Kurt Angle Confirms Retirement From Wrestling, Ends All Possibilities Of Final WWE Return

A six-time WWE World Champion, Kurt Angle has officially confirmed he will never wrestle again, citing severe health issues.

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle has officially ruled out any chance of returning to in-ring competition. The six-time WWE World Champion revealed that his body is too damaged to make a comeback, confirming his retirement once and for all.

Angle, 56, built a career that stretched across more than two decades, winning world titles and becoming one of the most celebrated names in professional wrestling. His last bout came at WrestleMania 35, where he was defeated by Baron Corbin. Since then, the Olympic Gold Medalist has appeared occasionally on WWE programming, but he has stayed away from active competition.

Speaking on Mic Check with Mr. Anderson, Angle admitted that even a potential farewell match against John Cena was not possible. The former champion stated his body could no longer endure the physical demands of wrestling.

“I wish I could, man. I can’t. That would be very tempting, but there’s just no way possible. I have had my knees replaced; I now need to have my shoulders replaced. I had five neck surgeries, two back surgeries. My body just is really banged up. There’s really nothing I can do.”

Kurt Angle Was John Cena’s First Opponent In WWE

Cena made his official WWE debut in 2002 by accepting Kurt Angle’s open challenge on SmackDown. Although the newcomer lost, his performance became the launchpad for one of the greatest careers in wrestling history.

Over the years, Angle has often mentioned he wanted Cena to be his final opponent. Instead, he ended his career facing Corbin at WrestleMania 35. With Cena now nearing retirement, speculation remains that Angle could appear during his farewell, though nothing has been confirmed.