5 Interesting possibilities for Kurt Angle after WWE release 

Kurt Angle was released from WWE last week and we still can't get over the company's decision. It's one of those releases that completely caught us off guard as the Olympic gold medalist was seemingly settling into his role as a backstage producer after wrapping up his in-ring career.

Kurt Angle is one of the greatest professional wrestlers to have stepped foot inside a squared circle. In his prime, Angle was more than just a gifted in-ring worker. He was a complete performer, who worked not just in WWE but all around the world during his illustrious career.

You can't buy experience but in this case, a promotion that isn't WWE can buy the services of Kurt Angle and the wealth of knowledge about the business that he brings to the table.

However, what will Kurt Angle do next? Is it as simple as signing up with another promotion? Maybe not. The 51-year-old WWE legend has options and we break them down in this article for you.

---

#5. Wrestles one more match, or maybe more

Kurt Angle's retirement match against Baron Corbin should not have been his final match. Baron Corbin? Seriously?

While we get it that Corbin is a company favorite and getting a win over a fan-favorite legend in Angle would help elevate his stock as a heel, it's just not what Angle deserved.

The WWE veteran, however, admitted that he wanted to retire because his body had given up on him and that's an understandable reason. He would have loved to have been given a fitting farewell by John Cena, but for that to have happened, he would have had to wait until WrestleMania 36. That option was sadly out of the question for Angle and he decided to end his career at last year's Show of Shows.

The itch to wrestle, though, doesn't go away that easily. We don't need to give you examples to validate that statement because there are many.

Angle's worn-out body may not permit him to go in for a full-fledged match, but he can always work in a protected environment such as a tag team match or against a safe worker.

Jim Ross recently spoke about the possibility of seeing Angle wrestle in AEW and the legendary commentator said that it would all come down to whether the former WWE Champion gets cleared to wrestle.

There is trepidation about Angle's health but you just can't rule out the possibility of him putting on his wrestling boots again.

#4. Joins AEW in a non-wrestling capacity

Calling All Elite Wrestling as a promotion of WWE rejects would be a shortsighted statement. AEW is a platform where former WWE talents are rehabilitated and utilized to their full potential, or at least, that's the idea.

Just like many former WWE employees who have joined Tony Khan's company and taken up various different roles, AEW is the perfect destination for Kurt Angle for many different reasons.

Kurt Angle can choose to wrestle a few matches in the promotion, but that's unlikely to happen when you take into account his physical condition.

Angle, however, can be a big asset in the company in various other ways. One is being an on-air personality and that could either be as a manager or as an authority figure - an avenue that has not been explored on Dynamite.

The WWE Hall of Famer can also be signed up as a backstage producer and agent, which would be a continuation of his recent WWE role.

Another potential job profile that suits Angle would be of a coach/trainer in the company. Dustin Rhodes, Billy Gunn and BJ Whitmer are a handful of coaches that work in the promotion and the addition of Angle into the team would be a massive boost.

#3. Takes a break from wrestling, possibly starts his podcast

Kurt Angle has been an active member of the pro wrestling world since 1998 and he has not taken a sustained hiatus from the business throughout his 22-year career. Angle has endured the challenging demands of professional wrestling and he has, like many of his peers, experienced some rough phases as a result.

Injuries, surgeries, substance abuse and various legal issues have plagued the WWE legend at different phases in his career. While it was satisfying to see Angle make his WWE return in 2017 and go on to wrestle a few matches, it was painfully obvious that he needed a break during the dying stages of his latest WWE stint.

Angle's recent comments on the TKO podcast highlighted the distressing quality of the life of the veteran.

"I don't know. I mean, I'm hurting pretty badly. My knees, my back, my neck. Sometimes I think about, would I go back? My quality of life right now sucks. So I do have a lot of suffering."

Angle needs some time away from professional wrestling but he can't sit idle either.

Podcasting has become a norm these days as many current and former wrestlers and wrestling personalities have their shows that are available on all major podcast streaming platforms.

Kurt Angle is a big name and, I, for one, would love to listen to the veteran speak about his career while also chatting with guests from the industry and beyond.

Getting hired or booked during the ongoing pandemic is nearly impossible and this could be the ideal time for Angle to take a short hiatus and explore the possibility of setting up an online brand.

#2. Returns to TNA/ Impact Wrestling

Kurt Angle left WWE in 2006 as one of the top guys on the company's payroll. The 5-time WWE Champion was hurting and his request for a release was accepted by the company due to health reasons.

Instead of taking some time off, Angle immediately signed up with TNA amid fears concerning his health. TNA gave Kurt Angle's career a new lease of life as he went on to win the TNA World Championship on six occasions before leaving the company in 2016. He was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2013 and he is considered to be one of the greatest performers in the promotion's history.

TNA is a shadow of its former self in its current iteration as Impact Wrestling but they have been consistently producing unique and engaging content for the past few years. The fans may call it sleazy, wacky and downright ridiculous at times, but there's entertainment at the Impact Zone and that's all that matters.

There was a time when Impact Wrestling was doomed to fold but they have steadied the ship and have a solid bunch of individuals currently working towards putting on a decent product.

Kurt Angle will always be welcomed back in TNA and just like in AEW's case, the former TNA Champion can be used in different capacities, whether it is on-screen or behind the scenes.

#1. Gets rehired by WWE

Now, we know that Kurt Angle was outrightly released and not furloughed by WWE which reduces the chances of him returning to the company.

However, we've already started to hear rumors of WWE possibly re-signing talents once the pandemic is behind us and the situation gets back to its former state.

Kurt Angle, as we know, transitioned to become a producer in the WWE after ending his in-ring career at WrestleMania 35. Interestingly enough, he was the one who suggested The Undertaker about going up against AJ Styles after The Deadman's forgettable match against Goldberg. It ended up being a well-informed suggestion as The Boneyard Match was a masterpiece.

Angle is equipped with time-tested know-how about the business and he can be a very valuable figure to have backstage, which was one of the major reasons why his WWE release raised eyebrows across the wrestling fraternity.

Rehiring Angle in the future would be a smart decision for WWE to make but there are a few complications that need to be addressed. The company already has a large list of producers and experienced backstage personnel who have been furloughed and they are expected to return in a few months. Will WWE go out of their way to get back a fired employee?

It would all come down to how much value Angle brings to the table and whether the company would be in a financial position to offer him his old role, or even a new one, depending on the circumstances.