If Kurt Angle came back to the WWE....

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

How would you want the WWE to do it ? You know once the first few bars of his theme music hit the place would explode in cheers. Would you bring him in before Wrestlemania to build up hype for the event ?

Here's what I would do.

There's simply not enough surprises in wrestling anymore. Del Rio and his surprise responder to John Cena's challenge was about the only real surprise the WWE has had in a long time. Even though the internet reported Del Rio might be coming to WWE. Nobody saw that coming.... I think a same type of surprise would have a way bigger impact if it was Kurt Angle and it was at the biggest wrestling stage on the planet Wrestlemania.

You could have a match set with Brock Lesnar where he has his own open challenge at Wrestlemania. Brock calls out anyone in the world....Heath Slater answers the call, he has a mic as he enters the ring he pretends to hurt his ankle...he then announces that his replacement is here just in case...Kurt Angles music hits and the place explodes. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar right there at Wrestlemania. It would make for a pretty awesome Wrestlemania moment.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Well, it sure would be a good test to find out how many people could be called fans of pro wrestling.....in other words, how many in the live crowd remember who in hell he is. After all, the man's been gone 9 years and much of the crowd might spot this bald guy standing at the top of the stage and not know whom they were seeing......especially if WWE kept Angle's impending return a secret and didn't give 'real' fans a reason to tune in that night.

No matter what Kurt might say for public relations purposes, I believe he was shocked and disappointed WWE wasn't clamoring to get him back. The way he's been talking for years, he figured they'd jump to get him if he decided to return, being able to name his salary and work schedule; the guy seems to view himself as an all-time immortal. When that didn't work out, he kept telling us how he actually loves TNA too much to work for anyone else.

Yeah, sure.

So, if he's willing to work a heavier schedule than he wanted.....and if he'll settle for some decent exposure but less money, we might see him........but honestly, after all this time, I don't know if he'd get the crowd reception he expects, especially after having toiled in relative obscurity all these years.

 

[ShinChan]

You could have a match set with Brock Lesnar where he has his own open challenge at Wrestlemania. Brock calls out anyone in the world....Heath Slater answers the call, he has a mic as he enters the ring he pretends to hurt his ankle...he then announces that his replacement is here just in case...Kurt Angles music hits and the place explodes. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar right there at Wrestlemania. It would make for a pretty awesome Wrestlemania moment.

It would have been awesome and can still be awesome if and only if Kurt Angle can go through a match with Brock Lesnar whose style is too attacking and we all know Kurt's age and neck issues....... So Yes if he is healthy enough to face Brock....
Moreover i have a question for you- If it happens, Who goes over? You wouldnot want him lose on his return? and You wouldnot want dominance of Brock ended by Kurt either?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

While it'd be cool to see Angle, I don't think WWE relying on the older veterans to pop a rating is going to work for them in the long run. WWE's problem right now is that Vince has put too much onto the shoulders of too few talents by building them up to the point where they're obnoxiously strong while the rest of the roster isn't anywhere close to them. Kurt Angle returning wouldn't help things in that respect as Vince should've been focused on developing the depth of his roster instead of putting so much focus on John Cena and/or Randy Orton for the past 10 years.

Also, I don't think giving fans yet another nostalgia moment is going to do WWE much good in the grand scheme of things. We've had plenty of those and Angle, again while it'd be a cool moment, would bring nothing different than any of those other moments. Having Angle vs. Lesnar for WrestleMania is, again, just relying on the old stars instead of focusing attention and resources on building up younger guys to have that sort of credibility.

As has been brought up, Angle's health would have to be in question because he's been pretty injury prone for the last several years. He turns 47 in about a week and there's no way to really know if he'd be medically cleared unless he underwent WWE's extensive medical examinations. It's easy to simply say that he could just based on the fact that he's obviously able to still workout in the gym but that's not always the case. Maybe Angle's neck has gotten worse over the years, maybe he's developed potential heart problems or other organ trouble, etc. that could be a time bomb waiting to go off if he subjected himself to the physical rigors of a wrestling match, especially against someone with the physicality of Brock Lesnar.

