How would you book a Kurt Angle WWE return?

[NotoriousWWE]

I'm shocked that WWE has still not come to an agreement with Kurt Angle on a return to the company. He's a draw, a fan favourite and deserves one last pre retirement run. One of the best wrestlers of all time, how if he ever did return would you book it? This is how I'd book his return:

So right now it looks like Rusev will be feuding with Kalisto through the summer for the United States title. I see Rusev winning the title and going on a lengthy run. He goes back to being the monster heel he was when he debuted and goes on a PPV streak.

Maybe at the Royal Rumble he's in the first 10 participants and like we've seen in many years, has that moment where he's just eliminating everyone and waiting for one after the other. After eliminating a big fan favourite such as Dolph Ziggler, Angle's theme hits and they just brawl. He challenges Rusev for the title at Mania. Loses, putting over Rusev and then wins the belt at Payback and has a little run. Then at the following Mania he has his retirement match. I get stuck here because I have no clue who you'd put him up against.

After he retires I think he should become an on-screen personality like Ric Flair and manage American Alpha once they're brought up. Thoughts? And who would you have him face in his retirement match?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'm shocked that WWE has still not come to an agreement with Kurt Angle on a return to the company. He's a draw, a fan favourite and deserves one last pre retirement run. One of the best wrestlers of all time, how if he ever did return would you book it? This is how I'd book his return:

So right now it looks like Rusev will be feuding with Kalisto through the summer for the United States title. I see Rusev winning the title and going on a lengthy run. He goes back to being the monster heel he was when he debuted and goes on a PPV streak.

Maybe at the Royal Rumble he's in the first 10 participants and like we've seen in many years, has that moment where he's just eliminating everyone and waiting for one after the other. After eliminating a big fan favourite such as Dolph Ziggler, Angle's theme hits and they just brawl. He challenges Rusev for the title at Mania. Loses, putting over Rusev and then wins the belt at Payback and has a little run. Then at the following Mania he has his retirement match. I get stuck here because I have no clue who you'd put him up against.

After he retires I think he should become an on-screen personality like Ric Flair and manage American Alpha once they're brought up. Thoughts? And who would you have him face in his retirement match?

Well, there are some things regarding Angle that we don't really know. One very important issue, for instance, is if Kurt Angle is medically sound enough to return to wrestling inside the ring. Angle isn't what he once was, totally understandable given that he's 47 years old and has spent his entire adult life engaged in a very, very physically demanding occupation as both an amateur and professional wrestler. His last few years in TNA weren't career highs in terms of performance and he's become much more prone to injury at this point in his life. Again, not saying that it's his fault or anybody's fault, it's simply how the cards have been dealt. Look at what happened with Sting as a good example; Sting is roughly 10 years older than Angle is but if Angle's last runs in TNA are an example, he's at a point in his life where he may very well not be able to go all out and keep up with some young stud in the physical prime of his life, especially without suffering significant injury.

My problem with the return of these legends, and no offense is meant to the OP, is that it seems like everyone who starts these sorts of threads wants to see the returning legend have one more title run and I think the main reason is just for the sake of nostalgia. Nostalgia is all fine and dandy, but I'm more interested in seeing WWE devote consistent build to the younger and/or fresher talent that's made its way, could make its way and will make its way to the main roster anytime now.

I think WWE has put together a very consistent product the past 6 weeks with coherent storytelling, booking and storyline progression, at least for the most part, and having Angle make a big & glorious return is all well and good, but I just don't see the value of Angle having a belt in this day and age. In my opinion, the best use of Angle would be to put him in a similar role as Chris Jericho in that he wins some matches, loses some matches, maybe ultimately comes out on the losing end of the program while ultimately elevating the guys he's involved in the program with.

Booking a return would require a little thought, though I think guys like Rusev, Cesaro, Zayn, Owens and Reigns could potentially benefit from being in there with someone like Angle.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

I'll just book the return itself and not his schedule after the return. Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens has once again defended his championship a few weeks before Summerslam. K.O declares that there's nobody in the company that deserves to be in the ring with him because he's defended his title multiple times. Shane McMahon comes out and agrees with K.O. In the coming weeks he will search for a worthy opponent for the I.C Title for Summerslam. Summerslam is then booked as K.O vs ?. The following Raw, Kevin Owens loses a one on one match against Apollo Crews. Its the first time K.O has lost in a long time. Shane comes out and claps for Crews.

Summerslam is still booked K.O vs ?. But with the Crews win, its expected the ? will be Apollo Crews. At Summerslam Kevin Owens is in the ring, he's complaining about being treated unfairly by Shane and there's still nobody worthy to fight him for the I.C title. The camera quickly switches to a hallway in the back, Shane is standing next to Apollo Crews, he says "Are you ready?". Crews nods with determination and heads down the hall pumped up. The camera switches back to the ring, K.O throws down the mic and starts waving his expected opponent on while yelling.

Kurt Angles music hits.....

