Who is the best tag team wrestler of all time?

[FromTheSouth]

Watching TNA tonight, I got to thinking, who is the best tag team wrestler ever? Scott Steiner and Booker T were calling each other the best, and both could be right. Steiner and Booker both had multiple long term reigns as tag champs.

HBK was part of one of the most memorable tag teams of all time, The Rockers, however, they were never tag champs. I think to answer this question, we should isolate who the best teams were.

I think that Demolition, The Nasty Boys, Harlem Heat, The Steiners, The Briscoes, Rocky Johnson and Tony Atlas, The Midnight Express, The Rock N Roll Express, The British Bulldogs, and LOD were all great teams, but the best team ever was The Hart Foundation. They held gold as heels and as faces, and were dominant in those runs. Bret Hart always Mortoned, and Neidhart cleaned house. I think that amongst those two, it was Bret who held the team together.

Bret also held gold with other Canadians, if memory serves me correctly. He was always the glue of the team. He was the spokesman, he took the abuse, and he backed up everything he said.

Bret Hart has already won out WZ wrestler tourney, and I think that he is also the best tag team wrestler of all time, which, I believe, makes him the greatest Sports Entertainer of All Time.

 

[Thriller Ant]

You can't mention best tag team wrestler without mentioning the man Hart beat to win the tourney: Edge. It's easy to forget with him being in the World Title picture all the time now, but he is a 13 time tag team champion in WWF/E with 6 different partners. It's not just the different partners, but they work different styles too. He's won with a powerhouse (Hogan), a high-flier (Mysterio), three men similar to himself (Orton, Jericho, Christian), and a technical master (Benoit). Edge wouldn't be the man he is today if it wasn't for his tag team experience.

 

[FromTheSouth]

I forgot to mention Edge and Christian, The Dudley, and The Hardys. I never mentioned the Brothers of Destruction either. I also left out the Freebirds and the Von Erichs. It is such a shame to see the state of tag team wrestling today when it used to be so great. Gone are the days when a tag title match could be the main event of a show. The Von Erich's tag matches used to be the main draw of their who territory. It is such a shame to see the state of tag team wrestling today.

 

[Thriller Ant]

I agree. It's tough to beat a really good tag team match. Hot tags and the increased ability to pull stuff behind the referees back add drama right off the bat. It is also a great way to build up younger stars. Look at the Hardys and Edge and Christian. They began as minor tag teams, but used the tag team and their tag team feuds to propel themselves to the top. Now, tag teams are just two singles guys thrown together until they find something to do with them as singles competitors, rather than a solid place for two guys to be until someone is there to replace them.

 

[slimmshady]

If you mean by the most dominant and high profile superstars, then for me its got to be the brothers of destruction. However, you can't really judge on who is the best because each team is better than the other in each of their respected areas. For example, the dudleys were awesome at tables and tlc matches. On the other hand, the hardys were awesome at high flyer matches and ladder matches.

 

[Milkyway!]

I forgot to mention Edge and Christian, The Dudley, and The Hardys. I never mentioned the Brothers of Destruction either. I also left out the Freebirds and the Von Erichs. It is such a shame to see the state of tag team wrestling today when it used to be so great. Gone are the days when a tag title match could be the main event of a show. The Von Erich's tag matches used to be the main draw of their who territory. It is such a shame to see the state of tag team wrestling today.

I must have read this wrong. The Dudley's even considered in the best tag team of all time, is laughable. They've never had a reign worthy anything, and have always been a huge support side of things. To be the best, you need to have the spotlight on you. The strongest they've ever looked was in ECW, and thats because they're only decent tag team was The Dudley's.

Now then, first off allow me to explain one thing. I'm not anti-Dudley, they are a decent tag team, but to compare them to the likes of The Von Erichs, The Hart Foundation, Demolition, The Road Warriors, British Bulldogs, The Hardys, Edge and Christian, The Freebirds, or The Wild Somoans is a despicable act, and a disgrace to the name of the wrestlers above.

You see The Dudleys never revolutionized tag team wrestling, and they never did anything noteworthy for tag team wrestling. They've just been around a very long time, without breaking up. Which in todays tagteam world, is an accomplishment, but not one good enough to be considered one of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time.

Their inring work is mediocre to say the least. Their style have always clashed with some of the best inring workers in the business, which is a huge problem. A good wrestler should be able to have chemistry with any other wrestler.

Lets take a small look at the Dudleys accomplishments in the tag team world while were at it..

