The Top Twenty-Five Tag Teams of All Time
In this blog, I would like to share with all of you my choices for who I think are the top twenty-five greatest tag teams of all time. Although some of these teams never won Tag Team Championship Titles, they are all very talented and had some unforgettable rivalries. Some of you might not agree with my ranking. However, I know that after reading about each of the tag team’s career highlights you will understand why they have made my list. So let’s begin…
Number 1: The Hart Foundation
2 Time WWF Champions
January 26, 1987- October 27, 1987
August 27, 1990 - March 24, 1991
Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and Brett “The Hitman”Hart were managed by Jimmy Hart and won the WWF Tag Team Championship twice. Their first championship was won when The Hart Foundation took on the British Bulldogs for the World Tag Team Championship on January 27, 1987 in Tampa, Florida. Danny Davis was officiating the match and allowed some very questionable double-team maneuvers from the Hart Foundation. The Hart Foundation held the titles for ten months. They dropped their title to Rick Martel and Tito Santana on October 27, 1987, after Neidhart submitted to a Boston Crab applied by Martel.
Three years after their last World Tag Team Championship reign, the Hart Foundation got another shot at the titles at Summer Slam against Demolition. Demolition confronted L.O.D., allowing the Hart Foundation to pin Crush for the win and their second World Tag Team Championship. Their reign lasted for seven months as they lost their titles to The Nasty Boys in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 27, 1990 when Knobbs nailed Neidhart over the head with Jimmy Hart's helmet.
Some of the tag teams that The Hart Dynasty feuded with were The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, The Honkey Tonk Man and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, The Brain Busters and The Nasty Boys.
The Hart Foundation split after WrestleMania VII, and both Brett and “The Anvil” focused on their singles career.
Number 2. Legion of Doom
2 Time WWF Tag Team Champions
August 26, 1991 - February 7, 1992
October 7, 1997 - November 24, 1997
o World Japan Tag Team Championship (1 time)
o World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
· Independent Pro Wrestling
o IPW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
o NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Dusty Rhodes (2) and Genichiro Tenryu (1)
Hawk and Animal formed a tag team called The Road Warriors. Their names would be changed to LOD or Legion of Doom. Hawk and Animal had some great feuds Demolition. The Legion of Doom would also be heavily involved in a feud with the Hart Foundation.
At SummerSlam 1991, the Legion of Doom defeated The Nasty Boys to win the World Tag Team Championship. Hawk and Animal would eventually lose the titles to Money Inc. on February 7, 1992 after which they briefly left the WWF.
The Legion of Doom became 2-time WWF tag team champions on October 7, 1997 when they defeated The Godwinns. In November 1997, the Legion of Doom faced the newly formed New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) and shockingly lost the titles. The Legion of Doom would challenge the Outlaws several times in the next couple of months but could not win the gold.
The Road Warriors' last TV appearance as a team occurred on the May 12, 2003 Raw episode in a tag team match against the WWE World Tag Team Champions, Rob Van Dam and Kane. Hawk died five months later on October 19, 2003.
Number 3: Rock and Roll Express
· All-Star Wrestling
o ASW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
· Korean Pro-Wrestling Association
· World Organization of Wrestling
WOW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
The Rock 'n' Roll Express are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s. They held the NWA World Tag Team Championship four times. They also feuded with the Four Horsemen alliance.
In the late 1980s, they were contenders for the American Wrestling Association's AWA World Tag Team Championship. By 1991, Morton turned on his partner to join the York Foundation alliance in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In the 1990s, however, the team reformed in Smokey Mountain Wrestling, where they held the SMW Tag Team Championship ten times. The duo also worked in the World Wrestling Federation and WCW.
Number 4: The Four Horsemen
All titles and awards listed were won while they were Horsemen
· NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) – Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard (2 times)
· WCW World Tag Team Championship – Arn Anderson and Paul Roma (1 time), Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko (1 time)
The Four Horsemen wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance and later in World Championship Wrestling. They broke up in 1999. The original group featured Ric Flair, Arn and Ole Anderson, and Tully Blanchard. Ric Flair and Arn Anderson have been constant members in the group. On one occasion, during Arn Anderson's neck injury Curt Hennig was given Arn's "spot" in the Horsemen.
They feuded with Dusty Rhodes (breaking his ankle and hand), Magnum TA, Barry Windham, The Rock 'n' Roll Express (breaking Ricky Morton's nose), Nikita Koloff (injuring his neck), and The Road Warriors.
Altogether, they won five tag team titles.
