Kurt Angle Reflects On How A Talk With Vince McMahon Created His ‘Wrestling Machine’ Persona In 2006
Kurt Angle reflects on creating “The Wrestling Machine” character in 2006.
2006 was Kurt Angle’s final year as a full-time wrestler in WWE. At the start of that year, a move to WWE Friday Night SmackDown, necessitated by an injury suffered by Batista, would see Angle drop some of the more comedic aspects of his character and dive into his ability as a professional wrestler.
This version of Angle would go on to be dubbed “The Wrestling Machine,” and now, Angle is reflecting on how the character change came to be. Angle says the character was his idea, but Kurt’s discussion with Vince McMahon brought about the change.
“I came up with it. Vince McMahon came to me and said, ‘Listen, we need to stop doing the funny stuff. I want you to be taken more seriously.’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s fine. What do you want from me?’ He said, ‘I just want a really intense Kurt Angle.’ I said, ‘How about The Wrestling Machine?’ He said, ‘That’s a good idea.’ So that’s how it all started. It was my idea, and I ran with it. Yeah, it worked out really well. Unfortunately, it didn’t last that long because I wasn’t in WWE long after that, but for the very beginning in ECW, it worked,” Angle said on The Kurt Angle Show Podcast.
Ultimately, Kurt Angle says that while he enjoyed portraying “The Wrestling Machine,” he always missed the comedic elements of his character because that is where he had the most fun in his career.
Kurt Angle previously spoke about being punished by WWE at ECW One Night Stand 2005, saying it was a much-needed attitude adjustment. Learn more here.
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