Eric Bischoff believes Chad Gable may be the only active professional wrestler capable of successfully transitioning into Real American Freestyle competition.
Speaking on 83 Weeks, Bischoff discussed the level of talent currently involved with Real American Freestyle (RAF) and explained why he believes most wrestlers would struggle to compete against elite freestyle wrestlers.
Bischoff began by highlighting the caliber of athletes already associated with the promotion. “When you’ve got Olympic gold medalists like Kyle Snyder, or you’ve got a phenom like Beau Bassett, and everything in between.”
He continued by mentioning several other accomplished competitors. “Gold medalist Andrew Suedo and silver medalist Kennedy Blades.”
According to Bischoff, competing against athletes of that level is an entirely different challenge from relying on accomplishments earned years earlier. “When you’re competing with people at that level, no matter how good you were 15 years ago or 10 years ago or five years ago, if you’re not at that level today, you’re going to get smoked.”
Bischoff stressed that the difference between past success and current elite-level competition is often much greater than people realize. “The difference between current elite-level success and previous successful experience is night and day.”
Despite those concerns, Bischoff believes Chad Gable possesses the background and athletic ability to potentially make the jump.
A former Olympian who represented the United States at the 2012 Olympic Games, Gable remains one of the most accomplished amateur wrestlers currently working in professional wrestling. “I think Chad Gable, if he committed for a period of four to six months and really focused on his freestyle, trained with some elite-level freestyle wrestlers, I think Chad still has enough gas in the tank that he could be competitive and put on a great show that would be highly entertaining.”
However, Bischoff made it clear that he views Gable as a rare exception rather than the rule. “But I think he’s probably the only one.”
Gable’s amateur credentials have long been regarded as among the strongest in WWE. Before becoming a successful sports entertainer, he compiled an impressive wrestling résumé that culminated with his appearance at the London Olympics.
While there is currently no indication that Gable plans to compete in Real American Freestyle, Bischoff’s comments reflect the respect many within the wrestling industry still have for his amateur wrestling abilities.
For now, Gable remains one of WWE’s featured performers, but if Real American Freestyle ever looks to bring in a current pro wrestler, Bischoff believes he may be the best candidate for the challenge.
