Yesterday we reported here that Ken Shamrock and the IFL brass claimed that a deal was in place for Kurt Angle to fight Shamrock but that Angle backed out after watching a recent live IFL event. Angle responded to those comments today via JerryPark.com:

“That’s because they tried to force a fight with me and Ken in two and a half months. (It’s) not enough time to take off from TNA and train for a fight. They rushed it…I would have never been ready. They didn’t care. He just wanted PPV buys.”

He went on to say that:

“They are only trying to push my buttons - to start another angle. My rep in MMA is that I back out. No I don’t. Usually they back out of the deal because of my price. I want giant money. Usually they say they will pay me what I want then they change it and tell me they will pay me on the back end. I want it up front PERIOD.”