Examining Chad Gable's Direction, Upside and Long-Term Potential

It's not fair to compare Chad Gable to Kurt Angle. That's like tagging a young, tall point guard out of college the next Magic Johnson and calling his career a disappointment if it falls short of the Hall of Famer's.

Gable is a mat wizard just as Angle was. He's a former Olympian like the former WWE world champ.

But his career arc promises to be different than Angle's, likely focusing more on tag teams and not involving WrestleMania main events.

SmackDown drafted Gable and Jason Jordan from NXT in July as a duo. It first looked as if American Alpha was going to jump to the top of the blue brand's tag team division.

While WWE hesitated to showcase acts such as The Hype Bros and Breezango, Gable and Jordan won every bout. They knocked off enhancement talents, as well as fellow NXT transplants The Vaudevillains.

American Alpha, though, gave way to Heath Slater's underdog tale. The Usos battered Gable's ankle to the point where he couldn't compete. That took him and Jordan out of the tournament to crown SmackDown's first tag champs.

Since then, revenge has been fresh on Gable's mind in a slowly progressing feud with The Usos.

That hasn't yet translated to the kind of spotlight his skill deserves. Gable and Jordan competed in a crowded throwaway match on the No Mercy pre-show. That followed a 12-man tag team match at SummerSlam.

Soon, SmackDown is going to have to zero in on Gable and Jordan more. 

The duo is a potentially red-hot act, one that has already left fans roaring for the pair of former amateur grapplers. But will that lead into success as a singles star? If so, it will be on the back of his technical skill. 

Strengths

Gable not only thrives at mat wrestling; he also infuses it with energy. Suddenly, headlocks and college-style takedowns are made into applause-worthy moments.

It should be no surprise how smooth and natural Gable is on the canvas. After all, he came to pro wrestling via amateur grappling. Gable was a high school champ in Minnesota and wrestled in the 2012 Summer Olympics, as noted on WWE.com. 

He's been able to translate that background into high-octane performances in the squared circle.

American Alpha's feud with The Revival in NXT produced a number of memorable bouts. Those collisions had plenty of great theater to go with all of Gable's technical prowess.

And he's skilled at generating pathos. In the opposition's corner, fighting uphill, Gable compels.

Indy wrestler Gran Akuma compared him to one of the most respected babyfaces in the business:

We haven't seen nearly enough of that in his SmackDown tenure thus far. That's a result of few opportunities, not a reflection of his talent.

Once the war between The Usos and American Alpha truly kicks off, there will be some magic on the mat. 

Obstacles

Daniel Bryan, Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero proved that smaller guys can still be larger-than-life champions, but WWE will always favor the big man.

The door will be open wider for Baron Corbin and Braun Strowman than it will be for Gable. At 5'8", 202 pounds, he will have to be twice as good as those Superstars to earn a top-tier spot.

For that reason, Gable's well-built, larger and more handsome partner will likely be WWE's preferred member of American Alpha.

Gable is not a great talker, either.

He's likable and funny but not hugely charismatic. His promos promise to be solid moving forward, not stellar.

It's an area that Gable has improved, however. When he first arrived to NXT, he floundered on the mic. Now, it's far less of a handicap for him.

Even so, WWE could view him more as a long-term tag team wrestler and not feel that he's fit for singles stardom. Remember that, as great as Dynamite Kid was, WWE never opted to let him shine as a solo act.

Gable has been excellent aligned with Jordan. A lot of that has been the result of their chemistry together and how their skill sets complement each other.

On his own, Gable isn't quite as appealing.

Long-Term Potential

As loud a reaction as Gable earns when he's on offense, it's a safe bet that he catches fire at one point. He and Jordan are certain to be SmackDown tag champs a number of times. WWE is sure to pit them against the best duos on the roster.

But beyond that, how good can be outside of American Alpha? 

The folks at the New Age Insiders podcast are among those who see big things ahead for him:

It's not clear, though, whether he is the Charlie Haas or Shelton Benjamin of this team. Haas excelled in the tag team arena but did little as a singles star. Benjamin was far more of a success by his lonesome, winning the Intercontinental Championship three times.

That's a title Gable is likely to seize at some point.

His ceiling without Jordan is that midcard championship. WWE is sure to be too hung up on his size to push him to a headliner level. Sami Zayn, who is a better talker and five inches taller than Gable, will have a hard enough time getting there himself.

Instead, Gable is destined to wear a label that Benjamin wore his entire career—underrated.

Be sure to check out previous editions of this ongoing series:

• T.J. Perkins
• Alexa Bliss
• Braun Strowman
• Heath Slater