Would You Push #6: Justin Gabriel

[CultOfPersonality123]

Justin Gabriel is a multiple time tag team champion and thats it. He had a brief push last year when he feuded with Cesaro over the U.S. title and has been tossed a side since. I never really see his matches so I can't talk on in ring ability or mic work. But in my opinion I would give him a push to the IC or US title belts. How about you guys. How far would you push him and would you push him at all.
Also, if you have noticed I am starting a heel face pattern to my threads so leave a comment on a heel you want me to ask about next.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

Gabriel should have a minor push, nothing too major. He deserves much better than appearing on Superstars and doing the occasional job. His in-ring skills are amazing and he's always great to watch in the ring. I'd quite like it when Tyson Kidd comes back if he could reform International Airstrike and potentially beat The Shield to become the next Tag Team Champions. His mic skills I have yet to see much of, but there is always room for improvement on that front, and he won't even have to talk that much. A US or IC Championship reign would also be great for him also for again his in-ring ability and ability to pump up the crowd with his moves.

 

[Aquaman6686]

No. Gabriel can do a good 450 Splash, and that's literally all he has. He's a poor wrestler, he has zero charisma, and he couldn't sell a t-shirt if he gave away his girlfriend with it. Gabriel isn't even worth the TV time he gets.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Justin Gabriel is the type of wrestler you push to the Intercontinental or US Championship, but no further than that. He's perfect for getting the crowd excited at the start of a show with a title defense full of high flying action, but he's not believable as anything more than a midcarder. It takes more than an impressive move such as the 450 Splash to be viewed as a threat to a World Champion. Then there's the fact that he SUCKS on the mic. He might very well be one of the worst guys in the whole federation on the mic. He should let his wrestling do his talking for him.

I wouldn't mind seeing him get a few midcard title reigns or get back together with Slater for another run with the giant pennies. That would be good for him. He is more or less in the same position as Evan Bourne. Both are exciting to watch in the ring, but if you put them into a match with someone like John Cena or Randy Orton and you'll expect them to get squashed. I would never push him into the main event though, there is nothing WWE can do to make him believable in such a position. While he is absolutely worth keeping around, Gabriel is a midcarder for life. There's nothing wrong with being the type to open the show and get the crowd excited.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Gabriel is a talent, but there are better options eithin the company for the mid-card titles. I personally don't think there is a lack of strength in the mid-card area at all, with talents like Rhodes, Sandow, Barrett, Cesaro, Swagger, Kingston etc all competing at a similar level, its the main event that is lacking right now.

I still think WWE need to bring back the Cruiserweight title, it would give people like Justin Gabriel, Tyson Kidd, Sin Cara etc something to fight for and actually give their matches some sort of importance or meaning. I do enjoy seeing Gabriel in the ring, but I don't see him as a challenger for the IC or US titles, bring back the Cruiserweight division and let people like Justin compete for that. That is how I would push him, not as a mid-card title challenger.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Gabriel can usually be pretty entertaining to watch inside the ring. He has a good paced, athletic style that usually results in some pretty fun matches; especially if he's given time to work a long match.

For me though, I don't think I'd give him a strong push as a singles wrestler. When I look at WWE's mid-card to upper mid-card picture, I see a lot of talent there ranging from Cody Rhodes, Dean Ambrose, Curtis Axel, Kofi Kingston, Antonio Cesaro, Jack Swagger, Kane, Damien Sandow, Fandango and others. Gabriel doesn't strike me as someone that WWE would want to invest a lot of time in. When it comes to charisma & personality, Gabriel is limited to his "Cape Town Werewolf" howl and he couldn't cut a decent promo if his life depended on it. In all honesty, Justin Gabriel puts me in mind of most of the wrestlers to have competed in TNA's X Division, including guys who are in it right now: he's an interchangeable high flyer people tend to forget about immediately after his match is over and would hardly be noticed if he was gone from the company tomorrow.

