5 reasons Kurt Angle should NOT compete at Wrestlemania

Since making his long-awaited return to WWE Kurt Angle has served proudly and valiantly as Monday Night Raw's general manager. But, at TLC last month he finally stepped back between the ropes for a match, replacing an illness-stricken Roman Reigns, to much fanfare and anticipation.

At Survivor Series this past weekend, Angle found himself back in the ring again, serving as the captain of Team Raw in the traditional Survivor Series match. It looks as though Angle is trying to cram in as much in-ring action as possible, leading many to believe it's all to prepare himself once again to perform on the grand stage. While he is one of the greatest of all time, is this really a good idea? In fact, several reports claimed that the Pittsburgh native wouldn't be cleared to return to the squared circle because of his history of neck injuries.

However, with that being said, here are five reasons why Kurt Angle should not compete at Wrestlemania.

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#5 Injury

Could Angle get hurt?

It's no secret that Kurt Angle has a list of injuries longer than The List of Jericho. During his twenty year career, the Pittsburgh native has suffered broken bones, knocks to the head, and more neck problems than you could count.

At 48, while still in decent physical form, he's no spring chicken, and father time does us no favours when old injuries rear their head again. It might not be what he wants, but if he has any concern for his safety whatsoever, Angle should stick to his new day job.

#4 Conditioning

Angle is not the performer he once was

Fans were collectively ecstatic when news broke that Angle would be replacing Roman Reigns at TLC. We were hoping to see the Olympic gold medallist back as his Angle-slamming best. What we got, however, was a very restrained performance from Angle in which he was good for little more than throwing a few chair shots.

Aside from a couple of slams and an ankle-lock here or there, the same could be said for Survivor Series this past Sunday. The more we see Angle in action the more it becomes painfully obvious he's not in the shape he once was. At times, he looked downright stiff as a board. Maybe it would be best to leave us with the memories.

#3 Ring Rust

Angle has seen better days

As we have discussed, it's clear for all to see that Angle, or those in charge backstage, are keen not for him to over-exude himself. Whether they are reserving him for a final hurrah at The Show of Shows or not is irrelevant. What also became clear at Survivor Series is that Angle's timing and technique had dipped significantly.

His Angle-Slams were lacking in the impact that used to make them a deadly manoeuvre. Not only this, but a partly-botched pedigree from Triple H at the end of the match looked to be near-fatal as Angle fell lop-sided with his head tucked down (as you can see above). These are the kinds of mistakes that can end careers, or stop comebacks dead in their tracks.

#2 Family

The Angle Unit (excluding Jordan, of course)

While he is immensely proud of his in-ring career, Kurt Angle is even more proud of his part in the Angle family unit, excluding Jason Jordan of course. A fully-fledged family man, Angle has dedicated much of his out-of-action time to repair the damage caused by his destructive behaviour when addicted to painkillers.

Angle's wife has been by his side through the ups and downs and that's something for which, I'm sure, he's eternally grateful. In a recent interview, Angle stated that he would be overjoyed for his youngest daughter to see her daddy wrestle for the first time on the big stage. While this may be true, I'm sure Angle's family would prefer it if he were returned to them in one piece, with his dignity intact.

#1 Legacy

One of the best ever.

Make no mistake, Kurt Angle will go down as one of if not the greatest professional wrestler of all time, a fact which is now cemented thanks to his inclusion in the WWE and TNA halls of fame. There is, however, still the opportunity to sour that legacy somewhat. Every great fighter and athlete wants their careers to last forever.

But, like Sugar Ray Leonard before him, Angle is in danger of orchestrating a comeback which falls depressingly below his stellar standard. If what we have seen thus far since his return is any indication of what is to come, Angle should forget about any more Wrestlemania moments and leave it to the new generation. Thanks for everything Kurt, but know when to hang it up.