Best Tag Team Wrestlers

[Dylan Waco]

With all the talk about tag team wrestling lately I thought this could be a cool topic. The obvious answers of course are Eaton, Arn, and Morton. Eaton and Arn because they were guys who made their bread and butter with a variety of partners and were obviously great and Morton because he was essentially the all time face in peril (in my view a role he was so good at that it shoots him into the discussion with the absolute top names in wrestling history). Setting those names aside I'd like to throw some other names on the dock for consideration.

 

Barry Windham - I actually think he's in the discussion for best tag team wrestler ever. Was good with a variety of opponents, in a variety of settings, with a variety of team mates. As a face in peril he was excellent as his selling was always top notch and he had great stock bumps he could trot out to build heat. Really good at eating cut off spots as well. Also was a strong hot tag. His heel tag work was also really great as he was strong at putting together heel control segments, could work vicious, could stooge, et. I would argue if nothing else he may be the most versatile tag wrestler ever.

 

Bill Dundee - Not thought of as a tag guy and maybe he really wasn't in some respects but he's awfully good in tag matches even to this day. All of the best Memphis guys are masters of timing and that is largely what tag matches are about so it's not surprising that he would be so great. Still it seems like EVERYTIME Dundee shows up in a tag match it is a match that I am either blown away by or super entertained by and he is usually the star of the match. Has the kind of spark that makes for great face shine spots, can sell his ass off and is really creative in how he sets up and builds to hot tags. He's one of the best wrestlers of all time period, but also one of the best tag wrestlers ever.

 

Spike Dudley - I have a feeling some people will accuse me of trolling with this one, but I thought in 96-97 he was probably the best pure FIP in wrestling within a tag setting and his willingness to do crazy shit with his body made him an extremely dynamic offensive tag wrestler as well. Really creative off of double teams, took crazy bumps, sold his ass off, build his comebacks well, et. Really was great with a variety of partners and every team had a different dynamic with him being asked to play a different role and being succesful across the board. The way he works teaming with Balls against D-Von/Bubba (some very strong brawls in that feud btw) is different from the way he worked with Dreamer v. Smothers/Guido is different from the way he worked with Bubba v. Bad Crew is different than working with Bubba v. Guido/Smith is different from the way he worked with Mikey v. PG-13, et. Just a very adaptable wrestler in the context of tag wrestling which I think was really his strength.

 

Tracy Smothers - Really a tremendous tag wrestler, arguably top five ever for the U.S. Was in three tag teams that I would safely put in the "Very Good-Great" category - Southern Boys/Young Pistols, The Thugz, and The FBI. All three teams were great for different reasons. Southern Boys were more of a traditional "80's" style babyface team with explosive offense, lights of armdraggy/rope running highspots/et. Smothers and Armstrong complimented each other well and when they turned heel they were able to work just as effectively despite some obvious stylistic adjustments. The Thugz were an interesting team because they worked a lot of "babyface doing heel work" spots. They were also a TREMENDOUS brawling tag team. They also were masters of structure with Smothers always playing FIP and playing it excellently as he was a real master of hope spot/cut off exchanges. FBI was a schticky team, heavily reliant on building heat through minimalistic antagonism. Having said that they had plenty of action packed matches where the schtick built to the big spots and hot moments in a totally unique way for ECW. Just a huge and varied body of work with multiple rock solid teams. Really a guy who's profile deserves to be bigger than it is.

 

Dustin Rhodes - I thought he was a great tag wrestler during two distinct eras which is a real feather in his cap. Like Windham he is a rare big guy who was a super compelling FIP in large part because of having some really dramatic big bumps and excellent mannerisms. His role in WCW of being the young lion trying to hang with the big dogs really stood out in tag matches and led to some really great matches. Then he had a really solid run with Booker T a decade later where he was still often FIP, but also had become a master of milking the crowd for his "big pop" spots and putting together WWE style "runs" of offense that work on a level different that what was expected in WCW.

 

Ricky Steamboat - This is almost self evident. Sometimes I think people forget how good the Youngblood team was based on what we have available. Then you look at what he was capable of doing in WCW with a variety of opponents and you have a pretty big body of work. To be honest Steamboat's style is almost tailor made for tag wrestling as he has the fiery offense and mannerisms to make a good hot tag and is one of the three or four best babyface selling machines of all time. So really he feels like a "duh" pick.

 

Tully Blanchard - Between the Arn and Gino teams he has plenty of quality matches and moments as a tag wrestler and even though I always sort of felt cheated that he wasn't on his own more there is no denying that the guy was great in a tag setting. It is entirely possible that he was the better wrestler in the Brainbusters though I haven't watched a tag match with those two in the while. Still he was great at taking fiery babyface offense but also such a supreme douche that he could transition into a heel control segment in a nearly flawless fashion. This is not always easy as playing the goof and playing the asskicker does not come naturally to everyone. It came naturally to Tully.