 

[Azane]

One time match at Wrestlemania, and putting someone young over with a passing of the torch.

Angle has too many things going against him wrestling for the E full time, Health, Age, Substance Abuse... etc.. and WWE is already full to the brim with part timers, it's part of why Ratings keep bottoming out between Undertaker, Brock, Sting appearances.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Ideally he comes in and feuds with Del Rio. I feel the two can put on some good to great matches where Del Rio goes over. Maybe throw in a short feud with Rusev and Lana where Kurt shows he can still get wins. Give Kurt a break while keeping Del Rio strong and then bring him in to swerve is all by aligning Del Rio and Kurt for a fresh, fun, talented tag team for a few months. Rinse, repeat give Kurt another break and let him end a run with a big singles feud with another full time guy who can entertain and use the run (e.g. Cesaro).

Unfortunately for Angle though his main event options either don't make sense (Lesnar, Cena, Reigns, UT) or are out on the shelf/retired (Bryan, Punk, Rollins) leaving him in the midcard.

Regardless, despite the nine year break his return would get an initial big pop. My expectation though is that Angle will get no more than an early Rumble spot and a chance to do his thing just once. Maybe if he gets that opportunity it will open the door to more for Vince and HHH. I'm guessing Angle would still like to have at least one more decent WWE run.

 

[HORRORHOLIC]

Could he pass the psychical test or wellness policy tests ?

 

[Cena Is A Punk Rocker]

I can't imagine him not getting a huge pop if/when he comes back. Bubba Ray got a massive pop at the Royal Rumble, albeit was a Philly crowd. The Dudley Boys got a big pop when they both returned.
I don't think wrestling fans have as short a memory as some people think they do. If they want to bring him back and want a huge reaction, wait until you have an event in Pittsburgh. Cheap pop but highly effective.

 

[stingray11214]

They are not going to pay him the money he wants, nor are they going to give him the schedule he wants for that money. His TNA contract ends at the end of January, which means the Rumble is out. Trips hates him because Angle went over his head to try to get a deal. Stamford owes Angle nothing. So, the dream of an Angle comeback in WWE, unless someone blinks mighty hard, is not happening.

In the end, Angle would be better off. There are plenty of Indy promotions within a 3-hour drive of his home where he can make a decent living doing appearances and fighting matches. He could make about $500 a night just sitting there taking pictures and selling autographs. He also has his food business, in which he could look after. If you liked Angle, fine. Remember the great matches he had, and wish him the best.

 

[FlairFan2003]

I fear WWE would screw it up the way did Sting.....and it wouldn't be a fitting farewell to Angle.

Just as Sting turned down multiple offers over the years to join the WWE (which likely influenced at least slightly his booking) Angle was terminated due to his behavior (drugs) and worked full time for years as the primary star and ambassador publicly for their competition.

We have seen WWE "make amends" with stars who left on controversial terms before.....HBK's injuries forced him out but his drug use and bad behavior were a major issue, he never left the WWE family however and cleaned up his act.....and was welcomed back.

Brett Hart ultimately was let go strictly for financial reasons, there was never an issue with his behind the scenes behavior or in ring performance. The circumstances surrounding his last appearance were controversial but once that was rectified he was welcomed back.

Ultimate Warrior was long past wrestling and was only brought back to be enshrined in the HOF, plus he made amends with Vince, etc to make it happen, it was a one shot deal that never included long term storyline involvement.

Same with Bruno Sammartino although it was WWE who had to make amends with him (and they did).

Jeff Jarrett left on bad terms in 1999 and has never been invited back.

Scott Hall was never invited back after leaving on bad terms in 2002, only recently has he even been allowed to be present for occasional one of appearances supporting other retired stars like Hogan onscreen.

