Kurt Angle Praises Triple H and Paul Heyman as WWE Thrives Without Vince McMahon

Kurt Angle is keeping it real when it comes to WWE’s continued growth and Vince McMahon’s complicated legacy.

Despite McMahon’s dramatic exits and returns over the past couple of years, WWE has been on an upward trajectory. In fact, the company just announced a staggering profit of $57.7 million for the last quarter—nearly triple what they raked in during the same period in 2023. But does WWE’s success surprise Angle? Not one bit.

While speaking with SI’s The Takedown, the wrestling legend told explained why WWE can still crush it without Vince holding the reins. “The guys that were underneath him know the business in and out the way Vince did,” Angle shared. “Triple H, he knows the business pretty good. Paul Heyman, he knows the business pretty damn good. We have a lot of good guys that we can turn to and depend on for the business to continue to grow.”

Even though Angle praised the current leadership, he made it clear that Vince’s impact is unmatched. “Nobody will ever be Vince McMahon,” he emphasized. But even without the larger-than-life figure of McMahon at the helm, Angle believes WWE is in good hands and will continue to thrive. “The business will always be here because you have incredible individuals like Triple H and Paul Heyman,” he added.

While acknowledging Vince’s monumental contribution to the company, Angle didn’t shy away from addressing the elephant in the room. “Despite everything going on in the world with Vince today… what he was able to do… is something short of incredible,” Angle said.

Angle admitted that WWE wouldn’t even exist in its current form without McMahon’s pioneering vision. But he also made it clear he prefers not to dive into McMahon’s ongoing controversies. “I don’t talk about Vince much anymore because most of it is usually negative,” he said. “But he did incredibly well for the business.”

As a reminder of the complex legacy Vince leaves behind, Janel Grant, a former WWE employee, filed a lawsuit against McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis in January. The suit accuses McMahon of sexual assault and sex trafficking. While McMahon has stepped down from his roles amidst the ongoing federal investigation, his influence on WWE’s past—and its future—remains a hot topic.