The State of Tag Team Wrestling

[The Tino Standard 0]

Reading the MNM thread got me to thinking: Has there ever been a worse period for tag team wrestling in WWE than what we've got going now? I've been following wrestling for almost 20 years now, and I can't remember a lower point.

 

Tag team wrestling - once a great launching pad for future main eventers - has become a wasteland for wayward, mismatched midcarders with nothing to do. There was a time when teams were TEAMS. They had TEAM names and had matching apparel. They had a series of double-TEAM moves.

 

Today, we have MNM and a big pile of nothing. Truth be told, MNM is only average at best (well, Melina is phenomenal on several levels, but that's for another thread), but considering the rest of the tag team scene on both shows, actually having all the characteristics of a real tag team suddenly vaults you into the stratosphere by comparison. It's depressing.

 

How the hell did we get to this point? There was a time in the late 80s when you had teams like the Rockers, Hart Foundation, Demolition and Powers of Pain. Ten years later, we had another golden era led by the Hardys, Edge and Christian and the Dudleys. Now we've got ... nothing.

 

At what point did the tag team scene just completely fizzle? I mean, can anybody tell me who even held the Raw tag titles before Hurricane and Rosey? I have no idea and I watch Raw every week. Have they even been involved in a program this year?

 

In the era of the SD-6, they at least got it half-right, putting on lots of good tag matches, although other than The World's Greatest Tag Team, there weren't really a ton of true teams, just a collection of good workers in the division.

 

There was a time when tag team wrestlers could be viable teammates, yet still maintain an semblence of individuality that would lead to singles careers down the road. Plenty of world champions (see: Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels) got their start in tag teams. Why the aversion to it now?

 

I know I'm rambling a bit here and probably telling you nothing you haven't already realized on your own, but damn it, this pisses me off. Good tag team wrestling can really lift up a midcard and make stars out of guys who might not be able to hit it big initially on their own. It's just really sad to see what the division has become in recent years.

[Guest Olympic Slam]

I don't watch wrestling anymore. I have no idea who or what an MNM is or if they melt in your mouth. But I do know that when I was crazy into wrestling in 2002, we were saying the same thing you're saying when Billy and Chuck were the champs. If things are worse now then I'm glad I gave up for good.

[Cuban Linx 0]

These days the tag division is pretty much just a lazy device to have 2 guys feud without the creative team putting in any effort at all. RVD/Kane, Eddy/Rey, Benoit/Edge, Benoit/Rhyno, a bunch of other teams i didn't care enough to remember/notice, basically every WWE team seems to be formed for no other reason than for them to eventually break up and feud.

 

MNM seems to be the first 'actual' team in a long time, as long as this trend continues i don't see the tag division improving any time soon.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Be very glad then, tag wrestling sucks about as bad as it can in WWE

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Heck, I'd take Dupree and Suzuki these days, Kenzo wasn't totally exposed as a slug in his tag work. Like I said before, TNA needs the emphasize that they have a pretty decent tag division if WWE continues this trend

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I can't think of a worse period then this one by far.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

If they don't start adding classic team style teams(not two wrestlers with nothing to do thrown together), which they don't appear to be doing, they need to bring some kind of credibility to the belts.

 

Point how many great wrestlers have held the tag titles at some point, including current ME's and former Champions.

 

But since what I just mentioned won't happen, nope, not for a while will the tag situation be getting any better.

[MrRant 0]

Wasn't this topic brought up at least last week if not yesterday?

[zyn081 0]

At what point did the tag team scene just completely fizzle?  I mean, can anybody tell me who even held the Raw tag titles before Hurricane and Rosey?  I have no idea and I watch Raw every week.  Have they even been involved in a program this year?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Regal and Tajiri at Backlash in a tag-team turmoil including La Res and the Heartthrobs.

 

I can't think of a worse period then this one by far.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ditto. And that applies for the IC and US scenes. The CW Div isnt that hot about that, and is there a womans div?

