Chad Gable needs a character change post WrestleMania 40

WrestleMania 40 is on the horizon. It’s the show that is expected to bring several top stories to an end and be the catalyst for what’s next in what has been a momentum-building year for WWE. Once April 8 comes, expect some changes for many of the favorites across the WWE roster. Chad Gable is one of those who should “change” in a sense. Looking at how things went for him in the gauntlet match, perhaps now is the time to see Gable make a slight change to his character.  

Chad Gable missed his opportunity to face GUNTHER and “finish” his story. He failed to beat Sami Zayn, even coming into the match in the best possible spot. Evening yelling that this was his “moment” time and time again, it was his shoulders stuck to the mat for a three count. That defeat should be the catalyst that sends him down a different character path.

WWE often struggles to develop interesting characters, whether they are faces or heels. Gable is an example of that issue. Even though fans were behind him, WWE curbed his momentum, keeping him off television for weeks until the gauntlet match for the Mania shot. Other than the fans pushing for his success, there wasn’t anything “special” about Gable as a character.

Compare his current run to that of Drew McIntyre. McIntyre is the perfect example of the “heel” who has a legitimate case for being right. He has an interesting arc that makes his promos intriguing, his social media game is hilarious, and he’s drawing attention beyond just his matches. That is what Gable needs to develop and WWE must put him in a position to find that next level.

What would that look like for Chad Gable? Well, the first thing is to cut the Alpha Academy gimmick. His time as a tag team performer is long done. Akira Tozawa, Otis, and Maxxine Dupri are fun – but if Gable is going to become a top performer and legit singles champion, he needs to let that group go. This doesn’t need to be the typical split where they end up feuding, but Gable simply making the statement that he needs to go it alone would go a long way in establishing a new, more intense character for his future.

Then, WWE should take a page out of the way Gunther was booked during his run. To steal a phrase from Sheamus, that means putting on “Banger after banger after banger.” Seeing Gable switch on an intensity while in matches against individuals like Ricochet, Apollo Crews, members of The New Day, and others would go a long way in helping him show a different side of his personality. Seeing him put on those types of matches while building back to a title match of his own would quickly establish Gable as a threat to whoever has a mid-card title around their waist. Gable can get there, but he needs a few slight changes to who he is today to get to that point.

Chad Gable is an exceptional performer who can match skills with anyone bell-to-bell. But he’s missing a bit of the character work that would send him over the top with the WWE Universe. If he can pull off a character change coming out of WrestleMania 40, he may be one step closer to the singles title run that everyone wants to see.