WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle lost his retirement match to Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35, and the Olympic gold medalist has since been working in a producing role backstage.
Angle decided it was time to hang up the boots after an excellent career that spanned over two decades. Injuries limited his abilities in the ring, and it was evident at times that he wasn't able to perform that many moves safely and effectively.
But in an interview on Wrestling Inc.'s WINCLY podcast, Angle refused to rule out a return to the ring. He went on to explain that if chairman Vince McMahon asked him to do another match, Angle would comply.
"No, but it seems like they always come back. I've seen Shawn Michaels come back; Ric Flair come back. I don't plan on coming back but if Vince McMahon needs me, I would do it in a second," Angle said. "Do I think he'll call on me? Probably not...He doesn't want to be the one who ends up having me relapse because he wanted to use me for a match and I got hurt and I ended up taking painkillers."
Angle certainly makes a strong point about the notable superstars who have come out of retirement to wrestle again. Shawn Michaels retired after losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI, and he rejected offers to come back to the ring.
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Finally, Michaels agreed to come out of retirement at the Crown Jewel pay-per-view in November. He and Triple H reformed D-Generation X and defeated the Brothers of Destruction in a tag team match. If Michaels can come out of retirement nine years after competing in his "final" match, then why can't Angle do one last bout in the near future?
But for Angle, a return to the ring is easier said than done. Again, he's now 50 years of age and had to fight through a serious neck injury during his career. Seeing how much he struggled to perform in the ring, it's hard to see how and why the 2017 Hall of Fame inductee would come back for another bout. But we've said the same about many legends, and they came back anyway. Perhaps Angle will follow the footsteps of Michaels and others and do another match despite "retiring."
What This Means
If Angle can stay in shape and give his body enough rest, maybe he could do another match or two in the future. But he seems to be enjoying his major producing role backstage, so there won't be a rush for WWE to bring him back to the ring. Only time will tell if he does another match in the ring.