The Patriot Had No Problem With Kurt Angle Taking Over His Theme Song

In an interview with Fightful Select, the late Del Wilkes, better known as the Patriot, spoke about Kurt Angle adopting his theme song when he debuted in the WWE in 1999. He said that he didn’t mind it and he ended up with it after choosing from a ‘great number of options’ by WWE.

Wilkes noted that he left WCW in 1995 because he saw Hulk Hogan’s friends getting the spotlight and wanted to go back to Japan. He didn’t have a contract with Giant Baba in AJPW but still put him over. Several people talked him into joining the WWF, but he wasn’t told what he would do. He signed a three year deal but he knew he couldn’t get through it physically. He said Bret Hart didn’t have a problem losing to him and added that Vader wasn’t the same person in WWF that he had been before.

Wilkes added that he wanted to punch Tom Brandi in the face, claiming that Brandi stole his gimmick and lied about it for decades. He said that this leads to confusion from fans and promoters who think they’ve worked with him or taken pictures with him. He said Brandi never asked him to use the Patriot gimmick and he hasn’t talked to him since the WWF.