More notes regarding Kurt Angle's WWE release, as reported by the
Wrestling Observer:

-- After losing his title at WrestleMania, Kurt Angle adamantly
began pushing WWE management to get the title back. While that did
not initially play out, he continued pushing hard to make sure he
remained a top star.

He pushed Brian Gewirtz to be added to the Vengeance PPV, and, at
one point, was actually scheduled to defeat Randy Orton. But, when
news of his drug test failure came out (due to having an expired
prescription for a drug he took), WWE quickly jobbed him out and
suspended him for thirty days.

-- Vince McMahon gave Kurt Angle a stern warning after learning of
his drug policy violation; following that, sources say things began
getting messy. Kurt Angle would constantly call, email and text
message WWE officials and wrestlers. Some say half the messages were
senseless, while half were perfectly coherent.

-- He was brought back immediately at the end of his suspension only
because ECW needed a big star to return. The ECW lockerroom quickly
turned on him due to his "impossible" behavior, which included
telling an agent that when he accidentally dropped RVD on his head
during a match, it was actually RVD's fault. He would have another
confrontation with RVD based on something he said in the ring during
one of their matches.

-- Angle also petitioned very hard to be added to the Summerslam
card. His campaigning worked, as the original plan was to make the
ECW Championship bout a four-way. But, following his groin injury at
the 8/13 house show, Vince McMahon pulled him from the Summerslam
card.

-- On August 21, Angle called Johnny Ace and said he was being
wheeled through the airport. He said his massage therapist claimed
he had a torn abdominal muscle. Vince reportedly made a decision at
this time to both set up an MRI and, if necessary, fire Angle.

-- Kurt Angle was released from his contract (and given some money)
on 8/25. Terms of his release remain unclear.

-- Some of the major non-WWE wrestling names (All Japan, NOAH and
TNA) expressed immediate interest in Angle upon learning of his
release. While he could very well wrestle for another promotion
(which would upset WWE, both as a company and as an entity looking
out for Angle's health), a bigger fear on WWE's part is that he'll
take a job with an MMA promotion and put his health in further
danger.