#234: American Alpha vs. The Revival, NXT TakeOver: The End (6/8/2016).
This is for American Alpha’s NXT Tag Team Championships.
At NXT TakeOver: Dallas during WrestleMania 32 weekend, American Alpha took the NXT Tag Team Championships from The Revival in a white hot match that earned high acclaim from fans and critics. Here was the highly anticipated rematch. One thing NXT succeeded at during its time was showing just how important and great tag team wrestling can be, and these two teams were at the apex of that together.
The bell sounds, and we start out with Scott Dawson and Chad Gable. Dawson grabs his wrist, and pulls him towards his corner to tag in Dash. He takes control of Gable’s arm, hammerlocking it to the mat. Gable then gets his head smashed off the mat. Dawson tags in, and chops Gable in the corner. They slug it out rather quickly, and Dawson shoulders Gable down a few times. Nice arm drag by Gable, and a head scissors takeover.
Jason Jordan tags in, and hits a series of beautiful dropkicks to The Revival. Dawson rips at Jordan’s kneepad and uses that to make a tag to Dash. All four men brawl in the ring, with American Alpha holding the ring for themselves. Double Ankle Locks to the Revival, until they escape out of the ring. The champions stand tall, as the crowd explodes. Jordan controls the arm of Dash, as he makes the tag to Gable. Gable hooks the arm and stretches it outward.
Dawson makes the tag, and tries for a hip toss, but Gable reverses it into a back slide for a nearfall. Big uppercut by Dawson sends Gable to the floor, and then he takes a cheap shot at Jordan. The Revival then get taken out by double dropkicks, and the champions stand tall once again. Atomic Drop by Gable to Dawson, but Dawson guillotines him on the top rope for a nearfall. Dash makes the tag, and they double team Gable in the corner with punches.
Another tag to Dawson, and we get some nice double team from the Revival. Dawson with an arm lock on Gable, followed by a scoop slam. Gable avoids a few elbow drops, and kicks Dash low. Roll up to Dawson, and he kicks out. Dawson with a spinebuster to Gable, and he kicks out. Dash tags in, and helps with a gutbuster to Gable. It gets him a nearfall. He goes right back to the left arm of Gable, which has been the target all match long.
Gable attempts to reach out for a tag, but Dash hits a short spear and places him on the top rope. After gloating, Gable catches Dash in a brief arm bar that sends both men to the outside. Dawson makes a quick tag, and chop blocks Gable. He hits a Death Sentence, America’s Most Wanted style, and Gable is able to kick out. Gable is brought back to the opposing corner, as Dash makes the tag in. Gable slips through their offense, and finally tags in Jordan.
He’s a house on fire, taking both members of the Revival out by himself. Big spear in the corner to Dash, followed by a suplex for a 2 count. Drop toe hold into the middle turnbuckle by Dash. Dawson makes a sneaky tag, and gets a sunset flip roll up on Jordan, as Dash spears Gable off the apron. Dawson gets a 2 count off of it. Stiff uppercuts by Dawson to Jordan, as Gable looks on helplessly. Gable makes the tag, and hits a German Suplex into a bridge for a nearfall. Jordan also takes Dash out.
Dash pulls Jordan off the apron, and Gable blocks a DDT by Dawson. He applies the Ankle Lock! Dawson escapes and gets a roll up off, and despite using the tights, Gable still kicks out. Gable catches Dawson midair with a belly to belly suplex! Dash breaks up the pin. Dash makes the tag, and Jordan sneaks in a tag as well. Spear in the corner. American Alpha sets up for Grand Amplitude, but The Revival send Gable to the outside, and hit the Shatter Machine to take the win in a huge shock! They’re the first two time NXT Tag Team Champions, and the first ever two time champions of any kind in NXT history.
That was a chaotic and hectic battle. Just nonstop action from the opening bell. I think for that reason, I may prefer the Dallas bout more, as it took its time, and then went crazy at the end. This was just insane. I did enjoy this match a lot, though. What I loved about it is just how good at tag team wrestling The Revival are. They held American Alpha off at so many points in this match, and they isolated them from each other so many times. They made this match feel claustrophobic with how precise they were.
Gable and Jordan are incredible athletes, and I sure wish we could’ve seen more of what they could do together as a team, as I think they were split up way too early. We did get some great matches, though, so I guess that’s what matters. This was one example of a great match, featuring well done tag team psychology, awesome sequences, and good strategy on the part of the Revival. In an era where good tag team wrestling was far and few in WWE, you can’t really ask for much more than that.