"Not one call, not one text" - Former WWE Champion confirms not talking to Vince McMahon for 11 years
Kurt Angle has revealed that he did not speak to Vince McMahon for eleven years until WWE got him back in 2017. The Olympic gold medalist left WWE in 2006 due to alleged health concerns.
Angle also dealt with substance abuse issues at the time and experienced an unfortunate downfall in his personal life after leaving the Stamford-based promotion.
Vince McMahon seemingly even shot down Kurt Angle's attempts at returning to WWE in 2015 as the former CEO felt that the superstar had developed a bad reputation. On The Kurt Angle Show, the Hall of Famer said that during his time away from the company, he didn't have a single exchange with McMahon:
"No. Never! Not for 11 years. Not one peek, not one call, not one text," admitted Angle." [47:18 - 47:26]
Kurt Angle shared a solid backstage relationship with Vince McMahon when the former WWE Champion was at the peak of his popularity. Angle recalled that he was one of the few superstars McMahon personally called on special occasions.
Vince McMahon surely knew how to keep his top stars happy, and the boss maintained a close bond with The Olympian until he left WWE for the first time.
"Yes. The way you know it is when Vince remembers you on the holidays. Like, 12:01 AM in the morning on New Year's eve or New Year's Day, Vince would call me. I would be the first person he called. Happy New Year. December 25th, Merry Christmas, Happy Thanksgiving," revealed the WWE Hall of Famer. "You know that you have Vince's attention, and you know you're really close to him when he does that." [42:22 - 42:55]
Kurt Angle on his emotional reunion with Vince McMahon
After getting rejected by WWE in 2015, Kurt Angle worked on rebuilding his name in the wrestling business. He eventually secured a deserved WWE Hall of Fame induction a couple of years later.
An emotional Angle cried after returning to WWE and was glad he could mend fences with Vince McMahon. The Olympic hero also revealed what his former boss told him after their first meeting in over a decade, as you can view below:
"I cried. It was very emotional. I felt like I finally redeemed myself and got back into the WWE. And I got the one guy that wasn't forgiving me to forgive me. Vince, I believe that Vince forgave me right after I left in 2006, but I didn't know it until I got back in 2017, and it was really cool, like, 'Hey, let's just forget whatever's happened. Let's move on and continue on like we were before. And I thought that was great." [48:23 - 48:56]
The veteran retired from active competition after a loss against Baron Corbin (aka Happy Corbin) at WrestleMania 35 and was later released from the promotion in April 2020. Fans will have to see if he returns to the company in some capacity moving forward.
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If any quotes are used from this article, please credit The Kurt Angle Show on AdFreeShows.com and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.