 250 days a year on the road can be a living hell for anyone, especially when you're in daily pain for months on end. It was at home when I began to realize how severe the problems were- when a simple task like taking out the garbage is like a full workout and I needed Motrin in order to get up and do it.

It’s time to rest! After 6 long years, I looked into my wife’s eyes and finally saw that she, too, was severely stressed and worn out due to my livelihood that she had to endure. My 3-year old daughter Kyra basically became my nurse, thinking she had to put ice packs or heating pads on my neck, back and legs because she could see the pain her daddy was in.

At this point, something happened that made me realize that wrestling wasn't the most important thing in my life. I sat down with my wife Karen, who had tears in her eyes. I could see in her face how concerned she was for me. She said, “I love you. I didn't marry you because you were a WWE Superstar. I married you before you ever joined them. Kurt, I’m so worried that if you continue going at this pace, something bad is really going to happen and I don't want Kyra and Kody (our unborn son) to grow up without their father.”

I did take this all to heart, but then, as usual, a couple of days later, I went back on the road, wanting to electrify my new ECW fans.

My last event was at the Westchester Arena in White Plains, New York. The show was sold out. The main event was me against RVD. I had a great match against RVD as the fans were cheering for both of us. The more we wrestled (Rob and I wrestle more of a realistic shoot style), the more I wanted to give them. Ten minutes into the match, I severely pulled my groin. Most wrestlers would have quit right on the spot. But the fans were chanting louder and louder "THIS MATCH RULES!" continuously, so I kept going. Compensating for my groin injury, I pulled my lower abdominal muscle off my pelvic bone. Now, I was in trouble, but I looked up at the fans and they were screaming louder than ever.

So Rob and I started into our finish, false finish after false finish, back and forth. But the one thing the fans noticed is that I was doing half of the match on one leg. That made it feel even more real for the fans. I can only thank God and the fans for keeping me going, as I was in so much pain. And at the end of the match, I had the opportunity to beat RVD. I set him up for the Angle Slam and Rob countered with a flying DDT. My hamstring blew out. The fans cheered and I could not move in the ring. As the agonizing pain grew greater, I could only look around. Every fan was on their feet giving me a standing ovation. And this was at a house show, not a PPV. My only regret was that I could not stand up and thank them all for it.

To the ones who love me, the ones who hated me and even the ones who loved to hate me- You were and are my inspiration. God was and is my strength and so is my family—my Mom, sister and brothers, my father (God rest his soul), my Manager Dave Hawk and most especially, my wife Karen, who went through hell during my career. She has never given up on me.

Fans, thank you all for the memories. It was quite a ride. I would not trade any of it for the world. As I sit here a bit teary eyed, I do want all of you to know, I will be fine. I will finally get to spend some real quality time with my family… time that is much, much overdue. My plan and goal is to become stronger mentally, physically and spiritually. I, Kurt Angle, will be back! That’s a promise. And that’s DAMN TRUE!

Vince, if you happen to read this, I want to again say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are a great man!

When we get together, the next cup of coffee is on me. ; )

God Bless,

Kurt Angle

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Nowhereman said:
You know what I love about all that?
I believe every word he says!

Not many wrestlers you can say that about!

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