Kurt Winkel is one of the most renowned technical wrestlers in the history of professional wrestling. He was an extremely successful amateur wrestlerwho infamously won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics (with a damn broken neck!). After reaching the pinnacle of amateur wrestling, Angle turned his attention to the sensational world of professional wrestling.
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While Angle is best known for his time in the WWEMore experienced fans of pro wrestling are also familiar with Kurt Angle's run in TNA from 2006 to 2016. This era in Kurt Angle's career elicits mixed reactions from fans when they think about it. On the one hand, Angle delivered a series of phenomenal, unforgettable performances against stars like AJ Styles and Samoa Joe, but behind the scenes Kurt Angle was struggling with grief and a heavy addiction to painkillers.
UPDATE: 11/25/2024 5:00 PM EST BY JOEY HAVERFORD
TNA still exists and is now developing a working relationship with WWE, after all this time has resulted in many fans discovering the library for the first time or rewatching the best moments. It's impossible to see the best of TNA without seeing many memorable Kurt Angle matches or segments.
Angle gave his all for TNA during the controversial period of his career. Any iconic figure who leaves the WWE to work elsewhere is going to attract a lot of attention. The nickname Perc Angle became part of the story of this chapter of his career.
Why Kurt Angle left WWE for TNA
Injuries and overuse caused Kurt Angle to abandon ship
- Kurt Angle's athleticism quickly propelled him to the top of the WWE.
- Angle became multiple world champions throughout his career.
- Unfortunately, injuries mounted and led to Kurt Angle leaving the WWE.
Kurt Angle was one of WWE's top stars during Attitude and the era of reckless aggression. He made his in-ring debut for the company at the 1999 Survivor Series and was immediately hailed as a top star thanks to his Olympic honors. over the next seven years, Angle became a four-time WWE Champion and World Heavyweight Champion. Unfortunately, the good times didn't last forever.
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Professional wrestling is one of the most demanding careers on the body. Even Olympic athletes can't escape the wear and tear that comes with such a relentless schedule. In August 2006, Kurt Angle's health became so poor that he could no longer fulfill the requirements of his WWE contract; He struggled with injuries and couldn't take any time off. So, Angle requested his release and received it soon after.
“Perc Angle” was born in TNA
TNA fans were amazed by Kurt Angle's bold performances
- Kurt Angle made his TNA debut in October 2006.
- Angle has struggled with long-term injuries and the use of painkillers.
- Despite his hardships outside the ring, Kurt Angle was extremely successful in TNA.
Kurt Angle's run in TNA is best remembered for the sheer amount of reckless stunts that Angle pulled off. He made his debut on October 19, 2006. Angle immediately became a fan favorite in the company, but Angle's life behind the scenes painted a much darker picture. He was still grieving the loss of his sister Le'Anne and struggling with the physical pain of multiple lingering injuries. Angle coped by taking heavy painkillersonce said that at the height of his addiction he was taking 65 Vicodin a day.
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However, fans only saw what was happening in the ring. They saw Kurt Angle move like a madman, jumping off the stage, knocking off the lids of steel cages and driving his opponents into oblivion. To this day, fans celebrate and idolize this era in Kurt Angle's career, without knowing or caring what goes on behind the scenes. They called the Kurt Angle of his TNA run “Perc Angle”, a reference to the painkiller Percocet.
Kurt Angle doesn't like the nickname
The WWE Hall of Famer condemned “Perc Angle” in 2023
- Fans continue to share clips of “Perc Angle” and celebrate his stunts.
- Kurt Angle himself doesn't like the nickname.
- Angle claimed he never wrestled while high on painkillers.
During an episode of Broken Skull Sessions with Steve AustinKurt Angle talked about his nickname “Perc Angle.” He expressed some anger at this and stated that for his own safety and that of his opponents, he would never wrestle with painkillers.
I was very hurt. I was suffering from the painkillers and my sister died and you know, I think the next day I was in an Ironman fight and I was beside myself wrestling in my fight against Brock and I was thinking about my sister the whole time had to think. That night I threw away a bunch of pills and things got really ugly for me during those years. You know what upsets me is that people think I was high when I wrestled. I didn't get high while wrestling. When I finished, I got high. So it wasn't Perc Angle who was out there. It was me. Like it's really insulting to hear fans say, 'Oh, that's because he was frisky.' He didn't know what he was doing.” Could you imagine wrestling at full strength? It would be a disaster and people don't understand it.
Given the harsh reality of what Kurt Angle went through during his run as “Perc Angle” and his expressed disdain for the nickname nearly two decades later, wrestling fans may want to leave the nickname in the past.
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Kurt Angle preferred his TNA matches over WWE
Kurt Angle wishes more people would see his TNA work after his WWE exit
- Kurt Angle came to TNA at the peak of his career and no longer had to follow WWE rules.
- Games with younger talent and new names inspired Kurt Angle to give classic performances.
- Angle believes his TNA match library surpasses his WWE work.
Perc Angle is a nickname Kurt Angle finds difficult to accept given his serious problems in the past, but it often just represents fans enjoying his work in TNA. The bolder style and fewer restrictions outside of WWE allowed Angle to have some of the most shocking moments of his career. Names like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Mr. Anderson and dozens of others had strong performances against Angle as a top TNA name.
Angle has spoken about his TNA in interviews as he looked back on his entire career. His time in WWE receives the most attention as he has a larger audience and became a star through his time making a name for himself on the biggest platform. Angle hasn't been shy about saying that, in his opinion, his TNA matches were better than his WWE matches due to his progress as a smarter worker.
A smaller audience watching TNA meant that Angle did not receive the full attention he would have liked for his best performances. Many legends came to TNA after WWE wrestled a less intense style and relied on her name value. Angle wanted to have the best match on the card every night and felt he had done just that throughout his TNA career. Fans often describe the Perc Angle chapter more to talk about his great moments, even if the name pushes him in the wrong direction.
Kurt Angle has cleaned up his life after TNA embarrassments
During his TNA stint, Angle turned his life around from drug scares
- TNA supported Kurt Angle in getting help for his drug problems.
- Constant arrests and legal troubles led Angle to eventually enter rehab.
- Kurt Angle had a successful few years in TNA after rehab to restore his reputation.
TNA committed to giving Kurt Angle multiple chances after his various issues became an issue. Angle was arrested for drunk driving in 2007, just a year into his TNA career. Another public arrest occurred when a relationship occurred with his TNA colleague Rhaka Khan This led to him being charged with stalking before he was pulled over with more drugs in his car.
Over the course of two years, there were three more arrests for driving while intoxicated or carrying drugs. Angle eventually took time off from TNA to go to rehab after his final arrest in 2012. Dixie Carter and TNA gave Angle all the help he needed and made it clear that they would always support him in his efforts to solve his problems.
The time in rehab clearly helped Angle establish that he had no problems during the final years of his TNA stay. Angle worked against new names in the independent scene to TNA to further improve his reputation and prepare for his eventual WWE return. TNA helped Angle turn his life around and put the nickname “Perc Angle” in the past after he could have easily lost his job multiple times due to his battle with addiction.