[Si82 0]

I think the tag team division in WWE usually sucks anyway. Sure, you get times when the division is exciting and there are some great matches but most of the time it's utter dross. They don't even have proper tag teams a lot of the time. Why not have more guys like MNM. People with similar styles, the same gimmick, matching outfits and a proper team name. It makes it look a lot better than teaming Tajiri or William Regal with some guy every other month because they have nothing better to do with them.

 

That said it probably is at it's lowest ebb ever.

[Guest Ransome]

I don't watch wrestling anymore.  I have no idea who or what an MNM is or if they melt in your mouth.  But I do know that when I was crazy into wrestling in 2002, we were saying the same thing you're saying when Billy and Chuck were the champs.  If things are worse now then I'm glad I gave up for good.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Personally, I'd say that post-WM 2002 was WWE tag teams at it's absolute worst. Billy & Chuck were the one and only tag team in the *entire company*, with their biggest competition coming from Rikishi and Rico. Today, at least, the lack of tag teams is slightly more excusable if you consider the seperation of the brands confining the tag teams to one show and precluding them from pitting, say, MNM against Hurricane & Rosey.

 

Nonetheless, of course, the tag division has never truly recovered since WWE decided to kill off most of their established tag teams (stale, though they were) in the 2002 roster split. The SD Six days gave opportunity for some great matches revolving around the tag titles, but could only possibly have been a short-term booking. Maybe WWE's best option for reviving the division would be relocating the tag titles and tag teams to one brand; it's just too hard for them to book two different divisions otherwise.

[JJ Johnson 0]

and is there a womans div?

 

 

 

Yeah, but she's injured.

[zyn081 0]

Personally, I'd say that post-WM 2002 was WWE tag teams at it's absolute worst. Billy & Chuck were the one and only tag team in the *entire company*, with their biggest competition coming from Rikishi and Rico.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If your talking pre-split, there was the Hardyz, Dudleyz, APA, Billy & Chuck, Too Cool maybe? Werent there 6 teams involved in Tag Team Turmoil at WMXXVIII?

[Guest Mordecai's Cathedral]

and is there a womans div?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, but she's injured.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

On the subject of Tag Teams... How can a Tag Team feud be made interesting? It seems like it's always: a match against each other where the challengers upset the champions, Champion 1 beats Challenger 1 in a singles match, Challenger 2 beats Champion 2 in a singles match.

[zyn081 0]

and is there a womans div?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

Yeah, but she's injured.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

On the subject of Tag Teams... How can a Tag Team feud be made interesting? It seems like it's always: a match against each other where the challengers upset the champions, Champion 1 beats Challenger 1 in a singles match, Challenger 2 beats Champion 2 in a singles match.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Theres a point behind that, to get the fued on TV before the PPV match.

[Guest Biggles]

Maybe due to the draft extension, the amount of people being readily available for Tag Team action dropped a bit. We saw WGTT slit, the APA split eventually, the Dudleys also split, Matt Hardy moved to RAW so they Hardys parted ways, I think Edge was injured so no more E&C. I think the only tag team that came out of the draft extension was Billy and Chuck, now they are both released.

[Dandy 0]

We have discussed tag teams in several threads, but due to this being a thread of its own, I will rehash my thoughts on how they could rebuild the divisions.

 

---On Raw, Bischoff should strip the Superheroes of the titles and announce that the titles will be vacated for one month's time. He also announces that in one month will be the start of the "Heenan Cup," (or some other famous wrestling name...I figured Heenan was a big part of the tag history and is on good terms). This tournament will be open to 8 tag teams, must be impressive to Bischoff and available for contract by him, and the winners not only get the titles, but also $500,000 which Bisch has secured through sponsors, ad revenue, merchandising, etc. Bischoff states that he wants to be bigger and better than Smackdown in every way, including the tag division. Bischoff wants a return to good tag team wrestling, which means a team name and matching attire will be necessary to sway his interest of entering the team in the tournament.