Lex Luger was given a job backstage but he was never invited back for an on screen wrestling role after leaving on bad terms in 1995.

Several stars left and worked elsewhere but they left on good terms, did what was asked of them, got along with co workers, and didn't cause significant problems and were welcomed back both for active wrestling roles and non wrestling onscreen appearances (Foley, Nash, Flair, Hogan among them)

Angle left on bad terms and worked extensively for the competition. That's a bad sign in WWE land. I personally believe in a depressed business climate like this with house show attendance at all time lows and wrestling viewership on TV lower than at any time since Vince Jr took over that Angle has market value, even in a good business climate he would have value but given today's numbers he has more. Same with Goldberg for that matter. There is a question of if Angle could actually wrestle matches, even just a couple, to make a return worth something monetarily for WWE (they negotiated last year and couldn't reach an agreement on dates & pay).

If they did agree to terms given Angle's exit and subsequent career I suspect WWE wouldn't be in a hurry to give him a legends send off like they did for Flair & HBK and likely will do for Taker. I think he'd be miscast and underutilized and long time fans would be disappointed at the outcome, much like Sting. Angle's best bet might be to mend fences and sign a legends deal so he can be enshrined in the HOF 2016 class, get the documentary/greatest hits DVD he deserves, and fade into the sunset sans any big final match/send off. I do think WWE would be willing to give him that and treat him properly in that regard just to get the DVD sales and pump up interest in the HOF this year.

 

[FlairFan2003]

It would have been awesome and can still be awesome if and only if Kurt Angle can go through a match with Brock Lesnar whose style is too attacking and we all know Kurt's age and neck issues....... So Yes if he is healthy enough to face Brock....
Moreover i have a question for you- If it happens, Who goes over? You wouldnot want him lose on his return? and You wouldnot want dominance of Brock ended by Kurt either?

Everyone says Lesnar style so tough and hard yet both Angle and Ric Flair have said in interviews that Lesnar was totally safe and very easy to work with ....and Flair was in his 50s when they wrestled so it wasn't like he was physically in his prime in terms of how much pounding he could take.

 

[Navi]

I'm probably one of the only dissenters on this forum when it comes to Angle. He left the WWE not really on good terms. Didn't he ask for time off, then waited till he contract was up and didn't resign, and went over to TNA instead. I might be wrong on that, but I remember a bit of a shitstorm when it happened.

Plus the fact that a lot of casual fans might as Sally said remember him vaguely, but how many of that crowd is made up of IWC stalwarts, who really crave him coming back. Half the crowd doesn't even know who the NXT people are when they debut. So unless they watch TNA they won't know who he is. Most of the kids were born around the time he left or before they even started watching wrestling.

You also have to take into account his health. He's not a young man anymore, and didn't they offer him a full time contract last time, when he only wanted a part time contract. That tell's me right there the WWE did enough so they could turn around an say, well we offered him a contract and he turned it down. HHH is reported to not be a fan of his either, and that's quite a big hill to climb. I think part of the problem is HHH is looking to build the future of the company and Vince wants to stay in the past. So I could see HHH blocking Angle's return just because of that alone.

JH nailed it. You can't keep bringing back part timers to keep this company going. Eventually you are going to run out of them. The biggest issue the WWE has is they aren't elevating the young, new talent they have on the roster quick enough. Only the top few wrestlers have story lines, the rest are just well floundering around. No wonder when your top names go down you're screwed, what else would you expect to happen.

So stop dreaming about the past and focus on the future. These injuries, while bad, should have taught the WWE one hell of a lesson. Stop relying on a few good people to keep the ship afloat. They have many good people that are underutilized, and just waiting to be given a chance. If they don't learn from this, then I have no hope for them.

 

[justinept]

Considering the WWE's current situation coupled with the fact that they're trying to break an attendance record at WrestleMania 32, if they don't bring in Angle for that event, then don't expect him to return anytime soon...

