The Kurt Angle Show - Kurt on the Indies [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Kurt, let’s get into when you were working on the indies!

Now before you went to the WWE you worked on some indie shows. I found in my research that you did a battle royal at the NWA’s 50th Anniversary Show where you worked with the likes of “Dr. Death” Steve Williams, the future Test, Christopher Daniels, Giant Silva, Shawn Stasiak, Tiger Ali Singh, Teddy Hart, Steve Corino & Dr. Tom Prichard. Any memories of that?

You would wrestle in Memphis as well as part of your Developmental process and we will discuss that later this year - but was it tough to be working in the small TV studios and smaller arenas?

Was the adjustment tough when you went to the WWE - to working in front of the big crowds?

You would work some indie shows during your run in TNA - specifically Northeast Wrestling based out of Scranton, PA and also Newburgh, NY where you would defend the TNA title against Christian Cage and also challenge Samoa Joe for the TNA title. Did you put these bookings together or did TNA?

When you would do conventions and autograph signings during your time in TNA was that something your management would handle?

Do you ever remember having any serious conversations with Ring of Honor back then about going to work with them?

Did you ever think you would make a go of it on the indies when your TNA contract would come up for renewal or was that something you were never interested in?

When you leave TNA in early 2016 - which we will also cover in full detail later this year - did you already have indie bookings lined up?

We’re talking 7 years ago - but independent promoters weren’t always the most reliable on paying, or taking care of wrestlers, did you ever have any issues with that?

Your first match on the “independents” is on March 20th, of 2016 - where you would wrestle Rey Mysterio on a pay-per-view for UR Fight…but it was an iPPV. Do you remember how this deal came together?

The show is in front of 280 fans at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, and it even features Jim Ross & Rampage Jackson on commentary. It is reported that the show itself is a financial disaster and no one really hears from them again. What do you remember of the booking itself?

The match between you & Rey is 2 out of 3 falls and even features Brian Hebner as the referee from TNA. From the Observer:

“Angle took the first fall with an Olympic slam and Mysterio the second with a 619. After a ref bump, Angle used a low blow and went for a chair shot, but Riff Raff stopped him from using the chair. The finish looked botched, but Mysterio won with the 619 and splash off the top in a good match until the finish.”

Is it a different mentality working in front of a smaller crowd or on iPPV? Less risks, etc?

It’s more comfortable wrestling someone like Rey again right?

Was it fun to be back in the ring with him?

Your next match is in London, England taking on Zack Sabre Jr. for RevPro.

You sadly have a knee injury so it’s not the match of the year candidate I’m sure some were hoping for…

Let’s take a look at it while we discuss the match:

“Kurt Angle worked the 6/12 Revolution Pro in London before 1,200 fans against Zack Sabre Jr. Angle got a big reaction. The match went 9:03 and was super-heated while it lasted and the crowd loved everything. Angle physically looks in great shape for his age, but his right knee was clearly bothering him and it was one of those matches where the crowd was just so hot for the idea of the match. Everything looked good and was well timed. It was mostly Sabre doing his British style spots and Angle doing his trademark spots, built around the Olympic slam, German suplex series and the ankle lock, which he won with. They played the WWE music for Angle and everyone chanted “You suck” at him but in a good way. Sabre had gotten out of a few ankle lock attempts earlier. It was a good match, but if you were looking at match of the year and had those kind of expectations, it wasn’t there due to Angle’s knee injury. Angle then said he was amazed at the level of the talent in Revolution Pro and put over Sabre, saying if he’s not a big star in five years that something is wrong with this world. He apologized for his performance saying he had a knee injury and couldn’t show his best, but vowed to come back when he was healthy.”

Flying to England and doing this type of match can’t help your knee but what did you think of the promotion Rev Pro and how they treated you?

What did you think of the match with current New Japan star Zack Sabre?

Is it tough to get up and go to these bookings with your body clearly hurting?

The next match on the indies for you was against the WWE Title challenger at WrestleMania…Cody Rhodes.

Cody was doing the indies after asking for his release from the WWE - was this one of your first times meeting him?

It’s for NEW again just like your previous bookings - they’re considered one of the better promoters on the indies aren’t they?

On the show it features the likes of Jushin Liger, the Hardys, & Jerry Lawler…

The show itself draws 2800 which is quite the crowd for an indie show.

From the Observer:

“Cody Rhodes pinned Kurt Angle after crossroads in the main event. Short match but the crowd was into what they did. The biggest reaction was for the ankle lock by Angle.”

You’re now 1-2 on the indies - you had no issue losing to these guys did you?

Were you making more money from the bookings than merch and appearances?

Were you select in choosing where and who you wrestled?

Were there any big offers that were just too big or too good to be true that you remember?

Did anyone propose any dream matches that you wish you could’ve gotten to do?

Next up was Wrestle Culture Pro Wrestling which held an iPPV in Newcastle, England where you took on Joe Hendry. Also on the show was Cody, Alberto El Patron, Minoru Suzuki and Bret Hart along with Jim Ross & Jim Cornette on commentary.