NWA World Tag Team Championship x 1 time
WCW Tag Team Championship x 1 time
WWF/E World Tag Team Championship x 8 times
WWE Tag Team Championship x 1 time

Comparing these accomplishments, to in my opinion the bottom of the list of greatest tag teams ever, The Hardys

WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (6 times)
Terri Invitational Tournament
NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship (1 time)

Keeping in mind, this is the bottom of the list, and the Hardyz haven't been around anywhere near the amount of time The Dudleyz have. This isn't even including the singles accomplishments of both teams, where the Hardys just completely decimate the Dudleyz anyways. The best thing the Dudleyz have done singles wise, is Bubbas an 11 time Hardcore title, each reign probably only lasted an hour-a day.

To answer your thread, Bret Hart is the greatest tag team wrestler of all time. Not only is he the most sucessful singles star on my list of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all, but his tag team wrestling was phenomenal as well.

 

[kbrill21]

As individuals Billy Gunn, Road Dogg, Sean Waltman can be thrown in there. Maybe not greatest tag wrestlers of all time but very very good. I always enjoyed Owen Hart as a tag wrestler with any partner. Also, Arn Anderson was pretty damn good. Bret Hart and Edge would be a tie in my opinion.

 

[Doomsday Device]

One tag team that always comes to my mind is the Rockers. They were one of the first teams in WWE who actually got technical with their craft in the ring. They used to call themselves Tag Team Specialists, and that was so true. They inspired guys like the Hardys and Edge & Christian, not only in tag team bouts, but also as singles.

They were extremely athletic, and so well coordinated.

Sure WWE had many other great tag teams such as Demolition, LOD, Natural Disasters, all these were cool, but these were heavy hitters, they just stomp the crap out of their opponents.

I have to go with the Rockers on this one.

 

[unique.enigma.666]

My personal choices go to Edge, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, RVD and Matt and Jeff. Edge, yeah its easy to over-look his title runs given how long hes been in the main event picture, but he is simply one of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time, he put TLC matches on the map alongside The Dudleyz and The Hardyz. Eddie Guerrero, he in my own opinion alternated between main event/mid card and tag team wrestling. He had incredible runs with tag titles, he had great chemistry and was a natural at being in a team, and his gimmick helped solidify that factor aswell. Say what you want about Rey Rey but hes worked well with just about anyone, Batista, RVD, Eddie Guerrero, Edge, his high-flying skills have worked well with every partner hes held gold with or even teamed with. Same goes for Van Dam, he and Kane made a great team without a doubt, powerhouse with a high-flyer was a great move. No one can ever forget about The Hardyz, they had that instant connection given they're brothers, they grew up together they know each other like the backs of there hands, they had that high-risk high reward factor, loved by everyone. I know that theres been the likes of the legendary Hart Foundation mentioned and such but I've only watched wrestling from the age of 12/13 now 19 but I do know about a lot of teams before then aswell, but I'm simply going by what I've seen since I started to watch it.

 

[lamo78]

Lots of good input on this thread. I really wish that Triple H would not have blew out his quad as I was really enjoying when he and Stone Cold had the belts and single titles. I wanted to see where that was going.

I think individually, there are lots of talent. HBK was part of the Rockers which revolutionized tag teams. They were quick tagging, double teaming, high flying young talents. Not to mention he was in D-X.

X-Pac also had a great tag team run. He could pull of tag teaming with D-X and also with the likes of Kane and do it well.

My dream team would be Bret Hart and Edge.

 

[Ryanhitman316]

You can't mention best tag team wrestler without mentioning the man Hart beat to win the tourney: Edge. It's easy to forget with him being in the World Title picture all the time now, but he is a 13 time tag team champion in WWF/E with 6 different partners. It's not just the different partners, but they work different styles too. He's won with a powerhouse (Hogan), a high-flier (Mysterio), three men similar to himself (Orton, Jericho, Christian), and a technical master (Benoit). Edge wouldn't be the man he is today if it wasn't for his tag team experience.

I agree with your statement about Edge. He wouldn't be the person who he is without the tag team division. I personally believe The Dudley are the best tag team since they have hold every title in every company. But my fav. were Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit. I mean I know they were a team for a short period but when they were teams they dominated everyone including each other lol.

 

[Mark0820]

How are people overlooking Booker T? Solid worker, very over with the crowd where ever he goes, multiple title reigns that pushed him into the world title picture.

 

[PBA_Sensation]

Wow, half of the people who posted on here are just naming tag teams and which tag team is the best. If you can read the topic, it says tag team WRESTLER, not team.

Anyways, you can throw a ton of poeple out here for best TT wrestler because 99% of the main eventers and world champions and legends have been a tag team champion. Its not exactly a fair question.

If you are talking about a tag team specialist who became great as a singles star, then that makes this talk good. No matter what people say about Bret Hart, he wasnt and isnt the best ever. Im sorry for the Hart marks out there, but he wasnt. He carried a team that was just there to showcase him. Hart was a crybaby backstage, which is why he was pushed to the moon, and because he was clean.

