The Kurt Angle Show - Kurt in Saudi Arabia [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Let’s get to our topic - and it’s all about your trips to Saudi Arabia and what would’ve been a trip to Saudi Arabia!

First off - when you hear the WWE is going to run shows in Saudi Arabia - what did you think of the idea?

Did you think you would be involved?

One of the more interesting parts of this - and something we’ve talked with Rusev about in the past - was Undertaker having a Casket match that was originally advertised against Rusev, then Chris Jericho, then Rusev again. Was there a lot of changes going on in creative at this time do you remember?

Did you get paid extra to go to Saudi Arabia?

How long is that trip?

You’re booked for the pay-per-view and included in the Greatest Royal Rumble - 50 guys compared to the normal 30. Were you surprised they put 50 in there?

Is it harder to go over a 50 man Rumble match?

You were 16th in the Rumble and would eliminate Dolph Ziggler, Bo Dallas & Primo during your 8 minutes in the match.

While you’re in there for your 8 minutes…you get to grapple with Daniel Bryan - now Bryan Danielson. Did you call that spot - did Bryan - was that just something that happened in the ring or was it a plan?

You’re eliminated by Elias after 8 minutes…was there any talk of building something between you & Elias?

This would be the last time Chris Jericho was in a ring for the WWE as well. Did you expect that at the time?

Strowman would go on to win the Rumble. What are your thoughts on Strowman? Were you surprised they released him and surprised that he returned?

This match is probably best remembered for Titus O’Neil’s botched entrance, tripping and causing him to dive underneath the ring on his way out.

Do you think he’ll ever live this down? Did you get the chance to rib him for it?

You’re off Raw for a while before Crown Jewel in November of 2018. Was that a WWE decision? Or was that your body?

On the October 8 episode of Raw, you made a surprise return, disguised under a mask as a Conquistador, winning a battle royal after eliminating Baron Corbin and qualifying for the WWE World Cup at Crown Jewel.

“Corbin had recruited all these guys who were meant to be jokes. The idea is they were guys that were billed from foreign countries but the crowd knew were all local fake guys. All the guys were in the ring for the Battle Royal. Corbin introduced them. He said that the crowd has never seen so much talent in one place at the same time. He said it was like The Avengers and the Justice League combining forces.

The names were Greg Falcon,

The Sultan of Swarma, Hombre sin Nombre from Mexico (for whatever reason, the crowd popped big for him), Stanislaus the Squeezer, The Chilean Sea Bass, Dr. Winston Von Voorhees, Franz the Belgian Whopper, Thunder Montgomery and The Conquistador.

Michael Cole asked if the Conquistador was Jose Luis Rivera or Jose Estrada, who played the team in the 90s, and Graves brought up Edge & Christian, who did an angle as them at one point. Corbin then announced himself as the final participant.

All the guys attacked Corbin at once and beat him down, but he ended up throwing everyone out at 1:49. However, The Conquistador left the ring and sat down and acted like he was taking a nap. Then when it was over, since he hadn’t been eliminated, he came in and started throwing German suplexes. People knew immediately it was Angle, but they popped big when he hit the Angle slam and then clotheslined Corbin out to win in 3:05. He then unmasked. This is an age-old angle but it worked perfectly.

After the match, Charly Caruso talked with Angle and Angle said that he was still on vacation and winked at her”

Kurt- when is the idea brought up for you to come back?

What’s it like working in that gimmick and the mask?

Were you only brought back because it was a Saudi Arabia show? There’s been a lot of rumor & innuendo that these shows - which are bought and paid for by the government - and the government were fans of the Attitude Era wrestlers - were you told that?

There’s a lot going on in the WWE during this time. Roman Reigns sadly announced that his leukemia had relapsed and he wouldn’t be wrestling at the show. Kurt - were you there that night when Roman announced to the crowd? How tough was that to sit through?

Also it’s reported that a lot of wrestlers are choosing not to go because of their issues with the country including John Cena. Did anyone ever discuss any of that with you?

At the World Cup during Crown Jewel…you were defeated by Dolph Ziggler in the first round of the WWE World Cup Tournament.

This was your first singles match in the WWE in over 10 years. Kind of surreal wasn’t it?

4. Dolph Ziggler pinned Kurt Angle in a World Cup match in 8:15. Angle used several German suplexes. Angle had the ankle lock on forever, really way too long for it to make sense, particularly since Ziggler wasn’t selling it the next match. Ziggler escaped, Angle charged and went into the post and Ziggler got the zig zag for the pin. **½

What did you think of the match with Dolph? Were you happy you got to wrestle him once?

Later that night…Shane McMahon - not even in the tournament - would go on to defeat Dolph and win the “World Cup.”

Also later that night…Triple H & Shawn Michaels reunited as DX to take on the Brothers of Destruction in a match that is more well known on Hunter’s injury, Kane having his mask & hair fall off - and DX would get the win but it was a war to go through all that wasn’t it?

You almost returned to Saudi Arabia to referee the match between RK-Bro and Alpha Academy at Elimination Chamber. What were the original plans?

Why did it fall apart?

Could you see yourself going back at some point?