Tag Division

[Luke Flywalker]

I’ve sat and thought about this for quite a while now, so pardon me if my perception on the matter is one-sided and somewhat final. I will ask for your opinions, but I don’t believe my opinion can be altered.

At WrestleMania XXV, we “saw” the WWE unify the tag team championships, in what should have undisputed them altogether. Anyways, in the weeks leading up, we saw some of the best tag team action in all of wrestling (besides New Japan Pro Wrestling) in nearly a decade and a half. Sure TNA’s made some focus, but it’s all been around maybe 2-3 teams.

After WrestleMania, in what was announced as “they will defend ‘em both on all three shows”. Now, I know it may still be early, but in WWE, we always think “quick moves, quick results” and quite honestly, we haven’t gotten that here. Have we, the WWE fans, been robbed of one of the most intriguing and potentialed opportunities WWE has ever had (within the tag division)?

Looking at the roster, you have a number of set teams who can be great carries of the titles, but you’ve also got a ton of potentially great tag wrestlers who could be teamed with a number of others. Is Vince really as devoted to pushing single stars as he appears, or could there just be NO interest in a tag division?

Looking back, so many guys skyrocketed to success after spending years in a tag team. Many of them are champions, or in the championship hunt, today. Guys like Edge & Christian, Jeff Hardy, Triple H (and William Regal if you count IC/US Title hunts as credible), Shawn Michaels, etc.

But the WWE has completely abandoned the tag division. Mixing Kendrick with multiple partners. Ignoring CrymeTyme still to this day, Miz & Morrison may have been prematurely separated, Priceless aren’t even in tag matches. And like I said, you still have a number of ‘super’-stars who could be linked together reasonably (most notably Chavo & Jamie Noble could have been an excellent duo).

Is WWE looking to groom these guys into solo-stars too fast? Or do they just really not care for the tag division? Are they not sold that they have tag-purists? Or do they have tag purists who aren’t ready to be superstars, so they can’t get the opportunity?

I personally think WWE should put a lot of weight on the tag division. I think they should direct a lot of focus toward tag team feuds. Having #1 Contender’s matches, and building actual rivalries and storylines (New Age Outlaws vs. Cactus & Chainsaw anyone?) around the tag division, not just video blogs. What is it that the WWE is ignoring, or rather taking notice of that we don’t see? Is it really more important to try and push low and mid card guys in shit storylines rather than give them time to grow in a tag team? Some of the most memorable wrestlers are known for tag-team wrestling.

To be honest, it just really pisses me off that they do ignore/throw away so much incredible potential.

 

[MikeRaw]

I agree that teams break up to quick. I could see a Cryme Tyme break up coming soon as well with one choosing Layla, and one choosing Eve. I don't want it, but I could see it. Anyway, yea, there's a TON of cases of them breaking guys up too soon. i don't think Miz/Morrison was a case of that though. It was a great time to break them up. But Cade and Murdoch is one that comes to mind. They shouldn't have been split up.
It sucks that they split them up, because the times they've done this over the past 4-5 years, it's clear from the second they do it that none of the guys (with the exception of Miz and Morrison) will make it to be maine vent stars, or even midcard stars, and they'd be better off staying as a solid tag team.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Meh. I've been bitching about the WWE's disposal of tag team wrestling for awhile now. Look at what tag teams did for the E in the 80's and 90's, it spawned the champs the 90's WWF is most associated with; Hart and Michaels.

The E could have unified the titles when it made sense to, when they had teams in Cryme Tyme, Cade and Murdoch, The Highlanders, Jesse& Festus, MizMo, Londrick and the Colons. That is easily the best roster of tag teams they've had since the early part of the decade (sans the Smackdown six, but that was a three team race, period.)with many talented workers that could have polished their deficiencies before breaking them up and perhaps the next HBK or Hart could have emerged. Now the only person who is really excelling out of this group is the Miz and the entire division is in shambles and basically sucks. The Colons are a nice team, but whats the point if the division is held together by duct tape?

The E has dropped the ball with the tag division, just plain aborted the Crusierweights and have forgotten how valuable managers, real managers, not Tony Atlas types or Divas, are to getting young, unpolished workers over. What used to be a mixed bag that made an entertaining card has become a one way formula that makes everything feel exactly the same, with the only distinguishable boundary drawn between the main eventers and everyone else.

 

[Next Big Thing]

To sum it up, tag wrestling doesn't draw. Plain and simple. Even back when the tag division was hot in 98 with feuds like the Outlaws vs. Chainsaw Charlie and Cactus Jack, or in 00-01 with the Hardy’s, Dudley’s, and E&C, it was never the draw of the show. While people may have enjoyed it, at the end of the day it was still just filler on the card. My guess is that as long as Vince is running things in the WWE, tag wrestling will never pick up again because it's not going to have an effect on how many people watch their show.

People can talk all they want about all the guys that have come out of tag teams like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, but there's no proof that they wouldn't have made it had they not been in a tag team. I mean who is to say that had Bret Hart not wrestled in a tag team, maybe he would have become a main eventer even sooner? And when we are talking about guys with the talent of a Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, I find it hard to believe that they needed to be in a tag team to get where they did in this business.

 

[Luke Flywalker]

^It doesn't have to be a huge draw, it has to be enjoyable. And in tag teams, you used to have a spot on the show, which isn't guaranteed for half of these singles low & midcard guys. It gave you the ability to showcase yourself, and you could build your character from there. You end up doing what Priceless did with Cena and Batista, and showcasing your ability to hang with the top stars.

And the Hardys, Dudleys, and E&C were ALL draws. TLC was one of the most successful ideas in WWF/E in that era. And you get longevity in the business and company through tag teaming (well you used to). Guys like E&C, the Hardys, etc. You build trust through this stuff. These guys are tops in the WWE today, mainly because of what they did in tag. Vince has said many times that Edge wasn't really anything until he opened the door for him to be creative with Christian when they were teaming, and he saw then that he could be a future champion in the WWE. He's one of the top heels right now, and when he was really in his own creative character, he was drawing more heat than anyone.

And yeah, it's hard to tell if a guy could be successful without tag teaming, but it's pretty damn clear that some of the most successful (note I said some) started off as tag teamers. That's a little bit more than coincidence.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Lost my whole fuckin post. Either way, mad rep to RKO legacy. Way to hit the nail on the head.

 

[MizMasta3000]

I agree as well E&C was together a good number of years before splitting and It was another good number of years as an upper-mid carder until Edge was in main event posse (as I call maineventers). Same goes for the Hardyz and Jeff it was a good number of years. Miz and Morrison could have been the same way as for KC and Idol (If anyone remembers how talented these guys were) Its a shame to see the tag division dwindle down to 3 or 4 good teams since '05-'07 which was up to about maybe 10 teams with potential. Now not all teams can break off and become good solos, some teams just need to remain a team until physical and character develpment (London and Kendrick). London just can't survive without being in a tag team or a stable he even said it in a WWE article a few years back. Lets see how long Morrison and Miz last in popularity in the next few months. Morrison as a face is as bad as a heel Jeff Hardy

 

[MizMasta3000]

Cade and Jindrak (when he was Garrison Cade) was a REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY great team better than cade and murdoch they could have been a team like E&C that end up doing good solo if they were together a few more years developing character. Both are talented in the ring by themselves and their program with the dudleys wasn't bad. Solid tag teams made from scratch is what I like again with KC and Idol. You don't have to wear the same attire or have a collective name. We have great teams while also keeping tag teams that consist of gimmicky nature:
Remember them?

The Hearthrobs
The Dicks
The Highlanders
La Reisitance

Again in the 04-07 tags were better and they put on good matches