When Kurt Angle returned to the WWE for his Hall of Fame induction in 2017, fans knew there was every chance that he could return to the ring if he was physically able to do so.

He was initially given the role as the General Manager of Raw but he was given storylines that made his return to the ring seem like it was going to happen.

Little seeds were planted throughout 2017 for Angle's in-ring return but it happened all-so suddenly at the Tables, Ladders and Chairs event in October.

Roman Reigns was struck down by illness, so Angle was drafted in as his replacement in The Shield in his first match in a WWE ring in over a decade.

The match was more memorable for the fact Kurt came to the ring in full Shield attire, looking fairly ridiculous in the process, but it's not the return he had in mind.

"Don't get me wrong, being part of the Shield was awesome, but to have my return... I thought I was going to get the royal treatment and I'd be wrestling in main events," admitted Angle, per ComicBook.

"I was wrestling pretty good at that point because I was very active. When I became inactive is when my body shut down and my age started to show. When you sit out for nine months your body becomes arthritic and you start tensing up and you can't move your legs, and your back, and your neck.

"So when I got into that match it was fun for me. And was I a little disappointed? No, because it was the Shield, but I was disappointed that I didn't get a Kurt Angle feature match. But I understand. And what I'm getting to is this - when I came back here I was a liability.

"Vince McMahon knew that. And they were having me drug tested to make sure I was clean. But the thing is it's my fault. So I understand why Vince did what he did. He brought me in, put me in the Hall of Fame, then he had me do the GM role.

"Then he had me start wrestling. And by the time I started wrestling my body was all arthritic and cramped up and I couldn't move. 

"But I understand why Vince did it. He looks at me and says I don't want this kid to screw himself up again. So I'm going to keep him straight by giving him these roles.

"So he only have me wrestle every once and awhile. And he wouldn't let me wrestle for longer than seven minutes. So it was like, sure I was upset, but I understand."

Angle has had his well-publicised problems with painkillers and other issues and began to see why McMahon was so concerned about his performances.

"If i relapsed under Vince's watch, that would not be good," Angle continued. "He's worried about my health and my welfare, and I shouldn't be upset about that. So I look at it that way, because when I came back to WWE I thought I was going to be in the championship run.

"I thought I was gonna be going for the title, wrestling Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, and it didn't happen. But I do understand why. And we all come to a point in our lives... I'm 50 years old. I can't do what I used to do.

"And I started to realise, you know, you're at the end of your career and you're not going to get another title run. So you might want to make this WrestleMania your last. And I came to grips with it."

It's good to see that Angle decided himself that enough was enough, with some superstars liking to hold onto their careers for a bit too long nowadays - it makes a welcome change.