The company is currently going into the event without it's potential headliner (The Rock); a suitable opponent for their biggest star (Lesnar); their proposed biggest celebrity attraction (Rousey) the perceived opponent for Triple H (Rollins); a legitimate star chasing the title (Reigns); their biggest star to help sell the event (Hogan); any chance of Austin or HBK lacing up the boots one last time; and possibly their most 'over' full-time guy (Daniel Bryan.) Seriously... this event has a lot going against it in the early stages, and they need all the star power they can get. A program featuring a returning Kurt Angle would absolutely help.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

If all the ego (on HHH's side) and money/dates (on Angle's side) can be worked out, then I think it would be extremely beneficial for both sides to make this happen while it still can.

There is nothing more disappointing as a wrestling fan than thinking of things like Sting/Undertaker not happening when it should've, or Bret not coming back in the late '90s/early 2000s when he still could go.

Angle still has something to give RIGHT NOW, but that window is closing with rapid speed to the point that a year or two could go from a 5 star match to painful to watch.

I absolutely guarantee if Angle returned at WM, or slightly before it to announce he wanted to retire in the company that made him at the biggest show of all time, it would be HUGE.

Here's what I'd do, since much of the card is already shaping up anyway, I have Bryan come back post Rumble, and say that he's medically cleared to wrestle, he know's he's disappointed a lot of fans, he doesn't know how much more he has left to give, but whatever it is, he loves this business and he's gonna give it all he's got…the crowd is already marking out, but he has no storyline.

Cue Kurt Angle…

Kurt comes out and says something to the effect of, I've been away a long time, but I've been watching, and I know you are one of the greatest wrestlers in the world today. So I'll get right to it, it would be an honor for me to face you at WM in Dallas, this could be it for me, and if it is, I want to go out with the company I started with, against the best wrestler alive today, at the biggest show of all time, what do you say?

They shake hands, and you've got a wrestling clinic waiting to happen, built totally on respect. You show vignettes and highlight packages of the greatest matches, of them training, a couple of sit down interviews, etc. NEITHER ONE OF THEM WRESTLES AT ALL UNTIL WRESTLEMANIA IN DALLAS.

One of the biggest errors WWE is constantly guilty of is over exposing would be special talents, in the process killing the mystique of seeing them in the ring on PPV, so I keep it real basic, make the match in front of a hot crowd, and then build it until Mania. Book the match however you want, but make Angle feel important, and give the hardcore fans an almost Warrior/Hogan level of conflict over who to cheer for. In the end, everyone's a winner for having gotten a dream match in front of 100,000 fans.

 

[mont3818]

I'd have him be a surprise Rumble entrant at a moment half way through where Brock Lesnar cleared the ring, so they can have a nostalgic face-to-face and little back and forth, possibly even having him make it to the final-four.

As for Mania... I'd have him fight Daniel Bryan!! It's a great dream match. We couldn't get Bret Hart vs. Kurt Angle, but we CAN get Daniel Bryan vs. Kurt Angle. It seems like Bryan can't be in the main event or championship picture because of his injuries, so why not this?? It'd be a perfect fit.

Then I'd have no problem with Angle being a part-timer here and there, with perhaps a send off/HOF induction next year. He deserves part-time status more than ANY of the part-timers they have now, because of all his injures. There's no need for him to fight Brock at any time (aside from a super cool Rumble encounter), Brock is just too rough for him these days and why ruin the memory of their past?

 

[thebigbadfox]

someone posted earlier.... if it doesn't happen this year as they are trying to sell out that massive stadium, then it probably will never happen.
Everyone is making their points but honestly I am a huge Angle mark but still think its past his time to put on a "5 star" match. But him coming out and trying to stop the "mexiamerica" or trying to prove he's the real american to Jack swagger.... meaning putting Angle not in a main event match would be OK by me....
Give me one more Angle Moment let him get in the HOF and that's it!

