Former WWE Champion Reveals Massive WWE Contract He Rejected

A popular WWE Hall of Famer has revealed that they turned down an initial MASSIVE offer from WWE after speaking to their agent.

Kurt Angle was one of the most successful rookies in WWE history. Trading amateur wrestling mats for the squared circle, the high profile signing took to professional wrestling like a duck to water.

Angle has recently revealed the amount of money WWE originally offered him, and how he was convinced to turn them down. Speaking on The Kurt Angle Show, he revealed that in 1996, WWE offered him a 10-year contract, with a salary of $500,000 per year.

Angle revealed that he turned down WWE’s offer after a lot of people he talked to, including his agent, were negative about transitioning to pro-wrestling. Noting that he felt brainwashed, the amateur wrestling ambassador was originally fearful of what people would think if he began “fake fighting”.

Here is the full quote:

“I didn’t know what I was getting into. Going up there and then giving me the whole Limo treatment, first class airfare and treating me like an important person, it was pretty cool. Going to Vince’s office and talking to him was a bit overwhelming, I knew of him, I knew who he was. He straight up just gave me a deal, a 10 year deal, take it or leave it. I asked him if I could talk to my agent first, Vince said that was fine. The meeting wasn’t long, I told him I was interested but I didn’t know if I was going to sign it or not.

“I was brainwashed, I was told it’s not something you’d be interested in. The people that were telling me not to do it didn’t even understand it. They thought it was a bunch of stunts these guys were doing, fake fighting. They felt like they were taking a backseat to pro wrestling, amateur wrestling was the small league and pro wrestling was the big league.

“It was a very hard situation for me to be in, I was an ambassador for amateur wrestling being an olympic gold medalist, and here I am selling out to the WWE if I go. My agent is the one that decided for me. He was an amateur wrestler and also played pro football, he decided you’re not going to do this garage, this isn’t the real deal.”

Angle would eventually sign for WWE after requesting a try-out in 1998. Because successes at the try-outs were only offered training contracts, Angle went from being offered $500,000 a year, to trying to prove he was worth $52,000.

Considering Angle hadn’t wrestled a single pro-wrestling match before his $500,000 offer, it was clear Vince McMahon had faith in the Olympian from day 1.

Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017. He wrestled his retirement match in 2019 against Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35.

Quote via Wrestling Inc.

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