Total Nonstop Action Wrestling celebrates it’s 13th anniversary with its Slammiversary pay-per-view tonight, June 28, beginning at 8 p.m. EST. Aside from the buzz surrounding Jeff Jarrett’s return to the company last Wednesday, and the first King of the Mountain match at Slammiversary in six years, however, a majority of the TNA talk is about the World Heavyweight Championship match between Kurt Angle and Ethan Carter III that will air on Impact Wrestling: Bell to Bell on July 1. Despite the fact that Angle is featured on the Slammiversary poster with the championship belt over his shoulder, there is no advertised match for Angle or the title at Slammiversary. And considering that the Bell to Bell title match was recorded prior to Slammiversary, it’s probably better not to spoil the outcome by having Angle wrestle on the PPV (though I don’t understand why the title match wasn’t the main event of Slammiversary in the first place). All that aside, Wrestling with Pop Culture took part in a TNA conference call with Angle and EC3 prior to Slammiversary and the Bell to Bell taping. During this call, the two combatants discussed their year-plus rivalry, their mutual respect for one another and other topics.

Slammiversary is known as an anniversary looking back. What is one moment you look back on and always remember? What are some things you expect in the next couple of months for TNA?

Angle: I’ve always enjoyed Slammiversary. It’s one of our biggest pay-per-views of the year. I can’t remember one in particular that I truly remember, but I’ve had some incredible matches at this pay-per-view.

Carter: If I could just ask for a moment of silence for the member of my barber shop quintet that was Angle slammed by Mr. Angle and had his back evaporated into dust.

Thank you very much. Slammiversary is a mecca of our business and a standard we all adhere to. My personal favorite Slammiversary moment would probably be my very first Slammiversary where I won a Texas death match against Bully Ray, handing him a solid defeat after months and months of antagonizing my friends and my family. Justice was served that night. As far as this Slammiversary, I’m very much looking forward to continuing to be undefeated at Slammiversary and in general.

To varying degrees and under very different circumstances, you’ve both had as much success, or more in Ethan’s Case, in WWE as you’ve had in TNA. What do each of you attribute that to?

Angle: I had a tremendous career in WWE. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’ve had an even better career in TNA. I really believe that has a lot to do with the talent I’ve gotten to wrestle; AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Sting, Jeff Jarrett, Bobby Roode, Bobby Lashley. There are so many great athletes that I probably would not have wrestled if I had stayed in WWE. I was in my seventh year when I started in TNA and I think that’s when the lightbulb went off in my head and I just had better matches and a better career. That’s hard for me to say because I had a pretty damn good career in WWE. I just felt like I meshed with the talent a lot better in TNA. They had some tremendous talent when I got here and they continue to have improved talent with the likes of EC3, who I consider one of the best wrestlers today. He’s undefeated, he’s shown that he can hang with the big boys and I feel that someday he will be a champion. I just don’t think it’s going to be anytime soon.

Carter: I happen to wholeheartedly agree with just about every word that came out of Mr. Angle’s mouth, except for the fact that I won’t be a champion very soon. We’ll see about that at Bell to Bell on July 1. If you watched last week on Impact, the litany of names that Kurt Angle has defeated stemming from both WWE and Impact. He says I’m one of the best wrestlers going today. Well, he’s the best wrestler ever and his resume speaks for that. Whether it was with WWE or TNA, like he said, he has improved with time. As far as for myself, it’s a totally different scenario where one place didn’t give me as much of an opportunity as the other place. And you’re seeing the result of that now.

This match has been building up for almost two years. How much are you guys looking forward to facing each other one-on-one at Bell to Bell?

Angle: I think it’s built tremendously well. When I came back from my knee surgery, I never expected to win the title so suddenly. Watching EC3 go through the talent, knocking every person down and defeating them, I knew eventually he was going to be the guy for me to beat. We did have a match before, I had a knee injury at the time and EC3 did the right thing and took advantage of it. That’s the reason I had knee surgery. But now I’m 100 percent healthy. If it had occurred any sooner or any later, I don’t think it would have been the right time. This is the right time and I believe that EC3 and I can have the match of the year. We’re going to put on a great performance and we’re going to see who the best man is July 1 at Bell to Bell.

Carter: Once again, I can’t help but agree with Kurt Angle. Spoken like a true poet. Like he said, the buildup has been phenomenal. I think it’s a rare occurrence in this industry to have the ability to let something naturally build and progress over enough time where people are really invested in it. I’m pretty fortunate and excited to be in this moment with Kurt. He did mention that we wrestled prior and I did take out his knee and I’ll tell you what, I can eat a little bit of humble pie here – Kurt Angle kicked my ass that entire match. I’m lucky to have escaped with the victory, if it wasn’t for circumstances like his knee tearing in the middle of the match. That was a year ago, though. I’m a year better, a year stronger, a year wiser, a year more handsome and I’m ready for this moment that will culminate July 1 at Bell to Bell.

