Tag wrestling is a pretty interesting business to watch on TV, if for no other reason than that the matches are much more about what’s going on between the two teams in the ring. Tag team championships have been around since the beginning of professional wrestling. With WWE‘s 20 championships now spanning from NXT to RAW to SmackDown, it can be hard to get your head around everything in the past 135 years. This blog article provides an overview of all 20 titles, dating back to when the first championship was awarded in 1883 to The American Wrestling Association.
A History Of WWE Tag Team Championships
The WWE tag team championship is a title in the professional wrestling promotion contested by two teams of wrestlers. The official tag team title was established on October 20, 2002, with the inaugural champions being Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit.
The WWE Tag Team championships have a storied history dating back to the early days of professional wrestling. Following the WWE brand’s extension during 2002 company’s initial World Tag Team Championship was initially limited exclusively to SmackDown. It was later transferred by The Raw brand, leaving the former Tag Team Championship without a title. In the end, SmackDown was renamed. General Manager Stephanie McMahon introduced the WWE Tag Team Championship and authorized it as the tag team name in the SmackDown brand on the 3rd of October 2002. She said that an eight-team competition would decide the first champions. On the 20th of October 2002, the team consisting of Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit defeated Rey Mysterio and Edge at No Mercy in the tournament’s finals and became the first WWE Tag Team Champions. The Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle team defeated Edge at No Mercy and Rey.
The tag team champions underwent a few changes in 2004, with different teams winning the championship regularly. Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero won the title from Booker T and Sharmell at No Mercy, while New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Road Dogg) toppled Test and Chris Jericho.
How does a Tag-Team work?
Tag teams could consist of wrestlers who typically compete in singles matches. However, they are often formed of teams with established names who often wrestle together and have a name and identity. In most team games, the only player on each team is allowed to be in the ring at one time.
Achievements of the WWE Tag Team Championships?
WWE Tag Team Championships have been around since the prime days of professional wrestling. The main focus has always been on the tag team division. The titles have seen several different formats and names over the years.
The first WWE Tag Team Championship was awarded to The American Dream and Dusty Rhodes in October 1984. The duo held the title for a record-breaking 834 days. This record still stands today. They were also the first team to successfully defend their title and held the title twice in three different states (New York City, Los Angeles, and Toronto). Other teams to hold the championship include:
- The British Bulldogs (David Taylor and Brutus Beefcake)
- The Powers of Pain (The Barbarian and The Warlord)
- Edge and Christian
Some of the most iconic moments in WWE Tag Team history involve tag team champions duking it out in spectacular matches. These include The Hardy Boyz’s record-breaking Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match against Edge & Christian at WrestleMania X8, Rey Mysterio & Chris Jericho’s epic.
WWE Tag Team Championships have been around since 1988. Over the years, there have been many different types of teams that have been successful in the WWE. Teams like The Hart Foundation, The Mountie, and The British Bulldogs are some of the most successful tag teams in WWE history. Teams like The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz are also iconic teams still remembered today.
How many tag team champions have there been?
There has been a whole 113 recognized teams and 164 recognized individual champions, who have had a combined 176 official reigns. The first champions were Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler and the final champions were The Hart Dynasty (David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd).
Who has held the most titles in history?
The team with the longest time in the ring is Dudley Boyz. Dudley Boyz ( Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) with eight reigns. Edge has the longest individual reigns, with 12. There have been two tag teams that held titles for more than 365 consecutive days. Demolition, whose first reign set the record with 478 days, and the Valiant Brothers. Demolition has also been the tag team with the longest reign in a single period of 698 days. Meanwhile, Mr. Fuji is on the team with the longest combined time as an individual, with 932 days.
