Would Kurt Angle be successful in MMA?

[Sardu]

In a recent article he said he thinks Brock Lesnar's nerves invariably get the better of him and that is what prevented him from reaching the very highest levels in colligate wrestling, the WWE, and this recent loss to Frank Mir. That said, Angle also said he fully expects Lesnar to become HW champion in the UFC within the next few years. He said Lesnar sometimes lost matches he should have won in amateur wrestling because he suddenly doubts himself and loses focus (he only lost a handful of matches versus about 140 wins though). Angle claims that he dominated Lesnar in real amateur wrestling matches and that could translate to excellent success in the octagon in MMA fights.

My question to you guys is: Is Angle now too old (I think he's about 40 years old) to transition to MMA? And he has suffered serious neck injuries in the WWE. He is very respected as a great former colligate wrestler.

[ufoalf]

Without roids he won't go far at this age.

[sugarngold]

His body is pretty battered at this point in his career. But I say if Angle thinks his body can withstand the rigors of MMA training - then go for it. He has as good a chance as any other 40 year old wrestler transitioning into MMA for the first time. That said - Angle amatuer credentials were stellar. He is or was at one time - a very special athlete.

[karatekid530]

back in his prime, he could get by on the wrestling alone most likely. someone as athletic as he is couldve learned proper striking no problem. Now, he's better off getting his money in wrestling or just simply retiring before he gets too old.

[jimmie]

I cant imagine at 40 years old and being a full time wrestler which is 200 days on the road a year he has any legit striking or BJJ skills. Also like mentioned his body has been battered for a long time to a point where hes addicted to pain killers. He had a window of oppurtunity in MMA and its long passed him.

[scrapdog]

He missed his window, while there are older fighters, such as Dan Severn, Frye, Shamrock(who also has a fused neck), they have been doing it since they were younger. Kurt would get his ass handed to him.

[karatekid530]

he wouldve been a good champ too if he went down the MMA road instead. very charismatic and people could definitely get behind an olympic athlete champ

[cpnasty]

No, he's too old now

[Wige247]

Isn't Kurt Angle already an MMA fighter?
[Only registered and activated users can see links] [Only registered and activated users can see links]

[Beebs]

If his grappling match with Couture happens, and he does well, it will be a good sign. But age, and terrible injuries, not to mention just getting out of a major major drug addiction, all bode terribly for a future career in MMA.

If he started right after the olympics, picture a more technical Coleman with even freakier natural ability, he would take people down as easy or easier than GSP did Serra. Once its down its up to how well he picked everything else up, but he is an unreal athlete who had both textbook perfect technique and and endless supply of effort. And he could have made 205.

[Factotum]

Wrestling is only one peice of the puzzle as shown by Lesnar's debut in the UFC. Tapped out in 2 mins with a big weight advantage?

If anyone remembers WWE's tough enough series Angle got Kimured on live TV by a no name fighter that trained out of frank shamrocks camp (I honestly forget his full name...Daniel Puder or something). They were doing a shoot wrestling match. Angle got his back standing so he went for the kimura and pulled half guard and had it.

The WWE ref saved angle from getting his arm broken by calling it a "pin" for angle because his shoulders were on the mat even though angle was stuck in a kimura. Was pretty funny to watch the pro wrestling fans have no idea what was going on lol. Angle got up and was pissed. Note they say he was a "UFC" fighter. Puder never fought in the UFC. He's not ufc level.

Angle can't even hang on the ground with guys that can't make it to the UFC. Not a good sign.

Here's a vid. [Only registered and activated users can see links]

[scurlaruntings]

Without roids he won't go far at this age.Angles not on gear.

[scurlaruntings]

Wrestling is only one peice of the puzzle as shown by Lesnar's debut in the UFC. Tapped out in 2 mins with a big weight advantage?

If anyone remembers WWE's tough enough series Angle got Kimured on live TV by a no name fighter that trained out of frank shamrocks camp (I honestly forget his full name...Daniel Puder or something). They were doing a shoot wrestling match. Angle got his back standing so he went for the kimura and pulled half guard and had it.

The WWE ref saved angle from getting his arm broken by calling it a "pin" for angle because his shoulders were on the mat even though angle was stuck in a kimura. Was pretty funny to watch the pro wrestling fans have no idea what was going on lol. Angle got up and was pissed. Note they say he was a "UFC" fighter. Puder never fought in the UFC. He's not ufc level.

Angle can't even hang on the ground with guys that can't make it to the UFC. Not a good sign.

Here's a vid. [Only registered and activated users can see links]
I posted that on here some time back. That kid was lucky Angle didnt tear him a new one. It was scripted and the kid pulled some bullshit and tried to pull his shoulder out. At the end of the day Angle is/was an olympic calibre wrestler. He had great credentials but his one neck injury away from permanent damage. The bones in his neck should have been fused years ago. His interest in MMA now is nothing more than a pipedream. Even as a professional wrestler he turned pro late. And i believe that wasnt even his first choice.