 

Marty Jannetty - Was great with Michaels in a true 80's team of equals. Seriously I'm not sure which one was better in that team and could buy arguments either way. Great offense for the time (Jannetty definitely was less dangerous with jobbers for what that is worth), great bumper, great selling, really strong timing, et. What pushes Jannetty over the top for me is the fact that he was also a really good makeshift tag partner later in his career and seemed to never really lose what made him dynamic and interesting even though he had obviously aged. Shame he and Kid didn't have a longer run as they were a team that could have rivaled the Rockers in my view, with Jannetty being a really strong veteran anchor at that point.

 

Buddy Rose - Often worked in tag team matches in Portland where you really got a taste of things as he could really temper his big spots and schtick well to that setting without really feeling like you were missing any of the staples that made the match a "Buddy Rose" match. Then you've got the Rose/Somers team which is one of the great short lived teams in wrestling history. Absolute bump freak, who could control a match offensively well, was a master at schtick and working the crowd, and was maybe the best I've ever seen at changing gears to work in some big spots and keep things moving along. Was a great tag wrestler in Portland and a great one in the AWA. Shame he never got a chance anywhere else.

 

Michael Hayes - One of the most underrated workers of all time. Hayes is a guy that is remembered (rightfully) as an all time heel and I think the Texas Set demonstrates quite well that he was great in tag matches working both chickenshit heel spots, eating babyface offense spots, pure schtick, and even balls to the wall ass kicking stuff. The AWA stuff with the Birds does NOTHING to change my view of that as he was just as good there, but with dance partners that were less familiar. To me the most interesting thing about Hayes is how good he was in face tag teams and settings. Watching stuff from his team with Steve Cox v. SST in late days AWA it is amazing how good he was at babyface apron work - literally among the best I've ever seen. He was a very strong FIP and a very strong hot tag too. Really a great all around tag wrestler.

 

I'll leave others to discuss the merits of Misawa, Kawada and Taue all of whom I love but have little to say about at this point.

[MJH]

What, Taue but no Kobashi?!? Actually, one could make the argument that he was in *two* Top 5 all-time teams (and three in the Top 10). Misawa/Kobashi were the best team ever (Kawada/Taue only edge them by being together twice as long). And Kobashi/Kikuchi were about as perfect a babyface tag team as could ever be put together. If you take out "importance" and how long they were together, look at things on a night-by-night basis of what both teams were capable of, it's not a slam dunk case for RnRs over them by any means. Then again, you could make a similar argument for Kobashi/Akiyama (though Kobashi/Kikuchi are a far more stylistically comparable team... and certainly a *team* too).

[JerryvonKramer]

Excellent post and thread idea. I think it has to go:

 

1. Arn

2. Morton

3. Eaton

 

Anyone disagree with that?

 

As for others to mention:

 

From what I've seen so far on the All Japan set, I'd like to mention Jumbo here. Has there ever been a better fired-up face getting the hot tag? He's been the standout worker in almost every tag match he's been involved in so far (finished disc 3).

 

Haku / Meng - Often overlooked, he was good in several different teams playing different styles and different roles. In the Islanders, with immobile late 1989/90 Andre, and with the Barbarian in WCW. Three completely different teams and he was good in all of them.

 

Sting - I think Sting was a great face tag-team wrestler. Whether with Warrior, Luger or RANDOM partner, he was always good. Could be the face-in-peril or the hot tag, and great in either role.

 

And what JvK post would be complete without a mention of Ted DiBiase? I'll mention him. I think Money Inc. is underrated. He made a good partner for (ever so slightly less) immobile 1988 Andre. He made a good partner for Stan Hansen in Japan and Steve Williams in Mid-South. Don't really like bland face Ted much, but he was a decent tag-team wrestler whenever he had to work a tag match.

 

EDIT: Someone should mention Dennis Condrey too.

[jdw]

Kawada.

 

Beats the heck out of me who would be #2 of all-time.

 

John

[Dylan Waco]

Kawada.

 

Beats the heck out of me who would be #2 of all-time.

 

John

Just wanted to note that even though I haven't gone back and watched much AJPW in years Kawada would be my front runner for number one as well. I would lean toward Kawada, Morton and Windham in that order but could be convinced otherwise.

[KrisZ]

Where is the love for Tommy Rogers. He WAS The Fantastics.

[Bix]

I love the Doc/DiBiase team but don't really see an argument for him all time in tags. Money Inc. was the nadir of his career and he was incredibly disappointing in AJPW. I always found the latter odd, as there were plenty of guys who you'd expect him to match up with well in the '80s but his work always fell flat even though he was tearing it up in Mid-South.

