Chad Gable embodies the spirit of an Olympic athlete, and his journey from amateur wrestling to professional wrestling is a testament to his dedication and skill.
Charles Edward Betts, born on March 8, 1986, in Saint Michael, Minnesota, has made a significant impact in both amateur and professional wrestling. He is currently signed to WWE, performing on the RAW brand under the ring name Chad Gable.
Amateur Wrestling Career
Hailing from Minnesota, a state rich in wrestling history, Gable has been a master of the mat since his youth. Before entering WWE in 2013, Chad Gable built an impressive amateur wrestling resume. He won the Minnesota high school state championship in 2004.
Gable competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, representing the United States in the Greco-Roman style 84kg event. He won against Keitani Graham from the Federated States of Micronesia in the qualification round. He progressed to the 2012 Summer Olympics, where he competed in the Greco-Roman style 84kg event.
In the qualification round, he defeated Keitani Graham from the Federated States of Micronesia. However, he lost to Pablo Shorey of Cuba, eliminating him from the competition.
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Early Professional Wrestling Career
Under his real name, Betts debuted in his home state of Minnesota on October 26, 2003, in Midwest Pro Wrestling (MPW). His first match was against the reigning champion Casanova for the MPW Cruiserweight Championship. In 2005, Betts continued wrestling in his home state appearing in a single match for Northern Impact Wrestling (NIW), against Kid Krazy.
After a seven-year hiatus, Betts returned on November 17, 2012 to wrestle in local state shows including Pro Wrestling Battleground (PWB) where he challenged the reigning champion Luther Wilson III for the PWB Breakout Championship but did not succeed in winning the title. During his final match in PWB, Betts held the PWB Championship, successfully retaining the title against challenger Renny D. He later appeared in Minnesota's American Wrestling Federation (AWF) between January and February 2013, in which he won his only two matches, defeating Aaron Corbin and future WWE 205 Live superstar Arya Daivari.
WWE Career
In November 2013, Betts signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He made his in-ring debut as Chad Gable at an NXT house show in Cocoa Beach, Florida on September 5, 2014 where he defeated Troy McClain. On September 6, Gable defeated McClain again. On September 13, Gable was first defeated by CJ Parker. On February 6, Gable scored a win over Mike Rallis.
NXT
Starting in May 2015, NXT newcomer Chad Gable began a storyline with Jason Jordan, in which he tried to convince Jordan to form a new partnership, following the dissolution of Jordan's team with Tye Dillinger. After nearly two months of coaxing, Jordan finally agreed to a tag team match with Gable as his teammate. On the July 15 episode of NXT, Jordan and Gable were successful in their official debut together against the team of Elias Samson and Steve Cutler. On September 2, Jordan and Gable competed in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament, beating the team of Neville and Solomon Crowe. After defeating the Hype Bros, they would get eliminated from the tournament by the team of Baron Corbin and Rhyno.
American Alpha only started teaming together just over a year ago, but Gable and Jordan have burst on the wrestling scene in a major way, experiencing the kind of early pop young wrestlers can only dream of. Within that year they have become considered one of the most exciting tag teams on the planet going from NXT to the main roster.
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At NXT TakeOver: London, Gable and Jordan were successful in a fatal four-way tag team match, which was taped for the December 23 episode of NXT. American Alpha faced off with the Vaudevillains on the March 16 episode of NXT in a number one contender's match where they emerged victorious, earning them an NXT Tag Team Championship match against Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson, now called "The Revival", at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. The pair won the NXT Tag Team Championship at the event. On June 8 at NXT TakeOver: The End, American Alpha lost the title back to The Revival, ending their reign at 68 days.
SmackDown
As a result of the 2016 WWE Draft on July 19, the team was drafted to the SmackDown brand, being their first tag team pick overall. On the August 2 episode of SmackDown, American Alpha made their debut, defeating the Vaudevillains. The pair teamed with The Usos and the Hype Bros at SummerSlam to defeat the team of The Ascension, Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango), and The Vaudevillains. The pair then entered an eight-team tournament which would determine the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Champions, defeating Breezango in the first round to advance to the semi-finals where they faced The Usos.
They returned on the September 20 episode to face the Usos in a number one contender's match to establish who would face inaugural Smackdown Tag Team Champions Heath Slater and Rhyno at No Mercy, where they were defeated due to Gable's injury, marking their first loss on the main roster. At the event, they would instead team with the Hype Bros to face the Ascension and the Vaudevillians where they were successful. On the November 1 episode of SmackDown, American Alpha defeated the Spirit Squad to qualify for Team SmackDown for the 10-on-10 Survivor Series tag team elimination match at Survivor Series. On the December 27 episode of SmackDown Live, they defeated Randy Orton and Luke Harper of The Wyatt Family, Heath Slater and Rhyno, and The Usos in a four corners elimination match to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions, celebrating with their families afterward.