Members of The Four Horsemen Included:
| |
Number 5: Edge and Christian
7 Time WWE Tag Team Champions
Edge and Christian vs. The Dudley Boys (April 2, 2000 - May 29, 2000)
Edge and Christian vs. Too Cool (June 25, 2000 - September 24, 2000)
Los Conquistadors vs. The Hardy Boys (October 22, 2000 - October 23, 2000)
Edge and Christian vs. Bill Buchanan and The Goodfather (December 10, 2000 - December 18, 2000)
Edge and Christian vs. The Rock and The Undertaker December 21, 2000- January 21, 2001
Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boys vs. The Dudleys March 19, 2001- March 19, 2001
Edge and Christian vs. The Dudleys April 1, 2001-April 30 2001
Christian and I held the WWE Tag Team Championship seven different times. We beat The Dudleys to win our first tag team championship. We also defeated Too Cool, The Hardy Boys, Bill Buchanan and The GoodFather and The Rock and The Under Taker. Our major feuds were with The Hardy Boys and The Dudleys. We had many great TLC matches against and with both teams. Christian and I also won tag team championships with other partners. I won the tag team championship five other times with partners such as Hulk Hogan, Rey Mysterio, Chris Benoit (twice) and with Chris Jericho.
Edge’s five tag team reigns with other partners
Edge and Hulk Hogan vs. Billy and Chuck (July 4, 2002- July 21, 2002)
Edge and Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit (November 2, 2002-November 17, 2002)
Edge and Chris Benoit vs. Ric Flair and Batista (April 19, 2004- May 3, 2004)
Edge and Chris Benoit vs. Rob Conaway and Sylvain Grenier (October 19, 2004- November 1, 2004)
Edge and Chris Jericho vs. Carlito and Primo
(June 28, 2009- July 26, 2009)
Edge and Chris Benoit vs. Ric Flair and Batista (April 19, 2004- May 3, 2004)
Edge and Chris Benoit vs. Rob Conaway and Sylvain Grenier (October 19, 2004- November 1, 2004)
Edge and Chris Jericho vs. Carlito and Primo
(June 28, 2009- July 26, 2009)
Christian won the Tag Team Championship Titles two times with partners Lance Storm and Chris Jericho.
WWE Tag Champion
(July 21, 2002 - September 23, 2002)
Lance Storm
(October 14, 2002 - December 15, 2002)
Chris Jericho
Number 6. The British Bulldogs
1 time WWF Tag Team Champions
April 7, 1986- January 26, 1987
Davey Boy Smith and his cousin, Dynamite Kid were better known as The British Bull Dogs. They had many exciting matches against the team of Bret Hart and Jim the” Anvil” Neidhart. The highlight of their tag team career was when they defeated Greg the Hammer Valentine and Brutus the Barber Beefcake and won the WWF Tag Team Championship belts at Wrestle Mania 2, in Rosemont, Illinois. The British Bull Dogs held the WWF Tag Team Championships belts for one year. Their reign ended on January 26, 1987 when they lost the Tag Team Championship Belts to the Hart Foundation.
After the tag team split, Bulldog teamed up with Lex Luger, Jim the”Anvil”Neidhart and Owen Hart. Bull Dog won another Tag Team Championship with Owen Hart in 1996.
On a sad note, The British Bull Dog passed away on May 18, 2002. However, his son, David Hart Smith, followed in his father’s footsteps and has wrestled briefly for the WWE.
Number 7: Brothers of Destruction
The Undertaker and his Brother Kane were better known as The Brothers of Destruction. The Brothers of Destruction had feuds with Christian and I and Stone Cold and Triple H. They won their first WWE Tag Team Championship in a match against Christian and myself on April 19, 2001. Undertaker managed to knock me out and deliver a Last Ride to Christian for the win, giving the Brothers of Destruction the World Tag Team Championship.
Undertaker & Kane squared off against Diamond Dallas Page & Kanyon at SummerSlam on August 19, 2001 in a Steel Cage match to unify the World and WCW Tag Team Championship. This match was almost all Undertaker & Kane. The Brothers of Destruction let Kanyon escape the cage so that they could have DDP all to themselves with no distractions. They annihilated the former WCW Champion until Undertaker put him out of his misery with a Choke Slam and a Last Ride. They lost the belts on September 17, 2001.
Number 8: The Black Jacks
The team consisted of Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza. After forming in the 1970s, they wrestled in a variety of professional wrestling promotions, including the American Wrestling Association and World Wide Wrestling Federation. The duo first joined forces in the 1970s. They were managed by Bobby Heenan.
The Blackjacks won multiple tag team titles, including the WWA Tag Team Championship and two tag-team championships in WCCW. They, however, are most known for winning the WWWF Tag Team Championship (with Lou Albano as their manager) on August 26, 1975 by defeating Dominic DeNucci and Victor Rivera. They were inducted into The WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.
Number 9: Von Erichs
The Von Erichs were one of the most talented wrestling families. Members of the family were Fritz Von Erich, Jack Adkisson, Jr., Kevin Von Erich, David Von Erich, Kerry Von Erich, Mike Von Erich, and Chris Von Erich.
On March 16, 2009, it was announced that the Von Erich family would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. They were inducted by Michael "P.S." Hayes, with Kevin Von Erich accepting the induction. Although several family members have passed on, their legacy lives on in the WWE.
The blood relatives of the Von Erich family have combined for 144 professional wrestling championships through the years. The following list combines all of the family members' titles.
