By Jake Schroer
Crow River News Sports
In 2012, former St. Michael-Albertville wrestler Chas Betts competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in the London Olympics.
A year later, Betts took his shot at becoming a World Wrestling Entertainment Superstar.
It stuck, and the one-time STMA state champion (2004), now going by his ring name Chad Gable, saw the fruits of his labor as he and tag team partner Jason Jordan (real name Nathan Everhart) got drafted to WWE Smackdown, a program which has aired since 1999.
WWE
WWE recently split brands, which means certain superstars will appear only on Raw and some only on Smackdown; something the company originally tried in 2002, ending in 2011.
Betts said that the moment it sunk in was when he and Jordan stood on stage during the next week’s Smackdown (July 26).
“We were just standing there with all of these guys I had been watching for the last five, six years, and all of a sudden we are just side-by-side with them,” Betts said.
But, his journey began long before July 2016. At a young age, Betts recalled going with his family to friendly gatherings. One such friend had a collection of old WrestleMania tapes.
“I would love it because I would just be on my own downstairs and I could just watch wrestling for, like, five hours,” Betts said. Professional wrestling captured him from the beginning, because it was so different from the traditional, mat-based wrestling he did.
“These guys were enormous and there were enormous crowds there watching them and cheering them as they beat each other. It just grabbed me, and it never really let go,” Betts said.
Betts’ first inspiration was the legendary Sting from World Championship Wrestling, a rival promotion. Watching Sting, Betts said that he saw how much fans invested in the wrestler’s matches and that he wanted to be able to have a crowd care as much about him as they did about Sting.
HULK HOGAN
As he got older, Betts began watching wrestlers similar in stature to himself; guys smaller than the Hulk Hogans of the world.
“I really gained respect for guys like that. Eddie Guerrero was one that, now when people ask me who my favorite current wrestler is, Eddie has obviously passed away, but if I had to list currently who I watch the most to study, Eddie Guerrero is definitely one of them. I think he’s just, incredible.”
Betts signed a contract with NXT, WWE’s developmental brand in 2013. He later made his debut on NXT television in early 2015. That same year, he and Jordan eventually formed the tag team American Alpha and took the NXT tag team division by storm. It took some coaxing on Betts’ part, but Jordan came around.
“Finally, he gave me a shot, and it just took off, and we had chemistry like you wouldn’t believe. It was like it was meant to be from day one. We just got each other,” Betts said. He added that the “American” part of the name came from his own experience at the Olympics. The “Alpha” part came from their dominance of the tag team division.
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament is where American Alpha really took off, Betts said. He credits the match with Rhyno and Baron Corbin. Though they lost, Betts said the match did a lot for them.
“We lost the match, but we came out winning the crowd over because they just appreciated the effort we put in and the heart we fought with that night.”
Sadly, that very tournament took place in memory of Rhodes, who had passed away earlier in 2015. The NXT roster looked up to him as a mentor and father figure, and Betts was no exception.
“He was so amazing at helping you just let go and be yourself in front of people, and coaching you in the ways that he knows. I mean, he was the best promo in the history of the business, and him helping you out, you couldn’t ask for anyone better,” Betts said.
Triple H, a wrestler who came to prominence during WWE’s Attitude Era in the late 1990s, now runs NXT. After watching “The Game” on television for years, Betts said the most surprising thing about him was how approachable he is.
“He’s got time for everybody, absolutely everyone. He’s helped Jason and I a bunch, and his mind just works at a level that I could only hope mine works at someday when it comes to wrestling.”
SMACKDOWN
Another pair for whom Betts has tremendous respect is Daniel Bryan, the new GM on Smackdown television, and Shane McMahon, son of WWE owner Vince McMahon, who is an on-air commissioner. Bryan, forced to retire from in-ring competition due to injuries, has brought the same passion to his new leadership role, Betts said. McMahon is the same way.
“They both have this vision for Smackdown to be this totally new and innovative thing, and I think that we have the talent to do it, I really do,” Betts said.
As for aspiring wrestlers, Betts has some advice.
“You just figure out what you want to do, and then just start chipping away. If you want it bad enough and it’s the only thing that just consumes you and it’s on your mind, before you know it, you’re going to be there and you’re going to say ‘wow, how did I do this?’”
Betts said that if he could do it, anyone else could do it if they want it bad enough, because it is possible.
Having support from his parents, when some pro wrestlers might not, means everything to Betts.
“It was everything. It wasn’t just the amateur wrestling stuff. It’s no matter what I’ve chosen they are one-hundred percent behind me,” Betts said. “I did it because of them. They were the ones that gave me the confidence to do it.”
Betts also credits his wife for her incredible support, living away from him while he trained in Colorado and agreeing to move with him to Florida for his entry into NXT.
Betts says that he cannot wait to move back home to Minnesota now that he is on the main roster of Smackdown.
“Everybody was asking me ‘where are you going end up or where are you going to move after you get the chance to get out of Florida?’ I said, I’m going straight home.”
You can catch Betts as Gable on WWE Smackdown every Tuesday night live on the USA Network.
Note: American Alpha officially debuted on the August 2 episode of Smackdown.