WWE Hall of Famer claims John Cena move could have "changed the game"

John Cena's stardom was secured in 2005 when he captured the WWE Championship from JBL on The Grandest Stage of Them All. He won the number-one contender's match by facing his most significant early rival in the Stamford-based promotion, Kurt Angle.

The Olympic Gold Medalist spent another year working with WWE, during which he won the World Heavyweight Championship once and put on clinics as only he could. However, in a sudden turn of events, Angle left the global juggernaut and joined IMPACT Wrestling (formerly TNA) in 2006.

Speaking on The Kurt Angle Show about John Cena's aura and star power in the world of pro wrestling, Kurt Angle believes the former's character would have massively impacted the Stamford-based company's rival promotion and the business itself:

"John Cena, I believe, would have made just as much of an impact as I did in TNA. If we both would have came there, that would have changed the face of wrestling. I really believe that. I honestly believe, John Cena coming to TNA would have probably changed the face. He was such a big name that he'd have a huge impact, immediately, like I did. I don't know if he would have more of an impact, maybe, maybe not."

The Hall of Famer further detailed Cena's loyalty to WWE, as the latter was not technically obliged to remain with Vince McMahon's company:

"John Cena is really talented and what he's done in WWE is unparalleled. Having him come to TNA, first of all, if WWE released him or if Cena's contract expired, WWE has no right to say, 'You're not allowed to do that.' If Cena wanted to go to TNA, he would have gone to TNA. The question is, would John Cena do that? John would have changed the game," Angle said. [H/T: Fightful]

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Kurt Angle wished his feud with WWE Hall of Famer in TNA went differently

Mick Foley is one of the all-time greats of the global juggernaut promotion. He was part of the infamous and oft-deemed greatest period of the company's storied history, the Attitude Era.

Foley initially retired from in-ring competition in 2000 but made several returns to the ring and has appeared sporadically for various promotions in the years since.

In a recent edition of his podcast, Kurt Angle expressed disappointment in his match against Mick Foley at TNA Victory Road 2009, as the two did not cross paths in their prime:

"If I was 100% healthy, I could have made the match look a lot better," Angle said. He added, "I wish Mick and I could have wrestled in our prime. At this point in time, Mick was a little bit past his prime." [H/T: WrestlingInc.]

Kurt Angle's seven-year time while signed with the Stamford-based promotion is hailed by a large section of the fanbase as one of the greatest runs of any superstar in history.