All Japan Pro Wrestling
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship (2 times) - David (1) and Kevin (1)
NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - Fritz
American Wrestling Association
AWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) - Fritz
Championship Wrestling from Florida
NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship (1 time) - David
NWA Florida Television Championship (1 time) - David
NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) - David
Maple Leaf Wrestling
NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship (3 times) - Fritz
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time) - Fritz
NWA Detroit
NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit Version) (3 times) - Fritz
NWA Minneapolis Wrestling and Boxing Club
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Minneapolis version) (1 time) - Fritz
NWA Southwest
NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time) - Kevin
NWA Western States Sports
NWA International Tag Team Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time) - Fritz
NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (4 times) - Fritz
St. Louis Wrestling Club
NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (3 times) - Kevin (1), David (1) and Kerry (1)
Southwest Sports, Inc. - NWA Big Time Wrestling - World Class Championship Wrestling - World Class Wrestling Association
NWA American/WCCW American/WCWA World Heavyweight Championship (33 times) - Fritz (16), Kevin (7), Kerry (9) and Mike (1)
NWA American/WCCW American/WCWA World Tag Team Championship (24 times) - Fritz (6), Kevin (7), David (1) and Kerry (10)
NWA/WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Championship (2 times) - Fritz
NWA/WCCW/WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (16 times) - Fritz (3), Kevin (2), David (8) and Kerry (3)
NWA United National Championship (1 time) - David
NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) - Kerry
NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (20 times) - Fritz (1), Kevin (7), David (2), Kerry (6) and Mike (4)
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (6 times) - Fritz (2), Kevin (1), David (1) and Kerry (3)
WCCW Middle Eastern Championship (1 time) - Mike
WCCW Television Championship (1 time) - Kevin
WCCW/WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship (5 times) - Kevin (2), David (2) and Kerry (3)
WCWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (6 times) - Kevin (4) and Kerry (2)
Texas Wrestling Federation
TWF Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time) - Kevin
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship (1 time) - Lacey
Windy City Pro Wrestling
WCPW Ladies Championship (1 time) - Lacey
World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time) - Kerry
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Match of the Year (1984) - Kevin, Kerry, and Mike vs. the Fabulous Freebirds (Buddy Roberts, Michael Hayes, and Terry Gordy) in an Anything Goes match on July 4
Other titles
World Heavyweight Championship (Wequetequock version) (2 times) - Fritz
Number 10 : DX
o WWF/World Tag Team Championship (7 times) – (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) (4) Pac and Kane (2) and Triple H and Shawn Michaels (1)
D-Generation X began in 1997 with Rick Rude, Chyna, Triple H and Shawn Michaels. The group expanded with the additions of X-Pac, the New Age Outlaws and Tori until it broke up in August 2000. In June 2006, the duo of Triple H and Shawn Michaels formed for the remainder of the year and again in August 2009 until March 2010, shortly before Michaels' retirement.
DX( Shawn and Triple HHH) had feuds with The Spirit Squad, Rated RKO and The Big Show and Chris Jericho. Shawn and Triple HHH won their only WWE Tag Team Championship on December 13, 2009 in A Tables Ladders and Chairs Match against Chris Jericho and The Big Show. Their Tag Team Championship reign lasted until February 8, 2010.
Number 11: Los Guerreros
· Pro Wrestling Federation
o PWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – Hector and Eddie
· World Wrestling Association (Los Angeles)
o NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (5 times) – Chavo and Gory (1), Hector and Chavo (1), Hector and Mando (3)
o UWC Tag Team Championship (1 time) – Hector and Mando
Los Guerreros was the official name of Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero when they were a tag team in the (WWE). Los Guerreros formed sometime during 2002 following Eddie’s switch to the SmackDown brand. Eddie had been Chris Benoit's tag partner on Raw, but Benoit turned face and moved into a feud with Kurt Angle while they were a tag team on the side.
Eddie and Chavo ended up teaming up as a heel tag team when a tournament was announced to crown the first-ever Tag Team Champions.
At Survivor Series 2002, Los Guerreros defeated Benoit and Angle and Edge and Mysterio in a 3-Way Tag Team Elimination match to win their first WWE Tag Team Championship. They feuded with John Cena and B-2, and Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas). They would lose the tag titles to Team Angle on the February 6, 2003 edition of SmackDown!
Eddie later teamed up with Tajiri to win back the belts due to an injury to Chavo. Team Angle, by now known as The World's Greatest Tag Team, won back the belts but Chavo returned a few months later.
On the September 18th edition of SmackDown!, they defeated World's Greatest Tag Team for their second WWE Tag Team Championship.
They would lose the belts to the Basham Brothers about a month later. Several months later, Chavo eventually turned on Eddie, breaking up the team. Eddie then went on main event by becoming a WWE Champion.
Number 12: The Dudleys
- ECW World Tag Team Championship (8 time)
Bubba Ray and D-Von, were joined by Spike Dudley and were better known as The Dudley Boys. They are officially recognized by TNA as 23 time World Tag Team Champions, making them the most decorated tag team in history. They are the only team to have held the WWE, World, ECW, WCW, NWA, TNA, and IWGP Tag Team Championships. They are also famously known for using tables in their matches, usually to drive their opponent through one with their finishing move.
