The past week at WWE WrestleMania 39 media row, I had the chance to talk with more than two dozen WWE stars. Of those interviews, however, one certainly stood out to me as more noteworthy than others: Alpha Academy, Otis, and Chad Gable.
Back at the WWE Royal Rumble earlier this year, I had the chance to speak with both men, separately, about reports FTR could return to WWE. Gable was very open to the idea while Otis seem far less interested.
“I actually don’t care one way or the other,” the big man said. “If they want to come over here and do business, let’s do business.”
Off-screen, Gable commented to me that he and Otis had very different experiences working with the then-The Revival in WWE. Keep in mind, both worked with FTR as part of different tag teams when they all shared a roster together, Gable with American Alpha and Otis alongside Tucker in Heavy Machinery.
Intrigued by the very different answers from the two men, I asked Dax Harwood, one-half of FTR, last month in an exclusive Haus of Wrestling interview about what Gable and Otis had said about the possibility of FTR returning to WWE.
“I think Chad Gable understands that if we come over there, I think that he gets that the level of sportsmanship, the level of work, is going to go through the roof,” Harwood stated. “I think Otis probably understands that the level of sportsmanship and the level of work is going to go through the roof, and he might not like that too much. I think Gable is always up for the challenge, I think he thinks he is the best and I think he wants to prove he is the best.”
The comments may seem a little stiff but Harwood did go on to note that he never felt he had an issue working with Otis in WWE. He also spoke about how The Revival was “saddled” with teaching Otis the ropes while conceding he can be a very intense teacher when put in the mentor role.
As I stood in between Gable and Otis at WrestleMania 39, I decided to get their thoughts on what Harwood had said to me about them, especially Otis.
“Dax is Dax,” Otis said, clutching the fanny pack strapped to his chest. “He’s going to think that but if he gets in the ring with me, he’s going down. If they come, they come. You know what I’m saying?”
Obviously, following their AEW Tag Team Championship win over The Gunns this past Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, they won’t be heading to WWE anytime soon. When I turned to Gable to get his thoughts he seemed to want to distance himself from the conversation entirely.
“Why are you throwing me in the middle of this little rift that seems to be going on?” Gable said. “I just love wrestling, okay? I am just genuine, I’ve got a good friend over here (motioning one way) and I’ve got good friends over there (motions another way), I’m friends with everybody, man. I’m not trying to have no controversy around me. I’m just a good, good guy.”
All of Haus of Wrestling’s WWE WrestleMania 39 interviews can be found exclusively on Premier Streaming Network and all their social media platforms.
Stay with Haus of Wrestling for all the latest regarding Alpha Academy and FTR.
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