With apologies to whatever happens at Clash at Italy, Chad Gable already had the match of the weekend—getting “unmasked” after losing to El Grande Americano in the main event of AAA’s Noche de los Grandes.
Step back and think about that for a second. An American wrestling a German pretending to be American became the biggest story in Mexico. It’s ridiculous on paper. It shouldn’t work. And yet, it absolutely did.
That’s what makes this feel familiar.
Because we’ve seen this before. And the last guy who pulled it off became Chris Jericho.
In 1998, Jericho was stuck in WCW’s cruiserweight division—a part of the card management barely cared about. That lack of oversight became his advantage. He leaned all the way into character, timing, and creativity, turning what should have been throwaway content into some of the most memorable work of that era.
The matches were excellent—against Ultimo Dragon, Juventud Guerrera, Dean Malenko—but it wasn’t just the in-ring work. It was the subversiveness. Jericho played into being overlooked and turned it into some of the most entertaining segments in wrestling history.
That’s the parallel.
This isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about being undeniable—no matter what you’re given, you make it work.
Chad Gable is doing the same thing right now.
This El Grande Americano run should have been disposable. The kind of idea that gets a few laughs and disappears. Instead, Gable committed to it completely. The timing, the precision, the willingness to lean into the absurd—it forced people to pay attention.
And it’s not just one segment or one match. He took something disposable and turned it into something people want to see play out. That’s the Jericho playbook: take what you’re given, no matter how flawed, and execute it so well that it stops being a joke.
Both are elite-level athletes who can drop into any style and elevate it immediately. That gives them credibility. The character work is what makes it matter.
Now comes the part that separates good stories from great ones.
When Jericho jumped to WWE in 1999, Vince McMahon recognized what he had. Within three years, Jericho wasn’t just featured—he was Undisputed Champion and main eventing WrestleMania. The system caught up to the performer.
That’s the question now: will WWE do the same with Gable?
He doesn’t need the title tomorrow. He just turned something that shouldn’t work into one of the most talked-about matches of the weekend. Imagine what happens when he’s in the ring with the best in the world.
WWE has a choice. Build on this, or let it fade the way so many hot acts have before. Jericho was a test, and WWE passed. This is another one.
Push Chad Gable. He won’t disappoint.