Vince Russo interviewed Kurt Angle on his podcast “The Swerve” this week, available on www.pyroandballyhoo.com, plus a 90 minute bonus video interview offered for members of the VIP section.
Currently, and until Friday this week, you can join Vince Russo’s VIP section (“The Brand”) for just $3.95/mo. for life by using the discount code ‘SWERVELIVE’. The extended video shoot interview with Kurt Angle is available, but for more details on everything that’s included in the VIP section, visit: www.pyroandballyhoo.com/vip
At the end of this week’s show, Russo said that Kurt Angle direct messaged him on Twitter allowing Russo to announce that he will be going back to TNA.
Now for the full recap of “The Swerve” this week:
Vince Russo Opening Shoot:
Russo talked about Raw and wondered why Vince McMahon was announced to being on the show one hour into the show instead of at the beginning. He wasn’t happy with McMahon only talking about the interview he was going to do with Austin *after* Raw and not promoting anything on the show.
Russo: “He [McMahon] shows up on Raw, doesn’t talk about Raw, doesn’t bring up Raw, doesn’t tease anything that’s going to happen in the next two hours, goes on the show and says that he is looking forward to the interview on the WWE Network. The chairman is saying the Raw is not important. What’s important is the interview on the WWE Network when the show is over”.
Russo on the McMahon/Austin interview:
“It was PR. What is there to dissect about? Austin asked the right questions and did a phenomenal job…McMahon decided to end the Undertaker streak? Whoop dee doo. McMahon said nothing”.
KURT ANGLE INTERVIEW (taped on Sunday):
Russo tells a story: says Angle and Sting were working on their match the entire week. Then, Hulk Hogan wanted to chime in on the match. Russo was pissed that he felt Sting/Angle were being disrespected by Hogan. Hogan shows up at 5pm, sits down in the room, Sting/Angle are polite and lay out the match they were discussing. Hogan says “That doesn’t work for me, brother”. Russo says he is pissed off at this point that Russo got up and walked out of the meeting. Russo asks how Angle keeps his cool.
Angle on the Sting match and Hulk Hogan situation:
“I don’t have much to say about that day. I love Terry. I love Hulk. I think he was trying to help. Sting and I know where we want to go. If Sting and I are going to put out a five star match that everyone expected us to, I don’t think Hogan needed to say anything. I know the company put him in charge. The company put him in charge. I can’t blame Hogan for that. I think Hogan should have said ‘What do you want to do’. He didn’t, but I love Hogan. I don’t have anything bad to say about him.”
Russo felt Sting/Angle were disrespected as they sat around and waited all day for Hogan to come in so he can chime in.
Angle on what he’s looking for that would lean him towards a wrestling company (whether he is going to WWE or TNA):
“Most importantly: the right interests. At this point in my career, I can’t really do a full-time schedule. I need to look at how they want to take care of me, what they want to do with me, what’s important to them should be important to me and everything I do has meaning. Most important is the invested interest. Secondly, making sure I keep my life straight and that I spend time with my family. Thirdly is basically financial situation. It’s not that I’m in dire need of money. Thank god I made a lot in this business. At the same time, the amount of money speaks volumes with what they want to do with you and how they want to utilize you. is the money important for a financial standpoint? No. Is it important on how important you are to the company? Yes. I want to make sure it’s a best suit for me.”
Russo has worked for McMahon and Dixie. Russo thinks Dixie’s biggest weakness is not being able to make a decision. So she brings in people to make decisions for her.
Angle on Dixie Carter:
“I think Dixie makes decisions, but I think it takes her a while to be an expert in the business. She’s been in entertainment for a long time but not necessary wrestling. She may not know the business as well as the people she brings in. She has a big heart; perhaps too big. The way she has treated me has been nothing short of incredible. She has made some mistakes with some things she has done, with people she hired and the direction they wanted to go. It’s definitely been a learning experience for her. I don’t know, Vince. You made a lot of good points.”
Russo brings up Vince McMahon, McMahon driving the car and making people know the direction. He says nobody knows more than him about wrestling.
Angle on CM Punk, McMahon and Dixie:
“Dixie has the motherly love. With Vince [McMahobn], he treated me like I was kind of a son. Whether he cared about me or not, he took care of me. I was the first one he called every New Year’s Eve. He was always there for me. I never had a problem with him. I listened to the CM Punk interview. I don’t know who’s telling the truth or not. I don’t know if CM Punk went over the top or not. I haven’t had that type of relationship with Vince that Punk did. Dixie is not Vince. Vince knows the business like anyone else. I don’t think anyone can be like Vince. Of course Vince will treat you better if you’re making him money. I always had a great experience with both of them. Dixie has always treated me good. I think she has sometimes put people in charge that hasn’t treated me well. I don’t think it was her fault. She’s the boss. With McMahon, you have to be a work horse to work in the WWE. Vince didn’t put me in that situation. I put myself in the situation. I put the responsibility on me for not speaking up for three years…”
Russo says that from what he has read online: Triple H is being a roadblock to Angle being in WWE. Whether there is truth to that.
Angle on Triple H rumors preventing his WWE comeback:
“I thought about it. I’ve never had a problem with Triple H. When I was there, he treated me well. We did business the right way. I’ve seen and heard rumors about that. When I talked to WWE, Vince and I buried the hatchet from years ago and we don’t have a problem with each other. I haven’t heard anything about Triple H saying and doing anything that blocked me. So, even though I don’t know for sure, from my experiences talking to WWE, I don’t think it’s a problem. I think a lot of it is rumor. But I don’t know for sure. I wouldn’t know. There’s no way to possibly know unless he went and told me himself. I’ve read things but I can’t believe what I read because most of what we read is bullcrap. Triple H hasn’t been a problem and I don’t have any problem with Triple H, WWE or Vince at all. The good thing about this the past year is Vince and I were able to be on speaking terms again and we haven’t been in eight years.”
Russo says he isn’t on speaking terms with McMahon. Russo tries to reach out to McMahon on Christmas/New Year’s and wishes he was on speaking terms with McMahon and doesn’t know why he isn’t.
Angle on possibly being an agent in the future when his days in the ring are winding down:
“My days are winding down. There’s no doubt about it. I probably won’t be able to go more than a year or two. I’m so good on what I do. Whether it would be in WWE or TNA, I think I have a future as an agent or in coaching/teaching. I’m actually better at coaching than as an actual wrestler. At the same time, I’m good at coaching/teaching amateur wrestling than I was as an Olympic gold medalist. I am torn on whether to go back to my amateur roots or pro wrestling. I have had offers on both sides.”
Upcoming guests include: baseball player Sean Casey, King Kong Bundy, Marc Mero, Shane Douglas.
Vince Russo – Live Closing Shoot:
Russo said Angle would make a decision on whether he would go to TNA/WWE. Angle said via twitter to Russo that he has no problem with announcing that Angle will be work back with TNA. Russo feels TNA is a better fit for Angle as he would be the star, whereas in WWE he may not be. Russo doesn’t have the confidence in the TNA creative team that’s in place. He says Matt Conway and Dave Lagana doesn’t seem like to take the company in the spauldings and take charge. They are more concerned with playing it safe and not ruffle any feathers, and to secure their paychecks. Russo feels you need to take chances. Some will be phenomenal. Some they will hang you for.
The free edition of “The Swerve” can be found here http://www.pyroandballyhoo.com/podcast/swerve-20-kurt-angle/.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
