American Alpha defend their titles in a Turmoil Match against The Usos, Heath Slater & Rhyno, Breezango, The Ascension and The Vaudevillains: Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
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PHOENIX — Many thought American Alpha were overconfident when they agreed to face every tandem from SmackDown LIVE in a Tag Team Turmoil Match for their SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Those critics were forced to eat their words, however, after Jason Jordan & Chad Gable outlasted their challengers to retain their titles at WWE Elimination Chamber 2017.
The bout started off with the first-ever SmackDown Tag Team Champions, Heath Slater & Rhyno, squaring off against Breezango. Unfortunately for SmackDown LIVE’s Fashion Police, there was no citation to stop Rhyno from Gore-ing Fandango & Tyler Breeze out of the bout. The Vaudevillains came out next and met a similar fate, with Slater pinning Aiden English after an implant DDT.
Though the inaugural champions looked to be on their way to a second reign, The Usos stopped the red-hot Slater & Rhyno in their tracks, pinning Slater with a superkick. That sent American Alpha into the melee, where Jimmy & Jey Uso met the reigning SmackDown Tag Team Champions in the aisle and set off a brawl back to the ring. The Usos tried, but failed, to keep Chad Gable away from Jason Jordan, setting off a rapid-fire series of events that ended with Gable pinning Jey for the three-count.
The Usos went into a fury after their elimination, bulldozing over American Alpha and hurling Gable into the steel ring steps. Things looked bleak for the champions as the final team in the battle, The Ascension, entered the ring and immediately hit a dazed Jordan with the Fall of Man. However, Gable somehow made it back into the ring and broke up the pinfall.
Viktor & Konnor tried to capitalize on the weary champions, but American Alpha was all heart and refused to give in. Evading Konnor, Jordan got back to his corner and tagged in Gable, who neutralized the big man at ringside. He then slid back into the ring just in time to connect with Grand Amplitude to retain the titles.
American Alpha have survived their biggest challenge to date by outlasting every team on SmackDown LIVE in Tag Team Turmoil. With that feather in their cap, who’s next to step up and challenge the SmackDown Tag Team Champions?