After defeating The Wyatt Family (Orton and Harper) in a rematch to retain their title on January 10, the pair would go on to defend their title in a tag team turmoil match at Elimination Chamber successfully against The Ascension, Usos, Vaudevillians, Breezango, and Heath Slater and Rhyno, entering fourth and eliminating the Usos and Ascension, despite an attack by the Usos after their elimination, continuing their feud. On the March 21 episode of SmackDown Live, American Alpha lost the SmackDown Tag Team Championship to The Usos after suffering a non-title match loss to the pair the prior week. On the June 20 episode of SmackDown, Chad Gable answered the United States Championship Open Challenge put forward by champion Kevin Owens where he was ultimately unsuccessful. On the July 17 episode of Raw, Jason Jordan was moved to the Raw brand.
Tag Team with Shelton Benjamin
On the August 22 episode of SmackDown Live, General Manager Daniel Bryan announced that he had signed a returning Shelton Benjamin to team up with Gable, therefore creating a tag team between the two. The following week on SmackDown Live, Gable and Benjamin picked up a win over The Ascension in their first match as a tag team; this was also Benjamin's first WWE match since 2010. On the September 12 episode of SmackDown Live, Benjamin and Gable would defeat The Hype Bros, before defeating them again in a rematch at Hell in a Cell. On the October 10 episode of SmackDown Live, Benjamin and Gable would defeat The Hype Bros, The Ascension, and Breezango in a fatal four-way match to become the number one contenders for The Usos's SmackDown Tag Team Championship.
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On the November 7 episode of SmackDown Live, they received their title opportunity and won the match by count-out, however, the Usos retained their championships as titles do not change hands by count out unless stipulated. After trading victories with The Usos the following weeks, they competed in a fatal four-way match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against defending champions The Usos, The New Day, and the team of Rusev and Aiden English at Clash of Champions, but failed to win the title. Two days later on SmackDown Live, Gable and Benjamin defeated The Usos in a non-title match. On the January 2, 2018, episode of SmackDown Live, they defeated The New Day and Rusev and English in a triple threat match to earn another shot at the SmackDown Tag Team titles, which they lost the following week after pinning the wrong twin for the apparent victory and then losing the impromptu rematch.
The following week on SmackDown Live, the duo confirmed their heel turn when they insulted the referee of their title match the week before, demoralized the fans, and accused General Manager Daniel Bryan of being biased, which resulted in Bryan booking them for a two out of three falls match against The Usos at the Royal Rumble, where they lost in two straight falls. That following week, Gable and Benjamin interrupted an episode of Fashion Files, and traded insults with Breezango, challenging them to a match, Gable and Benjamin would eventually win the match. The next week, Gable and Benjamin mocked The New Day and faced them in a losing effort. On April 16, Gable was moved to Raw as part of the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-Up, thus disbanding with Benjamin.
Raw
On April 16, Gable was moved to Raw as part of the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-Up, thus disbanding with Benjamin. On the April 23 episode of Raw, Gable turned face after he took offense at Jinder Mahal insulting Raw General Manager Kurt Angle. Gable would defeat Mahal on his first match on the brand. On the September 3 episode of Raw, Gable formed a tag team with Bobby Roode and went on to defeat The Ascension. At Survivor Series, they would become captains for Team Raw, but lost to Team SmackDown in the 10-on-10 Survivor Series tag team elimination match.
During this time, Gable changed his attire to trunks and began wearing a robe in his entrance, mirroring Roode's look. At Crown Jewel on October 31, Shorty G competed in a 10-man tag team match as a part of Team Hogan, defeating Team Flair. At Survivor Series, Shorty G was a part of Team SmackDown; he was eliminated by Kevin Owens, but his team won the match. After this event, Shorty G continued to wrestle in the tag team division with Mustafa Ali as his partner. On the January 3, 2020, episode of SmackDown, Sheamus returned from injury, appearing to save Shorty G from an attack by The Revival, but then delivered a Brogue Kick to him.
Sheamus then defeated Shorty G at the Royal Rumble, and on the January 31 episode of SmackDown. After three months away from television, Shorty G made his return on the May 29 episode of SmackDown in a 10-man battle royal for a spot in the Intercontinental Championship tournament but was eliminated by Cesaro. Later that night, Shorty G defeated Cesaro.
On the March 13, 2023 episode of Raw, Gable found Otis backstage taking part in a photo shoot with Maximum Male Models (ma.çé and mån.sôör, managed by Maxxine Dupri). Otis then decided to leave with Maximum Male Models instead of Gable, which began a series of segments between Gable and Dupri, who both wanted Otis to be on their respective teams. Dupri officially sided with the Alpha Academy on the May 15 episode of Raw when she cheered on Otis and Gable eliminating ma.çé and mån.sôör in the Intercontinental Championship number one contenders' battle royal.