 

I agree with a lot of Dylan's picks so I'll just add some:

 

- Stan Lane: Fabs, MX, & Heavenly Bodies. His one available match with Koko Ware as a team is excellent, as well. Even the one match I've seen from the short post-Fabs, pre-MX run in Florida is very good (with a green Scott Hall vs Bill Dundee & The Barbarian). Really should be a no brainer pick.

 

- Dick Murdoch: Existing Texas Outlaws footage is excellent (and it's not just him, Dusty was a great working heel), North/South is sort of superficially awesome even if you're not a fan (and it's too bad that WWE has never released their full title loss to the US Express, which I'd expect to be one of their best matches), and his various short-lived teams (Masked Superstar, Ivan Koloff, Eddie Gilbert, and others I'm probably forgetting) are very good to great. He's at least worth discussing.

 

- Eddie Gilbert: Great with Morton, Rich, and Murdoch at the very least. At least good with Nightmare, Steiner, Simmons, etc. As a great Memphis style worker, like with Dundee, it makes sense.

 

El Hijo del Santo: Excellent in straight tags with Eddy, Casas, Rayman, Octagon, and other people I'm probably forgetting. Curious to see the UWA tag with Villano III vs Negro Casas and He Who Cannot Be Named.

 

- Jushin Liger: Very good in underdog tags vs heavyweights, excellent in stuff like the NJPW vs Noah feud, ROH tag with Joe vs Danielson & Low-Ki, etc.

 

Guys who theoretically make sense but wouldn't necessarily make a list for footage or other reasons:

 

- Greg Valentine: Already an excellent worker, Hid Beefcake, was apparently awesome with Flair.

 

- Don Kernodle: We know he was awesome with Savage and Koloff, not sure if there's any footage of him with Orton, but what we have is awesome. Not sure if Slaughter should be considered just on the strength of their run since he didn't really have any other teams.

[Dylan Waco]

Valentine is a guy that almost seems tailor made for tag teams too. Really bruising style that lends itself to vicious control segments. I imagine if the footage existed we would be talking about him as an all time tag team guy for sure.

 

Another guy I forgot (besides Condrey and Rogers who are fairly obvious picks) was Tom Pritchard. Really great in both versions of the Bodies. I liked Del Ray more at the time but looking back he was really the glue of the team. Underrated offensive wrestler and was really great at playing off of whatever opponent he was in there with. Real good as an asskicker and taking an asskicking too. Good babyface tag wrestler in Portland when he was young also.

 

Also, I am not a fan of North/South. However if I was I would think Adrian Adonis would be as deserving as Murdoch, probably moreso. On top of North/South, he has East-West which is about as obvious a "one man" team as you will ever see - and they had plenty of good matches

[MJH]

I'd favour the rudos from Mexico if we're talking the best tag workers (as I guess is the case for US too, and Kawada obviously). It's tricky, though, with so many matches being trios. You have a handful of great set groups, particularly on the rudos side like Infernales etc... I can't even think of who I'd put with Santo as his regular partners. I agree with what you said about his ability, mind. And I've never thought Benoit's Mexico stuff was any good at all, and I'm one of the few people who'd still call myself a fan of him.

 

Stan Lane is good enough, but as soon as he started those kicks, I tuned out. They were as bad a regular offence of any touted wrestler I've ever seen. Someone should've had him drop them after the first time he tried, much less have the announcers talk them up or have them as a finish.

 

To clarify something, though, I wasn't actually nominating Kobashi over Kawada (I figure he's the obvious #1), merely responding to Dylan leaving him out at the end of his post. I'd put him as #2 though. If we're talking best tag workers by "who was in the best tag matches" then Misawa would be third, but (less than Kobashi) I don't think of him as a tag worker at all.

 

I think it's difficult for the All Japan guys vs. the US teams, though. Through 1993, the tags were fairly similar in structure. They got all they could out of the old "southern tag" formula by 12/3/93 (and were already past it from a "story" pov), and then by the time you get to the 5/94 tag and beyond they're clearly working at such a higher level and their matches are more developed that stuff like Kobashi/Akiyama vs. Misawa/Ogawa, whilst not particularly notable for "'90s All Japan" (though still great, especially the first one last time I watched them when DVDVR were doing their Tag Team poll) is on a notably different level to what RnR/MX etc would do together.

[Victator]

My favorite Tully dickhead move was at Survivor Series 88. He gets tagged in against Barbarian. He struts around the ring and quickly tags out.

[Dylan Waco]

Holy fuck, I can't believe I forgot Terry Funk. A Morton/Steamer level seller, a great bleeder, a fucking awesome asskicker on his comebacks. He's definitely way up there.

[Tim Evans]

I'd put Lawler as a better tag wrestler over Dundee. He was great with Idol, Jarrett in 92 and even Brian Christopher in 93/94.