When it comes to a push for the guy, there might be a possibility of pushing him as a part of a tag team. He & Tyson Kidd were pretty entertaining inside the ring as a smaller, high flying babyface team. As part of a team, however, I think Gabriel could benefit more from being paired up with someone who has good promo abilities.

Overall though, as of right now, I just don't think I'd push him. There are a lot of guys on the roster right now that, from an overall perspective, bring more to the table in my eyes.

 

[MCMG]

Gabriel has talent and can put on great matches. There is not point on putting on Raw, Smackdown and PPV's and leaving of someone who can entertain the fans. He could give a match under 10 minutes that would entertain everyone and I think he could connect with the younger audience. The 450 splash is an incredible move that amazes people every time they see it.

Give him a push, let him have feud with the Intercontinental/US champion and see what happens. He will give great matches and be a worthy opponent. Yes, he isn't the greatest on the mic or the most charismatic but Del Rio is hardly The Rock and is World Champion.

 

[Mac Attack]

Justin Gabriel is the type of wrestler you push to the Intercontinental or US Championship, but no further than that. He's perfect for getting the crowd excited at the start of a show with a title defense full of high flying action, but he's not believable as anything more than a midcarder. It takes more than an impressive move such as the 450 Splash to be viewed as a threat to a World Champion. Then there's the fact that he SUCKS on the mic. He might very well be one of the worst guys in the whole federation on the mic. He should let his wrestling do his talking for him.

I wouldn't mind seeing him get a few midcard title reigns or get back together with Slater for another run with the giant pennies. That would be good for him. He is more or less in the same position as Evan Bourne. Both are exciting to watch in the ring, but if you put them into a match with someone like John Cena or Randy Orton and you'll expect them to get squashed. I would never push him into the main event though, there is nothing WWE can do to make him believable in such a position. While he is absolutely worth keeping around, Gabriel is a midcarder for life. There's nothing wrong with being the type to open the show and get the crowd excited.

Well Dagger pretty much summarized what my opinion is however I'll add on to it a bit.

Justin Gabriel could basically be pushed to be the equivalent of Kofi Kingston without any problems arising. Now some would say tht might be too low or too high but I think it's a great spot for him. You don't need to be a constant main evented to be a great superstar. I enjoy Gabriel in the ring and personally I actually enjoy hearing him speak somewhat however I just don't see him being in the main event and that's alright. I think he could be great in the midcard and so just fine. Kofi has pretty much been midcard we for life with his brief stints against bigger opponents and people enjoy watching him. I'll make a wild bet that down the line (like way down the line) Kofi will become a hall of famer simply due to his midcard abilities. I'm not sure the same for Gabriel however I think he has the opportunity to be remembered. If Jim Duggan made a career being a constant midcard there's no shame in someone like Gabriel doing that as well.

 

[BeastFromTheEast]

I'd give him a major mid-card push. He is far more talented than some of the talent being pushed and gaining television exposure. Whatever push is about to go to that piece of crap Kofi Kingston should go to Gabriel instead.

 

[HBKistheHOF]

I don't think he should really get a push but I do think he could be used more. I think once Tyson Kidd returns they should reform their old tag team & be used more as a duo or even accompanying one another to the ring for singles matches. Gabriel is nothing special to me but he is a pretty solid in-ring performer & he seemed to do his best work while working with Kidd. So even if it's just being squashed, I wouldn't mind seeing Gabriel a little more.

 

[BestIntheWWE]

I think that he and Kofi could make a very good tag team together. They both have nothing going on and their highflying style really compliments each other. Have them as a tag team and don't break them apart. The more real tag teams we get the better.

 

[Revelations1]

When it comes to a push for the guy, there might be a possibility of pushing him as a part of a tag team. He & Tyson Kidd were pretty entertaining inside the ring as a smaller, high flying babyface team. As part of a team, however, I think Gabriel could benefit more from being paired up with someone who has good promo abilities.