Chad Gable's Amateur Wrestling Background

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Real American Freestyle has emerged as a prominent platform for amateur wrestlers seeking competitive opportunities. The promotion is also known for featuring matches that include both up-and-coming talent and established stars from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

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Bischoff specifically addressed Gable's potential involvement during his podcast discussion.

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I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that Chad Gable is a phenomenal, phenomenal amateur wrestler, and he’s kind of ‘sniffing around’ Real American Freestyle. Just throwing it out there. We’re talking about it.

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Gable recently returned to WWE television on SmackDown following his unmasking as the original El Grande Americano. His background in amateur wrestling is a well-established aspect of his career.

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Professional Wrestlers and RAF Discussions

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The conversation on "83 Weeks" also touched upon why professional wrestlers have not yet competed in RAF, in contrast to UFC fighters who have participated. Bischoff explained that contractual obligations can present difficulties for such crossover appearances but expressed optimism.

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I think it’s just a matter of time. There are some contractual issues that can kind of make that difficult. We’re having discussions, and relatively serious ones, so I think it’s just a matter of time.

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Bischoff further detailed these discussions by recalling a conversation with another unnamed individual from the professional wrestling world. This individual, who also has a collegiate amateur wrestling background, was excited about RAF. When Bischoff tentatively broached the subject of competition, the individual's response highlighted the challenges related to their current wrestling persona.

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I’m not going to mention any names, but I was having a conversation not too long ago with someone we all know and very excited about what we’re doing at Real American Freestyle. Comes from a collegiate amateur wrestling background. I said, ‘Just throwing it out there, what do you think?’ His response was something to the effect of, ‘I can’t kill my gimmick. It’s been eight years since I stepped on the mat.’

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Despite the current hurdles, which include contractual complexities and the need for professional wrestlers to maintain their established gimmicks, Bischoff remains confident that the involvement of such athletes in Real American Freestyle events is likely in the future, given the ongoing and serious nature of the discussions.