Kurt Angle and IFL
Oct 2, 2007 22:37:51 GMT -5
Post by DUCE on Oct 2, 2007 22:37:51 GMT -5
www.ifl.tv/News-07Sep28-Angle-Ringside-IFL-Finals.html
Angle Gets Fired Up Ringside At IFL Finals
09/28/2007
By Ben Fowlkes
When Olympic gold medalist wrestler Kurt Angle sat ringside at the IFL Finals last week, he couldn’t help but get caught up in the action. Several times Angle could be seen jumping out of his seat in excitement.
“I watch IFL on TV all the time, but this is the first event I’ve seen live,” Angle said. “I think the fighters are really good, even in the preliminary fights. I like watching it up close like this. You watch it on TV, it’s completely different.”
Rumors about whether Angle will step into the MMA ring himself have been swirling for years. His career as a professional wrestler has flourished, and many have speculated that he’d be reluctant to leave the life he’s worked so hard to build in that industry.
But to hear Angle tell it, the desire to compete still burns inside him.
“I love MMA. I always thought I could do it, but the opportunity has kind of eluded me. After I won the gold medal (at the 1996 Olympics) I thought about it, but back then you couldn’t make any money in it. So I joined the WWF. Then when I was ready to fight I broke my neck and I had to wait.”
Now Angle is employed by a different pro wrestling company, TNA. His commitment to that organization made it impossible for him to accept an exclusive contract as an MMA fighter, he said.
“(UFC President) Dana White offered me a phenomenal deal, but I had to agree to no longer wrestle, just strictly fight,” said Angle. “I like the IFL because here I could do both.”
Asked whether he would want to participate as a fighter or as a coach, where he could put his knowledge of the ground game to use, Angle said he didn’t see any reason to choose between them. If he had it his way, said Angle, he’d coach first to give himself time to prepare and adjust to MMA and then, when he was comfortable, fight.
It’s enough to make you wonder, does Angle already have some IFL coaches in mind who he’d like to face off against in the ring?
“I’d fight (Ken) Shamrock, (Matt) Lindland, (Pat) Miletich, (Renzo) Gracie. Hell, any of them. I know I’d have a hard time with all of them but I think they’d have a hard time with me, too.”
“I’d be giving up a lot of experience, but I have a God-given gift like they’ve probably never seen before. My kind of quickness and explosiveness is something I haven’t seen from many guys in MMA.”
The prospect of seeing one of pro wrestling’s elite performers in MMA action is enough to get fans worked up. It remains to be seen what Angle might be able to accomplish in this sport that is worlds apart from both pro and amateur wrestling, though he seems confident enough.
Asked if he might return to the practice of bringing his Olympic gold medal into the ring and giving his opponent a shot at winning it from him, as he did in the WWE, Angle just laughed.
“Not these guys. Hell no.”
Angle Gets Fired Up Ringside At IFL Finals
09/28/2007
By Ben Fowlkes
When Olympic gold medalist wrestler Kurt Angle sat ringside at the IFL Finals last week, he couldn’t help but get caught up in the action. Several times Angle could be seen jumping out of his seat in excitement.
“I watch IFL on TV all the time, but this is the first event I’ve seen live,” Angle said. “I think the fighters are really good, even in the preliminary fights. I like watching it up close like this. You watch it on TV, it’s completely different.”
Rumors about whether Angle will step into the MMA ring himself have been swirling for years. His career as a professional wrestler has flourished, and many have speculated that he’d be reluctant to leave the life he’s worked so hard to build in that industry.
But to hear Angle tell it, the desire to compete still burns inside him.
“I love MMA. I always thought I could do it, but the opportunity has kind of eluded me. After I won the gold medal (at the 1996 Olympics) I thought about it, but back then you couldn’t make any money in it. So I joined the WWF. Then when I was ready to fight I broke my neck and I had to wait.”
Now Angle is employed by a different pro wrestling company, TNA. His commitment to that organization made it impossible for him to accept an exclusive contract as an MMA fighter, he said.
“(UFC President) Dana White offered me a phenomenal deal, but I had to agree to no longer wrestle, just strictly fight,” said Angle. “I like the IFL because here I could do both.”
Asked whether he would want to participate as a fighter or as a coach, where he could put his knowledge of the ground game to use, Angle said he didn’t see any reason to choose between them. If he had it his way, said Angle, he’d coach first to give himself time to prepare and adjust to MMA and then, when he was comfortable, fight.
It’s enough to make you wonder, does Angle already have some IFL coaches in mind who he’d like to face off against in the ring?
“I’d fight (Ken) Shamrock, (Matt) Lindland, (Pat) Miletich, (Renzo) Gracie. Hell, any of them. I know I’d have a hard time with all of them but I think they’d have a hard time with me, too.”
“I’d be giving up a lot of experience, but I have a God-given gift like they’ve probably never seen before. My kind of quickness and explosiveness is something I haven’t seen from many guys in MMA.”
The prospect of seeing one of pro wrestling’s elite performers in MMA action is enough to get fans worked up. It remains to be seen what Angle might be able to accomplish in this sport that is worlds apart from both pro and amateur wrestling, though he seems confident enough.
Asked if he might return to the practice of bringing his Olympic gold medal into the ring and giving his opponent a shot at winning it from him, as he did in the WWE, Angle just laughed.
“Not these guys. Hell no.”
