‘SOME GEEK NAMED AUSTON MATTHEWS’: WWE’s Chad Gable rips on Maple Leafs

“Look at your own Maple Leafs. They lost an ice hockey game to a team from Tampa Bay”

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A good sign of a true heel in professional wrestling is the ability to turn the crowd against you.

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And there’s no easier way than to insult their local sports team.

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WWE superstar Chad Gable did just that in this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, which emanated from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Gable — real name Charles Betts — was booed heavily after taking cheap shots at the Toronto Maple Leafs and their alternate captain, Auston Matthews.

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Standing in the ring to issue an open challenge to opponents, Gable first tried to silence the chorus of boos with his signature catchphrase: “Shooosh please!” When that didn’t work, the 5-foot-8, 202-pound grappler went to work by insulting everything Canadian.

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Gable said he was accepting new students into his Alpha Academy and was starting his search in Canada. He said he started to regret it because he looked “up and down Toronto” and the only thing he found was “toothless and washed-up ex-hockey players hooked on Tim Hortons.”

As the crowd’s booing grew louder and his tag team partner Otis looked on, Gable took jabs at the Maple Leafs.

“Look at your own Maple Leafs. They lost an ice hockey game to a team from Tampa Bay,” Gable said, smiling. “I know education isn’t your strong suit here, so let me give you a little factoid: They don’t even have ice in Tampa Bay.”

Gable continued to spout “a few more facts” about the Leafs.

“I found no talent in Canada. The only guy I keep hearing about is some geek named Auston Matthews,” he said. “Only problem is Auston Matthews is an American and he doesn’t have the talent to wash Otis’ jock strap, baby.”

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Gable also said that against his better judgment, he wanted to host an open challenge in Toronto for anyone to face him in the ring. He didn’t care whether it was a civilian, someone who thinks they’re a fighter, or “some former athlete who can’t let go of their glory days.”

The loud boos soon turned to cheers as Marieville, Que. native Kevin Owens entered Scotiabank Arena to answer the challenge. Owens went on to defeat Gable.