Kurt Angle Questions Ray Lewis's Wrestling Prowess in Potential Real American Freestyle Match

Kurt Angle, a WWE legend and Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, has voiced skepticism regarding NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis's potential success in Real American Freestyle (RAF) matches. Reports recently surfaced that RAF, co-founded by Chad Bronstein, Izzy Martinez, and Eric Bischoff, was in discussions with Lewis for a potential wrestling bout.

While acknowledging Lewis's past wrestling experience in high school and his formidable athletic reputation, Angle questioned the feasibility of Lewis competing against the world-class talent in RAF. "I don't know if he's going to be able to do it," Angle stated in comments made on behalf of Gambling.com. He suggested Lewis might be involved primarily for promotional purposes rather than a full-fledged competitive match.

Angle emphasized that Olympic-style wrestling matches are inherently real and warned of the risks involved for a competitor of Lewis's age. "Ray Lewis is a bada--, but I mean, he's probably what 55, 60 years old. So, I don't know if it'd be a good idea for him to get on the mat with some of those studs," Angle remarked, expressing concern that Lewis could get hurt.

Lewis, 51, was a state wrestling champion in high school before a distinguished NFL career as a linebacker. His involvement in RAF would represent a significant shift from his athletic background.

Angle, who had a brief stint as a commentator for RAF before his departure due to budget considerations, expressed optimism about the league's future. He likened its potential growth and global reach to that of the UFC, noting the company's expansion into international markets such as Russia, Europe, and India.

"They have a great future in front of them. I mean they're going all over the world. They're traveling to different countries, doing events," Angle said. "I think they're going to do tremendously well, and they're signing not only the American wrestlers, they're signing wrestlers from all over the world. So, this is going to be something that is going to turn into a dynamo company. This is going to be, God willing, it's going to be like the UFC."

Real American Freestyle, which aims to bring competitive freestyle wrestling to the mainstream in the United States and globally, airs live on Fox Nation. The company has already showcased top champions like Wyatt Hendrickson and Kennedy Blades. RAF14 is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas on October 23.