During a recent appearance on “The Takedown” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle discussed his professional journey, the payment structures when he entered the wrestling industry and other topics.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the people in his era who could get million-dollar guarantees: “Back then, there were only a handful of people — “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Undertaker, Triple H, a couple other guys, me — we were the only ones that had million-dollar guarantees.”
On his first contract offer from WWE: “So, I called the WWE and I asked if that contract from 1996 still stood, and they said ‘No, but you can come up and try out. They offered me a contract, but the contract was only $75,000 a year, and let me tell you, that’s not a good contract.”
On not understanding how to sell merchandise: “I was horrible at it [selling merch], I didn’t come up with ideas, I wish I would have! You know, Stone Cold Steve Austin was great at it, he got it right away. He said ‘I’m going to make a character and I’m gonna make a lot of money with this character.”
On his mindset when he came into the wrestling business: “I didn’t come in with a business mindset, and I should have. I should have had a better business mind when I started, because I could have made a lot more money, definitely sold a lot more merchandise!”