Everyone goes nuts. Angle comes out, raises his hands in the air and gets his huge pyro. JBL sells it on commentary as an underhanded tactic by Shane McMahon. Angle soaks it in on the ramp , he makes his way to the ring and stares down K.O. They have an amazing match but Angle is attacked at the end while he has K.O in an ankle lock, his attacker is none other than Samoa Joe ( first time on main roster), setting up a quick feud until Survivor Series.

 

[Aquaman6686]

Brock Lesnar regains the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Roman Reigns at Survivor Series. Lesnar retains against a "monster" heel, either Sheamus or Rusev, at the Royal Rumble. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins co-win the Royal Rumble after eliminating each other simultaneously. The two men fight over who gets to fight Lesnar at WrestleMania, and wind up with a draw, so the solution becomes a Triple Threat Match, but Lesnar demands the match take place at Fastlane. Lesnar retains the title in the Triple Threat Match (Reigns and Rollins will go on to face each other at WrestleMania 33, in a match where Rollins turns face and Reigns turns heel), and gloats that he's beaten everyone there is to beat.

Kurt Angle's music hits, and he makes his return to WWE, challenging Lesnar to a title match at WrestleMania 33. Lesnar accepts, and they headline WrestleMania 33, ending with Lesnar tapping out to the Ankle Lock and Angle beginning his fifth and final reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

 

[rbv13]

Beers.... Beers..... Just off the top of my head.

- Zeb Colter has already been released and rumored to have already agreed to dates with GWF. He will soon be forgotten.

- Quietly release Jack Swagger in early to mid June. It will not come as a major surprise nor will it cause much of stir amongst fans.

- At SummerSlam or the following night Zeb returns with a masked dark anti-patriot (Swagger). This time around Zeb's message is much more extreme than any of his previous runs. He calls out WWE for acting like the modern PC Western Societie. Zeb goes onto praise the militant groups of the Middle East and strong hold leaders who rule with iron fists.

- Zeb continues by claiming he is about to drop the ultimate bomb on the WWE Universe. He then introduces Angle as his newest client. Angel joins his new partners in the ring and joins in on bashing corporate WWE and Western Society.

- Swaggs & Angel capture the tag titles at Survivor Series.

- At WM33 the evil Anti-American group is defeated by American Alpha.

 

[kadroan]

I wouldn't have him wrestle. Just have him come out when WWE announces their first inductee for the 2017 WWE HOF which would be him.

 

[King Patrick Star]

I actually like a few of the already posted suggestions and would like to combine some of the ideas together for a 2 year run as an active SuperStar, followed by a managerial / mentor role.

First I’d start with Rusev winning the United States Championship Title, and have Kurt Angle return and take the Championship Title Belt that “was made for him”. I’d then have him challenge the Miz and unify the Intercontinental and United States Championship Titles, similar to Angle’s Euro-Continental run, but this time, I’d call it the United-Continental Championship Titles.

After he retires the United States Championship Title and then loses the Intercontinental Championship Title, I’d have him challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Title. I’d like to see Kurt have, at the very least, a one month run, just to see what his side plates would look like. As WWE World Heavyweight Champion, I’d like to see him take a Tag Team under his wing as the new Team Angle Alliance. American Alpha is the perfect choice for this role.

After he drops the richest prize in this industry, I’d have him quietly retire and take a manger role for America Alpha and maybe a few others, like Jack Swagger.

 

[Hem]

The RAW after Wrestlemania next year a big return that will shake the WWE Universe is promised. Every week leading upto it the announcers discuss different names who could return and mention legit names like Jeff Hardy, Bobby Lashley, Bill Goldberg, The Rock & Kurt Angle.

This adds speculation as to who might return since no table is left un turned on live TV.

AJ styles is standing in the ring with whoever makes the BulletProof group at the time and is ripping on the WWE for being to easy and not really what the top goal should be. AJ says each member of Bulletproof had an easy victory the previous night at Wrestlemania and just wanted a real challenge for once.


Cue the American flag slowly unveiling on the stage. Cue the music: (this will make people pop thinking its Kurt) Out comes the tag team of American Alpha who says they've heard enough and if its a challenge they want they should look no further than the undefeated tag team (on the main roster) of Chad Gable & Jason Jordan.

AJ and his boys pounce on the Alphas and then the music hits. A golden shower of pyro goes off and out comes the Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle.

Kurt helps even the odds and from there you book a solid feud between Kurt Angle Vs. AJ Styles & American Alpha Vs. Bulletproof for the titles.


After a good two or three month feud with Styles, Kurt could go onto face Seth Rollins at Summerslam, Cena at the rumble and have his last match ever against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania. Post match Kurt Angle announces that this year has been his retirement tour and whether he won or lost, he loved every second of it.


Next night on Raw you give him a big sendoff and then HOF induction next year.




The reason I don't want Kurt returning sooner is because I want him to be at his best mentally, physically and emotionally so that he can go out on a high note.

 

[Bischoff's Knob Slobberer]

Fuck Kurt Angle. He's an old broken down drunkard. No one would pay to see that trash except the piece of trash who started this horrific thread. End thread/.

