Kurt Angle to referee Riddle vs. Thatcher 'cage fight' on NXT

August 29, 2020 / By mobanmarket

Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher’s “cage fight” on Wednesday’s episode of NXT will have a Hall of Famer as its special guest referee.

WWE announced today that Kurt Angle will be the special guest referee for Riddle vs. Thatcher on Wednesday’s show. Angle, who had been working in a behind-the-scenes role with WWE since retiring from in-ring competition, was part of last month’s WWE releases.

On NXT this week, Thatcher cut a promo challenging Riddle to a match that can only be won by knockout or submission. He said they could have the match anywhere Riddle wants, and Riddle responded later in the show by accepting the challenge and saying their match would take place inside of a cage.

Thatcher filled in as Riddle’s temporary partner while Pete Dunne is unable to travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Riddle & Thatcher lost the NXT Tag Team titles to Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner on the May 13 episode of NXT when Thatcher walked out of the match.

After their partnership imploded, Riddle then defeated Thatcher in the main event later on that episode. Riddle managed to reverse a submission attempt into a pin, but Thatcher then attacked him after the match.

Here’s the updated lineup for Wednesday’s NXT:

Cage fight: Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher (Kurt Angle will be the special guest referee)
Rhea Ripley & Io Shirai vs. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and a partner of her choosing
Triple threat match: Kushida vs. Drake Maverick vs. Jake Atlas (the winner advances to the interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament finals from Group A)
NXT Champion Adam Cole and NXT general manager William Regal will have a “live negotiation”