2 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE SmackDown (May 28)

5. Alpha Afterthoughts

Shinsuke Nakamura Chad Gable Otis
WWE.com

Meanwhile, Alpha Academy are too good a team to be doing what they're doing.

Chad Gable and Otis look like they'll be first up for the new combo formed between Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs, but that latter pair haven't finished dicking about with 'King' Corbin's crown either. That side issue renders the Alphas fairly meaningless as a threat to Naka and his Elias-cosplaying pal.

Granted, the short match between Shin and Gable showed promising signs, but that's also part of the issue here - they weren't given nearly enough time to work with, and those superior wrestling skills should be the focus instead of a crummy crown. Nobody really cares about that side of things.

Otis and Chad were in the SmackDown Tag Title picture a few months ago. Now, they're sort of/kind of/maybe feuding with a singles wrestler and the dude who plays his entrance theme. Hmm. This doesn't bode well for the Academy.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.