While part of the WWF, the Dudley Boyz's claim to fame was bringing the use of tables as weapons into the wrestling mainstream, often using their signature double-team move, the 3D, to put their opponents through one of these tables. They became fan favorites in mid-2000 when they engaged in a feud with the then villainous D-Generation X . Throughout 2000 and 2001, the Dudley Boyz engaged in a three way feud for the WWF Tag Team Championship with the Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian. The feud incorporated two Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) matches, the first at Summer Slam in 2000. The second was at WrestleMania X-Seven in April 2001, in which Spike Dudley (who had joined the WWF in early-2001) interfered to aid the Dudleys.
The Dudleys beat the Hardy Boyz in a cage match at Survivor Series in 2001 to unify the WWF and WCW Tag Team Championships. As 2002 began, Spike feuded with his big brothers again, winning the WWF Tag Team Title from them with partner Tazz.
They won the SmackDown brand's WWE Tag Team Championship, making them the first team to hold both sets of tag team titles in WWE history.
Number 13: The Hardy Boys
Six Time Tag Team Champions
6/29/99 SmackDown - The APA
9/24/00 Unforgiven – beat Edge & Christian in a Cage Match
10/23/00 RAW – beat Edge in a handicap match
3/5/01 RAW – The Dudley Boyz
11/12/01 RAW – Booker T & Test
4/2/07 RAW - won a 10-Team Battle Royal
9/24/00 Unforgiven – beat Edge & Christian in a Cage Match
10/23/00 RAW – beat Edge in a handicap match
3/5/01 RAW – The Dudley Boyz
11/12/01 RAW – Booker T & Test
4/2/07 RAW - won a 10-Team Battle Royal
10 Time WCW Tag Team Championship
10/8/01 RAW – Booker T & Test
Matt and Jeff Hardy started their tag team careers in the WWE in 1994. 1999 was the breakout year for the brothers. That summer, they added Michael Hayes as their manager and won their first tag team championship. Later that year they joined up with Gangrel as part of his New Brood. They finished the year winning a tournament for the managerial services of Terri. In 2000, Lita joined up with the brothers to form Team Extreme.
10/8/01 RAW – Booker T & Test
Matt and Jeff Hardy started their tag team careers in the WWE in 1994. 1999 was the breakout year for the brothers. That summer, they added Michael Hayes as their manager and won their first tag team championship. Later that year they joined up with Gangrel as part of his New Brood. They finished the year winning a tournament for the managerial services of Terri. In 2000, Lita joined up with the brothers to form Team Extreme.
The Hardy Boys had a feud with the Dudley Boyz, and Christian and myself. Tables were the specialty of the Dudley's, ladders the specialty of the Hardy's, and Christian and I of course used tables, ladders and chairs. The Hardy Boys held seven WWE tag team championship titles. They beat APA, Christian and I, The Dudleys, Booker and Test and won a ten man battle royal to get the titles. Matt had one reign as tag team champion with another partner MVP.
Number 14: Brain Busters
1 Time WWF Tag Team Champions
July 18, 1989 - October 2, 1989
The Brain Busters were also known as Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. Arn and Tully were called, “The Brain Busters," due to being under the management of Bobby"The Brain" Heenan.
The Brain Busters got to face the WWF World Tag Team Champions Demolition and defeated them by disqualification on the May 27, 1989 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event.
The Brain Busters defeated Demolition for the titles in a rematch on July 18, 1989 in a two out of three falls match. After losing the 1st fall, by pinfall, the Busters won the 2nd fall, via disqualification, and won the 3rd fall, with a distraction from Bobby Heenan and a steel chair thrown in from Andre the Giant. The Brain Busters ended Demolition’s record-breaking 478-day title reign and became the first team to win both the WWF and NWA World tag-team titles. It also was the 1st time a title changed hands in a two out of three falls match where one of the decisions ended in a disqualification.
The Brain Busters lost the titles back to Demolition on October 2, 1989, as Blanchard, who was the illegal man, was pinned after receiving the Demolition Decapitation finisher. Their last match was a best-of-three-falls contest against The Rockers on Saturday Night's Main Event. The Brain Busters lost the first fall after not following directions from an enraged Heenan, who left the ringside area. The Brain Busters won the second fall, after which Heenan fired them during a backstage interview. The Rockers would go on to win the third and final fall of the match.
Number 15: The Rockers
The Rockers consisted of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. They teamed from 1985 to 1992. The team worked for Central States Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, Continental Wrestling Federation, Continental Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation.
In 1996, Jannetty teamed up with Leif Cassidy (later to be known as Al Snow) to form The New Rockers but the team never achieved much success in the WWF and ended later that same year.
During the time that The Rockers were a tag team they had major feuds with The Rougeaus, The Orient Express, Legion of Doom and The Brain Busters.