Before AEW came along there were a lot of places looking to grab market share and build a brand, was WCPW or Rev Pro the bigger of the two you dealt with in England?

From the Observer:

“Angle worked two matches, one with local star Joe Hendry and the other with Rhodes, and he’s charging $25,000 and up these days to do a match. I can just imagine what it took to get Ross to fly to England in the middle of football season (and not even including his fee, he was flown business class which is about $6,000 itself and it’s believed others were also flown in similarly) or to get Cornette to fly at all.”

Damn Kurt - $25,000 to do a match! Is that true?

“Angle beat Joe Hendry in 9:23 with the ankle lock in the main event. They pushed Hendry as the local hero. Hendry doubles as a musician who comes to the ring writing parody songs that mock his opponent, such as a rendition of “Born in the USA” that he came out to, with the lyrics changed to putting over Hendry beating Angle. It’s quite good and a great calling card.”

Do you do any research on these guys ahead of time?

Do you take the lead in calling the match?

“He’s only been wrestling for three years and given that experience level, he’s quite good, but he doesn’t have the standout look that WWE would notice and he’s not yet that great to where the U.S. workrate groups would want him, at least not just yet. He won a Rumble style match on a prior show to get the main event with Angle. It was a good match. From what I’ve seen in Angle’s few matches this year, he’s still smooth and his stuff looks good, with most everything built around a few suplexes, the Olympic slam and the ankle lock. But his matches are short for main events.”

You just couldn’t do the long matches could you?

Any memories from this trip?

Your next match is back for What Culture again this time in Manchester with you against Cody. Why do you think most of your matches took place in England? Was the money that much more?

Did you enjoy working with Cody?

“The WCPW show on 10/8 in Manchester drew 2,500 for a show headlined by Kurt Angle vs. Cody Rhodes. The crowd was very hot for the short main event that ended with Angle winning via ankle lock.”

How good was Cody at this point? Were you surprised that Cody left the WWE - or they let him go?

Not a surprise to see him in a WrestleMania main event is it?

Your 3rd to last match on the indies you took on Joe Coffey for ICW’s Fear & Loathing show in Glasgow, Scotland in front of 6,193 fans…that’s the biggest crowd I could find that you worked in front of since 2012. That was quite impressive wasn’t it?

The show features Finn Balor on loan from the WWE and also runs super long and the show had a curfew. Are you in the back worrying about that?

From the Observer:

“The main event was Kurt Angle vs. Joe Coffey.

A lot of fans knew that the show had to end at 10:45 p.m., and it was 10:30 p.m. when it started, so they knew it wasn’t going to be that long. Some fans left, but they had a strong match. Angle then did an interview talking about how great the fans in Scotland are. Angle said that he had never met Joe Coffey and didn’t even know who he was until he got there. Angle talked about it being near the end of his career but said that Coffey was the real deal and that this isn’t the end between the two of them.”

Was there something else supposed to happen between you & Coffey that you never got the chance to do?

Coffey is in NXT currently - do you see big things for him in the WWE?

Your last match in England - which it is advertised as - is for WCPW again against Alberto El Patron on February 12th, 2017. You knew you were going to WWE at this point didn’t you?

The show draws 1500 fans in Milton Keynes, England…were you sad going in knowing this was it for you in the UK?

“10. Kurt Angle beat Alberto El Patron.

This was billed as their first (and probably last) match ever. Angle was super over. Alberto is usually a face here but worked subtle heel since they had pushed this as Angle’s last match ever on British soil. Angle got a bloody nose from a kick. Alberto threw his shirt in the crowd and is a funny spot, Paige, who was there, caught it. Alberto came off the top rope with a double stomp into an ankle lock for the submission. Good match in the sense they worked like pros and got a super reaction, which they were going to get no matter what they did, and just did a basic solid match. After Angle won, the two shook hands and hugged. Alberto got on one knee for respect.”

What do you remember of the match between you & Alberto?

Kurt - did you keep anything memorable while on these last few matches? Like do you have your gear still or things like that?

“Angle then got down on one knee for Patron. Hendry, who is the big local babyface, came out, since he worked with Angle at the last show. He did mic work thanking Angle for everything he’s done for wrestling and talked about how much he looked up to Angle. Hendry started using the ankle lock after Angle beat him with the move. Hendry then turned on Angle and gave him a low blow with the idea that this will make Hendry the top heel. The show went off the air like this, but after the show ended, Alberto made the save and Angle ended the show with a speech putting over Alberto and the promotion.”

Look at you making sure Hendry got over as a heel! Were you happy to do things like this?

Your last match on the indies is a Steel Cage match against Cody Rhodes from Waterbury, CT which drew 3,300 fans and turned another 200 away. You guys get after it and Cody even goes for a moonsault off the top of the cage. Was this a memorable way to you to end your run?

We are doing a watch along of this full match upcoming over at AdFreeShows.com so be sure to check it out!

Obviously Kurt you would go on to be inducted by the WWE into their Hall of Fame…but did you enjoy doing all these shows?

Now that you’re retired and doing conventions and the like, any horror shows with fans or promoters or workers or was it all good for you?