We now know he’s getting an Intercontinental Title shot at the event, so will Clash at the Castle help WWE keep Chad Gable?
More: Chad Gable’s Contract Expiring Imminently
He is in the midst of his best singles run of his entire WWE career. In just a bit more than a week, he will get yet another shot at the Intercontinental Championship. So far, he has come up empty handed, losing multiple times to Gunther. Most recently, he lost to Sami Zayn, and after another crushing loss, Gable snapped and turned heel. As of the most recent Monday Night RAW, Gable pushed the right buttons and got himself another title shot-at Clash at the Castle.
Timing is interesting
The timing of the match is very interesting. Per multiple reports, we are well aware that Chad Gable is one of a number of Superstars who have contracts expiring. Except, in the case of Gable, it is believed that his contract expires the first full weekend of June. Meaning, the weekend prior to the Clash at the Castle. And yet, he got himself a title match. A well deserved one at that.
Handshake deals and short term extensions are not new in professional wrestling. Before he left AEW, Cody Rhodes was working without a contract for a bit. Matt Hardy showed up in TNA without a signed deal-just an agreement. It is entirely possible that WWE and Gable have a similar understanding-keep working on television while negotiations progress.
But, Mr. Meltzer over at the Wrestling Observer offered another spin. Perhaps WWE may entice Gable into re-signing by offering not just a title match, but a title win in Scotland. This conclusion, to be honest, is not a huge leap. WWE has been burned before by wrestlers unhappy with contracts leaving with titles. There’s a chance they were concerned about Becky Lynch’s contract status when they had Liv Morgan win it off her just recently.
Put it another way: if Chad Gable defeats Sami Zayn at Clash at the Castle for the title, I’d bet money that the new deal is done. But if Gable does not leave Scotland with a new gold belt? Then I’d say negotiations are at best still in progress. At worst, they may have broken down. For now, I think WWE wants him, and he wants to be there. Right now it’s hard to imagine a deal not getting done.
