Former TNA star SoCal Val has shared her love and appreciation for WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle.
In a recent interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling, Val discussed stories from her 20-year long career, her experiences with other wrestlers, and her upcoming projects.
When questioned about her experience working with the Olympic gold medalist, she acknowledged his in-ring prowess:
"Do I think he's the most talented wrestler in the history of ever and we're probably never gonna see another Kurt Angle? Yes! If I were a wrestler and if you'd say I can have anyone's skill, anyone's technical prowess... I would wanna be Kurt Angle," said Val. (10:53 to 11:03)
She then claimed that Angle's in-ring ability is not why she is a fan of his. Val described how she was more entertained by the theatrical and comedic aspects of his career.
The former TNA ring announcer cited Kurt's rivalry with Triple H in 2000 with Stephanie McMahon playing the crux of the feud. She also looked back on his comedic moments with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin during the 2001 WCW Invasion storyline. Val went on to elaborate:
"If it wasn't for comedic stuff like that, I would have never been interested. I would have been like, 'Oh, it's just athleticism,' and that's great, kudos! Well done! But that's not what I was watching for. I wanted to see stories and things like that," Val continued. (11:34 to 11:45)
You can check out the full interview below.
SoCal Val made her first appearance in TNA in 2006 alongside Angle during his feud with Samoa Joe. However, that on-screen interaction was not a friendly one as the Wrestling Machine dragged her to the ring by her hair and threatened to put her in an ankle-lock to bring out Joe.
SoCal Val claims that people forget how funny Kurt Angle is
During the same interview, SoCal Val claimed that people forget how funny Kurt Angle is. The former valet declared that fans don't give him enough credit for the hilarious segments and promos he's put on throughout his career.
When discussing what makes the former WWE Champion one of the all-time greats, she mentioned his comedic timing, among other things:
"People tend to forget how funny he (Kurt) is. His comedic timing, what a great actor he is. he's just literally the most well-rounded performer. He ticks every single box," said Val. (11:47 to 11:58)
The 53-year old veteran has been in many comedic segments throughout his career. His feud with Edge in 2000, giving a "milkbath" to Team Alliance in 2001, and his rap battle against John Cena are just some of his many memorable highlights.
If you use the quotes above, please credit and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.