1 Last Dream Match: Ranking the Best WWE Opponents for Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle's iconic WWE career ended on a less-than-stellar note at WrestleMania 35 when he lost a lackluster bout to Baron Corbin. Fans were left wanting more from his retirement match after everything he accomplished and all the ways he gave back to the business.

Although Angle turns 52 today and has experienced plenty of wear and tear throughout his tenure as an active competitor, there isn't a whole lot stopping him from stepping back inside the squared circle to right that wrong and have the one last match he deserved last year.

The Olympic gold medalist has gone on the record before saying that his outing against Corbin wasn't what he envisioned for his final hurrah on The Grandest Stage of Them All and that he'd be interested in a return to the ring depending on his health.

He told Sports Illustrated's Justin Barrasso in June: "I'd been so banged up—my neck, my back, and my neck—but I'm making improvements. If I get to the point where I feel I can do it, then I'll probably do it. But right now, I have to focus on my body."

At the time, Corbin was a logical opponent for Angle given the story WWE had been telling with them up to that point. But there were plenty of people who could have had a far better match with the six-time WWE world champion, not to mention The Lone Wolf hardly benefited from the victory in the year that followed.

The current shows may not always reflect it, but the SmackDown and Raw rosters are filled with more talent than ever before. If Angle did break his retirement—something that is considered commonplace in wrestling—these seven dream opponents have the best chance of making magic with him.

7. Riddle

Angle serving as the special guest referee for Matt Riddle's farewell match in NXT against Timothy Thatcher on May 27 was not a coincidence, and nor was his introduction of the former UFC star in a video package promoting his pending SmackDown debut two days later.

That's because WWE planned on making Angle the official manager of Riddle on the main roster upon getting called up. The veteran told PWInsider (h/t Cageside Seats) in an October interview that he turned down the gig because the supplement company he started following his WWE release needed his attention at the time and because he didn't feel the money they were offering was enough.

As cool as it would have been to see Angle endorsing Riddle on a weekly basis, The Original Bro didn't—and has never—need a manager. Granted, the verbiage in his recent promos on Raw has been questionable, but having The Olympian in his corner likely wouldn't have changed that.

Having the two collide one-on-one, though, would be much more appealing, especially since Riddle is the young gun on the rise and could use a career-defining victory over an established star such as Angle.

Riddle's SmackDown stint got off to a strong start this summer when he beat then-intercontinental champion AJ Styles in his debut for the blue brand. He's racked up several victories since then against Sheamus and King Corbin but could use the boost that facing off with Angle would provide.

Say what you will about WWE's presentation of Riddle so far on the main roster, but he can still hold his own in the ring more than most, and a match against Angle combining their technical and mixed martial arts-inspired styles could be a blast.

6. Chad Gable

When Chad Gable initially arrived on NXT in 2015, his in-ring work immediately drew comparisons to Angle because of their respective backgrounds at the Olympics.

The similarities grew even stronger once Gable started to showcase more of his personality while teaming with Jason Jordan and, like Angle, proved he had all the tools necessary to be a top talent in WWE.

Unfortunately, Gable's main roster run panned out a bit differently than Angle's did. Instead of being utilized as a singles star post-American Alpha, WWE continued to relegate him to the tag team division and give him short-lived runs as tag team champion.

Up until recently, he was subjected to calling himself Shorty G and wearing ridiculous-looking basketball shorts as his ring attire. He was given the enhancement-talent treatment, and although he's since reverted to being Chad Gable, there has been zero indication that WWE plans to properly push him this time around.

It would have been incredibly easy for WWE to have Angle manage Gable coming out of the Olympic gold medalist's retirement at WrestleMania 35, but that dream pairing never materialized.

The former Raw general manager has always been high on Gable and his potential, even wrestling him in one of his final matches on the red brand in March 2019.

The bout was way too short to be what it could have been, which is why a rematch on a bigger stage is needed. WWE would have to seriously build Gable up before then, but a battle between these two incredible athletes under the right circumstances would be both a fitting end to Angle's career and a rousing endorsement of the younger wrestler.

5. Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns would have been an ideal opponent for Angle even two or three years ago, but it's an especially intriguing match now that he's turned heel and is at the top of his game in almost every way.

The two men have interacted on multiple occasions over the years, and The Big Dog would have been a fine choice for Angle in his last-ever match.

Reigns undoubtedly would have been booed for beating the six-time WWE world champion, but it would have been fitting considering he's put down so many other legendary performers from The Undertaker and Triple H to Brock Lesnar and John Cena.

Fast forward a few years and the match would be infinitely bigger and better now than it would have been then given Reigns' current character. He's the ultimate heel on SmackDown, and a returning Angle would be a fantastic foil for him.

The entire audience would rally behind Angle to be the one to finally dethrone Reigns as universal champion, but in the end, he would fall short. This match would excel in storytelling and play off the fans more than it would be a mat classic.

