Welcome to Universe of Wrestling Forums! Established in 2006!

We hope you enjoy your visits.

To get the full benefits of UOW, please register. It is quick and easy.

Benefits include:
- You can do a lot more on forums than social media sites. - Member only forums.
- Friendly members and staff.
- You lose this welcome at the top of the screen every page.
- A chatbox where you can chat in real time about wrestling or anything else.

A lot more to come as UOW is changing this year.

Click here to register!

Results 1 to 3 of 3
  1. #1
    Kal Ho Na Ho,C'est La Vie Will's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    5,348
    Rep Power
    187

    Default Kurt Angle Admittedly not Ready for MMA

    Although professional wrestling superstar Kurt Angle will compete against UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture in a submission grappling match later this year, don't expect Angle to immediately follow in fellow professional wrestler Brock Lesnar's footsteps -- at least not yet.

    Angle discussed his upcoming grappling match, as well as a possible foray into MMA with a potential seven-figure deal with the UFC, while a guest on Thursday's edition of TAGG Radio.

    "I've always wanted to do (MMA), from after the Olympics, and I just never got the shot," Angle said. "I've been keeping myself in really, really good shape, but not in the fighting shape you have to be in to go into MMA."

    Instead, Angle will first try his hand at submission wrestling, which is essentially MMA without striking. The match will be Angle's first in Rico Chiapparelli's Professional Submission League, while Couture has competed in the organization before, battling Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza to a draw. The date of the event has not yet been determined, but Angle believes it will take place in late summer or early fall.

    "A lot of people are pretty much counting me out, which I don't blame them," Angle admitted. "But you can't count out an Olympic gold medalist."

    After the match, Angle will continue to pursue a transition into MMA, something the 39-year-old has been trying to do for several years. Angle has had contract negotiations with several organizations, including the UFC, though none of those discussions led to a deal.

    "(UFC President) Dana White gave me more than any other fighter could ever dream of," Angle said. "He wanted me to sign for a long period of time where I didn't have to fight that much. But, he wanted the complete rights to me. I guess he wanted Kurt Angle the name and the person to be affiliated with the UFC for the next whatever years. But the figure was staggering. I could tell you that all the deals that were done were all in the seven-figure mark for the fight."

    Angle's training for a possible MMA debut has been hampered by the difficulties of constant travel while working as a professional wrestler. He also has a history of neck and shoulder issues that have required numerous surgeries. He hopes to land with an organization that will allow him ample time to prepare properly for a fight.

    "Last year I trained about four straight months, and I'll tell you what, the training is as grueling, if not more grueling, than the training I did for the 1996 Olympics," Angle said. "Within four months I was so broken down, and I was trying to wrestle full time on the road as well, and I couldn't do it."

    So while Angle is excited about the opportunity to test his abilities in submission grappling against one of the UFC's most decorated fighters, an MMA debut is still far from a sure thing.

    "I don't want (you) to misunderstand me," he said. "When I say I am in shape, I am in no shape at all right now to go into an octagon or on a platform and have a fight with Randy Couture or Chuck Liddell or 'Rampage' Jackson or Brock Lesnar or whoever it is. Right now I cannot."

    Angle also discussed at length his previous battles with addiction to painkillers, his thoughts on Angle's recent UFC debut, and his less-than-amicable departure from the WWE. To hear the full interview, download Thursday's edition of TAGG Radio, available for free in the TAGG Radio archives.

  2. #2
    Jobber
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    70
    Rep Power
    23

    Default

    If this goes through, it should be a good match up. Angle is a great, experienced grappler and Couture is well, Couture. But let us not forget Angle has consistently talked a great deal and has never backed it up.
    He has a long way to go before he could realistically fight in a MMA event.

  3. #3
    Main Eventer
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    41,352
    Rep Power
    745

    Default

    I can see Angle pulling it off someday but not in the shape he's in right now.
    .

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •