Kurt Angle has discussed facing The Undertaker at No Way Out 2006 and that both men wanted the match to take place at WrestleMania 22.
Angle and Undertaker would meet one-on-one in the main event of No Way Out 2006 for the World Heavyweight Championship. Angle would retain his title after rolling up the Deadman while still in a triangle choke.
On The Kurt Angle Show podcast, Angle discussed the match with co-host Conrad Thompson. Angle revealed that months earlier the two men went to Vince McMahon about facing each other at WrestleMania.
Angle explained:
“It was a big deal to us, both Undertaker and myself,” Angle said. “Having ‘Taker come in at No Way Out and you wrestle him in the main event, usually it’s a downer pay-per-view, but it was an upper. Taker actually wanted to face me at WrestleMania [22], he told me this back in December before I had the match at Royal Rumble. I said that’d be fantastic, he said we’re going to have to go to Vince [McMahon] and ask him. We went to Vince and Vince said ‘No, I’m not ending Taker’s undefeated streak.’”
At the time The Undertaker’s famed WrestleMania undefeated streak sat at 13-0. The Olympic gold medallist expressed confusion at the assumption that he would be the one to end the streak.
Angle continued:
“He didn’t tell me why I would have to end his undefeated streak, but the reason was because I was going to win the World title and go to WrestleMania and wrestle somebody holding the world title. I think Vince McMahon felt I was going to hold the World title after WrestleMania, which I didn’t. It was really awesome to have him at No Way Out and the reason Vince booked it is because we wanted the match at WrestleMania so Vince said no but we’ll make it at No Way Out.”
Kurt Angle then considered if McMahon had any regrets over not holding the match at WrestleMania:
“If you don’t think Vince was thinking that, you’re high. Of course, he’s going to say ‘Damn, that was my main event of WrestleMania.’ Because I legitimately thought that was the match of the year in 2006, I took pride in that match. I thought that was one of the best matches that anyone’s ever done. To not be at WrestleMania, Vince was probably like ‘aw s**t, I should’ve done it’. What he could have done is he could have had Undertaker beat me for the World Title, he just didn’t want Taker to have the title at the time.”
“I think there was a way to make it work, if Vince was cool giving up the title to Undertaker or giving it back to me or someone else, that would’ve been a good idea. He just felt like it was too much work all for one match to happen. I believe when he saw the No Way Out match he said, damn, I should’ve done it [at WrestleMania 22].”
The Undertaker would continue his undefeated streak at WrestleMania 22 by defeating Mark Henry in a casket match. Angle would ultimately lose his title at the show, falling to defeat at the hands of Rey Mysterio.
Angle added:
“For whatever reason, it didn’t happen. The problem was Vince didn’t want me to lose the title at WrestleMania and I did anyway! I lost it to Rey, either way, we should’ve had the match at Mania, Undertaker, and myself. I lost the title anyway, Undertaker could’ve just beat me and I could’ve not ended his undefeated streak.”
Kurt Angle has also spoken about his feelings on The Rock, and their match that would see Angle capture his first WWE Championship.