WWE SmackDown: Will Shelton Benjamin, Chad Gable Win A Tag Title?

For the most part, 2017 has been the year of the break-up in the WWE, with most of the break-ups occurring in the paper-thin tag team divisions. But a nascent pairing has sprung between former decorated amateur wrestlers Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable on WWE SmackDown Live. Can the two eventually win tag team gold before they inevitably go their separate ways?

When Jason Jordan left WWE SmackDown Live for Raw to begin a storyline as Kurt Angle’s illegitimate son, Chad Gable seemed to be on his way to becoming a singles competitor. Gable has always been the better character of the two, and he’s even better than Jordan, who is certainly no slouch, in the ring, too. Gable put on quality matches with AJ Styles and Rusev without Jordan by his side, and his “Sami Wow Wow” line gave the main roster audience a glimpse at the goofiness that made him a fan favorite in NXT.

The Olympian’s time as a singles star was short-lived, however, because the WWE have paired him with Shelton Benjamin. One of the best tag team wrestlers in the history of the company, Benjamin set “The Golden Standard” with Charlie Haas during his first run with the company, and he was a darn good singles wrestler in his own right. Who can forget his epic Raw match with Shawn Michaels or his victory over Triple H?

In an interview with WhatCulture’s Adam Blampied, Benjamin actually stated that he didn’t want to be pigeonholed as a tag team wrestler, which is a statement that I can understand. While Benjamin is so popular as a tag team wrestler, the fact is that fans always assumed that he would return as a member of a tag team, with the likes of Dolph Ziggler and Gable thrown around as potential teammates for him.

Already, the dynamic between Gable and Benjamin is interesting. From their first segment together when Daniel Bryan announced Benjamin as Gable’s new partner, the roles for both of them are clear. Gable is the enthusiastic young wrestler who is ready to chase a tag team championship with someone he looks up to and would like to learn from.

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Benjamin is interested in winning and imparting wisdom to Gable, but he’s more reluctant, perhaps believing that he’s destined for something more. There’s an assumption that Benjamin will be the one to turn on Gable in the future, but the question is, can they win the tag titles before then?

With Jordan, Gable secured a tag team championship as American Alpha by defeating the short-lived pairing of Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton. That put over American Alpha, but they were unable to capitalize due to poor booking, eventually dropping the titles to the Usos, who may be the best tag team act in the company right now.

The Usos and the New Day are the top two tag teams on SmackDown Live, with the duo of Benjamin and Gable residing as the only true second-tier team. Breezango are present, but they never seem to wrestle anymore and still have not ascertained the identities of their attackers. The Ascension remain toast, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan haven’t formed yet, and the Hype Bros seem on the verge of breaking up after Zack Ryder post-match antics following their loss to Gable and Benjamin.

Babyfaces at this moment in time, Gable and Benjamin’s likely opponent for a title match would be the Usos, who appear to be the only legitimate heel tag team on SmackDown. But the New Day hold the titles right now, and the WWE are reportedly interested in having the rack up more wins in order to tie the record for most tag team titles.

If the WWE tires of the incredible back-and-forth the Usos and the New Day are having, they could use Benjamin and Gable as a foil, which would mean that one run as tag team champions would be a possibility. Although they are faces now, it isn’t difficult to envision them swaying to the dark side, with Benjamin perhaps teaching Gable that having a mean streak is the best way to fight your way to the top.

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It would be a shame if such a talented tag team never won a championship, and I’m sure Benjamin will get that moment. These are two of the best in-ring talents in the company, as their technical work and athleticism both speak for themselves. I’d love to see them steal a tag team title by the end of 2017, but it’s hard to see just what the plan is in the tag team division on SmackDown Live beyond the current feud between the New Day and the Usos.