 

[d_henderson1810]

Have someone like Rusev or Alberto Del Rio run down the U.S.A., and every week take out an American hero (e.g. Jack Swagger). Have him even humble John Cena, and then challenge any proud American to challenge him.

Kurt Angle's music hits, Angle runs down, throws fists, does an Olympic Slam, tries to apply an Angle Lock when the heel slips out of the ring and runs away, and then the feud builds towards the PPV.

 

[The Warlord]

Brock Lesnar regains the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Roman Reigns at Survivor Series. Lesnar retains against a "monster" heel, either Sheamus or Rusev, at the Royal Rumble. Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins co-win the Royal Rumble after eliminating each other simultaneously. The two men fight over who gets to fight Lesnar at WrestleMania, and wind up with a draw, so the solution becomes a Triple Threat Match, but Lesnar demands the match take place at Fastlane. Lesnar retains the title in the Triple Threat Match (Reigns and Rollins will go on to face each other at WrestleMania 33, in a match where Rollins turns face and Reigns turns heel), and gloats that he's beaten everyone there is to beat.

Kurt Angle's music hits, and he makes his return to WWE, challenging Lesnar to a title match at WrestleMania 33. Lesnar accepts, and they headline WrestleMania 33, ending with Lesnar tapping out to the Ankle Lock and Angle beginning his fifth and final reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

This is the next best thing to my idea. The way I would book a Kurt Angle return is more old school than most. I'd bring him back as the headliner for WM 33 hof. The Raw after Mania he is brought out for a segment to thank the fans and announce his retirement and then gets out of the ring to be a guest commentary. He would make an excellent color guy and would give a new feel for WWE television. Eventually Id make him a permanent announcer up until around Summer Slam. Heyman comes out to commentate also. The two bicker back and forth gor several weeks until Lesnar comes out of the crowd in street clothes and challenges the olympic gold medalist. He says he's proven enough and is not coming back. He gets F-5'd.

2 weeks later Kurt comes back and Angle slams Lesnar and puts him in the ankle lock yelling "You want some of this?!!"

Angle vs Lesnar booked for SummerSlam. Angle will go on to avenge his Wrestlemania 19 loss and have a hot streak leading into WM 34 where he'll have his final match, putting over a young talent.

 

[d_henderson1810]

The more I think about it, the best way to use Angle if he comes back to WWE, is as a part-timer.

Maybe give him a Legends contract, so that he can be on DVDs, video games and merchandise and go into the WWE HoF.

Then have him be used as a "special attraction". Keep him out of the ring until Wrestlemania, and then have him return leading to 'Mania and cut promos to promote his match. Use him sparingly, like Sting was used. Have him do a Wrestlemania or a Summerslam. He can be enhancement talent used to put over new talent.

I think the days of having him on Raw and Smackdown every week, constant travel and numerous PPVs and house shows may not be possible for a 37 year old with a history of numerous injuries. Having Angle wrestle once or twice a year will allow him to heal up, and get fit for that match. It may also help his drug problem, since he can rest injuries, instead of using painkillers to keep him on the road.

 

[thekooljt]

I am soooooo shocked that nobody so far has thought to use Kurt Angle as a Paul Heyman/ manager type for American Alpha Jason Jordan and Chad Gable. HELLO!!!

 

[tomthebodz]

I am soooooo shocked that nobody so far has thought to use Kurt Angle as a Paul Heyman/ manager type for American Alpha Jason Jordan and Chad Gable. HELLO!!!

I'd want him to do anything but this. If WWE want American Alpha to get over keep them away from Kurt.

Casual (non NXT) fans will just refer to them as TWGTT Mk.2.

However, as much as I don't want this to happen, I have a feeling that this is what WWE will do with him if he were to return.

Ideally I'd just bring him back as a trainer/mentor in NXT he can do so much more off screen than on screen in my opinion.

 

[stingray11214]

He left WWE on bad terms in the beginning. Then, he tried to go over Hunter's head to see if VKM will give him a contract that will pay him millions to work a part-time schedule. That didn't work. So, now Angle is running around making money on the Indy scene, doing far less work than a WWE contract will make him do, but probably make him the same amount of money.

Face it, unless there is a MAJOR change of heart over in Stamford, or Angle humbles himself enough to get a contract done, he is NOT coming back to WWE in ANY capacity. So, how would you book him? You wouldn't. There is really no place to put him except as a washed-up, glorified jobber. He does Indy shows. Enjoy him at those.

 

[BigDaddyKewl]

I think eventually WWE is going to give in and let Angle back in WWE, he's one of the last active big name returns. They released some videos of Angle in there Facebook feed and there's rumors that he's been in talks with WWE. We've seen in recent years WWE be reliant on bringing in big name talent to create buzz heading into Wrestlemania like Rock, Sting and Shane McMahon.
If Angle does return I'd like to see a fresh feud for him so I would put him against Rusev. Rusev has been doing good work in recent weeks and hopefully they can recapture the momentum he had with in 2015. They can have Lana and Rusev start bashing the US again and have Angle come back and stand up for the pride of America. I think Angle and Lana could be pretty entertaining on the mic.