Kurt Angle says he tried to make WWE return in 2014 but Triple H cancelled their meeting
Following a loss to Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35, Kurt Angle retired from professional wrestling.
The 1996 Olympic gold medallist had a career that many can only dream of and while he made his name in WWE, many might argue his prime years went down in TNA.
Fans always hoped that Angle would return home to WWE one day and they got their wish in 2017 when the five-time world champion returned to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
He then took up a role as general manager on RAW and he would wrestle occasionally before his final hurrah against Corbin.
Angle was 48 by the time he arrived back in WWE and his bump card was nearly full to the brim. He was noticeably stiffer in his movements and it appeared as retirement was a matter of time.
It's a shame that he couldn't return sooner, but when the opportunity arose three years earlier, Triple H appeared to be the man that put the breaks on the deal.
In an interview with back in 2015, Angle detailed how he attempted to talk to WWE when his contract had expired with TNA, but Triple H ended up cancelling their meeting.
"Paul is in charge. I found that out when I contacted Vince," he said.
"I've always had a good relationship with Paul, so I didn't consider that a problem.
"He decided they had enough talent.
"For the who I knew, enough was never enough. He always wanted more.
"I don't know what was going on over there, but they even cancelled our meeting. I never went to see them.
"They didn't even sit me down and talk to me."
Angle says he couldn't believe WWE wouldn't even give him a meeting, but Dixie Carter and TNA jumped at the chance to show him how much they valued him.
"It blew my mind. It was as if I was a nobody, that I wasn't Kurt Angle," he admitted.
"From a wrestling standpoint, they just weren't interested. But TNA not only stepped up, they gave me everything I wanted: the dates, the money, and it's no secret that I've went to rehab in the past, and they gave me time off.
"You talk about a company that's loyal to you, and you want to be loyal back. So I didn't pursue the WWE any further. When it comes down to it, you've got to stick with the people who want to take care of you. took care of me."
Angle stuck with WWE to work backstage as a producer/agent following his retirement, but he was let go during the recent cull as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
It's also worth noting that when he did return to WWE, he actually worked with Triple H at WrestleMania 34 as he tagged with Ronda Rousey for her debut against The Game and his wife, Stephanie McMahon.
There's little to suggest Triple H has a personal issue with Angle.
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