Joe Camporeale – USA TODAY Sports
Kurt Angle belongs back in WWE. It’s true, it’s true.
In recent days, there has been lots of talk of NWA and WCW legend Sting joining WWE and The Ultimate Warrior coming back, but the real wrestler who belongs in WWE is former Olympic gold medalist Angle.
Angle is one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all-time. He’s one of the few guys who successfully made the transition from traditional sport to sports entertainment. Incredibly athletic, a sixth sense for ring presence and a rare intensity made Angle one of WWE’s best.
Angle wrestled in WWE for eight years, from 1998 to 2006. WWE released him for a variety of mysterious reasons. Essentially, Angle was worn out and beat up, struggling to keep up with WWE’s frantic travel and athletic pace. WWE was worried about Angle’s health and something terrible happening under its watch.
Angle then headed to TNA, where he’s enjoyed a career on a lighter schedule, while still having great matches.
Angle needs to come home. WWE in 2013 is way different than 2006. There’s no more blood. The chair shots to the head are mostly gone. The wild stunts through tables, off ladders and into the Titantron are reserved for one Pay-Per-View per year.
WWE also has given Brock Lesnar the most ridiculously easy schedule imaginable. Lesnar works about 25 days a year and has a multi-million dollar guaranteed contract. Angle could get something similar. He’s twice the pro wrestler Lesnar is. He’s way more legitimately popular with fans. He’s respected enough by the boys in the back to allow him to have the easier schedule.
Sting had a great career as Ric Flair‘s fall guy in the NWA and WCW. It would be cool if he went to WWE, but it’s not long he belongs there. Angle has fought classics with Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker and every other major WWE star. If there’s a place for Sting in WWE, and possibly in the WWE Hall of Fame, then there’s certainly room for Angle to come home.
Joshua Molina is a mixed martial arts and pro wrestling writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECMolina and add him to your network on Google.