 

This allows individuals one month to find a partner and get their tag work down. They can be revealed over the course of the month before the tourney starts. The semifinals and finals would be on a Raw only PPV. The tag teams could be The Superheroes, Heart Throbs, Shane Twins, Danny Basham & Sean Morley (after giving them a name), Masters & Snitsky (already teaming up but need a name), TNT (Cade and Trevor Rhodes), The Thrillseekers (Jeter?Capotelli in OVW, after Matt recovers from his broken leg), and Tank and Chad Toland (OVW).

You can send the OVW teams back down after the tournament if necessary and just use them occasionally to keep them in the fans' minds.

 

---Over on Smackdown, Teddy Long basically justs starts debuting more teams and sgowcasing the tag teams a little more to compete with Bischoff. After some signing that have already taken place, he has LOD2005, MNM, Mexicools, bWo, Nunzio/Vito, Spanky/London, Doring/Roadkill, and Ballz/Axl.

 

 

 

This gives both shows 8 credible tag teams that could still have some members wrestle individually from time to time, but they are available tag teams whenever needed for feuds, matches, etc.

[razazteca 0]

On Raw, Bischoff should strip the Superheroes of the titles and announce that the titles will be vacated for one month's time. He also announces that in one month will be the start of the "Heenan Cornette Cup,"

I think WWE should end the split so the tag team division can become you know an actual division instead of having the same 3 teams fighting for the belts. It seems that all of the tag teams that are interesting/entertaining are all on Smackdown while Raw has what.....Superheroes vs Heart Throbs or the French who only wrestle on Heat which I never watch. And when Raw does have tag team wrestling its only purpose is to continue singles hype for the PPV at the end of the month, again which means mindless mix and match tags of Snitsky & Kane vs Matt Hardy & whoever is availible.

 

Tag team wrestling died the day Hardys vs E&C vs Dudleys became tiresome and WWE refused to add new teams to the mix.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

I think WWE should end the split so the tag team division can become you know an actual division instead of having the same 3 teams fighting for the belts.

 

I think it would have been better when the split first started that they made the tag champs floaters between brands. Like them and the world champ should have been.

[razazteca 0]

I like the idea of floating champions.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

OK...for the sake of argument...I looked at the WWE Rosters. Here are the teams we have:

 

RAW

The Hurricane and Rosey (World Tag Team Champions)

The Heart Throbs

(To a lesser extent) Gene Snitsky and Chris Masters

 

SMACKDOWN

Road Warrior Animal and Heidenreich (WWE Tag Team Champions)

MNM

The Mexicools

The bWo

(To a lesser extent) Nunzio and Big Vito.

 

So...if the brands were together, that would make an OK division (not great, just OK).

 

Agree/disagree?

 

Oh, and if you want to mix and match people to get them a tag team gimmick...here's the list of everyone they consider on either roster:

 

Raw

Smackdown

[razazteca 0]

Mix and match teams never last longer than 3 months so they are useless.

[Fro 0]

I think the tag team division in WWE usually sucks anyway. Sure, you get times when the division is exciting and there are some great matches but most of the time it's utter dross. They don't even have proper tag teams a lot of the time. Why not have more guys like MNM. People with similar styles, the same gimmick, matching outfits and a proper team name. It makes it look a lot better than teaming Tajiri or William Regal with some guy every other month because they have nothing better to do with them.

 

Cornette made a ton of teams like that in OVW, unfortunately we've seen only about 3 OVW teams survive the callup, and two of them were completely neutered by bad booking (Heart Throbs and the Bashams).

 

Teams like the Troubleshooters, Minnesota Stretching Crew, Disciples of Synn, Jersey Shore Crew, Adrenaline, the Lords of the Ring and several others never saw the light of day in the WWE. Out of all those guys, WWE was only right to break up the Stretching Crew (Lesnar and Benjamin).

