This past Friday on SmackDown, Kurt Angle announced that Matt Riddle would be moving from NXT to the blue brand, leading to speculation that the WWE Hall of Famer may assume the role of The King of Bros' manager.
Now, Angle has revealed that he was actually offered the chance to manage Riddle in the past, but had to turn it down.
The Olympic Gold Medalist was asked about SmackDown's newest acquisition during an interview with CBR, and was full of praise for the former MMA fighter.
"I think that Matt Riddle is going to be one of the faces of the [WWE], he has all the ability. His personality is great. At first, it’s a little odd. But once you get to know him, he’s very likable - and that’s what he’s going to get from the fans. They’re going to love this kid. And he proves it in the ring. He’s phenomenal in the ring. There’s no doubt about that. But his whole bro gimmick thing works really well. And he’s going to do extremely well."
“WWE has offered me a job to manage him," Angle revealed. "Unfortunately, I turned it down due to a few different reasons, but I would have loved to manage him. It just wasn’t the right time.”
That's a shame, but it could still happen. When asked if there was a chance he might return to TV with Riddle at some point, Angle said: “You never know.”
While it's true that Matt doesn't necessarily need a manager (he certainly doesn't need a mouthpiece), an association with Angle could definitely help elevate him to the next level.