The Kurt Angle Show - Kurt as Smackdown GM [Show Notes] (Patreon)

After another WrestleMania where you’re injured and lose to Eddie Guerrero, Vince makes the decision almost immediately that you would replace Paul Heyman as General Manager. Are you involved in this decision?

Were you surprised they wanted to keep you on TV?

Was this a money thing?

Were you excited about this opportunity?

This is after 2 neck surgeries - this is a big deal - how worried were you about your health?

Heyman is drafted to Raw, quits and the plan is to make him the lead manager of the heels to help build John Cena. Did you & Paul ever discuss the role of General Manager and did he have any advice for you?

It’s reported that you meet with two doctors in March and that you don’t need surgery but you may be able to return in a few weeks - did you think that was too soon?

Were you able to rehab on the road while you’re doing the GM thing?

This is the draft where Triple H is drafted by Eric Bischoff to Raw, but in your first act as Smackdown GM you come out and announce you traded Triple H to Raw for the Dudleys & Booker T. Booker T comes out and says he didn’t want to be on SmackDown because Raw was a superior brand and Smackdown is a minor league brand. Was this a sort of shoot?

Did you consider Smackdown a minor league brand - or did others in the locker room?

You’re even doing house shows and taking bumps Kurt. Why???

You set up a tournament to determine Eddie’s first challenger by having the Kurt Angle Great American tournament. The goal was to get back to you & Eddie was it not?

Also on this show - JBL gets a new gimmick. What did you think of the transition of Bradshaw to this role?

There’s some…stuff you definitely can’t do today that goes on. In San Antonio you tell Eddie to leave the building and get out of town. From the Observer:

“It was time for Angle to award the Real American trophy to the No. 1 contender. Angle said that Cena got the most votes on the internet, but before he can get the trophy, Layfield shows a video of him at the border, stopping Mexicans from coming into the U.S. He talks about how Mexicans are ruining the economy, the health care, the welfare system for all of us hard working Americans. He chased some Mexicans back to Mexico. Angle loved this and awarded him the trophy. But it turns out, Eddy switched trophies since the new trophy has a photo of Eddy.

Guerrero came out with a low rider with the trophy on the hood. He said he was going to smash the trophy on Layfield’s limo. Angle said he’d strip him of the title. He then came to the ring and hit Layfield with the trophy, got a chair, and smashed the trophy.”

My goodness Kurt - what in the world? What did you think of this?

What did Eddie think of this?

The next week is supposed to be the Eddie - JBL match, but JBL tells you he’s tired so you decide to make it at the pay-per-view. So you change to Show vs. Guerrero and Show says he’ll retire if he loses.

Well Show loses and it ends with Big Show is holding Torrie Wilson hostage - and

well you go for a ride! Big Show retires after losing to Eddie Guerrero because he needs knee surgery but he chokeslams you off the balcony! They even show you dead with blood pouring from the back of your head…

Kurt - what in the hell is this?

The announcement next week is that you have a broken leg. So let me get this straight - you get chokeslammed off a 2 story balcony - and it turns into you having a broken leg. That was quite ridiculous was it not?

The next week in Oklahoma City, you return with you in a wheelchair and having Luther Reigns as your new bodyguard. Did you think you needed a heater?

Your promo is something…from the Observer

“Angle said that doctors have told him after what happened with Show that he can never wrestle again, and said it was the fault of the fans and Torrie Wilson. He also called Wilson out and blamed her even more.

Angle noted he also can no longer have sex with his wife. Well, after that line, his days as a main event heel are shot for a while.

Kurt made a match with Torrie Wilson vs. Rene Dupree, which went nowhere as Cena came in, wearing Oklahoma Sooners gear and ran Dupree off.”

Kurt - this time period isn’t well known for good creative…but is this some of the worst stuff don’t you think?

Now let’s talk about funny…from a house show on May 9th in Columbia, SC…

“Dawn Marie challenged any woman in the building to come out. So Moolah & Mae Young came out, since it was their hometown. They got a big pop, and pulled Dawn’s clothes off, leaving her in her underwear. This was done on the entrance stage as opposed to in the ring. They then attacked Angle and started kissing him, which was a rib on Angle that he didn’t know about in advance. They then tripped Luther and started kissing him as well.”

What a rib Kurt! What did you think about it?

