TNA champion Kurt Angle was exonerated Tuesday of charges brought against him in connection with the alleged stalking of ex-girlfriend Trenesha 'Rhaka Khan' Biggers. According to Pittsburgh television station WTAE/4, Angle was found not guilty by a district court judge of harassment of Biggers.
Two other charges, driving with a suspended license & drug possession of human growth hormone, were also dismissed. Angle stated that he had a valid prescription for the HGH found in his vehicle in connection with a preexisting neck injury, an explanation that was apparently accepted by the court. Angle had also stated that his encounter near a neighborhood Starbucks with Biggers that allegedly violated the protective order was inadvertent.
One charge remains outstanding against Kurt Angle, the preexisting assault charge that triggered the issuance of the protective order for Biggers against Angle in the first place. For the most part though, the questions that now surround Kurt Angle for TNA are not ones of legality but ones of basic human health of its champion.
With Kurt Angle's own condition so seemingly fragile and dependent on medications like HGH just to keep going in the ring, TNA should do with Angle what WWE is apparently now doing with Undertaker and allow him to wrestle a reduced schedule.
TNA champion Kurt Angle's stalking case charges dropped
Categories: kurt angle , pro wrestling , tna |
TNA champion Kurt Angle NOT on "Dancing with the Stars"
Categories: chuck liddell , dancing with the stars , kurt angle , pro wrestling , reality television , tna |
TNA champion Kurt Angle was NOT announced this morning as a cast member of "Dancing with the Stars," to no great surprise considering recent developments. Angle had been rumored as a potential candidate for the ABC reality series over the past several months, even reported by his agent to have made the show's shortlist.
It isn't clear that Kurt Angle would have made the final cut for DWTS even without his recent arrest on harassment and drug charges. With that arrest though, any chance of Angle being announced just two days later on "Good Morning America" dropped to nill.
UFC star Chuck Liddell was cast to the series instead, perhaps in the very show slot that could/would have been allocated for Angle. Considering that the mainstream sees mixed martial arts and pro wrestling as appealing to the same demographic, it would have been a redundancy to have cast both men. Angle likely had to lose for Liddell to win.
TNA endorses alleged stalker / HGH user Kurt Angle
Categories: kurt angle , ppv , pro wrestling , tna |
Excerpted from the WrestlingBloob Twitter feed last Saturday:
Dear TNA: You either respect the dignity of your female performers and fans.... or you don't. If you do, suspend Kurt Angle now.
TNA Wrestling left no doubt Sunday night about just how much respect it holds for the dignity of its female performers and fans.... none at all. One day after Kurt Angle was arrested on multiple charges relating to stalking and illegal HGH possession, TNA Wrestling effectively endorsed him as the flagship and representative of its promotion.
No, TNA couldn't be bothered to actually comment on the arrest of Kurt Angle. However, by booking him to not only wrestle for but retain its World title at the Hard Justice PPV, TNA affirmed its continued allegiance to this accused stalker and HGH user.
Angle's victory has left TNA President Dixie Carter's credibility in tatters. Carter had earlier testified before a congressional committee that TNA would have a tough policy for drug and personal conduct violations. Either Dixie Carter changed her mind in the interim or she lied and committed outright perjury before the United States Congress.
TNA Wrestling has lost the right to claim itself as any kind of alternative to World Wrestling Entertainment except as the worst kind of alternative.... a company without credibility, without character, without common sense, without respect for women and without any legitimate reason to deserve the loyalty and financial support of professional wrestling fans.
TNA champion Kurt Angle arrested on multiple charges
Categories: arrest , kurt angle , pro wrestling , tna |
TNA champion Kurt Angle was arrested early Saturday morning on stalking and drug charges, reports PWInsider.com.
Angle was picked up in Robinson Township, Pennsylvania for allegedly violating a protection order placed against him on behalf of an unidentified female TNA performer. Angle also had two vials of HGH with him at the time of his arrest to which he claimed to have a valid medical prescription.
Four charges were lodged against Angle including illegal drug possession, violating a protection order, harassment and driving with a suspended license dating back from his previous arrest. The most recent arrest comes one day before Angle was slotted to defend the TNA title and two days before he could have been named to the "Dancing with the Stars" cast.
It would just be madness for ABC to let Angle on its top reality show at this point so the more debatable issue is with TNA. The company has placed Angle as its flagship and needs him to propel what's left of its already low PPV buyrates, That said, the second that this arrested stalker comes back into a TNA ring, he reflects badly back on TNA.
Whatever the short term cost, TNA should demonstrate that it respects the dignity of both its female fans and female performers by stripping Kurt Angle of the title and suspending him immediately, before the pay-per-view. Let Sting and Matt Morgan wrestle the main event on their own, they are both fully capable of it.
Jeff Jarrett placed on hiatus from TNA
Categories: jeff jarrett , kurt angle , pro wrestling , tna |
TNA Wrestling founder/minority owner Jeff Jarrett is now on hiatus from the company after reports about his personal life caused apparent discord with the company hierarchy and an influential rival wrestler. Jarrett did not appear at the Victory Road PPV and has been written off this week's Impact television tapings.
The trigger for Jarrett's temporary departure may have been a call by a secret TNA source to the Bubba the Love Sponge radio program which claimed that Kurt Angle's ex-wife, Kurt Angle, and her children had moved in with Jeff Jarrett. If one believes the Wrestling Observer, both Kurt Angle and TNA president Dixie Carter were infuriated with Jarrett over the information and its public release.
This is believed to be the first time that Jarrett has taken an extended hiatus from TNA altogether. While he has been off television in the past, Jarrett had maintained at least a behind the scenes role until now. There are also some indications that the departure may not have been voluntary.
What is obvious is that aside from Jarrett himself, the only person with the authority to actually remove him from the TNA scene is company president Dixie Carter. She had been a supporter of Jarrett for years, even before parent organization Panda Energy bought TNA from Jeff and his father, Jerry Jarrett.
If Carter is truly disenchanted with Jeff Jarrett, the direction of the TNA product as we know it may soon change. The potential booking void could leave an opening for Kurt Angle to assume more creative control or for an outside booker to come in and lead the creative team. To the disappointment of the net wrestling community though, that booker apparently wouldn't be Paul Heyman who has already ruled himself out.
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Kurt Angle reclaims TNA title after Samoa Joe heel turn
Categories: kurt angle , ppv , pro wrestling , samoa joe , tna |
Kurt Angle is once again the TNA champion, claiming a victory in the King of the Mountain title match against defending champion Mick Foley and others with a stunning heel turn assist from Samoa Joe.
The turn against AJ Styles by Joe was not surprising in the least considering his tweener nature of Joe's Nation of Violence persona. However, Joe handing control of the TNA belt to Kurt Angle when he was just seconds away from winning the match was a complete discontinuity, considering Joe had sworn violence on both Angle and his associated Main Event Mafia.
It isn't immediately clear if Samoa Joe will end up in the Main Event Mafia or will work as a separate distinct heel. Whatever happens, the Nation of Violence concept as originally conceived has clearly been altered or eliminated altogether. Considering the NoV concept really didn't get over, that's probably for the best.
