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It seems every few months or so I still check in with the tag teams of the WWE. Some of my readers my recall that I used to write the weekly column “Tag Team Weekly†for www.pwinsiderxtra.com . I cancelled that publication due to the lack of great tag teams around the horn as it were and started writing the column I still occasionally do Spotlight. In recent weeks however, the tag team divisions of both WWE and TNA have started to show promise. Another thing you all should understand is that I am a believer in all things tag team. It has always been my favorite division. I remember names like Arn and Tully, The Midnight Express, The Fabulous Freebirds, The Heart Foundation, The British Bulldogs and all those that came after.. We aren’t anywhere near that boom-time of tag wrestling but it is getting bigger and better. I personally feel that ECW should have been made into a tag team only program and WWE should only have one tag title... I think its time to check-in on what’s happening
Team Priceless (Rhodes and Dibiase w/Afa Jr.)
I find this team a little on the annoying side when on the mic but I like the gimmick and I think once it becomes an official Randy Orton run stable and a few more players get added (Neidhart, Bulldog jr., maybe even the Colon Brothers) its going to get great. But at that point it will be a stable like DX or the NOW, not a tag team. As a team, Cody and Ted are very good in the ring and their timing seems to be getting better and better. Add to that they have the Raw tag straps and they become a hard team to beat
Cryme Tyme
I’m starting to wonder what WWE wants to do with these two. They are by far two of the biggest crowd favorites yet they don’t ever seem to get a full push. Many times they are more enhancement talent than anything else. I realize not to long ago they were in the theoretical dog house, but what of now? They do still need work in the ring, especially the smaller of the two partners.
Beer Money
They have the best manager in the business in Jackie. They are ingrained in the best tag feuds on television. They are the TNA strap holders. They each have distinguishing styles from each other yet they use their ring knowledge very well together and against others beautifully. They both can speak, and you never know what they will do. All around a great team.
The Colon Brothers (Carlito and Primo)
I don’t know who was the genius behind the formation of these two, but he deserves a god medal. They are funny, charismatic and well versed on the mic. They have a rising star and an established veteran. They are flawless in the ring and it is obvious the two real life brothers have chemistry unmatched by anyone. They also represent a different culture and one that Smackdown covets.
Jesse and Festus (biscuits and gravy)
I think that they are great in the ring but I also think Festus outshines Jesse every night. I also think that they’re comedic routine has run its course. I want the tag division to grow in any promotion but I think these two are destined for splitsville. Festus is about to be a major singles star, anyone with eyes can see that. I imagine we may see a US title reign from him as soon as next year. Jesse is a great hand who could be doing incredible things in the singles division as well with people like Regal, Jericho, Noble and the Hardy’s. We’ll see what occurs with them, only time will tell.
Abyss and Matt Morgan
When they first got on a team together I was really disappointed. I like Abyss and all that he has done as a singles wrestler and all the promotion he has done for TNA in just being a great in ring and on mic wrestler. That said, they have turned into a tremendous team and I suspect at Bound for Glory they just may pick up the title. They stand well with those of 3D, LAX and Beer Money. I love the psychotic interaction between the two and they should go far.
The Edge wannabe’s (Hawkins and Ryder)
Simple – I have a feeling you saw them in their last match as a team for a while when they lost the belts – that is a shame because they are good together – singularly they will not shine through.
Miz and Morrison
See The Edge wannabe’s and rinse, recycle, repeat. However, they have already proven themselves as singles stars and need to go back into that role.
Team 3D
They are 20 time champions – more if you consider their independent circuit days. They are legitimately the greatest tag team of all time and should be respected as thus. What is more impressive about them is that they are still giving quality matches and promos. They don’t come off as old, they don’t exude being bored. They just simply but on the “table†what they have to offer and sell themselves, their brand and their division every single time out.
Cage and Styles
Are their two more complete package men in wrestling today? I can honestly say they are two of the best wrestlers of all time and if you feel as I do that Kurt Angle and HHH are the best in the business today (Edge fits in their somewhere too) than these two are 2nd and 3rd. I think it would be smart for TNA to put the belts on them but I also know there is rumor of a return to WWE for Cage (I will believe that when I see it), so maybe it isn’t a great idea just yet.
There are of course other tag teams in the world today that I haven’t mentioned. These are the one’s I see making the moves up or down. It will be very interesting to see where tag team wrestling goes from here on in. I’d really like to see a women’s tag division in either TNA or WWE. I think WWE needs to explore their tag story lines as TNA does. TNA makes the division as important as any other with their use of the tag teams in all stories. For those of you wondering, below are two lists of top five’s. I have had people ask me who are the greatest teams of all time and who are the best out there now….for your viewing pleasure, look below.
Top Five Today:
#1 Team 3-D
#2 The Colon Brothers
#3 Cage and Styles
#4 Beer Money
#5 Team Priceless
Top Five of all time
#1 Demolition
#2 The Brain Busters (aka Tully and Arn)
#3 The Heart Foundation
#4 Team 3-D
#5 Edge and Christian
(Note to all time list – The Hardy’s would be almost a tie in that last position but I have always felt E and C have better Mic skills)
Yell at me at www.myspace..com/joelcroyle while listening to my music!!!
