Kurt Angle Claims TNA Career Surpasses His Time in WWE

Kurt Angle, often celebrated as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, believes that a significant part of his career is often overlooked.

Speaking to WrestleZone, Angle opened up about the period he spent in TNA Wrestling from 2006 to 2016, stating that he considers it superior to his tenure in WWE.

Angle addressed a common sentiment among fans: “I always get, ‘You know, Kurt Angle would have been the best of all time if he would have stuck in the WWE and wrestled there for 20 years.’ That may be true, but what’s the difference? I wrestled in TNA for 11 of my 20 years, and I think that should be added on.”

During his TNA run, Angle squared off against some of the most talented names in wrestling, including AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Sting. “I had a better career in TNA because I came into my own,” he said. “When you’re a professional wrestler, it takes you about six, seven years to really master your craft. And that’s when I left WWE, after six years. And I went to TNA and I was a man on a mission there. And I just did incredibly well there.”

Angle lamented that his TNA contributions don’t get the recognition he feels they deserve. “I don’t get enough accolades for it, you know? I mean, I know that a lot of people consider me one of the best of all time now regardless of my TNA career. But that career gets a little bit stifled. That really bothers me a little bit because, you know, I was really that good. I mean, I had an incredible career. Don’t get me wrong, the WWE career was great too.”

Despite his return to WWE in 2017, Angle doesn’t count that period as part of his prime. “Now me coming back to the WWE in 2017, I don’t even count that. Because by then I lost a step, I wasn’t the same person. The reason why I retired early is because I looked at myself on television and I was like, ‘Wow, this looks like an old man wrestling.’ And I didn’t like what I saw.”

Angle’s move to TNA came during a tumultuous time as he battled addiction and health issues, but it marked a resurgence for him. He became a six-time World Champion and was a key player in some of TNA’s most successful pay-per-view events. His contributions were acknowledged in 2013 when he was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame.

Angle’s reflection on his TNA run highlights a period that wrestling fans might revisit to fully appreciate the scope of his legacy.