WWE News: Kurt Angle talks about backstage changes in the last ten years

What’s the story?

WWE RAW General Manager Kurt Angle was recently interviewed by The Metro. During the interview, Angle spoke about a host of topics including his new AngleStrong app and how the WWE has a completely different backstage environment now compared to when he left the company in 2006.

In case you didn’t know...

Kurt Angle made his WWE debut in 1998 and was an active Superstar on the company’s roster for the next eight years. In 2006, Angle requested for an early release from his eight-year contracted and was granted the same. He left the company and subsequently joined TNA (now known as Impact Wrestling).

Angle has previously stated that he left the WWE because he felt that he was becoming a liability to the company due to his drug usage. Kurt Angle has since battled his addictions and claims to have been clean for the past four years.

Kurt Angle has also since released an app, known as “AngleStrong”, which helps current and recovering addicts.

The heart of the matter

During the interview, Kurt Angle spoke extensively about his drug usage. He spoke about his addiction to painkillers and the difficult journey he endured to rid himself of all his addictions.

Angle also spoke about how Vince McMahon knew about his issues and wanted him to go to rehab. Angle stated that McMahon didn’t want to release him from the company but added that Angle himself insisted on a release, he was quoted as saying:

“Vince McMahon did not want to fire me or let me go by any means, but at the same time I didn’t want to end my addiction, and I knew that’s what he wanted. He gave me the release after I told him I wanted out of the company.”

Angle then went on to talk about the differences between the backstage environment of the WWE in 2006 and present day. He stated that it was a “completely different world” today and that the WWE took care of the diet and exercise of all its Superstars no matter where they were. He was quoted as saying:

“When I was there before we only had one meal between one and three PM, and if you missed it too bad, but now they’re healthy food at the building until the late evening. The athletes get drug tested at least four to 12 times a year to make sure they’re clean, and they have a wellness policy where they have to take physicals every year to make sure they can wrestle.”

Angle also mentioned that the WWE was now stricter on Superstars being in perfect physical condition before they were allowed to wrestle.

What’s next?

Kurt Angle, who is now the General Manager of RAW, is currently in the middle of a “secret text message” angle on television alongside RAW commentator Corey Graves. The angle is still in its nascent stages but is being rumoured as possibly leading to the return of “The Authority”,

Author’s take

Kurt Angle is a legend of amateur, as well as professional wrestling. The way he has overcome his painkiller addiction is an inspiration, to say the least. Angle’s example can be used to help a lot of struggling addicts as well as those in recovery and the work that he is putting in to help others is certainly admirable.

The backstage environment being different from when Angle left the WWE, can be largely attributed to the good work put in by Triple H ever since he took charge of things in 2011.

Triple H has brought about a lot of positive change in the way things are done backstage in the WWE and certainly deserves all the credit he can get for making it a safer and better environment for the promotion’s talent.

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