[Factotum]

I posted that on here some time back. That kid was lucky Angle didnt tear him a new one. It was scripted and the kid pulled some bullshit and tried to pull his shoulder out. At the end of the day Angle is/was an olympic calibre wrestler. He had great credentials but his one neck injury away from permanent damage. The bones in his neck should have been fused years ago. His interest in MMA now is nothing more than a pipedream. Even as a professional wrestler he turned pro late. And i believe that wasnt even his first choice.

Yeah I've heard he has a fucked up neck. Don't know if any state athletic commission would even allow him to compete. As far as it being scripted it was a shoot wrestling match ie it was live. Angles one hell of a wrestler but he really doesn't know the first thing about submissions.

Lesnar was training for around 2 years now and got tapped very fast. The days of one dimensional world class wrestlers dominating are very very over.

[Beebs]

Wrestling is only one peice of the puzzle as shown by Lesnar's debut in the UFC. Tapped out in 2 mins with a big weight advantage?

If anyone remembers WWE's tough enough series Angle got Kimured on live TV by a no name fighter that trained out of frank shamrocks camp (I honestly forget his full name...Daniel Puder or something). They were doing a shoot wrestling match. Angle got his back standing so he went for the kimura and pulled half guard and had it.

The WWE ref saved angle from getting his arm broken by calling it a "pin" for angle because his shoulders were on the mat even though angle was stuck in a kimura. Was pretty funny to watch the pro wrestling fans have no idea what was going on lol. Angle got up and was pissed. Note they say he was a "UFC" fighter. Puder never fought in the UFC. He's not ufc level.

Angle can't even hang on the ground with guys that can't make it to the UFC. Not a good sign.

Here's a vid. [Only registered and activated users can see links]

Keep in mind Angle would have been fighting at the exact same time as Coleman, a time when wrestlers were headbutting the shit out of everybody. He would have be basically a better version of Coleman and Kerr, who were next to unstoppable.

Heres Coleman vs Frye.
[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[scurlaruntings]

Yeah I've heard he has a fucked up neck. Don't know if any state athletic commission would even allow him to compete. As far as it being scripted it was a shoot wrestling match ie it was live. Angles one hell of a wrestler but he really doesn't know the first thing about submissions.

Lesnar was training for around 2 years now and got tapped very fast. The days of one dimensional world class wrestlers dominating are very very over.Agreed. But you judging him by todays criterior. If Angle had turned pro back in the late 90`s in MMA theres no queestion he would have been a stand out. His intensity is almost legendary in all wrestling circles. Of course at his current age and zero experience in MMA he stands no chance of defending any sub.

As for the athletic commision im not entirely sure how that works. I know Angle was released because of his addiction to pain killers because of his injury and the massive monetary risk it would have caused the WWE if he`d been allowed to wrestle.

[Antsu]

Actually Angle asked he’s release for Vince so he wasn’t kicked out or anything like that.

Also pinning your opponent is a victory in a wrestling rules so referee didn’t save him he just followed the rules.

[Sardu]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. Angle also stated in the interview I read that he is not interested in climbing the ladder against trailhorse type opponents. He expressed a desire to meet big names right out of the starting gate so to speak. Angle said at his age and with his battered body this MMA endeavor would have to be short and sweet and involve a title match against Nogeira or whoever has the title in the near future. It will be interesting for sure. He says he has been working on his striking to complement his extraordinary wrestling skills.

[ufoalf]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. Angle also stated in the interview I read that he is not interested in climbing the ladder against trailhorse type opponents. He expressed a desire to meet big names right out of the starting gate so to speak. Angle said at his age and with his battered body this MMA endeavor would have to be short and sweet and involve a title match against Nogeira or whoever has the title in the near future. It will be interesting for sure. He says he has been working on his striking to complement his extraordinary wrestling skills.

Nah, that's horseshit. You don't get shot at the title right away. It was mistake for Lesnar to fac Mir in the first match. Worst match up possible plus it's an ex-champ, big mistake.

[scrapdog]

It all had to do with bringing in the audiance and making money for the UFC. Lesnar also got an ungodly check too, compared to everyone else on the card.

[ufoalf]

It all had to do with bringing in the audiance and making money for the UFC. Lesnar also got an ungodly check too, compared to everyone else on the card.

They would've had more money in the long run if they pitted him against someone he matched up with.

[scrapdog]

Agreed

[theunderdog]

too old

[scurlaruntings]

Nah, that's horseshit. You don't get shot at the title right away. It was mistake for Lesnar to fac Mir in the first match. Worst match up possible plus it's an ex-champ, big mistake.In hindsight yes. In reality no. Mir is shot. Many were picking Lesnar to pound him into the mat.

