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Chad Gable believes Daniel Bryan’s success ultimately led to WWE giving opportunities to smaller wrestlers.
Gable, who is billed at five-foot-eight, competed as an amateur wrestler in the 2012 Olympic Games. Around that time, Bryan became increasingly popular with fans thanks to his impressive in-ring performances and entertaining character work.
Appearing on WWE Network show Table For 3, Gable said Bryan’s undeniable talent prompted the company to expand its search for new superstars:
“Thankfully enough, amateur wrestling just opened the doors and brought me to where I was. There was scouts at the Olympics from WWE. They happened to be looking for amateur athletes, and Daniel Bryan at the time had opened a lot of doors for smaller guys and people my size, and so the stars just aligned. After the Olympics, I made the journey here.”
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Gable signed with WWE in November 2013 and made his in-ring debut in September 2014. The 36-year-old has since become a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion, one-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion, and two-time RAW Tag Team Champion.
Bryan, meanwhile, won the main event of WrestleMania 30 against Batista and Randy Orton in 2014. He now performs under his real name, Bryan Danielson, in AEW.
Chad Gable had doubts about his WWE dream coming true in the past
The RAW Superstar currently works alongside his long-time friend Otis as part of the Alpha Academy tag team. The two men have recently been involved in rivalries with RK-Bro and The Street Profits.
Although Gable began his wrestling journey as an amateur wrestler, he always aspired to become a professional wrestler/sports entertainer one day:
“My goal was to be in WWE since I was a kid.” Gable continued, “It was something that seemed out of reach to me. I don’t know if it’s the size thing… guys were so much bigger back then all around. It was always kind of this thing that for me didn’t really seem possible.”
Gable’s height became part of a widely criticized storyline in 2019. He adopted the name Shorty G and often had to listen to jokes about it from his fellow superstars.
Please credit Table For 3 and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