In the following weeks, Dupri trained with Alpha Academy, who began to slowly turn face after increasing crowd support. Dupri made her in-ring debut on the July 3 episode of Raw in a mixed six-person tag team match with Gable and Otis, defeating The Viking Raiders (Erik, Ivar and Valhalla) when Dupri pinned Valhalla. On the July 10 episode of Raw, Alpha Academy held a graduation ceremony for Dupri. At the end of the ceremony, Gable presented Dupri with her own Alpha Academy letterman's jacket.
During the build to WrestleMania XL, Gable was involved in a storyline where he trained Sami Zayn for his Intercontinental Championship match against Gunther. After Zayn won the title on Night 1 of the event, Zayn gave Gable a title shot on the April 15 episode of Raw, but Gable failed to win the title. After the match, Gable attacked Zayn as he was celebrating with his wife at ringside, turning heel in the process.
The following week, Gable said that he had spent too much time training "losers" such as Zayn and his stablemates, declaring that the stable's focus would now be on Gable winning the Intercontinental Championship. On the April 29 episode of Raw, Zayn defended his title against Bronson Reed, winning the match by disqualification after Gable attacked him. The following week, Zayn attacked Gable during his match with Reed, leading to a triple threat match at King and Queen of the Ring on May 25, where Zayn retained his title. At Clash at the Castle: Scotland on June 15, Gable failed to win the title from Zayn after Otis and Dupri refused to interfere on Gable's behalf, ending their feud.
Two nights later on Raw, Otis, Dupri and Akira Tozawa walked out on Gable, who in turn left Alpha Academy. On the June 24 episode of Raw, Gable defeated Braun Strowman and Reed to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match at the titular event on July 6, which was won by Drew McIntyre.
After continuously being hounded by The Wyatt Sicks, Gable called out Bo Dallas, who was walking to the ring when The Creed Brothers (Brutus Creed and Julius Creed) attacked him from behind, aligning themselves with Gable in the process.
Known as American Alpha, the duo ignited NXTâs tandem division and won over the NXT Universe before being drafted to SmackDown LIVE in 2016 and eventually winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Gable then found a new partner in mega-talented veteran Shelton Benjamin before moving to Raw as part of the 2018 Superstar Shake-up and forming a tandem with Bobby Roode.
And after returning to his roots on SmackDown and venturing into new territory as a singles competitor, he even won three matches in the 2019 King of the Ring tournament before narrowly being defeated by King Corbin in the Finals. On the Auguest 21, 2023 episode of Raw, Gable made history by becoming the first to defeat Gunther in singles competition in WWE, after he bested The Ring General by count-out!
Between 2023 and 2024, Gable tried in vain to achieve the Intercontinental Title, coming up short on multiple occasions before snapping on Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn, German Suplexing him right from Zaynâs wifeâs arms. Since then, Gable has been increasingly manipulative of his fellow Alpha Academy members, belittling and gas lighting them. This all came to a boil on the June 17th episode of Raw, where Otis finally had enough, pushing Gable down, before announcing that he and the other Alpha Academy members were leaving him. Later that night, Gable was shockingly attacked by The Wyatt Sicks, seemingly making yet another enemy.
Gable found a new alliance with The Creed Brothers, becoming American Made as they attempted to combat The Wyatt Sicks. Now, he is back in the tag team ranks, alongside Otis and Maxxine Dupri in the no-nonsense group The Alpha Academy.
Special Olympics Announcement
WWE Superstar Chad Gable recently delivered a touching announcement about the Special Olympics. In the clip, he welcomed Special Olympics athletes from Minnesota to his home gym, The Shakk. The video showed the athletes training with Gable in a fun and uplifting environment.
Coaching Style
As âMaster Gable,â he has balanced the roles of teacher and student since his time in the Alpha Academy. Gable used his Olympic background and technical wrestling expertise to mentor teammates like Otis, Maxxine Dupri, and Akira Tozawa. However, his tough love approach and intense training methods eventually pushed him out of the group. Now leading the American Made faction alongside the Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile, Gable continues to guide his teammates with a focus on discipline, strategy, and leadership. His coaching style, rooted in his Olympic experience, remains a major part of his WWE gimmick.
Tag Team Championships
With this win, he became the second man (after Jordan) to have won the NXT, SmackDown, and Raw Tag Team Championships. In January 2022, Gable won the Raw Tag Team Championship for a second time with Alpha Academy tag partner, Otis.
Here's a table summarizing Chad Gable's Tag Team Championship wins:
| Championship | Partner(s) | Date Won |
|---|---|---|
| NXT Tag Team Championship | Jason Jordan | April 1, 2016 |
| SmackDown Tag Team Championship | Jason Jordan | December 27, 2016 |
| Raw Tag Team Championship | Bobby Roode | December 10, 2018 |
| Raw Tag Team Championship | Otis | January 10, 2022 |
El Grande Americano
In early 2025, he began simultaneously portraying the masked luchador El Grande Americano. Under this persona, he would win his first singles championship, the WWE Speed Championship.
AMERICAN ALPHA | The Chad Gable Story (Full Career Documentary)
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