WWE's Most Controversial and Shocking Stories for the Week of January 16

This past week, WWE announced that it would induct Kurt Angle into its Hall of Fame in another seven-day stretch that was filled with headlines.

As one legend will be celebrated through April, another will be celebrated posthumously after the death of '80s wrestling star Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.

With Monday Night Football out of the way, WrestleMania season is on the horizon, while the NFL season is coming to a dramatic conclusion. WWE is quickly gaining momentum as the always lucrative casual viewing audience seeks alternatives. 

As a result, WWE's many headlines and storylines both in and out of the ring will reach more people than at any other time of the year.

Kurt Angle Announced for the WWE Hall of Fame

Kurt Angle was quite the popular choice as a potential surprise entrant at the WWE Royal Rumble. But with the announcement that Angle will enter the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 class, history tells us this likely won't happen.

No WWE legend has ever appeared in the Royal Rumble match in the same year as a WWE Hall of Fame induction. Then again, Angle is no stranger to firsts, as the first Olympic gold medalist to compete in a WWE ring and first "Eurocontinental" champion, among other accolades.

Angle's return tour will be littered with interviews where he's forced to answer if he'll be competing in a return match and/or who his ideal opponent will be. "One more match" chants are sure to add time to his induction speech. But given his history of neck surgeries, WWE will tread lightly when it comes to an Angle comeback, and for now, fans need to be happy that the Olympic hero has come home.

Mickie James Returns, Aligns with Alexa Bliss

Mickie James had a soft launch late last year at NXT TakeOver: Toronto and didn't miss a beat in an underrated match against undefeated NXT women's champion Asuka.

James resurfaced as the woman behind the La Luchadora mask, and in a surprise twist, she assisted heel SmackDown women's champion Alexa Bliss in a historic cage match against Becky Lynch.

The potential of Mickie James vs. Becky Lynch is both a blessing and a curse to the SmackDown roster. It's a blessing because it presents the best possible matchup on that entire show. It's a curse because it will outshine the Women's Championship.

James is being cast well as a mentor to Bliss, who won the Women's Championship out of nowhere and is in need of something to truly establish her as a villain. The services of James, a highly recognizable figure in WWE lore, will work just fine.   

Randy Orton Involved in an Altercation with a WWE Fan at a Gym

Randy Orton's career outside of the ring is just as legendary as his decorated career inside it. Orton reportedly had choice words for a fan who took a picture of him working out from across the room, according to NEA Report (h/t Wrestling Inc).

According to the report, the fan had requested an autograph from Orton, who is known for being quite ornery, in between sets, and when he politely refused the situation escalated once the fan snapped a candid without his permission.

Though Orton has a spotty history in his real-life dealings with fans, peers and everything in between, I'm on Team RKO on this one. Though it is a great gesture to take time to meet and greet fans, these fans are not owed anything when they catch WWE Superstars during their personal time.

The WWE schedule is a nonstop grind. For WWE Superstars, that grind only ends in firings, burnouts, suspensions or injury. Fans who ignore these very real stresses of the WWE lifestyle in favor of becoming abrasive with talents need not be surprised when these situations turn ugly. 

Michael Cole on His Way Out as WWE TV Announcer?

As Michael Cole assumes a larger role backstage producing up-and-coming announcers, rumors have begun to swirl that Cole may be at the beginning of the end of his run as one of the voices of WWE. PWInsider (h/t Wrestling Inc) reported that his days as WWE's lead announcer may be numbered.

The embattled WWE announcer, who spent his entire announcing career paling in comparison to Jim Ross, has been an elder statesmen in recent years and currently leads a young commentating team featuring Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.

Mauro Ranallo had a smooth transition in his rookie year with WWE, and though he is only one year younger than Cole, he figures to be in the best position as his heir apparent.

With WWE catering to a shrinking, hardcore audience by crowning independent wrestling standouts with limited mainstream appeal, the otherwise talented former announcer for New Japan Pro Wrestling is very fitting for the voice of this generation's WWE.

Jimmy Snuka: 1943-2017

WWE Hall of Famer and '80s superstar Jimmy Snuka was among WWE's many prototypes for the Superstars of the modern era. 

Snuka revolutionized the way WWE presented its wrestlers—less as amateur wrestling athletes in the Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund mold and more as larger-than-life characters, like Hulk Hogan and Superstar Billy Graham.

In fact, Snuka was so revolutionary that he also served as a prototype for today's brand of high-flying acrobats who have since become commonplace in WWE through a combination of NXT, cruiserweights and a recent surge of highly athletic (read: injury-prone) world champions.

Snuka's presence made it difficult for fans to digest the comparatively bland Backlund, who had held the WWF Championship for four years from 1979 to 1983.

Though Snuka never won a world championship (or any championship in WWE, for that matter), he didn't need one. His star power spoke for itself and served as a major draw during WWE's golden age.

Snuka's legacy was damaged by a much-publicized murder trial that haunted him until his dying days. But while he will forever be followed by controversy, his imprint in WWE is unquestioned.

Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.