Rumor has it that Destination America fully supports Kurt Angle as the Champion. EC3 has started this all-american political campaign. Is that a way for you to try and one up Kurt Angle and get Destination Behind you as Champion?

Angle: Yeah, Destination America has done a tremendous job of supporting me as the Champion. I’m sure it has a lot to do with the red, white and blue, being an Olympic gold medalist and a former 12-time World Heavyweight Champion. I knew that they wanted me to become the Champion and carry the company when we started with Destination America. That made me feel really good. It’s a proud moment when a network wants to build around you. Then EC3 started this campaign and did a tremendous job with his campaign. I remember last year talking to the head of creative and saying, “We’re going to have to put the title on this kid sometime soon.” The time is coming. Whether or not it happens July 1, EC3 will eventually be the World Champion because he is that good. I think that Destination America will fully support EC3 when the day comes that he does become Champion. What I’m hoping is that he doesn’t become Champion while I’m the World Heavyweight Champion. I’d like to put him under the notch in my belt as one of the guys that I’ve beaten. He’s a great competitor and I’m looking forward to the match. As long as he stays healthy, he has a lot of potential to be one of the best wrestlers today and a future legend.

Carter: The way I look at it is if I was a television company and I was fantasy booking a wrestling show and I was about America, my number one draft pick would be the only Olympic gold medalist in wrestling history, Kurt Angle. So, I fully understand that burden to carry the company, to be the lead-off man, the guy to get us on base, get us started, hit a home run, even – to really make us noticed, not only to America, but to the world. So, you’ve got Kurt Angle, the ultimate American, the World Champion. As far as my political campaign, sometimes to get to the ring you need to maneuver a little bit. Let’s not be remiss and think that politics do not exist in wrestling. Wrestling is politics. Every top level guy has played politics at one point in his career. Despite the fact that I remain undefeated, unpinned and unsubmitted, I was never granted a title shot. So, I took a look at what the greats, like Kurt, have done. The campaign was a political move, yes, to put my name out there as someone who could carry the company to the future, and maybe even end Kurt Angle’s title reign.

Perhaps Kurt Angle’s biggest TNA rivalry was with Samoa Joe. What are your thoughts on his recent signing with WWE and appearance on NXT?

Angle: The sky’s the limit for Samoa Joe. I don’t think he’s going to stop in NXT. I really think he’s going to end up on the main roster. He has been a talent that, since the day I met him, I knew he could shine more than any other wrestler I know. He’s a tremendous in-ring performer, he can cut a promo just as good as, if not better than, anybody, except for maybe EC3. But I can tell you Samoa Joe really deserves this. If he didn’t want to continue his career in TNA, I’m happy he’s doing it in WWE. I really believe the sky’s the limit for him. I think he’s going to do tremendous things.

Slammiversary is always when the next TNA Hall of Famer is announced. Who would you like to see go into the TNA Hall of Fame next?

Angle: That’s tough. There are so many TNA originals that deserve it. We’ve had guys be inducted that have had success in other companies before they came to TNA: Sting, myself, Team 3D. It would be really nice to see somebody that was in TNA, that stayed in TNA for 10-12 years. I really wouldn’t doubt if it was somebody like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, guys like that that started from the beginning. There are guys that are still going strong that I know they’d love to induct, but they’re not even close to being retired. It’s kind of hard to pick some of these talents. It’s really tough to say. What I’d really like to see is a guy who was involved with the company from the get-go be inducted.

Carter: Kurt mentioned names like Samoa Joe and AJ Styles and I think we’ll see them there in the future. I think this year a TNA original should be rewarded. I think a guy like Abyss deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Pay-per-views are traditionally where the more important matches take place. But with you guys having the World Championship match on July 1 and Slammiversary being this weekend, that’s not necessarily the case any more. What’s your opinion of the importance of pay-per-view versus television in 2015?

Angle: The way everything is structured with our company, it’s hard to connect pay-per-views with TV because we are taping TVs. What we are trying to do is have the best possible matches we can at the pay-per-views. Whether they’re storyline related or not, we’re trying to put in the best lineup to get the best possible match scenarios as we can. Fans who order the pay-per-view are going to get five-star matches. Right now, I know we’re not able to cohesively make the TVs and pay-per-views make sense. But what we are trying to do and what we are accomplishing is having the best possible matches we can for the fans at Slammiversary and the other pay-per-views.

