Csonka’s Top 5 Kurt Angle Return Matches

Welcome one and all, it’s column time with Larry. One of the more exciting news items of early 2017 has been the return of Kurt Angle to the WWE family. What’s even cooler is that while many had hoped that Angle would wrestle, but feared that it won’t be in the cards, word is that if he can pass the WWE physical that he will do some limited wrestling for the company. With that being the case, I thought that I would share some matches that I’d like to see from Angle’s WWE return, matches that I feel would be good, wouldn’t overly tax angle physically and that I would enjoy. So no Brock Lesnar (because I don’t want Angle dying, and also Brock is largely shit, spamming suplexes and tossing in an occasional kimura to change the pace when he’s not cutting you open with elbows and concussing you). I am trying to book matches that WWE would realistically book to maximize Angle’s in ring efforts as well as to protect him. Please make sure to share some matches you’d like to see if Angle does get to wrestle for WWE upon his return…

5. Kurt Angle & American Alpha vs. The Usos and Roman Reigns: I believe that the first thing that I would do is strike while the iron is hot in trying to put over a young act, putting Angle over on Smackdown to give them some added attention. I would do this because Raw got Goldberg and has seemingly ended up with Taker as well. With Cena reportedly taking time off again after Mania, the blue brand could use a little extra star power and an Angle return would give them that. I would also want to work Angle back into things in a tag format, and what better way then to give the fans the unit of Kurt Angle and American Alpha. For this match to happen, you’d likely have to set it up at Summerslam (dual brand) leading to a special attraction match at one of Smackdown’s fall PPVs (WWE’s fall branded PPVs tend to lack something special and this would fit the bill). Alpha has had issues (and still do) with the Usos, and teaming them with Reigns works well (and was something that could have worked well as a little Samoan heel stable). By doing this match, you ease Angle into action and don’t ask too much of him right away, in theory both Alpha and the Usos get the rub being associated with Angle and Reigns and you have a special attraction for a PPV.

4. Kurt Angle vs. The Miz: Moving onto a strong singles program for Angle, and being that I would anchor him on Smackdown, we look to the Miz. Miz had one hell on a 2016, his promo game was on, his character work was great and he stepped up his in ring game (despite the fact that some people want to give him no credit at all.) One thing I have noticed about Miz is that while I wouldn’t call him a ring general, he has a great ability to work up to his opponents. One way to get into this would be to continue the issues with Bryan and Miz, cause it to come to a boiling point to where Miz gets Bryan to put up his GM position in a match, where Miz will face a representative of Bryan’s choosing. With Miz being able to constantly survive against the Smackdown roster, Bryan has to dig deep, find a man with more credentials than anyone else on the roster, and that is Kurt Angle. I think that the Miz and Bryan would be awesome as they set it up on the mic, and then you add in Angle who can hold his own in that regard, and I think that this would make for entertaining TV I really do feel that they could have a great match. Plus Miz is an easy guy to work with, and it wouldn’t be too physically taxing on Angle.

3. Kurt Angle vs. Rusev: A while back, in what feels like forever ago when I did podcasts with Steve Cook, I always envisioned a Kurt Angle return involving Rusev. In my vision, and this is when Rusev was at his peak and actually booked well during his US Title run (prior to his feud with Cena). In my vision, Rusev enters the Royal Rumble early and does the big Kevin Nash style run, tossing fuckers out left and right, dominating and eventually tossing someone as they entered and leaving Rusev alone for “two-minutes” as he awaits his next victim; Lana cuts a promo, ripping America and all of their failed wrestlers and claiming that no one could defeat the super athlete… and then Kurt Angle’s music hits for the big surprise return. He hits the ring like a house of fire, Angle slams and Germans for Rusev and then the elimination leading to a WrestleMania match. Now obviously that scenario won’t work now, Rusev has been downplayed and we know Angle is back in the fold so we lose the surprise element. Of course the other issue in my little world here is that they are on opposite brands, but by the time we get to it, another draft could take place, hopefully shifting them to the same brand. I still think the basic dynamic works. Rusev has really improved on the mic, and has some great comedic timing and I feel that they could really do well in the set up to the match. This match will be more physically demanding on Angle, but as long as he’s not working a guy like Rusev al the time, it would be fine for a one-off match, plus I think they could deliver.

2. Kurt Angle vs. John Cena: And this is where we amp things up, going with a big time and major one on one match. One of the best things about storytelling in any genre is when you can bring things full circle. So why not revisit Cena’s debut with a Kurt Angle rematch? While going back to something already done isn’t my first instinct, Angle has been gone for so long and Cena was not a good performer when they feuded, that I do feel it’s worth revisiting. Also, if you’re going to have Angle wrestle, you need to make it count and have it be in some big time matches. In my vision, you have Angle win over Miz and Rusev, leading to him feeling that he is back to form. And then you really revisit the John Cena debut, having Angle cutting a promo similar to the one he cut when Cena debuted, reminding everyone of all of his accomplishments, how he ran through this new generation and that he was going to go after the world title one last time. And that leads to John Cena making his appearance, cutting off Angle and explaining that he would not allow Angle to walk back into WWE and get in the way of his 17th world title run. That’s also the beauty of this, this match is big enough that it doesn’t need a title, it’s big enough to stand on its own due to it being Angle vs. Cena.

1. Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles: Angle has repeatedly praised AJ Styles in interviews over the years. Angle has always said that Styles is easy to work with, and that he loves all of their matches together. AJ Styles is one of the very best of not the best wrestlers in the business today, delivering consistently and against a variety of opponents. Angle vs. Styles will feel fresh, because we haven’t seen it in a while and it is also a fresh match to the “WWE Universe.” And again, we’re looking to get another big match out of Angle, which could also stand on its own without a title. If I am booking a final match for Angle in WWE, I am booking it against AJ Styles. They have history, they have an amazing chemistry and I feel that it would be Angle’s best shot at going out with a classic match.

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– Thanks for reading.