WWE Rumors: Vince McMahon High On ‘SmackDown Live’ Superstar

While he failed to win the event, Chad Gable getting to the final of this year’s King of the Ring tournament suggests that WWE has big plans for the SmackDown Live superstar. Gable was a standout performer during the entirety of the tournament, and his performances appear to have caught the attention of the man whose opinion matters the most in the company.

Citing Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WrestleTalk reports that Vince McMahon “really likes and appreciates” Gable and his hard work of late. In recent weeks, the superstar has been the brunt of several jokes pertaining to his small stature, but the reason behind them could be to build the superstar as an underdog.

The WWE chairman is known for his juvenile sense of humor, which left many fans fearing that Gable could be in line for a burial by turning his character into a laughingstock. As The Inquisitr recently reported, WWE filed for the trademark “Shorty G,” with the intention of making this Gable’s new name.

The proposed name change is, understandably, a cause for concern among Gable fans. WWE’s history of humorous gimmicks is inconsistent at best, and many feel that Gable deserves better treatment and storylines given his ability.

The superstar is a former amateur wrestler who competed for the United States at the 2012 Olympics. While he didn’t go on to win any medals at the event, he still has a legitimate sporting pedigree that deserves to be acknowledged.

With SmackDown Live supposedly set to become more sports-centric in its presentation when it makes the jump to Fox next month, pushing a talent like Gable would bring an air of credibility to the show. When it comes to a successful sporting background, few superstars in the company are more accomplished than Gable.

At the same time, Gable has taken to sports entertainment rather well. In NXT, he skyrocketed to popularity as one half of the American Alpha tag team with Jason Jordan. In addition to warming the hearts of fans with their outstanding wrestling ability, the duo also got over with their entertaining promos.

After the pairing got promoted to the main roster, they were broken up fairly quickly. Gable went on to enjoy some tag team success with Bobby Roode, but the team was short-lived and came about during a time when WWE was neglecting its tag team division.

If the latest reports are true, however, Gable’s patience and hard work is finally paying off. May this be the start of a successful new chapter in his WWE career.