The concept of ex-WWE Superstars appearing for IMPACT Wrestling isn’t new. For years, the running joke would be that, once let go from the sports entertainment giant, they would arrive in the IMPACT Zone with a slightly altered ring name and appearance.
For Kurt Angle, this wasn’t quite the case. The Olympic gold medalist came to the then-Total Nonstop Action as his WWE self with added pomp and circumstance. He was one of the WWE-to-IMPACT jumps who thrived in both companies, enjoying five reigns as the latter’s World Champion.
Going in reverse, however, was a completely different story. Numerous stars who flourished in IMPACT ultimately found out that the grass wasn’t always greener on the other side. Chris Harris, Monty Brown, and several others all struggled in WWE, despite being top names in the now-Anthem-helmed promotion.
Kurt Angle Wanted To See Abyss And SCU In WWE
Speaking on a recent edition of the Kurt Angle Show, Angle noted how Abyss, Christopher Daniels, and Frankie Kazarian are names from IMPACT’s history he wishes got a run in WWE:
“Oh, that’s hard to pick one. I will say Abyss, he did go to WWE as a producer, but he never wrestled for WWE. I thought he should have been up there. Also, I’d say Christopher Daniels and Kazarian. Those two guys were not only incredible singles wrestlers, they were incredible tag wrestlers. They had it all and those guys were incredible. I actually expected them to end up in WWE and sadly they didn’t, but they’re in AEW now, so that’s just about as good.”
Abyss is now signed to WWE as a producer, making an appearance during the pandemic era of WWE alongside fellow IMPACT alum AJ Styles. As for Christopher Daniels, he worked sporadically for the then-World Wrestling Federation between 1999 and 2001, and was originally in the running to become The Higher Power.
Frankie Kazarian, the only name mentioned by Kurt Angle now back in IMPACT Wrestling, worked a series of matches across WWE Velocity in 2005, going undefeated on the show.