By current WWE records, The Rockers never officially held the WWF Tag Team Championship but on October 30, 1990 Jannetty and Michaels did actually defeat the reigning champions, The Hart Foundation in a two out of three falls match in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The WWE (WWF) has never officially recognized The Rockers' champion status. During the match the top rope broke by accident. Therefore, it could not be shown on TV. The Rockers defended the WWF Tag Team title against Power and Glory (Paul Roma and Hercules) on November 3, 1990. Shortly after November 3 it was decided to not air the title change and that the title would revert to the Hart Foundation. Whatever the reason the Rockers were never officially credited with a title win.
Number 16: Free Birds
§ The Fabulous Freebirds had a WCW World Tag Team reign with a length of -6 days, since the day they lost was taped before the day they won.
o WCCW Six-Man Tag Team Championship (6 times) – Hayes, Gordy and Roberts (5 times) Gordy, Roberts and Parsons (1 time)
The Fabulous Freebirds began in 1979 when Michael "P.S." Hayes, Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, and Buddy "Jack" Roberts decided to form a "three man gang" type of tag-team.
The group wrestled in the Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling territory, where they had a legendary feud with the Von Erichs (David, Kevin, Kerry, Chris and Mike). They also performed in the NWA-affiliated Georgia Championship Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association, and the Oklahoma-based Universal Wrestling Federation.
While in the AWA they feuded primarily with the Road Warriors, costing them the World Tag Team Titles in a match against long time Freebird ally Jimmy Garvin and his partner Steve Regal.
They had a very brief run in the World Wrestling Federation in 1984, where they were a part of the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection period. In the WWF, they wrestled under the guidance of Cyndi Lauper's manager David Wolff, but left when WWF officials wanted to split the team up.
Hayes and Garvin were paired as the Freebirds in WCW in 1989, enjoying several reigns as tag-team champions, and were joined by Gordy for a while as well. They later employed the services of masked third partner Fantasia/Badstreet and manager Little Richard Marley. The Freebirds were last together when Hayes, Gordy, and Garvin worked for the Global Wrestling Federation in 1994, ending the group after 15 years.
Number 17: The Valiant Brothers
NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
Georgia Championship Wrestling
NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time)
NWA San Francisco
NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time)
World Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)
WWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times)
World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation
WWF Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
WWWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1974.
World Wrestling Federation
WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Jimmy Valiant and Johnny Valiant formed a tag team in World Wrestling Association as storyline brothers. They began wrestling together as heels. They debuted as a team on January 5, 1974 when they defeated Dick the Bruiser and Bruno Sammartino to win the WWA World Tag Team Championship.
Jimmy and Johnny signed with World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in May 1974 and debuted there around that same time. Their biggest success as a tag team came when they defeated Tony Garea and Dean Ho to win the WWWF World Tag Team Championship on May 8, 1974 . The Valiants quickly became a dominant heel tag team as they went on to successfully defend their titles throughout the entire year. They held and defended the titles for over a year before losing them to Dominic DeNucci and Victor Rivera on 13 May 1975. This made the Valiant Brothers, the longest reigning champions of their era with a reign of 370 days before the record was broken, fourteen years later by Demolition (Ax and Smash), who reigned as tag team champions for 470 days. After losing the titles, the Valiants battled against the likes of Tony Garea, Dean Ho, Chief Jay Strongbow and Haystacks Calhoun.
In 1978, Valiant Brothers returned to WWWF but Jimmy retired and was replaced by "brother" Jerry Valiant. Jerry and Johnny began wrestling in the tag team division while Jimmy became their manager. On March 24, 1979 edition of Championship Wrestling, Jerry and Johnny defeated Larry Zbyzsko and Tony Garea to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. This second version of Valiant Brothers was also successful but Jerry could not achieve the popularity which Jimmy had achieved. Jerry and Johnny lost the titles to Ivan Putski and Tito Santana on October 22. After unsuccessful attempts in winning back the titles from Putski and Santana, Valiant Brothers broke up in the new year 1980, putting an end to the team.
Jimmy and Johnny were inducted into the 1996 Hall of Fame by Owen Hart and British Bulldog. All the three Valiant Brothers, have reunited one time in the independent circuit during the 2000s.
Number 18: Midnight Express
The Midnight Express is a professional wrestling tag team that has had various members and achieved most of its success in the 1980s. The members were Members Dennis Condrey, Randy Rose, Norvell Austin, Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane, Bombastic Bob, Bodacious Bart, and Rikki Nelson. The Midnight Express name was revived by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the late 1990s when they put a combination of Bob Holly (as "Bombastic Bob") and Bart Gunn (as "Bodacious Bart") together as "The New Midnight Express" with Cornette as their manager—all as part of the "NWA invasion" angle. On March 30, 1998, they won the NWA World Tag Team Championship from the Headbangers but did not achieve much more success in the WWF.
In 2003, Eaton worked for NWA Mid-Atlantic forming a new version of the Midnight Express with Rikki Nelson. This Midnight Express version was very short lived as Eaton soon started touring with Dennis Condrey (and sometimes Lane and Cornette) as the Midnight Express instead. This version of the Midnight Express still performs together on select independent wrestling cards in the United States.
