WWE legend Kurt Angle opens up about journey to superstardom, battle with addiction: ‘I want to assistance others’

Kurt Angle has been via it all — from the highs of successful an Olympic gold medal and a WWE championship to the lows of drug habit and the perils the obstacle brings.

It is why Angle chose to start off telling his tale now.

“I went as a result of a whole lot of turmoil in my lifestyle and I want to enable other people,” Angle instructed G3 Box News Digital in a modern interview. “Possessing a difficulty with habit and becoming in restoration for the last 9 yrs, I was informed in the restoration centre to notify your story, and I’ve been really open about my story. And I desired this documentary to appear out to aid anyone. Any person which is in difficulties. Any person that’s working with addiction. Any one that is trying to prevail over obstacles. … It is additional about redemption and overcoming.”

“Biography: WWE Legends” will characteristic Angle’s life from developing up as a substantial school wrestling phenom, to his days as an Olympic champion and WWE star, and to his struggles with painkillers. His episode will air Sunday on A&E at 8 p.m. ET.

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Angle won a gold medal for Crew Usa at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and worked his butt off to get to that position. Although working with a broken neck, he finished up beating Iranian Abbas Jadidi in a victory by factors for the gold in the men’s freestyle 100 kg category.

It was 1 of 44 gold medals the United States took property in 1996. Angle gained the function just times right after a pipe bomb was detonated at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, killing two and injuring more than 100 other folks.

“I would hope it was a happy minute for everybody,” Angle claimed about profitable the gold all through that time. “It was the proudest minute of my life in addition to having young children and obtaining married. You know, you’re never ever certain any form of results in existence, and when you win an Olympic gold medal, you are the ideal in the complete complete world. And that sends a message to everyone that you’re very exclusive, that you stand out.

“I feel in that specific time, the bombing occurred and men and women desired one thing to cheer about. And you know Kerri Strug did the dismount and landed it completely and received for Crew Usa Gymnastics. That was a good minute, my second was great. There were a whole lot of fantastic moments in the Olympics in 1996 that the Usa had to be very happy of.”

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After some skepticism about signing up for the pro wrestling ranks, Angle signed with WWE (then identified as the World Wrestling Federation) in 1998 and acquired to operate teaching in a bit of a various way than he was applied to. Angle informed G3 Box News Digital he properly trained for about 8 months right before he built his debut.

Angle’s gimmick was that of an Olympic hero. He was a milk-ingesting athlete who built clear to everyone in the audience just how significantly tough function he set into his craft — even with a “damaged freaking neck.” He began to tout the three I’s that made him this sort of a success in life: “Depth, integrity and intelligence.”

Kurt Angle on WWE ‘SmackDown.’
(WWE)

Angle explained it was Vince McMahon’s notion on the 3 I’s right after listening to it on a Tv clearly show.

“He considered it was great for me to be an Olympic gold medalist. He desired me to be this thoroughly clean-minimize Olympian that preached the 3 I’s and motivated followers. And essentially, he knew it would backfire,” Angle advised G3 Box News Digital. “He was pretending to force me as a baby deal with recognizing that the fans would crap all over me mainly because I was so clean up reduce, it was like, give me a crack, this guy can’t be that great.

“It worked very effectively and it turned me heel. Even even though I would preach the three I’s, I would nevertheless cheat and acquire. That also gave me a ton of heat.”

Angle joined WWE in the throes of the company’s so-identified as Monday Night Wars with World Championship Wrestling. He stated he talked to pro wrestling icon Ric Flair about joining the rival enterprise and “The Character Boy” threw him off that route.

“I met Ric Flair in advance of I signed with WWE and I said, ‘Hey, Ric, do you consider I ought to go to WWE or WCW?’ Ric was in WCW at the time. He explained, ‘Do not occur to WCW. They’ll annihilate you. They will crush you. Go to WWE because Vince McMahon would get care of you.’ And he was unquestionably suitable. Which is what Vince McMahon did, he took care of me.”

Angle speaks glowingly of McMahon in the episode. He informed G3 Box News Digital he was “sad” to find out of McMahon’s retirement amid misconduct allegations.

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“I’m sad simply because Vince was the Achilles heel of WWE. He’s what created it roll, he’s what manufactured it transpire. If it weren’t for Vince, the WWE would not exist,” Angle mentioned. “I’m not indicating he’s fantastic. He did not do every thing beautifully. He created incredibly number of faults from a small business standpoint.”

Angle went on to grow to be a four-time WWE winner, the 2000 King of the Ring winner, and had outstanding feuds with John Cena, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Brock Lesnar and Eddie Guerrero, to identify a couple. He also had some legendary WWE times, such as bringing a milk truck out and spraying superstars in a WWE ring with it.

Kurt Angle puts Eddie Guerrero in the ankle lock.
(WWE)

But a number of neck injuries took their toll on the WWE celebrity.

Angle wrote on his web site that he grew to become addicted to painkillers in 2003 soon after he was approved them when he broke his neck. At the top of his habit, he admitted to using 65 Vicodin for each working day. He wrote how the discomfort of dropping his sister to a drug overdose also contributed to his soreness.

By the center of 2006, he was introduced by WWE. He would complete in Full Nonstop Action wrestling for about 10 many years and grow to be a 6-time heavyweight champion in that organization. He was arrested a few situations involving 2007 and 2013, and by his closing time he experienced determined to enter a rehab middle.

Angle explained to G3 Box News Electronic it was his household — his spouse, Giovanna, and their children — that served him crack the cycle of taking painkillers.

“It came down to this: my wife was going to go away me if I didn’t go to rehab. And she’s anything to me and so are my little ones,” he explained. “And realizing I could [lose] them, it was much more important to me to get rid of my habit and continue to be thoroughly clean and be with my spouse and youngsters than it was for me to continue to be addicted.”

Kurt Angle usually takes on Kane in a WWE match.
(WWE)

When WWE followers tune into the episode on Sunday night, Angle reported he hoped his story could inspire other people.

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“I want them to know that this documentary is about beating every little thing — all hurdles, dependancy, accidents, death of family members members, particular matters in your lives. It is about redemption and gaining back your reputation after you shed it,” he claimed. “And I want everyone to know that it’s attainable. Even at the worst point in your lifetime, you could even now come out of it and occur out shining.”