A pair of glove belonging to Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland is seen left on the floor after Jedrzejczyk lost to Zhang Weili of China in the womens strawweight bout during the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 275 event in Singapore on June 12, 2022. (Photo by NICHOLAS YEO / AFP) (Photo by NICHOLAS YEO/AFP via Getty Images)
Who is the WWE star who declined $500K and multiple UFC offers?
Before achieving legendary status in the WWE, Kurt Angle was a two-time NCAA Division I champion and an Olympic gold medalist wrestler. Throughout his career, Angle often flirted with the idea of stepping into the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). Recently, he shed light on the three separate UFC offers he turned down over the years.
Angle disclosed the details of these negotiations in a conversation with ESPN. He revealed that the first offer came in 1996, right after he won an Olympic gold medal. At the time, Dana White wasn’t involved with the UFC. The offer presented to Angle was ten fights for a total of $150,000, which amounted to $15,000 per fight. Angle ultimately rejected the deal, as he felt it didn’t adequately compensate the risks involved in professional fighting.
Opting for a career in WWE, Angle swiftly rose to prominence as a champion and a mainstream star in the wrestling world. However, his interest in MMA persisted.
Years later, in 2006, after leaving WWE, Angle reached out to the UFC, this time under Dana White’s leadership. Dana White invited him for discussions and even offered him a contract. Angle seriously considered the opportunity but eventually declined. The reason for his decision was his prior commitment to TNA Wrestling. Angle didn’t want to nullify the contract he had recently signed with TNA and chose to respect their wishes.
In another intriguing revelation, Angle shared that he had yet another conversation with the UFC after leaving TNA. Dana White proposed that Angle join “The Ultimate Fighter” (TUF) alongside Kimbo Slice. White offered Angle $500,000 to participate and a six-fight deal, irrespective of the TUF outcome. Despite the tempting offer, Angle ultimately decided against it. At 41 years old, with a history of neck injuries, he realized he was past his prime and couldn’t embark on an MMA career.
Dana White corroborated the TUF negotiations but revealed that Angle’s medical condition prevented the deal from materializing. Angle’s numerous neck surgeries and age would likely have posed significant challenges had he pursued an MMA career at that stage.
Chaos is brewing at WWE headquarters! As the massive $9.3 billion Endeavor takeover looms, a sense of impending disaster has engulfed the company. According to a report by Sescoops, whispers of layoffs are causing employees to frantically search for lifeboats in a sea of uncertainty.
Ever since WWE’s historic acquisition news hit the headlines, it seems like a storm is brewing behind the scenes. Reports reveal that WWE CEO Nick Khan is wielding his budget-cutting sword, aiming for an eye-watering $50 million in cost reductions. If this feels like déjà vu, it’s because the same script played out when UFC faced the Endeavor guillotine back in 2016.
But it’s not just dollars and cents causing alarm bells to ring. Inside sources claim a “sense of doom and gloom” has settled like a dark cloud over the WWE roster. The fear? If you’re not strutting your stuff in the production team or sharing the spotlight with the talents, your days in the squared circle of WWE might be numbered.
Rumors are swirling that WWE and UFC are preparing for a colossal merger under TKO Group Holdings, and insiders are feeling the tremors. With murmurs of duplicate offices being axed post-merger, it’s a race against time for employees hunting for safe havens in the job market.
The halls of WWE’s Stamford offices are buzzing with speculation. Panic and uncertainty about future layoffs have taken center stage, overshadowing even the end of the McMahon family’s reign. The clock is ticking, the stakes are high, and WWE’s future hangs in the balance.
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