What to Expect from Triple H, Kurt Angle's Return at WWE Survivor Series 2017

Don't call it a comeback; they've been here for years.

Triple H and Kurt Angle are once again back in the ring, but this time they're on the same side. They will lead Team Raw against Team SmackDown Live in a traditional five-on-five elimination match at the Survivor Series. The November 19 epic will pit both of WWE's top brands against each other in a battle of supremacy, and the two WWE icons will stand up for Monday Night Raw.

But this is definitely an uneasy alliance.

Fans knew it was only a matter of time until The Game returned to the ring. The former 14-time world champion has always been around, of course, but he has not been a full-time presence on Raw since his loss at WrestleMania on April 2.

The end to that match cast serious doubt as to Hunter's future in the ring. It wasn't as though he couldn't still go, and it wasn't as if he had lost a step. But from a storyline perspective, Triple H had been shot down in flames. 

The Game has not won a televised one-on-one match since 2016, and his last Mania win came in 2015. Hunter put Roman Reigns over at WrestleMania 32 in 2016, thus cementing The Big Dog's top-guy status.

The same can be said of Triple H's match with Rollins at WrestleMania 33. It was obvious that The Game had moved on and had reached a time in his career when he was better used to put over rising talent.

Of course, that talent had to earn it; The Game never handed anything to any opponent.

So if his reign of dominance in the ring had come to an end, then Hunter's next logical step was to reassert his position of authority in the company. That's where fans now find him as WWE moves to Survivor Series.

Taking Charge

When Triple H's music hit on the November 13 edition of Raw, the crowd exploded. His return may have been unexpected, but his timing could not have been better.

Kurt Angle had to pull the plug on his storyline son Jason Jordan's positioning as a member of Team Raw. Jordan had been injured earlier in the night by Bray Wyatt and was obviously in no condition to compete just six days later at Survivor Series.

Enter Triple H, who decided to take control of the situation and Pedigree an emotional Jordan. The Game inserted himself into Team Raw, and fans could not have been happier. But did they pop over the announcement because they approved of Hunter's inclusion, or Jordan's removal?

Once the excitement dissipated, fans surely began to wonder what was going to happen. Triple H is still coming off like a heel, which means he's not back to put smiles on fans' faces. He's still the tyrannical authority figure, and that means he doesn't care about doing the right thing.

He cares about doing what's best for business, which means he must stroke his own ego.

The Cerebral Assassin lives up to his nickname in more ways than one, and there's no reason to believe that will change now. Just because he's siding with Angle does not mean they're going to come out on good terms after the Survivor Series is over.

After all, if Team Raw loses, Angle loses his job as General Manager.

Hunter has nothing to gain from even working alongside Team Raw; he's over both brands. Even from a storyline perspective, this move makes no sense. Triple H shouldn't care which brand wins or loses, because he has an interest in both. The common denominator in this equation is Stephanie McMahon, whose influence likely brought The Game back to the ring.

The civil war between her and brother Shane never seems to end.

Fans should expect Hunter to try and take control early. He will call the shots during the match and attempt to point Team Raw in the right direction. Triple H's ego will not allow him to take a backseat to Angle, or anyone else.

The friction between the two will be apparent, and it will be a problem.

Defending Family

Triple H may be part of the McMahon feud, but he's not the only one on Team Raw that has family issues.

Kurt Angle's storyline with Jason Jordan has developed a new twist. For the first time, Jordan attempted to capitalize on his relationship with Angle, and that was surely not lost on the fans. From the moment that a teary-eyed Jordan begged his father not to pull him from the Survivor Series match, the seed was indeed planted.

Will Jordan go heel and affect the match's outcome at Survivor Series?

Nothing is for certain, of course, but now the specter of Jordan's possible involvement is looming over the event. If Jordan makes an appearance and costs Team Raw the win, then Angle loses his job as General Manager. It could be sweet revenge for Jordan, who saw his dream spot stolen from him by Triple H.

Therein lies the biggest problem with Angle and Hunter's shaky partnership at Survivor Series.

At some point, Angle must stop acting like a fearful GM and start acting like a father. He stood by and watched his son get laid out by one of the most despicable heels WWE has ever seen. He watched and he did nothing to stop it.

What if Angle himself costs Team Raw the win at Survivor Series?

credit: wwe.com

Angle could decide that family is more important than business and turn on The Game during the match. The swerve could come at a critical time, when the match reaches a crisis point. Angle's actions could cause Team Raw to lose, and the last words from him could be to a prone Triple H on the mat.

You don't have to fire me, I quit!

Regardless of whether Angle will step up for Jordan, fans should expect the Olympic Gold Medalist to come out swinging at Survivor Series. Angle didn't really get a chance to show off at TLC when he teamed with The Shield, so this could be the perfect time for him to shine.

But the friction between him and Hunter will be obvious. Angle may even win the match for his team and then lay Hunter out after the bell rings. Either way, the sudden heat between the two men may lead to something more down the road.

Triple H versus Kurt Angle may be the next big match for both legends.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com