Source: Miami Herald
For the final three years of Kurt Angle’s World Wrestling Entertainment career, his wife, Karen, wanted him to quit the company because of the effects the grueling travel schedule had on him — physically and mentally.
”It wasn’t a healthy place to be in at that time,” said Karen Angle during a conference call to promote Total Nonstop Action wrestling’s Against All Odds pay-per-view 8 p.m. [EST] Sunday, Feb. 10.
“That’s why I say [TNA President] Dixie Carter was an angel sent to my family because Kurt is able to do what he loves and what he has a passion for. [TNA Vice President] Jeff Jarrett and Dixie Carter gave him that opportunity. He is healthier than he has been in 10 or 11 years, and he’s able to pursue other opportunities. He is home with me and our kids. We have a family. We have a marriage. Our life honestly could not be better than what it is right now.”
Karen joined TNA a year after her husband, surprising everyone, including herself. She excelled in her role, despite no prior acting or wrestling experience. Since she arrived, the Greensburg, Pa. native has become a strong asset to the company, using her combination of looks, brains and confidence to help her man keep the TNA heavyweight championship.
”I think in the beginning people were accepting to me because I was Kurt Angle’s wife,” she said. “The wife of an Olympic gold medalist and world champion, they had to be nice to me. It’s a good thing and bad thing. I think I’ve definitely earned the respect of the people there.
“There couldn’t be kinder people that work for this company. You hear talk and gossip on the Internet how cutthroat the business is. What I’ve seen in being there is no matter what level you are in the company, everyone is helping each other to make the company better and to grow.”
For the TNA knockout, this is a dream come true, as she has been a fan of amateur and pro wrestling since age 10, watching with her grandfather. Along with the guidance of her husband and TNA writer Vince Russo, she also implements a lot of qualities from the legendary figures of the past in her persona.
”I think every girl who has grown up watching wrestling wanted to be an Elizabeth,” said Angle. “I think she was incredible at what she did. On the other end of it, you have Sherri Martel, who was one of the best valets in all of wrestling. With Sherri, it was the expressions and reactions. With Elizabeth, it was in the way she carried herself.”
While Kurt was a WWE superstar and pursuing other opportunities, Karen was home taking care of the family which includes kids, Kyra, 5, and Kody, 1. His success put him in high demand, and because of it, he would sometimes be home only four days a month.
For Karen, a career in WWE wasn’t for her.
”The life he was living and what he was doing when he first started was great, and obviously because of WWE, Kurt is where he is today,” she said, “but it’s not the life I wanted to live. It’s not the life I wanted my children to live. Being on the road that many days was of no interest to us what so ever.
“When I went to TNA, it was supposed to be this short little thing, and it turned into something else. It has been incredible to me and incredible to Kurt and for our family. You look at a company that welcomes family, and you can have a schedule where you can have a family and a life as opposed to working for a company where you’re on the road 300 days a year.”
Despite her new career, family still is first for the wife and mother. She doesn’t do many house shows and often takes her children to work with her when the company tapes television in Orlando. Kyra has even participated in a few shows. It’s truly become a family affair.
”We went through very difficult times,” said Angle. “Now especially with me signing with TNA and him being with them, we’re like newlyweds. We’re finally newlyweds, because when we got married, Kurt left two days after that, and we really never got to have that time with each other. So it’s been wonderful.”
Karen says it’s important to separate their roles professionally and personally to create a healthy balance.
”Obviously one of the problems with Kurt is he’s always thinking about business and what he can do next and do better,” she said. “Then I have to bring him back to reality and say, `Listen, we’re home and here with the kids. Shut your phone off and stop thinking for a little bit. Relax and enjoy yourself.”’
The sultry brain of the Angle Alliance is an extension of Karen herself, who does whatever necessary to take care of business. This involves using her dangerous curves and manipulation to seduce some of TNA’s brightest stars. Some of the most popular segments each week focus on A.J. Styles‘ infatuation with Karen, and Jeremy Borash serving at times as her lackey.
”With J.B. and A.J., they couldn’t be greater to work with,” said Angle. “They’re funny and very entertaining. I don’t think we’ve even tapped into where we can go with these storylines and characters.”
Before becoming TNA’s resident manipulator, Karen worked many jobs including sales and nail salon. She also has an athletic background, playing softball and volleyball at Hempfield Area High School in the Hempfield Township area, outside of Pittsburgh in Westmoreland County.
However, Angle is content leaving the full-time, in-ring action to the professionals.
”If there was a position I was in and had to get into the ring, I would. Do I feel that I’m on the level of the TNA women’s champion? No,” said Angle. “These girls work really hard. They have trained for years. They have paid their dues.
“Do I feel like I’ve paid my dues? I do because my husband has been in the business so many years. I think I’m best at what I’m doing now, and I wouldn’t want to step into the ring and go against an Awesome Kong or an ODB.
“I give these women so much credit for how hard they work. I think if you look at the women’s division right now, along with Kurt and some of the other guys, they’re helping the company grow. Our ratings are better than they have ever been. You’re going to look forward to what you’re seeing in the next few months.”
As a TNA Knockout, Angle has been afforded the opportunity to pose for a number of photo shoots, featured on the company’s website.
“Yes, I’ve done risqué photo shoots. Those are photo shoots where I’m working closed door. Would I ever be on television in what I’m wearing in those photo shoots? No. There are definitely lines that I will not cross, but we have definitely not reached that point.
“It’s pretty much like walking around the pool in a bathing suit. Other guys see you like that. Kurt’s thing is why I don’t wear stuff like that for him, and why I’m always in sweats and T-shirts.”
What’s the complaint. She even looks good in curlers.
• TNA’s Against All Odds pay-per-view features a rematch from last year’s event: Kurt Angle with Karen defending the TNA title against Christina Cage 8 p.m. [EST] Sunday, Feb. 10 from Greenville, S.C.
The show is also headlined by the second ever barbed wire match in the company’s history involving Abyss and Judas Mesias with Father James Mitchell.
Booker T. and Robert Roode meet in a grudge match, and Roode’s new assistant Payton Banks squares off with Traci Brooks.
The TNA women’s championship is on the line when ODB challenges Awesome Kong. A.J. Styles and Tomko face BG James and father Bullet Bob Armstrong.
In a six-man street fight, Team 3D and Johnny Devine look to finish the X-division when they face the Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) and Jay Lethal.
Rounding out the card is a drinking contest between Cowboy James Storm and Eric Young.
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