On June 7, 2008, they lost to The Rock 'n' Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton) at the NWA 60th Anniversary Show in Atlanta, Georgia.
A list of their tag-team accomplishments is written below:
A list of their tag-team accomplishments is written below:
Austin and Condrey
Continental Wrestling Association
CWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Condrey and Eaton
All-Star Wrestling (Virginia)
ASW Tag Team Championship (7 time)
International Wrestling Cartel
IWC Tag Team Championship (10 time)
Jim Crockett Promotions
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time)
Mid-South Wrestling
Mid-South Tag Team Championship (2 times)
NWA Bluegrass
NWA Bluegrass Tag Team Championship (10 times)
NWA Rocky Top
NWA Rocky Top Tag Team Championship (19 time)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI ranked them #21 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" in 2003
World Class Championship Wrestling
NWA American Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Tag Team of the Year (1986)
Condrey and Rose
American Wrestling Association
AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Continental Wrestling Association
AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Norvell Austin
Southeastern Championship Wrestling
NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (10 times)
Windy City Wrestling
WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Eaton and Lane
Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling
NWA United States Tag Team Championship (3 times)
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Tag Team of the Year (1987)
PWI ranked them #32 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" in 2003
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Feud of the Year (1988) vs. the Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers)
Tag Team of the Year (1987, 1988)
Eaton and Nelson
NWA Mid-Atlantic
NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Gunn and Holly
World Wrestling Federation
NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Number 19: Rock and Sock Connection
3 Time WWF Tag Team Champions
August 30, 1999 - September 9, 1999
September 20, 1999 - September 23, 1999
October 14, 1999 - October 18, 1999
Rock 'N' Sock Connection was a tag team made up of The Rock and Mankind that wrestled in the World Wrestling Federation between 1999 and 2000 and briefly in 2004. As a team, they held the WWF Tag Team Championship three times.
On August 30, 1999, the Rock 'N' Sock Connection was formed when The Undertaker and Big Show attacked The Rock on Raw, leading The Rock to challenge both of them to a match. Mankind (who recently started using a smelly sock named "Mr. Socko" as part of his gimmick) asked his former enemy if he could help with his fight against Undertaker and Big Show. The Rock accepted, and later that night, the two captured The Undertaker and Big Show's WWF Tag Team Titles when they pinned Big Show after a double People's Elbow.
They lost the belts on September 7 in a Buried Alive match against Undertaker and Big Show, when then-heel Triple H interfered. However, Triple H was really only helping out Undertaker, as he hit The Big Show with a sledgehammer.
On September 20, the Rock 'N' Sock Connection won the titles back in a Dark Side Rules match against The Big Show, Mideon, and Viscera (The Undertaker did not feel like being in the match so they took his place, thus turning the match into a three-on-two).Three days later on SmackDown!, the New Age Outlaws reunited and challenged Rock 'N' Sock Connection for the titles, which The Outlaws won.
The Rock and Sock Connection challenged The New Age Outlaws for the championships on October 14, 1999. That night, the Rock 'N' Sock Connection won the tag team titles for the third time. Hardcore and Crash Holly (with outside interference once again by Triple H) beat The Rock “N” Sock Connection for the Titles.
Number 20: Steiner Brothers
2 Time WWF Tag Team champions
o PWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)
2 Time WWF Tag Team champions
June 14, 1993 - June 16, 1993
June 19, 1993 - September 13, 1993
Robert "Rick Steiner" Rechsteiner and Scott "Scott Steiner" Rechsteiner were known as The Steiner Brothers. They are one of only two tag teams to win the WWF World Tag Team Championship, the WCW World Tag Team Championship and the IWGP Tag Team Championship in professional wrestling history (the other being the Dudley Boyz/Team 3D) and the only team to achieve that before WCW was purchased by the WWF.
The Steiners feuded with Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster) , The Smoking Gunns (Billy and Bart) and The Headshrinkers. On June 14, 1993, at a television taping, the Steiners defeated Money, Inc. for the WWF Tag Team Championship in Columbus, Ohio. Money, Inc. regained the titles on June 16, 1993 at a house show in Rockford, Illinois, but lost the titles to the Steiners once again at another house show on June 19, 1993 in St. Louis, Missouri.
On the September 13, 1993 episode of Raw in New York City, New York, the Steiners defended their titles against The Quebecers (Jacques and Pierre) in a "Province of Quebec rules" match, wherein titles can change hands via disqualification. The match ended when the manager of The Quebecers, Johnny Polo, threw a hockey stick into the ring, which was caught by Scott. When the referee saw Scott holding the illegal weapon, he disqualified the Steiner Brothers, thus awarding the title to The Quebecers.
Number 21: Harlem Heat
10 time WCW Tag Team Champions
Booker T and his brother Lane were best known as Harlem Heat. In August 1993, they debuted with Booker renamed Kole and Lane renamed Kane. They were then billed from Harlem. By the end of 1994, they were already Tag Team Champions, having defeated Stars 'n' Stripes (The Patriot and Marcus Alexander Bagwell) in December, en route to a five-month title reign. This would be their first of ten WCW World Tag Team Championship reigns together.
