Kurt Angle in Legal Problem with WWE?

[JimSteel]

FROM LORDS OF PAIN
WWE recently sent Kurt Angle a nasty legal letter with several demands, such as not using the terms "Angle lock" or "The Wrestling Machine", which Angle pretty much laughed off. WWE may also have claimed ownership to the term "Angle slam", and if so he will have to find a new name for the maneuver.

[incognito]

Can he actually be barred from useing moves with his name; if it was used in the WWE?

[LWPD]

WWE has every right to enforce it's intellectual property rights when it comes to such issues. That's easily worked around anyway.

I'd love to see the video...or at least an unedited transcript from today's Kurt Angle Conference Call. Sounds like unintentional comedy gold. He's eventually going to do one of these media gigs in the wrong setting and the softballs and non-crticial atmosphere is going to be replaced by someone who throws his contradictions in his face and rips apart the bubble he's living inside. It could be sooner than he thinks.

Courtesy of Paraphrased Angle Comments From 10/17/06 Meltzer Report

--There was an explosive more than 90 minute conference call with Kurt Angle today which was extremely newsworthy. Angle said all the things you'd expect him to say regarding TNA's future, and also praised Spike TV heavily. He said TNA had far better athletes and he had an unlimited supply of future opponents to have five-star matches with, whereas in WWE there were only a few. He continually portrayed himself as the best wrestler in the world, which some would take as arrogance, but you have to have confidence/arrogance to be on top in this business, and the guys who don't show it that are on top are also working in the other direction.

--He was very negative toward Vince McMahon. He said his doctor told him he needed to take three months off for rehab three years ago due to a painkiller problem but Vince refused to give him the time off, saying you're an Olympic gold medalist and suck it up. He categorized the time period as when he was working with John Cena and the people were turning him (which was a year ago actually). He said he went cold turkey and takes no pain pills, totally contradicting his statements when he was fired that he needed pain pills to wrestle and just to take out the garbage so he needs to take time off.

--He was strong in claiming he called the meeting with Vince and his goal was to be released. He didn't use the word work, but said he behaved erratic at the meeting and broke down and cried as a way to get released, although he said at the time he thought he was going to MMA and not TNA.

--He didn't say he got a $30 million five year offer from Pride, but said the word had gotten around to Vince that he did.

--He claimed his health was close to 100% and his agreement is that he will work when he can perform at 100% and when he can't he'll take time off. He couldn't have praised Dixie Carter more, saying any time he needs time off to heal he will get it, unlike in WWE.

--He claimed whenever he asked for time off from WWE, somebody would get hurt and he'd be pressed into service and never got the time off. He praised some people, notably Pat Patterson and Jerry Brisco for teaching him and Chris Benoit as his favorite opponent, but felt after Austin and Rock were gone that it was his turn to be the focal point of the company and couldn't understand why the son-in-law and Shawn Michaels were pushed ahead of him.

--Said he was rebuffed when he came up with merchandise ideas for himself, that somehow WWE either wouldn't market him or didn't feel he was marketable in that way.

--Said he was interested in MMA, but didn't really talk about any definite plans other than his contract gives him time off to train if he wants it. He said many companies have offered him "retirement money" for just one fight. He did say he was offered a New Year's Eve match with Brock Lesnar by K-1 and didn't say he wasn't doing it, but you could tell he wasn't because he said he needed six months of training before fighting.

--He praised Dana White, but said he reminded him of Vince McMahon in that White only wanted him to do one fight, but sign an exclusive deal and work with the company as a goodwill ambassador. He didn't even want to say the name of his opponent, and actually cut a tremendous pro wrestling promo on the guy, and recounted the Tough Enough situation. He claimed he was 208, with a broken neck and no feeling in his hands when the deal happened and Puder got him in a hammerlock, but ripped on Puder, saying he wasn't a good athlete and that today he's at full strength and would demolish him in 40 seconds. He said White told him because of the back story it would be the biggest buy rate in UFC history if they had that match, and Angle agreed, but said it would all be due to him. He seemed to genuinely be pissed off about Puder's T-shirts and all the pub he got, basically claiming he's tried to make himself a name at his expense. He did say if it came up in TNA to do an angle with Puder he would, but said he can't wrestle at the level of the TNA guys.

--He made it clear he hated being in ECW, that he had nobody to work with (although he praised RVD a lot and said he felt RVD should be champion and should have been champ a long time ago, and also praised Sabu). He said he didn't fit in with the chairs and barbed wire. He also claimed he was an agent in ECW but when he was giving pointers on working to guys with more experience, they resented him for it and complained about it.

