WWE's 50 Greatest Tag Teams

[LibSuperstar]

WWE compiled this list back in 2012.

Criteria:

1. Only WWE teams were eligible.
2. Teams were rated only on their accomplishments while in WWE.
3. Eligibility began with the first recognized World Tag Team Champions, Luke Graham & Tarzan Tyler, who won the titles on June 3, 1971.
4. Rankings were based on everything from longevity to cultural impact. Personal biases may have also crept in.

50. The Bushwhackers
49. The Soul Patrol
48. Paul London & Brian Kendrick
47. The Twin Towers
46. The Headshrinkers
45. The Moondogs
44. Booker T & Goldust
43. Killer Bees
42. Powers of Pain
41. Jeri-Show
40. The World's Greatest Tag Team
39. The Bodydonnas
38. U.S. Express
37. Team Lay-Cool
36. The Steiners
35. The Legacy
34. The Foreign Legion
33. Kane & X-Pac
32. MNM
31. Too Cool
30. The Mega Powers
29. The Brain Busters
28. Colossal Connection
27. The Quebecers
26. Rated-RKO
25. Los Guerreros
24. The Smoking Gunns
23. The Natural Disasters
22. John Morrison & The Miz
21. The Nasty Boys
20. Team Hell No
19. Money, Inc.
18. D-Generation X
17. Mr. Fuji & Professor Toru Tanaka
16. The Brothers of Destruction
15. Strike Force
14. The Rock 'N' Sock Connection
13. The Blackjacks
12. The APA
11. The Rockers
10. The Dudley Boyz
9. The Wild Samoans
8. Legion of Doom
7. The Valiant Brothers
6. The British Bulldogs
5. The Hardy Boyz
4. The New Age Outlaws
3. Demolition
2. The Hart Foundation
1. Edge & Christian

What do you guys think? Are there any teams you would replace?

[#1-norm-fan]

So they deemed Team Hell No as the best tag team to come along since the 90's. That says a lot.

[Big Vic]

How much of a Tag Team was DX in 97-98?

[Destor]

So they deemed Team Hell No as the best tag team to come along since the 90's. That says a lot.

Edge and Christian and the Hardyz didnt get hot until 2000 tbf but I hear you...and Team Hell No and The Shield are the only notable teams in 20 years.

[Big Vic]

New Day and Uso's are notable as well.

[Destor]

new day have moved enough merch that I'll give you that despite not being important to the product at all

[Cool King]

I am outraged that Tekno Team 2000 did not make that list.

[LibSuperstar]

new day have moved enough merch that I'll give you that despite not being important to the product at all

Read that they spike the ratings when they're on but I gotta check into that claim.

I am outraged that Tekno Team 2000 did not make that list.

:lol:

[#1-norm-fan]

Edge and Christian and the Hardyz didnt get hot until 2000 tbf but I hear you...and Team Hell No and The Shield are the only notable teams in 20 years.

They were a novelty act that lasted for like 1 year. The Shield made much more of an impact and they're not even on the list, much less top 20 ever.

[Destor]

They were a novelty act that lasted for like 1 year. The Shield made much more of an impact and they're not even on the list, much less top 20 ever.

Impact lasts longer than the teams do. Longevity isnt the only metric of value. Admittedly the absence of the shield is the most notable absence on the list but I would wager they deemed them a stable instead of a tag.

[Destor]

freebirds are missing too afterall

[#1-norm-fan]

It's a WWE only list.

[#1-norm-fan]

The entire list, as with any WWE list, has a bias toward more current teams but Team Hell No is the most glaring example. Even if you just go by lasting impact and ignore longevity... They're 10 spots ahead of The Mega Powers. lol

[Destor]

It's a WWE only list.

Freebirds worked in the WWF

[Bad News Gertner]

The Usos are a top 5 team at this point.

[Bad News Gertner]

Rick Martel and Tony Garea didn't make the list lol. Wow.

[Destor]

Usos are top 5 based on what? Having the most matches no ones seen?

[#1-norm-fan]

Freebirds worked in the WWF

lol I realize that. The list is based solely on what teams did in WWF. The Freebirds were not gonna make it based on that one promo people pass around online to say "Hey, remember when The Freebirds worked in WWF"?

[Big Vic]

The Usos are a top 5 team at this point.

Usos are top 5 based on what? Having the most matches no ones seen?
What 5 current teams are better than them?

[LibSuperstar]

Rick Martel and Tony Garea didn't make the list lol. Wow.

Good shout! The author did say that the team of Tony Garea and Dean Ho was debated.

lol I realize that. The list is based solely on what teams did in WWF. The Freebirds were not gonna make it based on that one promo people pass around online to say "Hey, remember when The Freebirds worked in WWF"?

Right? The Freebirds spent the new job probation period in WWE.