The best tag team wrestler can be Steve Austin or HBK. Both were in great tag teams that meshed well together, they started as tag wrestlers, and they both are umong the top the business has ever seen

 

[Cebeards]

sorry guy, Booker T has never been all that interesting...not as part of a team, or solo. SO, it's hard for me to put him on the list.

A good way to spot a great tag team wrestler, is to find someone who started in a tag team, built themselves up as tag wrestlers, built their name around it, then over the course of time, developed into something that needed to main event.

I'm gonna keep this list modern...don't hate

Bret Hart
Edge
Shawn Michaels
Jeff Hardy
I kinda even wanna say Bradshaw

In the same breath I also wanna say
Christian and Matt Hardy

 

[WOLFPACK0524]

It is so sad that this is a thread because we couldn't discuss who the best TAG TEAM is. The tag team division is only to promote the individual and push them. Can you name a tag team that has stuck together WITHOUT breaking up once and having a singles career? I mean right now, BEER MONEY, INC. is the only one I can think of but I don't watch TNA, so I am not sure if they had a singles career first, then they were matched up.

If I go with an individual that could be considered the best tag team wrestler of all time (based only on individual accomplishments while in the team) the list goes (not in particular order):

Bret Hart - the technical wrestler
Edge - high impact (before his neck injury) and innovator
Arn Anderson - ruthless and dangerous in the ring
Jeff Hardy - high flyer with innovative maneuvers
Shawn Michaels - same as Jeff

 

[MisterRob]

Some of these names and choices make me laugh, when you're trying to justify who the BEST tag team wrestler of all time is. Really. The Rockers I've heard mentioned and honestly they're not even close to one of the best tag teams let alone could loving fans of Shawn Michaels justify him being one of the best tag team wrestlers. He shouldn't even be mentioned, and fans trying to push him in there is hilarious. The Rockers did nothing.. yes they were a high energy and briefly loved tag team, with a style and gimmick stolen from a much better tag team before them, but they had no lasting impact on tag team wrestling. Others revolutionized tag team wrestling in the way people attempt to give them credit for Before they ever did, sorry to tell you. Shawn Michaels is a great singles star, but he's not a great tag team wrestler.

Edge also makes me laugh. Oh, I'm not denying Edge and Christian was a great tag team and I loved them both as a fan watching and as a proud canadian, but aside from Edge's team with Christian there really was nothing memorable or special about all his other tag team reigns with throw together wrestlers for a short burst of what WWE loves to constantly do; throw together two singles stars for a short time and toss the titles on them in an attempt to push them until the time comes to pull them apart for a singles push. Edge was a good tag team wrestler and a good singles wrestler, but he's certainly not the best.

I heard others mention Billy Gunn, Road Dog and X-pac. Are you serious? Firstly they have to be a part of one of the best tag teams of all time, and people can say the New Age Outlaws were, but I'm really not buying it. They had their good qualities, had their entertaining times, but they definitely weren't anything special. The Dudleys are also hacks who get far more praise then they deserve and whose accomplishments are very exaggerated.

The best tag teams of all time in my opinion are: Road Warriors, Hart Foundation, the Steiner Brothers, British Bulldogs, the Midnight Express, the Rock N Roll Express, and the Free Birds. Now, no one can be in my mind claimed to be the best tag team wrestler if they haven't accomplished success beyond their tag team to be able to prove that they are standouts and how good they were, to compare with their success in tag team wrestling. Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid were both good on their own and I believe should be considered, Scott Steiner (even though I find him overrated) has a valid claim to being one of the best tag team wrestlers, but the one wrestler who has had great success in both areas.. and whose matches, whether they were in a tag team with Jim the Anvil (or anyone else for that matter) or on his own are some of the best of all time is Bret Hart. He's had some of the greatest matches in the history of wrestling in Both tag team wrestling and singles wrestling. He shined in both areas and there's no doubt, in my personal opinion, that he's the Best tag team wrestler of all time.

 

[paperbagman]

to those saying the bro's of destruction were great. YES, as a tag team TOGETHER they were. but that wasnt the thread. the thread is about single tag teamer... someone whos been tag champs wit EVRYONE! the men wit the most tag chamionships: one of the dudleyz. i kno wut ur thinkin: but they were nevr a gud singles wrestlers; but thts the point! they arent supposed to be; its like Tommy Dreamer and the WWE's ECW title, thats all he wanted to win... its the same with the dudleys and the tag titles wherever they went... OVER 20 TIMES TAG CHAMPS!

 

[kizzyturtl]

Bobby Eaton was a phenominal tag team wrestler whether with Dennis Condrey, Sweet Stan Lane, William Regal, etc.

He didn't have much singles success.

