Kurt Angle is a WWE Hall of Famer, and anyone who saw the Olympic gold medalist in his prime knows he’s one of the best to ever step foot in the ring. He’s also now 53 years old and has had some serious health issues and surgeries over the years, including a double knee replacement a few months ago. There’s a reason he’s retired.
That’s not to say, however, that he couldn’t be swayed to put on the singlet one more time. Angle even has a few WWE stars in mind if he ever took part in a definitive farewell match.
In a recent interview with Wrasslinews, Angle not only named the three men he would come out of retirement to face but explained exactly why he’d pick them (h/t to Ringside News for the transcription).
John [Cena], I still think that he is possibly still in his prime. So I would definitely say John Cena. And the reason for that is, I’m 53 years old. I’m not the same athlete I was when I was 33. And when I decided to retire, it was because I lost the step. Knowing that John’s still in his prime, I know that he can carry me through a match. (…) I’d want a Roman Reigns or Seth Rollins, or even a John Cena. Those are the names that I would pick because I know those guys would carry me through the match.
It takes a high level of self-awareness to admit that you’ve reached the point in your career where you’d need someone else to “carry” you through a match after being the person to do exactly that for others at the height of your powers. But Angle has always had that to go with his in-ring talent and microphone skills, and he’s picked three great ones in Cena, Reigns and Rollins.
That doesn’t answer the question of whether Angle should wrestle again, but we’ll assume he’ll listen to the doctors on that one. If he ever decides to give it one more go, at least we know there’s a short list of wrestlers who will have the honor of sending him off.