You constantly hear the bitching from the IWC over the tag division from today's time. Tag Teams were highly emphasized in professional wrestling up until 02. In 2002, the top three WWE Tag Teams from the year before were broken up. Edge and Christian were the first to break up towards the end of 01. Then it was the Hardy's, and then the Dudleyz. This was when wrestling's tag division was slowly going down hill. It didn't get to bad, up until these last few years. I may be one of the few but I see some potential in the tag division. However, it is going to take some work to get it back to where it once was. I have a few ideas that could make the tag division in WWE at least, some-what prestigous.
The first thing WWE needs to do is let teams be teams. Don't split them up for the sake of splitting them up. I could see if after a team has been together a solid amount of time, splitting them up to push them as singles, but don't split them up without reason. For example, during the last few years we have seen, Cryme Time, The Hart Dynasty, Gabriel and Slater, and others have split up and neither superstar benefited from the split up. WWE, if you break up a team, have a reason to break them up.
Secondly, WWE needs enough tag teams. I only know of two or three teams at the moment. I see guys on the current roster who aren't doing anything, who could really benefit the tag division. Take Barreta and Hawkins for example. The two have great chemistry together. Both have charisma and great in ring work. The two guys rarely appear on television and are real life friends. Why not pair those two up? Also, McGillicutty or whatever his name is could start going by Joe Hennig, as I think he would make a splendid partner for Ted Dibiase Jr. The two men have a lot in common. That's two right there, from pairing up guys who aren't doing shit at the moment. Slater and Gabriel were split without reason, so pair them up again, and we have three teams. Not to mention the Uso's, which is four. I don't consider Ziggler and Swagger much as a tag team, and they really shouldn't be with Ziggler holding the US Title. I have no idea what's going on with Bourne and Kofi right now but they don't really clique as a tag team if you ask me. Miz and Truth are a team but they wouldn't really fit in the tag division as they are more main eventers at the moment. With Hawkins and Barreta, Slater and Gabriel, Dibiase and Hennig, and The Uso's, we already have four teams. Their are also a ton of great tag talent on the indy scene who WWE should reach out to, such as Briscoes, ANX, Young Bucks, etc... WWE also has a development territory with a tag division, so they could really bring up teams together. It seems as if WWE doesn't bring up legit teams as much anymore. If you want a successful tag division, get some teams!
Lastly, give the tag division some damn air time! Once their is a tag division with a decent amount of teams, have one or two tag matches, and one or two tag team interviews, every show. We need other feuds that aren't over the tag titles. Not every tag team feud has to be for the straps. Give the tag champs some air time, but give other teams air time as well in other matches. Why have tag belts, if you aren't going to make them prestigous and have teams work their way up for them? If you have the tag teams who aren't in a title feud, face off, then they can work their way up to the tag division. Just because you have belts, doesn't mean every tag feud has to be revolved around them.
With these three steps, WWE could and should get back to where they once were. If given enough time and effort, think about the matches: The Usos vs. Hawkins and Barreta vs. Gabriel and Slater. Other teams that come in would make an impact as well. It's not just WWE, it's tag team wrestling in general. Over the years, it has become less-relevant. If WWE works hard, they could get it back to where it once was, and if WWE does this, other companies will do this as well.
The first thing WWE needs to do is let teams be teams. Don't split them up for the sake of splitting them up. I could see if after a team has been together a solid amount of time, splitting them up to push them as singles, but don't split them up without reason. For example, during the last few years we have seen, Cryme Time, The Hart Dynasty, Gabriel and Slater, and others have split up and neither superstar benefited from the split up. WWE, if you break up a team, have a reason to break them up.
Secondly, WWE needs enough tag teams. I only know of two or three teams at the moment. I see guys on the current roster who aren't doing anything, who could really benefit the tag division. Take Barreta and Hawkins for example. The two have great chemistry together. Both have charisma and great in ring work. The two guys rarely appear on television and are real life friends. Why not pair those two up? Also, McGillicutty or whatever his name is could start going by Joe Hennig, as I think he would make a splendid partner for Ted Dibiase Jr. The two men have a lot in common. That's two right there, from pairing up guys who aren't doing shit at the moment. Slater and Gabriel were split without reason, so pair them up again, and we have three teams. Not to mention the Uso's, which is four. I don't consider Ziggler and Swagger much as a tag team, and they really shouldn't be with Ziggler holding the US Title. I have no idea what's going on with Bourne and Kofi right now but they don't really clique as a tag team if you ask me. Miz and Truth are a team but they wouldn't really fit in the tag division as they are more main eventers at the moment. With Hawkins and Barreta, Slater and Gabriel, Dibiase and Hennig, and The Uso's, we already have four teams. Their are also a ton of great tag talent on the indy scene who WWE should reach out to, such as Briscoes, ANX, Young Bucks, etc... WWE also has a development territory with a tag division, so they could really bring up teams together. It seems as if WWE doesn't bring up legit teams as much anymore. If you want a successful tag division, get some teams!
Lastly, give the tag division some damn air time! Once their is a tag division with a decent amount of teams, have one or two tag matches, and one or two tag team interviews, every show. We need other feuds that aren't over the tag titles. Not every tag team feud has to be for the straps. Give the tag champs some air time, but give other teams air time as well in other matches. Why have tag belts, if you aren't going to make them prestigous and have teams work their way up for them? If you have the tag teams who aren't in a title feud, face off, then they can work their way up to the tag division. Just because you have belts, doesn't mean every tag feud has to be revolved around them.
With these three steps, WWE could and should get back to where they once were. If given enough time and effort, think about the matches: The Usos vs. Hawkins and Barreta vs. Gabriel and Slater. Other teams that come in would make an impact as well. It's not just WWE, it's tag team wrestling in general. Over the years, it has become less-relevant. If WWE works hard, they could get it back to where it once was, and if WWE does this, other companies will do this as well.
