Crowd Turns On Gable Steveson During NXT Debut Match
Fans booed Olympic gold medalist throughout Great American Bash...and cheered Baron Corbin?!
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson was a highly touted signing when WWE brought him into the fold, with comparisons being made to Hall-of-Famer and fellow Olympian Kurt Angle.
But despite being matched up against the constantly despised Baron Corbin, Steveson was roundly booed by fans during his debut match at NXT Great American Bash Sunday night. This came with no hint of Gable playing to it: he actually still hit typical babyface moves and poses throughout the contest. (Contrast this with Angle, who also was touted as an Olympic hero from his debut, but leaned into being a smarmy, superior heel to great effect.)
While the fans' reaction - the first time he's been seriously booed in any of his live appearances - is something that couldn't be controlled, the result of the match certainly could have been. Corbin and Steveson brawled outside the ring to a double countout, drawing the ire of fans even more as they booed the finish out of the building.
A pull-apart brawl that saw both men attacking security didn't help matters, as fans had already turned on the entire debut. They booed anytime Gable did anything resembling Angle and cheered on Corbin every time he was on offense.
Texas chewed up Gable Steveson with “You’re Not Angle” chants #NXTGAB
Advertisement— Mark Out Mania (@RealMarkoutHK) July 31, 2023
WWE's social media channels seemed to have sweetened the audio, turning down the boos for Gable and cheers for Corbin.
Beyond the post-production changes, it will be interesting to see what NXT does with Steveson, especially if he truly is forgoing another run at a collegiate championship or the 2024 Olympics. If he's sticking with professional wrestling, this will be something to monitor to see if this was a one-off, or if the company will have to recalibrate.