http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/n...ictions-and-Declares-he-will-make-History.htm
Kurt Angle was this months guest and for 90-minutes! He discusses a ton of topics, including his neck surgeries and prescription drug addiction.
The call began at 2:08 pm.
Salil Gulati welcomes us to the call. He runs down the above broadcast information. Callers are limited to one question due to the amount of people on the line.
Kurt welcomes us to the call.
Q. At WM 19, when he [BROCK] did the shooting star, what went through your mind?
A. I wasn't sure if he was ok to go, I asked him and he responded, kinda, and we got to a standing position and we got to the finish and save the match, which could have been a disaster. Him landing the way he did was scary, but added to the match I feel. Anything can happen in wrestling.
Q. I think a lot of people are concerned with you for getting back into the ring. How will this be different, when you said you will be unleashed and not held back.
A. I never had the time to heal in the past. I will wrestle when I can go 100%, if I feel that I can't I won't wrestle, it is simple. Dixie has laid things out, and I will wrestle when I can and when they need me. I am a new name and face for TNA, and I have to be at the important events, but I will have time to rest and heal. I just can't go less than full bore, whether I have 5 or 10-years left, I will give the fans what they paid for.
Q. We heard that you were frustrated with WWE, would you elaborate?
A. I wasn't getting rest and the proper medical care. I was being buried into the ground. They would promise time off and then say I had to perform because others went out with injury. I felt I had to do it and they needed me, but also I was treated unfairly. They knew my history of injury, but they also put me out there when I needed the time off. I also had to do all the media appearances. I wanted to cut them to when I was on the road, not as extra days. I was very unhappy.
Q. What are your MMA thoughts, and have you been offered a match with Brock for New Years Eve.
A. I am interested in MMA and they are interested in me, and for BIG money. They feel I am a commodity, and I was offered the Brock match with K1. The money is important, but so is the timing. TNA has given me the freedom that is COULD do MMA if I choose to do so, as well as to do Movies and TV. In TNA I have a boss, I am not owned like in WWE. I never want to be owned again, I have a boss in Dixie and I will listen to her. But she gives me great freedom. WWE owns everything about you, and you are theirs unless they say you can do these other things.
Q. Do you think there is a lot of pressure on you joining TNA?
A. I think there is pressure. They are a growing company, and me stepping in people expect ratings. I think it will happen with me, but it would have happened with out me. TNA has tremendous athletes, and they are 5-times better than in WWE. In WWE they have a short list of main event guys, TNA has an endless list. I can have a **** match here with almost anyone I have seen. I hope people follow me here, and I think this company has such room for growth and to e the top company soon that I want to be a part of this, and if I can help them do that, than it is worth it. Vince has a lot to do to try and slow down TNA.
Q. Do you feel that you were pushed out of WWE ala Bret Hart going to WCW.
A. I left WWE. They had just resigned me to a new 5-year deal. Vince wants to compete with himself and he wants to keep it that way, he doesn't want TNA to take off. They never gave me the time off I needed and never gave me a chance to help teach younger talent to help the future of the company. I asked for the meeting, I asked for the release. It was a mutual release, and anything else that was reported is false. Vince wanted me to stay, but I wasn't having fun and WWE is going downward. I feel that I need to be used properly and I feel I was the best there. The agents felt the same way, but Vince didn't. I asked for it, I got the release and he wanted it to be mutual to save face and that was that. I don't see myself going back, but you can never rule anything out. My wife wouldn't let me probably. I promise that in TNA I will have fun and I won't be pressured. They look to us for ideas and that is important. There isn't all the politics, and I won't talk about people in WWE. I see room for me to grow here and for TNA to grow. I will be here with Dixie and TNA in some form for 30-years I hope, agent, writer, talent scout, developmental, anything I can do. I have a passion and I will always be here, and I will watch this company grow. I will get even bigger with a company that wants to use me properly. I want to tell the guys, if you can take my spot, take it, we'll al make more money together. I made a lot of people in WWE, but now I want to make the company in TNA. I will enjoy this, and it will grow quickly.
411: If you could go back and do it again, would you have gotten your neck surgery done by Doctor Jho, or would you have gone for the neck fusion surgery that many of your peers underwent?
No, those guys are having a lot of problems with that actually. My operations were a success, but my problems were so much worse. I kept injuring other levels of the neck. If I would have fused them, it would have been horrible because the other levels were even worse. I tried to tell them not to do it, it is prehistoric. Medical research has come so far and this guy Dr. Jho makes his own surgery and instruments. It saved my career. He did one level, I got hit with a chair, and another level went out. Basically I have full mobility in my neck and that is because I didn't have fusion. The other guys are in more pain and the other levels are weaker for it, and they are much worse off. I tried to tell guys to have this surgery, and they think my injuries are from this surgery, but they were from bumps and chair shots. Eventually it will wear and tear. My neck was a mess before wrestling, and it isn't a 100% now, but it is good enough and I have strength in my arms and have full flexibility. Dr. Jho did a great job and saved my career and I will go to him if I have other problems.