This feud would also give Angle a chance to return to SmackDown for a final run, the same show he called home for several years throughout the 2000s. Reigns' opponents at this point must be beloved babyfaces and few fit that bill better than The Olympian.

4. Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins was involved in a match with Angle at TLC 2017 in which the veteran joined The Shield and defeated The Miz, The Bar, Braun Strowman and Kane.

It appeared they were headed for a match against each other at WrestleMania 34, but both ended up in different matches on the card instead.

Rollins would have been an excellent opponent for Angle the following year had he not won the Royal Rumble, given the roll he was on around that time. He was having amazing matches with just about everyone and surely would have been able to bring the best out of Angle on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

It would have been a wonderful attraction in 2019, but much like with Reigns, Rollins vs. Angle would be even more appealing in the present day because of how far Rollins has come as a character since then. As The Monday Night Messiah, he's been doing some of the strongest work of his career this last year and has been one of WWE's most hated heels behind Reigns.

The former WWE and universal champion could goad Angle into coming out of retirement and giving him his comeuppance at WrestleMania 37. Rollins is among the best possible people the veteran could face given how he never ceases to deliver whenever he steps inside the squared circle.

For as much time as these two spent together on Raw while Angle served as the show's GM from 2017 to 2018, it's surprising there weren't any serious talks regarding a matchup.

If Angle did lace the boots back up again, Rollins should come close to leading the list of potential opponents.

3. AJ Styles

Longtime fans of Angle who followed his work in TNA are aware of his history with AJ Styles. The two waged war in the six-sided ring for over a decade and made magic with each other every single time.

It was surprising and surreal to see WWE acknowledge their iconic rivalry when they faced off on the March 26, 2019 edition of SmackDown. It marked Angle's final outing on the blue brand, but the bout ended before it had a chance to get going due to interference from Randy Orton.

It was widely believed the contest was cut short due to Angle's limitations in the ring at the time and that competing every week on TV was starting to take a toll. If he were well-rested, though, a proper rematch against The Phenomenal One could be something special.

Similar to Rollins, Styles is one of the few people on the active WWE roster who is virtually incapable of having anything less than a very good match. He managed to carry The Undertaker to a breathtaking Boneyard bout at WrestleMania 36, so there's no telling what he and Angle could do together if both were 100 percent healthy.

Styles has been rightfully positioned as a top heel on Raw since his return to the flagship show in October. It wouldn't take much for Angle to accept an invitation to collide with him one last time at The Show of Shows and put their 15-year rivalry to rest once and for all.

2. Daniel Bryan

Angle and Daniel Bryan have both talked openly over the years about wanting to work together. Sadly, that dream match never came to pass before the veteran's retirement from the ring at WrestleMania 35.

The two were always ships that passed in the night. Bryan didn't sign with WWE until well after Angle was already gone, and by the time Angle finally returned in 2017, Bryan was retired from active competition.

The only period in which WWE could have booked the bout was between WrestleMania 34 and WrestleMania 35. The former event was when Bryan returned to the ring, and the latter event was when Angle had his last match.

For many years, they have been regarded as two of the greatest pure wrestlers to be under contract to the company. While a modern-day match between them wouldn't on the same level as what it could have been a decade or so ago, it would still be nothing short of a spectacle given the star power of both individuals.

Bryan is clearly closer to the end of his run in the ring than the beginning yet still produces classics every now and again. There is little doubt he'd able to get an excellent match out of Angle if the opportunity were to present itself as Bryan would go above and beyond to ensure his career ended on the highest note possible.

1. John Cena

Seeing as John Cena started his WWE career against Angle, it's only fitting that Angle's last match be against that same Superstar.

When Cena originally answered that open challenge from Angle on that June 27, 2002 episode of SmackDown, no one knew the great matches they'd go on to have in the years that followed, including over the WWE Championship on pay-per-view. It was also impossible to predict the heights the newcomer would reach from that point forward.

Given the great chemistry they developed as in-ring rivals, it should come as no surprise that Angle considers Cena to be one of his favorite opponents. It also wasn't surprising when Angle revealed to Chris Van Vliet that he wanted Cena for his farewell match at WrestleMania 35, but because he was embroiled in a rivalry with Baron Corbin at the time, Angle vs. Cena had to be passed on.

Cena has largely been inactive from in-ring competition since making the full-time transition to acting a few years ago. He returned for a cinematic match against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36, but otherwise, he has laid low and not taken part in many major wrestling storylines.

Angle has mentioned before that he doesn't feel one more match is worth coming out of retirement for unless it's the absolutely perfect scenario, and this would be it.

Again, it wouldn't be what it was in 2005, but as a fun trip down memory lane for fans who grew up watching their rivalry, it would be WrestleMania-worthy and serve as the ultimate conclusion to the career of Kurt Angle. 

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.