Kurt Angle Named WWE Raw General Manager by Vince McMahon

After more than a decade away, the legendary Kurt Angle made his return to WWE programming on Monday.

WWE boss Vince McMahon announced that Angle would be taking over for Mick Foley as General Manager of the Raw brand, per WWE:

The 48-year-old Angle last competed in WWE in 2006 before leaving for TNA. The 1996 Olympic gold medalist was part of TNA for nearly 10 years before opting against renewing his contract and deciding to become a free agent.

Angle worked matches for several different independent promotions, but he made it clear that he had an interest in a WWE return under the right circumstances.

In an interview with Title Match Wrestling (h/t 411Mania.com) in September, Angle revealed that he had previously engaged in talks with WWE's higher-ups:

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For me to go back it would have to be the right match and the program. Also, you have to have interest from Triple H and Vince McMahon. I spoke with them a few months ago. They do have interest, they just don't know what they want to do and they don't know when. So I haven't talked to anybody in the last few months. I don't expect to until late fall, but you're not going to see Kurt Angle in the ring this year. Maybe next year, maybe not at all.

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On Jan. 16, WWE announced Angle as its first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2017, as seen in this video:

In response to the honor, Angle tweeted the following:

After the announcement of his induction, Angle was asked about potentially competing in the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant by TMZ Sports, but he shot down that possibility:

At the same time, Angle left open the chance of wrestling for WWE in the future.

The American Hero was a six-time world champion, as well as a United States, Intercontinental, European, Hardcore and Tag Team champion during his first stint with WWE.

He also main-evented WrestleMania 19 against Brock Lesnar and was involved in countless memorable moments, matches and rivalries during his eight years with the company.

While Angle's popularity is undeniable, there were always questions about whether WWE would bring him back due to his age and injury history, which included multiple neck and knee ailments.

It is inevitable that Angle has lost a few steps compared to where he was in his prime, but he is still capable of putting on some spectacular in-ring performances, and his ability to entertain on the mic remains intact.

WWE has shown a willingness to bring in aging stars in recent years with Sting and the Dudley Boyz serving as the biggest examples. The company is often about the bottom line, and there is little doubt that Angle can generate a ton of interest and revenue. 

A number of potential dream matches are on the table for Angle in WWE should he wrestle, and there is plenty of young talent that could get elevated simply by stepping into the ring with one of the all-time greats.

Angle will almost certainly be utilized in a non-wrestling role for the majority of his comeback. But if he comes back in an in-ring capacity at some point, and if WWE uses him properly against the right opponents, he could prove to be one of the biggest acquisitions in recent memory.

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