At Judgment Day from Los Angeles you blame Torrie Wilson for your career being over and you announce if Wilson didn’t win her match against Dawn Marie she would be fired. Just to be clear…Torrie wins…

But later on that night…Eddie and JBL have a blood bath! JBL kills Eddie with a chair shot and Eddie hits an artery when he gets color and it’s insane how much blood he’s losing by the minute. What did you think of seeing Eddie like that?

Were you impressed with JBL being on top as a heel for the first time in his career?

It’s reported coming off the pay-per-view in the Observer that the plans were for you to return at SummerSlam while you rehabbed. But it’s also written that it feels like your stock has dropped in the role you’re in. Did you feel like it was hurting you being a GM?

You’re not the only one hurt. Guerrero & JBL are banged up too and Guerrero especially from the blood loss so you have to be involved in the matches. In Green Bay Eddie even needed oxygen after the match. Looking back - was Eddie pushing himself too much?

You get moved into dealing with Booker & Cena from this point forward with you kicking Cena out of the building, Cena came back and Booker jumped him but you end up getting bumped twice including a chair shot to the leg from Cena. You threaten to strip Cena of the US title and you’re programmed with him - sort of you being Vince McMahon and Cena being Stone Cold. What did you see in John at this point? A big future?

“SmackDown 6/17 from Chicago had Kurt Angle telling John Cena that his four-way match at the PPV will be elimination rules, so he must beat all three opponents to retain his title”

They start the story of you faking your knee injury - excuse me I mean recovering from it - as you begin to mess with Guerrero in a match by tripping him. This is classic heel stuff is it not?

At Great American Bash you reverse the decision of Eddie & JBL’s bullrope match by saying JBL’s hit the fourth corner before Eddie’s hand - and that hands JBL his first WWE Championship. Were you surprised to see them put the belt on JBL?

How did Eddie feel losing the title?

Were you disappointed to see Eddie drop the title after your epic WrestleMania match?

It’s been said that Eddie had issues dealing with being champion. Did you see them?

How different do you think his reign is if you weren’t hurt?

You strip Cena of the US title after he hits you with a clothesline when Booker moves on Smackdown and from the Observer:

“Booker, Dupree and Suzuki were all arguing over who should get the U.S. title. For whatever this is worth, the plan was leaning toward Suzuki a week ago. Cena cut promos on all of them, and then attacked Reigns. Angle then announced a handicap elimination match.

In the elimination match, Suzuki was eliminated first by getting DQ'd for choking Cena with his sash. Cena pinned Dupree after catapulting him into the post. Booker then pinned Cena after an ax kick.”

Kenzo Suzuki - not a name that’s talked about much. What do you remember of him?

“Main was JBL over Guerrero in the cage match. Said to be really good, even beating out the Los Angeles match. Highlight was Guerrero doing the frog splash off the cage. JBL also kicked out, which is stupid for such an extreme spot. Both men were fighting on top of the cage. El Gran Luchadore ran in and held Guerrero in and allowed JBL to go the floor. Luchadore tried to escape the cage, but it was locked. Guerrero attacked and unmasked him as Angle, setting up SummerSlam.”

El Gran Luchadore~! Kurt - who’s idea was this do you remember?

From the Observer:

“Notes from the 7/20 Smackdown tapings in Philadelphia.

Angle came out in a wheelchair to start the show, saying he put himself at risk to protect the title.

Angle fired ring announcer Tony Chimel for making the announcement at Wrestlemania that Guerrero had beaten him.

Angle handed Booker the U.S. title belt and fired Funaki for butchering the English language.

A four-way with Wilson vs. Dawn vs. Sable vs. Jackie ended prematurely when Angle came out and fired all four for being useless and because nobody wanted to see them in a lingerie match.”

This…this is all a lot isn’t it?

“The show ended with Angle saying he was going to fire Eddie Guerrero. Instead, Vince returned as a babyface and said that Angle had gone too far, and fired him as G.M. He announced Angle vs Guerrero at SummerSlam. Vince went to attack him with a crutch and Angle ran away, so Vince pronounced him fit to wrestle, and made the bout with Guerrero. In the arena, Angle gave Vince a low blow. That bit was only taped for the live fans. The show itself ended with Vince in Guerrero's low rider.”

Now Kurt - how cool was all this?

When were you ready to come back?

Do you wish it could’ve been with Eddie for the WWE Title?

How fun was this during the summer?

Do you wish you would’ve been able to be home and rest and rehab instead of being on the road or did you need to be on the road?