Kurt Angle Recalls How WWE Locker Room Got Revenge On Daniel Puder

One of the talked about moments of the 2005 Royal Rumble match was the beating Tough Enough Champion Daniel Puder took from WWE veterans. Entering at number three, Puder was obliterated with chops for several minutes from a bevy of veterans. In an interview on "TheBubbaArmy" YouTube show, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle blamed the beating on Puder's bad attitude.

"He (Puder) started getting really arrogant and telling people he was in the main event of the Royal Rumble, because he was going to be in the Rumble, he thought he was in the main event," said Angle. "Guys heard about that and went, 'ok this guys' an a**hole.' So at the Royal Rumble, they made sure the first four entrants were Puder, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit and Bob Holly ... They beat the crap out of this kid and threw him over the top rope. And it was done. And you know what, his career never got better after that."

Prior to the Rumble, Angle had his own confrontation with Puder. On the November 4, 2004 episode of "Smackdown," Angle, who had broken his neck three months prior, challenged any of the Tough Enough contestants to get in the ring with him. Puder, a trained mixed martial artist, accepted and after some grappling, trapped Angle's right arm in a keylock. Seeing Puder's shoulders on the mat, the referee made a three count and afterwards, Angle got in Puder's face to call him a "dumb son of a b**ch!"

"What Daniel did to me, it wasn't his fault," said Angle. "He just didn't know it was supposed to be a wrestling match. He just thought he was going to try to make me tap out."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "TheBubbaArmy" YouTube with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.