[Destor]

What 5 current teams are better than them?

Why does being current mean you make the list?

[Destor]

lol I realize that. The list is based solely on what teams did in WWF. The Freebirds were not gonna make it based on that one promo people pass around online to say "Hey, remember when The Freebirds worked in WWF"?

They were in highlander. You tell me exactly how many teams are immortalized like they are :rant:

[#1-norm-fan]

Rick Martel and Tony Garea didn't make the list lol. Wow.

They were no LayCool, apparently.

[LibSuperstar]

If they were going back further I'd say the tandem of Antonino Rocca and Miguel Pérez.

[Bad News Gertner]

The Freebirds had a few shitty 6 man tags that the crowd couldn't have given two shits about. I have a couple of them in my collection.

[XL]

They were a novelty act that lasted for like 1 year. The Shield made much more of an impact and they're not even on the list, much less top 20 ever.

The list was compiled in 2012, The Shield debuted in November of that year.

[#1-norm-fan]

The list was compiled in 2012, The Shield debuted in November of that year.

Team Hell No debuted like 2 months before that. If this list was compiled in 2012, it makes including Team Hell No even more of a head scratcher.

[LibSuperstar]

Team Hell No debuted like 2 months before that. If this list was compiled in 2012, it makes including Team Hell No even more of a head scratcher.

It was published in April of that yr.

[Vastardikai]

No Dream Team? Really?

[#1-norm-fan]

It was published in April of that yr.

Wait... Team Hell No didn't exist then. Bryan was still on Smackdown feuding with Sheamus for the title that month.

[Jordan]

It's really hard to compare the tag teams from my childhood to the tag teams of today. I can't say that The Uso's are better than The Hart Foundation, I mean they have more exciting matches for sure but do they mean as much to me as the Hart Foundation did? No, but also, I was a kid. It may be that some youth today feel that The Uso's are special like that. I doubt it though because they haven't ever been treated as a top act.

It's hard to make an order but obviously when we talk about the best WWE teams we are talking about The Hart Foundation, The Rockers, The Hardys, Edge and Christian, The Dudleys, The New Age Outlaws, The Wild Samoans (before my time), The Bulldogs, and LOD.

Then you have your super teams like The Mega Powers, DX, Brothers of Destruction, Rated RKO, Team Hell No etc... and to me these do not belong on the same list.

Also I think The Steiners are the best tag team ever but not for the work they did in WWE.

[Bad News Gertner]

No Dream Team? Really?

Oh wow I totally missed them. Most under-rated team of the 80's next to Murdoch and Adonis

[Bad News Gertner]

It's really hard to compare the tag teams from my childhood to the tag teams of today. I can't say that The Uso's are better than The Hart Foundation, I mean they have more exciting matches for sure but do they mean as much to me as the Hart Foundation did? No, but also, I was a kid. It may be that some youth today feel that The Uso's are special like that. I doubt it though because they haven't ever been treated as a top act.

It's hard to make an order but obviously when we talk about the best WWE teams we are talking about The Hart Foundation, The Rockers, The Hardys, Edge and Christian, The Dudleys, The New Age Outlaws, The Wild Samoans (before my time), The Bulldogs, and LOD.

Then you have your super teams like The Mega Powers, DX, Brothers of Destruction, Rated RKO, Team Hell No etc... and to me these do not belong on the same list.

Also I think The Steiners are the best tag team ever but not for the work they did in WWE.


The Hart Foundation are definitely not better than the Usos

[Destor]

Sure they are. If the standard is "tag teams i like to jerk off too while a burn pictures of shawn Michaels and cry" i bet the hart foundation would be a solid 3 or 4

[Bad News Gertner]

Haha true in that regard

[Bad News Gertner]

Top 10 IMO

1. Hardy Boyz
2. Edge and Christian
3. Usos
4. New Day
5. Hart Foundation
6. Martel and Garea
7. London and Kendrick
8. Bulldog and Owen
9. The Valiant Brothers
10. The Dudleyz

[Bad News Gertner]

The Hart Foundation are a funny story. They were a mid card team doing jobs to the Killer Bees and Rougeaus until 1987 and wouldn't have gotten a tag run with the belts had the Bulldogs not refused to drop the belts to Sheik and Volkoff. They'd only drop the belts to the Hart Foundation. Wrestling history would look quite different had that not happened.

[Jordan]

Top 10 IMO

1. Hardy Boyz
2. Edge and Christian
3. Usos
4. New Day
5. Hart Foundation
6. Martel and Garea
7. London and Kendrick
8. Bulldog and Owen
9. The Valiant Brothers
10. The Dudleyz

I agree with The Hardyz. It's funny how you can truly consider Hardys, E&C and The Dudleyz for top WWE tag team, considering how connected the three teams are because of those insane matches. I do think you rank The Dudleyz too low but you have that deep knowledge of the WWWF days that I don't so I understand.

