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Two Times The Mayhem: These Are The Greatest WWE Tag-Team Duos Of All Time

From the Usos to The New Day, there's no shortage of impressive tag-team duos throughout the WWE's history.

By Ethan Absler
Wrestling duo The Usos

Being a great tag team in the WWE is one of the most difficult feats to achieve in sports entertainment. It involves not only being on the exact same page as your partner at all times, but it takes chemistry, practice and a little bit of luck. When you watch a truly legendary tag team work, you can’t take your eyes off the screen. 

Over the course of the last 50 years, fans have had the privilege of enjoying some of the best teams the sport has to offer. So without further ado, here are the five greatest tag teams in WWE history. 

The Road Warriors 

Also known as the “Legion of Doom”, Road Warriors Hawk and Animal were one of the most intimidating tag teams in wrestling history. Donning massive oversized shoulder pads with large spikes as well as intricate face paint, Hawk and Animal came across as two dudes you did not want to mess with. 

The Road Warriors wrestled all over the world including smaller promotions in the states and Japan before wrestling for the WWF for almost 10 total years beginning in 1990. There they became two-time WWE tag team champions and were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2011. 

They were multi-time tag team of the year recipients, possessed one of the most devastating finishers in all of wrestling, and changed the way ring gear and presentation was displayed in sports entertainment. 

Hawk and Animal are true icons and trailblazers when it comes to tag team wrestling and fans were lucky to see the Legion of Doom perform in the WWE at such a high caliber. 

The Usos

I was in attendance at the RAW where Jimmy and Jey Uso defeated the New Age Outlaws to capture their first WWE tag team championships. The energy in the arena was astounding. Almost 10 years later, I still remember the moment clear as day. It was one of my favorite WWE moments I have ever had the opportunity to see live and it’s because of the way The Usos connect with the crowd and how their old underdog mentality served them well at the beginning of their careers. 

One of the things that has allowed The Usos to remain so successful all this time is their versatility and how they have been able to adapt and change their in-ring style and their personalities. As part of the Anoa’i family, The Usos practically grew up in a wrestling ring. It’s what allowed them to transition from working together as a team to being Undisputed tag team champions as part of The Bloodline with Roman Reigns. With both brothers in only their mid 30’s, it’s safe to assume The Usos have a handful of years left in their careers. 

I expect to see them keep racking up titles and accolades and will become first-ballot Hall-of-Famers. They are already eight-time tag team champions, but we all know The Bloodline will be coming after even more. 

Edge and Christian

Yes, Edge and Christian were seven-time tag team champions, but it was their influence on the industry, their work ethic and their performances that make them one of the best teams of all time. Originally, Edge and Christian were creepy. They debuted as part of The Brood in 1998. From there, their character progressed into the silly, high-flying risk-takers they are better known for today. Their outlandish “Five-second pose for those with the benefit of flash photography,” flashy costumes and high-risk in-ring style attracted fans from all walks of life. 

In addition to their entertaining antics, the team had arguably the greatest tag team rivalry of all time between themselves, the Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz. The matches which that feud produced are still some of the most innovative, influential and wild brawls of all time. 

Pro Wrestling Illustrated awarded the triple threat tag team saga between the three teams the Match of the Year two years in a row. They are multi-time tag team of the year, hosts of their own show on the WWE Network, and most importantly, they changed the shape of tag team wrestling forever. 

The Dudley Boyz

No matter where they turn up, The Dudley Boyz are treated like wrestling royalty- and rightfully so. Over the course of their legendary careers, The Dudleys have been tag team champions a whopping 18 times. Pioneers in ECW, a staple in the WWE, and even successful international stars, The Dudley Boyz are arguably the greatest tag team of all time. They are the only team to hold the WWE, WWF, ECW, WCW, TNA, NWA, IWGP, and AJPW tag team championships. They reached the top of the mountain in every promotion they have ever been a part of. 

The Dudley’s are infamous for their inclusion of tables in their matches and the way they shaped both hardcore and tag team wrestling. The Dudley’s are one of the most well-respected duos in wrestling history and were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. 

The New Day

New Day rocks! The unlikely trio of Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston and Big E were not supposed to be a legendary tag team, let alone the greatest one of all time. When New Day debuted in 2014, they were met with hostility from the fans and many people thought the New Day was doomed from the start. As time progressed, fans not only began to accept the group as a team but really started to get behind “The Power of Positivity” that the group preached. Besides making people feel good, The New Day wins matches. 

They are 11-time tag-team champions and one of those reigns lasted almost 500 days making them one of the most decorated and longest reigning champs in WWE history. Both Kofi Kingston and Big E went on to capture the WWE World Championship and Xavier Woods achieved one of his childhood dreams of becoming King of the Ring. The story of the New Day is a success story. It didn’t happen overnight but through hard work, determination and pure skill, the New Day became the greatest team in WWE history. It isn’t just about their title reigns or their accomplishments, it’s about their longevity and how they make people feel happy. 

Finally, here are just a few honorable mentions in the tag-team world:

-      The Hardy Boyz
-      D-Generation X
-      The Hart Foundation
-      Demolition
-      The Rock and Roll Express