A major title match recently took place at a WWE live event, featuring an unexpected set of challengers. Alpha Academy, represented by Otis and Akira Tozawa, stepped up to face the War Raiders for the World Tag Team Championship during the taping of WWE Main Event in Brussels, Belgium. Despite their best efforts, Alpha Academy fell short, continuing their struggles in the tag team division.
Alpha Academy’s Ongoing Struggles in WWE
Once one of the most entertaining and promising tag teams in WWE, Alpha Academy has seen significant changes in the past year. Originally consisting of Chad Gable and Otis, the group later expanded to include Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa. However, their momentum took a hit when Gable turned heel, abandoned the group, and formed American Made.
Since then, Alpha Academy has struggled to find its footing. While they have had multiple chances to challenge for the Tag Team Titles on RAW, they have failed to capture gold. Their most embarrassing loss came against Awesome Truth on the April 29, 2024 episode of RAW.
Despite their setbacks, Otis and Tozawa continued to fight for opportunities, leading to their unexpected title match against the War Raiders at the Brussels taping. Unfortunately, their efforts were not enough to secure the victory.
Vince Russo Criticizes WWE’s Booking of Otis vs. Gunther
Otis has proven himself as a powerhouse in WWE, even stepping up to challenge Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship on the March 3 episode of RAW. The match saw Otis push Gunther to his limits before ultimately suffering defeat.
However, wrestling analyst Vince Russo believes that the match did little to elevate Otis. Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Legion of RAW, Russo criticized WWE for making Gunther go “50-50” in too many matches, including his bout with Otis.
“That would be okay because of the size of Otis, but it’s not okay when Gunther goes 50-50 against everybody. That’s the problem! If he is dominating people and all of a sudden he goes 50-50 with Otis, now Otis goes over. But the fact that he goes 50-50 with everybody, Otis doesn’t mean anything.” [From 53:50 onwards]
Russo’s argument suggests that Gunther should be booked more dominantly, as constantly having close matches diminishes the impact of his opponents.
What’s Next for Alpha Academy?
Despite their recent loss, Alpha Academy remains determined to rise in the tag team division. While their recent record has been shaky, their willingness to step up against top competition shows they are not backing down.
With WWE’s tag team division constantly evolving, it remains to be seen if Alpha Academy can eventually capture gold once again. Will they get another opportunity, or is it time for the group to go in a new direction?
FAQs
Who did Alpha Academy face for the WWE Tag Team Titles?
Otis and Akira Tozawa of Alpha Academy challenged the War Raiders for the World Tag Team Championship during a WWE Main Event taping in Brussels, Belgium.
Did Alpha Academy win the Tag Team Titles?
No, Otis and Akira Tozawa lost their title match against the War Raiders.
Why did Vince Russo criticize Otis’ WWE booking?
Vince Russo stated that Gunther has been having 50-50 matches with everyone, which diminishes the impact when someone like Otis pushes him to the limit.
Has Alpha Academy won the WWE Tag Team Titles before?
Yes, Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) previously held the RAW Tag Team Championship. However, they have struggled to regain championship success since Gable’s heel turn.
What’s next for Alpha Academy in WWE?
While Alpha Academy remains a part of WWE’s tag team division, their recent losses indicate they may need a new strategy to climb back into title contention.
