WWE: Ranking The Usos’ Top 10 Matches of All-Time
By Joe Hulbert
6. American Alpha vs. The Usos (SmackDown Live 3/21/17)
Though they’d turned heel six months prior, the landscape of SmackDown Live had stopped The Usos from gaining any real momentum. In the background of an already muted tag team division, Jimmy and Jey hadn’t received the focus they likely deserved but with this match, that’d soon change. Facing the young champions, The Usos’ whole approach here was wonderful. From their first step to their last, they exuded a bitterness absolutely perfect for their role as aggressive veterans that were simply desperate to prove their worth.
American Alpha’s technical wrestling got them an advantage early and quickly established this match’s story and dynamic. Eventually, the challengers cut Gable off and isolated him, doing so with a tenacity fitting to their recently altered personas. Gable struggled desperately but simply couldn’t make the tag as The Usos’ tag team experience allowed them to maintain control. Jason Jordan came in soon enough though and run wild on both Usos including an Angle Slam (foreshadowing!) false finish on Jey.
In response, The Usos scored some superkicks but Gable somehow kicked out of Jimmy’s big splash much to this crowd’s chagrin. Jordan then halted a Double Uce attempt as Gable hit a big suplex on Jey from the top. A Steinerizer followed but Jimmy just broke up the pin just in time. Jordan hit a belly to belly on the floor in retaliation and ‘THIS IS AWESOME’ chants began to echo in an instant. A moonsault from the top to the outside would then be Gable’s final involvement before Jey launched him over the barricade.
The challengers then double-teamed Jordan and a superkick closed the show, getting The Usos their first title win in two years. I’d imagine people don’t view Alpha’s main roster run particularly fondly, but this match is quite brilliant regardless. The closing stretch is simply magnificent and more than that, its finish represents the start of The Usos’ recent purple patch. Great stuff and likely underappreciated.