Chad Gable has revealed that Penta’s post-match gesture following their Intercontinental Championship bout at WWE SummerSlam 2026 was completely unplanned.
Gable defeated Penta in an approximately 11-minute match at SummerSlam to capture the Intercontinental Championship. After the match, an emotional Gable was approached by Penta, who personally placed the title around the new champion’s waist.
Speaking on the Complex Graps Wrestling Podcast, Gable praised Penta for the gesture and revealed that it was not something they had discussed beforehand.
“And I also would be remiss if I didn’t just say, like, what a class act he was. Not too many people go that far anymore to, like, will put the championship on you after you lose it, or after they lose it to you, you know?”
Gable said the moment caught him completely by surprise.
“And none of that was talked about. None of that was discussed. It was just like, no, this is yours now. And I was like, I had tears in my eyes from him doing that, cause that’s, you know, that’s like the ultimate sign of respect that he just didn’t have to do.”
He added, “So, uh, hats off to him for, for having some class, man.”
Since winning the Intercontinental Championship, Gable has successfully defended the title multiple times, including several well-received matches.
Gable is scheduled to put the championship on the line again tonight at a WWE NXT non-televised live event.
