Kurt Angle set to return for special role on next week’s NXT

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4 years ago

Kurt Angle joined WWE after winning gold in the Olympics (WWE)

Kurt Angle will return to NXT for a special role

WWE announced on Saturday that Kurt Angle will return to NXT on Wednesday night to be the special guest referee in the cage fight between Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher.

Thatcher had stepped in for Pete Dunne to serve as one-half of the NXT Tag Team champions. However, after a falling out last week, the pair lost the titles and are now feuding.

Kurt Angle joined WWE after winning gold in the Olympics (WWE)

The fight in the cage is not a traditional cage match. This is going to be closer to Riddle’s history as a cage fighter with the UFC.

Angle is a wrestling legend who often flirted with the idea of heading over to MMA, but ended up staying with wrestling. In part, he did that because of the injuries he had already mustered up in the ring.

One of the greatest

However, no one can deny he’s one of the greatest amateur wrestlers to ever walk the earth. When you look at guys like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kamaru Usman, it suggests that Angle would have been pretty good at MMA.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov gives a press conference in Moscow on November 26, 2018. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

There’s no word as of yet as to whether Angle has signed a new deal with WWE, but he is not returning to the company in the backstage role he previously held since retiring at WrestleMania 35.

The Hall Of Famer was among the list of names released last month as part of budget cuts. It’s not clear yet if this will be a one-off appearance or if he is back with the company. Angle had been working behind-the-scenes as a producer since his retirement match.

Kurt Angle signs an autograph during a meet and greet event (Image credit: WWE)

Also next week, NXT General Manager William Regal announced Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley will team up against NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte and a partner of her choosing. Charlotte is set to defend her title against Ripley and Shirai at NXT TakeOver: In Your House on June 7.