After dropping the title to the Nasty Boys, Harlem Heat regained the belts on June 24, 1995. Harlem Heat entered a feud with Col. Parker's Stud Stable of "Dirty" Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck, eventually dropping the titles to them on an episode of WCW Saturday Night on July 22, 1995, thanks to interference from Parker. Harlem Heat regained the WCW World Tag Team titles from Slater and Buck at Fall Brawl 1995. Their third title only lasted one day, but the duo regained the tag team title nine days later from the American Males (Marcus Alexander Bagwell and Scotty Riggs). On the June 24, 1996 "Nitro," Harlem Heat defeated Lex Luger and Sting to capture their fifth WCW World Tag Team titles. Three days after losing the tag team titles to the Steiner Brothers, Harlem Heat regained the belts from the Steiners on July 27, 1996. On September 23, 1996 Booker T and Stevie Ray were defeated by Public Enemy (Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge) but took the titles back for the seventh time on October 1, 1996.
After the loss of their seventh WCW World Tag Team Championship,to the Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) on October 27, 1996. They briefly feuded against Parker's newest team The Amazing French Canadians, a feud they would win. In 1997 they feuded with Public Enemy, The Steiners, and the nWo. In fall 1997, they fired Sherri and added a new manager, Jacqueline. They were briefly put out of action by the nWo but returned to feud with the "Faces of Fear" (Meng and The Barbarian).
By mid-1999, Booker was able to convince his brother to leave the nWo and reunited Harlem Heat once more. The two defeated Bam Bam Bigelow and Kanyon for the WCW World Tag Team titles at the 1999 Road Wild but lost them to Barry and Kendall Windham. Harlem Heat would defeat them about a month later at the 1999 Fall Brawl for the WCW World Tag Team titles. When the Filthy Animals were stripped of the WCW World Tag Team belts due to an injury suffered by Rey Mysterio Jr., the title was put up in a three-way dance at Halloween Havoc 1999. Harlem Heat claimed their tenth WCW World Tag Team title defeating members of The First Family (Hugh Morrus and Brian Knobbs) and the Filthy Animals (Konnan and Billy Kidman).
Number 22: Evolution
Evolution was on Raw between 2003 and 2005. The group consisted of Triple H, Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista. Ric flair and Batista were the two members in the group who won The WWE Tag Team Championships on two different occasions.
On December 14, 2003 The Dudleys put their World Tag Team Championship on the line at Armageddon, in a Tag Team Turmoil match. The teams challenging for the titles were La Resistance, Mark Jindrak & Garrison Cade, Val Venis & Lance Storm, The Hurricane & Rosey and Scott Steiner & Test. The Dudleys, who were the third team to compete, outlasted everyone. But after what they thought was a successful title defense, Eric Bischoff announced there was one more team. With that, Batista & Ric Flair made their way to the ring. Batista decimated The Dudleys as the Evolution members picked up the titles. Ric Flair,won his first World Tag Team Championship. It was also Batista's first championship. They held the belts until February 16, 2004.
On March 22, 2004, Batista and Flair once again won the WWE Tag Team Championship belts by beating Booker T and Rob Van Dam in a Fatal Four Way Match. This reign lasted for two months.
Evolution slowly began dissolving in 2004. The group turned on Orton the night following Summer Slam, when he won the World Heavyweight Championship and kicked him out.
After winning the Royal Rumble in 2005 and teasing that he would chase the WWE Championship, Batista turned on Triple H and decided to pursue the World Heavyweight Championship himself. Although Batista's departure was largely the end for the group, the final break up came when Triple H turned on and attacked Flair.
Number 23: The Brisco Brothers
The brothers, Gerald and Jack Brisco formed one of the best tag-teams in wrestling history. They won many tag-team titles with different wrestling organizations and partners (see below). They were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008. Unfortunately, Jack died in early 2010.
Jack’s Accomplishments
All Japan Pro Wrestling
NWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
Lou Thesz Award (2005)
Championship Wrestling from Florida
NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (10 times) – with Gerry Brisco (8), Ciclon Negro (1), and Jimmy Garvin (1)
NWA Florida Television Championship (3 times)
NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (2 times) – with Gerry Brisco
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (4 times)
NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (5 times) – with Gerry Brisco
Eastern Sports Association
ESA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Gerry Brisco
Georgia Championship Wrestling
NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Gerry Brisco
NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (3 times) – with Gerry Brisco
NWA Big Time Wrestling
NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA Gulf Coast
NWA Gulf Coast Louisiana Championship (1 time)
NWA Mid-America
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Memphis version) (1 time)
NWA Tri-State
NWA Arkansas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA Oklahoma Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version) (2 times) – with Haystacks Calhoun (1) and Gorgeous George, Jr. (1)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Match of the Year (1974) vs. Dory Funk, Jr. on January 27
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1972) tied with Fred Curry
PWI Wrestler of the Year (1973)
PWI ranked him # 54 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" with Gerry Brisco in 2003.