Michael PS Hayes with the Freebirds not only revolutionized tag team wrestling, may have revolutionized the whole rock and wrestling movement.

Tully Blanchard with Arn Anderson, both great workers.

Just a few of the old school names that come to mind.

 

[Sasori]

The first person and only person that came to my mind when I saw the title of this thread was well Bret Hart! Let's face it Bret has won championships from every mens division in wrestling! Including the tag team division! He along with Jim were the ultimate tag team! Bret's technical skills, and Jim's power really complimented each other! And Bret had dominant tag title reigns and was the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

When I think of who the greatest "single" tag team wrestler of all time is, one name that really just floats to the surface for me is Ole Anderson. When I look at tag wrestlers of today and put them up against guys like Ole Anderson, a lot of them really aren't fit to lace his boots. Anderson's heyday was back in the territory days and he was a major force particularly in the Georgia and Mid-Atlantic territories. While his most successful teaming was with Gene Anderson, Ole won a lot of prestigious championships titles with a lot of different partners. Basically, put Anderson in a team with someone and that team would win championship gold.

*American Wrestling Association
* AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Ox Baker (1) and The Claw (1)

* Championship Wrestling from Florida
* NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Ron Garvin
* NWA Florida Television Championship (1 time)

* Georgia Championship Wrestling
* NWA Columbus Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (17 times) - with Gene Anderson (7), Ivan Koloff (5), Lars Anderson (2), Rene Goulet (1), Ernie Ladd (1), and Jerry Brisco (1)
* NWA Georgia Television Championship (2 times)
* NWA Macon Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* NWA Macon Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Gene Anderson
* NWA National Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Thunderbolt Patterson (1)
* NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) - with Gene Anderson

* Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling | Jim Crockett Promotions | World Championship Wrestling
* NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship (4 times) - with Gene Anderson
* NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Gene Anderson
* NWA National Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Arn Anderson
* NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (8 times) - with Gene Anderson (7) and Stan Hansen (1)
* WCW Hall of Fame (Class of 1994)

* Pro Wrestling Illustrated
o PWI Tag Team of the Year (1975, 1977) - with Gene Anderson

* Southeastern Championship Wrestling

* NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship (Northern Division) (1 time)

* Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards

* Tag Team of the Year (1982) with Stan Hansen

 

[BK Styles]

I would definitely say Edge (nothing really needs to be said there), and also Jeff Hardy. I know Edge has won umpteen world titles and a few IC belts, as well as the most Tag reigns in wwe history, but look at it this way (correct me if I'm wrong on this btw); Jeff is the only guy to win both world titles, the intercontinental title, the world tag titles, the defunct european title, the hardcore title and the light heavyweight title. He is like a Grand-Slam-Plus Champion! Dont get me wrong, I'm not comparing Jeff to the legends like HBK, Brett Hart, Triple H etc, but in his own right that is a hell of an achievement.

 

[Extreme Pimpin]

Edge is in my opinion the best tag team wrestler because he has won the WWF/E World Tag Team Championship 12 times, 7 of those times with Christian who is the other half of my all time favourite team, 2 times with Chris Benoit, 1 time with Randy Orton, 1 time with Hulk Hogan and 1 time with Chris Jericho.
He has also won the WWE Tag Team Championship twice once with Rey mysterio and once with Chris Jericho.
He also competed in 3 TLC matches teaming with Christian which are all legendary matches of their era winning 2 out of the 3 TLC matches they lost 1 to the team of Jericho and Benoit.

 

[paperbagman]

my personal 3 wud have 2 b christian (hes won 9 times, w/ edge, lance storm and y2j), kane (b/c he has won the title 9 times w/ taker, xpac, hurricane, mankind, big slow, and RVD, 2 or 3 HOFers and a couple other big names, and hurricane...), and Hart... 4 obvious reasons

 

[THTRobtaylor]

No one has mentioned the best yet... Edge, Christian, Arn... all great... but there is one guy who stands out...

Davey Boy Smith.... half of the most pioneering team of the 80's,make no mistake... he was a major part in redefining tag team wrestling as part of the British Bulldogs.... then in the in the 90's teamed in the main event with Sting, Lex Luger and THEN held the WWE Tag titles AND a singles belt... at the same time? The Bulldog was the guy who could hold up the main event as a singles or tag guy... everyone else had to do one or the other...

If I had to pick 2nd... it'd be Jacques Rougeau...

 

[Freddy4190]

I'm gonna go with Edge. He definitely is one of the best tag team wrestlers, if not THE best of all time. He has chemistry with just about everyone, has held the tag team titles 14 times with names like Christian, Hogan, Benoit, Orton, and Jericho. He was one of the innovators of the tag-team ladder match, TLC match and has solidified his name as a top tag team competitor in WWE. He can't be topped.