Q. There are rumors that you take too many painkillers. Can you explain that.
A. I haven't taken painkillers in over 3-years. I did have a problem and became dependant on them and I went to Jim Ross and Vince, and I explained to them I was afraid I may die. I was on the road 300 days a year and I would take full handfuls of pills. My wife took me to a pain doctor, and I had a match in 3-days with Cena. I was told to go to rehab, and I was told not to go cold turkey, but I wanted to do it cold turkey and he said I could die. I called Vince that I needed 3-months off for rehab and he refused and said to rehab on the road. He said he didn't want to hear excuses, and the doctor said it was impossible. I did it, but it took me down several notches. I had my PPV match with Cena, I made him look good and that was all that was important to WWE. From them on my relationship with Vince went sour. If you make big money for Vince, and as far as just wrestling I made him a lot, they don't care about you. I made Cena look tons better than he is. After that I was supposed to have the day off, but someone got sick and I was told to go and work while I was supposed to be off. I lost all respect for Vince then, and 2-3 years after that it got even worse and he and I didn't talk. It was both our faults in the end, but I never should have been put in that situation. Vince cares about the business more than an individual's health.
Q. Would you thank him for putting you on TV?
A. Sure, but I would have been successful anywhere. I had offers from everywhere, and I took his offer, which was the lowest. I could have done MMA, WCW, Japan and or movies. I do thank him sure, but I was thrown into the fire and I thank Patterson and Brisco and myself for the success I got. I would never trade my life for my career.
Q. What was it like dealing with the crazy WWE travel schedule?
A. Well my wife was always right and said not to buy into the WWE BS. It caused a lot of problems between us and we separated, I almost lost her and my family. No one in WWE cared about that, hell if I was single they could have used me more I was told. I won't say Vince planned that stuff that way, but he didn't do anything to help me either. What I will say is that if you are going to be my boss, please respect me and my family and give me time to heel. Dixie cares more about us and out families than she does about the wrestling. She wants us to succeed, but not at the cost of losing a family over it. I don't think Vince spends more than 10-days a year with his kids, I feel Linda raised the children. To me God is first, family second and my career third.
Q. You are the new face of TNA, and it was Christian before you. Who do you think would be another great fit in TNA?
A. Chris Benoit. The only problem there is he has a 5-year deal. The man is a machine, and if we had him we could be over the top. He would be a great teacher and mentor here in TNA. These guys are so good, so good they don't even realize it. With out without Benoit we can do it, but he would be my choice.
Q. When you promo hit on PPV I was really surprised. Were you surprised that there was a lot of negative reaction because people cared about you health?
A. I can't tell you what I expected. I was pretty happy over all, especially with the live reaction. As far as my health, basically I would like to thank the audience and I have a lot of respect for them. I was happy to see that they cared about me, that is moving. I can reassure them that I am 100% healthy and there are no serious issues. I am back and completely focused and will do my best to make TNA #1 in wrestling. I have heard all the feedback from them, I took it all to heart and even talked to my wife about it. My heart and her tells me I can still go and I will do that. I am a spiritual guy and God has told me I am not done quite yet. WWE gave mea lot, but they never let me really carry the ball. My doctors felt there was no problem with a return. I was totally checked out and got blood work, and they said I was all clear to go. I have been training hard and am ready to go.
Q. You mentioned that you have watched TNA for a year. Do the WWE guys know about TNA and worry about it?
A. Yes they are. TNA has built a heavyweight division but then made the X-Division just as valuable. WWE never did that. TNA has reinvented WRESTLING and that is a great thing to see. I feel I am the best wrestler today, not a sports entertainer kissing the boss's ass, for real. TNA is so innovative and new and that is so exciting. TNA doesn't have enough time and if Spike gives us a 2-hour slot I promise ratings will climb. Then we can see all or talent. They all have so much hunger and they are excited and eager. In WWE guys are always down, here these guys want the top spot and want MY spot. I said, if they can take it please do so we all succeed.
Q. You are the enforcer for the main event this Sunday. I am wondering if you are satisfied in that role?
A. I just got here, and have to learn my place. I want to get involved, but I feel this is the right way to get into the company. I love to watch the tapes and study the guys. I am hoping that we get more PPV buys, because this is a huge PPV with or without me. With me in the main event not wrestling, that is still a good spot to have. I am happy with the spot, if I had arrived a month earlier maybe I would be wrestling, but this is fine. We have a great main event, they will have a tremendous match and I don't want to take away from it. I am looking forward to the show as a viewer and as a wrestler. The next PPV I could appear on, they are easing me in and the will have me on there when it is right.