 

[NxtBigThing]

Something not mentioned yet that could work is if he was a guest on a future Stone Cold podcast. They can bring up the past, current, and possibly set up a feud or mentioning liking to wrestling someone like Daniel Bryan. Bryan can accept and you can even have them form a team just to get rid of some ring rust. They can work well together with each trying to one up the other. The story line of their WM match is who is the best wrestler. I think it be just as good as Michaels and Angle's encounter at WM.

 

[whoopin' ass]

Problem with Kurt coming back is that it is probably going to be short term and how do you establish a decent send-off feud? In many ways, Angle is like Sting and really has no reason to be in the wwe now unless he wants to take on someone like Cena who was there when he left but do we really want Cena vs Angle? For me, I would want him to be the first name on the HOF for next year - no matches, just him getting his spot there. It might not mean as much as it used to but Angle has nothing to prove in wwe so why bother having him wrestle.

What I think would happen? A couple strong wins and then get jobbed out like crazy. How many matches has Sting won?

 

[Rocky84]

People are not getting the fact that this roster can't be built up more than it already is (these guys just aren't like the stars of the past)..with a tiny few exceptions (like turning Reigns heel to launch him into legit main event status...which in turn would elevate Ambrose as the top face until Cena returns...missed the boat on that already tho). Part timers coming back to face the young guys and make them look legitimate is always a good idea. Sometimes it doesn't work (like with Jericho vs Fandango which was terrible booking), but the majority of the time it's great (Jericho vs Punk was amazing for example).

Angle could be put into a Mania match against a few guys like DBryan, Owens, Rusev, or Del Rio. Certainly worth while to bring him back.

From what I can remember, Kurt has stated that he is on good terms with Vince and that Mr McMahon was happy he had the opportunity to get better mentally and physically by working a lighter schedule and not having to travel while with TNA. I specifically remember reading that interview. TNA was never WCW...if Bischoff could come to work in WWF then I'm sure Angle would be more than welcome. Some people go a little overboard with this kinda stuff...Angle is a good guy, and while I'm not exactly sure why they only offered him a full time contract, I'd believe that since things have changed since then for the worse; that they'd be more inclined to offer him a part time deal now....just like they do to everyone else of his caliber.

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

The most obvious feud would be against Alberto Del Rio.

Del Rio is the US Champion, Kurt Angle is an American Hero.
Del Rio was an Olympic calibre wrestler, who was supposed to represent Mexico in the Olympics at one point. Angle of course is an Olympic Gold Medalist for the USA.
They are both solid technical wrestlers, with submissions as finishers, and would be a perfect style match-up in the ring.

Beyond that, I'd also like to see Angle vs. Cesaro, Angle vs. Owens, Angle vs. Balor, Angle vs. Bryan and Angle vs. Rollins. Then of course you have the potental matches against the big names (and former rivals) Cena and Lesnar, which would also be great. Angle is one of my all-time favorite wrestlers, and he's probably the most naturally gifted performer ever aside from The Rock. He absolutely deserves one last run in the WWE if he's healthy enough.

 

[Kris Benwa]

That's probably the only match I would bring Daniel Bryan back for. Rusev was the guy but now Bryan is the most fit and they'd probably have a 5 star classic for Kurt's last. Other than that I can't really think of any one I'd like to see Kurt Angle wrestle in WWE

 

[rge2010]

Triple H has reached out to many former Superstars and rebuilt bridges over the years - Billy Graham, Ultimate Warrior, Bruno Sammartino etc but if there are two superstars out there I think he would struggle with it is CM Punk and Kurt Angle.

Not saying Angle won't return but it seems like Triple H isnt interested and hiring is in his control nowadays. If Angle did come back (and now is the time) then big programmes with Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, Lesnar and then mini feuds with Jack Swagger and Rusev would mek it all worthwhile.