Kemo
07-07-2017, 04:33 PM
WWE Hall Of Famer and Monday Night RAW General Manager Kurt Angle recently did an interview with the Dallas Observer to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics, including which WWE Superstars have asked him for advice backstage since returning to the company, today’s in-ring action compared to what was going on in the ’00s, and the popularity of the new GLOW series on Netflix. Here’s what he had to say:
Which WWE Superstars have asked him for advice:
“Well, it’s not only the wrestler’s responsibility but also the writing staff. There are guys today that I love. Sami Zayn and the Fashion Police are a couple examples of guys who approached me for advice on how to improve their characters. It’s about taking chances. Rarely do fans approach me and say, ‘I remember the classic match you had against so-and-so.’ Instead, fans usually say to me, ‘I remember that time you drove a milk truck to the ring. Or when you wore a tiny cowboy hat and sang with Stone Cold Steve Austin.’ It’s the moments that the fans love and remember. It goes well beyond just wrestling.”
Difference between today’s in-ring action and what was happening in the ’00s:
“When I started, I was taught to begin each match with lots of action. Very few of our matches began with a traditional wrestling hold. The ‘Attitude Era’ was all about the action. It was big move after big move and lots of punches. Today, the wrestlers in the ring tell a better story. The boys and girls in the locker room can really wrestle and there is a great focus on storytelling and ring psychology. It’s sort of back to basics, but I think it’s a better style. The crowds today aren’t as bloodthirsty as they were back then.”
The rising popularity of Netflix’s GLOW series:
“I would say that GLOW’s popularity had an influence on us having women’s main event matches. But the WWE has been working on their women’s division for years, and we’ve already been leading up to having the girls main event TV shows. A few years ago, WWE made the decision to stop referring to the women wrestlers as ‘Divas.’
“When I was in WWE the first go-round, the women were having bikini pillow fights and it was all about the look of the girl. Now it’s all about their in-ring ability. GLOW is helping bring more attention to wrestling and women’s wrestling in particular. I think people who watch WWE will watch GLOW and vice-versa.”
Which WWE Superstars have asked him for advice:
“Well, it’s not only the wrestler’s responsibility but also the writing staff. There are guys today that I love. Sami Zayn and the Fashion Police are a couple examples of guys who approached me for advice on how to improve their characters. It’s about taking chances. Rarely do fans approach me and say, ‘I remember the classic match you had against so-and-so.’ Instead, fans usually say to me, ‘I remember that time you drove a milk truck to the ring. Or when you wore a tiny cowboy hat and sang with Stone Cold Steve Austin.’ It’s the moments that the fans love and remember. It goes well beyond just wrestling.”
Difference between today’s in-ring action and what was happening in the ’00s:
“When I started, I was taught to begin each match with lots of action. Very few of our matches began with a traditional wrestling hold. The ‘Attitude Era’ was all about the action. It was big move after big move and lots of punches. Today, the wrestlers in the ring tell a better story. The boys and girls in the locker room can really wrestle and there is a great focus on storytelling and ring psychology. It’s sort of back to basics, but I think it’s a better style. The crowds today aren’t as bloodthirsty as they were back then.”
The rising popularity of Netflix’s GLOW series:
“I would say that GLOW’s popularity had an influence on us having women’s main event matches. But the WWE has been working on their women’s division for years, and we’ve already been leading up to having the girls main event TV shows. A few years ago, WWE made the decision to stop referring to the women wrestlers as ‘Divas.’
“When I was in WWE the first go-round, the women were having bikini pillow fights and it was all about the look of the girl. Now it’s all about their in-ring ability. GLOW is helping bring more attention to wrestling and women’s wrestling in particular. I think people who watch WWE will watch GLOW and vice-versa.”