 

Other teams like the Tolands or the Thrillseekers are still stuck in OVW hell.

[Guest JMA]

I thought up some potential teams WWE could use and/or create in another thread. I'll post them here (and maybe add to them).

 

Smackdown! Teams

 

The Mexicools - The team would alternate between Juventud, Super Crazy, and Psicosis.

 

bWo - Nova and Meanie could do this until Stevie gets back. When he does return, Nova and Stevie colud be the main team.

 

Booker T and Chris Benoit - These two guys have a lot of respect for one another and have both been World champions in their careers. They could be a credible team if pushed right.

 

Money Inc. (JBL and Chief Morley) - After losing to Batista again, JBL would get frustrated and take it out on OJ in a U.S. title match. JBL wins the match--and the title-- by cheating and then fires Jordan. The next week he hires Chief Morley as his new "Chief of Staff." The two team frequently when JBL isn't defending the U.S. title.

 

The FBI (Nunzio and Big Vito) - A heel team that would initially feud with London and Spanky.

 

MNM - Should stay the number one heel team on the show.

 

Paul London and Spanky - They have experience as a team and are both great workers.

 

Scotty 2 Hotty and Funaki - This is admittedly a thrown together team, but WWE might as well do something with these two.

 

Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney w/ Paul Heyman - A former ECW team managed by Dr. frankenstein himself--Paul Heyman.

 

Sudden Violence (Orlando Jordan and Doug Basham) - Both are former members of the Cabinet, which means they would initially feud with Money Inc.

 

RAW Teams

 

The Heart Throbs w/ Mo Greene - This team needs more vignettes and a mouthpiece. They'd need three weeks of build-up before getting back into the ring.

 

The Super-Heroes (Hurricane and Super Rosey) w/ Stacy Kiebler - This team would stay relatively the same, but Rosey would add "Super" to his name so it doesn't sound so out of place. Also, the team would get a name.

 

The Shane Twins w/ Kenny Bolin - Both the Shane Twins and Bolin would be brought up together.

 

Vicious and Delicious (Chris Masters and Snitsky) - A team of opposites. Masters teams with Snitsky solely to have someone watch his back. Snitsky teams with Masters because he's a violent freak who only knows how to protect himself and work for others.

 

The Big Show and Shelton Benjamin - The classic big guy and smaller, quicker guy. The Big Show would have something meaningful to do and Benjamin has proven to be a good tag team wrestler.

 

Eugene and Tajiri w/ Christy - Yes, they're the overdone "wacky, mismatched partners" but I think that they'd work well as a team and would certainly provide some entertaining segments.

 

Team WASP (Kerwin White and Danny Holiday) - Both these guys have experience in tag teams and i think they would look good together visually. Just put the former Danny Basham in a polo shirt and khakies.

 

Carlito and Matt Morgan - All they need to do for this to work is hire back Morgan. Carlito's weaknesses can be hidden here, but he'll still have a chance to get heat. Plus, he needs an enforcer for the Cabana.

 

The Thrillseekers (Matt Capotelli and Johnny Jeter) - After Capotelli is healed, these two need to debut on RAW.

 

Obviously, WWE will have to do more then put teams like this together, but it would be a good start.

 

You'll notice that I didn't include Animal and Heidenreich--that's because I don't see them lasting long.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Two people that they have said on Heat have been signed

 

Johnny Parisi (Swinger)

Matt Striker

 

 

They're having a match against each other.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Well let's team 'em up!

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Well let's team 'em up!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Eh, I'd for some reason like to see a team of Parisi and Viscera.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

So do the team of Benoit and Booker break up when it's revealed that Sharmelle has a taste for vanilla instead of chocolate?

[Guest JMA]

So do the team of Benoit and Booker break up when it's revealed that Sharmelle has a taste for vanilla instead of chocolate?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[obvious joke]Wouldn't be the first time Benoit stole someone's wife...[/obvious joke]

[Lord of The Curry 0]

You're really on the ball today.