Kurt Angle - IFL?

Courtesty of Fox Sports dot com.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - The International Fight League is negotiating to sign what would be its biggest talent addition to date in Kurt Angle, the 1996 Olympic gold medal wrestler who later became a successful pro grappler.

"God willing, the IFL and myself can make a deal," Angle told FOXSports.com while attending the promotion's team championship finale Thursday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. "The best fit for me right now as a pro wrestler who [works] about 120 times a year is the IFL."

Angle, 38, has toyed with the idea of competing in mixed martial arts since leaving World Wrestling Entertainment in August 2006 to join Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Angle said the IFL's 12-team format is appealing because he could "start coaching and while doing that learn from my students."

Angle said he would need permission from TNA President Dixie Carter as well as roughly a year of training before being ready for his MMA debut. Angle's pro wrestling popularity could help expand the IFL's fan base as the upstart promotion tries to expand its following.
Kurt Angle won an Olympic gold medal in 1996, then embarked on a successful pro wrestling career. (AFP IOPP / Getty Images)

"The other organizations were pushing me for to fight right away for big money, bigger money than any other fighter has ever made," Angle said. "But I think they were doing it for my name because I had a lot of exposure in WWE and TNA. When I talked to the IFL, it wasn't like they came at me with the biggest contract, but they made a lot more sense.

"The IFL is giving me an opportunity to get my feet wet and train without affecting my job with TNA whatsoever. [The IFL] said they would be second priority and make sure TNA is happy all the time and they'll take me when they can get me."

Angle had tried negotiating with different MMA organizations to work a match against Brock Lesnar, another former amateur and pro wrestling star who has branched into legitimate fighting. Angle, though, said those negotiations fell through when Lesnar signed a contract with the UFC.

"We figured we would make somebody a hell of a lot of money," Angle said. "We were talking about it, but Brock jumped the gun and went to UFC right away and struck a deal. I don't blame him. The kid honestly wants to do three or four fights and retire. He's going to make that kind of money. I give him a lot of credit for that.

"I don't need to do this for the money. I make a lot of money and have a lot of money, thankfully. I'm doing this because I want to do it. I'm a big fan and have a big interest in it."
It's questionable how well Angle would fare in MMA competition because of his age, injury history and lack of experience in other fighting skills besides amateur wrestling. Angle, though, dismisses such talk.

Said Angle: "A lot of fans have been talking smack and saying, 'What's Kurt thinking? He can't do this. There's no way. He'll get his butt kicked.' They don't know me. They forgot I won a gold medal in the toughest weight class (220 pounds) in the world at the time. ... People have never seen my style, which is explosive. I think a lot of heavyweights and light heavyweights won't expect that."