Welcome to another eWrestlingNews Question of the Day! On last night’s episode of WWE Raw, Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers confronted Otis, Akira Tozawa and Maxxine Dupri with an offer to rejoin the group. Gable specifically stated that Otis had taken over a leadership position of Alpha Academy, though there was no passing of the torch for that name or anything of the sort. Gable’s TitanTron imagery still retained that branding and no official titles for either stable were established.
My question for you today is “What would you name these two groups?” As in, would you keep one of them Alpha Academy? If so, which one? What would you call the other one? Would you get rid of the Alpha Academy name entirely and make two brand new names? Or, alternatively, would you actually ditch this storyline and just merge them back together again?
Remember to answer with your response in the comments below.
As far as my answer…
I would try to keep this as simple as possible and keep Gable’s association with the Alpha Academy name the continuing factor. Diamond Mine is a good name that could be brought back, but there has been so much distance between that in recent months that it isn’t worth it. Plus, that group changed so many times, whereas Gable has always had American Alpha and then, Alpha Academy.
There isn’t anything that inherently screams Alpha Academy to me about Otis, Tozawa and Dupri. This isn’t a recruitment faction, nor is Otis in a training capacity. He’s merely the head misfit. If anything, this group has more in common with The Oddities at this point than they do Alpha Academy.
I’d book a match between Otis and Gable for the “rights” to call themselves Alpha Academy. Gable wins, naturally, by hook or by crook. He’s failed everything else, so let him win that.
Then, the sullen group of babyfaces would have basically two options, as far as I’m concerned.
Option A, my actual preferred direction to take them, would be to see them slowly, but surely, split up. They could team on house shows and such, but I think that trio has reached their limits. They’re a group of lovable losers, but I don’t think they can achieve the level of underdog support necessary to break out of that shell and be worthwhile for a tag title run or anything.
More than likely, I’d trade Tozawa over to the NXT brand in favor of bringing up someone like Axiom, who I feel has done all he can do in NXT and would be a fun enhancement talent in Tozawa’s stead, whereas Tozawa working NXT could pass on knowledge to the developmental crew. Dupri, meanwhile, I’d keep where she’s at, teaming sporadically with Ivy Nile and being at the low end of the totem pole on the Raw women’s roster. Otis can also stay where he’s at or go down to NXT, but he could also maybe find a new teammate in someone like Braun Strowman or Odyssey Jones (if he’s ever going to do anything).
Option B, though, if they have to stick together, would be to name them something akin to them being lovable loser types. For trademark purposes, you can’t go as simple as The Underdogs. It’s a shame The Spirit Squad was already used up, as that could have worked to show they have a fighting spirit.
I’d probably sit around the conference table, pitching and brainstorming various ideas surrounding that motif, knowing full well the ticking clock of the stable’s dissolution would be in the back of my mind. Basically, let’s not waste a GREAT name on them if it won’t last.
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog—the underdogs—they’ve got the bark and the bite, blah blah blah. If this were the Attitude Era, Raw Dogs would totally be a suggestion, but there’s no way that’s getting past the censors these days! To be fair, it would probably be warped to be Raw Dawgz or something even more ridiculous.
I’d probably try to settle on something like The Underdog Pack and to try to give them a catch phrase about how they have a “pack mentality” to offset the Alpha Academy training concept. It’s far from the most unique or interesting sounding group, but when you have The Shield and so many other generic names out there, it’s not like there aren’t way worse options. And, of course, that’s if I couldn’t get my wish to just keep them an unnamed trio that is eventually broken up, while Gable goes on to find success with the new and improved Alpha Academy alongside The Creed Brothers.
What are your ideas? Drop your thoughts below!
