Kurt Angle Makes WWE Wrestling Return at TLC 2017
On Sunday, Oct. 22, Kurt Angle returned to the WWE ring after more than a decade.
WWE had announced prior to the TLC event that Angle was going to take the place of Roman Reigns. On its website, the entertainment company revealed that Reigns was being replaced "due to medical issues."
The 48-year-old General Manager of Raw was teamed up with Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. The trio competed against a group made up of Braun Strowman, The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, and The Big Red Machine Kane.
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Fans were definitely taken by surprise but more than welcomed the return of Angle after 11 years of staying out of fights. In his review of the match, ESPN's Tim Fiorvanti called it "chaotic" and "fun," rating it 2.75 out of 5. He believed that there were some things that did not work and that the match is certainly not one of the best TLC battles. There were dull moments and awkward sequences, but the match was ultimately enjoyable to watch.
Angle, for one, undeniably enjoyed the match himself. In a WWE Exclusive, the Hall of Famer revealed that he had been looking forward to getting back in the ring. He tearfully said that he felt proud that his kids could see him fight for once instead of just serving as Raw's General Manager.
"This is redemption for me," he said.
Because it had been a long time since he last fought in the ring, he knew that he could not go overboard. He explained that he only does what he knows he can without exceeding his capabilities.
Appearing on WWE's "Raw Talk," Angle expressed how happy he was to have been given the opportunity to participate in a match again.
"It was great. I never thought it would feel this good. It's been 11 years since the WWE universe has seen me wrestle. I wasn't expecting to do it in last minute, but this was such an honor to do it," he said. "It was a huge night for all of us, but most of all, for me."
