Where's the love for Tag Team Matches

[The Intergalactic Koala]

Lately I have been watching a lot of matches involving tag teams and it made me realize that tag team matches are a true lost art of professional wrestling. You rarely hear tag team matches being on a top ten of any year because of the love for single match competition, but man there's something about the chemistry and storytelling that comes with a tag team match, compared to a singles match. In 2017, we had a good amount of amazing matches involving tag teams such as Usos/New Day, along with Sheamus and Cesaro/Ambrose and Rollins. One of the first matches I have seen on NJPW World was this:



I got legit chills watching this match. My question for the TSC is why it seems like tag teams are just a 2nd class affair, instead of a big deal on the level of the singles match? Is it because of the conditioning due to how WWE treats tag team matches, or is it just filter for a card?

 

[MenacingMonk]

This been known for years. Tag division was shyt for some time. It's picked up like the last 2 years, but not as big as a deal like the old days.

 

[Kidd Dibiase]

Check out NXT tag division from 2015-2016

 

[Hey_zeus]

The E has always been reluctant to book tag teams as main eventers. NWA, WCW, TNA, ECW, and old AJPW used to book the great tag teams as main events. You have to train/educate your audience. If it seems like the company doesn't value the division why should the fans? They have been better about it recently tho I'll give them that.

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

The E has always been reluctant to book tag teams as main eventers. NWA, WCW, TNA, ECW, and old AJPW used to book the great tag teams as main events. You have to train/educate your audience. If it seems like the company doesn't value the division why should the fans? They have been better about it recently tho I'll give them that.

I give them effort that the WWE came along way from that "Team: Insert name" movement in 2011-2013

 

[Beautiful Bobby Eatin]

I give them effort that the WWE came along way from that "Team: Insert name" movement in 2011-2013

This is true. I remember in the late 80's the WWE had Hart Foundation, Demolition, The Rockers, Badd Company(Orient Express), The Brain Busters, The Bulldogs, Powers of Pain, and The Rougeaus. Not to mention teams i didnt care for like the Killer Bees and Young Stallions. That division was STACKED.

 

[DANJ!]

I give them effort that the WWE came along way from that "Team: Insert name" movement in 2011-2013

Wasn't that shyt the wackest shyt ever... the names like 'Team Hell No', 'Team Rhodes Scholars'... who even tossed that shyt in the mix

 

[Jmare007]

I don't completely agree with OP, great tag matches are always praised and rank high on people's favorite or "best of" lists. Even on this board were 90% of the brehs just watch WWE and wrestling available on cable TV, when there's a piff tag match it's right up there in people's minds with any other singles classic.

I think there's less discussion about them because when fans argue about what wrestler was better at something (or who are the GOATs), they use singles performances for their arguments. And there really isn't much discussions about greatests tag teams because there aren't a lot of them - you have to get out of the cable TV "bubble" and go look for them - and there's a pretty definitive consensus on which teams were the best ones so there's no need to discuss any further. Besides, most great tags can solely be judged by their in ring prowess, as promos and segments worth a damn are very few. And in the case of WWE/WCW/TNA/ECW tags, it goes back to people already knowing who were the bests so there's not a lot to talk about them besides appreciation threads

Tag wrestling at it's best is untouchable when it comes to story and action, you might not get the same attachment as with singles performances (which is huge in wrestling). But overall, a GREAT tag match has better quality than a GREAT singles match.

 

[Breh Obama]

This tag team run by Sheamus and Cesaro saved both of their careers. Forming the New Day saved Big E, Kofi and Xaviers careers too

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Doesn’t help that All tag matches follow the same formula in wwe

 

[R=G]

The Bar, the Usos, and New Day have half carried alot of shows. Who would deny that?

 

[R=G]

This is true. I remember in the late 80's the WWE had Hart Foundation, Demolition, The Rockers, Badd Company(Orient Express), The Brain Busters, The Bulldogs, Powers of Pain, and The Rougeaus. Not to mention teams i didnt care for like the Killer Bees and Young Stallions. That division was STACKED.

Just look at the original Survivor Series 10 tag team match...what a collection of teams. The Islanders, Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, Killer Bees. And that was before Demolition got hot or the Brainbusters came over.

 

[DANJ!]

This is true. I remember in the late 80's the WWE had Hart Foundation, Demolition, The Rockers, Badd Company(Orient Express), The Brain Busters, The Bulldogs, Powers of Pain, and The Rougeaus. Not to mention teams i didnt care for like the Killer Bees and Young Stallions. That division was STACKED.

It's a shame the Bulldogs didn't stay around long enough to have matches with Arn & Tully... they left like right after they got there. We did get Rockers/Brain Busters and Hart Foundation/Busters tho

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

I don't completely agree with OP, great tag matches are always praised and rank high on people's favorite or "best of" lists. Even on this board were 90% of the brehs just watch WWE and wrestling available on cable TV, when there's a piff tag match it's right up there in people's minds with any other singles classic.

I think there's less discussion about them because when fans argue about what wrestler was better at something (or who are the GOATs), they use singles performances for their arguments. And there really isn't much discussions about greatests tag teams because there aren't a lot of them - you have to get out of the cable TV "bubble" and go look for them - and there's a pretty definitive consensus on which teams were the best ones so there's no need to discuss any further. Besides, most great tags can solely be judged by their in ring prowess, as promos and segments worth a damn are very few. And in the case of WWE/WCW/TNA/ECW tags, it goes back to people already knowing who were the bests so there's not a lot to talk about them besides appreciation threads

Tag wrestling at it's best is untouchable when it comes to story and action, you might not get the same attachment as with singles performances (which is huge in wrestling). But overall, a GREAT tag match has better quality than a GREAT singles match.

This is why I enjoy Puro promotions and Chikara over most promotions because tag teams are truly the essential part of a promotion like DDT and of course NJPW. Hell, they have a whole tournament dedicated to tag teams that test out the chemistry and end up succeeding (Juice/Tana). I wish the WWE would have an annual tag team tournament to test the waters of potential teams and moty candidates.

 

[The Intergalactic Koala]

The Bar, the Usos, and New Day have half carried alot of shows. Who would deny that?

True, but there should be more emphasis on making tag teams, instead of singles performers. You have a GOAT tier roster of some of the best wrestlers to come out of indies and foreign promotions, but have them stuck in limbo. This is why a tag tournament or even a league should come into play so wrestlers can get a fair share of the time, along with adding something fresh and unique to the WWE Network.