[amhlilhaus]

Wrestling is only one peice of the puzzle as shown by Lesnar's debut in the UFC. Tapped out in 2 mins with a big weight advantage?

If anyone remembers WWE's tough enough series Angle got Kimured on live TV by a no name fighter that trained out of frank shamrocks camp (I honestly forget his full name...Daniel Puder or something). They were doing a shoot wrestling match. Angle got his back standing so he went for the kimura and pulled half guard and had it.

The WWE ref saved angle from getting his arm broken by calling it a "pin" for angle because his shoulders were on the mat even though angle was stuck in a kimura. Was pretty funny to watch the pro wrestling fans have no idea what was going on lol. Angle got up and was pissed. Note they say he was a "UFC" fighter. Puder never fought in the UFC. He's not ufc level.

Angle can't even hang on the ground with guys that can't make it to the UFC. Not a good sign.

Here's a vid. [Only registered and activated users can see links]

after probably not training submission defense, that should be expected.

[ufoalf]

In hindsight yes. In reality no. Mir is shot. Many were picking Lesnar to pound him into the mat.
In reality yes, it's a bad match up for him. Lesnar plan will be takedown->GNP. That plays straight into Mirs strength BJJ, which just happens to be Lesnars weakness. Yes, people were picking Lesnar to beat him but many people I know were picking Mir by sub actually most of them said some kind of leg/foot submission.

It was a bad match up from the get go.

[jimmie]

In hindsight yes. In reality no. Mir is shot. Many were picking Lesnar to pound him into the mat.

What exactly is shot about Mir ? His ground skills are coming back to where they where before the accident. His stamina and striking have always stunk so I know that cant be whats shot. He had a injury and looked terrible because of it now he says its past him and its looking that way after grapple fucking Hardonk then Lesnar.

[scurlaruntings]

Remember when he got pounded into submmision by that Marcio Cruz? And then Vera did the same again? Physically Mir isnt the same as he was before. Especially after that career injury. Im not expecting any miracles and his win over Hardonk just highlighted that his sub game naturally was still on point. Physically his certainly not the same. Prior to the sub vs Lesnar he was getting owned from the mount.

[sugarngold]

Did anyone ever read about how Dana White tried to make a fight between Daniel Puder and Kurt Angle in the UFC? Angle turned it down - yet he continues to show interest in MMA. He was ringside for Lesnar's UFC debut. If Angle had focused on MMA after the Olympics - he could have been an all time great of MMA.

[Antsu]

Instead we got one of the all time great pro wrestlers, so im not complaining.

[sugarngold]

Instead we got one of the all time great pro wrestlers, so im not complaining.

I'm with you on that. I wouldn't trade Angle's classic mathces with Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit or Shane McMahon for anything. He's still producing great matches in TNA with guys like Samoa Joe.

[scurlaruntings]

Did anyone ever read about how Dana White tried to make a fight between Daniel Puder and Kurt Angle in the UFC? Angle turned it down - yet he continues to show interest in MMA. He was ringside for Lesnar's UFC debut. If Angle had focused on MMA after the Olympics - he could have been an all time great of MMA.Angle made the right choice. His a millionaire and very comfortable. The UFC back then couldnt have given him a fraction of that.

[Polymath]

I wonder how much Angle has made from 'rasslin? Way more than he could have done from MMA I suppose. He made the right choice :yep

[Wilhelm]

I posted that on here some time back. That kid was lucky Angle didnt tear him a new one. It was scripted and the kid pulled some bullshit and tried to pull his shoulder out. At the end of the day Angle is/was an olympic calibre wrestler. He had great credentials but his one neck injury away from permanent damage. The bones in his neck should have been fused years ago. His interest in MMA now is nothing more than a pipedream. Even as a professional wrestler he turned pro late. And i believe that wasnt even his first choice.

According to the kid, it wasn't scripted, and it sure didn't look scripted to me. And what exactly was he going to do to the kid? It looks like the kid is the one who could/would have done the ass kicking. Give Angle a time machine and some training and he eats that kid and a lot of others for lunch, but it looked to me like that night the kid was the real fighter in the ring.

[scurlaruntings]

It was in a WWE ring. The whole Puder vs Angle match was scripted BUT Puder thought he`d be smart and pulled rank. And thats why Angle was pissed. I dont blame him though a Kimura`s no joke. Angle has a career as a wrestling ATG. Who the fuck was Puder!?

[codeman99998]

According to the kid, it wasn't scripted, and it sure didn't look scripted to me. And what exactly was he going to do to the kid? It looks like the kid is the one who could/would have done the ass kicking. Give Angle a time machine and some training and he eats that kid and a lot of others for lunch, but it looked to me like that night the kid was the real fighter in the ring.

