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The WWE King of the Ring tournament started with 16 Superstars a couple of weeks back and now we are down to the final two who will battle it out in the final of the competition. Baron Corbin will be representing the Red brand and will go up against SmackDown Live's Chad Gable, who qualified courtesy of a win on this week's show.
Though few fans expected Gable to get this far in the tournament, the former Olympian is just one match away from joining the likes of 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, Triple H, Booker T, and fellow Olympian Kurt Angle, who have all previously captured the title in the past.
Gable was scheduled to take on Elias in the semifinal of the tournament on this week's show but with the latter ruled out of the competition owing to an ankle injury, Shane McMahon took over in his place, with Kevin Owens making his appearance as a guest referee.
However, the Best in the World was forced to tap out to a submission move from Gable as the latter celebrated a major win and booked his ticket to a spot in the summit clash of the competition.
Here are five reasons why Chad Gable qualified for the King of the Ring finals on this week's edition of WWE SmackDown Live.
#5 To project Baron Corbin as one of the biggest heels
Since being called up to the main roster, Baron Corbin has been something of an enigma in WWE. Corbin certainly has the right look and physique, and despite only having one brief reign as the United States Champion, he has been part of many huge storylines on the main roster.
Perhaps the most effective part of Corbin's arsenal is his heel work, as the Lone Wolf has a natural charisma that makes fans loathe him. Contrary to that is Gable, who has been seen as an underdog and a dark horse throughout this entire tournament, and now has a huge fan following behind him.
Though fans may not like the idea of Corbin winning, there's the chance that Gable's victory is almost a confirmation that Corbin will win next week, as crushing the hopes and dreams of the WWE Universe is something that Corbin not only excels at, but also relishes.
#4 Fans wanted to see Shane McMahon get his comeuppance
Chad Gable qualified for the King of the Ring finals last night, but his road to the throne hasn't been easy. Despite being advertised to face Elias, the Living Truth was unable to compete, courtesy of an ankle injury. This led to Shane McMahon appointing himself to face Gable, much to the horror of the fans.
After all, everyone knows Shane has a history of winning tournaments he has not been a part of from the start, such as last year's Best in the World tournament at Crown Jewel, and many fans feared the same would happen again. Instead, McMahon was pinned by Gable early in the contest.
Humiliated, McMahon restarted the match, declaring it two out of three falls, though even that wasn't enough for the Best in the World to go through as he would later tap out to Gable's ankle lock in the middle of the ring.
Embarrassed and hurting, McMahon finally got his comeuppance after months of terrorising the Blue Brand, something fans were thrilled to see dished out by the young former Olympian.
#3 To continue the Kevin Owens v Shane McMahon feud
Though he may not be a full-time wrestler, there have been few heels on WWE SmackDown Live more despised than Shane McMahon. After winning the controversial Best in the World tournament last year, McMahon would turn heel on his tag team partner The Miz earlier this year and has made for a despicable villain on the Blue Brand.
Recently though, McMahon has faced a huge problem in the form of Kevin Owens, who speaks for the countless members of the WWE Universe who are sick of the Boss' son. Facing off at SummerSlam, Owens did defeat McMahon but received a hefty fine for striking the referee in that game, his long-time foe Elias.
Having Gable defeat McMahon on this week's show has helped continue the rivalry, as the Best in the World even fired the Prizefighter for not calling the match in his favour, much to the shock of the WWE Universe.
#2 To set up a heel v face clash in the finals
Chad Gable may have qualified for the King of the Ring finals on this week's SmackDown Live, but this was the second of two semifinal matches to take place inside Madison Square Garden. On Monday Night RAW this week, it was Baron Corbin who sneaked away with the victory, getting the pinfall in his triple threat match with Ricochet and Samoa Joe, but only after the high flyer landed his 630 splash.
Corbin's qualification for the finals surely impacted what happened on SmackDown Live this week, as if not for Gable winning, Corbin would have had to face either Elias or Shane McMahon in the final clash. Though all three men are fine wrestlers, nobody would want to see two heels face-off, especially not in the finals of such a historic tournament, and especially not on a pay-per-view.
Gable's victory means that the summit clash will be a heel v face dynamic next week, and though some fans may have less than stellar reviews about the Constable's wrestling ability, it's clear that the former RAW General Manager can do great things as the bully heel over his smaller, babyface opponent.
#1 Chad Gable could be crowned the champion
Chad Gable has been in WWE for quite a few years now, and has had plenty of success in his short career. In NXT, Gable captured the developmental brand's Tag Team titles with Jason Jordan, and the pair captured the SmackDown Tag Team Titles when they were called up to the Blue Brand in 2016.
After splitting, Gable would also captured the RAW Tag Team titles, this time with Bobby Roode, becoming one of just two men to capture the Triple Crown. Though Gable has enjoyed quite a lot of success, the Olympian has been often considered as a top wrestler only in the Tag Team Division.
Having Gable win last night could be the start of a big singles push for him, which could see him him capture the crown. On SmackDown Live recently, fans have only had a glimpse of what Gable is capable of as a singles star and in the limited time on the main roster, he has been very impressive. With that in mind and the fans backing the youngster, the WWE Universe could see the coronation of King Gable very soon.