I feel you should consider The Legion of Doom, which in itself is a major chapter in the book of The Road Warriors. One of the first syllabic chants I can remember hearing would be L-O-D! L-O-D!

Plus LOD is a story of a major successful team in Crockett and Japan, they were the stars everywhere they went.

[Jordan]

I find it interesting you go with Bulldog and Owen, care to explain? I was wondering if The Bulldogs would make my top 10, because honestly I can't really recall any "great matches" , mostly just awesome moves intensity and badassness.

[Bad News Gertner]

They were extremely successful in Crockett, AWA etc..

Their WWF runs were kinda duds imo. Their 97-98 run was nothing to write home about and they came into the WWF 2-3 years too late in 90. The got "cartooned" by the WWF and weren't allowed to be themselves.

[Bad News Gertner]

I find it interesting you go with Bulldog and Owen, care to explain? I was wondering if The Bulldogs would make my top 10, because honestly I can't really recall any "great matches" , mostly just awesome moves intensity and badassness.

I thought Bulldog and Owen were a better team than the Bulldogs. Bulldogs post Dynamite Kid injury were a shell of themselves.

[Jordan]

I remember on Raw in the Summer of '97 LOD had a great match with Owen and Bulldog.

[Bad News Gertner]

Owen and Bulldog vs Austin and HBK is better than any match the British Bulldogs ever had in the company.

Ranking the WWF tag teams are fun and challenging since they were never put in money drawing spots 99 times out of 100. I'm part of a year long project with Placetobenation where we are ranking the top 100 teams in WWF history and man is it ever hard because of that. Been watching a ton of tag team footage and boy are there a lot of teams whose work doesn't age well at all (Demolition, Money Inc)

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Owen and Bulldog vs Austin and HBK is better than any match the British Bulldogs ever had in the company.



What's crazy is this is one of my fave matches of all time. I watched it as a 10-year-old and honestly I liked pretty much most matches (but fucking hated long rest spots) but for some reason the pace of this match stuck out to me. Fucking incredible...plus this was during a time when there was no reason to believe two guys who did not like one another in Austin and Michaels would win the belts over an established tag team.

[Jordan]

That was a huge match for me as well. I love it. I think it is the week after the match I was talking about with LOD vs Owen and Bulldog.

[xrodmuc316]

How much of a Tag Team was DX in 97-98?

They weren't other than the New Age Outlaws. They weren't a tag team until 2006 I believe, when they feuded with Spirit Squad and Rated RKO.

Then again in 2009 maybe against Legacy.

[Loose Cannon]

Owen was completely snubbed here.

Bulldog and Owen and Jeff and Owen should be on here.

[Loose Cannon]

also the Mega Powers should not be on this list. they had like 3 matches at most on TV.

[Bad News Gertner]

You take Bulldog and Owen out of the tag division in 96-97 and my God. They carried that division.

[Loose Cannon]

You take Bulldog and Owen out of the tag division in 96-97 and my God. They carried that division.

:y:

[Loose Cannon]

I'm partial to Billy and Chuck as well. i thought they whole gimmick was amazing

[LibSuperstar]

Gertner had a good point about teams not being put in the drawing position. Not since the CWC days have teams headlined and drew money in WWE - Rocca-Pérez, Kangaroos, Curtis-Lewin, Grahams and Tolos Bros. Also, he's the first person I've seen prefer Bulldog/Hart to the Bulldogs. Wish they had gotten more suitable competition b/c as he said they literally carried that division.

also the Mega Powers should not be on this list. they had like 3 matches at most on TV.

They really shouldn't. You know it was a team they picked based on star power.

[Jordan]

They weren't other than the New Age Outlaws. They weren't a tag team until 2006 I believe, when they feuded with Spirit Squad and Rated RKO.

Then again in 2009 maybe against Legacy.

The only match I remember Triple H and Shawn teaming up for was Friday Night Raw against Mankind and Undertaker which was the beginning of their alliance. They may have teamed up on house shows but I wouldn't know.

[xrodmuc316]

I also enjoyed the team of Owen and Yokozuna

[xrodmuc316]

And for the record, the Dudleys are the best tag team ever, but just in terms of WWE id say top 10 is fair.

[WinterDecay]

The Nasty Boys were a better tag team than the Steiners and the Brain Busters?

[Bad News Gertner]

Lol yeah, that one had me shaking my head.

[Bad News Gertner]

The Blackjacks at 12 is insane. They held the title for barely over 2 months. There's 3-4 teams from the 70's that were easily better.

