Legendary wrestler and World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) Raw General Manager Kurt Angle returned to the ring on Monday night at the Tables, Ladders & Chairs (TLC) 2017 event.
The 48-year-old Olympic medalist traded in his executive suit for a wrestling uniform and stepped into the ring to join superstars Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. He replaced Roman Reigns at the last minute which turned the event upside-down amid the excitement and cheers. They went into the main event with a 5-on-3 handicap against powerhouses The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Braun Strowman, and Kane. The underdogs defeated Miz's team after 35 minutes of battle with an array of tables, ladders, and chairs.
Angle went into the match after an 11-year absence and had to pass a medical exam before he could enter the ring. He said in a recent interview before the event, "It is ironic that I won the World Championship 17 years ago. This day will always be special to me. You know, that was the day I beat The Rock for the world title, my first world title. That jumpstarted my career and took me to a level I never dreamed of. To come back on this date and to perform in the main event again is huge. You can't ask for anything more than that." It is apparent that Angle is looking forward to a great run in the WWE ring as a performer.
Reigns was sidelined from the event because he contracted mumps. This allowed Angle to come in and replace him in dramatic fashion during the pay-per-view event. Similarly, Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas had to sit it out due to concerns over viral meningitis. All of these wrestling superstars are expected to return next week, pending some tests. The rest of the roster will be vaccinated to avoid any more hang-ups with the schedule.
