There is a lot of anticipation and hype building around the debut of Gable Steveson in WWE. Rumours speculate that he might be having a name change before his debut appearance on TV.
The Olympic Gold Medalist has been provided with a separate training facility by WWE to continue his university education along with training to become a WWE superstar. He hasn’t debuted yet but has already got into talks for a name change. As such, there is another wrestler on the WWE roster by the name of Gable, Chad Gable.
Will Gable Steveson change his name?
Reports suggest that Steveson might ask for a name change for Chad Gable when he makes his WWE debut. Gable Steveson confirmed that he will be using his real name in WWE in a recent interview with The MMA Hour. Steveson was asked about the fact that another wrestler had the name “Gable” in the roster to which he replied that he acknowledged Chad Gable and hinted at a potential name change in the near future.
Chad Gable is a former Olympian in his own right. He never won an Olympic medal when he participated in 2012 London Olympics, but had an amazing amateur wrestling career. The real name of Chad Gable is Charles Betts and he is not a stranger to changing his name in WWE. His name was once changed to “Shorty G” from Chad Gable. The “Shorty G” gimmick was short-lived and WWE reverted back to his original ring name. He will team up with Otis as the Alpha Academy to take on RK-Bro for the Raw Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 38.
Superstars who have had their names changed in WWE
WWE is not new to repackaging superstars to introduce new gimmicks. A number of notable WWE superstars have undergone name changes.
1. Dolph Ziggler
Doplh Ziggler is known to be the best seller of this generation. An exceptional amateur wrestler, the Show-off is a former World Champion who started off as a member of a the “Spirit Squad” named Nicky in 2006. He was later re-introduced as Dolph Ziggler in 2008 at an episode of Monday Night Raw.
2. Gunther
Known as the Ring General, Gunther is known for his intense chops and ominous presence. The NXT star has found a lot of success with his stable “Imperium”. WWE decided to change his name to “Gunther Stark” earlier this year. But the decision met with fan backlash as the name Gunther Stark, when searched on google, shows that it was the name of a German commander during the second World War. They later shortened it to “Gunther”.
3. Butch
Butch made his Smackdown debut in March ’22. He was previously known as the “Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne who had been an integral name under the NXT brand. He was repackaged as Butch on his Smackdown debut joined forces with Sheamus and Ridge Holland to form their own team.
Gable Steveson is more likely to be heading directly to the main roster unlike most of the talents who have to go through the NXT brand for developmental purposes. Any potential plan regarding Steveson’s appearance at WrestleMania are yet to be disclosed. He has revealed that the plans for his WWE debut are set for mid-April after he completes his education from the University of Minnesota.
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