Carter: Man, Kurt is smart. The way he said it is entirely true. This match has a build-to-a-pay-per-view feel, and I know some fans are upset that it didn’t take place on the pay-per-view. But we can only act in the circumstances we have and with us filming TV in advance I think it would be a disrespect to the fans to act like that didn’t happen, then have the pay-per-view. So I think you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. I know that at Slammiversay everybody in that locker room, regardless if it’s storyline conducive or if it’s just to have a great match, is going to bust their ass and give you every cent-worth of what you pay for it. We’re also in a different time in the business where the game has changed quite a bit, especially with the [WWE] Network coming on. We have to adapt and find a way to make it all work out. What will work out for everybody’s favor is that Slammiversary is going to be off the charts. Then July 1, Bell to Bell, Kurt Angle vs. EC3 is also going to be off the charts. And free on television. You’re welcome, world.

Kurt, you’ve said that this match at Bell to Bell could be a mat classic. How much pressure do you put yourself under to deliver one of those Angle classics that the fans expect each time you step into the ring? EC3 how much pressure do you feel you’re going to be under as you go in to win your first TNA World Heavyweight Championship?

Angle: I put quite a bit of pressure on myself, but I love it. I love going out there and having the best match of the night to steal the show. It’s challenging, especially at my age, 46. I’m still able to do it and I feel very blessed. If the match against EC3 isn’t good, then I can blame it on him. I really am looking forward to it. I really believe that we can have the match of the year. That’s hard for me to say with the matches I’ve had this year with Bobby Lashley, Austin Aries, Eric Young and Bobby Roode. But I really believe that EC3 and Kurt Angle is going to be the match of the year. Am I putting pressure on myself? Yeah. Am I putting pressure on EC3? Yes I am. But I really believe we will have the match of the year and it’s going to happen July 1.

Carter: The pressure is there because I’m going to be sharing the ring with a guy who has had great matches with everyone. So if our match isn’t good, then yes, he can blame it one me. But it will be awesome, I assure you. It will be a classic because one interesting thing about myself and TNA thus far, being here for two years and running through the roster unpinned, unsubmitted, is I have yet to really even show you what I can do. The character’s been genuine, the character’s been able to get by on things that are more than just in ring so much so that what I actually do in the ring is kind of shrouded in a little bit of mystery. And that’s what makes it so exciting because I know what I can do, I know what Kurt can do, I’ve had this match with Kurt Angle in my head for 13 years now, since I first saw him in WWE. I’ve had this match in my head 1,000 different times, 1,000 different ways with 1,000 different outcomes. Yes, there’s pressure as there damn well should be because if you can’t handle the pressure, get the hell out of the kitchen. I don’t think that’s a saying, but it might as well be. The pressure is good. I’m ready for the pressure. I am so thrilled and excited to eat this pressure, chew it up, digest it, regurgitate it, spit it out, get it all out there and show you exactly who I am.

What are your final thoughts on your upcoming World Heavyweight Championship?

Angle: At this point in my career, I consider myself an underdog every time I go in and wrestle. When you’re in the latter part of your career and you lose half a step from where you were before, you learn to be humble, you realize you’re fighting from underneath. I like that. I like being the underdog. I’ve always been the underdog my whole life. Knowing that EC3 is on top of his game and he is undefeated, most people would pick EC3 to win this match because he is in the prime of his career. He has been primed for this match, he’s been waiting for this match and this is his night. Whether he wins or loses, this is his night. This is his first World Heavyweight title shot. What I can do is give everything I have. As long as I give everything I have, I know I can win. Will I win? I can’t guarantee it. But I’m confident I will. I know against EC3, it’s going to be an incredible match. I’m looking forward to being the underdog, even though I’m the champion. And I’m looking forward to defeating EC3 and giving him his first loss. I think that would be retribution for what he did to me last year.

Carter: There’s a saying, “You ain’t as good as you once was, but you’re as good as you’ll ever be.” When you look at a guy like Kurt Angle, that’s complete horse shit because he is at the top of his game. He is still the very best, he is the man and how do I, EC3, prepare for a match with a guy like Kurt Angle? Do I train my ass of? Yes. Do I study tape? Yes. Do I put myself in the situation as many times as I can mentally? Yes. But none of that is going to matter because until we’re actually in the ring we’re not going to know what’s going to happen. The resume this man has is so incredible and so stout. Me, being a newcomer, as somebody who’s always seen from the outside and never really been able to experience it fully, the only thing I can say is that the one thing that separates me from a lot of guys in this industry, maybe in this world, is that it’s not over until I win. I do not accept defeat at any time, any juncture, any moment. It is not over until I win. At Bell to Bell, July 1, Destination America, 9 p.m., it will not be over until I win.