Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Chad Gable

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 14, 2026

How Chad Gable built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Chad Gable, born Charles Betts, is a prominent American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He gained initial recognition as an Olympic athlete, representing the United States in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Transitioning to professional wrestling, he signed with WWE, where he has become highly regarded for his exceptional technical wrestling ability, athleticism, and charisma. Throughout his tenure in WWE, Gable has achieved success as a multiple-time Tag Team Champion, partnering with various wrestlers like Jason Jordan and Otis. Known for his 'Alpha Academy' persona and his reputation as a 'master' of technical grappling, Gable is consistently cited by fans and peers alike as one of the most underrated and talented performers in the modern professional wrestling landscape.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2004: Minnesota High School State Championship

In 2004, Betts achieved a significant milestone in his amateur wrestling career by becoming a Minnesota high school state champion.

2010: Shelton Benjamin's WWE Departure

In 2010, Shelton Benjamin concluded his tenure with WWE, marking the last year he competed for the promotion prior to his return alongside Chad Gable.

2012: 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials and Summer Olympics Participation

In 2012, Chad Gable secured his spot in the 2012 Summer Olympics by defeating Jordan Holm 2-0 in the U.S. Olympic Trials. During the Olympic games, he competed in the Greco-Roman 84kg category, where he successfully defeated Keitani Graham in the qualification round before being eliminated by Pablo Shorey in the subsequent round.

2012: 2012 Summer Olympics Participation

In 2012, Chad Gable, then known as Betts, competed as an amateur wrestler at the Summer Olympics held in London.

November 2013: Signing with WWE

As of November 2013, Charles Edward Betts officially signed a contract with WWE to perform as Chad Gable on the Raw brand.

November 2013: WWE Signing

In November 2013, Betts officially signed a contract with WWE and began training for his transition to their developmental brand, NXT.

September 5, 2014: In-ring Debut

On September 5, 2014, Chad Gable made his official in-ring debut during an NXT house show held in Cocoa Beach, Florida, where he successfully defeated Troy McClain.

December 19, 2014: Match Against Braun Strowman

On December 19, 2014, Chad Gable competed in a match against the debuting Braun Strowman at an NXT Live event in Jacksonville, Florida, which resulted in a loss for Gable.

January 8, 2015: NXT Television Debut

Chad Gable made his first appearance on television on the January 8, 2015, episode of NXT, where he was defeated by Tyler Breeze.

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May 2015: Formation of the Gable and Jordan partnership

In May 2015, Chad Gable began a storyline on NXT to convince Jason Jordan to form a new tag team following the end of Jordan's previous partnership with Tye Dillinger.

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July 2016: Main Roster Call-up

Following his success in NXT, Chad Gable was called up to the main WWE roster in July 2016, where he would eventually capture the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.

2016: American Alpha's Draft and In-Ring Debut

During the 2016 WWE Draft on July 19, American Alpha was selected for the SmackDown brand as the first tag team pick. Following their debut on the August 2 episode of SmackDown where they defeated The Vaudevillains, they participated in various matches, including a victory at SummerSlam. However, their momentum was halted on September 6, 2016, when Gable suffered a kayfabe knee injury following an assault by The Usos, preventing the team from competing for the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Championships at Backlash.

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January 2, 2018: SmackDown Tag Team Title Contendership Victory

On January 2, 2018, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin competed in a triple threat match on SmackDown Live against The New Day, Rusev, and Aiden English, ultimately securing a victory that earned them an opportunity to challenge for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.

December 2018: Raw Tag Team Championship Win

In December 2018, Chad Gable teamed with Bobby Roode to win the Raw Tag Team Championship, making him the second person in history to hold the NXT, SmackDown, and Raw tag titles.

2018: Chad Gable's 2018 WWE Raw Career Transitions and Championship Success

Throughout 2018, Chad Gable experienced significant changes in his WWE career, starting with his move to the Raw brand in April 2018, where he separated from Shelton Benjamin and turned face. He later formed a successful tag team partnership with Bobby Roode. Their collaboration culminated on December 10, 2018, when they defeated AOP and Drake Maverick to win the Raw Tag Team Championship, making Gable the second wrestler in history to hold the NXT, SmackDown, and Raw Tag Team titles.

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2019: WWE Superstar Shake-up and King of the Ring Participation

During the 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up, Chad Gable was drafted to the SmackDown brand, resulting in the dissolution of his tag team with Bobby Roode. Additionally, in August 2019, Gable participated in the King of the Ring tournament, where he defeated Shelton Benjamin in the opening round but was ultimately defeated in the tournament finals by Baron Corbin.

2021: Draft to Raw Brand

During the 2021 WWE Draft, Chad Gable and his tag team partner Otis were officially assigned to the Raw brand.

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January 10, 2022: Raw Tag Team Championship Victory

On the January 10, 2022 episode of Raw, Chad Gable and Otis, competing as Alpha Academy, defeated Randy Orton and Riddle (RK-Bro) to capture the Raw Tag Team Championship.

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January 2022: Second Raw Tag Team Championship Victory

In January 2022, Chad Gable earned his second Raw Tag Team Championship alongside his Alpha Academy partner, Otis.

June 30, 2025: Ludwig Kaiser assumes El Grande Americano persona

On June 30, 2025, Chad Gable had to step away from his role as the masked luchador El Grande Americano due to an injury, leading Ludwig Kaiser to take over the persona.

January 31, 2026: Return of the Original El Grande Americano

On January 31, 2026, Chad Gable returned to the ring as "The Original" El Grande Americano, where he confronted Ludwig Kaiser, who had been portraying the character during his absence.