Kurt Angle signs with IFL?

[Kentified]

Alex Marvez of Fox Sports is reporting that the International Fight League is close to signing Kurt Angle, the 1996 Olympic gold medal wrestler who was once one of the biggest stars of the WWE.

The IFL is a mixed martial arts organization several notches below UFC in popularity, but adding a fighter with Angle's name recognition would do a lot to put the IFL on the map. Still, Angle wants to make clear that this is no publicity stunt: He's going to take things slowly and get to the point where he can really compete in MMA.

"The other organizations were pushing me for to fight right away for big money, bigger money than any other fighter has ever made," Angle said. "But I think they were doing it for my name because I had a lot of exposure in WWE and TNA. When I talked to the IFL, it wasn't like they came at me with the biggest contract, but they made a lot more sense."

I find it hard to believe that anyone was offering Angle "bigger money than any other fighter has ever made," but it does sound like he's taking the right approach. The biggest disappointment is that we won't get to see Angle fight Brock Lesnar, another former world-class amateur wrestler turned pro wrestler who has also taken up MMA. Lesnar has signed on with UFC.

Kurt Angle to Sign MMA Contract - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

I'll believe it when he steps into the ring.