Alex Marvez from FoxSports.com is reporting that current TNA wrestling “superstar” may be close to signing a deal with the International Fight League to complete in MMA. Angle, who won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics, has voiced his interest in competing in MMA for quite a while now.
“God willing, the IFL and myself can make a deal,” Angle told FOXSports.com while attending the promotion’s team championship finale Thursday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. “The best fit for me right now as a pro wrestler who [works] about 120 times a year is the IFL.”
Angle said the IFL’s 12-team format is appealing because he could “start coaching and while doing that learn from my students.”
“The IFL is giving me an opportunity to get my feet wet and train without affecting my job with TNA whatsoever. [The IFL] said they would be second priority and make sure TNA is happy all the time and they’ll take me when they can get me.”
Judging by Angle’s comments it appears that the IFL would still let him compete with TNA and continue his professional wrestling career while competing in MMA. I’m not sure what his comment about “coaching while learning from his students.” Would he be some kind of head or possibly assistant coach for a team, or perhaps a general wrestling coach available to all teams? Who knows.
Either way, in my opinion, it is a bad idea for any MMA promotion to sign Angle while allowing him to still compete in pro wrestling. If Angle is going to compete in MMA, he needs to make a clean break from wrestling and compete solely in MMA; otherwise, having angle is more like having a circus freak join your MMA promotion.
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Tags: IFL, MMA, Kurt Angle
(via MMA HQ - Mixed Martial Arts News and Analysis)