Former wrestling star Kurt Angle says AEW boss Tony Khan has done a superb job to establish his company as the ‘biggest competitor’ to WWE right now.
Angle enjoyed a sustained period of success with WWE after joining the company in 1998, before switching allegiances to TNA eight years later.
He returned to WWE in 2017, spending just over two years there before retiring at WrestleMania 35. He has since made sporadic appearances in WWE.
While WWE is firmly established as the pinnacle of professional wrestling, AEW has emerged as a vibrant secondary promotion over the past few years.
A recent interview with Kurt Angle highlighted the esteem which respected figures in wrestling hold Khan for the job he has done with AEW.
Founded by Khan in 2019, the Jacksonville-based professional wrestling promotion is now estimated to be worth more than $2 billion.
Angle believes Khan deserves plenty of praise for establishing AEW as a genuine contender to WWE and offering opportunities to wrestlers.
“It’s an established company and they have money – that’s the important thing – and Tony Khan has done an incredible job of starting that company.
“I know right now they’re struggling a little bit with attendance, but they’re still doing pretty good. I think it has to do with money. If TNA had the money that AEW had, I think TNA would have been even bigger.
“Knowing Tony Khan, he’s able to pay these athletes. It gives these wrestlers different opportunities. They have other places to choose from, so they could say, ‘let me see what WWE can offer me and then let me see what AEW can offer me’.
“You have more choices than just WWE, and AEW is definitely WWE’s biggest competitor right now.”
Despite retiring from in-ring action in 2019, Angle has maintained a strong connection with WWE over the past few years.
He has made several appearances as a guest referee and has also been included in numerous segments on television and at pay-per-view events.
In addition to dabbled in acting, Angle also has numerous business interests including as a real estate owner of multiple properties in the United States.
The WWE Hall of Famer also received lucrative offers from AEW and IMPACT Wrestling following his retirement in 2019.
Angle rejected the AEW offer as they wanted him to be a full-time wrestler. Having put his body through the wringer during his career, Angle felt he would have unable to do himself justice.
There has subsequently been talk of Angle joining AEW in a part-time capacity, and he has not ruled out the possibility if the right opportunity arises.
“I’m always open,” Angle added. “AEW came to me and I decided not to do it. They wanted me to wrestle, and I can’t really do that. But I would consider coming back.
“WWE has me back once in a while for little things like cutting a promo on someone or celebrating my birthday, or they had me show up to the Royal Rumble with my daughter.
“A rumour was coming out saying ‘why not have Kurt Angle manage Chad Gable?’ That’s something I would consider doing.
“They never approached me, and it’s OK if they don’t. I’m cool with it. I don’t really need to go on television anymore, but I would consider it. I would leave the option open.”
