By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

TNA star Kurt Angle, at 40 years old, says he's reaching a point in his professional career where he's not sure how much longer he can perform in the ring.

"I'm getting too old for this. I've got 32 years of wrestling, quote unquote, amateur and pro, under my belt," Angle told David Hiltbrand of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

It's not just in the ring, but being on the road promoting the TNA brand. Angle was interviewed by Hiltbrand in Philadelphia while doing media appearances to promote the Lockdown PPV later this month.

"It's very grueling. There's no time off. We don't have an off-season. That's why it's so difficult on wrestlers. That's why they break down physically," Angle said of the travel schedule in wrestling. "They (TNA) try to rotate them in and out so nobody gets burned out ... Except for me."

Before joining TNA, Angle left WWE when he did not see eye-to-eye with Vince McMahon on how to handle his pain pill addiction. Angle says he was fined and his reputation was ruined while in WWE.

"I paid the price, both financially - I got fined $125,000 - and reputation-wise," Angle said. "All of a sudden, I'm like Kurt Angle the cheater? It really sucked. You can test me right now. I'll come up clean. But there was a time when I did it."

Caldwell's Analysis: You can also read my quotes in the story regarding Angle's impact on putting TNA "on the map" when he joined the company in late 2006. In the interview, Angle sounds frustrated with pro wrestling after spending most of his life doing some form of wrestling. It will be interesting to see whether TNA adjusts his non-wrestling schedule or if he shifts to a part-time schedule for TV by skipping every other set of TV tapings.

Link: Philadelphia Inquirer story on Angle.

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