 

Some more to include:

 

Ultimo Guerrero: Really liked his tag team with Rey Bucanero. He's also done good with Atlantis and the useless Dragon Rojo Jr.

 

Danny Davis: Had a good run with Ken Wayne as the Nightmares. Also teamed with RVD in USWA 91 and didn't he team with one of the Armstrongs in SMW?

[Dylan Waco]

I'd put Lawler as a better tag wrestler over Dundee. He was great with Idol, Jarrett in 92 and even Brian Christopher in 93/94.

 

Some more to include:

 

Ultimo Guerrero: Really liked his tag team with Rey Bucanero. He's also done good with Atlantis and the useless Dragon Rojo Jr.

 

Danny Davis: Had a good run with Ken Wayne as the Nightmares. Also teamed with RVD in USWA 91 and didn't he team with one of the Armstrongs in SMW?

Davis teamed with Scott when Scott was under the hood as Dixie Dynomite! and they were a decent little team but I'm not sure that means much. They probably weren't a top 20 SMW team.

[Bix]

As far as Adonis goes his team with Ron Star in Portland was pretty good, too, plus the cage match with Savage against Tito and Bruno is excellent.

[Victator]

Owen Hart was a really good tag wrestler. No matter who he tagged with, it always felt like a real team instead of two singles guys tag team larping.

[Guest Rob Naylor]

Manny Fernandez!!!!!!

 

Manny and T Bolt got good stuff out of Andersons and ya know T Bolt had zero to do with it...

 

Manny was always good when with Boogie Woogie, making those tags in the ring...

 

Manny and Rick Rude - obviously great

 

Manny and Barbarian *short lived, but awesome*

 

Manny and Hector Guerrero in Memphis...

 

Manny and Buzz Sawyer in Japan....

[El-P]

Stan Lane is good enough, but as soon as he started those kicks, I tuned out. They were as bad a regular offence of any touted wrestler I've ever seen. Someone should've had him drop them after the first time he tried, much less have the announcers talk them up or have them as a finish.

Stan Lane's kick are just godawful. The more I watched the Eaton/Lane MX, the more I think Lane drags them down quite a bit. As soon as he tags in and does these kick I just cringe. Plus he as a strange way to stand, like he's getting off his horse, just awkward to watch. Plus the Fabulous Ones don't do anything for me.

[Guest Rob Naylor]

I bought them when I was a kid and most people did, but you are right about Stan Lane and his kicks. lol. I always loved the leap over the rope clothesline and can't believe someone hasn't stolen it yet. But ultimately, I wasn't a fan of his, despite the pic of him and Bobby with both sets of tag belts in 1988 being the coolest wrestling pic possibly ever.

[Negro Suave]

I'm gonna say Owen. Owen was always lynchpin for any team he was a part of and he was great at selling and bumping for everyone's offense. As a heel he was just the right amount of cocky to get himself in trouble while getting his opponent over.

[JerryvonKramer]

Would people say that the Condrey/ Eaton MX are better than the Lane version then?

[Dylan Waco]

Would people say that the Condrey/ Eaton MX are better than the Lane version then?

That's the consensus

[Log]

Would people say that the Condrey/ Eaton MX are better than the Lane version then?

Definitely...and I quite like the Lane/Eaton version.

 

I think Bobby Eaton is the end-all, be-all for me on this. From what little I've seen of his team with Koko, to the more available stuff with both MX's, to his Dangerous Alliance stuff, he's just so solid. I think he defines tag wrestling for me because he's a guy that's never really stood out in singles. Stick him in a tag situation, and he's gold. I feel like there are a whole bunch of guys that we'd think more highly of now if tag teams were more prominent.

[Matt D]

Would people say that the Condrey/ Eaton MX are better than the Lane version then?

Definitely...and I quite like the Lane/Eaton version.

 

I think Bobby Eaton is the end-all, be-all for me on this. From what little I've seen of his team with Koko, to the more available stuff with both MX's, to his Dangerous Alliance stuff, he's just so solid. I think he defines tag wrestling for me because he's a guy that's never really stood out in singles. Stick him in a tag situation, and he's gold. I feel like there are a whole bunch of guys that we'd think more highly of now if tag teams were more prominent.

 

Eaton just keeps trucking along too. In 92 he has Arn. In 93 he has Benoit. In 94 he has Keirn. In 95 he has Regal. He's got really good matches with each pairing.

[goodhelmet]

Don't think I saw him mentioned but Buddy Rose was a great tag wrestler as well. HAd great runs with Wiskowski, Oliver and Somers.

[JerryvonKramer]

I probably need greater exposure to Lane to make a fair assessment, but I've very much enjoyed Dennis Condrey's work on the Mid-South set.

 

While Bobby Eaton is obviously the workhorse of the team, Condrey I'd argue has greater charisma and his dick heel moves are among the best I've seen for a heel team.