Wardlow Recalls Training With Kurt Angle And Learning From WWE Hall Of Famer

AEW star Wardlow made his name on the independent scene, specifically in the Pittsburgh area. According to the former TNT Champion, the Pittsburgh wrestling scene provided him an opportunity to train with Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, also a Pittsburgh local.

"I had the privilege to train with him as he prepared to come back for [his WrestleMania 34 match]," Wardlow explained in a Fandom Spotlight video from Terrificon 2023, "it was him and Ronda [Rousey] right? He was preparing for that match and I come up in the Pittsburgh area." Angle's WrestleMania return in 2018 saw him team with former UFC Champion Ronda Rousey to defeat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a heavily-lauded WWE debut for Rousey.

"He just wanted to get back in ring shape, so a few of us would meet him once a week for a couple months and work with him and we had such great chemistry," Wardlow continued, wishing that some of his training matches with Kurt Angle could've been televised. Angle was also a jovial presence outside the ring as well. 

"Kurt's such a nice dude," Wardlow gushed. "Like we would get done training and he'd just sit there and BS with us like we were buddies. It was really, really cool."

Panelmate Ethan Page then tried to goad Wardlow into talking trash to Kurt Angle, to coax the WWE Hall of Famer out of retirement. Wardlow almost began to cut a promo on Angle before sheepishly backtracking, leaving Page open to do some mild trash-talking of his own.

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