[Loose Cannon]

someone over there has always has a huge hard on for the Blackjacks. probably because one was an agent and the other is like Barry Windham's dad or whatever

[Loose Cannon]

they sucked though

[LibSuperstar]

The Blackjacks at 12 is insane. They held the title for barely over 2 months. There's 3-4 teams from the 70's that were easily better.

Strongbows? Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito?

they sucked though

Not surprised! I always wondered how elite The Blackjacks were since they got inducted into the HOF as they were before my time.

[xrodmuc316]

The Blackjacks at 12 is insane. They held the title for barely over 2 months. There's 3-4 teams from the 70's that were easily better.

Maybe they meant The New Blackjacks of JBL and Barry Windham. They at 12 would be just as foolish at 12 as the regular Blackjacks lol

[Bad News Gertner]

Strongbows? Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito?



Not surprised! I always wondered how elite The Blackjacks were since they got inducted into the HOF as they were before my time.

Valiants, Fuji and Tanaka, Strongbow and White Wolf. The Blackjacks feuded with Cerdan and Parisi who were about as bland as they come which didn't help matter.

[Anybody Thrilla]

The Steiner Brothers were only a LITTLE better than LayCool, and not as good as X-Pac and Kane. Throw this list away.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Owen and Bulldog need to be somewhere.

[RP]

My personal top 10

10) The Dudleys
9) The New Aged Outlawz
8) The Rockers
7) The Hardy Boys
6) Edge and Christian
5) The Mega Powers ( come on )
4) The Hart Foundation
3) The Brain Busters ( fuck you they were amazing..The Revival should take notes )

Two and one should be everyones two and one. It's not even close in my opinion. I hate ranking one ahead of the other but I will.

2) Demolition
1) Legion of Doom/ The Road Warriors.

[Jordan]

I don't think any tag team on that list had a match as good as Trent Seven & Tyler Bate vs Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong.

[Jordan]

LOL Demolition gtfo.

[Jordan]

Nah I won't hate. It's your personal 10. I thought they were bad ass when I was a kid for sure. Always wanted that dream match you know.

[RP]

LOL Demolition gtfo.

" I'll kill you Leonard Nimoy "

[Mr. Nerfect]

If it were a kayfabe list, The New Day would be #1 now.

[Bad News Gertner]

No Rougeau Brothers :(

hn701jXWtkE

[Cool King]

If there was a list for the 50 Greatest Entrance Themes, that would be in the top ten.

[Bad News Gertner]

I'd put them towards the back end of the list but the Islanders were friggen tremendous. Awesome matches against Strike Force.

FnZ0a6VTuGU

[Anybody Thrilla]

If there was a list for the 50 Greatest Entrance Themes, that would be in the top ten.

Demolition gets the nod here as well.

[Maluco]

No Rougeau Brothers :(

hn701jXWtkE

This is the most glaring omission from wrestling I have watched. Always really entertaining and great heels. Don't know how they didn't make it on here.

[LibSuperstar]

Demolition gets the nod here as well.

Definitely!


This is the most glaring omission from wrestling I have watched. Always really entertaining and great heels. Don't know how they didn't make it on here.

Especially since Ray Rougeau is frequently on French commentary for PPVs.

[Bad News Gertner]

The Dream Team are the most glaring omission from the list. I think some people automatically think they sucked because of Beefcake, but they were really great. Lots of fun matches. Check this tag match out from Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto against Steamboat and Tito. Awesome tag match.

pCV4An7clIQ

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Beefcake didn't even suck. Not an amazing technician but he was alright until the parasailing accident.

[Jordan]

I really enjoyed the Something to Wrestle on Beefcake.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

One of the few episodes Bruce didn't need to lie and didn't seem like he was lying.

[Bad News Gertner]

Any thing that sticks out from the show?

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

talking about Brutus's face post accident was particularly poignant. Was fucking gross, I almost yacked.

[Bad News Gertner]

He's so lucky he didn't die.

[Jordan]

Yeah I wasn't so critical of the constant pushes Hogan got for Beefcake after hearing that horrible description of his injury, and the money that it cost him.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

And in the 80s, Brutus held up his end IMO. He honestly got over on his own. You were never going to get a great match out of him, but he was always fun. I think 1993-onwards ruined his rep...similar to Duggan.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Yeah I wasn't so critical of the constant pushes Hogan got for Beefcake after hearing that horrible description of his injury, and the money that it cost him.

Savage got Lanny a contract in WCW and he never wrestled.

[LibSuperstar]

And in the 80s, Brutus held up his end IMO. He honestly got over on his own. You were never going to get a great match out of him, but he was always fun. I think 1993-onwards ruined his rep...similar to Duggan.

Yeah, he was pretty over.

[Bad News Gertner]

Strongbows? Mr. Fuji and Mr. Saito?



Not surprised! I always wondered how elite The Blackjacks were since they got inducted into the HOF as they were before my time.

Mr. Saito passed away this morning