http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/17027704 Apparently he might be going for it or at least is going for it. Although, hes advanced in years (for sports) hes generally very fit and active. However his neck issues are widely known. Although he won his gold medal with a broken neck, his age and the age of the wound surely cant be doing him favours. As well as years of rough spots and long break between his last match and the Olympics. Personally I hope he stays with coaching.
If winning was the only reason for training, what the hell are 99.99% of us doing it for? I'm never going to be a major International fighter - but does that mean I shouldn't put everything I've got into training? That's all Angle is really doing - he just has a better chance than me of making an international competition.
Or he could be seeking validation as he ha had something of a "mid life crisis" in recent years This will end in exactly the same way his much touted MMA debut did...and is probably a build up to a wrestling angle ("you cost me my chance at the Olympics...") Frankly TNA need the exposure because their product stinks
The closest hes got to MMA is playing the middleweight version of Fedor in Warrior. Definately will use the Olympic angle for a storyline in the future.
I've met him and known his manager for years. Sounds more like a publicity stunt than anything. Hate to say it too, but he's kind of a d-bag in real life.
Kurt Angle is one of my favourite wrestlers, in my opinion he could be called the greatest wrestler of the last decade, certainly one of the most consistent. although I have to say ,while trying not to sound to harsh on him as he is a great talent, but that says more about the state of wrestling in the last decade than it does about him. I cant disagree with kuma though he does seem like a douche at times. As for this Olympic thing, seems like a straight up publicity stunt. If by a slim chance its not than who knows what he is thinking, the becoming a MMA fighter was a much more realistic aim than this.
was it really touted that much, my memory may be off but I dont remember there being as much hype about angle coming into the sport as there was for bobby lashley, batista or lesnar. It always seemed angle was flirting with it more than being serious, doing some training, incorporating some mma looking stuff into his wrestling and talking about how he would probably have gotten into the sport if there had been more money in it when he was younger, a sentiment he probably shares with a few pro wrestlers. were as the other three all either really went for it or looked like they were genuinely going too.
I think that's totally cool to see him go for it. I also think it's totally cool to see 40+-year-olds in the highest level of MMA. You don't get that in boxing or American football. It's inspiring. It really is.
Okay, Foreman had that brief comeback. Still, my point is that we're getting more and more "old" guys in combat sports, and that makes me happy. Randy Couture, Dan Henderson, Jorge Rivera, Cung Le, Vladimir Matyushenko, maybe others I'm forgetting. I think Matt Hughes retired at 37. I sincerely hope Kurt does well. I really do.