PWI ranked him #67 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
Class of 2005
St. Louis Wrestling Club
NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
NWA Missouri Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
World Wrestling Council
WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
WWC North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Gerry Brisco
World Wrestling Entertainment
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
Gerald’s Accomplishments
Championship Wrestling from Florida
NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA Florida Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (8 times) - with Jack Brisco
NWA Florida Television Championship (1 time)
NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (5 times) - with Jack Brisco
NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (2 times) - with Jack Brisco
NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (3 times)
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Eastern Sports Association
ESA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Brisco
Georgia Championship Wrestling
NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Bob Backlund (1), Jack Brisco (2), Ole Anderson (1), and Rocky Johnson (1)
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (1 time)
NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Georgia version) (1 time)
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Thunderbolt Patterson
NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (3 time) - with Jack Brisco
NWA Western States Sports
NWA Western States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI ranked him # 54 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" with Jack Brisco in 2003.
World Wrestling Council
WWC North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jack Brisco
WWC World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment
WWF Hardcore Championship (2 times)
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)
Number 24: Acolytes/ APA
July 25, 1999 - August 9, 1999
July 9, 2001 - August 9, 2001
The Acolytes Protection Agency also known as APA, was made up of Bradshaw and Faarooq. Before forming the APA, Faarooq and Bradshaw were known as the Hell's Henchmen and were later a part of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness known as The Acolytes. As the Acolytes, they won two World Tag Team Championships in 1999 while feuding with X-Pac and Kane, and the Hardy Boyz. After renaming themselves the Acolytes Protection Agency in 2000, they functioned as bodyguards to other wrestlers, and won a third tag team championship in 2001.
Number 25: New Age Outlaws
5 Time WWE Tag Team Champions
TWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)
March 30, 1998 - July 13, 1998
September 23, 1999 - October 14, 1999
The New Age Outlaws were also known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia. They wrestled under the ring names "Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn.
The Outlaws first formed on a 1997 episode of Shotgun Saturday Night when Billy Gunn and "Road Dogg" Jesse James, then known as Rock-a-Billy and "The Real Double J" Jesse, ended a feud between them and teamed up.
James and Gunn defeated the Legion of Doom for the Tag Team Championship in November 1997. This marked Gunn's fourth Tag Team Title Reign and Road Dogg's first. Not only did the team win the titles that night, but they also got their "Outlaws" nickname when they "stole" the win and then ran to a waiting car, having Raw announcer Jim Ross compare them to outlaws leaving a robbery.
During their feud with LOD, the Outlaws joined Triple H and Shawn Michaels, known as D-Generation X, in assaulting the team on an episode of Monday Night Raw, including shaving off one of Road Warrior Hawk's mohawks and throwing Road Warrior Animal through the announcer’s table.
Shortly before the Royal Rumble in 1998, the New Age Outlaws began a feud with Mick Foley, first fighting him as Dude Love, then as Mankind and finally Cactus Jack. When it became apparent that he needed help dealing with the Outlaws, Foley brought in Chainsaw Charlie.
At WrestleMania XIV, the New Age Outlaws lost the titles to Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie in a Dumpster match. The next night on Raw, however, with the aid of Triple H and X-Pac, the Outlaws regained the title in a steel cage match and officially joined DX.
They lost the tag title to Kane and Mankind in the summer of 1998, only to regain the titles from that same team at Summer Slam in a handicap match after Kane no-showed.
In late 1998 Vince McMahon's Corporation tried to tempt the Outlaws away from DX and failed, which led to the Outlaws losing the title to Ken Shamrock and Big Boss Man.
In 1999, the team split up.
***** I would like to give honorable mention to these five tag teams:
The Wild Samoans
The Nasty Boys
The Bushwhackers
Flair and Piper
Demolition
As I was writing this blog, it brought back a lot of exciting moments for me in Tag Team wrestling history. I hope that you all enjoyed reading about my picks for The 25 Best Tag Teams of all time. Please comment and let me know what you think about my choices.
Until next time,
~ Adam~
I loved your blog. It was very well written and informative. Honestly, I think you and Christian should have been number one because you accomplished so much as a tag team. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you included the Rock n Roll Express! They were absolutely my favorite when I was a teen. And I really wanted to take that tennis racket from Jim Crockett and smack him with it! Great memories! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting listing. From the wrestling fan girl perspective I think I would've been tempted to rate them by longevity. Not necessarily by amount of time wrestled but by the impact they left on tag team wrestling as a whole. I think about how songs weren't used for entrances until the Freebirds and the establishing of the heel stable by the Four Horsemen. The era DX ushered in. Just my thoughts. I don't know if I could've ranked anybody over The Road Warriors, but they were a different style of tag team than the Hart Foundation. Its like the best guitarist list for Rolling Stone, I usually agree with all the parts just not all of the rankings. I wouldn't shift much but I think I would actually rate the Freebirds higher than the Von Erichs (WCCW was my first territory). I loved the Von Erichs but only because of how much I hated the Freebirds. Something to be said for a great heel : D
ReplyDelete