For a time in 2023, it looked like Chad Gable was going to be the man who unseated Gunther as the Intercontinental Champion.
Initially entering into a program with Imperium as part of an Alpha Academy comedy schtick, Gable rapidly proved he was a legitimate worker capable of lasting five minutes and eventually even longer in the ring with the “Ring General” as he grew closer and closer to ending his record-setting reign before it could become the longest of all time.
While both sides have since moved on, with Alpha Academy feuding with their on-again, off-again foes, the Viking Raiders, and Gunther taking on other challengers like Jey Uso, for Gable, the leader of Imperium has remained his white whale, with a run holding the “working man's title” still his chief goal heading into 2024.
Taking to social media to express his desire to unseat the “Ring General” at WrestleMania 40 or before, Gable shared a video where he laid out his intentions as clear as day.
“The holidays are a time for reflection. When we finally get some free time to spend with our families, and I'm grateful for that, but I can't help but still feel a fire burning inside me. Fortunately, this new year brings a chance at redemption, a chance to right a wrong that continues to haunt me,” Chad Gable told the WWE Universe.
“Gunther, I told you straight to your face what you and that match did to me, but you made it personal. You made this about more than just the championship, but this isn't about revenge. This is a quest for vindication, for my family, my daughter, my fans, and myself. When Chad Gable says something, he means it, and I said something, so Im going to do it. This isn't a resolution, it's a declaration.”
Welp, you've got to give it to Gable, he's certainly a creative mind, as his Minnesota-based promos packages have always been as compelling as they are visually interesting.
While WWE fans may largely associate Gable with comedy spots, from his run with the Alpha Academy to his time under the Shorty G moniker, he does come to WWE with a very strong collegiate wrestling pedigree, with the Saint Michael, Minnesota, native representing America in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Dubbed one of Cody Rhodes' favorite technical wrestlers when he was looking to add talent to AEW back in the day, if there's any member of the WWE Universe who can guarantee a five-star classic with Gunther at WrestleMania 40, it has to be the no longer Shorty G.
Chad Gable reveals the inspiration for his Master's character.
With WrestleMania 40 rapidly approaching, Chad Gable sat down for an interview with TV Insider to talk about the state of WWE heading into its biggest show of the year.
Asked when he felt the fans really got behind him, Gable noted it all started when he developed his “Master's” character, as his goofy mannerisms captured the hearts and attention of fans around the world.
“I think when I started to connect was after I embraced the educational master-type thing,” Chad Gable told TV Insider. “I legit got my master’s degree. It was a new avenue to explore. It was actually what happened. That’s what made it work. It was real, happening organically. I had just got my master’s degree. A new character twist for us, and it all aligned. You don’t know if the ‘Thank You' and other things from my past will work. It just so happened to work.”
Discussing his inspirations outside of professional wrestling, Gable let it be known that he's a huge fan of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and actually borrows heavily from Glenn Howerton's character Dennis Renyols in crafting this new version of the “Master.”
For those who don’t know, I steal a lot of stuff from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” Gable noted. “Dennis Reynolds specifically aligned up perfectly with my master’s degree character, and I couldn’t help but steal some stuff. I’m so obsessed with the show. I feel I know his character as much as he does. So it does allow me to do some improvisation when I need to. I remember the spelling bee stuff I did. Otis spelled one of the words wrong by accident. That stuff there is so much hilarity to what we do.”
Is Gable's inspiration from Dennis immediately obvious to the naked eye? Eh, not really, as they present themselves in very different ways, but once you learn of the inspiration, doted start to get connected in rapid succession, and suddenly, the parallels can't be unseen. All in all, fantastic work by Gable as he's found a way to make himself all the more compelling, all the while adding this new wrinkle that will pop fans in the know even harder.
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