--Said he plans on working for Dixie Carter for the next 30 years, whether it be p.r., writing, or being an agent after his wrestling days are over.

--Put over Samoa Joe big, and said he loved his new ring entrance music and entrance that will be on the PPV

--In total denial regarding a question that the type of neck surgery he had may not have been the right decision. He said Dr. Jho saved his career and that the fusion surgery that so many (Edge, Benoit, Lita, Bob Holly, Steve Austin, Rhino, etc.) had was prehistorical and all are suffering neck problems because of it. Said he told Vince for people to do it in the future with Dr. Jho, but that because he got hurt again, nobody has and they don't belive it.

--Said he had not taken a painkiller in three years. Quit cold turkey while on the road, even though his doctor told him it was impossible, because Vince said he couldn't give him three months off for rehab

--"I'm 100% healthy. There are no issues."

--Was very positive regarding fans who were concerned and felt he shouldn't wrestle, but said his brain says he can go, his heart says he can go, and doctors and God have told him he can go and there is no reason not to wrestle.

--Said when he got to the meeting with Vince, he was attacked (verbally) and he was the one who asked for the release, and Vince asked him if they could say it was a mutual deal to save face. He had never spoken to anyone from TNA until after the meeting where he was released (I believe that, but he also would have to say it due to tampering laws even if not true)

--"I did what I had to do," basically intimating he worked Vince into the release with his behavior. That is not the first time he's said that, as he was saying it a week after it happened.

--When it was brought up that Dana White said he didn't want an actor, he said White offered him a ton of money and he thought he was going to go there but the exclusive nature of the contract bothered him as he didn't want to be owned. White didn't want him doing both, but very much wanted him in UFC. I think there should be no misunderstanding there.

--Blamed Eddy Guerrero's death as being due to exhaustion and not applicable to him. Also said Eddy Guerrero was clean and his death wasn't drug related saying he died an honorable death. When asked about the angles exploiting Guerrero's death, he didn't really give an answer, saying Vince is supporting the family but also felt Vince should have given all the money made from Guerrero merchandise directly to the family and guaranteed that wasn't the case.

--Said he didn't expect to work for WWE again, and then said "Never say never," but then you could tell his wife was listening and said something to him. He then intimated his wife was a better judge of character than he was, and she told him that he should never work for Vince McMahon again.

--Ripped on kissing ass segments and live sex deal and said TNA was going to have two hour TV shows that would give 30 minutes to the main event. Then later said TNA has the best wrestling writer in the world in Vince Russo and the best wrestler in the world in him.

--He said before he left that he asked to be put back on Raw or Smackdown, was told by Vince he was the faced of ECW but then said that was a lie as he wasn't the face of ECW. Asked why the best wrestler in the company wasn't booked on SummerSlam (he actually was booked, but pulled off the show because the company was concerned about him)

--Overall, when it comes to TNA, the talent, Spike TV, etc. he said all the right things. A lot of stuff didn't add up. I wish him and TNA the best of course and the schedule may save his career and will definitely prolong it. But I couldn't help but be left with a strong feeling of self-denial. It will be very interesting to see if WWE will publicly respond to this, because he made some very serious charges and I would certainly have to hear the other side before accepting that they are accurate. There were things that didn't add up, particularly when Mike Johnson brought up the statement WWE made a week after the release, and he said they portrayed it that way because they found out he was going to TNA, when at the time, he hadn't even started negotiations and within WWE, they all expected he was going to MMA until the minute he showed up on the screen on the TNA PPV a few weeks later.

[BDS]

If you check out PWTorch.com, Paint, you'll find significantly more direct quotes in their recap. It's chunked up into six parts, but there's a lot more meat to it.

[PureHatred]

As an update to this, according to pwinsider.com:

KURT ANGLE AND SPIKETV ISSUE CORRECTION OF STATEMENT MADE DURING TODAY'S CONFERENCE CALL
by Mike Johnson @ 6:05:00 PM on 10/17/2006


SpikeTV issued the following statement to media outlets that took place in this afternoon's Kurt Angle conference call:

After the completion of today's call, Kurt Angle called us to correct an error he made in answering one of the questions. Kurt was asked by King Jordan of the NY Daily News about injuries he had incurred while working for his former employer. In answering the question, Kurt stated that he had not taken any painkillers in three years. He realized, after the fact, that he began using painkillers three years ago, and has been clean, rather, for eighteen months since the Cena PPV match he referenced (Feb 2005).

