Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson made his in-ring debut at NXT Great American Bash last Sunday, when he faced off against Baron Corbin.
The match ended in a double countout, with the two men continuing to fight following the match.
The live crowd was very much behind Corbin in the match, cheering him and booing the debuting Steveson, and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T was ringside to see it all play out.
Speaking on his Hall of Fame Podcast, Booker discussed Gable’s debut, noting that he is ‘on the fence’ with him.
He said:
“They booed that boy out of the building. Baron was a big babyface. I’m on the fence with this kid, Gable Steveson. I’m not bought in. If I was jury, the verdict would still be out. The kid, he’s got one foot in, he’s got one foot out.
“These fans, they are rabid. They want to know if you’re here to stay, man. They ain’t looking for no part-timers. We ain’t looking for guys that just want to hang around and look good. No, you gotta get in there and show me something, son. You know what, you better do it quick.”
When Kurt Angle was brought up, Booker discussed Angle’s success, and how he dove straight into the business, and claimed that Gable ‘isn’t Kurt Angle’.
He said:
“Well, he ain’t no Kurt Angle [laughs]. Kurt Angle came in, and he was willing to really fall in and dive into learning this business. Not that Gable Steveson isn’t, but I really think Gable Steveson has some unfinished business still left in the amateurs, I think he got unfinished business in the Olympics.
“That right there, that’s a legacy in itself. For him to be a two-time Olympic gold medalist, come on. That’s the Wheaties box. He’s never got to do nothing ever again in his life. So I understand.”
Corbin himself is in the middle of a character shift, with him debuting a new entrance and music for the match.
AEW’s Mark Henry has commented on Steveson’s debut, saying he believes that he needs ‘proper mentorship’.
Comments powered by CComment