WWE News: Kurt Angle To Replace Mick Foley As ‘RAW’ General Manager?
The last year, alone, in the WWE exemplified the “never say never” phrase that’s so often thrown around in the sports entertainment business, thanks to blockbuster returns from Shane McMahon, Goldberg and Kurt Angle. Those surprises may have even overshadowed the return of Mick Foley, who first contributed to one of the more memorable moments from WrestleMania 32 and followed that up by agreeing to become the new General Manager of Monday Night RAW when the brand split was initiated.
Shane McMahon was contacted out of desperation and stuck around despite obvious loopholes in the storyline that brought him back. Like Shane, Goldberg returned for one more match, but the WWE Universe gave the company no choice but to extend his stay. And out of coincidence or otherwise, Kurt Angle was brought back to headline the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
Angle was announced as the first inductee back on January 16, but the Olympic gold medalist has yet to make an appearance on WWE television since. As time’s gone on since the announcement, it’s become more and more clear that the company’s early plans for Kurt only include the enshrinement over WrestleMania weekend.
Beyond that, it gets murky, though there have been several reports that have indicated an arrangement with WWE and Kurt Angle will extend further. It has been confirmed that Angle will have a role on television once WrestleMania season concludes, but the two sides have kept that under wraps since the announcement was made. Kurt has done countless interviews over the last month where he’s asked who he wants to wrestle now that he’s back under the WWE umbrella.
However, wrestling may not be in the cards for the Olympic hero, at least not right away. It’s well-known that Vince McMahon was steering clear of a Kurt Angle reunion due to past health and legal issues, and now that he’s back in some capacity, it remains to be seen whether Vince will allow him to get physical again. But he might have something else in mind.
As noted, Mick Foley has been the RAW General Manager since the brand split last July. Foley has made it public knowledge that he does not have a contract with WWE and is, instead, working on a hand-shake agreement. Foley’s health has also become a very public topic as Mick will require hip surgery that will keep him off the road for an extended period of time. As of now, he is expected to remain an on-screen character through WrestleMania, but could be written off television to have the operation.
And according to a recent report, once Mick Foley steps away, Kurt Angle may be the man to replace him to assume the role of GM. Foley has stated several times that he realizes he wouldn’t be long for the position and that he’s surprised he’s lasted this long already. Mick has had to postpone the procedure, either because he didn’t have health insurance or the WWE requested his services for more dates, but he can’t afford to delay it much longer.
The WWE has already planted seeds for a firing as Foley and Stephanie have engaged in several segments of discord. And with the surgery on the horizon, it’s only a matter of time before they accelerate the angle. And there, waiting in the wings, could be another angle: Kurt Angle.
Kurt has experience in the role, having served as General Manager of SmackDown in 2004 and he certainly has on-screen history with Stephanie McMahon. It’s unknown whether the GM post was what the WWE originally had in mind for Angle’s impending “on-screen role,” but the timing of Foley’s health concerns makes it a sensible match. We’ll just have to wait and see whether that parlays into an actual wrestling match down the line.
[Featured Image by WWE]
