Kurt Angle Chooses Baron Corbin at WrestleMania 35: Should This Have Been John Cena’s Spot?

Kurt Angle has named his opponent for WrestleMania 35 and much to everyone’s dismay, that opponent is Baron Corbin. The former corporate authority figure on Monday Night Raw will get the honor of being the last man to step into the ring with Kurt Angle on April 7.

The first question that many fans immediately began asking is what happened to John Cena? The modern day legend was the face of Vince McMahon’s company and he reached that level thanks in large part to his main roster debut in 2002.

That debut came against Kurt Angle, when a brash and bold John Cena came down to the ring and dared to defy the Olympic gold medalist. A star was born on that night. The fact is that star should have been the one to step up and take the spot with Angle on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

But unfortunately, that’s not what WWE is giving the fans. Of all the times that Cena’s imminent return was dreaded by many, this is one instance when it was expected. Cena will always have his critics of course. But even those critics would surely agree that he was the best possible choice to face Kurt Angle at The Showcase of The Immortals. 

Watch Angle’s announcement on Raw!

They haven’t had heat of any kind in a very long time, but that didn’t really matter. It’s not as though they needed to wage a blood feud in order to get Kurt’s final match over with the WWE faithful. All the company needed to do was book the match and make it happen. John and Kurt would’ve taken care of the rest.

It’s obvious that Kurt didn’t need a months-long rivalry to set the stage for his exit at Mania. Fans typically expect a good buildup on the road to WrestleMania and most of the time, they’re not happy when they don’t get it. But in this case, the story is the match itself.

However WWE evidently doesn’t agree with that sentiment. The company chose storyline for a change and ironically enough, it wasn’t the right choice. John hasn’t exactly been vocal about wanting to get Angle’s last match. But WWE teased it on social media and from the moment that happened, it became clear that it was the most logical move.

But instead fans are getting Corbin, whether they want him or not. This is the part where diehard, levelheaded fans would usually take a sensible approach. They would try to make the best of this and understand how WWE can book this to make it not only entertaining, but successful as well.

Go back to hear Kurt’s words on who he wanted to face!

After all, Corbin has an overwhelming number of critics but the truth is, he’s doing what he can. He’s been grinding on Monday Night Raw over the past year and in that time, he’s worked nearly every top guy on the program. He’s putting in the sweat equity it takes to earn his spot and there’s no denying that he’s working hard.

Then there’s the fact that Corbin is young, he’s in good shape and he’s quick on his feet. Kurt doesn’t need to face a 40-year old that’s lost a step in the ring. That’s a long match and truth be told, it would likely be a dull match as well. Cena left WWE because it’s a young man’s game and he’s admitted that. Why come back and work Angle when he knows that Kurt could use someone that’s capable of flying around the ring for him?

But at the end of the day, Baron Corbin is Baron Corbin and that’s a problem. He’s got no charisma to speak of and he’s perhaps the most mechanical Superstar on the mic that currently works in WWE. 

Corbin has no life to him. There’s no emotion behind his words and no matter how hard he’s worked in the ring, he’s still not tearing the house down against anyone in a one-on-one situation. Baron’s only saving grace is the multi-man tag team match, which has become his forte as of late. But that won’t help him against Kurt Angle in a singles match at WrestleMania 35.

Watch Kurt’s most thrilling tap-outs!

So who wins this one? Angle is going out on his shield and he’ll do it the right way. Unfortunately for fans, that means he might lost to Baron at WrestleMania. It’s a major honor for anyone on the WWE roster, especially for Corbin, who’s not been in serious title contention for quite some time. 

But to be the man to retire Kurt Angle would surely do wonders for his career, provided WWE used that narrative. Corbin could move on to bigger and better things and WWE could ride that throughout the rest of 2019. While it seems insane that the company would propel Corbin up the ladder to a major spot, the fact is he’s already been used in that capacity on Raw. What if all of this is just a precursor to the real push that’s just over the horizon?

The fact is that Kurt Angle should be the man to choose his last opponent. There’s no way to know if that’s what happened here. But it’s a safe bet that Kurt had to sign off on this in order tor it to happen. He might lose to Baron Corbin on April 7. But then again, he might not. In the end, this comes down to one legend’s desire to go out on his own terms. If that’s indeed what’s happening, then maybe fans should just accept it, whether they like it or not.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live