Sorry for any confusion this causes, Kurt felt it important to set the record straight.

[PureHatred]

My reaction to this whole pressconference thing is just....wow.

I'm stunned he threw the E and Vince under the bus but more power to him if its true. I have a feeling that Kurt is downplaying his own problems and theres no way in hell i believe he hasn't had any painkillers in 18 months.

This all feels like one of those situations where an addict is placing the blame everywhere exept with himself; lik e one of those press conferences LT would give towards the end of his career.

Also..LOL to the WWE hassling him for using their name sfor his moves. As if using a different name will make a difference. OK...TNA can call them the Ankle Lock and a High Angle Suplex respectively and no one would care one lick.

[gwffantrav]

I think it's about 50-50 on Vince and Angle telling any truths to anything.

[mwjergs]

Wow listen to that bridge sizzle.

I think like most things the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Vince is no saint but Angle's been flip flopping left and right as well.

[GalactiKing]

Most likely though I do doubt that the WWE wouldn't let him have time off to recover. I think it was more Kurt's desire to compete that overwhelmed him.

[Splattercat]

Way I see it, Doesn't matter to me what WWE/Vince's retort is...We all know how he deals with bad press...A few spins, a couple swerves, but mostly just a big pack o' lies...

Bret screwed Bret my A**...

[gatekeeper]

If KA said that TNA has the best wrestlers and the best writer in Vince Russo, he has flipped his lid.

[gwffantrav]

Just an addition from the Kurt Angle interview, posted on PWTorch.com

- Kurt Angle starts off by saying he really wasn't treated right in WWE. Vince overworked him to a breaking point with house shows and appearances. When Heidenreich failed a medical exam due to high blood pressure, Vince had Angle replace him.

I can see that. With the talent roster depleted due to brand extensions or injuries, I can see that happening


- Angle's wife is pregnant with their second child and is expected to give birth within the next month or two.

- Angle told Vince that he had a serious pain pill addiction and needed to enter rehab, and Vince wouldn't let him. He told Vince, "I'm Gonna Die." Vince told him to figure out his problems on the road. He said Vince needed Angle to help put Cena over big and make him strong for his WrestleMania 21 main event match with JBL.

Like I said in a previous thread, I'm sure the truth with those two lie about 50-50


- Triple H is in a really bad spot because he hogs the show and is booking it at the same time.

- Angle had a lot of heat with Triple H because Triple H wouldn't put him over. Triple tapped out to Chris Benoit because Benoit had no charisma. Triple H tapped out to John Cena because Cena can't wrestle that well. Triple H wouldn't tap out to Angle because Angle was the true total package who had charisma and could wrestle.

- Angle doesn't respect Triple H as a person. Triple H was against Angle getting the belt a few years back because Angle was too small. When Jerry Brisco suggested Triple H do a shoot fight with Angle to see how much Angle's size really mattered, Triple H backed down on Angle not getting the belt.

I can totally see that happening! That's classic!

- Angle was very close to signing a big contract with the K-1 MMA company to fight Brock Lesnar.

- Angle says Big Show could be making huge money in Japan for working very few dates. He said Big Show would be a major attraction there and was one of his best friends in WWE. He talked about Big Show having a huge penis.


I think the novelty of the giant wrestler wrestling in Japan has probably faded in recent years....but I'm sure he'd be over somewhat


- Angle said that Vince McMahon would tell his wife Karen that she was better looking than any of the WWE divas. He gave the impression that he wasn't pleased with the attention Vince would give his wife.

- Angle was very close to signing a contract with UFC after he won his Gold Medal in 1996, but when UFC had their problems with getting banned in many states, that deal fell through.

- Angle feels he's got one shoot fight left in him.

- Angle said Tito Ortiz only has a few fights left in him too, and that Angle could beat him with six months of training.

- When asked about the most money he ever made with Vince in a single year, Angle laughed at the host's guess that it was near $5 million. Angle said the most he ever made in a year was $2.5 Million. He had major heat with Vince because Vince wouldn't let Angle do any merchandising. Angle would come to Vince with great ideas for merchandise and Vince would say, "You're going to make your money in the ring."

