The Kurt Angle Show - Leaving the WWE [Show Notes] (Patreon)

You were with the company at this point on the main roster full-time for 7 years. You’ve gone through multiple neck surgeries and treatments, various injuries, and you’ve talked about the strain of your body. When this episode is over, I know that’s going to be the theme, but I have to ask you...when you joined the WWF in 1998 did you ever imagine the physicality of making the switch from amateur to professional wrestling?

You’re switched to SmackDown in early 2006 after Batista’s injury and win the World Heavyweight Title in a battle royal. How much of a last sudden change is this for you?

You’ve always wrestled at the highest level, and you’ve never been known for taking matches off. Being World Champion though is such an entirely different beast is it not?

How much pressure do you take on in your mind as World Heavyweight Champion? With the split brands and the split house shows the thought process is it’s on you to draw to get everyone else paid. Do you take that on in your mind?

You finish your run on Raw by losing to Shawn Michaels (as World Champion) when Daivari’s interference backfires. What was it like working with Daivari and do you think he could’ve been better utilized?

From there you’re right on the road to Mexico and drawing houses that are right under 10,000 each night. What’s the money like on a Mexican trip?

You main event Royal Rumble in a one-on-one match with Mark Henry and defeat him and afterwards the Undertaker comes out and has lightning strike the ring and it collapses. Are you excited to work a program with Taker? What’s it feel like to be in the ring when it collapses?

After Rumble you’re back on an international trip where you head to Japan and defeat Mark Henry with Ricky Steamboat as special guest referee. What was that experience like?

This is a lot of travel Kurt. How’s your body holding up in the middle of February?

With you switching to SmackDown were you told your title reign was going to be short and you were going to be used as a band aid or are you not given that information?

On SmackDown tapings you’re usually working twice back-to-back. In the main event for TV and then the dark match after the show. Two matches a night are not helping you is it, Kurt?

You do 30 minutes with Taker at No Way Out which we covered in the archives so be sure to check it out but man Kurt...the reason I bring up the time is on February 19th which is No Way Out you and Taker go 30...then on a SmackDown taping on February 27th you and Taker go another almost 30. I’m sure you’re like fuck it I can do whatever I’m a machine but Kurt...goodness.

Then again, you’re on another international tour right to Australia and then New Zealand. These long plane rides can’t be helping your body heal, can they?

Back to America the final build to WrestleMania begins which we’ve also covered in the archives, and you drop the World Heavyweight Title to Rey Mysterio in a 3-way with Randy Orton. Are you looking for some time off? A break? Are you scheduled to go on the usual European tour afterwards?

From the Observer…” After losing the Smackdown title at WrestleMania in a three-way, he was constantly trying to push to get the title back.” Are you going to Vince, John Laurinitiis, Brian Gerwitz and asking for the title?

Does Randy Orton’s suspension play any role in affecting the number of dates you’re going to be working on in the upcoming weeks?

Off to Europe you go to Italy and England. On a SmackDown taping in London, you and Rey Mysterio Jr. have a match that ends when Mark Henry interferes and he splashes you through the announce table. Any memories of this?

You’re off to Germany and then Ireland but when you return to the States it’s announced you were injured from Mark Henry and unable to compete in the King of the Ring semi-finals against Booker T. Was this the time off you needed?

You return at Judgment Day which we also covered in the archives against Mark Henry. Coming off this show do you know you’re about to be drafted to ECW?

Well, it happens and we covered it in the archives and also One Night Stand...where is your head & body at this point?

Vengeance 2006 Randy Orton returns and beats you in the opener. From the Observer… “Angle wasn’t scheduled on the Vengeance PPV after beating Randy Orton on ECW television. He convinced Brian Gewirtz to get him on the show, and he was scheduled to win the match. How, when he failed a drug test (ironically, not for pain killers, or he’d have been put into rehab instead of suspended for 30 days, he had valid prescriptions for the drug he was popped for and that failure was only because his prescription had run out and Dr. David Black, who headed the drug program, flagged him for the violation.”

Kurt, did you convince Gewirtz to put you on the show? Were you originally supposed to win before you were flagged and suspended?

You work Rob Van Dam on an ECW taping when he’s WWE / ECW Champion and put him over in about 17 minutes. It’s your last TV match for almost a month.

From the Observer: “Angle got a stern warning from Vince McMahon, at which point everything started unraveling.”

Who “suspends” you?

Did you think at this point you were ever going to return to the company? How did you feel being sent home?

Do you think you’d be the one who would be ECW champion instead of Big Show if you were still active when RVD was suspended?

Just a week later Kurt, RVD & Sabu are pulled over for speeding and arrested on marijuana possession. Does that change your “suspension?”

Who are you in contact with at WWE during your time at home?

While you’re at home are you thinking about going to the UFC or TNA at all? Or just focused on returning to the WWE?

Does anybody from either company reach out to you or are they quiet because they know it would be contract tampering?

What were you doing at home during those 30 days?

Did you appreciate the break or were you ready to get back to work?

It’s suspected that with your 30-day suspension being unpaid you missed about $84,000 in pay. Does that seem accurate?

Eventually your back on the road you’re in Elmira, NY beating Rob Van Dam and in White Plains, New York you lose to Rob Van Dam but supposedly you suffer a groin injury. Can you tell us about that injury?

The very next night you’re in Salisbury, MD and you beat Danny Doring in 5 seconds and that’s it Kurt. That’s your last match in WWE until 2017 when you team with the Shield at TLC. Walk us through your last match with Danny Doring…

The day after this match, you go to TV, and you ask to meet with Vince. Kurt, can you walk us through what happened and the details of that meeting?

Any regret Kurt?