Jason Jordan vs. Chad Gable: Which American Alpha Member Has Brighter Future?

Thanks to a change of brands and a father-son reunion, American Alpha is no more. Jason Jordan is set to go it alone on WWE Raw; Chad Gable is now a solo act on SmackDown.

Monday's Raw saw the brand's manager Kurt Angle reveal that Jordan is actually his long-lost son. 

With that came the (perhaps temporary) split of the former SmackDown tag team champs, a move to Raw for Jordan and a chance for each member of American Alpha to prove themselves as individual stars. But is Jordan or Gable the safer bet to tear it up on their own?

Jordan has the advantage from a physical standpoint, but Gable has the edge performance-wise.

Looking at their physical gifts, charisma, ring work and mic skills, we determine which half of American Alpha will be most successful.

The Case for Jordan

Jordan is bigger than Gable, a good seven inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier to be exact. 

He's a well-built, good looking guy. He has a magazine-cover smile and has more of a prototypical WWE frame than his old partner.

Credit: WWE.com

In the ring, he's strong and quick. He's been a part of some great matches alongside Gable. And when he starts firing off suplexes, he can get the crowd going in a big way.

Few stars are as fun to watch when charging in after a hot tag.

He emotes well, too. When American Alpha won the NXT Tag Team Championship, he was believably overcome with joy. His emotion shines through on his face.

Jordan has the advantage of being hailed as Angle's son. Being associated with a star of that caliber has to give him a boost.

After the Raw GM told the world his secret, it was far easier to imagine Jordan climbing up the ladder. Pairing him with Angle in this melodramatic story is a sign of how much the company thinks of him. It's reminiscent of WCW billing Big Show as Andre the Giant's son.

ProWrestling.net columnist Will Pruett was among those left feeling optimistic after the reveal:

Steve Austin sees good things ahead for Angle's storyline son, too. On The Steve Austin Show, Stone Cold said of Jordan (link contains NSFW language): "Could possibly have a bright future ahead of him and if it is done off the back of this angle, more power to the kid."

But is his future brighter than Gable's?

The Case for Gable

Gable is the better in-ring performer of the two.

He's quicker and crisper in the ring. And while Jordan is no slouch from a technical standpoint, Gable beats him in that department. We're talking about a bonafide Olympian here.

And Gable's recent solo outings point to how skilled he is between the ropes.

He flourished in a recent clash with AJ Styles on SmackDown. The two athletes put on a show filled with smooth counters and plenty of electricity.

Gable vs. Styles would be a better PPV match than Jordan vs. The Phenomenal One. And that's the case with a number of potential matchups.

When American Alpha was still together, Gable was often the star of their interviews. He led the way as the more charismatic one. Gable was generally funnier, too.

Jordan has some catching up to do on all those fronts.

The Verdict

Jordan will get the bigger push now, but Gable will eventually outpace him.

Credit: WWE.com

It's not surprising WWE is more interested in pushing Jordan thanks to his looks and size. Gable will have to convince the company to value him over time. And with all the great action he's capable of producing in the ring, that's bound to happen. 

As former WCW valet Missy Hyatt said back in February, though, WWE will have to play up his strengths:

Gable is a more complete performer and he's on a show that has embraced non-typical stars from Heath Slater to Breezango. He'll get his chances to shine and suplex after suplex, he will make the most of it.

A United States Championship run is likely on its way for Gable. As is a handful of classic matches, a career-changing feud with someone like Rusev and an increasingly strong connection with the crowd.

Jordan has plenty of potential. His old partner, though, just has a higher ceiling.