- They talked about Angle's drug problems. The hosts tried to guess how much Angle was taking at the height of his addiction. They guessed that he was taking up to 15 [Vicodin] pills a day. Angle said "more than four times that." Later into the interview he confirmed he was up to around 65-70 pills a day. He said that he's very lucky to be alive - and that after many tests, doctors told him they were very surprised at how little damage he had done to his body. Angle said, "If your urine looks like Coca Cola, that means you've done permanent damage to your liver - and my urine is red, white, and blue." He clarified that he was joking about his patriotic pee.

That's pretty honest, saying 65-70 pills a day. Very lucky guy

- Angle is back with his wife and they are doing well.

- During their match at No Way Out 2005 talked about earlier, Angle said he went very rough on Cena in an effort to make him fight back and draw some emotion out of Cena.

- Angle hyped his move to TNA being as big as when Hulk Hogan jumped to WCW in 1993.

Well, I don't know if I'd ever compare Angle to Hogan.....lol

- When he wrestled Hulk Hogan, Hogan told Angle to slow down his pace and not to wrestle so stiff. He said Hogan told him, "Easy brother - they're already here, they've already paid to see you." Angle said he almost always calls [the spots in] his matches, but Hogan called the match when they fought.

Great line by Angle. I can see this

- Angle said WWE badly misused Andrew "Test" Martin in his first run with the company and is glad to see him getting some TV time in ECW.

I always feel they really blew it with Test after that HHH-Steph wedding. The fans were dying to cheer Test after that, but they just threw him back down the ladder

- Angle said Chris Jericho isn't a great singer and that wrestling is in his blood.

- Pride Fighting Championship offered Kurt $30 million for a five year contract. This would have included $2 million per fight, 3 fights a year, for 5 years.

- Angle predicts TNA's prime time ratings will be 2-3 times what they are doing now.

I really hope so, but I'm not so sure....

- Angle wants Bubba to do an angle in TNA and Bubba sounded very open to it. Angle said he had spoken to Dixie Carter and she was into it, too.

- Angle wants to be on Bubba's radio show every week and feels it would be great publicity for TNA.

- Angle said that his deal with TNA is NOT exclusive and that TNA was encouraging Angle to pursue shoot fighting in UFC. It's actually UFC that told Angle he needs to be exclusive to them. UFC offered Angle a five-year multi-million dollar deal to do nothing more than "a fight or two" and to appear in the crowd at all UFC events, which he declined.

[pikemojo]

The novelty of the big man in Japan hasn't completely faded. Giant Bernard/A-Train is doing very well for himself in Japan right now. Tomko is also starting to wrestle in Japan now as well. Big Show would go over huge.

[Avarice]

There's 2 sides to every story, but this is good stuff. In any event, it's still good to see Angle in TNA now. Only if they can get Jericho, that'd be sweet!

[Avarice]

Also on the moves, ankle lock would work, and I wonder if "Olympic Slam" is trademarked? If so, there's other ways around it for sure. Will be cool to see him in the ring though.

[Splattercat]

I like the High Angle Suplex idea, that was great...

EDIT: Oh yeah, PureHatred said that by the way...

[Mike M]

konish50 said:

Also on the moves, ankle lock would work, and I wonder if "Olympic Slam" is trademarked? If so, there's other ways around it for sure. Will be cool to see him in the ring though.

I believe that the IOC owns the trademark on "Olympic" and I'd guess that's why WWE went to the "Angle Slam" name. I agree that there are plenty of way's around it, and it will be interesting to see what they come up with.... if WWE's claims are enforceable.

Any insight on this, LWPD?

[gwffantrav]

pikemojo said:

The novelty of the big man in Japan hasn't completely faded. Giant Bernard/A-Train is doing very well for himself in Japan right now. Tomko is also starting to wrestle in Japan now as well. Big Show would go over huge.

You know, that's a good point. I forgot about A-Train being over.

What in the world do these Japanese fans have for these big guys!?!? Is it the Godzilla complex!?!? Where's Chewie!!!??!?!?

[Splattercat]

A-Train actually exists somewhere, in a wrestling capacity..??

Damn, my world's just coming crumbling down tonight....

[PureHatred]

Yes. A-Train, known as Giant Bernard, is actually doing very well for himself in Japan and is considered quite a draw.

The only thing I can think of is that Japanese crowds - as far back as Stan Hansen and the Road Warriors and pre-WWF Hulk Hogan -simply love really big, stiff as hell wrestlers. Regardless of talent level.

I have no explanation for it. Of course I don;'t ge tthe appeal of all those insane Japanese game shows that I see on YouTube either, so who knows.