Why Chad Gable Would Have Been a Better Wrestlemania Opponent for Kurt Angle than Baron Corbin

This past Monday on RAW Kurt Angle revealed that his farewell match at Wrestlemania will see Baron Corbin take the position as his final WWE opponent. The controversial decision has left fans both angered and disappointed with the likes of John Cena and Drew McIntyre topping the list for many of the WWE universe. With such a jam-packed roster Angle had a list of strong potential opponents and so the decision to with Corbin so far has not gone down well! This week’s show also saw Kurt go one on one with Chad Gable and it inspired today’s blog post! I have always been a fan of Chad Gable and I can’t help but think he may have been a far better pick to face Kurt at the grandest stage of them all.

Passing the Torch

From the moment Chad Gable arrived on the scene here in the WWE he has been compared to the Hall of Famer and the comparison has always been justified. From minor details such as his ring gear to his in-ring style and capabilities, you can’t help but watch Gable and see a young Kurt Angle within him. When looking at the future of the WWE we can see how things will look and the stars who will go on to make as strong as an impact as the legends we once watched. From Roman Reigns adopting a similar position as John Cena to Adam Cole reminding so many of Shawn Michaels, the passing of the torch element has always been seen throughout generations of pro wrestling and it would have made all the sense in the world to tell that story between Angle and Gable. The similarities and just how much Chad has always idolised Kurt would have made for such a special mania match.

The Better Match

While I have always been a major Baron Corbin fan, even I can admit I’m not expecting this encounter to be a standout come the night of Wrestlemania. Corbin, of course, has great skill and potential and throughout his career so far has proven to be a dominant star and had his own standout matches against several stars but taking on Kurt Angle for me doesn’t scream “must see” match nor do I believe this should be the last match fans remember Angle competing in inside a WWE ring. The match is far too predictable while if he was to have taken on Gable there would have been a slight touch of unpredictability and plenty more respect from fans and higher expectation. In my personal opinion, Angles final match should have enabled him to show the world one last time what he is all about and his strengths as a pro wrestler and its an opponent such as Gable, I believe would have gotten the best match out of Kurt on the grandest stage of them all. The encounter we will get instead could easily become forgettable on the night.

The Jason Jordan angle

It’s been a while since the WWE touched on the “Kurt Angle is Jason Jordan’s father” set up with Jordan away due to injury for so long. Now, this is a story that really didn’t work out but had Jordan been able to return sooner the WWE could have completely turned this idea around by introducing Gable setting up an angle that sees Gable revealed as Kurt’s real son. With Jordan still away this is simply an opportunity that has been missed, however, the relationship between Gable and Jordan is one that fans are still aware of and because of that, it would have set up the perfect Wrestlemania match up for Gable taking on Kurt in his final match. The WWE could have revealed Gable to have been his true son all along or create a segment that saw Gable use his friendship with Jordan to earn the position as Kurt’s final WWE opponent. This is truly a story that rights itself and when looking at the current WWE rosters its clear Chad is one of the only stars with a solid story and relationship with Angle that could have made for a Wrestlemania style match and storyline.

Gable Needs It More

It’s safe to say Baron Corbin needs some momentum and this huge match at Wrestlemania could do great things for his career in the long run especially if he manages to walk away with the win, however, it’s a star like Gable who simply needed this match far more. Corbin is a talent easy to push and put in a storyline that will see him pick up some kind of reaction, Gable on the other hand has struggled from the moment he arrived on the main roster. The WWE has done a poor job in allowing Chad to show the WWE Universe just how good he is and what he is capable of and giving him a push isn’t something the WWE has truly done for him. Now, his tag teamwork has always been fantastic, but Gable has had the ability to shine as a single star far more and taking on Kurt would have set him up perfectly to go ahead and make the transition nicely. Gable could easily find himself involved in tag team action come Mania, but it seems unlikely and as a whole, it's evident this young star would have benefited far more from facing Kurt at Wrestlemania than Corbin.

A More Original set up

One of the issues I have with the Kurt Angle vs Baron Corbin matchup is the lack of originality. We have seen these two collide in the past during beat downs and we have seen their story told for a very long time and there is simply no interest from fans. This, of course, is a match that could have worked for an episode of RAW or even as part of a “Farewell tour” match on a PPV on the road to Wrestlemania but to book this for the grandest stage of them all for me is just not good nor strong enough. Taking on Gable instead would have enabled Kurt to take part in a completely fresh story that sets up a bright new direction for a young up and coming star and end Angles WWE career on a  very high and positive note summing up his career perfectly.

While I have always been a Baron Corbin fan even I have to admit that is a big mistake made by the WWE and despite Gable maybe also not being a big fan favourite I hope today I have shed a light on why he would have made for a much stronger pick.