Former World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle has now departed Total Nonstop Action sparking rumors of a return to World Wrestling Entertainment.
Despite being absent from the company since 2006 'the wrestling machine' has been linked with the company since his departure. The 47-year-old free agent now entering the twilight of his career and the chance to work under Vince McMahon is fading fast.
The tag-team of Chad Gable and Jason Jordan is just one of many ways fans have suggested routes back into WWE for the 2000 King of the Ring winner and Angle has given his views on a possible return.
Team Angle Original
The original "Team Angle" consisted of Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, both captained by Kurt Angle. The two superstars were 'gifted' to the Olympic hero by the then General manager Paul Heyman and the trio quickly became number one contenders for the Tag team titles.
After entering a feud with Chris Benoit and Edge the group eventually won the Tag Team championship defeating Los Guerreros before holding onto the belts until the Pay Per View after WrestleMania XIX (19).
At Judgement Day they dropped the titles to Los Guerreros before fighting in their group saw Benjamin, Haas and Angle square off in a number of matches before the two prodigies began a fresh under the new name 'The World's Greatest Tag Team.'
The pair lasted until March 2004 when Benjamin was transferred to the Raw brand, breaking up the partnership indefinitely.
Reboot
With Gable and Jordan, the popular NXT tag team, it presents a rather intriguing offer as the possibility of simply rebooting the Team Angle storyline is feasible and would allow Angle to only wrestle on rare occasions in an effort to prolong his now limited career.
The 47-year-old veteran said it would be an "interesting" scenario as having the youngsters alongside him would "allow them to wrestle regularly" while allowing him to "work the PPV'S."
An ingenious decision given that a man who has spent nearly 20 years as a wrestler and with his history of injuries would in no way be able to work the hectic schedule most WWE superstars now work. Offering the TNA Hall of Famer a part-time contract stands as a more attractive offer.
On former gimmick
The character of Kurt Angle was one that took time to be accepted by the WWE universe, the original goofy and awkward personality portrayed by the Olympic gold medalist was one that he revealed McMahon never intended for him to play.
He said Vince wanted his character to be "serious from the get go" but his writer at the time, Bryan Gerwitz, opted to use comedy in the persona of Angle. The writer was complimented several times by the veteran who also wrote for Edge, Christian and The Rock.
It was not until Judgement Day 2002 that the bald wrestling machine came to be after losing to Edge and being forced to shave his head, his no nonsense wrestling style quickly followed suit. A degree of success followed in his later years with the company that was riddled with injuries.
In the year of 2006, Angle became World Heavyweight Champion in what was possibly his greatest year with the company. After beating The Undertaker at No Way Out and then again on SmackDown!, thanks to interference from Mark Henry, he would go on to WrestleMania 22 as champion.
Shortly after WrestleMania, he was drafted to the ECW brand and became something of a dominant fighter but in August 2006 he asked for his release from his contract citing "health reasons." The then 37-year-old was the highest earner at the time.
On medals
Angle addressed a question regarding his medals that were shown on television, the originals were according to him from elementary school.
After Stone Cold Steve Austin threw a number of them in the river, he said Vince McMahon made "duplicates" of his Olympic medals that were worth "$3,000 each."
On the whereabouts of the gold now he says one was "stolen" another is kept in his home and the final one is "in the WWE warehouse."