OH MAN! I just saw that for the first time, and I TOTALLY agree.

It is very very clear that Puder would have beaten Angle if Angle ACTUALLY tried to through down, so the posturing at the end was obviously just for the cameras.

Yeah though, it looks like the kid came close to pulling that kimura off in half-guard, there is no way Kurt could hang now with any of the MMA elite. He has no real striking training and he doesn't seem like he is efficient at all in submission grappling. What's he going to do, pin all of his opponents? It means nothing in MMA.

[Wilhelm]

It was in a WWE ring. The whole Puder vs Angle match was scripted BUT Puder thought he`d be smart and pulled rank. And thats why Angle was pissed. I dont blame him though a Kimura`s no joke. Angle has a career as a wrestling ATG. Who the fuck was Puder!?

It all comes down to if you think it was scripted or not, so who do you believe? The Puder kid's statement sounds plausible to me.

[Beebs]

OH MAN! I just saw that for the first time, and I TOTALLY agree.

It is very very clear that Puder would have beaten Angle if Angle ACTUALLY tried to through down, so the posturing at the end was obviously just for the cameras.

Yeah though, it looks like the kid came close to pulling that kimura off in half-guard, there is no way Kurt could hang now with any of the MMA elite. He has no real striking training and he doesn't seem like he is efficient at all in submission grappling. What's he going to do, pin all of his opponents? It means nothing in MMA.

If Kurt knew that Puder was going to try and actually beat him, Angle could have fucked him up pretty bad.

Puder isn't a top level fighter by any stretch of the imagination, and alot worse wrestlers have stepped straight into MMA and beaten alot better fighters than Puder.

[sugarngold]

If Kurt knew that Puder was going to try and actually beat him, Angle could have fucked him up pretty bad.

Puder isn't a top level fighter by any stretch of the imagination, and alot worse wrestlers have stepped straight into MMA and beaten alot better fighters than Puder.

Not only that - but Puder was going for the shoulder lock from half guard. Kurt could still have worked his way out of it. If it had been from a fully closed guard - that would have been a different story.

[codeman99998]

Not only that - but Puder was going for the shoulder lock from half guard. Kurt could still have worked his way out of it. If it had been from a fully closed guard - that would have been a different story.

Thats kinda my point though. It looked like Kurt was gonna get tapped from Half-guard, and, ready for it or not, that looks bad on him.

Beebs, Kurt MIGHT be able to destroy Puder, but it's not a sure thing. Is Kurt a better wrestler than Puder? No question, but that doesn't necessarily make him a better fighter. Puder is 6 and 0 after all, he isn't like, a total bum.

[Beebs]

Thats kinda my point though. It looked like Kurt was gonna get tapped from Half-guard, and, ready for it or not, that looks bad on him.

Beebs, Kurt MIGHT be able to destroy Puder, but it's not a sure thing. Is Kurt a better wrestler than Puder? No question, but that doesn't necessarily make him a better fighter. Puder is 6 and 0 after all, he isn't like, a total bum.

Thats fair enough, Puder isn't bad by any means. Its more that I think grabbing a kimura when either the whole thing was supposed to be scripted, or was supposed to be a competetive freestyle or folkstyle wrestling match, without submissions, is not a good indicator of what would happen in a live match with 2 aware participants from the start.

[codeman99998]

Thats fair enough, Puder isn't bad by any means. Its more that I think grabbing a kimura when either the whole thing was supposed to be scripted, or was supposed to be a competetive freestyle or folkstyle wrestling match, without submissions, is not a good indicator of what would happen in a live match with 2 aware participants from the start.

Definitely not.

Still, it was at least 10 times as entertaining for me than if Puder would have faced him legit. I just LOVE that he pulled that, even if it makes him kinda a dick.

[Antsu]

I'm with you on that. I wouldn't trade Angle's classic mathces with Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit or Shane McMahon for anything. He's still producing great matches in TNA with guys like Samoa Joe. Not to forget the classic with Michaels couple of years ago :cool: Too bad Angle injured hes neck again :verysad

[Thom]

Who thinks this crap up, Angle must be over 50yrs old by now. He's going to a nursing home not a bloody cage. Wakey wakey !!


What the fuck? This thread is three years old. Did you really need to bump it up to stick it to the TS?

As for Angle, he probably could have been successful as long as his body held up if he'd chosen to go into MMA instead of pro wrestling in the 90s.

[scurlaruntings]

What the fuck? This thread is three years old. Did you really need to bump it up to stick it to the TS?

As for Angle, he probably could have been successful as long as his body held up if he'd chosen to go into MMA instead of pro wrestling in the 90s.

The guys a troll. His just bumped about 10 threads from about 3 years ago.

[Predator]

Given that Glass Jawed joke and terrified to engage disgrace Brock Lesnar was your "champ" then why not?